Blog Tour - - Making it Right by Catherine Bybee

MAKING IT RIGHT

Most Likely Series, Book Three

Montlake Romance, Contemporary

May 09, 2017, First Edition

Paperback & Kindle
Reviewed by PJ
  

In the final book in bestselling author Catherine Bybee’s Most Likely To trilogy, River Bend’s rebel follows in her father’s footsteps to become sheriff. But it might be time to forge her own path…

Some kids inherit a family business; Jo Ward inherited a badge. Once voted Most Likely to End Up in Jail, the town wild child has become sheriff—hell-bent on uncovering the truth about her father’s mysterious death. Life is quiet in rustic River Bend, but Jo longs for something beyond her small hometown and the painful memories it holds. All that keeps her sane is the support of her best friends, Melanie and Zoe.

But when Jo signs up for an expert law enforcement training seminar, she meets Gill Clausen, whose haunting eyes and dangerously sexy vibe just may challenge her single-minded focus. Commitment-phobic Jo can’t deny her attraction to the arrogant federal agent, and when odd things start happening around River Bend and danger surrounds her, she realizes she’ll need his help to discover who’s out to remove her from River Bend…permanently.

As Jo and Gill work together, it’s clear they make a great team. But can Jo loosen her grip on the past enough to let love in and reach for the future?

Making it Right is another stand-out novel from an author who has become one of my contemporary favorites. With heart-tugging romance, chemistry off the charts, fully fleshed characters, and a mystery filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end, this book is a worthy conclusion to Bybee's wonderful Most Likely To series. 

I've been waiting for Jo's story since she walked onto the page in the first book of the trilogy, Doing it Over and Bybee did not disappoint. We know she's a woman haunted by her father's death, ruled accidental, which Jo is convinced was murder. We know she is fiercely protective of her two best friends, women more like sisters. And, we get hints that she's not entirely happy as her hometown's sheriff. In Making it Right, Bybee delves beneath the surface, pulling back the layers, and showing readers just who Jo is, as a protector, a law enforcer, a mentor, a stalwart friend, and a sexy, take-no-prisoners, woman who, while unafraid to go after what she wants sexually, shows her insecurity and vulnerability by believing she's not cut out for a lasting relationship.  

Gill is all kinds of awesome. Big, muscled, tattooed, Harley-riding, and full of take-me-now sex appeal, he had me tingling at hello. When his law and order side is revealed, he had me intrigued. But, when this caring, gentle, patient, loving, supportive, and sexy as all get out man lays his heart at Jo's feet? Well, let's just say I was ready to lay myself at his!

The mystery that weaves its way through this story is exceptionally well crafted, keeping me on the edge of my seat and guessing which turn Bybee would take next until, finally, all is revealed at the end. I'm usually very good at solving mysteries and delighted when an author keeps me guessing, as Bybee did in this story. 

At the heart of this trilogy has been the bond between the three heroines - Mel, Zoe, and Jo - childhood friends whose closeness has only strengthened through the years and the challenges life has thrown at them. Mel (Doing it Over) and Zoe (Staying for Good) and their heroes are all prominent in Making it Right, as are other characters from the first two books like Miss Gina, a 60-something hippie mother figure who gave them all shelter and guidance at various times of their lives. We learn more about FBI Agent Shauna Burton, who helped solve a mystery in a prior book and has an instrumental role in Jo's happy ending, and are introduced to a young man who has an unexpected impact on Jo's life. I'd love to see more of both of them in future stories!

If you haven't yet read Catherine Bybee's books, this trilogy is a great place to begin. It's brimming with all the things I love in romance and comes with my enthusiastic recommendation. While each of the books can stand on its own, for maximum pleasure, I encourage you to read them in order. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you have friendships that have stood the test of time?

Do you like mystery with your romance?

Do you melt at the thought of a hero like Gill or does a different kind of hero make you tingle?

Have you discovered Catherine Bybee's books yet?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New York Times  & USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Weekday Brides Series and the Not Quite Series. Bybee lives with her two teenage sons in Southern California.  

