The All-Star Antes Up -- Nancy Herkness A Review

ALL STAR ANTES UP

WAGER of HEARTS

**BOOK 2**

By

Nancy Herkness

SYNOPSIS:

“No strings, no rings.” That’s Luke Archer’s motto. As the champion quarterback for the New York Empire—not to mention a self-made billionaire—Luke has given up on serious relationships. Women only want him for one thing: the thrill of being with a superstar. And he can’t risk love distracting him from his next Super Bowl victory. But when his best friend announces he’s retiring from football to spend time with his wife and kids, Luke feels like he’s missing out on something much bigger than his career.

The assistant concierge in Luke’s luxury high-rise, Miranda Tate fled her family’s dairy farm to come to the bright lights of New York City. She works hard to move up and sends her spare earnings home to her brother. When she and Luke meet, there’s an instant attraction, but they’re in completely different leagues. Could Miranda be just the woman Luke needs to win the most important game of his life?

REVIEW

This, the All Star Antes Up, is the second installment in Nancy Herkness’ Wager of Hearts Series.  Her first work was a delightful surprise at my first read of one of her works.  After reading The CEO Buys In, I decided that it was a must that I follow this series through and see how all three wagers ended.  The second installment has not been a disappointment.  In fact, it has proven to be even meatier and have more depth to it than her first offering, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Unlike so many other romances where boy meets girl and “bang”, hearts and sparks happen, and the story follows an expected course; Nancy’s heroines are independent women who are not easily swayed by glitter and glam.  They are women who have a focus and have a reason to live.  They are outspoken, bright and know what they want for themselves and those they are responsible for.  They are self-sacrificing and will turn from the thought of a life of ease if it even has a shadow of having an ill-effect on their family or responsibilities.

At the same time the heroine has the propensity to love deeply and with great empathy, but not always the ability to allow themselves to be loved.  Be it for fear of potential hurt and abandonment or just fear of allowing themselves to open up to be loved back, it takes a very special hero and man to break through the restraints and barriers to reach the heart of Nancy’s heroines.  Once they do, it is pure euphoria, for the protagonists and the reader. 

The journey that Nancy takes you on through the pages of the novel to get to nirvana is like a wild ride through the mountains of West Virginia.  The emotional highs and lows of the storyline the wind through the pages dragging your heart along. She leaves you laughing, crying, and reaching for chocolate as you turn each page hoping that it will bring resolution to the twist or turn that the last page left the characters in.  Be it an emotional moment or an erotic encounter, Nancy has the ability to tie your emotions and heart-strings in knots.  It is this ability that keeps drawing me back to her books.  She makes me feel the extremes of my senses, all within a page or two, leaving me breathless.

The hero in the All Star Antes Up, was an interesting and complex character.  I enjoyed that Nancy gave depth and complexity to the hero, like the heroine, in that that was not just another rich “All Star Jock”.  We were allowed to see past the surface level and into the psyche of a man who had wars within himself that dated back to childhood.  Nancy allows her heroes to suffer, to have issues and to be human.  She also allows them to love softly, tenderly, and deeply.  What heroine, or reader doesn’t want to feel secure and loved, sincerely loved? 

Do I know Nancy, personally? No.  Did I ever have the opportunity to know other authors of note that made me be able to feel this same way, such as the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen? No.  But each of them have found the magic to lift us above the mundane, to transport us to a land where we can escape the cares of every day for a few hours and find a magical place to dream, much like we did as young girls.  A place where Prince Charmings really do come true, but Nancy’s are living and breathing, and just a little foil-able (wink).  Finding an author whose writing style and story-telling ability has connected with your heart dictates that you become like a kid at the book store.  I am no better.  I can hardly wait to read Nancy’s next installment, or her next series.  All Star Antes Up is a definite FIVE STAR winner in my book. 

ABOUT NANCY HERKNESS

Nancy Herkness is the author of the award-winning Whisper Horse series, published by Montlake Romance, as well as several other contemporary romance novels.  She is a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America RITA^® award. Her new series, Wager of Hearts, follows the romantic adventures of three very wealthy men who make a life-changing bet.

A member of Romance Writers of America, New Jersey Romance Writers, and Novelists, Inc., Nancy has received many honors for her work, including the Golden Leaf Award, the Maggie Award in Contemporary Romance, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award. 

Nancy graduated from Princeton University where she majored in English. In addition to her academic work in literature, she was accepted into Princeton's creative writing program, and her senior thesis was a volume of original poetry.

After graduating, Nancy had a varied career which included retail management and buying, COBOL programming, computer systems sales and marketing, and a brief stint as a receptionist at a dental office. Once her children were in school full-time, she sat down and wrote A Bridge to Love, her first romance novel to be published.

Nancy finds nothing odd about writing in the genre she calls “the “Rodney Dangerfield of the literary world. It gets no respect.”  She explains: “I was trained as a poet, but from the day my grandmother gave me my first Georgette Heyer novel I wanted to write romance. Romance is the genre of optimism, and that's why I like it.”

A native of West Virginia, Nancy now lives in suburban New Jersey with her husband, two mismatched dogs, and an elderly cat. She cheers loudly for the New Jersey Devils hockey team.

