Synopsis

Tom is the caretaker of a lighthouse and lives on an isolated island with his wife Isabel. When a boat appears with a dead man and a baby, Tom wants to report it. Isabel pleads with him to let her keep the baby and raise it as her own. Tom knows it is against the law, but relents since his wife suffered 3 miscarriages.

While in isolation, they can pretend their actions have no consequences. However, once back in tow, it becomes evident that the implications of one act will affect the entire town in some way.

Opinion

The book was well written in an artful way. It was very descriptive but I felt like the book was as tedious as trudging through knee-high snow. For example, when the author described some scenes and I wondered where the story was going. Was this important to the story? Does not seem to be. Does this give me additional insight into the character? Not much.

The pace was so slow, almost sluggish. In the first chapter, they find the baby. Based on that, I thought the story would have move faster than it did. Then the second chapter goes back to the time when Tom first started working at the lighthouse, before he met Isabel. There was so much build up, but the ending seemed rather flat, as if it fizzled out like a lukewarm, stale soda.

While all the characters experience different degrees of pain and suffering, the story was the most tragic for Isabel. Not that Isabel had done anything to endear herself to me, but I felt sorry for her desperate desire to have children. Three pregnancies which ended in miscarriages/stillbirth had to be heart wrenching. She had so much love to give a child, but desperation and isolation made her crazy.

When I started this book, I had no real expectations. I had a feeling that it would not end well since the whole plot line was centered on the consequences of not reporting the missing baby.

What good could come of that?

When I finished, I was not surprises that the story had no winners. While the story was interesting, I did not find that I identified with the characters. Tom had a screwed up childhood and acted as if he did not deserve any goodness in his life. On the other hand, Isabel was spoiled as if the world owed her.

Should you buy? If you like reading emotionally charged books that lean towards being depressing, you will enjoy this book. I could not rate this book higher because I like books with a decidedly happier ending.

Book Details
Paperback: 345 pages
Publisher: Scribner (April 2, 2013)
Language: English

Blog Tour with Mary Jo Putney

Nov25

Blog Tour with Mary Jo Putney

ABOUT THE BOOK

Christmas 1815. Upstairs and downstairs, Holbourne Hall is abuzz with preparations for a grand ball to celebrate the year’s most festive—and romantic—holiday. For at the top of each guest’s wish list is a last chance to find true love before the New Year…

View original post 529 more words

Blog Tour for BEAUTY AND THE BOSS by @DianeAlberts

Nov25

BEAUTY AND THE BOSS by Diane Alberts
Modern Fairytale / Entangled Publishing: IndulgenceBook Summary:

Beauty is about to tame her beast…Researcher Maggie Donovan has no luck with men, and it doesn’t help that she can’t keep her eyes off of her sexy boss – the one everyone else in the office calls The Beast. Relationships in the office are forbidden. So no one is more surprised than Maggie when she pretends to be his fiancée to save him during a difficult situation. Not only has she put her job on the line, but the future of the company.

Billionaire Benjamin Gale III doesn’t believe in love or romance, but the look on his mother’s face when Maggie tells her that she’s his fiancée is worth millions. Instead of firing her for her insubordination, he goes along with the ruse. In his arms-and in his bed-she’d be everything he could ever want…which is why he can’t have her.

But if he doesn’t let her go, they’ll lose everything…

EXCERPT

She shook her head and wished the sidewalk would just open up and swallow her, since that freaking meteorite had been a no-show last night. It would be better than whatever was coming next. “Sir?”

“Benjamin. You have to call me Benjamin.” He walked up to her, and his woodsy, male scent washed over her. She breathed it in like it had healing properties. “Look at me, Maggie.”

She did.

But she immediately wished she hadn’t.

His blue eyes were locked on her, and his five o’clock shadow begged to be touched. His wavy hair curled to perfection next to sharp cheekbones that belonged on a statue of a Greek god, not a mere man. And his eyes…they were cold. Rock hard. “Everything will be ok. We’re a good team, remember?”

“Yeah.” She took a deep breath. “I know.”

“I’m glad.” Funny, he didn’t look glad. “In this relationship, you’re the boss, not me. It’s only fair, since I’m the boss in the office. What you want, you get. What you don’t want, you don’t get. I want you to be one hundred percent happy. I don’t want you to feel trapped, or taken advantage of. Not with me.”

