Category: blogging

Eight Goodbyes
Anna Gomez
Publication date: January 31st 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction

“A heart-wrenching tale of two people destined to be together. Simon and Tessa are fantastically portrayed as star-crossed lovers whose lives are worlds apart. Even those who are not fans of romance will enjoy the relationships, scenery, and beautiful prose of this book. Five stars!” ~San Francisco Book Review

One universe, nine planets, 204 countries, 809 islands and 7 seas, and I had the privilege of meeting you.” –Unknown

When Tessa Talman first meets Simon Fremont, not only is she attracted to him, she’s intrigued by how different their lives are. He’s a dedicated scientist, practical, pragmatic, and grounded. She’s a head-in-the-clouds romance author. As their relationship grows, they meet in places around the world, while continuing to live in different countries.

Though their feelings for each other deepen, their priorities remain the same. Simon is in a hurry to be financially sound and settle down, but Tessa is enjoying her freedom and newfound success. Neither is willing to give in, but as each goodbye gets harder, Tessa begins to wonder whether fame is the path to happiness, or if she has everything she needs in Simon.

Just as Tessa finds the courage to go after her own happily ever after, the unthinkable happens, separating them in ways she never imagined.

To move forward, she must let go of the past and determine once and for all if love is truly more powerful than the pain of goodbye.

“A beautiful story of a woman’s quest to open her heart and let love in. It made me want to travel and fall in love all over again.” ~Willow Aster, USA Today Bestselling Author

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Author Bio:

Anna Gomez was born in the city of Makati, Philippines and educated abroad. She met and married her best friend who whisked her away to Chicago over twenty years ago. She is Global Chief Financial Officer for Mischief and No Fixed Address, a consolidated group of advertising agencies. Gomez was recently selected for the 2020 HERoes Women Role Model Executives list, which celebrates 100 women who are leading by example and driving change to increase gender diversity in the workplace. Gomez has championed various ERGs for Black and API colleagues as well as resources essential to address challenges of ageism. She has sat on several boards, most recently serving as treasurer for Breathe for Justice and The Jensen Project, both focused on socio-economic issues, particularly violence against women and human trafficking.

Most recently, her novel MOMENTS LIKE THIS, co-authored with Kristoffer Polaha, was optioned for Film/TV. www.AnnaGomezBooks.com

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I am so excited that MICHAEL ANGELO & THE STONE MISTRESS by Steve Moretti is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $25 Amazon GC courtesy of Steve & Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, check out the giveaway info below.

About The Book:

Title: MICHAEL ANGELO & THE STONE MISTRESS

Author: Steve Moretti

Pub. Date: April 30, 2022

Publisher: DWA Media

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 467

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

Michelangelo believed every block of marble held a statue
inside it. Yet he knew that without deep personal sacrifice, it would remain forever hidden.

Five hundred years later, New York fashion photographer Michael Angelo Thomas falls in love with every woman who poses before his camera. He is driven to reveal what lies beneath the surface, stripping away the barrier between viewer and subject.

His finished photographs reveal the vulnerable beauty of each model. His work makes him the most sought after fashion photographer in 1994. But rather than enjoy his prestige, he lives a life of anguish, unable to form meaningful attachments or purge the demons of self-doubt and of losing both of his adoptive parents in a freak accident.

After the death of an aspiring young model that his photographs propel to international fame, he leaves New York for an assignment in Florence to
photograph the world’s leading fashion models.

In the shadows of Michelangelo’s greatest triumphs, Michael discovers a secret that will change his life and those who desire to be closest to him.

Comments from Advance Readers:

“This was a definite page-turner, I could hardly put it down.” – Nevine R.

“All I can say is, ‘WOW!’” – Marianne P.

“I was so engrossed in the story that I lost all track of time.” – Emma D.

“Love, love, loving this novel, it’s got it all.” – Trulyn B.

“I am very impressed.” – Pierre F

Excerpt:

Michael fell in love with every woman he photographed.

