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[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Once Upon a Halloween Night

Seven authors present romance novellas that have one big Halloween Party in New Orleans in common. I went in thinking I would read one or two romances and move on but each story grabbed my attention and soon I found I had read them all.

DATING IN DISGUISE by Lauren Helms: Blind date with one night stand expected with strong connection but neither able to forget the other. Will they meet again?

HAUNTED MELODIES by Kate Stacy: Age gap romance that has been a slow burn on both parts but finally culminates beautifully at the Halloween party.

GHOSTED by Susan Renee: Bride left at the altar goes to New Orleans to trash her wedding dress. She attends the Halloween party with her cousin’s hockey playing teammate and there is a definite connection.

HURRICANES & Halloween BY Katrina Marie: Second chance to get it right when two meet at their class reunion, attend the Halloween party, and realize the time is finally right for them to be together.

MASKED LOVE by Courney W. Dixon: M/M age gap romance with the boss and his Personal Assistant finding something special at their fake date while attending the Halloween party.

HOT HEX ON A PLATTER: by Louise Lennox: A reality show where two find true love, are parted, and meet again at the party. This book has a bit of a cliffhanger as there is a book to follow.

Did I enjoy these stories? Yes

Would I read more by these authors? Yes – this collection provided me the chance to read a few authors I have read before and read new authors I would gladly read again.

Thank you to IndiePen for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

Congratulations! You’ve been invited to attend the exclusive Once Upon A Halloween Night bash. This year, join us in New Orleans Warehouse District on Halloween Night for an evening of fun, costumes and… romance? Wait. What? That’s right. The Indie Pen PR and Beyond the Bookshelf Publishing are proud to host Lauren Helms, Aubree Valentine, Kate Stacy, Mel Walker, Susan Renee, Kartina Marie, Courtney W. Dixon, and Louise Lennox - in this fun Halloween romance anthology. So, throw on your best costume and get ready to sit back and enjoy eight brand new novellas to celebrate this spooky season with a romantic twist.

Buy Now: https://books2read.com/u/3k2QKG

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

That Ship Has Sailed by HM Thomas

Love At Sea #2

 Quick easy happily ever love story that reminded me a lot of the old Love Boat TV series.

 What I liked

* The setting…have always wanted to go on a cruise

* Seth: hot shot firefighter, snowboard competitor, possible adrenaline junkie, travels a lot, lives out of his van most of the year, might be ready to settle down with the right woman

* Courtney/Corey: RN, widow, afraid of loving and losing again, much more than she appears to be at first, once adventurous, might find her true self and love on the cruise…if she is willing to

* Ashley and Zack: friends of Courtney and Seth with a romance beginning of their own

* Trudy: older passenger on the cruise, widow, has words of wisdom and is a sounding board for Courtney

* The honest communication between Seth and Courtney

* The resolution at the end of the story

 What I didn’t like:

* The painful emotions Courtney had to work through to realize what was truly important to her

 Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more in the series? Yes

 Thank you to IndiePen PR for the ARC – this is my honest review.

 4 Star

      BLURB

 Whoever said it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, clearly had never lost their spouse. Courtney Fowler was living proof of that. After her husband’s death, she swore off love and relationships, too afraid of being hurt again. Then her best friend tricks her into a singles cruise where Courtney runs into hotshot firefighter and snowboarder - Seth Mitchell. With a dangerous job and the threat of one day never making it back home, Seth is everything Courtney has tried to avoid - and everything she secretly wants. When they find themselves ditched by their friends, they decide to make the best of their time on the cruise ship and enjoy each other’s company – no strings attached. But what happens when the cruise is over and it’s time to return to the real world? Can Seth teach Courtney to love again and convince her that together they’re worth the risk or has that ship sailed? That Ship Has Sailed is a widow/finding love again romance, part of the Love at Sea multi-author series. Get ready to set sail through the Caribbean on Festival Cruises’ most alluring voyage with eight of your favorite authors - happily ever after guaranteed! Experience everything the Love at Sea series has to offer. From speed dating to masquerades, guests are sure to enjoy the hot days and steamy nights. Explore hidden waterfalls, swim with dolphins, and watch as eight couples find their forever on the open ocean.

      AUTHOR BIO

 HM Thomas grew up in a southern town creating worlds bigger and more dramatic than her own. She credits her dad’s nightly story times for her love of the written word and her mom’s devotion to Days of Our Lives for her love of dramatic fiction.

 HM was writing fan-fiction long before it was a thing, taking the characters from her mom’s soaps or her own books and creating even more twists and turns for them. As she got older, she wrote her own friends into the plots. Some of them are still there.

