Review: The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels & Other Gentlemen by Victoria Alexander

Goodreads Blurb

Really, it’s too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders’s favourite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived—and possibly fraudulent—Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what’s a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he’s escorting the world’s most maddening woman to the world’s most romantic city to find her missing relative.

While India Prendergast only suspects his organisation defrauds gullible travelers, she’s certain a man with as scandalous a reputation as Derek Saunders cannot be trusted any farther than the distance around his very broad shoulders. As she struggles not to be distracted by his wicked smile and the allure of Paris, instead of finding a lost lady traveler, India just may lose her head, her luggage and her heart.

My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 Stars

It’s such a fun book filled with surprises. I love Paris and was truly excited that this story took place there. I love that India was a strong character and was extremely smart. Who wouldn’t love a book filled with romance in Paris, the city of light. India and Derek despised each other, but after spending some alone time together, they were able to get to know each other and see that they both judged a book by its cover. I laughed so much with Percival being so outlandish toward India. The ladies of the Travelers guide were hilarious. I am happy with the whole outcome of the book. I loved the idea of women having assistance to travel by themselves, which I know at that time it wasn’t possible. It truly portrayed women as dependable, smart, and spontaneous.

Author Biography

New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was much more fun than real life. She turned to writing full time and is still shocked it worked out

Cover Reveal: Dangerous Allure: A Dark Romance Anthology by Cole Denton, Dani Rene, Eden Bradley, Sara Fields

BOOK DETAILS:

Dangerous Allure: A Dark Romance Anthology
Authors: Cole Denton, Dani René, Eden Bradley, Sara Fields
Published by: GTB Publishing LLC
Publication date: September 10, 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Two’s company. Three’s a dangerously good time.

This deliciously dark collection of stories is flying all the red flags – these men will hunt, stalk, and conquer their prey

And leave them begging for more.

Whether working together to claim their prize, or fighting to be the last man standing, it’s only when you find yourself trapped between them that you realize: there’s no way out.

And maybe…that’s exactly the way you like it.

Pre-order link: https://books2read.com/DangerousAllureAntho

Cover Reveal: The Heretic by Nathan R. Allen

Blurb

Carved into the side of a cliff, the city of Avinyón stands on the edge of the ocean. Wealth, power, and control flow into the capital of the empire from its conquests. But for those at the bottom of the city, the only thing that flows their way is a never-ending fight for survival… and crashing salt water.

In a world powered by runes, where magic and technology fuse, Damian is about to graduate from the empire’s premier university. His thesis, poised to revolutionize the understanding of runes, is his ticket to a better life and saving his brother from the deadly military draft.

The Heretic unfolds conflict between sovereignty and revolution, combat and creativity, discovery and deceit.

Buy Links

Cover Reveal: Exposure! By Julia Boggio

Blurb

THE FINAL BOOK IN THE PHOTOGRAPHERS TRILOGY!

Six months into a trial separation, photographers Stella Knight and her estranged husband, Connor, rendezvous at the world’s largest photography convention in Las Vegas. At first it looks like reconciliation is on the cards, but then Stella is offered the opportunity of a lifetime by Connor’s greatest rival.

If she says yes, it could wreck her marriage, but if she says no, she’ll regret it for the rest of her life. Torn between her ambition and her heart, Stella faces an impossible choice.

EXPOSURE! is a funny and fast-paced second chances romance that explores marriage, family, and love, and why the biggest risks can be the most rewarding.

Out on August 5 and available to pre-order now

Buy Links

Cover Reveal: Illusion of Stars by Sarah Marie Page

BOOK DETAILS:

Illusion of Stars
by Sarah Marie Page
Publication date: July 16, 2024
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

She’s stealing more than secrets.

As the royal physician of a tiny, windswept island, Isabel spends her days trying to keep the queen from dying and the mad king from streaking naked down the halls. But when her best friend is found murdered on the beaches, her world is ripped apart. Desperate for answers, she discovers a stash of letters that reveal a terrifying truth: the neighboring kingdom of Volgaard possesses a kingdom-shattering weapon and is poised to conquer everything in its path.

Seeking vengeance, Isabel infiltrates the enemy. Her mission? Woo Erik Lothgarson, the general’s steamy, illusion-magic wielding son, and steal the dangerous weapon. She can bring Volgaard to its knees—if she isn’t caught.