Unless he exposed his heart, he couldn’t get close enough to
what lay deepest inside them. If he didn’t make himself vulnerable, his images
only reflected what lay on the surface, missing the connection he needed. Once
he felt himself swept away by his subject, sparks flying with each release of
the shutter, and every lightning bolt flash, they bonded for hours in the
studio.

And many more in the darkroom with Michael and the celluloid
history of the session.

The results spoke for themselves. Some of the women revealed
so completely in his images wanted to be with him, to touch the man who so
deeply touched them. He made it a rule to never sleep with the women he
photographed.

But he was never very good at following rules.

“Ginger, you’re already here,” he said, making a fist and
holding it to his heart. “But…” he hesitated, moving his face close to hers,
their lips almost touching.

“But, what, Michael?”

Even in this light, her features outlined softly with the
faint brush of the red safelight, he could see her sadness and openness, her
strength and her weakness. Her face was a canvas he could explore a long time.
Ginger had a gift unlike the dozens and dozens of models he’d photographed. She
didn’t need to strike a pose. Everything was there on the surface, waiting to
be captured. Her gift was not knowing she had anything to offer, not knowing
she was anything special.

Her innocence was intoxicating. “Would you mind if I took a
few more pictures of you?” he finally replied.

“Really?” she smiled. “Now?”

“Yes,” he kissed her lips ever so lightly, then flicked on
the light. “Come on.”

She followed him out of the darkroom. His mind raced with
ideas about how he would light her, what lens to use and a dozen other tiny
details about equipment and settings.

Ginger sat at his table, and poured the rest of the champagne
into their glasses, then reached down to her purse on the floor. She took out
an envelope, opened it and emptied the contents into her hand.

“I just got these,” she said, laying her palm flat, revealing
a clutch of small pink pills.

Michael set down the lens he’d taken from his bag. “What are
they?”

“It’s ecstasy… in a pill.” Before he could respond, she
popped two in her mouth and washed them down with champagne.

She held out her hand, offering him the pills. “Let’s find it
tonight.” 

About Steve Moretti:

I have always been drawn to passion and creativity in all its
forms. I am equally fascinated by the mechanics of the universe and the
characters of history. I have a special affection for the power of music which
I believe is the universal language of human emotion.

My writing journey started in journalism, public relations
and advertising then continued into software development. I have been writing
novels full-time for a couple of years now and recently completed my first
series, Song for a Lost Kingdom.

I also co-authored a biography on the life of Pyotr
Tchaikovsky, and am currently finishing the first book of a new trilogy called
Michael Angelo.

I grew up in London, Ontario (Canada) and also lived in
Pompano Beach, Florida as a teenager. I moved to Ottawa and attended Carleton
University and now live just south of the city with my wife and our two dogs.

I look forward to your feedback. Visit my website
stevemoretti.ca for the latest news, or email me at steve@stevemoretti.ca
anytime! 

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Giveaway Details:

1
winner will win a $25 Amazon GC, International.

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I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the LI NA IS MY NAME by Lisa Wee Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About the Book:

Title: LI NA IS MY NAME

Author: Lisa Wee

Pub. Date: March 31, 2022

Publisher: Dixi Books Publishing

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 32

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon UK, TBD

Do you get teased by others for being a weirdo, a geek, a
nerd or a bookworm? Friends, families and neighbours around Li-Na felt it was
affectionate to tease her for her not-so-girly hobbies and clothing. Li-Na is
about a little girl who refused to be stereotyped. It is a story that
encourages kids to be kids until they are ready to be who they want to be. Li
Na Is My Name is a book that is as relevant then as it is now. Wishing Li Na’s
spirit, grit and resilience to all children. Love the way she stays true to herself. Let’s spread this so all children love themselves for just who they
are.

 Review:

“This
engaging tale encourages resistance to gender stereotypes and highlights the
power of discomfiting labels.” Kirkus

Before I begin my review I quickly have to thank Rockstar Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of this amazing tour and for graciously providing a copy of the book for me to read and review for my tour stop today.