CONTACT LINKS:

www.catherinebybe.com

catherinebybee@yahoo.com

catherinebybee.blogspot.com

facebook.com/AuthorCatherineBybee

twitter.com/catherinebybee

pinterest.com/catherinebybee

instagram.com/catherinebybee

Review - - Making Waves

Making Waves

By Laura Moore

Publisher: Ballantine

Release Date: April 25, 2017

Reviewed by Janga

       
 

Dakota Hale, the illegitimate offspring of a wild child mother, was the bane of the Hales, an old-money family for whom the word “dysfunctional” could have been coined. The Hales barely tolerated Dakota, and her mother, Piper, is too immature and self-absorbed to be a nurturing parent. Forced to take on adult responsibilities far too early, Dakota was only in middle school when she began to earn money as a plant-waterer and dog-sitter to establish her independence from her trust-fund socialite mother who is the dramatic center of her self-scripted world. Fifteen years later, Dakota owns Premier Service, a personal concierge service that caters to wealthy East Hampton residents. The business is growing, and Dakota is about to land a plum client.

Max Carr, a successful venture capitalist, has recently purchased Windhaven, the Hales’ family “cottage,” a mere six-bedroom residence, in East Hampton, from Dakota’s uncle for $28,000,000. Max may tell himself that he bought Windhaven to impress his clients, but he knows that his primary reason for buying it was to impress his estranged father, who would never see it. Upon the recommendation of Alex Miller, an associate and friend, Max hires Dakota to redecorate his new home and keep it ready for his use. Dakota’s family sees Dakota’s agreement to work for Max, whom they view as the nouveau riche Midwesterner who purchased the family property, as a betrayal.

The chemistry between Max and Dakota is off the chart from the beginning, but Alex is leery of emotional entanglements. Nevertheless, the two are soon engaged in a no-strings affair, all fun and great sex. It ends abruptly when Dakota recognizes that she has crossed a line and chooses to bid Max farewell before he ends their relationship. But when what Dakota thinks is a virus turns out to be a pregnancy, Max is adamant that marriage is the next step. But with Max’s baggage and enemies on every front, even the love growing between them may not be enough to overcome all the obstacles.    

Making Waves is the first book in Laura Moore’s Beach Lane series. Dakota and Max are complex characters who have responded in very different ways to the blows life handed them while they were still very young. Both are driven to succeed, but Dakota has formed friendships that provide her with emotional connections while Max has isolated himself. Readers will find themselves invested in seeing Dakota bridge Max’s defenses and accept that he can give and receive love. The cast of secondary characters, some of whom readers will love and some of whom they will love to hate, are also interesting. I particularly liked Hendrick Daube, a gay professor of psychiatry, who gives Dakota her first job and becomes a father figure for her. I also loved seeing Gen Monaghan and Alex Miller years into their HEA (In Your Eyes, 2004).

If you like contemporary romance that offers compelling characters and a captivating plot played out against an uber-rich setting, I think you will like this one. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I will be keeping an eye out for the next book in the series.

Today's Special - - Vanessa Kelly and The Dukes of Vauxhall

One of our favorites, Vanessa Kelly returns today to tell us about The Dukes of Vauxhall, an exciting new anthology she co-wrote with three other historical romance authors (I'm reading it now and loving it!). 

Named by Booklist as one of the"New Stars of Historical Romance," bestselling author Vanessa Kelly's books have been nominated for awards in a number of contests. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Maggie Medallion for historical romance. With a Master's Degree in English Literature, Vanessa is known for developing vibrant Regency settings, appealing characters, and witty storylines that captivate readers. You can visit her on the web at vanessakellyauthor.com, on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, and tumblr. 

Welcome back, Vanessa!

WELCOME TO THE PLEASURE GARDENS

Vanessa Kelly

Hi PJ! Thanks for hosting me today! It’s always such a pleasure to be with you and your readers. I’m  thrilled to be sharing the release of THE DUKES OF VAUXHALL, which I co-write with my fellow lady scribes, Theresa Romain, Christi Caldwell, and Shana Galen. Talk about a powerhouse line-up! I can’t tell you how intimidating fun it was to work with such talented women.

But, seriously, we had a great time, especially in coming up with our story world. We wanted to work with a setting that would be exciting, exotic, and even a little bit dangerous. The pleasure gardens of Vauxhall did the trick nicely.

Regency readers will likely know a bit about Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, which were situated on the south bank of the River Thames. Until a bridge was built around 1810, most Londoners had to travel to the gardens by boat.

