BODY GUARDS OF L.A.

#10

FINDING LYLA

By

Cate Beauman

SYNOPSIS

Principal Dancer Lyla Markovik-Avery is always on the go. Grueling practices and endless performances rule her busy days—and things are about to get more hectic. Russia is rolling out the red carpet for their beloved star, despite the string of violent terrorist attacks that have rocked the nation.

Bodyguard Collin Michaels’ life is falling apart. His long-time relationship recently ended. He’s trying to start over, but that’s easier said than done. Luckily, Collin has a new assignment on the horizon: keeping a beautiful ballerina safe for the next three weeks.

Collin finds comfort in Lyla’s easy friendship, but that all changes after a night out on the town. Simple feelings become complicated—something Collin can’t afford, especially when tragedy strikes and Collin realizes Lyla’s caught in the middle of a dangerous plot for revenge.

Collin and Lyla are forced to flee. They need to reach the border before it’s too late, but the odds are stacked against them in a country that wants them dead. With time running out, Collin formulates a risky plan that might be their only chance of making it out alive.

REVIEW

Cate Beauman has re-invented the fairy-tale.  She has taken it out of the realm of “Once upon a time” and brought it into the here and now and made it believable.  The knight in shining armor isn’t limited to the shelves and tomes of literature, the damsels in distress can be saved and swept off their feet and rescued to be loved and live happily ever-after, with their prince charming.

Finding Lyla is all about discovering that there really are princesses who hurt and who need to be rescued and loved very much.  It is about knights in shining armor whose armor is a bit scuffy and bent and worn, who suddenly discover that they just might truly be Prince Charming.  But in the midst of all this they fall in love with the very princess they are sworn to save from the fiery dragon and the black knights who swear vengeance on the realm.

But I love that the princess is actually a ballerina, daughter of a Russian prima ballerina, who has risen in the ranks on her own rights.  A young lady who loves others and has such a sweet young heart and thinks of others before herself, while her father serves his country a long way off,… in a cold, cold land.  Sound just like a fairy-tale, or a ballet.

My children, both female and male, grew up on the boards from the time they were three years old.  They studied under wonderful masters for years, some for about 6 years, and others for almost 20 years.  I worked behind the scenes many years helping to make the shows work, from helping with the young charges, to costuming and creating some of the wonderful creations that floated across the stage.  Ballet is a fantastic world of wonder that is a mesh of storytelling, music, dance, movement, and athleticism.  There are the artists, the prima-donnas, and the hard-working craftsmen who come together to  create a world of wonder that will mesmerize an audience for hours as they move and dance to the masterful music of the masters.  One of the masters once told my daughter that the true dancer was one who was one with the music.  When looking for the truly gifted, they watched to see how the dancer moved in the breaths of the music, for that told them that they were one with the music and not counting the steps.

Maybe it was because of this long history with the arts and with music and dance, but I found myself once again living backstage, sitting on the hard benches along the walls of the practice rooms, and breathing the music and movement of the dance again.  No, I don’t dance, never could, never will.  Lol.  But music runs deep in the well of my soul and I believe I have the heart and soul of a dancer.  If my feet could leave the earth, they would fly across the boards and though the wind, just as effortlessly as the most beautiful of the ballerinas I watch from the sidelines.

Cate was able to catch this same passion and essence of dance on the pages of Finding Lyla.  You find yourself flying across the pages and feel yourself floating through the air like you have always dreamed a dancer would feel, feeling the shear pain of injury as you land.  The agony of pain piercing up through your body as you force yourself to continue powering through, while you feel blood flowing down your toes.  Then feeling the agony of pain as you, out of pride, refuse to limp away at the end of the dance.  Been there, watched it as they hobbled off the stage and met them to attend to their needs.