Li Na is my Name is written and illustrated by the author Lisa Wee. This is a debut picture book.

I have to start off by saying that this is a super cute and must-read book for everyone. We need to teach our kids that it’s okay to be who they want to be and to stay true to who they are. It’s not okay to tease someone because they are doing something we think is not right. Why should little girls be teased and called tomboys if they don’t dress and act all girly? We need to teach our kids to be confident.

The illustrations are bright and colorful.

Li-Na is a little girl who loves to do all kinds of things. Everyone teases her and calls her a tomboy just because she likes to climb trees, speed down the lane on roller blades, etc. Li Na stands up and speaks her mind and gets everyone to listen. We can do anything we want because we have a name. Everything shouldn’t be gender assigned because if boys can do it so can girls. No one is better than the other. It shouldn’t matter if boys and girls wear pink or blue. They are just clothes.

Why should titles such as nerd, a geek or bookworm define who we are? It’s little words like this that have a huge impact on kids growing up. As humans we love to put labels on everything, but why?

We need more little girls like Li Na who stand up and not let those names bring you down.

I am definitely excited to see what Lisa does next. I plan on picking up a copy of this picture book to add to my collection.

About Lisa Wee:

Lisa Wee debuts as author/illustrator, “Li Na is my name, Dixi Books Publishing, UK.Dixi
Books Publishing, UK.

Lisa has illustrated several picture books for prominent organisations and self-published authors. Her
quaint, quirky and vibrant illustrations are inclusive, embracing diversity in celebrating the lives of children from all walks of life.

Her clients Celebrity Top Chef Kristen Kish in collaboration with Upwork, Babybug magazine, Ladybug magazine  World Vision International for International Day of the Girls campaign 2021.

Website |  Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1
winner will win a finished copy LI NA IS MY NAME, International.

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My NOT So Anonymous Best Friend
Elizabeth Arroyo
Publication date: April 29th 2022
Genres: LGBTQ+, Romance, Young Adult

Noah aka NOS2321: Gamer. Weeb. Up-and-coming rock star. And gay. Encouraged by his anonymous pen pal, XES6969, Noah takes the leap and comes out of the closet—no instructions needed—accidentally sending his father to the hospital during his reveal. Despite his horrible dating track record which included two girls (because it was required that he at least try) and one boy (because he had to start somewhere), Noah believes in happily ever after. That belief gets tested when he falls for Evan Santiago.

Evan aka XES6969, believes in sacrificing yourself for those you love. Learning NOS’s identity hadn’t been his fault. Except he carries the lie which begins to fester, trapping him into silence. When a stray football brings them together, Evan no longer wants to keep silent. And when he learns that Noah is interested too, he takes a chance at love, risking everyone he’s tried to protect, including himself.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

Noah

As if the cosmos decided to force me to drool, Evan Santiago rode into the lot on his motorcycle. He wore a helmet with the visor down, hiding his face, but I didn’t need to see to know. The guy was all tight muscles and badness. He parked two spots away from my light blue jalopy with the word WEEBS 2 on the license plates and stickers of Kirito, Asuna, and Zero Two on the windows around my car. He dropped the kickstand and gracefully swung one powerful leg over the seat as he got off the bike. He pulled off his helmet and shook his deep black hair to perfection and crouched to get his satchel out of one of the saddlebags on the bike. His tee lifted, revealing a sliver of pale skin at his back.

Damn. When had I started looking at Evan Santiago this way? I blinked away the moment and turned to the empty seat beside me. I caught sight of Sasha approaching the secret love of my life, having silently crept out of my car. I hadn’t even heard her close the door! Her little skort swayed over toned legs.

The slut.

Was I really thinking she was competition? Was I competition?

Evan acknowledged her and she said something to him. He lifted his eyes in my direction—the color of green flames—forcing me to lose my breath. No. Evan couldn’t see me through the glare of the windshield. Nope. But that look still held me in some sort of trance. As if an invisible line had jettisoned out of his eyeballs and wrapped around my chest, crushing me.

Yeah, too much anime for me.

