Sunday, November 22, 2015

“THE REMEDY FOR LOVE”—author Bill Roorbach’s unusually involving contemporary tale--a romance in spite of itself, which is also a curious, cautionary adventure
























The Remedy for Love: A Novel  

by Bill Roorbach


FINALIST FOR THE 2014 KIRKUS PRIZE FOR FICTION

“A flat-out funny, sexy, and poignant romantic thriller.”*


They’re calling for the “Storm of the Century,” and in western Maine, that means something. So Eric closes his law office early and heads to the grocery store. But when an unkempt and seemingly unstable young woman in line comes up short on cash, a kind of old-school charity takes hold of his heart—twenty bucks and a ride home; that’s the least he can do.


Trouble is, Danielle doesn’t really have a home. She’s squatting in a cabin deep in the woods: no electricity, no plumbing, no heat. Eric, with troubles—and secrets—of his own, tries to walk away but finds he can’t. She’ll need food, water, and firewood, and that’s just to get her through the storm: there’s a whole long winter ahead.


Resigned to help, fending off her violent mistrust of him, he gets her set up, departs with relief, and climbs back to the road, but—winds howling, snow mounting—he finds his car missing, phone inside. In desperation, he returns to the cabin. Danielle’s terrified, then merely enraged. And as the storm intensifies, these two lost souls are forced to ride it out together.


Intensely moving, frequently funny, The Remedy for Love is a harrowing story about the truths we reveal when there is no time or space for artifice.


“One of the best novels of this or any year.” —*David Abrams, author of Fobbit


MY REVIEW:  Once you start reading "The Remedy for Love", you will literally be compelled to see it through to the outcome. Author Bill Roorbach has created an unusually involving contemporary tale, a romance in spite of itself, which is also a curious, cautionary adventure. In the small, rural town of Woodchurch, Maine, Eric is an attorney with a moderate law practice. He cooks, savors his food and wine, and waits for his big-city wife, Alison, to make increasingly infrequent visits as their marriage sputters to an end. An occasional flicker of heat here and there has kept the spark burning far longer than it should. A massive winter storm is approaching Woodchurch just as Eric awaits Alison's tentative arrival. He prepares by stocking up on foods to appeal and appease his neglectful spouse. When a bedraggled young woman in the checkout line ahead of him is unable to pay for all of his purchases, Eric helps to pay her bill. A smart mind ruled by a kind heart, Eric also helps the woman, Danielle, make her way safely home to a rustic cabin near the river. Through circumstances created by his good intentions, which include having his vehicle towed away, Eric find himself with no other shelter than the dilapidated cabin of the defensive and delusional Danielle. Being snowed in with sharp-tongued, strange woman is a far cry from being snug in his own home, making his marvelous meal, and anticipating the arrival of his absentee wife. Danielle is erratic, disheveled, and obviously a member of the walking-wounded. However, as time passes and Danielle cleans up, enjoys Eric's impromptu improvisations with food and drink, she shows flashes of character which attract Eric, and he finds himself drawn to her in unexpected ways. As the storm builds and burgeons around them, they form an uneasy alliance, and awareness of each other blooms between them. However, there secrets swirling among the storm, and the forces of nature are coming down on the little cabin. Soon, the fight for survival will push all else aside, and the danger of the moment becomes far more urgent than the questions of the past and the hopes of the future. "The Remedy for Love" is the perfect read for a cold, cuddled in the house weekend--just don't let yourself get snowed in.


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BILL ROORBACH















Bill Roorbach's newest novel is The Remedy for Love, released in October 2014 from Algonquin Books. Life Among Giants, also from Algonquin, is in development for a multi-year series at HBO, and won the 2014 Maine Literary Award in Fiction. Big Bend: Stories has just been re-released by Georgia in its Flannery O'Connor Award series. Temple Stream is soon to be re-released by Down East Books. Bill is also the author of the romantic memoir SUMMERS WITH JULIET, the novel THE SMALLEST COLOR, the essay collection INTO WOODS. The tenth anniversary edition of his craft book, WRITING LIFE STORIES, is used in writing programs around the world. His short fiction has been published in Harper's, The Atlantic Monthly, Playboy, and dozens of other magazines, journals, and websites, and has been featured on NPR's Selected Shorts, and won an O. Henry Prize. He lives in western Maine where he writes full time.


For more information about Bill Roorbach, see www.billroorbach.com, www.lifeamonggiantsthebook.com, and be sure to enjoy his blog and videos at www.billanddavescocktailhour.com. Follow him on Twitter: @billroorbach.