But as Isabel dances along the knife edge of deception, the lines between truth and fiction blur, and she must wrestle her quest for vengeance against her undeniable attraction to the enemy.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205890289-illusion-of-stars

Pre-order:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3x15cgH

AUTHOR BIO:

I’m Sarah, an award-winning author who writes fluffy fantasy. I live in Phoenix, Arizona with my equally fluffy cat (starting to see a pattern here?) And fine, I have a husband too.

He’s not fluffy.

My debut novel, ILLUSION OF STARS, comes out July 2024. I’m currently working on the (untitled) ILLUSION OF STARS sequel and SERPENT GREEN, VENOM BLUE. I also have a witchy manuscript that lives in a trunk under the bed.

We don’t talk about that.

My work has been featured in Y Magazine, The Advocate, The Crow’s Quill, and Hippocampus Magazine (among others) and I’ve been a guest on a ton of podcasts like The Outspoken Artist, Bookish Flights, Books are Magical and the Author’s Alcove.

If I got some pity laughs out of you, I suggest signing up for my newsletter where I will make you pity laugh some more. 

I’m also a frequent flier on Instagram, so if you still can’t get enough of me, you can also follow me there.

Author links:

https://www.sarahpagestories.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sarahpagestories/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/48017983.Sarah_Marie_Page

Review: Abby: A Second Chance Novel by Tina DeSalvo

Goodreads Blurb

“Abby, what I’m asking isn’t something you have on that résumé…Will the LAPD be coming to arrest you when I’m depending on you to meet the deadline?”
She shook her head. How in the hell did she know?

She comes from Hollywood Royalty, which makes her fall from grace all the more interesting to millions of people who have no idea what Abby McCord is going through. Instead of following in her family’s acting footsteps Abby made her own way as an attorney. She also joined her good friend, Elli, in raising money for a cause near and dear to her heart, until someone steals their famous donors’ money and personal information. And the police believe the thief is her. Now she’s run from one LA to another as she hides in Cane, Louisiana trying to get by until she can get home.

Too bad there isn’t a statute of limitations on the public’s memory.

Jackson Bienvenu spent his adult life in the military because he wanted to get out of Cane and away from the people who know his desperate beginnings. Now all he wants is to come home and start a life and family in the one place he knows he belongs. And, this infuriatingly secretive woman who needs work until she can move on does not fit into the future he wants.

Unfortunately, Jackson and Abby are both discovering that what your head has planned and what your heart wants don’t always work together…

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

What a fun read filled with crime, mystery, romance, and laughter. The characters were perfect for this story. Abby and Jackson were like the spark that was left from a fire hot and spicy. I love the second chance consignment store. Truly love how this store would assist ladies who need a second chance in life after a struggled relationship, health issues, etc. It was very touching that two characters both went through breast cancer and survived it to share this wonderful store with others. Tina truly out did her self with this series, bringing love and strength to us all. Heartwarming, inspiring, and motivating story. Tante Izzy was my favorite character who was funny, a fighter, and a true friend.

Author Biography

Tina DeSalvo grew up in the suburbs of New Orleans, only minutes from the French Quarter. She moved to Cajun Country after college to take a job as a broadcast journalist. Like New Orleans had, now she gathered inspiration for what would become her wonderful fiction characters from the rich culture, unique traditions and lively events of the bayou community. Tina’s Second Chance Novel Series are Contemporary stories of love, mystery, laughter and Cajun Charm.

Review: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

Goodreads Blurb

The uplifting, amazing true story—a New York Times bestseller

This edition of Margot Lee Shetterly’s acclaimed book is perfect for young readers. It is the powerful story of four African-American female mathematicians at NASA who helped achieve some of the greatest moments in our space program. Now a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Costner.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

This book brings to life the stories of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, who lived through the Civil Rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the movement for gender equality, and whose work forever changed the face of NASA and the country.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This amazing book has brought to light the amazing and powerful women who were behind getting the United States into space. NACA was in Virginia at a time when segregation was everywhere from schools to work environments. The African American ladies who were brought in to do computing were one of the best they could have. But due to their skin color and there gender they were separated from becoming Mathematician and engineers. They were segregated bathrooms and lunch tables. The ladies didn’t let that stop them. First, they started with removing the lunch sign that said for colored girls, and then they slowly started using the bathrooms. They were brilliant, and with hard work, dedication, and the will to succeed, they overcame all obstacles and got the positions that they deserved. Virginia took years before they finally broke away from segregation, but NACA worked together and saw that separately wasn’t equal. It goes into detail in the lives of the ladies involved and the history of what was going on in those years in Virginia. Women can be anything they want to be.