I love this story, this modern day fairy-tale.  I love falling in love again, and again.  What a wonder way to curl my toes and escape for a long weekend read.  Cate does not disappoint!   I give this, her 10^th book in the series a fantastic FIVE STAR rating for her story-telling abilities and the story craft she used to get the story across to us at a new level of AHHHhhhhhh.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR International bestselling author Cate Beauman is known for her full-length, action-packed romantic suspense series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County. Her novels have been nominated for the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, National Indie Excellence Award, Golden Quill Award, Writers Touch Award, and have been named Readers Favorite Five Star books. In 2015, JUSTICE FOR ABBY was selected as the Readers' Favorite International Book Award Gold Medalist, while SAVING SOPHIE took the Silver Medal. SAVING SOPHIE was also selected as the 2015 Readers Crown Award winner for Romantic Suspense and FALLING FOR SARAH received the silver medal for the 2014 Readers' Favorite Awards.   Cate makes her home in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack. Currently Cate is working on Deceiving Bella, the eleventh novel in her popular Bodyguards series.   SIGN UP FOR CATE’S NEWSLETTER TO BE NOTIFIED OF MONTHLY GIVEAWAY OFFERS http://www.catebeauman.com/#!newsletter-sign-up/c9td Contact Cate Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon Author Page a Rafflecopter giveaway                              
 

Broken Things to Mend - a Blog Tour

Blog Tour Schedule

Broken Things to Mend by Karey White Celia is in desperate need of a change--a change of scenery, a change of pace, and a complete redo of all relationships. Not knowing what else to do, she opens a map, closes her eyes, and lets fate decide her future. Then she packs her meager belongings and buys a one-way ticket to a little town on the fringes of Oregon's Deschutes National Forest called Sisters. She's wanted a family for years. Will she find one in Sisters? What Celia doesn't plan to find is a strange Chinese woman whose meddling ways keep throwing her in the path of a handsome, but reserved, forest ranger. But no matter how kind or dependable Silas seems to be, there are some things in Celia's past that neither of them can escape, and this time, the damage might be too much to mend. REVIEW Women’s Literature is a wonderful genre.  Novels in this genre are filled with angst, with longing, with feelings and situations that only women can fully understand and bond with.  Reading a well written piece, by a caring author reminds us that we are not alone, that others out there suffer the same problems go through the same dilemmas and have the same broken and mended hearts hidden beneath our breast. Karen White did a beautiful job of not only sharing the story of a young girl who had been beaten down, who had refused to let life destroy her.  Even the worst of the scenes was written well enough so that it would not offend gentle spirits, but still get the horror of the offense across to the reader.  She also gave us a beautiful glimpse at the heartache and hidden desires of the male protagonist.   It was interesting how each person deals with great tragedy so differently and the mechanisms they use to be able to continue forward in life. The back-stories for both of the central characters were well developed, leaving the reader with a sense that they were central characters and friends in the storyline, themselves.  The old Chinese matchmaker who started the story and ended the story was a wonderful segue for bringing the two characters together.  I loved the timelessness of her character.  I am hoping that one of the future book installments this year will provide more back-story to this wonderful lady. I would highly recommend this story as reading for a leisurely Saturday/Sunday afternoon.    You will not be disappointed.  This book was provided to me at no charge in exchange for an honest and fair review.   Author Karey White Karey White grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist. She loves to travel, read, bake treats, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four great children. She teaches summer creative writing courses to young people and is currently working on her next book.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

      Blog Tour Giveaway - $50 Amazon Gift Card or $50 in Paypal Cash Ends 2/2/16 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

ALL THIS TIME - Book Tour, Review, and Giveaway

SYNOPSIS
American, Lydia Fadoul, hasSyrian spent a year waiting for her fiancé to return from war in Iraq, only to discover that he is broken by trauma and the devastating effects of PTSD. Just when he finally agrees to seek help, he takes his own life and leaves behind a story of murder, betrayal, and mystery. In her second, contemporary fiction novel since Budapest, Tiffani Burnett-Velez weaves a fast-paced literary tale about the rumors we believe and the prejudices we create in order to protect our hearts from the truth.