"BETTYVILLE"--beautifully-written memoir--author George Hodgman will gently break places in your heart, and then he will tenderly patch them back together with warmth and humor

















When George Hodgman leaves Manhattan for his hometown of Paris, Missouri, he finds himself—an unlikely caretaker and near-lethal cook—in a head-on collision with his aging mother, Betty, a woman of wit and will. Will George lure her into assisted living? When hell freezes over. He can’t bring himself to force her from the home both treasure—the place where his father’s voice lingers, the scene of shared jokes, skirmishes, and, behind the dusty antiques, a rarely acknowledged conflict: Betty, who speaks her mind but cannot quite reveal her heart, has never really accepted the fact that her son is gay.


As these two unforgettable characters try to bring their different worlds together, Hodgman reveals the challenges of Betty’s life and his own struggle for self-respect, moving readers from their small town—crumbling but still colorful—to the star-studded corridors of Vanity Fair. Evocative of The End of Your Life Book Club and The Tender Bar, Hodgman’s New York Times bestselling debut is both an indelible portrait of a family and an exquisitely told tale of a prodigal son’s return.

MY REVIEW:  "Bettyville", a beautifully-written memoir from author George Hodgman, will gently break places in your heart, and then it will tenderly patch them back together with warmth and humor. George Hodgman becomes the care provider for his elderly mother, Betty, leaving his life in Manhattan behind and returning to his home town of Paris, Missouri. Having reached the age of ninety-something by living in her own indomitable manner, Betty will not go quietly into old-age oblivion. As issues such as dementia, cancer, and increasing physical frailty creep into the picture, Betty remains a force to be reckoned with. At the age of ninety-one, she chooses to fight her cancer, and begins radiation therapy. Throughout all of their rumblings and grumblings while reconnecting and acclimating to once again living in the same house, it becomes clear that there is a great love between mother and son. Seeing Betty struggle, yet refuse to surrender her spirit, leads George to discover his own personal strengths and gives him the courage to move forward with choices for his future. My own mother's name was Betty, and while our life situation was quite different from George and his mother, much of our circumstances were similar. While George left home and then came back, I stayed with my mother for almost fifty years. My Betty and I were separated only when she passed away. George and his Betty remain together. "Bettyville" is keenly-observed, poignant, and written with great heart. A recommended read for caregivers, but also for those who receive the care.


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"BALLROOM"--author ALICE SIMPSON'S debut work blends complexities of contemporary life with lingering grace and elegance of past grandeur


































BALLROOM  by  Alice Simpson

Told in interconnecting stories, Ballroom is a beautifully crafted debut novel—reminiscent of the works of Elizabeth Strout and Jennifer Haigh—about a group of strangers united by a desire to escape their complicated lives, if only for a few hours each week, in a faded New York City dance hall.

Time has eroded the glamour of the Ballroom, but at the end of the 1990s, a small crowd of loyal patrons still makes its way past the floor-to-ceiling columns which frame the once grand hall each Sunday evening. Sweeping across the worn parquet floor under a peeling indigo ceiling, these men and women succumb to the magic of the music, looking for love and connection, eager to erase the drab reality of their complicated lives.

Nearly forty and still single, Sarah Dreyfus is desperate for love and sure she’ll find it with debonair Gabriel Katz, a dazzling peacock who dances to distract himself from his crumbling marriage. Tired of the bachelor life, Joseph believes that his yearning for a wife and family will be fulfilled—if only he can get Sarah to notice him. Besotted with beautiful young Maria Rodriguez, elderly dance instructor Harry Korn knows they can find happiness together. Maria, one of the Ballroom’s stars, has a dream of her own, a passion her broken-hearted father refuses to accept or understand.

As the rhythms of the Ballroom ebb and flow through these characters’ hearts, their fates come together in touching, unexpected ways.


MY REVIEW:   A poignant character study, "Ballroom", pulses with the underlying rhythm of the Tango dance. Author Alice Simpson's debut work centers around a New York dance hall of the late 1990's--long past its glamorous heyday, but still offering an essence of grandeur and the hope of grand dreams. Connecting its devotees with a fleeting reprieve from the realities of daily life, the Ballroom is an escape route set to a rhythmic beat. Among those linked together in interconnected storylines are: Harry Korn, the aging dance master; Sarah Dreyfus, single and approaching forty with a loudly ticking clock; Gabriel Katz, resplendent in his self-styled presentations; Joseph, who longs for Sarah to notice him as more than a dance partner; Maria Rodriguez,a star in her own right, and the apple of dance master's eye; and Angel Morez, Maria's partner, and a man with many plans of his own. Caught up in the atmosphere and ambiance of the grand old Ballroom, each of them seeks their own version of time in the spotlight--time to dance, to dream, to dare to engage in something more than the routine of their everyday lives. Each of them will experience unimagined highs and lows as they are propelled ever forward by the driving force of the dance.