For more information, visit Nancy’s website: www.NancyHerkness.com

Or email Nancy at nancyherkness@comcast.net .

SILENT SENTRY - Theresa Rizzo - A Book Review

SILENT SENTRY

By

Threresa Rizzo

SYNOPSIS

The Scarfilis and Donnatellis love deeply and protect fiercely. "Family takes care of family" is the code they live by.

So when a hacker threatens Gianna Donnatelli's life, Dr. Joe Scarfili is determined to keep her safe, only he has no police or tech experience, and Gianna's penchant for aiding Detroit's underprivileged is the same kind of altruism that got his wife killed. Gianna protects Joe with the same unyielding resolve.

Gianna pushes all his insecurity buttons. Joe tries her patience like no other. But together they'll fight to save each other and their love... Or die trying.

REVIEW

I have read and studied medieval literature and Shakespeare , but why or why did I keep thinking about a twisted Romeo and Juliette when I read this delicious novel?  Except in this novel, Romeo and Juliet were not suicidal, star-crossed teenagers, like the original lovers were.  In fact, they weren’t suicidal at all.  They were well educated, adults who had known each other as children, or should I say as teenage and child?

That aside, once again, Theresa takes up another social issue to address in her newest novel.  But this time, she lands her heroine in the inner city of Chicago where the poorest of the poor cannot fend for themselves against the riff-raff of the gangs and warfare that wage around them.  Enter a young entrepreneur and a young doctor and you have two warring stories flying across the pages.  No make that three, for there are truly three distinct storylines that are tightly interwoven through this book.  Each one is breathtaking unto itself as you try to figure out who will win in the fight between good and evil, the will to overcome.  With a heavy dose of romance thrown in to lighten the overtones and undertones of the social justice that is being addressed between the lines. 

Oh, no, I didn’t forget about those pesky Italians from Shakespeare.  They are there in their 21^st century garb and just as nasty and just as willful.  But the world has got much larger than it was in the fifteen and sixteen hundreds.  It seems to have permeated globally.  For some reason, it seems that it is the young, and the innocent who always get caught in the cross-fire of the warfare for money and power.  Nothing ever changes. 

No, don’t get me wrong.  This story is enjoyable.  It is fast-paced. There is laughter, and love, but there is a much deeper message to be had, if you peel back the words and the pages and let it sink in a little.  Great job, again, Theresa.  Your story craft continues to grow.  You brought many a smile to my face as I rifled through the pages of this novel.  There was no leisurely reading allowed.  I give this one a great FVIE STAR review!!!!  Well worth the read!

This book was provided to this reviewer at no cost to read and assess for other readers in exchange for a fair and honest written review of the novel.  Shade Tree Book Reviews aka Blogging Under the Shade Tree is not associated with the Author or publisher of this novel.

ABOUT THERESA

Biography

I was born and raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Growing up in an Irish-Italian family was never dull or quiet. I have four siblings, two sisters and two brothers. My mother was a nurse and my father a general surgeon, so my interest in medical issues is hardly surprising.

As a youngster, I struggled with mild dyslexia. I couldn't read until third grade, but after years of remedial work, the wondrous world of books opened up to me and I've been a voracious reader ever since. Though possessing a fertile imagination, my practical side never even considered pursuing a writing career, because I'm too fond of eating. So I became a registered nurse.

After college, I married my high school sweetheart and had four children. Though I adore my kids and am very proud of them, parenting requires a lot of patience-- not exactly my strength, so I began writing. Writing gave me a creative, intelligent outlet that I needed, and it was far less expensive than therapy and a defense attorney. Writing allows me to create wonderful characters who, if they disappoint me, I can make their lives miserable--literally-- or simply kill them off, without going to jail! How great is that?

We lived in the Chicago, then San Diego, before settling in beautiful Colorado. We absolutely love the mountains! When not skiing, hiking, or writing in the mountains, I love to play tennis, take long walks, work in my gardens, decorate our house, read, work with my tile mosaics, and crochet.

It's true that writing is a lonely endeavor. Learning the craft and the publishing industry is a lengthy, complex process made much more fun when I joined the Romance Writers of America, and later, the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writersand the Crested Butte Writers.

I've been fortunate to make friends with many interesting people. Writers are a remarkable, entertaining breed who possess quick wits and huge hearts. They've enriched my life immensely and I'm very grateful to each and every one as you can see is you watch my writing journey video.

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HER PIRATES HEART - LISA ANN VERGE

HER PIRATE HEART

By

Lisa Ann Verge

For the last few years we have been delighted by the mesmerizing works of Lisa Verge Higgins and her works in the Women’s Fiction genre.  Her stories have been poignant, hitting close to home and heart of the women who read her novels.  Little did many of us know of a lighter and bawdier side of Lisa. 

During her college years she started writing historical novels that would curl the toes of the staunchest church goer.  But the novels were not devoted to heavy breathing, they were living works to a time before ours.  She wrote novels that believed the women were not chattel, that they were capable of having a voice and controlling their destiny.