Once disembarked, revelers strolled into a large, wooded park crisscrossed by colonnaded groves and various walkways—including the infamous Dark Walk, scene of many an illicit assignation. There were separate areas of entertainment that included an orchestra pavilion and music room, and exotic structures like the Turkish Tent. And, of course, there were the famous supper boxes ringing the Grove, where visitors could partake of the famous Vauxhall shaved ham and drink wine and punch while watching the crowds parading beneath the colonnades.

Entertainment abounded at Vauxhall in the form of concerts, dancing, fireworks, masked balls, theatrical spectacles, and even included acrobats and tightrope dancers. In fact, the heroine of Theresa’s story is a Vauxhall tightrope dancer, which is totally cool. THE DUKES OF VAUXHALL also features a thoroughly illegal prizefight on one of those infamous dark walks, which stars the hero of Christi’s exciting novella.

Naturally, given that simply everyone went to Vauxhall at one time or another, that meant pickpockets and criminal gangs also roamed wide, lurking in wait for someone silly enough to wander too far from the crowds. You’ll meet some of the more nefarious denizens of Vauxhall in Shana’s adventurous story—along with the mysterious crime lord who uses the unique attributes of the Gardens to pull off a spectacular coup.

And did I say everyone went to Vauxhall Gardens? Just about, including the members of the Royal Family. The Prince Regent kept his own special supper box, and royal dukes were known to frequent the various entertainments—which is an element in my novella! My hero is the illegitimate son of a prince, and he encounters more than a few adventures (and romance) in those dark walks and secluded grottos.

As you can see, Vauxhall was a unique, thrilling, and occasionally dangerous place to search for a good time. Regrettably, the Gardens no longer exist, disappearing under the relentless march of London’s urban development. Fortunately, you can still visit this romantic setting between the pages of THE DUKES OF VAUXHALL!

What are some Regency settings you really enjoy? One person who comments will win a digital copy of Christi’s latest book, along with a book each from Vanessa, Shana, and Theresa in either digital or print—reader’s choice!

The Dukes of Vauxhall website: http://romanceanthology.blogspot.ca/

Four dukes. Two balls. One prizefight.

Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens will never be the same.

After England’s victory in the Battle of Waterloo, the Prince Regent arranges a series of lavish celebrations at London’s notorious Vauxhall Gardens. The royal festivities bring together the rich and the desperate, the criminal and the lordly…and allow four very different dukes to find the love of a lifetime.

A proper viscount is kidnapped by a duke of the criminal underworld, only to encounter a mysterious woman from his past. A retired prizefighter, once known as the Duke of the Ring, stakes his reputation on a scrappy young boxer for the sake of a long-lost love. A traveler who inherited a dukedom needs a tightrope dancer’s help with a fake engagement that just might turn real. And the buccaneer son of a royal duke goes hunting for a respectable, highborn wife to salvage his scandalous reputation. 

Let the pleasures begin...

Review - - My Kind of You

My Kind of You

By Tracy Brogan

Publisher: Montlake

Release Date: April 18, 2017
Reviewed by Janga

       

 

Emily Chambers had enjoyed some success as a house flipper in San Antonio, Texas, but she and her business partner made one bad decision and ended up with a money pit that led to financial disaster. Divorced for eight years from her irresponsible ex who never makes his child support payments for their daughter, Chloe, Emily had few options when she ended up broke and in debt. Things were so bad that she was forced to borrow $10,000 from her grandmother, Gigi. To repay Gigi, Emily has committed herself to renovating one of her grandmother’s rental cottages. Said cottage is located in Trillium Bay, the tiny town on Wenniway Island in northern Michigan, the hometown Emily fled with Chloe’s father more than a dozen years earlier and to which she has rarely returned. Although Emily is close to her grandmother and her sisters, Brooke and Lilly, her relationship with her father is distant. That relationship is just one of the qualms Emily has about spending a summer in a place where everybody knows her as “Peach,” remembers her wild-child past, and has an incessant curiosity about her present. Chloe, in the throes of early adolescence, is not thrilled with the lengthy visit either.

Emily and Chloe are not the only reluctant visitors to Wenniway Island. Ryan Taggert is not happy about leaving his fast-paced life in California for the snail-pace of Trillium Bay, but he and his brothers are concerned that their fifty-nine-year-old father is talking about retiring as president and CEO of the family business, Taggert Property Management, a big name in the hospitality industry. They are equally concerned about the new woman in his life. The Taggert brothers are convinced the woman is a money-hungry bimbo from whose clutches their father needs to be rescued ASAP. The only good thing on the island in Ryan’s opinion is Emily Chambers, but any relationship with her is complicated by the fact that his father’s “bimbo” turns out to be Emily’s twenty-six-year-old sister, Lilly, and further jeopardized by Ryan’s business dealings on the island.