REVIEW

Some books are easy reads.  They are ones that you sit back in the porch swing on a Sunday afternoon with a big glass of lemonade and spend the afternoon immersed in another world.  A world where boy meets girl, and they run through the meadow with their arms outspread and laugh at the joy of life and the love that they share.  Ahhh what a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon, to sit there and wiggle your toes and grin with the daydreams.

Then there are the books that you sit down and pull your favorite throw close.  Grab your favorite cuppa and make sure it is fresh and hot, because you know, before you open the book, that you are going to need it.  Not all books are easy reads.  But there are some books you want and need to read!  There are some stories that need to be heard. 

ALL THIS TIME is such a story.  From the first page, as I stood in the cold cemetery, next to the cold empty grave, and listened to the dry liturgy of a preacher who no more knew the soldier whose body was lying there in that cold coffin – my heart broke.  It never got any better. 

PTSD is one of those subjects that is hard to talk about.  It is harder to watch a loved one live with. Tiffani accomplished a seemingly impossible task of adequately portraying and vocalizing the pain, anger and confusion that the young fiancé of the dead marine and heroine of ALL THIS TIME went through after his suicide. 

Utilizing a wonderful and tantalizing story of intrigue and mystery to speak to a national tragedy in our nation’s military, Tiffani upheld the honor of our servicemen while speaking to the unimaginable atrocities that oft times drives many of these young men over the edge of sanity.  She addressed the questions of lack of adequate pre-screening and post diagnostic treatment upon return from the theatre of war. 

I deeply appreciated the sensitivity she gave to the many aspects of the vagaries that can cloud such situations involving multi-ethnicity incidents, no matter where they occur or between what peoples.  My hats off to Tiffani for a story well told and job well done on telling a difficult story.  This reviewer would give this book a rating of 4.5 Stars.

About the Author 

Tiffani Burnett-Velez has been a freelance since 1996. Her non - fiction work has appeared in magazines and newspapers in the US and Europe, including Pennsylvania Magazine, Country Discoveries, St . Anthony Messenger, Health.com, Yahoo! News, and many more online and in print publications.

Her first novel, Budapest, was featured in the New York Book Festival and the 4 2nd Annual Conference of Jewish Librarians and it's re-release became a 2014 Amazon Bestseller in Literary and Inspirational Fiction. Her second contemporary novel, All This Time, will be released by Booktrope in 2015, and the second, A Berlin Story, in her bestselling WWII novella series, Embers of War, is an Amazon Historical German Fiction Bestseller. She has studied English Literature at Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania and holds a BA in Cognitive Science from Ashford University. She is currently completing her MFA in Creative Writing.

Author Links Website || Twitter || Goodreads

Publication Date: April 3 2015 Publisher: Booktrope Book Links: Goodreads || Amazon || B&N 

GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

TRAVELS WITH PENNY - Book Tour and Giveaway

 

Title: Travels with Penny
Author:David Alan Morrison
Publication Date:April 2015
Publisher: Booktrope

Two things flashed through my mind when I opened the door to the sex shop to find my mother standing in front of the display case talking to a tall salesman wearing a leather harness, jock strap and a dog collar. The first was, "Oh, crap." The second was, "I hate when Dad's right."

Following the sudden death of his father, a single, middle-aged gay guy struggles with his own mortality be reminiscing about the travels with his gregarious mother. It is a look at the transformation of the baffling, complex relationship between children and their parents.

 

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

 

 

 

 

Author Bio:

Dave Morrison (CI & CT, NIC-A, SC:L, NAD-5). Dave received his A.A. in ASL/ENG Interpreting from L.A. Pierce College in 1989. In 2000, he obtained his M.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Kentucky. He has interpreted in a variety of venues, from the courtroom to funerals to underwater conservation forums. As an actor, he has been seen on stage, TV and film. He is currently an adjunct instructor of Drama at Skagit Valley College and works with local theatres as a director, actor and instructor.