SYNOPSIS

Another sexy, adventurous romance from the RITA-nominated author of seventeen novels, Lisa Ann Verge 

"A rousing swashbucker . . . a wonderful read!" --RT Book Reviews 

"Sweaty, gritty, and suspenseful. Don't miss it!" --Rendezvous 

"Verge is a tale-teller whose writing is stunningly real." --Affaire de Coeur 

WINNER Best Swashbuckler of the Year -- RT Book Reviews 

When the ravages of war destroy her world, newly-orphaned Adriana Joubert binds her chest and slips into the disguise of a sailor boy. With nothing left to lose, she’s determined to sign on to the boldest pirate ship in Saint Malo Bay. She figures she’ll help the captain capture a few rich prizes, and a lifetime of security will surely follow. 

But the notorious Captain Wolfe has better things to do than hunt English ships and Spanish galleons. He launches his motley crew clear across the world in pursuit of a man who owes him blood. He soon unmasks the smart-mouthed, dirty-faced ship’s-boy and, for her protection, confines her to his own cabin. But as mutiny brews and his enemy comes into sight, Captain Wolfe realizes that his greatest battle will be to win Adriana’s heart. 

REVIEW

Her Pirate Heart is a new work, but stays true to her earlier style of writing.  The only differences show in Lisa’s growth and maturity as an author.  This can be seen in the depth of development of her core characters as the live, breath and walk across the pages of the novel.  The storyline and plots of the book are full of twists that don’t allow the reader time to take a breath before sending them off on another hair-raising turn. 

Lisa’s ability to raise the temperature in the room has not disappeared with time, either.  While ramping up the temp and the hormones, she manages to accomplish it without embarrassing and tipping the scale to the more genteel side of the bedroom scene. (For once, maybe I didn’t quite skip over the “good” parts… lol.)

I love that Lisa chose to write about a lesser known time and area of early American, English, and French history as a historical novel.  The Carolinas and early settlement, including stories about early settlement of the Huguenots is not front shelf material at the library.  I love it, because it is part of my family history, at least the Huguenot portion of it.  Except my family immigrated straight to New Orleans instead of the Carolinas during that time.  Life if interesting.

Lisa, I hope to see more of your historical novels, along with your contemporary women’s fiction works in the future.  The each command and fill a much needed void in the shelves of today’s literature.  I think that you have proven, that a good story-teller transcends genre.  It would be interesting to see where your lively and lovely imagination might take us next.

You can acquire your own copy of Her Pirate Heart  at Amazon

ABOUT LISA ANN VERGE

Lisa Ann Verge is the critically acclaimed RITA-nominated author of seventeen novels that have been published worldwide and translated into as many languages. She started her career writing emotionally intense romances about hot men and dangerous women, and now she also writes life-affirming women's fiction under the name Lisa Verge Higgins. A finalist for Romantic Times' book awards five times over, Lisa has won the Golden Leaf and the Bean Pot, and twice she has cracked Barnes & Noble's General Fiction Forum's top twenty books of the year. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and their three daughters, who never fail to make life interesting.

Connect with her at:

Website: www.lisavergehiggins.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lisaannverge
Twitter: @lisaannverge
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LisaAnnVerge

Roman Holiday - A Book Blast

  Roman's Holiday by Susan Aylworth

Four years after Roman Kincaid was catapulted into stardom as a country-western singer and A-list movie star, he is burned out: exhausted by a grueling schedule, drained by the ceaseless demands of producers and managers, weary of meeting the needs of others at the expense of his own. Leaving a sold-out show in Phoenix, he rents a car and drives north and east, landing in the Painted Desert town of Rainbow Rock.

Nearly three years after leaving her old life behind, Lottie Beale is feeding people and baking pies, managing the Kachina Café and tending secrets of her own. When circumstances conspire to give two attractive people some time alone together amid the world-class vistas of the Four Corners, they discover more than either had bargained for.

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  Excerpt “Ro-man! Ro-man!” A capacity crowd in the Ak-Chin Pavilion chanted his name under the starry desert sky, but Roman Kincaid barely heard it. He stood in the stage wings, gearing up for an encore and wondering when his dream had become a nightmare. “Okay, guys,” he said to his back-up band via their ear buds. “One encore only. Let’s do ‘Gamble.’ Start with the chorus.” He took two steps toward the stage entrance, swinging his guitar into playing position. Sam, his manager, caught his elbow. “Are you sure about this? That crowd adores you. You could probably play three encores, sell more CDs—” “No.” Roman left no room for argument. “One and done. And no backstage stuff, either. I’m outta here.” He took a deep breath, pasted on the same fake, crowd-pleasing smile he’d used in the last half-dozen shows, and jogged back onto the stage to the roar of twenty thousand excited voices. He strummed the intro and launched into the chorus of his first number-one hit: “Love is such a gamble. You break a new deck every time. Sometimes you’re dealt the aces; Others you draw to nines. But when I met you, I knew it was true. A winning hand you seemed. Now I have the rush of a royal flush. You are the gamble of my dreams.” The crowd cheered wildly as he played his way through the music he now sang in his sleep. In fact, he realized as he watched fans taking up the beat and clapping along, that was pretty much what he was doing now. He struggled to suppress a yawn during the guitar interlude as he turned to acknowledge his band. I spent my early life dreaming of a crowd like this. When did performing start to feel like a chore? He put the thought away. Lately he’d been thinking of times when he’d heard of some celebrity being hospitalized for exhaustion and assumed it was a euphemism for drug rehab. Now he wondered. When was the last time I felt truly rested? The question was an imponderable. Months, at least. He hit the last chord and took a deep bow, then shouted, “Thank you, Phoenix!” and dashed off-stage.   Author Susan Aylworth