This first novel in Brogan’s new Trillium Bay series is filled with her trademark humor and engaging characters who prove that comedy and complexity are not mutually exclusive. Emily, with a middle-child’s need to assert herself, has made mistakes, but she cannot regret the choice that led to her daughter. She hopes that the summer will give her a chance to regroup and perhaps to heal some old wounds. Emily’s relationship with her family and her hometown is as significant as the central romance. Ryan, the youngest of three brothers, initially wonders how his father can tolerate the narrowness of small-town life, but ironically discovers that his Trillium Bay experience has enlarged his life.

Trillium Bay itself offers charm and a presence so vivid that the smell of fudge and lilacs almost permeates the pages. The secondary characters add color and interest to the story. Chloe is fully dimensional in her mood swings and in her mix of sweetness and self-absorption, and other family members, especially the much-married Gigi, add to the wit and addictive appeal of the book. The quirky locals are also a delight.

If you like small-town romances that make you laugh, warm your heart, and satisfy your need for context, I suggest you add this one to your TBR list. But be warned that My Kind of You is a most effective hook that will leave you eager to sign on for the series.

Winners - - Sara Flynn

The randomly chosen winners of a copy of 

Solace Island by Sara Flynn are:

dotland101

(published copy)

Manda Collins

(published copy)

Dotland101 and Manda Collins: please send your full name and mailing address to

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Katie Chapman

(Kindle copy)

Debbie Oxier

(Kindle copy)

Katie and Debbie, please send your email address to

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winner - - Nancy Herkness

The two randomly chosen winners of an autographed copy of

The VIP Doubles Down by Nancy Herkness are:

Carol L

and

librarypat

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Today's Special - - Regan Black

It's always a pleasure to host Regan Black. I was introduced to Regan's books a few years ago and, wow, am I happy I was! Her action-packed stories, with heart-tugging romance and suspense that always keeps me guessing, never fail to take me on a heart-pounding ride. You can find more information about Regan and her books at her website and connect with her online at Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. 

Regan joins us today to talk about the newest book in her Escape Club Heroes series, A Stranger She Can Trust. Once again, she captivated me with her characters, kept me guessing with intricately woven suspense, and crafted a story that refused to let go until I reached the final page. If you enjoy action and suspense within a satisfying romance, I highly recommend Regan Black's books. Please join me in giving her a warm Romance Dish welcome.

Thanks so much, PJ, for having me back today to celebrate the release of A Stranger She Can Trust, the second book in the Escape Club Heroes series. Writing these books for Harlequin Romantic Suspense has been a fabulous experience.

While I wrote this book, I often wondered how it is we know who

to trust when we’re in the midst of a crisis. Melissa, suffering from trauma-induced amnesia has to rely only on intuition when she chooses to let Carson help her.

One of my favorite scenes in the story takes place over the comforting power of chocolate cake. In the months after Carson was injured on the job, his oldest sister frequently stops by to check on him. On one such errand, she left the cake for him and he shares it with Melissa when she’s at a low point.

Chocolate is one of those miracle cures for nearly everything, right? And I think cake can qualify as a helpful building block on the road to a happy ever after.

The cake I used is a family favorite, rich, moist and practically mistake proof. Plus you can top it with anything or leave it plain. My mom called it Cockeyed Cake. I made this a few times while writing Carson and Melissa’s story - much to my husband’s delight.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup cold water

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray or butter (or use a nonstick pan). Combine sugar, cocoa, flour and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.  Add oil and water and blend thoroughly with a fork. Quickly stir in the vinegar. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done. 9 servings.

A Stranger She CanTrust

A guarded man builds a future with a woman without a past… 

Outside of one of Philadelphia's busiest nightclubs, a woman stumbles from her taxi. Beaten and bruised, Melissa Baxter is an amnesiac with a target on her back. Gun-shy, Melissa relies on a handsome hero to help her uncover who she really is. 

Carson Lane—a paramedic with his own dark history—can't help but bring this beautiful, vulnerable woman under his wing. Still reeling from his partner's murder, he's no stranger to risk. But as he and Melissa begin unraveling the mystery of who she really is, Carson realizes falling in love could be the biggest risk of all. 

