Book Blitz/Giveaway!! Secret Lady, by Beth Trissel

Welcome to the Book Blitz for 
Secret Lady, sponsored by

XPresso Book Tours!!

For my post, I'm featuring 
an excerpt with mini-review!

There's also a blitz-wide giveaway!!

Secret Lady

(Ladies In Time, Book 3)

Beth Trissel
Trade Paperback, 232 pages
January 9, 2019

Kindle Edition, 172 pages

January 19, 2019
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

Fantasy, Historical Fiction, 
Paranormal Fiction

Science Fiction, New Adult

Torn apart by Time, reunited by flames.

At Lavender House, Evie McIntyre is haunted by the whispers from her bedroom closet. Before she can make sense of their murmurs, the house "warbles" between times and transports her to the Civil War. Past and present have blended, and Evie wishes she'd paid more attention to history. Especially since former Confederate officer, Jack Ramsey, could use a heads up.

Torn between opposing forces, Jack struggles to defend the valley and people he loves. Meeting Evie turns his already tumultuous world upside down. Will solving the mystery of the whispers return her home, and will the handsome scout be by her side?

Against the background of Sheridan's Burning of the Shenandoah Valley, Jack and Evie fight to save their friends and themselves – or is history carved in stone?

Note

This mini-review is of the excerpt below, and 
not the entire book.

I only do this kind of thing when I'm really interested in a book, which is the 

case with this one!

This is certainly intriguing! I love the time switch feeling I get from this short excerpt, with the female protagonist's obvious disorientation. The mention of Doctor Who is cute and humorous, too. And her meeting with that mysterious man with the GORGEOUS eyes..... 
Time travel romance is one of my favorite genres, so I will be sure to add this one to my collection!
I already want to know where the story goes from here!

What had happened to the room?

Nothing in the parlor was as it had been a short while ago. Furnishings suited to a monastery had displaced the frou-frou décor. Simple wooden chairs, stools, and a plain couch were arranged in a circle. A small table supported a large black book, possibly the Bible. Discarded knitting lay on a side table. A spinning wheel sat in one corner.

There were no frills anywhere. No lavender sprigged wallpaper or lacy valentines, or anything she remembered. Her grandmother’s cherished things were gone. Everything had changed, and yet, the layout of the room was the same.

Was she lost in a dream, or had she stepped into a parallel universe? That sometimes happened…in Doctor Who, not her world.

Oh, my,” she gulped, and blindly reached out to steady herself against the back of a chair. “Not what I was expecting.”

“Nor are you.” The man called Jack returned the match tin to his pouch and studied her by the flickering light, his sandy brows arching under the broad brim.

“Whew.” He thumbed his hat back. “You’re nothing like Hettie Wenger.”

“Not in this life,” she said in a bare whisper, realization nagging at her.

“Did you have another?”

She nodded, gazing into the most glorious greenish-brown eyes, like sun-dappled trees.

Wham.

Lightning bolt impact.

Purchase Links

Amazon US/Amazon UK/Amazon CA

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with my human family and furbabies. An avid gardener, I grow herbs and heirloom flowers and use them in my stories. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans (especially the Shawnee), and the Scots-Irish are at the heart of my inspiration. My English, Scottish, and Scots-Irish ancestors were among the earliest settlers in America. 

I write historical romance set in the colonial frontier (The Native American Warrior Series), the American Revolution, Georgian England, and 20th-century America. I like a good ghost story, so some of my historical romances have paranormal and ghosts in them. In addition to historical romance and Native American/Western romance, I write time travel romance (some are Scottish time travels), Young Adult wolf shapeshifter paranormal sci-fi fantasy romance (The Secret Warrior Series), New Adult fantasy paranormal time slip romance (Somewhere In Time), and my latest ongoing series, Ladies In Time (Somewhere My Lady, Book 1), (The White Lady, Book 2). The latest one in this series is Book 3 -- Secret Lady, to be released in January, 2019. 

I also write single titles, and nonfiction about gardening, herbs, and country life. 

Website/Facebook/Twitter
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page




This blitz is brought to you by

Shelf Candy Saturday No. 232: The Same Deep Water, by Lisa Swallow

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!

***Late Edition***

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful covers!

It also provides information, 
if available, on their 
very talented creators!

Here's my choice for this week!

The Same Deep Water
Lisa Swallow
Trade Paperback, 246 pages
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
August 21 , 2015
   Contemporary Romance,
New Adult Fiction 

My Thoughts About This Cover

Enigmatic. Mysterious. Unsettling. Haunting. Amazing. Gorgeous. These are the first words that came to mind when I first saw this cover. The image presented here is an unusually vivid one, and it has a very immediate visual impact on the viewer. This is one of those covers that is inherently unforgettable.