Susan Aylworth started her first book when she was nine. "It was called Buff, The Proud Stallion. I wrote eight whole pages." For her fifth grade career day, she stated her ambition to become "a rich and famous author." Decades later, she is pleased to have achieved the 'author' part of that goal. A former university professor, she enjoys researching backgrounds and careers for her novels. "It's one way to live many lives at once." She lives in northern California with her husband of 45 years and two spoiled cats.

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    Book Blast Giveaway - $50 Amazon Gift Card or $50 in Paypal Cash Ends 12/11/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Discovering Treasures in the Stacks

by Karen Laird

Recently I received an invitation from www.Invaluable.com, one of the world’s premier online auction marketplace sites for valuable collections, art, and antiquities.  They wondered if I would be interested in perusing their literary stacks and possibly writing an article about the value of literature and the printed word, especially items of age.

After giving it some thought, I knew the possibility of pursuing this project appealed to me on several levels.  First and foremost, I come from a family of avid readers, a family where the printed word holds great value.  Books have been honored and passed down through our family from parent to child, from grandparent to grandchild and even from aunt to treasured niece or nephew over the years.  Some of my earliest memories are of the time spent with an elderly aunt, many an afternoon after school, curled up on the couch next to her, as she read to me from the books of her childhood that her mother had passed on to her.  My Great Aunt Genevieve and her mother were both high school teachers, with Aunt “Gen” having a special love of literature.  My mother’s mother was also a school teacher in a one-room school room during the early years of the 1900’s.  When we went to visit her, they didn’t have a TV, but we spent the evening sitting on the floor around her knee as she read short stories and poems to us from James Whitcomb Riley, and other writers popular during the early 1900’s.  We were mesmerized, the stories were so different than the “Dick and Jane” we were exposed to at school. Imagine my surprise and great joy when my father and mother presented me with the books from my Aunt Gen’s library and several of the books that had come down from my grandmother and that she had given to me over the years as a child.  Several of the older school books had teacher’s notes in them from my great-great aunt, there were titles I had not read since I was a child, as they were out of print. 
I took the time to go through www.Invaluable.com’s stacks and look for some of these very titles and see if these treasures might be hidden amongst the many gems they have gathered at their site.  Listed below are a few of my finds, as well as a few finds that I think any reader who loves the older classic books of the 1800’s and early 1900’s would love to read and add to their personal library.

Here's the books link: http://www.invaluable.com/books-maps-manuscripts/cc-NVAZ3UE29G/

 THE COLLECTED WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Though not the same “scholar’s edition” that my aunts taught out of at the end of the 1800s and early 1900s, every serious reader needs a complete collection of Shakespeare.  I started reading Shakespeare to my children early.  I took The Princess Bride seriously and found “the good parts” and we read those together.  What six or seven-year-old boy doesn’t like the sound of “double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and caldron bubble.”?    By high school, they had heard and read enough Shakespeare not to be afraid of him.   We still enjoy a little Shakespeare, he’s good for the soul (and the ear).
http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/collected-works-shakespeare,-william.-the-chisw-338-c-5204285bdf 

MOBY DICK by Jim Melville
Okay, I never quite made it through this tomb, but it was in my Aunt’s stack.  At age fifty-eight, my dear husband, Fred, finally marked Moby Dick off his bucket list of books to read (once) before he dies.  Though a classic and full of much analogy and metaphor.  This story is a true gothic novel that gives War and Peace a run for it’s money in the fortitude it takes to read solo.
http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/morrison-jim-.-melville-herman-moby-dick,-65-c-f05413bb37

SELECTED TALES OF MYSTERY by Edgar Allan Poe Tales to read in the light of day.  Even though this is a more recent copy, the horror and terror that Poe manages to transmit to the written page transcends time.  This is a book that will never grow old with the reading. http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/selected-tales-of-mystery-by-edgar-allen-poe,-col-82-c-7694dbe82c 

A Collection of Children’s Literature This collection of books from an estate library reminded me very much of the library that came packed in those china boxes many years ago.  They were a mismatched collection of authors and styles that would appeal to many boys and girls longings for a book to read.  This was especially true for those children who lived in an isolated area where books were not readily available, and libraries were those places you read about in cities and rich peoples’ homes.  My Aunt Gen’s library came out west with her in a box on the train from back east to New Mexico where she came to teach high school.  She was limited in what she could bring by what could fit in her box of books, so her choices were carefully made.  A selection, such as this would have fit in one or two boxes, much like she would have brought with her. Arabian Nights, Longfellow Poems, A Tale of Two Cities, Kidnapped, Black Beauty, and more
http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/pope-rawlings-vintage-antique-literature-chil-2429-c-8ab45768e1 

JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
James Whitcomb Riley was the folk poet and story-teller of the turn of the century.  His stories were much loved by Americans as they reflected their attitudes about life.  Many were wistful, but many were full of their love of God and Country.  
I came across a complete set of his works several years ago and was able to present it to my mother.  It was from his books, and prints in magazines that my grandmother would read us his stories and poems when we were growing up.  Our favorite reading was one about the great bear hunt, as told by two little boys.  The further along the story got, the bigger the bear and the story became.  Over the years, it became a family tradition that grandmother recite it at family gatherings.  I think that her telling became bigger and larger with the years, also, but we all loved to sit and listen to the yarn grow. http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/james-whitcomb-riley-armazindy-1894-author-signed-2108-c-e364490b6d 

RUDYARD KIPLING The first “story without pictures” that I read to my children was Rudyard Kipling’s Riki Tiki Tavi.  They had seen the cartoon video a few weeks before and when I opened the book, they laid back, closed their eyes, and watched the story on the backs of their eyelids while I read it to them.  It took two or three nights to read the whole story because they kept falling asleep.  After that, we read all the Just So Stories Kipling wrote for children and in later years tackled The Jungle Book.
http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/kipling,-rudyard-1865-1936-.-the-pocket-kipling.-403-c-ac54c36802 

I love an old book.  There is nothing like the feel of the pages as they turn beneath my fingers.  There is nothing like the smell of the old, moldering pages wafting up and taking me to places unknown.  Books have always been my friends.  They have swept me across the continents and through the ages.  Under their spells, I have been a pauper and a princess.  I have felt the ecstasy of being anyone I dreamed I wanted to be.  They brought me my best dreams and left me fighting up out of my worst nightmares.  
Thousands and thousands of authors through the ages have spilled their heart’s blood on the pages of books in a hope that their dreams and tales would be read and shared for ages to come.  Thanks to the written word, we have the gift of being able to read and re-read those words of ages past and to share them on with future generations.  I am so thankful that my family has shared their love of the written word and passed this love down through our generations like a cherished jewel. In this day of electronic quick and easy, there is still nothing as long lasting as the written word.  
This fact was poignantly brought to a point by our daughter and her carrying on of the family tradition as she works on the final chapters of her Ph.D. in linguistics and psychology in Ancient Near-Mid-Eastern Languages.  She has had the privilege of studying and deciphering the puzzle of the written word from thousands of years ago.  Our most treasured discussions are about her work and the puzzling of languages through the ages.  Her greatest joy is handling and translating these ancient words from the sands of time. 
I know that Invaluble.com has far more than these few treasure amongst their stacks.  After visiting with Ryan, one of their staff, I feel that there is always someone there that will assist me in locating what I am looking for.  I wish I had known about places like this when I was looking for that special book set for my mother or dad in years past.  Having a quality auction marketplace at your fingertips when looking for that special book would have made the looking easier and the hope of finding a quality piece at a reasonable price even better.  
Be it a new heirloom of a child’s story to be passed down with time, or a treasured book someone speaks of with a sigh, books are still our favorite gifts to give and receive.  A precious volume of great value to the gift giver and the recipient is one that will always find a special place on a library or bookcase shelf in any bookworm’s home.

Danger Wears White - Lynne Connally - a Review

Danger Wears White

By

Lynne Connally

SYNOPSIS

Hoping to live down her family’s connections to the traitorous Jacobite cause, Imogen wants nothing more than a quiet life in the country. When she stumbles upon a wounded man, the white cockade in his coat tells her he’s a Jacobite, and a danger to the crown. Yet there’s something about him she can’t resist . . .

In search of a document on behalf of his powerful family, Tony is shot and left for dead. Secreted away to a hidden chamber, he finds himself both a guest and prisoner of a beautiful but mysterious woman. What she wants and who she serves, he cannot know. But what he does understand is the desire burning strongly between them. And that neither of them will be spared until their lust is sated.

When the action moves to London, suddenly it’s Tony who has to act to save Imogen. Forced to become a lady in waiting to Princess Amelia, she is in peril from the Jacobites, who are convinced she is their salvation. Only the strength of Tony and Imogen’s love can save them now.

REVIEW

Sometimes historical fiction should be just good fun to read.  The settings, the immersion into the life of living in the period and as a member of the “fallen” ton was wonderful.  I could almost feel a small sense of Cinderella in the fine print, as Imogen fights to just keep her home out of the clutches of the warring factions of the Royals and the Jacobites, who are determined to once again sit on the throne of England. 

Part of what is so much fun, is the intrigue, and the cloak and dagger of the fighting.  All this, while appearing gentile and extremely civilized, as society demands.  The only person who doesn’t seem to know what the fighting is really about is the center of it all, and the innocent of the day, Imogen. 

Lynne does a wonderful job of slowly rolling out the scroll, and laying the picture out for us all to see and take in, much like a large panorama map across a desk.  Accept, she is whisking us through the pages of her novel at break-neck speed as she paints the picture with broadening strokes.  Just as you think you have it all figured out, Lynne throws in a curve and adds more depth and texture to the scene and characters. 