You can read the first chapter at Regan’s website: bit.ly/ECTrust or pick up your copy in ebook or paperback at Amazon | BN or your favorite bookseller!

For a chance to win a $10 gift card and digital editions of both the Escape Club (series prequel) and Safe In His Sight (series book 1) leave a comment about your favorite dessert.

You can connect with Regan online through her Website|Twitter|Facebook|Newsletter

Today's Special - - Sara Flynn a/k/a Meg Tilly

Sara Flynn is a bright new voice in contemporary romance. Her debut, SOLACE ISLAND, drew me in with likeable characters, vibrant descriptions, heartwarming romance, and a tightly-woven thread of suspense that kept me guessing until the very end of the book. Flynn packages it all in a fast-paced story with enough twists and turns to keep me on the edge of my seat, and a satisfying conclusion that has me eager for more. I can't wait to see what this talented new author brings us next!

Solace Island, a peaceful island village . . . or so Maggie thinks . . .

When Maggie Harris’s fiancée dumps her on the eve of their wedding, Maggie retreats to a small island in the Pacific Northwest with her sister Eve to recover from the stunning betrayal. At first Maggie resists Eve’s efforts to rope her into staying in Solace Island, launch their own local bakery, and fix her up with their incredibly handsome neighbor, Luke Benson. 

But Maggie is gradually drawn in by the sexy baker and his bear-sized dog. Luke scores his first point when he shares his space with the sisters at the local Solace Island Saturday Market, where he sells his breads. But is this guy with a disarming smile, uncanny wealth and suspiciously hard body a man Maggie can trust? Just when she begins to brush off her misgivings, a car tries to plow into her in town, and Luke springs into action in strange military precision. Who is this guy really?

Luke thought he’d left the high risk security business behind. But he can’t stand by while Maggie’s life is threatened. Luke insists on moving the sisters to his house, taking Maggie into his bedroom—and into his heart. But someone wants Maggie dead. Will she give him the chance to prove to her she can find more than mind-blowing sex in the safety of his arms?

Five Of The Many Things I Enjoy About Acting In Movies

Sara Flynn / Meg Tilly

I get to travel to far off lands. One sees a country differently when one is living and working there. The local film crews know about the delicious off-the-beaten-track restaurants, the treasures. On my off time I walk a lot, ferreting out  the best bakeries, fish stores, and where to get the freshest produce. 

When my children were small, my sister, Becky, would come on location with me and help me take care of my children. The added benefit was lots of cozy sister time, and it helped cement the strong bond we already had. I am filled with memories of my children and Becky. On Long Island, dancing on the lawn of the house the production company rented for me, U2's Joshua Tree spilling out of stereo speakers. It was dusk. None of us had ever seen fireflies before. They started twinkling on and off, like tiny fairy lights, and we ran outside. My children so small then, with that sweet-smelling, downy-soft, child-hair and magic in their eyes. Arms and legs flying as we danced with the fireflies, celebrating life and being together, the ocean lapping gently against the shore. 

I get to climb into my characters' lives. Learn from their mistakes, and grow from being in their presence, in their skin. My acting teacher, Peggy Fuery, always said, "If there is character you have a lot of judgment about, that is the part you should embrace. Because the characteristics that we dislike violently in other people are what we are struggling against within ourselves. Everyone has the capacity to do anything. Be anyone." We all have the saint and the worst kind of monster lurking inside. If we don't acknowledge the dark, then it can devour us. We need to allow both the dark and the light. I have learned and grown so much be being an actor. I think it has helped form me into who I am today. 

I have gotten to meet talented, amazing people. Have worked and played with them.  Sometimes I am just filled with wonder. I grew up in a challenging, hard-scrabble home. The highest I thought to dream was to someday work in a candy store. I would give free candy to henry children like me who couldn't afford more than to look through a window. I don't own a candy store, but I still can't get over the thrill of walking into one and choosing what I want. And that I became a movie star? People wanted to take my picture and thought I was famous? And paid me lots of money to pretend to be someone else? That just blew my mind.