Review: The X-Files: Earth Children Are Weird by Chris Carter

Goodreads Blurb

One the most beloved TV shows of all time is now a sweet, silly, sci-fi bedtime story! In The X Files: Earth Children Are Weird, best pals Dana (Scully) and Fox (Mulder) have pitched a tent in the backyard for a sleepover. But the night is full of strange sounds, lights, and shadows. Surely there’s a rational, scientific explanation for everything . . . or is there? With beautiful illustrations of pint-sized Dana and Fox, this humorous and not-scary-at-all story will introduce the cult TV show to an entire new generation of fans.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I loved it. It was so cute and funny. Love that the characters look just like the original characters in the show. It’s a perfect book to give kids a fun and spooky laugh.

Author Biography

I’m the author of three novels: HIDDEN PICTURES, THE IMPOSSIBLE FORTRESS, and (coming in October 2024!) THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING. For many years I was Publisher of Quirk Books, an indie press headquartered in Philadelphia, where I ghost-wrote many odd books that may or may not surface on this page, depending on the metadata. I live in West Philly with my wife and children.

Review: Matrimony Meltdown by Kathi Daley

Goodreads Blurb

After a year and a half of on again off again relationship status, Zak and Zoe are finally getting married. Not only has her own mother morphed into Momzilla, but Zak’s mother shows up a month before the wedding with plans to stay until the big day. When the mom’s gang up to undo all of Zoe’s wedding plans, things become tense. When Zak has to go out of town two weeks before the wedding, things get even worse. But when the assistant to the wedding planner Mother Zimmerman hired ends up dead in the pool, things become outright hilarious. Zoe struggles to maintain her sanity while dealing with a media circus, mom’s gone crazy, and a killer on the loose?

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Another five-star novel. I really enjoyed this novel. Zoe’s character is very fun and and her detective skills come naturally. Zack’s mother was driving me nuts. If she were my mother-in-law, I would have shown my bridezilla colors. I was so happy that Zoe and Zack were finally getting married. I was so shocked when Claudia was the sneaky creep. Really didn’t expect that at all.I was freaking out with all them people staying at Zoe’s house. And to top it off, someone ends up dead. I just can’t wait to see what happens in the next novel. Want to see how their wedding turns out. You don’t want to miss it.

Author Biography

Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn’t writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she’s not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home.
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries.

Review: Marcel by Eda Akaltun

Goodreads Blurb

Marcel, a French Bulldog, is a New Yorker through and through–he and his human know the best spots, especially in downtown Manhattan. But when a new human suddenly enters their lives at Central Park, they’re spending all their time in uptown! Everything is changing and it looks like this new human isn’t going anywhere. Why couldn’t everything stay as it was? Why did things have to change? Find out what happens between this Frenchie and the new human in his life in a story where change can be good and bring new adventures! This touching picture book is a nice way to help a child understand a parent’s new partner or spouse.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Won this book from GoodReads. It’s such an adorable book about a cute dog who lives in NYC with his human. Brings me back to The Secret Life of Pets movie. Marcel is very happy with his human until she falls in love with a French man. His world has turned upside down. But once he is taken to the only place he admires from afar, he falls in love with the human’s boyfriend and realizes life just got better. Book leaves of with Marcel heading to the city of lights… Paris. Another favorite city that I hope to see in person. This is a great book for young children. Everyone from all ages will fall in love with the beautiful images. I also want to say I love that the human wasn’t created like a cartoon but a real image of a person. It brought character to the book. Thanks, I can’t wait to see what Marcel’s life will be in Paris.

Author Biography

Eda Akaltun is a New York–based illustrator and printmaker from Istanbul. Prior to her work with Flying Eye, her illustrations can be found in the Nobrow magazine, of which she is a founding contributor.