 

 

 

Author Links:

Facebook| Twitter | Website

 

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

GUILD OF IMMORTAL WOMEN - Blog Tour and Giveaway

Title: Guild of Immortal Women
Author: David Alan Morrison
Publication Date: November 2014

Two bodies are discovered on the grounds of “The Bastille,” home to a coven of witches who belong to the Guild of Immortal Women. The bodies have strange characteristics, so what follows is a combination merry and sinister romp through ancient history. Medieval times are brought to life through a massive Tapestry adorning the mansion’s walls where the characters — animals and humans — emerge through tears in the fabric. It is up to Detective Matt Mathers and social worker Lynn Swanson to solve the murder-mystery while dealing with the strange world of magic, Guardian Abbey’s amnesia from her past lives, and the devilish mission of Robert and the Doctor to create an immortal heir through the laboratory.

Foreword Reviews‘ 2014 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist

                                                                   Goodreads | Amazon | Author's Website

Author Bio:

Dave Morrison (CI & CT, NIC-A, SC:L, NAD-5). Dave received his A.A. in ASL/ENG Interpreting from L.A. Pierce College in 1989. In 2000, he obtained his M.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of Kentucky. He has interpreted in a variety of venues, from the courtroom to funerals to underwater conservation forums. As an actor, he has been seen on stage, TV and film. He is currently an adjunct instructor of Drama at Skagit Valley College and works with local theatres as a director, actor and instructor.

Author Links:

Facebook| Twitter | Website

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

SPRING FLING BLOG TOUR

  

by   Claire Gutierrez

SYNOPSIS

A lowly maidservant. A disguised fugitive. A savior to the poor and endangered. A queen.

Such is the paradox of Lady Caterina Tabor, an extraordinary young girl who, en route to England, finds herself captured and at the mercy of a stern and powerful lord. Forced to work as a common kitchen maid in the dank halls of Dermoth Castle, Caty dreams of her past as a free and autonomous maiden with a bright future in the English courts—did fate have other plans?

This early trial is but the first in a litany of shocking tribulations; imprisoned, abused, accused of sorcery, and kidnapped, Caty’s life is for so long anything but charmed—but you can’t keep a soaring heart shackled. As we follow this misunderstood maiden's journey through both the unexpected, electrifying joys of new love and the pain of mind-boggling adversity, we become eyewitnesses to the astonishing way she not only transforms herself but enchants, inspires, and invigorates those around her.

Spanning decades of castle life, treacherous journeys, bloody battles, and heartache, Come Winter is a sweeping yet personal tale of a brave woman who at once embodies and transcends the prescribed and oftentimes oppressive roles her society demanded. Let Clare Gutierrez (author of Dancing with the Boss) curate your voyage back to the Scottish highlands of ages past—a time and place in which simply staying alive constituted a noble adventure, and becoming a patron of the oppressed and the impoverished could make you a hallowed queen.

REVIEW

Ever so often, and not nearly as often as my longing heart would desire, I stumble across a true diamond amongst the many crystals and gemstones that make their way to my desk.  When I read the synopsis for Come Winter, it sounded intriguing.

Once I opened the book and began to fall into the spell of the first lines of the story, I realized that this was going to be something more than just another historical novel.  Within pages I knew I had found a master of the written word.  The words seemed to have slid off her pen and onto the written page with a magic all their own.  They wove their own tapestry and came off the page in such imagery that my mind’s eye was a rolling screen throughout the story.

Clare Gutierrez demonstrated a great appreciation for the plight of noble women during the early midddle ages when they were but chattel of their lords and kings, to be traded and passed on as part and parcel of the holdings.  Though this subject has been demonstrated in many a novel, I have never seen it set as the central theme, nor presented so passionately through the eyes of a woman of noble birth as it was in Come Winter.