Working in the movies has afforded me all sorts of unique memories. Like when I was rehearsing The Two Jakes at Jack Nicholson's house. We were reading through the script. I was a little nervous but not showing it, other than I kept sipping on water so my words wouldn't sound like my mouth was dry as chalk. It was. At that time, Jack Nicholson was the hugest male star around, and I was going to be shooting a movie with him. I was sitting on his white leather sofa, and he was looking at me, in that way that he has that makes knees weak and hearts beat in overtime. If it had been you on his sofa, and he was looking at you like that, well, you'd have been gulping down the water, too.

The problem with my mouth moistening solution was...after an hour or so, I needed to use the facilities.

I stood up. "Jack," I asked, all casual-like, "where's the bathroom?"

"Why"

I rolled my eyes.

He laughed. "Down the hall and on the left." His eyes were gleaming. It made me nervous. Was the cast going to be able to hear me pee? Or, was he doing a guy thing and imagining me with my pants down?

Even though these thoughts were going through my mind, I acted cool as a cucumber. I went down the hall, entered the bathroom, and locked the door. A normal-looking bathroom. I pressed the nail my my forefinger against the mirror and was relieved to discover that it was a regular mirror, not a two-way one. I checked the air vent to make sure there were no hidden cameras tucked inside. Nope. All clear.

So, what was Jack so gleeful about?

I shrugged. Guess I would never know.

And then, I lifted the toilet seat. 

There was an enormous rattlesnake embedded in the clear Plexiglas toilet seat. It's fangs were bared, its flat head arched back as if the second I lowered my bottom to the seat, it would strike.

Ahh...Now I knew what Jack was so delighted about. He expected me to flee from the bathroom, screaming bloody murder.

Ha! Jack didn't know I came from heartier stock than that. Heck, when we were little, us kids killed a much bigger rattlesnake than that with a big stick. And then we brought it home, gutted it, and cooked it up for dinner. Used a little margarine, onions, salt, and pepper. It was tasty. 

So I just covered up that rattlesnake with a little toilet paper, relieved myself, flushed, washed my hands, and returned to the living room where Jack was waiting excitedly for the fun to begin. 

I still get startled sometimes, thinking about how my life has turned out, when I see a child in a schoolyard with ill-fitting clothes, tangled hair, and hungry eyes. That was me!

Not in my wildest dreams would I ever have imagined the life that I've had. I got to be a dancer in New York, an actor in Hollywood, a writer, too. First, in regular fiction and screenplays, and now...pièce de résistance... I'm a romance writer! It is SO much fun! People in the romance community are so kind. I wish I had found my romance writer's voice years ago.

But maybe it's just as well that I didn't, because all these years I've been writing and developing my craft. I've been collecting memories and material. Harvesting so that I have a wealth of experiences to draw from. And not just from being on movie sets. I've worked painting post offices, at a department store selling hats and gloves, sliced meats and cheeses in a delicatessen. I've been a waitress working on my feet until two-thirty in the morning. I've milked cows, taken care of more than a hundred chickens, collected their eggs, and shoveled their incredibly toxic poop. I've been a full-time mom, a part-time mom, a grandma, a wife, and an ex-wife, too. I've been a good friend and sometimes a negligent one. And what does all this mean? The trophies and the disappointments, my triumphs and failings? Well, my experiences have made me who I am today. They are like the multitude of ingredients one needs to make a tasty soup. That's what my romance writing and I are drawing on, a tasty soup of experience!

And now I get to add to my memory bank being a romance author. Getting SOLACE ISLAND blurbed by my romance idol, Jayne Ann Krentz, is going to be a tough one to beat. I have read every single one of her novels at least once. Maybe someday, if I'm very, very lucky and work really, really hard, I'll be able to do another starry-eyed debut romance author that same courtesy. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy SOLACE ISLAND and Book 2 in the series, SOLACE STOLEN, which will be out in January 2018. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After traumatic events in their lives, Maggie and Luke both end up on Solace Island where they find satisfaction and joy in their new careers as baker and breadmaker. What would you want to do if you had the opportunity to start over with a new career? 

Two people leaving a comment before 11:00 PM, May 5, 2017 will receive a Kindle copy of SOLACE ISLAND from me.

