Book Review: No One Cancels Christmas by Zara Stonely

No One Cancels Christmas

by Zara Stonely

Amazon UK / US / B&N

It’s the most magical time of the year, and for travel agent Sarah it’s also the busiest! But this year one man threatens to ruin Christmas for Sarah’s customers – Mr. Grinch, Will Armstrong.

The Shooting Star Mountain resort is a magical place, and Sarah has fond memories of Christmas here as a little girl – visits to Father Christmas, husky rides in the snow and hot chocolate by a roaring fire. But as the resorts new owner, Will refuses to play snowball or to deck the halls with anything remotely resembling tinsel!

With customers complaining their Christmas is ruined, Sarah decides it’s up to her to convince Scroogey Will just how magical Christmas can be….

But getting Will into the Christmas spirit is hopeless – he is Bah Humbug personified! But as Sarah gets to know him better, she realizes that underneath all the gloom is a man struggling with a pain of his own.

With the big day approaching, Sarah realizes that the magic and sparkle can wait. This year, she’s going to spend Christmas day with someone special her very own Mr. Scrooge…


My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

I try and blow the crumbs out of the keyboard. The letter ‘T’ is already a bit dodgy; if this ruins W and A I’ll have lost one of my favourite words.

She had Dad on his bike, towing her through the park on her skies every night. It was so embarrassing. Then at the fete, she cannoned out of control into the cake and homemade jam stall and ended up looking like a murder victim. 

She is about two feet taller than me, and she has boobs. At a guess, they’re surgically enhanced, because I am absolutely positive that gravity would have a firm handle on anything that big. If it can cope with an apple, these wouldn’t stand a chance.

My Review:

Sharing several of the same characters and following in timeline to Wedding Date, this tale also showcases Ms. Stoneley’s clever wit and penchant for observant and insightful storytelling.  The storylines were entertaining, thoughtfully written, and well-balanced between heart-squeezing family drama and angst, and smirk-inducing levity.  My favorite character among the cast continues to be the colorful and confident Ruth, although Aunt Lynn has also earned my utmost respect for her enviable cougar style and skills.  I am eager to see what Ms. Stoneley comes up with next.  

Empress DJ

Author Bio 

Born in a small village in Staffordshire, I wanted to be a female James Herriot, a spy, or an author when I grew up. After many years, and many different jobs, my dream of writing a bestseller came true.

I write about friendship, dreams, love, and happy ever afters, and hope that my tales make you cry a little, laugh a lot, and occasionally say 'ahhh'.

I now live in a Cheshire village with my family, a lively cockapoo called Harry, and a very bossy (and slightly evil) cat called Saffron.

Where you can find her

Website: http://www.zarastoneley.comTwitter: @ZaraStoneleyFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/ZaraStoneley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zarastoneley/

New Release: Must Be Crazy (Darling Cove #3) by Deborah Garland

Having it all means risking everything...

By Deborah Garland

Release Date: October 23, 2018

ASIN: B07JW2TWY6

Print ISBN- TBD

275 Pages

Amazon US 

Goodreads 

Short Excerpt

Once Edward came out of search and rescue mode, he had to think about next steps. A working fire meant a Fire Marshal had to be called out. Luckily it wasn’t too late in the evening and he would get there soon. The power and gas had to be cut off, and those representatives needed to come out as well. Plus, Julian was somewhere close by.


He turned to focus on where Heather might be with him. He looked down the block, and froze, catching the silhouette of a little boy. Bright red hair. Running. In the other fucking direction. “Jules!” he yelled and forgetting everything else, ran to chase down his son.


Where the hell was Heather?


Reality slammed into his thoughts, calming him down. This was Darling Cove. There were firemen and policemen everywhere. Nothing was going to happen to Julian. But where was he going?


Edward skidded to a stop when he figured it out.


Skye.


Julian had reached the ambulance. From a distance, Edward saw her family part to let him through. Skye, who was sitting up, reached out her hands for him.


What the…?


He picked up his speed and ignored the look of shock on all the Mallory faces as he burst past them. “Julian, what are you doing?”


“Making sure Casey’s okay, Daddy.” Julian stroked the Golden Retriever, which was on the gurney with Skye.


In a flash, Edward’s worlds collided. Heather. Casey. Skye. Casey was Skye’s dog.


“Oh, thank God.” Heather came up behind Edward, out of breath. “Julian, I told you Casey was fine.” Shaking, she pulled on Edward’s jacket, turning him around. “I’m so sorry. He just took off.” She sounded like she was ready to cry.


“It’s okay.” Edward touched her arm.