Those eyes.....they are so full of a nearly fathomless inner pain.... I can't stare at them for very long, for fear that the sheer depth of this young woman's deeply felt sorrow will somehow flow into me. This is, however, a brilliant way to convey what this novel is all about, for the female protagonist is contemplating suicide. You can see her determination to end it all, too, because she just can't take the pain and sorrow anymore. 

Her hair flows as if in water, nearly covering her face. I do think that perhaps she's already in the water, and has stopped breathing....The colors are symbolic, as well. I feel that the red represents life, and the blue and deep purple, death. So she's floating between life and death, but is drifting inexorably toward death.

It's truly amazing how an image can convey meaning without words. Despair, frustration, a longing for peace, they're all there in this very powerful cover. 

The title is enigmatic, as well, but a reading of the synopsis will inform the reader that another character in the novel, who is also in deep inner pain, steps outside of his own torment to reach out and pull this girl back to life. They're both in deep water, metaphorically speaking. 

I like the font used for the title, too, as it evokes the undulating waves of the sea. Also, the fact that it's white, and placed against a dark-colored background, makes it stand out all the more. 

The creator of this great cover is a graphic designer by the name of Najla Qamber. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any biographical information about her, but I have the link to her website, which includes a book cover portfolio. I also have links to her social media pages.

Yet another name for my favorite book cover artists list!!
  

Online Links

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram

What do you think of 
this week's cover?
Please leave a comment
and let me know!

Can't Wait Wednesday No. 41: Brave, by Tammara Webber

Welcome to "Can't Wait Wednesday"!

   

This is a weekly event hosted by

Tressa @ Wishful Endings, and inspired by "Waiting On Wednesday", which used to be hosted by

 Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

For more information, please click HERE.

As in the previous meme, this one showcases future releases  we book  bloggers 
are eagerly anticipating!!
There's also a Linky widget, so participating blogs can link up!

Here's my choice for this week!

 Brave

(Contours of the Heart, Book 4)

Tammara Webber

Trade Paperback,  300 pages

Tammara Webber, Publisher

December 19, 2017    

Contemporary Fiction, 

Contemporary Romance,

Diverse Reads, New Adult Fiction

   

Courage means rising up to defend your beliefs…
or daring to question them.

Erin McIntyre was captivating, but forbidden
His professional subordinate
The embodiment of unearned privilege
The daughter of his sworn enemy

Isaac Maat was impossible to read
Smart, ambitious, and emotionally detached
Hotter than anyone’s boss should ever be
And definitely hiding something…

He told himself that getting to know her would help him take down her father.
She told herself that getting under his skin would distract her wrecked heart from its misery.

Neither predicted their private war would lead to an intimate battle in which the victor would be the first one to SURRENDER.

Why I can't wait for this one!

As frequently happens when I come across books I'm unfamiliar with, it's the cover that catches my eye first. Such was the case here. I LOVE covers with couples on them, up close and personal! And I also think that boss/employee romances are AWESOME!! Plus, Webber has had a lot of rave reviews for this series, so I need to catch up!



Here are the previous books in this great series!!  (Click on the 
covers for the Goodreads pages.)

I'm a New York Times and international bestselling author of contemporary, romantic, coming-of-age fiction (Young Adult and New Adult), represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
I'm a hopeful romantic who adores novels with happy endings, because there are enough sad endings in real life. 
Before writing full time, I was an undergraduate academic advisor, economics tutor, planetarium office manager, radiology call center rep, and the palest person to ever work at a tanning salon. I married my high school sweetheart, and I'm Mom to three adult kids and four very immature cats.

 Website/Goodreads/Twitter

Facebook/Amazon

 Instagram

What do you think of my choice?

Leave your link below, so I can
come check out your pick(s)! 

Book Review: Forged In Fire, by Juliette Cross

Forged In Fire
(The Vessel Trilogy, Book 1)
Juliette Cross
Kindle Edition, 345 pages
Entangled Select Otherworld
July 31, 2017
Source: Amazon
New Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:
Genevieve Drake has never been the helpless kind of girl, has never needed to be rescued. That is, not until her twentieth birthday when some dude nearly chokes her to death in an alley and a hot stranger splits the guy in half, rips a monster from inside, and incinerates it into ash.

The hot guy? Jude Delacroix—Dominus Daemonum, Master of Demons. Now her guardian, whether she likes it or not. But she’s seriously beginning to like it.