 After graduating from a large southern university, HM got her own Happily Ever After and decided to start writing them for her characters as well. She began focusing on romance, oftentimes mixed with suspense.

 When not writing, HM enjoys traveling and hiking with her husband, three children and rescue dog. On a good day, she can be found with a book in her hand. On a really good day, there will be sand or a campfire.

[cathygeha]

Release Tour for Whiskey Dream by Taryn Rivers

 Nothing will stop Rosalie from making her dream come true in Whiskey Falls, not even Erick, the sexy modern day viking who’s pursued her since she arrived in town. When a gang war breaks out, Rosalie is put in danger. Can Erick keep her safe and break down her walls keeping him out? Readers who enjoy Brynne Asher and Layla Frost will love this spicy, alpha hero, new girl in town, small town romantic suspense.

REVIEW

Whiskey Dream by Taryn Rivers

Whiskey Falls #2

  Great addition to the series – Debut was not a fluke – Can’t wait for book three in this series!

  What I liked:

* Rosalie Johnson: flower shop owner, new in town, prepper-daughter, Iditarod winner times-two, canny, wise, has a dream, family oriented, no pushover, loyal, would love to have her as a friend

* Erick Beck: ex-military, works with Griff Daniels in PI office, related to and friends with many in town, was in book one of the series and was of interest then, is interested in Rosalie BUT she makes him work for it…like him a LOT.

* How seamlessly this book ties into book one – though that also indicates that having read book one first would be beneficial

* Poppy: sister to Rosalie, mother of Gray, left her significant other-Trevor in an MC for reasons that become and integral to the story

* Seeing all of the characters from the previous book and meeting new ones that will be in future books of the series – can’t wait to learn more about a LOT of them!

* Thinking about how convolutes and twisted some families are…and how ties and love in those families can impact those within the web…in positive and negative ways

* The family dynamics of Erick and Rosalie and their extended families and how they play out in this story

* The dogs…great dogs!

* The way the town came together and drew Rosalie in when things went wrong

* Rosalie’s parents…oh my!

* The action -portions and how the women do not take a back seat in them

* That I could “like” people who were “bad” and think about the gray areas that exist in life

* The “hero” aspect of a tarnished “knight” (Trevor)

* The way the expected “break up” is handled and seems believable and worth of the characters

* Wondering who will be next up in the series to find their HEA…more than one was hinted at

* All of it except…

  What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* Wondering how many situations like the ones in this book might occur in real life

  Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Yes

  Thank you to IndiePen PR and the Author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

  5 Stars

  Blurb

  Dreams can’t come true if you’re dead.

Rosalie After spending my life fulfilling someone else’s dream, nothing will stop me from making my own come true in Whiskey Falls.

Not my parents who want me safely ensconced back home in Minnesota.

Not the sexy modern day viking who’s pursued me since I arrived.

And certainly not the gang trying to take out my sister and me.

They’re about to learn the hard way: I may act like a wallflower, but this rose has thorns.

Erick Since the day I met her, she’s intrigued me. The hippy florist with secrets in her eyes and walls built so high, I can’t help but want to scale them.

She resists me at every turn, making me work for what I want.

Just when I start making headway, Whiskey Falls becomes ground zero for a gang war.

Suddenly, unlocking the mystery of her isn’t my main objective.

Keeping her alive is.

      Add to Goodreads!

Goodreads → https://bit.ly/3g9Ogsg

    Excerpt

Copyright 2022 Taryn Rivers

  I walk him to his truck, where things get awkward—at least for me. After completely screwing up our date, now I’m shoving him off. I stand here, shuffling my feet, staring at the ground. “Sorry I fu—messed up our date.”

His finger catches me under my chin, and I look up straight into a pair of amused blue eyes. “You can make it up to me tomorrow night. No dogs this time though. Your sister can watch them.”

I hold my hand up. “Erick, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

He shakes his head. “You have no intention of even trying to see if we’re good together, do you?” He doesn’t sound mad at all. If it’s possible, he looks even more amused.

I narrow my eyes at him. He’s not taking me seriously at all. “I don’t have time for a relationship right now. I have a business to build up, a sister whose life is imploding, and a nephew to spoil. There’s no room in there for an overbearing alpha male. So no matter how hard you try, you won’t make me budge.”

A wide grin forms across his face. “Challenge accepted.”

Oh, crap. Before I can get another word out, he pulls me into him tight. His hands cup my head, fingers tangle in my hair, and his mouth comes down on mine.

I gasp in surprise, and he immediately takes advantage. He slides his tongue in and it brushes against mine, lightly at first. I freeze, but then my hand automatically curls into his shirt. That’s when he goes in for the kill. It’s not a rough, overwhelming kiss. Instead, he sips at my mouth like he’s savoring it. It’s soft and seductive.