Katy, the heroine of the book, was a woman of strength, a lady of great passion and one who had the capability to love deeply.  She was a unique lady of her time, having received a well-rounded education, speaking several languages, reading and writing in the same, a healer, and a leader.  But because she was a woman, she was but an item to be owned, to be traded and bartered by parent, captor, until she finally obtained the highest position that a woman could obtain, Queen.  Even when she reach this vaulted position, she found she was still but a possession, a captive, and at the pleasure of her lord and master, the king.  She would never be free.

Clare took the time to develop her characters to give them the breath of life and to allow the reader to see what it was to live, through their eyes. We learned to feel their pain and despair as well as their joys and ecstasies.  The POV was not limited to that of Katy, but also that of the men who were a part of her adult life through the years.  It added an additional dimension to the characters, giving them well-rounded perspectives and allowing the narrative to provide a complete picture of the story as it moved ever forward through the years, first from France to Scotland, then to Spain and finally to Italy. A FIVE STAR read!!!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 SPRING BLOG HOP PARTICIPANTS:

Each of the participants will highlight their favorite read this spring.  This is your chance to add to your stack of TBR books.  I am always looking for new authors and new books!!!!

https://lauriestarkey.wordpress.com/blog/

http://wackymommareads.blogspot.com

http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com

https://gloriouspanic.wordpress.com/

http://sarasbooksandthings.blogspot.com/?m=1

http://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/

http://soulcleverbooks.blogspot.com

http://bfdbookblog.net/

http://www.anovelkindofbliss.blogspot.com

https://bookandbastille.wordpress.com/

http://onceuponawish.weebly.com

https://blogtasticreviews.wordpress.com/

http://lovelyparanormalbooks.blogspot.co.nz

http://thebookish-life.blogspot.com

http://herbookthoughts.reads-it.com

http://mnonmklreviews.blogspot.com

http://athousandwordsamillionbooks.blogspot.in

http://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com

http://theapbookclub.blogspot.com

http://themistresscase.blogspot.com/

https://bookandbastille.wordpress.com/

http://recklessindulgence.wordpress.com

http://thebookishowl.net

https://blogtasticreviews.wordpress.com/

http://www.naturalbri.com

http://aamzybookwonder.blogspot.co.uk/

http://mistralkdawn.blogspot.com/

http://archiestandwoodsreviewsandwritings.blogspot.com

http://britishbookwormblog.com

http://lexicalcreations.weebly.com/jens-blog

By the River - Blog Tour and Giveaway

Title: By The River
Author: Jae Carvel
Publication Date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Booktrope

With three young children at her side, Sarah Ann arrives in the beautiful upper John Day Valley in 1869, a young widow whose husband had disappeared in an Indian raid on their way west. In 1870, she marries Thomas Martin and begins her life as a rancher’s wife.

She and Thomas are successful, hardworking pioneers who love their land and take seriously the job of rearing and educating their nine children. On her one trip back to New York to visit her mother, Sarah Ann discovers she has been living a lie.

The truth liberates her from the reserved stoic nature she has portrayed toward others during her first forty years. The last quarter of the century becomes a backdrop for a modern woman of subtle influence. Experiencing a new self-worth, Sarah Ann shares her ideas and wisdom with her family and community while never disclosing her secret.

REVIEW

Life is interesting.  As a mother, and now a grandmother, I look back over my adult life and see it as a series of vignettes.  My memories of things that have happened from my courtship, to our children’s early years and the myriad of stories of family growing pains come back in little spurts.  All these stories seem to be punctuated in time capsules, with date stamps of “in the summer of”, or “the year John turned”.  Rae Carvel’s By the River was written much in this vein, a progressive reflection of a pioneer woman’s memories during the latter 1800’s. 