What could have otherwise been a light summer read, was given more depth by the complex character development she gave to her central characters.  It kept you turning the page to see if you had it right, or if  the next discovery would turn Imogen’s world upside-down, again.

All this intrigue was wrapped and intertwined with a love story, much like a twisted Cinderella tale.  Personally, I read and saw the Cinderella story as the central thread through the entire novel.  It made it endearing and charming, in the middle of the cloak and dagger and everything else going on.  I love a good Cinderella, smile.

As to the historical, there seemed to be no ties to documented history, but the atmosphere, and character development were spot on for the time period and setting.  Fabulous job.

I would give this novel a good FOUR STAR rating.  A copy of this book was provided by Net Galley for my reading and reviewing of the novel, thank  you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynne Connolly writes historical romance, paranormal romance and contemporary romance. She loves the conflicts and complications that come about if someone lives their life to the full.
She has her own blog, but she also blogs for The Good, The Bad and The Unread, the UK Regency/Georgian writers' blog and The Raven Happy Hour.
She lives in the UK with her family and her mews, a cat called Jack. She also enjoys making and decorating dolls' houses. She visits the US at least once a year, attends conferences and has a great time.
Her website is at http://lynneconnolly.com

Take a Chance on Me - Marilyn Brant

SYNOPSIS

TAKE A CHANCE ON ME is a novella & it's Book 1 in Marilyn Brant’s Mirabelle Harbor series. This book and ALL of the contemporary romances in this series can be enjoyed as stand-alone stories.

Welcome to Mirabelle Harbor! In this scenic suburb on Chicago’s North Shore, overlooking the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan, the Michaelsen family has made their home for generations. Although their parents and grandparents are now gone, siblings Derek, Blake, Sharlene, and the twins—Chandler and Chance—all have fond memories of growing up in town, and most still live there.

Chance Michaelsen, the youngest member of the family (by two minutes) and the quietest (by far), is a dedicated twenty-eight-year-old personal trainer at the local gym. While he might not say much, Chance has made it clear that he’s not a fan of toxic people, unhealthy habits, or sharing too many of his emotions. With anybody.

Enter Antonia “Nia” Pappayiannis—the prettiest member of the loudest and most overly demonstrative family in town. They’re also the owners of The Gala, a Greek restaurant and bakery known for its decadent pastries and located just a few steps from Chance’s gym. He considers their entire family business to be the enemy of good health, but he can’t quite shake his attraction to Nia, who doesn’t seem nearly as impressed with him or his sculpted physique as most of the women around Mirabelle Harbor.

Unfortunately, between her doctor’s orders and the interfering ways of Chance’s crazy-making ex-girlfriend, who just happens to be one of Nia’s long-time friends, Chance gets assigned to be Nia’s fitness coach for the month. Pure torture. And if his ex weren’t already causing enough problems, he also has to deal with Nia’s current boyfriend—some hotshot Chicago CEO who talks big but, in Chance’s opinion, is as fake as a Styrofoam barbell.

The road to romance is going to be a rocky one, and though Nia has her doubts about moving forward, Chance has a well-developed competitive streak and might just be willing to give it a shot...if he can convince her to do the same.

In matters of the heart, would you risk it all? TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, a Mirabelle Harbor story. 

REVIEW

TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, as I opened the pages of the quick and fun novella, the ABBA’s lyrics to the song of the same name kept jingling around in my head.  How many times did I so wish that that cute guy or football jock would just take a chance and ask the short, curvy girl out.  The girl who everyone said was too smart, too good to date.  I finally asked my lab partner, and best friend why he was asking Barbie and not me to homecoming.  “Oh, we marry girls like you.  We date girls like Barbie.”  Yes, he said that.  And Jim, who was standing there, nodded agreement.  Well that didn’t get me a date to the game, again.  LOL

Much like myself, the setting of this quick little novella had Nia, from a very traditional Greek family, in a stuck situation. – A boyfriend she didn’t want and her parents did and a hot guy she wanted, but knew did not fit the mold her family expected.  She wanted to take a chance on the tall, quiet, and really sweet body-builder.  But breaking from family expectations is no easy.  Which would she give in to, her family or her heart?

Chance, was a quiet brawn of a man.  But having reached his thirties, unmarried, he had about decided that true and marriage was not in his cards.  But life has the funniest way of putting the least likely candidate right in your path.  It sets down the “least likely” and your heart demands that you take a chance.  Your head knows that there is no way that a curvy sweet Greek Pastry Chef is going to mix with or fit in with your kitchen or life-style.  You don’t do carbs, sugar, fats, or any of the other horrid things they put in the dishes you can’t even pronounce.

But your heart smashes head-on into those eyes and the smile.  Are you willing to take on the rich CEO boyfriend and the Greek parents and take a chance that your heart is right?

Yes, the ABBA song is still going in my head!  Take a chance and get lost between the covers of this delightful summer novella.  Take a Chance on Me.  I gave this a Four Star Rating.   A copy of the novella was provided for me to read for reviewing.

