And Then There Was Me - Pub Week Giveaway

Bea and Awilda have been best friends from the moment Awilda threw her fourteen-year-old self across Bea’s twin-sized bed as if they had known each other forever. Bubbly, adventurous Awilda taught sheltered, shy Bea how to dress, wear her hair and what to do with boys. She even introduced Bea to her husband, Lonnie, in college, who pledged to take good care of her for the rest of their lives. But philanderer Lonnie breaks that promise over and over again, leaving Bea to wrestle with her self-esteem and long time secret addiction.

Recently Lonnie has plopped the family in a New Jersey upper class suburb, which lacks the diversity that Bea craves but has the school district and zip code envy that Lonnie wants. The demands of carrying a third child and fitting into this new environment while pretending that her husband is not cheating on her again, is more than she can handle. And just when she thinks things can’t get any worst, the ultimate deception snaps the little thread that was holding her life together and all comes tumbling down.

Sadeqa Johnson's And Then There Was Me is the story of love and friendship, heartache and betrayal. It’s the journey of a woman stripped down to her lowest point and needing to find the will to press on.

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About the author:

SADEQA JOHNSON is a former public relations manager who spent years working with well-known authors such as JK Rowling, Bebe Moore Campbell, Amy Tan, and Bishop TD Jakes before becoming an author herself. Her debut novel, Love in a Carry-on Bag, was the recipient of the 2013 Phillis Wheatley award for Best Fiction and the 2012 USA Best Book award for African-American fiction. She is also the author of Second House from the Corner and resides in Virginia with her husband and three children.

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White Sand, Blue Sea - Pub Week Review & Giveaway

Review by Melinda Garza

Olivia is a young lady who is soon turning twenty-five. She is the daughter of Hadley and Felix. Felix is her step-father who, without reservation, has raised her as his own from a very young age. Every year they spend time at their lovely plantation style villla in St. Bart's. This year is somewhat special though as she will be celebrating her birthday there.  Not only is Olivia celebrating her birthday, she is also anticipating getting engaged. Her boyfriend’s name is Finn. He is a Princeton graduate and is set to propose this year. Not only is April 25th Olivia's birthday but it is also her mom's birthday and the day her mom and biological father got divorced.

Olivia's dad is named Sebastian. He walked out of their Morningside Heights apartment 20 years prior. He has not seen Olivia since. He is a famous painter and travels the world painting and living a selfish life. Despite that, every year Hadley invites Sebastian to come celebrate Olivia's birthday but never shows. Instead, she receives a letter or gift from him letting her know where he has been and such. This year, Sebastian turns up in St. Bart's unannounced. He is confident, charming, lights up a room, and has a way with words. Olivia is so excited to finally be getting to know her father but somehow changes the dynamics of the entire vacation.

Anita Hughes wrote a page turner. I could not get enough of all the characters. They are so colorful and she makes you love each one for their own reasons. What ends up happening in St. Bart's?  Could Olivia really forgive her dad for showing up 20 years later after he has been globetrotting around the world? What transcends between them?  Is he the father she longed for? Does their relationship put a strain on the other relationships such as Olivia's and Finn's or Sebastian's and Hadley's? Does Olivia get her happily ever after?  Read White Sand, Blue Sea, A St. Bart's Love Story to find out. This is a definite escape and such a great beach read.  The adventure is indulgent.

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About the author:

Anita Hughes was born in Sydney, Australia. At the age of eight, she won first prize in a nationwide writing contest sponsored by THE AUSTRALIAN, Australia's most prestigious newspaper. She graduated from Bard College with a B.A. in English Literature and a minor in Creative Writing, and attended UC Berkeley's Masters in Creative Writing Program. She lives at The St. Regis Monarch Beach, where she is at work on her next novel.

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The Hope Chest - Giveaway

The discovery of one woman’s heirloom hope chest unveils precious memories and helps three people who have each lost a part of themselves find joy once again.

Ever since she was diagnosed with ALS, fiercely independent Mattie doesn’t feel like herself. She can’t navigate her beloved home, she can’t go for a boat ride, and she can barely even feed herself. Her devoted husband, Don, doesn’t want to imagine life without his wife of nearly fifty years, but Mattie isn’t likely to make it past their anniversary.

But when Rose, Mattie’s new caretaker, and her young daughter, Jeri, enter the couple’s life, happiness and the possibility for new memories return. Together they form a family, and Mattie is finally able to pass on her memories from the hope chest she received from her mother.

With each item―including a favorite doll, family dishes, an embroidered apron, and an antique Christmas ornament―the hope chest connects Mattie, Don and Rose to each other and helps them find hope again in the face of overwhelming life challenges.

A beautiful story about the unconditional love and support of family, The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman will remind you that hope can be found where and when you least expect it.

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About the author:

VIOLA SHIPMAN is a penname for Wade Rouse, a popular, award-winning memoirist. Rouse chose his grandmother’s name, Viola Shipman, to honor the woman whose heirlooms and family stories inspire his writing. Rouse lives in Michigan and writes regularly for People and Coastal Living, among other places, and is a contributor to All Things Considered. To date, The Charm Bracelet has been translated into nine languages.

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The Sisters of Blue Mountain - Pub Day Promo & Giveaway

An emotional, suspenseful novel about the bond between sisters and the secrets we hold to keep our family safe, The Sisters of Blue Mountain by Karen Katchur is a thrilling mystery that hurtles towards an unexpected ending that will leave readers speechless.