Then he suddenly looked away, and the crushing sensation lifted. I inhaled sharply, filling my lungs with much-needed oxygen.

Man-whore.

Why was I thinking of someone else when I had Carlos? That was not a good sign.

Sasha took Evan’s arm, and they walked into the school together as if they were a couple. Were they a couple? The idea of them together left me confused. Nothing new, really. Just another normal day in the life of me. Evan was not interested in me. Despite the burning looks he gave me. Certainly, I was misinterpreting them. Maybe the guy had a bad case of acid indigestion. Or I had a bad case of TMI—too much imagination. With an audible sigh, I headed into the school alone.

If I had to draw an abstract version of my high school, it would be a prism of varying stars and stripes. I was a stripe, while people like Evan Santiago were stars.

Author Bio:

Elizabeth is the Latinx author of speculative fiction novels for teens. Her YA contemporary debut, My NOT So Anonymous Best Friend, is slated for release on 4/29 by Evernight Teen.

Before she started writing, Elizabeth got her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. She then went on to work in foster care programs, mental health facilities, and youth organizations within the Latinx Community, providing services to youth and families.

She now spends her time writing romance, binge watching anime, and spending time with her family.

Elizabeth currently resides in Chicago.

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I am so excited that RISE OF A REBEL by Christine Schulz is available now and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a $10 Amazon GC courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, check out the giveaway info below.

About The Book:

Title: RISE OF A REBEL (NightFly series #2)

Author: Christine Schulz

Pub. Date: April 25, 2022

Publisher: Christine Schulz

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 233

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, BookBub

A life for a life. That’s the deal I made with my father to save my best friend from the poisonous magic about to kill him.

With Davian Grymes brought to justice, I thought the memory-warping torture caused by Bliss would finally end. Unlucky for me, this disturbing nightmare is only just beginning.

My father is convinced a teenager named Colton Meyers has the power to destroy my family and take down NightFly Technologies. My payment for Ryker’s life is to go against everything I believe in to make sure that never happens. Unfortunately, killing seemingly innocent
kids isn’t a skill I want to add to my list. What exactly is so special about Colton’s magic that my lunatic father feels so threatened by it? Now it’s my life on the line as I risk everything to save the boy from certain death. No one enjoys dealing with family drama, but this is taking things to the extreme.

Grab Book 1 DAWN OF A DEMON now!

Download the free prequel: Mixing Magic & Mayhem here! https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/bbbdc6c8-c6f2-11eb-9016-dff866887915

Excerpt:

Something rattled to my right. I snatched the bullet from my
belt, whirled around, and launched the projectile at a garbage bin next to a
set of front steps. The sleep powder erupted in a colorful explosion. The metal
bin swayed, falling over with a loud crash, and rolled across the sidewalk.

The tabby cat should have been taking a nice nap. Instead,
the feline leaped to my feet, a slight wobble in her step but otherwise
unaffected by the sleep spell. Since I currently lacked the ability to use my
own magic effectively, spelled objects apparently didn’t work very well either.

The rain washed the blue powder off her wet fur, revealing
dark black and light gray stripes with thick curving bands that swirled around
her torso. It reminded me of a marble cake, and that although I just ate, I was
hungry again.

I scrubbed my hand through my hair, my thumping heartbeat
slowly calming. “Get a grip, Zulli,” I reassured myself. “It’s just a stray
cat.”

The feline started licking the remaining powder off her paw,
and the emerald glare of her eyes slashed toward me.

“Stupid cat. Stop judging me. If you’d just gone through what
I did, you’d have done the same thing.”

About Christine Schulz:

Christine is
a pug loving foodie who has an unhealthy obsession with unicorns, and
you’ll definitely see bits of that shine through in her stories. As a
young child, she would put her imagination to work, pretending to live in a
fantasy world where she could fly, fight the bad guys, and save the world.
Although she could never master the art of flying, she did manage to eventually
put all those ideas down on paper and is currently working on two series: Black
Sheep and NightFly.