The dude choking her? One of many demons from the underworld trying to abduct or kill Genevieve. As the prime target of the demon prince, Danté, she has no problem accepting Jude’s protection.

Why Genevieve? She’s a Vessel, one born to serve the Light but can be corrupted and used as a weapon for darkness. She had no idea this world even existed. Now, she just wants to survive it.

This novel came to my attention thanks to a blog tour I recently participated in. I don't read ebooks all that often, but the cover of this one immediately captivated me! Then I read the summary, and ordered it from Amazon right away.

From the moment I began to read, I was fully immersed in this intense plot, with its non-stop action and vivid, totally likeable characters. The world-building, too, contributed to my enjoyment of the novel, as it was quite detailed and very interesting.

A Vessel, as described in this novel, is a woman who can unfortunately be an instrument of evil, as demons can use such Vessels to carry out their dark plans. Genevieve, the female MC, has begun to "awaken" at the age of 20, which is when such women first become aware of their special status.

Demons, who are very physical, as well as very human-looking, vie for possession of Vessels, and this was a pretty frightening thing to me. While reading this novel, it also seemed all too real. Once she had become awakened as a Vessel, Genevieve was immensely attractive to these evil denizens of Hell. There's a hierarchy in Hell, too, as some demons are Princes, while others are Dukes. They also have very frightening and remarkable powers.

The most appealing thing about this novel was the developing relationship between Genevieve and Jude, a Demon Hunter. I loved his concern for her, while at the same time admiring her for resisting his constant protection. The sparks certainly flew between these two! Their romance was electric, dynamic, and full of sexual tension. Their dialogues were exciting, snarky, and I kept "turning" pages on my cell phone's Kindle app to see where these wonderful, exciting interactions of theirs would lead.

Amidst all of the witty dialogues, there was a LOT of action. Demons were constantly coming after Genevieve, and unfortunately, she needed nearly constant protection from Jude.

Here's where I felt this novel didn't quite live up to my expectations. The whole thing was set up, or so I thought, to feature Genevieve as a kick-butt female hero. That wasn't quite how things worked out, though..... I thought she was rescued by Jude far too many times. Although she did show a lot of courage on several occasions (and her father is a  martial arts teacher), she just could not resolve certain situations by herself, and Jude kept showing up just in time to save her. I found this very disappointing, as well as a bit too contrived.

Another aspect of this novel that wasn't to my liking was the detail lavished on the scenes in which Genevieve was harassed and toyed with by a high demon named, ironically enough, Dante. It was not easy reading about just how powerful he was, how easily he could bend her to his will. 

I loved the secondary characters! One of them was Genevieve's mother, who was a talented painter, although she painted rather frightening, surrealistic things. I was fascinated, nevertheless, as I love art. So, a character who creates art will always interest me. I was actually sorry that this one didn't play a larger role in the story. 

Another great character was Mindy, Genevieve's roommate. Although she was a bit too much of an airhead, in my honest opinion, she did care about Genevieve, and was concerned about her burgeoning relationship with Jude.

Yet another great character was Kat, a female demon hunter who sparked Genevieve's jealousy, as she's almost as old as Jude, and far too beautiful and powerful for Genevieve's liking. She turns out to be a great friend to Genevieve, though, as well as a welcome ally and trainer in battling demons. 

And then there's Dante. I have to admit that he's a very well-developed villain. Very believable, very, very scary, too. He was creepy in the extreme, as well as totally ruthless, totally without compassion. (Well, of course, he was a demon!) The paradoxical thing was that he was so very beautiful! Well, the Bible does state that the devil loves to masquerade as an angel of light. Dante was incredibly alluring, at least, until his true colors shone through. Then he was totally terrifying! The scenes he appeared in were the parts of the novel that almost made me stop reading. They also made me wonder if this novel shouldn't be classified as a horror novel as well as an urban fantasy. 

Although I did enjoy this story, I do have some very mixed feelings about it. I found it a bit too scary for my comfort, as I've already mentioned. I guess that was to be expected, though, since it does deal with demons. And again, I was expecting Genevieve to be much more proactive when it came to dealing with all of these horrible demons. She did possess some remarkable powers herself, after all. She just didn't get to use them all that often.

Yet another aspect I didn't like was the unfortunate appearance of "the F bomb", although it wasn't that frequent. Still, I don't like seeing this obnoxious word pop up in novels AT ALL.

On the plus side, this novel was, paradoxically, very clean. Even though it had plenty of sexual tension, there were no sex scenes in it, graphic or otherwise.