She just stared at him.

He kept saying nice things, but never seemed to actually care.

And she didn’t think that was an act. Did he feel anything around her? Okay, he felt something, because she’d gotten up close and personal with his impressive erection last night, but how could he just shut it off like that? How did he remain so cold, all the time?

When she remained silent, he cleared his throat. “You look gorgeous, by the way. Simply stunning.” Her stomach hollowed out, because the coldness in his eyes gave way to a heat that burned through her dress, leaving her bare. Even though he was only looking, it was if he’d touched her. Everywhere. “You’re a true beauty. The kind that no amount of makeup will ever recreate.”

Her whole body flushed. Yep. Everywhere. “I feel like Belle from Beauty and the Beast.”

“How fitting.” He cocked his brow. “I guess that makes me the Beast?”

“If the shoe fits…”

Click here for TOW Review

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY: Signed modern fairytale journal from Diane Alberts

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BUY LINKS:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1X0zIbG

B&N: http://bit.ly/1i0Z8Z2

iTunes: http://apple.co/1JXDSuK

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1kybE45

//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Author Bio:

Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled Publishing. She also writes New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling new adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. She’s hit the Top 100 lists on Amazon and Barnes and Noble numerous times with numerous titles. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Author Links:
Website: http://dianealberts.com/
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5081315.Diane_Alberts

Blog Tour: Brothers of Ink and Steel Box Set @alliejuliette

Nov23

Title: Brothers of Ink and Steel Box Set

Includes: Dare, Burn, Dare You Forever

& Bonus Content

Author: Allie Juliette Mousseau

Genre: NA Romance/Sports Romance

Release Date: November 17, 2015

Josh North is UFC’s Light Heavyweight Champion—but he’s about to meet his match.

Sophie Garner is a single mom who’s been raising her daughter on her own, fighting for both of their lives ever since going into hiding to escape her abusive husband.

When Sophie gets offered the job of a lifetime as the exclusive massage therapist for Josh “The Jackhammer” North’s team, it’s difficult to say no to the outrageous salary—and the bet—that Josh proposes. But for Sophie it’s a risk that could cost a lot more than just her heart – if she’s found, it could cost her her life.

Should she dare?

Josh wants to break through Sophie’s fortified walls, but is unwilling to put the jackhammer to his own and reveal his secrets and the side of him few have ever known or seen. To do that, he’ll have to confront the darkness of his past.

Will he dare?

Liam Knight, a sexy panty-melting, hard-bodied streetfighter and renowned tattoo artist, is rising up the ranks of the UFC Middleweight Division, but he’s about to get knocked out by his past.

Quinn Kelley is a semester away from becoming a college graduate when her mother’s death sends her spiraling, forcing her to go back to her hometown and a past she can’t outrun.

Nearly a decade ago, Liam and Quinn fell in love while surviving on the city streets together, but they were torn apart by one irreversible night. Now each has moved forward without the other, but like a tattoo on the heart, absolute love creates a lasting burn.

Quinn has kept a tight rein on her emotions, but with the passing of her mother, the foundation she’s built begins to crack. Will seeing Liam again crumble her fortress to the ground, uncovering the flame that still burns? Or will it extinguish the fire forever?

Liam’s tough exterior and resentful demeanor hides more than a wounded heart. He’s tormented by guilt over what happened to Quinn—and the secret he kept, even from her. But revealing his secrets would require unearthing the all-consuming monster he keeps caged in the darkest part of his soul, the one that threatens to devour him.

When they’re given a second chance, will they let go of their fear and pride and let the flame between them become one?

Or will the heat burn them both?

Alpha-male, dirty-talking, MMA Light-Heavyweight Champion Josh North has only three days until the wedding to prove to single mother and greatest-love-of-his-life Sophie Garner that he is the only man she’ll ever need!

As the wedding day approaches and Sophie begins to get cold feet, Josh comes up with a romantic scheme to prove his love and devotion–and employs all his brothers as Cupid’s messengers!

See Josh North, the North men and the Brothers of Ink and Steel like you never have before in this sweet, sexy and wildly romantic wedding novella!

Sophie Garner answered yes in front of the entire world when Josh popped the question and the diamond ring dangled from his title belt, but is she really ready to take the plunge?