Two people leaving a comment before 11:00 PM, May 5, 2017 will received a published copy of SOLACE ISLAND from Sara Flynn.
(U.S./Canada)

    

 

Sara Flynn may be best known for her acclaimed Golden Globe-winning lead performance in the movie “Agnes of God. Other screen credits include, The Big Chill, Valmont, and more recently, Bomb Girls, and Netflix’s movie War Machine, starring Brad Pitt. However, Meg Tilly is taking on an exciting new persona these days, as debut romance novelist Sara Flynn. After successfully publishing six standout young adult and literary women’s fiction novels, the award-winning author/actress decided to write the kind of books she loves to read—romance novels. Her first romance, SOLACE ISLAND, is debuting at the 2017 RT Booklovers’ Convention in Atlanta, where Meg, as Sara Flynn, will co-emcee the popular romance fan convention’s awards ceremony. Set on an island in the Pacific Northwest, SOLACE ISLAND tells the suspenseful story of a woman, dumped by her business partner/fiancé during her bachelorette party, who discovers a rewarding new career, romance, and threats on her life in an idyllic vacation community. Two more Sara Flynn romances set on Solace Island will follow. Tilly has three grown children and resides with her husband in the Pacific Northwest. She is currently at work writing that second Solace Island novel.

Winner - - Roxanne St. Claire

The randomly chosen winners from 

Roxanne St. Claire's visit on April 25th are:

Janice Hougland

(copy of Sit...Stay...Beg from Roxanne)

Please send your full name and mailing address to theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

and

holdenj

(Kindle copy of Sit...Stay...Beg from PJ)

Please send your email address to 

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - It Happened on Love Street

It Happened on Love Street

By Lia Riley
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: April 25, 2017 

Reviewed by Maria Lokken

    

Why would a young, attractive, smart law school graduate leave the excitement of New York City, sell all her belongings and move to Everland, Georgia?  Why indeed? Well, it’s part one of her life plan. The town of Everland has offered her a clerkship and our heroine, Pepper Knight, believes it’s the perfect stepping stone toward a solid career and a steady paycheck. But when she arrives, nothing is as promised.  Left with no money and a lease on a rental cottage she can’t get out of, Pepper is stranded, everything she was counting on seems to have melted away into the hot Georgia sun.

However, all may not be lost, because she runs into the very sexy, very handsome, very, very, Rhett Valentine. Yeah, that was a double very because the author has created a character so swoon-worthy you need to catch your breath a few times before you turn the pages.

The opening of the book seems a bit forced but you will be handsomely rewarded once you get past the first twenty pages.  After the heroine and hero’s initial encounter there is so much to like about this book that you’ll want to get settled into your favorite reading chair, grab your snickers bar, and hope you don’t have any early morning appointments.

Let’s take the plot.  What I assumed would be a predictable story, was anything but. After the initial meeting the story opens up and breathes. Nothing is rushed and the pacing is perfect. Through the author’s deft use of dialogue, her quick wit and sense of humor, you meet a host of characters who are distinct, quirky and alive. You almost forget you’re reading and feel as if you’ve been dropped into Everland, Georgia and are a local resident watching the events of the day. It’s that seamless and that immersive.

Much of the book is concerned with Pepper’s inability to realize she cannot live everyone’s life for them, or be solely responsible for taking care of her family. As a storyteller, Ms. Riley writes movingly on the relationship between Pepper and her father. And she brings our heroine to the understanding that living one’s life is about taking a chance that each day you’ll find a way to make your own happiness. There’s nothing sentimental about this relationship, it’s honest and a perfect portrayal of what one hopes their relationship with their father would be or has been. There is a certain delight in seeing characters outgrow those things that have held them back, it gives this reader hope that all things are always possible.

So, let’s recap, Lia Riley has:

·       Created a heroine, that’s strong, beautiful, and smart.  Who in the end doesn’t give up herself to be with the man she loves.  That gets a A plus plus from me.

·       Created a hero who is a composite of every woman’s fantasy of what a caring, loving, I’m-so-into-you man should be. Whose words will take your breath away. Oh, and I forgot to mention, in the bedroom, it’s all about her. Yeah, he’s good there too.

·       A story with pitch perfect pacing.

·       A book with a sense of humor.

·       And a happy ending.

Lia Riley is a contemporary romance writer with a unique and exceptional voice.

It Happened on Love Street has a wonderful line from the heroine, Pepper Knight – “Her detour to Everland was a shortcut to forever.” I thought this was such a well-placed line encompassing many aspects of the book.  What are some of your memorable or favorite lines from books?