When he turned back, Skye was looking right at him. The moment slammed him as if he’d been hit by one of his fire trucks. He had to talk to her now. He took a step back, ready to bolt as he’d been doing for the past year, but a foot was blocking him. Greg.


Edward was trapped. He opened his mouth to speak, but Skye beat him to it.


“Edward, this is your son?” She held Julian’s hand.


Despite the humidity in the air, heat soared through his body when she said his name. “Yeah.” He tipped his helmet back, feeling the sweat on his forehead. The last time he checked his reflection, there was soot around his mouth and eyes. He probably looked like a wreck. “I’m sorry he bothered you.”


“He’s not bothering me at all.” She released a small cough and looked at Heather. “I didn’t realize you and Edward…”


“Oh no.” Heather put up her hands and waved away the allegation. “I rent an apartment in his house and I watch Julian from time to time.”


“I see.” Skye fluttered her eyelids and returned her gaze to Edward. She flicked her head back, like a thought had hit her in the face. She leaned forward and pulled at his jacket. With the slimy bottom fisted in her hand, she cried out, “Was that you? Did you save me?”


“Um.” He hated this part.

Deborah Garland

Website: http://www.deborahgarlandauthor.com/blog/

Facebook: Deborah Garland Author

Twitter: @deborah_garland

Goodreads: Deborah Garland

BookBub: @deborahgarland52

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Coming 11.19.18

A Must for Christmas

(A Darling Cove Novella)

It was supposed to be perfect…

Book Review: Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners by Gretchen Anthony

Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners

by Gretchen Anthony

Amazon | Books-A-Million | B&N

Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Park Row; Original edition (October 16, 2018)

A formidable matriarch learns the hard way that no family is perfect in this witty, sparkling debut novel

Dearest loved ones, far and near—evergreen tidings from the Baumgartners!

Violet Baumgartner has opened her annual holiday letter the same way for the past three decades. And this year she’s going to throw her husband, Ed, a truly perfect retirement party, one worthy of memorializing in her upcoming letter. But the event becomes a disaster when, in front of two hundred guests, Violet learns her daughter Cerise has been keeping a shocking secret from her, shattering Violet’s carefully constructed world.

In an epic battle of wills, Violet goes to increasing lengths to wrest back control of her family, infuriating Cerise and snaring their family and friends in a very un-Midwestern, un-Baumgartner gyre of dramatics. And there will be no explaining away the consequences in this year’s Baumgartner holiday letter…

Full of humor, emotion and surprises at every turn, Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners brings to life a remarkable cast of quirky, deeply human characters who must learn to adapt to the unconventional, or else risk losing one another. This is the story of a family falling to pieces—and the unexpected way they put it all back together.

My Rating: 

Favorite Quotes:

Barb was steeped in the classics, but the only literary references Cerise knew came from the mandatory hours spent next to her mother watching Masterpiece Theatre on PBS. All that time invested and the only things she had to show for it were a decent British accent and a canny ability to let her thoughts wander behind open eyes.

If the Hesse family were birds, we’d be California condors… No, members of the vulture family and nearly extinct.

He watched as his soon-to-be-former boss, a toad of a guy who kept his dermatologist busy with retinol treatments and mole removal, straightened the pin tethering his Dolce & Gabbana tie to his Burberry shirt… I hope you croak, Richard wanted to say. I hear that’s what toads do.

My Review:

I loved this book from the start and was soon smirking as I relished the smartly written and clever humor, which quickly led to giggle-snorting and then on to full-on laughing aloud, which occurred several times before I finished.  I adored the full slate of fascinatingly quirky and odd characters, but the winner, by far, of the most expertly crafted and deftly depicted character sweepstakes was the petty, shallow, and highly manipulative Violet.  Violet was a meddlesome helicopter parent who was ridiculously intrusive, arrogant, judgmental, and an exacting perfectionist with everything she did, whether it was controlling the various committees she spearheaded or in keeping her home surgically clean.  Violet’s to-do list was never-ending as she was constantly scheming and often had several going at once, although in her rationalizations it was always for the betterment of her family; her inner musings were comedic gold and highly entertaining.  The storylines were ingenious and highly eventful while the writing was laced with insightful observations and packed with lip twitching levity.  I couldn’t put my Kindle down, as I couldn’t wait to see what outrageous situation would pop-up next.  I was stunned and awed to realize this was the author’s debut; it was a delight to read and a treasure to have discovered.  Gretchen Anthony is definitely one to watch and has a new fangirl.