Very seductive.

My eyes close, my head tilts for a better angle and I melt into him as desire pools in my belly. This is good. No, not just good, it’s better than I imagined it would be, and I knew it would be fucking amazing.

With one last stroke of his tongue, he breaks it off. Leaning back, he grins.

“Six o’clock, Rosalie.”

He turns and hops into his truck. With a wink, he starts it and I step back.

He reverses and then is gone, leaving me standing here speechless.

As I watch his taillights disappear around the bend, my hand reaches up and touches my lips, still warm and tingly from that kiss.

I just had to challenge the Viking warrior. I’m going to be screwed, both figuratively and literally. And after that kiss, I’m not sure I care.

      Buy Now or Read for FREE with KindleUnlimited!

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    About Taryn Rivers

Taryn Rivers lives in central Arkansas with her extremely patient husband and her golden retriever, Patton. When she’s not writing, she’s kicking back with her husband at the lake, eating her weight in fried cheese curds and fish fry while visiting family in Wisconsin, or she’s guilting her children into coming to see her. She loves reading, coffee, wine, and her family, not necessarily in that order.

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[cathygeha]

REVIEW

 Whiskey and Sunset Nights by T.L. Anderson

Single Dad’s Series

 Emotions aplenty as I read this book. I was swept in and stayed invested throughout this short heartfelt deeply moving book.

 What I liked:

* Gray: such a good person, loving father, grief-stricken widow, wonderful son and brother, great friend, skilled builder ~ a man who endures and lives his life to the fullest no matter what comes his way.

* Ella: five-six year old daughter that misses her mother, is filled with love and life and joy, very active, accepting, a great character.

* Missy: The deceased wife of Gray and the best friend of Lily – a woman I admired and was sorry had died too soon. She was a bright light and enduring positive presence in more than one life.

* Lily: bookstore owner, best friend of Lily, good friend of Gray’s, friend to Grays brother and father, open and caring and giving and helpful ~ She was perfect as a person and character and love interest in this story.

* Asher: Gray’s younger brother, caterer, fun-loving, supportive ~ liked him

* Gray’s father: an anchor and safe place to land for Gray when he needed to change things after Missy died.

* The small town setting

* That there was no great drama but instead a slow warm friendship that grows into so much more.

* The way the aspect of grief was handled

* That it felt “real” and believable

* That there was a happy ending

 What I didn’t like:

* That Missy died…and being reminded that too many people are taken by cancer long before they and their loved ones are ready to have them leave.

 Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more by this author? Yes

 Thank you to the author and IndiePen for the ARC – This is my honest review.

 5 Stars

Release Tour for Whiskey and Sunset Nights

by T.L. Anderson

 Grayson Pierce is struggling as a single dad but he’s doing the best he can in his new normal, until feelings for his late wife’s best friend, Lily Dean start to grow more than expected. Can they work through their loss together while falling in love with each other? Readers will swoon for this second chance romance featuring a sexy widower. Fall in love with your next book boyfriend with Whiskey and Sunset Nights by T. L. Anderson, the next book in the Single Dad’s Romance series.

  Read Now!

 Amazon → https://amzn.to/3dDhj75

 BLURB

Grayson

 After losing the love of his life to cancer, Grayson Pierce finds himself struggling with his new normal as a single dad. Moving back home to southern Minnesota with his five-year-old daughter Ella, feels like the only option to keep his sanity.

 Living on his family farm, he spends his days taking care of Ella and running his construction company - working small jobs to keep his mind off things. Until Lily Dean shows up in his kitchen.

 Lily

 Losing her best friend to cancer was the worst thing that could have happened to her. Having Ella and Grayson back in her hometown, keeps the memories of her friend burning in her mind.

 Spending her days running her own bookstore, Lily takes Ella under her wing, allowing her to explore the world of books and helping her cope with the loss of her mother. But then, there’s Grayson.

 He’s her best friend’s husband, or was.

 With each passing day, Lily and Grayson find their once casual friendship slowly flourishing into something more.

 Can they work through their respective loss and let love in or are they destined for nothing more than a few shots of whiskey and sunset nights?

  Add to Goodreads!

 Goodreads → https://bit.ly/3tVZ4PK

  EXCERPT

 Copyright 2021 TL Anderson

 My dad takes a sip of his coffee, listening intently as Ella tells him about all the stops her and Uncle Ash took. Apparently, they stopped at a rest stop that had a gigantic rubber band ball in a case, and it had over 3,000 rubber bands wrapped around it. “That’s pretty neat there, kid. I bet it was fun taking all those stops with Uncle Ash. Did you see any animals while you were driving here?” Dad asks her.