In spite of my objections, I will be continuing this trilogy with the next two installments -- Sealed In Sin, and Bound In Black. In the third novel, Genevieve finally awakens into her full powers. I want to see her do some MAJOR butt-kicking and defeat those demons in the end! I also want to find out where her relationship with Jude heads next!
 
MY RATING:

Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home, where she lives with her husband, four children, and a black Lab named "Kona". She is a multi-published author of paranormal and fantasy romance. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Louisiana State University, an M.Ed. in Gifted Education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. From the moment she read Jane Eyre as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance--brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own. 

Website/Goodreads/Twitter

Amazon/Facebook/Pinterest



 

Blog Tour: The Vessel Trilogy, by Juliette Cross

Welcome to the blog tour for 
The Vessel Trilogy,

sponsored by

Bewitching Book Tours!!

For my spot, I'm featuring a 
mini-review with excerpt!

There's also a tour-wide giveaway!!

Forged In Fire
(The Vessel Trilogy, Book 1)
Juliette Cross
Digital Edition, 345 pages
Entangled Select Otherworld
July 31, 2017
New Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:
Genevieve Drake has never been the helpless kind of girl, has never needed to be rescued. That is, not until her twentieth birthday when some dude nearly chokes her to death in an alley and a hot stranger splits the guy in half, rips a monster from inside, and incinerates it into ash.

The hot guy? Jude Delacroix—Dominus Daemonum, Master of Demons. Now her guardian, whether she likes it or not.
But she’s seriously beginning to like it.

The dude choking her? One of many demons from the underworld trying to abduct or kill Genevieve. As the prime target of the demon prince, Danté, she has no problem accepting Jude’s protection.

Why Genevieve? She’s a Vessel, one born to serve the Light but can be corrupted and used as a weapon for darkness. She had no idea this world even existed. Now, she just wants to survive it.

ON SALE FOR $.99 UNTIL 
AUGUST 6th!!! 

Amazon/Barnes & Noble
Kobo/iBooks

Sealed In Sin

(The Vessel Trilogy, Book 2)

Juliette Cross

Digital Edition, 305 pages

Entangled Select Otherworld

July 31, 2017

New Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

One demon prince may be festering in the bowels of hell, but Genevieve’s troubles are far from over. Prince Bamal, demon lord of New York City, still wants her. But this time, he wants her alive. All signs point to the lost prophecy and his desire for her inherent power as a Vessel of Light.

While Jude Delacroix spends his days and nights searching for the prophecy, another protector steps in to take his place. Thomas, a guardian angel, claims Genevieve is his to protect if the demon hunter does not. As threats against her life escalate, he offers her the power to sift. Knowing the transfer of power comes through a kiss, she hesitates. While Gen’s love for Jude is true, Thomas stirs a desire where there should be none. Thomas also knows Jude’s darkest secret and plans to use it, if necessary, to win Genevieve for his own.

ON SALE FOR $.99 UNTIL 
AUGUST 6th!!

Amazon/Barnes & Noble
Kobo/iBooks

Bound In Black
(The Vessel Trilogy, Book 3)
Juliette Cross
Digital Edition, 284 pages
Entangled Select Otherworld
July 31, 2017
New Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:
Genevieve Drake is on a dangerous mission—to find the soul collector, Lethe, and enter the deepest, darkest level of the underworld, where no one has ever gone into and returned. But nothing can prevent her from going after the precious treasure Lethe stole from her.

Genevieve endures challenge after challenge against demon spawn and foul creatures while there, and each triumph strengthens her Vessel power, leading toward full awakening, at which time she will become invincible against the hosts of darkness. But when an old enemy makes a surprising appearance, she is tested to the point of breaking and risks remaining in this dark abyss forever.

When Prince Bamal finally reveals their secret weapon, will Genevieve have the strength to survive? Even more, when her guardian angel, Thomas, reveals his sinister secret, will she finally fall into darkness and forsake the fate of the world for her broken heart?

ON SALE FOR $.99 UNTIL 
AUGUST 6th!!

Amazon/Barnes & Noble
Kobo/iBooks

Note

This mini-review is of the excerpt below, and 

not of the entire book.

WOWZA!! This short scene really got my attention! The action is electrifying, and the attraction between the two characters sizzles! I love how fast everything moves, how quickly Genevieve turns the tables on Jude, and the pride (as well as other things....) he feels at her fast learning. Juliette Cross put me right into the scene, and I could actually feel and see all the moves as these characters sparred and fought. 

And I love the writing style! The words and sentences are sharp and clipped, just perfect for all the action! 

In short, I definitely want this trilogy in my collection! (Of course, I would prefer the printed books, but these covers are SO gorgeous, I'm grabbing the ebooks!)