ABOUT MARILYN BRANT

Marilyn Brant is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction, romantic comedy & mystery. She was named the Author of the Year (2013) by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She loves all things Jane Austen, has a passion for Sherlock Holmes, is a travel addict and a music junkie, and lives on chocolate and gelato. Look for all of the contemporary romances in her new Mirabelle Harbor series, beginning late July 2015! Visit her website: www.marilynbrant.com

The One I Want - A Book Review and Interview with Marilyn Brant

SYNOPSIS

THE ONE THAT I WANT is Book 2 in Marilyn Brant’s Mirabelle Harbor series, but this story and all of the contemporary romances in this series can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels.

The summer after her beloved husband died in a car accident, Julia Meriwether Crane is still picking up the pieces of her life in Mirabelle Harbor and trying to help her ten-year-old daughter adjust to this difficult new reality.

After her best friend Sharlene—one of the well-connected Michaelsen siblings—talks her into finally going out on the town again, Julia finds herself stunned to be the object of interest of several different men: The boy who’d broken her heart back in high school. The college ex she’d left behind. And most surprising of all, the movie actor she’d always fantasized about but had never met in person...until now. Can one woman have more than one “great love” in the same lifetime? And, if so, how can she be sure which man that’ll be?

Sometimes the person you think will be best for you isn’t the one you really want. THE ONE THAT I WANT, a Mirabelle Harbor story.

REVIEW

Over the years, the books I have come to enjoy the most have been the ones that I could personally connect with at some level.  No matter the genre, if there was a character, storyline, location, whatever, that connected with a personal experience (be it positive or not so positive) this seemed to give me ownership to the story I was reading.  It always allowed me to sink my literary teeth and let me create an emotional bond with the story and characters just a little deeper.  Suddenly I would no longer be holding a book, turning pages and reading a story, much like Alice and the rabbit hole, I was suddenly sucked down into the page and into the words of the author and living in the world between the covers of that hardbound book.  It seemed like I could see, smell and feel every nuance as the storyline would move forward around my character.

Oh yes, I would have arguments with the other characters in the book, and with many an author for writing or not writing a scene or character a little different.  Whatever it was that the author had originally written to trigger the memory that allowed me to connect with the book they wrote gave me license to become one of the cast and to make the book my own.

Marilyn Brant opened a rabbit hole for this reader with The One I Want.  She made her characters breathe, she gave them life and placed her protagonist in a situation that this reader was able to identify with.  She did it so well, that this reader fell down the proverbial rabbit hole into the story and wasn’t able to find her way out again till the conclusion had been reached.

Marilyn managed to drag this reader through the emotions of struggling with loss and trying to go forward.  Even though I have never suffered that horrendous loss, I felt it between the pages of this book.  Struggling to let go, striving to go forward, but Marilyn never left you dangling in tears and a deep morass of damp tissue.  Instead, she dumped you into impossible circumstances that many of us girls can only dream about. Sigggghhh.

Why does it always seem like the good one gets away?  Or does he?

I discovered that following Marilyn’s characters through the pages and listening in on the internal confused dialogue of the lovelorn and misunderstood friends who would much rather be much more but are afraid that it’s too soon and the other isn’t serious about them…  Sounds just as confused as I did when I was dating a million years ago.  Lol.

Reading one of Marilyn’s books has always been good for the soul and this one was no exception.  The story appealed to the romantic in me, while at the same time it reached out and touched the “nurture” side with the storyline of the young widow and her daughter struggling to let go of their grief and move forward.  Most of all I loved the romantic comedy which softened the story of loss.

The characters in The One That I Want are well developed.  Marilyn took the time to also develop back stories for several of the supporting characters, as well as the main characters, weaving their stories through the fabric of the main storyline.

This is one delightful story that is well worth the read.  It leaves you hungry for more – chocolate brownies and other goodies, lusting after a few good looking hunks along the way, and longing for a special relationship that has hope to last into forever (mine did J).

I would give this special book a very special 4.5 STARS.

CONVERSATIONS WITH MARILYN

Why did you reach out to write a story about recovering from loss?  Okay, in the romantic comedy venue?

Thanks, Karen! You’ve asked a wonderful question... The answer has a lot to do with what “recovering from loss” means to me personally. I think when we experience something devastating, it can take a while to reach a point where we find *anything* funny. Some of us might see all the world through a sad and serious lens for much longer than we’d like. And I believe it’s important to take the time to really grieve. But I’ll never forget the day I received the tragic news from a good friend that her brother-in-law (a guy I knew) and his new fiancée had died on impact in a winter car crash. After I expressed my shock and sadness, though, it was what my friend said next that had the greatest impact on me. She told me that in the week since the accident, she and her husband (who was the brother of the man who died) had found some bright memories to make them smile. That they’d even been joking about things the young couple might have said, had they lived. And I remember appreciating this gift that they’d given to each other and me, too...both honoring the people they’d lost but, also, demonstrating that they knew we’d all have to accept what happened, move on, and find a way to be happy again. So, for me, I see a restoration of one’s sense of humor as a sign that we’re on the road to recovery. Not that we don’t still acutely feel a loss or that we don’t have sad moments, too, just that we recognize that we can tap into a sense of hopefulness again. In my opinion, that’s a real turning point, and it’s one worthy of exploring in fiction.