She’s been a single mother for almost three years, and she’s set in her ways, not used to sharing her life with anyone but her daughter, Charlie. Plus, she doesn’t know that she can ever escape the shadow of a past that still haunts her.

Sophie and Charlie are everything Josh wants in the world – but the heartthrob bachelor is learning that commitment and fatherhood are both tougher than training for the title fight! And even though he’d give his life for either of his girls, he’s not so sure he’s got what it takes to be a husband and daddy.

Will Josh win the roughest fight of his life, or will he go down for the count?

Allie Juliette Mousseau is a USA Today Bestselling author and writes sexy, emotionally-charged New Adult and Adult romance.She can always be found writing, playing in puddles with her children, hiking with her husband, and traveling and adventuring anywhere she can.She believes life should be filled with love, laughter, adventure and forgiveness.Sometimes she misses the mountains of Montana but is becoming quickly fond of the crashing waves and salty smell of the Pacific Ocean, towering palm trees and long beach walks during sunset at her new home in southern California where she now lives with her loving husband, children, and 85 lb golden retriever.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

When rugged bounty hunter Ryder Axton is hired to hunt down a cartel leader for a seven digit bounty, he doesn’t expect to find federal witness Rachel Farrington being held captive in the perp’s basement. For Ryder, shit gets personal and the routine arrest becomes a rescue mission. And he will stop at nothing to make Rachel safe.

Farrington has been in the basement for seven days. She knows the only reason she’s still alive and unharmed is because of her market value in the overseas sex-slave trade. That’s how Eduardo Miguel plans to keep her from testifying after seeing him brutally murder her fellow student—and how he’ll manage to pay off his enormous debt to the cartel for a botched drug deal at the same time.

Terrified and desperate, Farrington will do whatever it takes to escape her captors—including kill—the first opportunity she gets. So when Ryder, a scarred, rough, foul-mouthed, smooth talking, criminal tries to persuade her he’s rescuing her—even though she knows it’s just another part of the act to manipulate her in attempts to keep her calm and “undamaged” upon delivery—she sees her chance.

But when two rival gangs wage war above their heads and Ryder and Rachel are forced to take cover in the dark and deadly east Texas bayou, trusting one another for survival, they both realize they might never see another sunrise.

Can they both defy death . . . again?

HOSTED BY:

Cover Reveal – The Lies We Live by Emersyn Vallis

Nov21

Title: The Lies We Live

Author: Emersyn Vallis

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 2016

One night.

One lie.

That’s all it took to take away my happily ever after.

I should be angry, but I’m not.

The one lie that was supposed to destroy me, gave me something in return. Actually, it gave me a lot…

I was a typical girl from a small town in her final year of college. I was one step closer to my hopes and dreams. Most importantly, I was about to tell my brother’s friend Mason how I felt.

He was the happily ever after.

See? Typical girl, typical life, typical love story, right?

But one night changed all that.

That one lie silenced me.

They say the truth shall set you free but my truth is a lie we all now live; we all know what could happen if the truth ever got out.

And now we lie for Maggie.

My daughter.

It all started with a lie…

But doesn’t it always?

I guess I’m not so typical anymore…

“Your brothers are coming in! That’s so exciting, Ells.” Margo drops to her mattress.

It is exciting.

Since leaving for school we’ve had nothing more than a few phone calls to catch up with each other. It’s strange since we’ve always been so close to each other, but they’ve stayed in California for the past couple of years instead of coming home on summer breaks. I know Conner met a girl. However, we don’t exchange names before it’s serious because we don’t like to jinx things. We, meaning Conner and me because Josh rolls his eyes at that rule. He has already told us the name of his girlfriend, who isn’t his girlfriend, and from what I’m gathering, really could care less about him. Her name is Mia… with an e? So it’s Mea? Who knows?

I’m not too worried about it though since he has broken the cardinal rule and informed us of her name before even taking the proper steps to dating.

If his relationship ever happens… and that’s a HUGE if, it won’t last too long.

“They are! And so is Austin AND…” I squeal with excitement, my fists balled up in front of my chest.

“Oh my God, you look like you might burst.” Margo covers her mouth to laugh.

I might though because I can’t stop what’s happening to me.

“MASON!” we both shout at the same time.

Yes, Mason Devereux… The name alone makes my body pulse in all the right places.

“One man should not be allowed that much beauty.” Margo fans herself.
She’s right…but one does. And he’s on his way here.
I’m going to be sick.