From Forged In Fire

Jude hadn’t moved, his eyes roving up and down. My sweaty tank clung to my torso and loose hair stuck to the side of my face. Having redone my ponytail twice, I tightened it once more as he shoved off the wall.

“Give her a weapon.”

Kat pulled a dagger from a sheath at her thigh, walking toward me.

“I thought we were practicing without weapons today.”

Jude started to circle. A primitive part of me stiffened.

“A demon won’t give up when you throw a few punches, even with the casting power. You need to cut them.”

“But I could hurt you.”

“You could try.”

His shoulders rounded in a relaxed posture. Muscled arms swung just barely at his sides. He was in no way threatened by me. He probably found this comical.

“No sifting,” I warned

“No need.”

He continued to stalk me with slow precision. Kat handed me her dagger. It was heavier than I thought.

“It’s too big,” I said, feeling the weight of the twelve-inch blade.

“Oh, I think you can handle it.”

A dark mischievous look. Wait. Were we still talking about daggers? Heat flushed my cheeks. He circled. I pivoted. Kat disappeared into the corner.

“No power this time, Genevieve. Let’s see if you can deliver more than karate moves.”

“You don’t think I can cut you?”

An eyebrow lifted. Still smiling. Still circling. Arrogant ass.

“I can,” I gritted out, widening and squaring my stance.

Sparks of gold glittered in his eyes, a predator honing in on its prey. He stalked closer, then stopped two feet from me, speaking in a husky tone.

“Prove it.”

My heart jumped, hearing my own challenge thrown back at me. Last night. Scorching kisses, whispered words, rough angles, soft sighs. My eyes strayed to his lips. One corner quirked up into a knowing smile. He was taunting me right there in front of Kat. What kind of game was he playing? Anger flared in my gut. I lunged, swiping out at his chest. Grabbing one of my wrists, then the other, he twisted me around, pulling me tight against his body, my arms crossed and bound in front of me. Completely immobile in less than a second.

Okay, that was embarrassing.

“Too predictable.” Warm breath close to my ear. I shivered. A short rumble of laughter in his chest. “Again?”

I struggled. He released me at once. This time, I did the circling. Leaping left, then dodging right, I ducked under his outstretched arm, slicing as I went. I popped up behind him. Jude glanced down at the tear along the side of his white T-shirt. A small drop of blood seeped through the fabric. Very small, but I gasped anyway. He laughed, stripping off the T-shirt and tossing it to the side.

“Better. Again.”

Not a good move on my part. My concentration scattered to the winds. Cords of muscle and tight, sinewy limbs flexed in preparation for the next attack. Black swirls and barbs of Celtic interlacing traced over tight pectorals and down his chiseled abdomen. My mouth went bone dry. A shift of his upper body gave me a glance of a feathered wing inked across a powerful shoulder blade.

Concentrate, Genevieve.

I fought the urge to shake my head as if dizzy from intoxication. For that is truly what I was, imagining what it would feel like to have his beautiful body against mine, skin on skin. Trying not to imagine what it would feel like.

“Anytime you’re ready,” he said, smirking.

Damn him.

“You know,” I said, thinking to take a different approach, “a demon will attack me, not the other way around. Why don’t you attack first?”

“As you wish.”

Oh shit.

He lunged low. I twisted out of reach, leaping right. He changed position, shot out his leg, tripping me to the floor. I landed on my stomach and pushed up an inch before being summarily pinned by two hundred pounds of hard muscle. Oh. Very hard.

A whisper against the shell of my ear: “Mmm. Close, but not quite. Again?”

“Get. Off!”

He obliged. Another haughty laugh. “The key is to not become distracted or let your anger control you. You must find a way to get the better of your opponent, no matter if you’re outmatched in size. Before I’d even rolled completely over, I clipped him behind the knees. He buckled to the floor as I leapt, swinging my body over his. I straddled his chest, pulling his head to the floor with my left hand knotted in that pretty hair of his, exposing his throat and thrusting the point of the dagger beneath his chin.

“Like this?” I hissed.

A genuine broad smile lightened his face, making me more breathless than I already was. Amber and gold shimmered in his irises, nearly cutting out all the black. Nearly. His hands were on my hips.

“Exactly like this.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  

Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where she lives with her husband, four children, and black lab named Kona. She is the multi-published author of paranormal and fantasy romance. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in Gifted Education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. From the moment she read Jane Eyre as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance -- brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.

Website/Facebook/Goodreads

Twitter/Pinterest/Amazon

To access the complete tour 
schedule, just click on the button below!