What is your favorite Chocolate Brownie?  Recipe?

Ohhhh, I love ALL brownies! Truly... But my favorite? That would have to be an exceptionally moist one with ribbons of caramel in it and semi-sweet chocolate chips. In The One That I Want, two of the characters get to eat what I call “the best brownie in North America,” which isn’t something I’ve had recently (unfortunately! I’m trying to eat a little less sugar!), but I have tasted a few that could be in the running for that title. Here’s a picture of one of them and a link to its recipe at “Taste of Home.” YUM! http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/caramel-brownies

Any new books in the works?

Yes! The first two books in the Mirabelle Harbor series -- Take a Chance on Me (book 1) and The One That I Want (book 2) -- are coming out at the end of July within days of each other. As soon as the release week whirlwind slows down a bit for them, I’ll get back to working on the next two novels in the series -- You Give Love a Bad Name (book 3) and Stranger on the Shore (book 4). All of the stories in the series are stand-alone romances, but certain characters find themselves to be regular players in multiple books (especially the members of the Michaelsen family!) and, of course, the community of Mirabelle Harbor connects them all, too.

How did you and your husband meet?

It was my 23rd birthday, and he was my present! Well, that’s the truth as I see it. :) I’d moved to Illinois only a month before to accept a teaching position in the northern Chicago suburbs, and a new friend I’d made from the school district, Mary, took me out to dinner for my birthday. We went to a local place that was known for their sandwiches and burgers -- a spot neither of us had been to, but it was recommended to us by a guy we knew from our apartment building, just as we were walking into town. So it was a very random choice. While inside, we were seated near another table with three people who turned out to be teachers as well. They were from another school district, though, so Mary and I didn’t know any of them. Again, very random! For some reason, my friend and the lady at the other table started chatting. Then one of the guys got up to make a phone call. So that left me and the remaining man to either talk to each other or stare at our sandwiches. We decided to talk, and within a few minutes, he’d asked me out, LOL. (Hey, he was smart, charming, and he made me laugh!) We’ve been married for over 22 years now...

Marilyn, thank you so much for joining us here, just days before the release of your fantastic new novel, THE ONE I WANT.  We look forward to watching the fantastic reviews pore in, as readers have opportunity to read this poignant, but uplifting newest work.

* * * * * 

To make sure you get your copy as soon as it come available, you can go to any of these Pre-Order Links:

AMAZON

SMASHWORDS

KOBO

B&N and Apple links coming soon!

Social Media:

The Lounge (New! The Mirabelle Harbor page on Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/groups/MirabelleHarborLounge/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25649961-the-one-that-i-want

COVER REVEAL AND NEW BOOK RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

Welcome to Mirabelle Harbor! In this scenic suburb on Chicago’s North Shore, overlooking the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan, the Michaelsen family has made their home for generations. Although their parents and grandparents are now gone, siblings Derek, Blake, Sharlene, and the twins—Chandler and Chance—all have fond memories of growing up in town, and most still live there.

Chance Michaelsen, the youngest member of the family (by two minutes) and the quietest (by far), is a dedicated twenty-eight-year-old personal trainer at the local gym. While he might not say much, Chance has made it clear that he’s not a fan of toxic people, unhealthy habits, or sharing too many of his emotions. With anybody.

Enter Antonia “Nia” Pappayiannis—the prettiest member of the loudest and most overly demonstrative family in town. They’re also the owners of The Gala, a Greek restaurant and bakery known for its decadent pastries and located just a few steps from Chance’s gym. He considers their entire family business to be the enemy of good health, but he can’t quite shake his attraction to Nia, who doesn’t seem nearly as impressed with him or his sculpted physique as most of the women around Mirabelle Harbor.

Unfortunately, between her doctor’s orders and the interfering ways of Chance’s crazy-making ex-girlfriend, who just happens to be one of Nia’s long-time friends, Chance gets assigned to be Nia’s fitness coach for the month. Pure torture. And if his ex weren’t already causing enough problems, he also has to deal with Nia’s current boyfriend—some hotshot Chicago CEO who talks big but, in Chance’s opinion, is as fake as a Styrofoam barbell.

The road to romance is going to be a rocky one, and though Nia has her doubts about moving forward, Chance has a well-developed competitive streak and might just be willing to give it a shot...if he can convince her to do the same.

In matters of the heart, would you risk it all? TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, a Mirabelle Harbor story.

**TAKE A CHANCE ON ME is Book 1 (a novella) in Marilyn Brant’s Mirabelle Harbor series, but this book and all of the contemporary romances in this series can be enjoyed as stand-alone stories.**

To be released shortly at Amazon.com

ABOUT MARILYN BRANT

Marilyn Brant is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction, romantic comedy & mystery. She was named the Author of the Year (2013) by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She loves all things Jane Austen, has a passion for Sherlock Holmes, is a travel addict and a music junkie, and lives on chocolate and gelato. Look for all of the contemporary romances in her new Mirabelle Harbor series, beginning late July 2015! Visit her website: www.marilynbrant.com