“Shame he has to bring big brother with him.” She purses her lips together.

I don’t know why but Margo isn’t a fan of Austin’s… he’s not a bad guy. Just full of himself.

“He isn’t so bad. I like Austin.” I grab my phone to check the time.

When I talked to Josh he said he would be in at five. If I know Conner, which I do, I know he is going to expect me to be at the airport by four waiting for them in case they get in early.

“You like Austin?” She eyes me skeptically.

“Tolerate might be the better word.” I look up from my phone at her and grin.

“Better. A weekend with everyone in the city? This is going to be insane!” Margo jumps up, squeezing her pillow. “Can you believe it Ells, we are graduating this year! From college!” She says it like it’s some big breaking news.

I really can’t believe we’re graduating though. This is something we’ve looked at from a distance for so long that the finalization of it makes me wary. Like it’s too good to be true.

“Look at us, moving out of our small town to live in the big city and go to pastry school. They all said it couldn’t happen… that we’d be coming home with our tails between our legs.” I grin at her.

I love making people eat their words. Especially nosey old people who have nothing better to do than sit around and crap on other people’s dreams.

“I can’t wait to shove it in their faces when we come home and slap them with our degrees.” Margo’s voice is filled with eager delight at the fact that we’ve proved them wrong.

I have to agree with her there. It’ll be nice to see the look on their faces.

I smile at the thought of Mason, the man I haven’t physically seen for months, but emotionally have never been far from. At least on my end.

Mason is my one, the one, he’s the man I’ve compared every other guy to. Which is why I’m still a virgin. Because I know what’s meant to be and we are what’s meant to be.

I’ve always felt like this is that childhood crush that evolves into so much more without you trying because it’s bigger than anything you can ever imagine. It’s the type of love that the rest of the world molds itself around.

“What are you going to do when you see Mason?” Margo psyches me up.

Clearing my throat, I grab my purse and point to the door. My body a steady hum of energy as I walk out of our room.

“I am going to tell him that I missed him and that I love him and that…” I suddenly forget the rest.

My heart beats rapidly in my chest with each passing step out of the building and closer to him.

“Ok, maybe just start with the missing him part. Try saying hey in a way that doesn’t make you look crazy and also, leave the stalker bit out,” she laughs patting my back.

My body jumps from the contact and I release a breathy laugh.

“You need to calm down. You’re a ball of nervous energy and it’s freaking me out.” She stops in front of me to put her hands on my arms. “Oh my God, Ells, you’re shaking with excitement. Calm down or he’s going to get on the plane and race back to school to hide.” She runs her hands up and down my arms.

I can’t help it. I don’t know what’s happening to me but it’s intense. And my jaw is hurting from clenching it.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself and give a firm nod.

“I’m good…let’s go,” I squeal.

“You’re f****d…and he’s going to think you’re insane. Let’s go,” she nods, stepping to the side. “Please don’t tell him you stalk him on Facebook,” she whispers.

Facebook…now there is handy tool. Apparently this kid came up with it to help connect the students at his school. Mason sent me an invite to it… said it would be easier to connect on there and of course I accepted!

It’s a new world. I see everything he does, where he goes, what he likes. It’s almost like being with him. Oh my goodness I do sound like a stalker! But I’m not because I like, comment, and message him all the time. Which might be why I’m so freaking out excited nervous right now.

The amount of build up for this moment is taking a toll on my body. Each part tingling and surging with excitement at different moments.

I need to calm down before I pass out.
After making it down the steps to the front lobby without falling from my trembling legs, we open the main door and head outside to grab a cab. My stomach twists into knots again.
We’re going to get your brothers. Calm down. I mentally tell myself.
And Mason…but mostly Mason.
My heart speeds up again.

Crap.

Emersyn Vallis is a first time author with Adjournment being the first book in the Fated Series. Currently residing on the east coast with her husband and three children she is typically mistaken for being quiet and reserved her friends often describe her as a spastic spider monkey and always the first to be there with her quick wit to pull you back up when you’re feeling down. After reading as a hobby for most of her life it wasn’t until she had discovered R. L. Mathewson’s ‘Neighbor from Hell Series’ and Tara Sivec’s ‘Playing with Fire Series’ that she came up with the idea to fuse comedy and suspense together and her passion for writing was born.