The small town of Mountain Springs, Pennsylvania thrives on the snow geese migration. Each year, the birds flock to the dam, and the tourists follow, filling up Linnet’s Bed and Breakfast.

But one morning Linnet wakes up to discover hundreds of dead geese by the B&B and her life is thrown into the media frenzy when her father―a former ornithology professor―is asked to study the case. As the tourists cancel their plans and Linnet’s father’s health grows increasingly worse, the last thing she expects is to see her estranged sister, Myna, on her doorstep.

Myna has never stayed in one place for long after running from Mountain Springs. Although she and Linnet were close growing up, a family secret broke their bond, and Myna’s return has brought back memories both sisters have tried to keep buried.

When a reporter arrives in town who may have a connection to the sisters’ past, Linnet and Myna are forced to confront the event that tore them apart. But when a young professor who was assisting their father on the case turns up dead―and their father becomes the primary suspect―Linnet and Myna realize that their secret won’t stay hidden for long…

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About the author:

Karen Katchur holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from West Chester University and a Masters of Education degree from East Stroudsburg University. She is an active member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America. She lives in Eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. She enjoys running and tennis and playing with her flat coat retriever, Tucker and her cat, Carly.

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The Promise Girls - Pub Day Review & Giveaway

What if you could create your ideal child, would you?  For Minerva Promise the answer was yes.  Prodigies designed for success and greatness by their narcissistic mother, as adults they were determined to break free of the hold that she had over them.  What better platform to do so than while on live TV?

Now adults, none of the daughters are doing what their mother was determined to make of them.  Yet all are struggling with issues that stemmed from their childhood.  After an accident brings financial strains, the sisters agree to do a documentary that will expose how the Promise girls’ lives turned out. 

So many strive for perfection, but what’s perfect to one may not be to another.  And with the advancements of science, there’s always someone out there trying to manipulate what should just be left up to will.

I found this book to be fascinating.  The story flowed smoothly and the characters felt so real and relatable.  A perfect weekend read that you will consume in one sitting!

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About the author:

Marie Bostwick is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of novels about family, relationships, and women’s friendships.  She was born and raised in the northwest, but in the three decades since her marriage, Marie and her family have lived in 8 different states at 18 different addresses. These experiences have given Marie a unique perspective that enables her to write about people from all walks of life and corners of the country with insight and authenticity. Marie currently resides in Oregon, where she enjoys writing, spending time with family, gardening, collecting fabric, and stitching quilts.

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The Promise Girls

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Royally Roma - Pub Day Promo

In ROYALLY ROMA, the first book in the three-book series The Royals, Niccolo La Torre, the Crown Prince of Lazaretto, gets a taste of life as a civilian when he disappears for a day under the guise of wealthy tourist. His tour guide, a broke, overworked graduate student named Julia Costa, is looking to start fresh in a new country following a devastating break-up and a scandal involving her father. Consumed by her busy schedule, she rarely picks up a tabloid or turns on the television, so when she crosses paths with Niccolo, she fails to recognize him and instead mistakes him for a client. Intrigued by the idea that there is someone in Rome who has no idea who he is, Niccolo acts on impulse and assumes the role of Julia’s client.

Although she senses that something amiss, Julia can’t quite put her finger on what it is and more importantly, she needs the money, so she ignores all warning signs that Niccolo is not who he claims to be. Complicating matters is the undeniable chemistry between Julia and Niccolo. As the adventurous day comes to a close, their attraction grows more intense and they struggle to keep things professional. And in the back of Niccolo’s mind he wonders if he’s willing to let go of the first person who’s ever seen him as just a man and not a prince.

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About the author:

Teri Wilson is a novelist for Harlequin Books and Gallery/Pocket Books. She is also a contributing writer at HelloGiggles.com and Teen Vogue covering books, pop culture, and more.  She has a gift for writing enchanting and cinematic love stories. Her 2013 novel Unleashing Mr. Darcy, a modern-day retelling of Pride & Prejudice, was optioned for film by the Hallmark Channel and debuted as a Hallmark Channel Original Movie in January 2016 to 3 million viewers and set social media records for the network. Following the success of Unleashing Mr. Darcy, the Hallmark Channel optioned her 2016 novel The Art of Us and her 2013 novel Sleigh Bell Sweethearts for release Christmas 2017.

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Sweet Lake - Review #Wintervention

The Mayfair Inn, located in the small town of Sweet Lake, Ohio is a family business that Linnie has been running since her father had a stroke.  After she began overseeing the inn she began making improvements that she thought would ensure that she be able to take over the business.  But the inn has always been passed on to the son of the family. 

It was never Sarah and Treat Mayfair’s intention to cause a rift between their children.  They felt they were doing what was right for the business and following tradition.  When their son, Freddie, does something deceitful he causes the fissure between him and his sister to become even deeper.

But leave it to the Sweet Lake Sirens, a group of elderly women, to concoct a plan to reunite Linnie and Freddie.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but she quickly made me a fan.  I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

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About the author:

Award-winning author Christine Nolfi provides readers with heartwarming and inspiring fiction. Her novel TREASURE ME, Liberty series book 2, is a Next Generation Indie Awards finalist. The Midwest Book Review lists SECOND CHANCE GRILL, Liberty series book 1, and the other Liberty books as "highly recommended". 

Look for SWEET LAKE, book 1 of her new series, on February 28, 2017 and THE COMFORT OF SECRETS, book 2, on July 18, 2017.

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Learn more about BookSparks’ #wintervention book tour HERE.

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