Sign up for Christine’s
Newsletter!

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner
will receive a$10 Amazon GC courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours, International

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Can’t Help Loving You
Eve Kasey
Publication date: March 29th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Ava

What happens when you meet the boy of your dreams in a bookstore?

You pretend you’re not leaving for college in the morning, and instead spend the night falling hard for his blue eyes, dimples, and creative soul – even if Maddox is a poetry hater.

You pretend you don’t get that tattoo in his honor.

You spend the next ten years telling yourself that a corner of your heart isn’t taken by a boy from your past.

When you see those blue eyes again, you pretend you don’t feel seen—awake—for the first time in a decade.

You remind yourself that you said yes to a man you didn’t want to marry, and now you’re stuck.

You tell yourself that this is the life you wanted.

But it isn’t. Not anymore.

Maddox

What happens when you run into the woman you haven’t stopped thinking about for a decade? The wild-haired, free-spirited sunshine girl from your past?

You pretend she’s not at that brewery with her fiancé, your new friend. Leo. The man who can make or break your design career.

You pretend neither of you see that Leo is keeping secrets and close to breaking.

You pretend you don’t know how miserable Ava is with her life, how she only lights up when you’re around.

You tell yourself you don’t ache for the one woman you can’t have.

But you do. You want her as badly as she wants freedom, and the time has come to stop pretending.

Goodreads / Amazon

Before I begin my review I quickly have to thank Xpresso Book Tours (click here to see the tour stops) for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour and for graciously providing me with an eGalley of the book to read for my review stop today.

I should also mention that these are my honest and sincere thoughts about the book.

I know I probably say this more than enough times but I love being part of blog tours because I love discovering a new author and I am so happy that I was able to get on the tour for this book. I checked out the backlist of Eve’s books and I have to say  I am curious about her other books. I know I definitely want to check them out now. I really enjoyed this one. I love being able to add a new author to my list.

One of my favorite tropes is a second chance at love. I always felt that if it didn’t happen the first time and years later you bump into the person again that it’s possible it could finally happen and if not then you always have those special memories. I always believe that things happen for a reason.

I should mention that this is a standalone book. I should mention that this has trigger warnings of depression, panic attacks, PTSD, and descriptions of war trauma, and parental death.

Our main character is Maddox one day he and his friends skip school and spend the day in Seattle. It’s on this day he spots Ava and she is a ray of sunshine. Maddox just has to meet his girl. He ditches his friends and follows her into a bookstore. They spend the day/night together and it’s everything you could ever want. If I was in high school, Maddox would have been that boy I would have crushed over.

Well fast forward 10 years they meet again only this time Ava is engaged to Maddox’s friend, Leo. Leo is a  wounded veteran and Maddox is helping him develop a line of shoes. They hit it off instantly and Leo invites Maddox out for drinks. This is when he sees Ava again.

You definitely could feel the connection and feelings that are still there between Ava and Maddox. I don’t think you ever truly forget your one first true love. Ava doesn’t realize the impact she has had on Maddox over the years. What would she say if she found this all out? Will they remain loyal to Leo?

I can’t speak for Eve’s other books as I have not read them yet but if this is anything like her previous books I definitely want to read them. I loved Eve’s writing and how detailed she is in this world-building and her characters. She makes her characters seem like real authentic people.

I definitely breezed through this rather quickly because I was hooked from the get-go and could barely put the book down. To me, that is always a good sign that a book is amazing. Also, to a read a book that takes place in a bookstore and then involves poetry yes please I want to read this even more so. I just recently started to read some poetry and enjoying it so far.

Author Bio:

Eve Kasey started composing stories in childhood, both in her head and with an electric typewriter loaded with pink paper. She writes for a design firm by day and reads independently published romance novels by night.

Eve writes contemporary romance that balances sweetness and steam while aiming to teach readers something new. Her books are where nerdy meets dirty. She believes romance novels can be a platform to portray healthy relationships and attitudes towards sex.

Eve lives in Washington state with her very stylish husband and two children.

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