Empress DJ

Gretchen Anthony is a Minnesota-based writer and humorist whose work has been featured on scarymommy.com, medium.com and thewritelife.com. She’s also spent decades as a ghostwriter and has written for some of the best personal brands in the United States, from CEOs to doctors and start-up superstars to BBQ pros. Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners is her first novel.

Connect with Gretchen

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Book Review: The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter by Hazel Gaynor

The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter

by Hazel Gaynor

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Paperback: 416 pages

 Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks 

From The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home comes a historical novel inspired by true events, and the extraordinary female lighthouse keepers of the past two hundred years.

“They call me a heroine, but I am not deserving of such accolades. I am just an ordinary young woman who did her duty.”

1838: Northumberland, England. Longstone Lighthouse on the Farne Islands has been Grace Darling’s home for all of her twenty-two years. When she and her father rescue shipwreck survivors in a furious storm, Grace becomes celebrated throughout England, the subject of poems, ballads, and plays. But far more precious than her unsought fame is the friendship that develops between Grace and a visiting artist. Just as George Emmerson captures Grace with his brushes, she, in turn, captures his heart.

1938: Newport, Rhode Island. Nineteen-years-old and pregnant, Matilda Emmerson has been sent away from Ireland in disgrace. She is to stay with Harriet, a reclusive relative, and assistant lighthouse keeper until her baby is born. A discarded, half-finished portrait opens a window into Matilda’s family history. As a deadly hurricane approaches, two women, living a century apart, will be linked forever by their instinctive acts of courage and love.




My Rating: 

Favorite Quotes:

“Mam was at her snoring again. Thought it was the cannons firing from Bamburgh to signal a shipwreck.” He opens one eye. “Don’t tell her I said that.”

I’ve seen how often women marry and become less of themselves, like scraps of pastry cut away and reused in some other, less important way.

She is utterly in thrall of him and I am ashamed to feel a prick of jealousy as I observe her, knowing she will never look at me that way. Daughters never hold their mother’s affection the way their sons do. Daughters are dutiful, dependable and disposable. Sons are brave and admirable, essential to the continuation of the family line.

But it isn’t just her face he can’t forget. It’s the particular sense of purpose and determination that dripped from her like honey from a spoon. So slender in form and yet so immense in personality and character.

She gazes up at me with eyes the color of winter seas and I see in her some greater wisdom; as if she understands that she is not just my daughter, but the sum of generations of strong courageous women who came before her, an echo of them all lingering in her soul.

My Review:

It wasn’t until I had finished reading that I noticed that this epic and poignant book was based on true events, and while I was already impressed by the artistry and quality of the book, that little nugget just blew me away.  The writing was beautifully rendered, lushly detailed, and emotively crafted to hit all the feels.  The storylines were complex and well woven, yet felt authentic from beginning to end.  I cannot imagine the massive amount of research required for such an undertaking.  I – am - in - awe.  

Empress DJ

About Hazel Gaynor

HAZEL GAYNOR is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A Memory of Violets and The Girl Who Came Home, for which she received the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award. Her third novel, The Girl from the Savoy, was an Irish Times and Globe & Mail Canada bestseller and was shortlisted for the BGE Irish Book Awards Popular Fiction Book of the Year. In 2017, she has published The Cottingley Secret and Last Christmas in Paris. Hazel was selected by US Library Journal as one of ‘Ten Big Breakout Authors’ for 2015 and her work has been translated into several languages. Hazel lives in Ireland with her husband and two children.

Find out more about Hazel at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Book Review , Giveaway: One Wild Ride by A.L. Jackson and Rebecca Shea

One Wild Ride

The second sexy, stand-alone romance from bestselling authors A.L. Jackson and Rebecca Shea...

TITLE: ONE WILD RIDE

SERIES: A Hollywood Chronicles Stand-Alone Novel 

RELEASE DATE: October 22, 2018

Goodreads

Amazon / Paperback / Audio is Coming Soon!

Elle Ward, daughter of Hollywood’s hottest director, has sworn off actors for life.

She knows their games and she refuses to play them.

That is until the day she collides with one of LA’s most promising actors.

Kas Cowen isn’t looking for love until it literally runs him down.

One look at Elle and he’s hooked.

He crashes into her life and flips it upside down.

Now he has to convince Elle he’s more than just a pretty face.

Little did they know they were up for one wild ride . . .

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

Did you really think you could bring him here and I wouldn’t recognize that face? Or that body? Hello, abs. Goodness, Elle, I don’t know how you left the house…

My Review:

While considered a stand-alone installment, this story runs concurrently and shares characters and parallel storylines with the first in the series, One Wild Night.  Both stories were smoking hot and written in my favorite dual POV, although One Wild Ride was painfully angsty, which is just not one of my favorite things.  I adored the sweet and swoony Kas, who was hot new face and body in underwear ads.  Elle, on the other hand, was a difficult character for me to warm up to, and in fact, I was only able to muster a lukewarm result toward the rather tiresome and distrusting princess.  