           “We did!” She looks at her hands, her eyebrows drawn down as she counts off her fingers. “We saw cows and pigs. Oh, and horses!”

           “Don’t forget the llama,” Asher chimes in as he enters the kitchen. I glance up at him while taking a sip of my coffee and freeze mid-sip as I see who’s standing next to him. My heart races as my stomach drops out.

           “Hey there, Gray.” Lily Dean stands before me.

           My heart stops as I see the only other woman who can shatter me to pieces again. Something inside of me wants to let her. Seeing her makes me feel something besides numbness. Something raw and visceral.

           Her brown hair hangs down her back in thick curls, and her blue eyes are hesitant as she stands off to the side of Asher with her hands clasped in front of her. She’s wearing a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a plain white T-shirt, which makes her tanned skin pop.

           Asher walks over to Ella, picking her up and placing her on his shoulders. “Come on, kid, let’s go see your new room.” Without another word, they head out of the kitchen.

           My dad pushes up from his seat, coffee mug still in hand. “I’m going to go help them before they cause too much chaos.” He stops next to Lily and kisses her on the cheek in a fatherly way. “It’s good to see you, Lils.”

           She breaks eye contact with me to look at my dad, her gaze filled with gratitude. “Good to see you too, Mr. Pierce.”

           “I told you call me Jack. You’re not the scraggly little ten year old anymore. We’re all friends here,” Dad calls out as he disappears from the room.

           “Lily,” I breathe out. The last time I saw her was at Missy’s funeral. Lily and Missy were inseparable. She’d come and visit us out east every year and stay for a few weeks, and she and Missy would stay up late to catch up on gossip from back home. When she showed up to the funeral, it felt like my heart was being ripped out yet again. It was always Missy and Lily. So how am I supposed to look at her now without seeing the absence of my dead wife?

           She clears her throat while shifting from one foot to the other. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I was just stopping by to drop your dad off some old truck manuals I found for him. He’s been fixing up that old 1972 Chevy parked in the garage. It needs a lot of work, but I think he’ll get it running again soon.” She’s rambling on about the truck, and all I can do is stare at her. “Anyways, so I didn’t realize you’d be here today. I mean I knew you were coming back home, but I didn’t know it was today. I better get going so you all can get settled in.” She fiddles with the hem of her shirt, a nervous habit she’s had since she was a kid.

           “It’s fine. Stay for dinner with us.” My mouth blurts out the invitation before my brain can think through if this is a good idea or bad.

           Her eyes widen. “Oh no, I can’t intrude. Ella needs time to get comfortable, and I’m sure she’ll want to spend time with Jack.”

           Just at that moment Ella comes running into the room. “Lily, if you stay for dinner, we can have a tea party after!” She squeals with excitement as she puts her hand in Lily’s catching her off guard.

    Lily looks between Ella and me. I can see the conflict written in her features as she tries to keep her distance from me, but also not let Ella down. “Oh Ells, I’d love to…”

           Before she can say anything else I cut her off, “Perfect. Ell, go wash up and you can help me and Lily cook some dinner. How about hotdogs and burgers on the grill?”

           She starts jumping up and down. “Yay! I’ll be right back. Don’t start without me!” she yells while running down the hall to the bathroom.

           Lily doesn’t move. She bites her lip between her bottom teeth before speaking. “I don’t want to be a burden, Gray. I don’t want to replace…”

  AUTHOR BIO

T. L. Anderson currently lives in Wisconsin where it’s freezing cold in the winter and has five months of enjoyable weather year round. Her house is filled with constant chaos between her teenage daughter and infant son, two rambunctious dogs, a stubborn cat, and guinea pigs that keep her and her husband on their toes.   Since the age of three, she has loved reading and creating her own stories in her mind. Now her passion has developed into a career. After earning a certificate from the Children's Institute of Literature she decided it was time to put the multiple characters in her head onto paper so she can share their stories with the world.  She’s the author of multiple novels which include new adult, romantic suspense, and paranormal reverse harem.   She has a slight obsession with doughnuts, coffee, and dinosaurs. When she's not writing you can find her lurking on social media looking for new books to read, taking care of her mini-zoo at home, or having her nose stuck in a book.

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  About the Single Dad’s Romance Series

 Seven single dads, all from different walks of life and doing the best they can to raise their children - are ready to make you fall in love.

 From the celebrity dad just trying to protect the ones he loves from the spotlight...to the silver fox who's out to prove it's never too late to have a family of your own - this single dads collection guarantees to bring you a whole lot of love and of course, a happily ever after.

 Look no further, your next book boyfriend is here!

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