Through her eyes, the reader was able to witness the early strains of the suffrage movement in Oregon and the struggles of women as they worked to strained to get basic rights.  We also watched the struggles within the traditional marriage as she earned for more say in finances and in decisions concerning their plans for their children’s futures.  So much of what we take for granted is due to the “battles” our grandmothers and great grandmothers waged a hundred years ago.  By the River did a beautiful job of presenting the story of the life of a pioneer woman, her trials, her victories, and her love of family.  There is much be learned from reading this book about women of the west.

I would give this book a 3.5 star rating.  

Goodreads | Amazon

Author Bio:

Jae Carvel’s work is inspired by the many stories of her ancestors who all came to Eastern Oregon as pioneers. She is retired from teaching junior high. She and her husband have four children, six grandchildren and one great granddaughter, making them a typically busy family, laughingly known as ‘retired.’ Jae travels, gardens, golfs and writes novels.

  Author Links:

Goodreads | Website | Facebook

GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

ROUGH EDGES - Grand Finale Sweet Romance Tour

 On tour with Pristm Book Tours.

It's the Grand Finale for THE SWEET ROMANCE TOUR:
Rough Edges
By Kimberly Krey

Did you miss any of the sweet EXCLUSIVE CONTENT from this tour? 
If you did, go back and learn more about this book and series now!

Brooke Blogs - Excerpt

     Their eyes met once more, and a shot of heat flooded his chest like a liquid bolt of lightening, forcing his pulse to rush. “I’ve missed you,” he blurted.

     Her eyes widened in response, and Braden wondered if he’d been too bold. He’d hardly meant to speak it. It’d been more of a thought. A longing, really.

Pieces of Whimsy - Braden's Workshop

I thought it might be fun to take a look at Braden's workshop, or at least the way I picture it...

(Photo Details ID 11628233 © Gleb Semenov | Dreamstime.com http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-workplace-carpenter-image11628233)

Beck Valley Books - The Second Chances Series

Now for a peek into the rest of the Second Chances Series:

 

Rough Edges

(Second Chances #1)

by Kimberly Krey

Paperbook & ebook, 322 Pages
January 23rd 2015

Rough Edges starts off my newest series, Second Chances – a companion to the Sweet Montana Bride series. Featuring some of the characters you know and love, this series will give Allie, Logan, and a new character, Bree, (you'll meet her in Allie's story) a second chance at romance. If you haven't read the Sweet Montana Bride series, no worries. This series, as well as each book within, will stand alone just fine. Now for a bit about the book.

Divorced mother, Allie Emerson, never imagined she’d be raising two teenage girls on her own. Between parenting and paying the bills, she hasn’t even thought about meeting a man. That changes once she hears local carpenter, Braden Fox, is in need of a secretary. Back in high school, Allie had done all she could to deny the sparks burning between her and Braden; but would the chemistry still be there after all this time?

Braden has heard all about what Terrance did to Allie and the girls. He’s been planning to stop by and see how she’s getting along, but Allie beats him to it by showing up at his shop in search of a job. Her unexpected visit reignites the old flame Braden used to torch for her; trouble is, old feelings of resentment return as well. Allie did choose Terrance over him, after all. And as much as Braden wants Allie in his life, he’s not sure he can open his heart to her again.

With a second chance at romance, will the bumps in their relationship be too much to get over, or will this carpenter learn to smooth out the past?

Allie Emerson gets her happy ending at last in my new release, Rough Edges, available now on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

About Kimberly Krey

Writing Romance That’s Clean Without Losing the Steam!

I’m a reader of good, clean romance, a lover of family time and Diet Coke, and the ultimate hater of laundry.

I’m not patient enough to enjoy yoga, or tall enough to be great at basketball, but I do love to run – anywhere but on a treadmill. I love the sound of a rainstorm when I have no place to go, the feel of Soft Lips chap Stick on my lips, and the first peek of blue water as we round the mountains toward our favorite getaway in Bear Lake.

Website - Blog - Facebook - Twitter

Tour Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Rough Edges, the author is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to one winner, and a paperback of Rough Edges to another. Good luck, all!


a Rafflecopter giveaway