Empress DJ

We have a $25 GC up for grabs, so you can get a ton of books ;)

A.L. Jackson and Rebecca Shea are bestselling authors residing in Arizona. After being writing partners for five years, it only made sense that they'd put their minds together to bring their readers something fun, flirty, and sexy. 

Connect with A.L.

Newsletter: http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson

Facebook: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonPage
Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonAmzn
Bookbub: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonBookbub
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
Instagram: @aljacksonauthor
Snapchat: @aljacksonauthor

Connect with Rebecca

Newsletter: https://goo.gl/VX1w4U

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccasheaauthor
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/527432567356595/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Shea/e/B00E4RIUQ6
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rebecca-shea
Twitter: @beccasheaauthor
Instagram: @rebeccasheaauthor

Book Review: Aphrodite's Closet by Suzy Turner

Aphrodite’s Closet

by Suzy Turner

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU

Agatha Trout didn’t even know she had a Great Aunt Petunia, so imagine her surprise when she finds Petunia left her a corner shop in her will. But it’s not just any old corner shop—it’s a corner shop that needs something unique, something the town of Frambleberry has never seen before.

Influenced by her confident best friend, Coco, Agatha is soon convinced that there’s only one way to go: an adults-only sex shop.

While some of the townspeople are clutching their pearls in horror, others are open to the new experiences this shop offers. But not everyone in Frambleberry is convinced. Will the women soldier on in the face of violent threats or will their fears get the best of them—and their new venture—before it even gets off the ground?

My Rating: 

Favorite Quotes:

Honey, Amelia is the town gossip. You know that. She knows you’re going to fart before you do.

It is a thought, babe, but I can’t work full-time… I’ve got my weekly appointments to go to. I can’t possibly miss having my hair done, and my mani-pedis. Are you insane? It takes effort to look this good you know…

“Remember little Tommy? Little shit cornered me in the changing rooms, had a feel of my boobs when I was eleven and then told everyone I’d snogged him and felt his willy. And then a few years later he had the cheek to try again. Do you remember, I whacked him in the nuts?” Aggie nodded, “Did you know he’s now a surgeon?” With her eyes wide, Christie snorted. “A surgeon? What kind?” “Plastic,” Aggie laughed. “Wow, still likes playing with women’s boobs then.”

My Review:

Aphrodite’s Closet was a delightful and cleverly amusing read that kept a smile on my face while reading.  After losing her job and inheriting an empty retail property, Agatha Troat, an uptight nebbish book nerd, with her feisty sparkplug of a friend named Coco, joined forces to establish a lingerie and adult toy shop as, well, everyone knows the saying - sex sells!  I adored these fun characters.  Agatha attending her first buying trip to an erotic fair with a red face and large hat, but quickly grew into her confidence, and a makeover, new hairstyle, and a Wonderbra significantly helped things along.  But her mother was appalled, so were the ladies who lunch as well as a much scarier faction of the community who quickly began to make their disapproval known.  Humorous touches and quirkily endearing characters filled this genre-crossing tale of chick-lit, cozy mystery, and contemporary romance.  

Empress DJ

Author Bio

Born in England and raised in Portugal, Suzy lives with her childhood sweetheart Michael, their two crazy dogs, and three cats.

Shortly after completing her studies, Suzy worked as a trainee journalist for a local newspaper. Her love of writing developed and a few years later she took the job of assistant editor for the region's largest English language publisher before becoming editor of a monthly lifestyle magazine. Early in 2010 however, Suzy became a full-time author. She has since written several books: Raven, December Moon, The Lost Soul (The Raven Saga), Daisy Madigan's Paradise, The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw, The Temporal Stone, Looking for Lucy Jo, We Stand Against Evil (The Morgan Sisters), Forever Fredless,  And Then There Was You, Stormy Summer and her latest, Aphrodite’s Closet.

In 2015 she launched her popular 40+ lifestyle blog which continues to go from strength to strength, while just over a year later, she trained to become a yoga instructor. Suzy continues to write, blog and teach yoga in one of Portugal’s loveliest settings - the Algarve.

Social Media Links –

Lifestyle Blog: www.suzyturner.com  

Instagram: www.instagram.com/suzyturner

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/suzyturner

Facebook: www.facebook.com/suzyturnerbooks

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/suzy_turner

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/suzyturnerbooks