  

Review - - The Bad Luck Bride

The Bad Luck Bride
By Janna MacGregor
Publisher: St. Martin's
Release Date: May 2, 2017
Reviewed by PJ
    

No one is left breathless at the imperious pronouncement of her engagement to Lord Pembrooke more than Claire. She hardly knows the dangerously outrageous man! But after three engagements gone awry and a fourth going up in glorious flames, she isn’t in a position to refuse...

Alexander requires the hand of his enemy’s fiancée in marriage in order to complete his plans for revenge. It’s his good fortune that the “cursed” woman is desperate. However, what begins as a sham turns into something scandalously deeper...

Orphaned at a young age, Claire has been raised by her beloved aunt and uncle, along with cousins she views more as siblings but she feels the loss of her parents keenly and her deepest wish has always been to create a family of her own. She was deeply in love with her first fiancé but he died before they could marry. By the time she becomes engaged to Lord Paul, the ton's whispers that Lady Claire must be cursed have turned to shouts and Claire has long since given up on love. After a history like that, when Alex steps in to rescue her from broken engagement #4, I could fully understand her reticence and when her heart becomes engaged, her fear. I found Claire to be a fascinating and complex woman; a blend of admirable strength and heart-wrenching vulnerability, impacted by the horrific events surrounding her parents' deaths in ways she's unable to share or move beyond.

Alex is a typical man of the times: arrogant, single-minded, and certain that his way is the right way. His heart is in the right place when he sets out to avenge his sister but he goes about it in the wrong way and realizes almost immediately that he's put an innocent person in the middle of the fray. Unfortunately, that innate arrogance keeps him from fixing things until the damage is done. While there were several instances when I wanted to toss him off a cliff or whop him upside the head with a frying pan and yell "What have you done?," I found myself unwilling to give up on him. MacGregor gives him a worthy black moment and deliciously good groveling (he deserves it) before his happiness can be achieved. 

This is Janna MacGregor's debut and the author shows great promise. As the first book of a new series, this story has many characters and the beginnings of what will likely be future storylines. At times it felt a bit cluttered but that is often the case with a first book. Alex and Claire are complex characters with immediate chemistry and plenty of sizzle in the bedroom, but both have some growing to do before enough trust is built between them to forge a lasting relationship. The secondary characters add flavor to the journey and I'm looking forward to what MacGregor has in store for some of them. I'm especially intrigued by Lord Paul, the villain of this book. He reminds me a bit of Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent in Lisa Kleypas' Devil in Winter in that his actions are inexcusable but glimpses of inner pain - and goodness - make me believe he might be redeemable. Time will tell. 

If you're looking for a light, frolicking romance, this may not be the right book for you but if you want to sink your teeth into a meaty story, with twists and turns, great depth of emotion, and a happy ending that is worth the heartache it takes our hero and heroine to achieve then I encourage you to give The Bad Luck Bride a try. I've already marked my calendar for book #2, The Bride Who Got Lucky, scheduled to be released October 31st. 

I just discovered a print copy of The Bad Luck Bride in the the giveaways I brought home from the Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation event last weekend. It's going to one randomly chosen person who leaves  comment before 11:00 PM (EST), May 3, 2017. (U.S./Canada only)

Coming Attractions

We kick things off on Thursday, May 4 with a guest blog by debut author Sara Flynn. Flynn's book, Solace Island blends small-town romance with chilling suspense. Moviegoers know Flynn in her other identity as award-winning actress Meg Tilly.












Romantic Suspense author Regan Black returns with a guest blog on Monday, May 8. The second book in Black's Escape Club Heroes series, A Stranger She Can Trust once again brings readers a tightly woven story of love and danger with twists and turns aplenty.

Vanessa Kelly joins us on Wednesday, May 10. Vanessa will be blogging about The Dukes of Vauxhall, the new anthology she has coming out with Christi Caldwell, Theresa Romain, and Shana Galen.













The Catherine Bybee book tour stops here on Friday, May 12. Stop by to read my thoughts about Making it Right, the third book in Bybee's Most Likely To contemporary romance series. I loved the first two books and am excited to return to River Bend for Jo's story.

Janga brings us another On Second Thought review on Monday, May 15.










Hellie shares her thoughts about Slow Burn Cowboy by Maisey Yates when we welcome the book tour on Tuesday, May 16.

On Tuesday, May 23, the TLC review tour for Victoria Alexander's The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentlemen stops at the Dish. This book launches a new historical romance series for Alexander: The Lady Travelers Society,







What are you looking forward to this May?