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Alice Simpson never thought she’d ever leave New York City or be a published author, for that matter. When this city slicker moved to Southern California in 2010 to be closer to her grandchildren, it was a surprise just how exciting life could be. Her new work/live loft provides a wider, sunnier landscape, room to create hand painted books, clay sculptures, and write—without cleaning up!

A graphic designer and illustrator, Alice also taught at F.I.T., SVA, and Parsons, and is frequently invited to speak about the influence of dance in her work.

As a result of the publication of her debut novel, BALLROOM, (Harper/HarperCollins-2014), Alice has dusted off her tango shoes and is taking private lessons. 
The first four chapters of BALLROOM received second place for fiction in 2013 at the SF Writers Conference. A chapter from BALLROOM was nominated by The Writer’s Voice (NY) for Best New American Voices. Chapters have appeared in WV (Writer's Voice Magazine, NY), Words & Images Journal (U. of Maine), TangoDanza Magazine (Berlin), and in a limited edition, Tango Bar. 

BALLROOM has been optioned for film and TV!

http://www.alicesimpson.com 

"NATIONAL PARK MYSTERY SERIES" by author Scott Graham--thrilling outdoor adventures--involving characters and intriguing storylines




Canyon Sacrifice








WHEN HIS NEW STEPDAUGHTER IS KIDNAPPED DURING A VISIT TO THE GRAND CANYON, ARCHAEOLOGIST CHUCK BENDER FACES UP TO HIS SECRET PAST AND HIS UNFAMILIAR FAMILY-MAN ROLE AS E CONFRONTS EVERY PARENT'S NIGHTMARE--THAT OF A MISSING CHILD.



"CANYON SACRIFICE" IS A GRIPPING PAGE-TURNER THAT BRINGS THE RUGGED WESTERN LANDSCAPE, THEY MYSTERIOUS PAST OF THE ANCIENT ANASAZI INDIANS, AND THE MODER SOUTHWEST'S ONGOING CULTURAL FISSURES VIVIDLY TO LIFE. "CANYON SACRIFICE IS THE FIRST IN THE "NATIONAL PARK MYSTERY SERIES".



Each book in Scott Graham’s National Park Mystery Series takes place in a US national park. The next book in the series will take place in Rocky Mountain National Park (titled Mountain Rampage) followed by a mystery set in Yellowstone National Park and later Yosemite National Park. Mystery-lovers will experience the breathtaking wild places of the US—and the thrill of a riveting story unfolding in iconic, often familiar, landscapes. 
























MOUNTAIN RAMPAGE  by Scott Graham




"MOUNTAIN RAMPAGE" IS THE RIVETING SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THE "NATIONAL PARK MYSTERY SERIES" FROM AUTHOR SCOTT GRAHAM.


CHUCK BENDER IS RUNNING AN ARCHAEOLOGY FIELD SCHOOL FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS WHEN THE SUMMER TAKES A DEADLY TURN. WHILE DEFENDING HIS OWN BROTHER-IN-LAW FROM FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF MURDER, CHUCK FINDS HIMSELF AND HIS YOUNG WIFE AND STEPDAUGHTERS IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF AN UNKNOWN KILLER. AS HE INVESTIGATES THE BRUTAL SLAYING OF A RESORT WORKER IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, HE DISCOVERS A MASS GRAVE OF MAJESTIC ROCKY MOUNTAIN RAMS--ALL OF THEM MISSING THEIR VALUABLE HORNS, AND CHUCK REALIZES HE IS DEALING WITH A DESPERATE KILLER WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING.
"MOUNTAIN RAMPAGE" EXPLORES THE CHALLENGES AND THRILLS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIGS, THE JOYS AND HEARTACHES OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, AND THE STARK BEAUTY OF ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST BREATHTAKING WILD PLACES. 



Yellowstone Standoff (National Park Mystery, #3)


Book three in the National Park Mystery Series, Yellowstone Standoff takes readers deep into the backcountry of a wildly popular national park. When Yellowstone National Park's grizzly bears and gray wolves suddenly and inexplicably go rogue, archaeologist Chuck Bender teams with his old friend, Yellowstone Chief Ranger Lex Hancock, to defend the suspect members of a group scientific expedition. Soon, Chuck finds himself defending the lives of his family as an unforeseen danger threatens in the storied national park's remote wilderness.



 Yosemite Fall (National Park Mystery #4)

 
Archaeologist Chuck Bender arrives with his family in Yosemite Valley to study the 150-year-old murders of a pair of gold prospectors in the midst of preparations for the annual Yosemite Slam rock-climbing competition and a reunion with his old climbing buddies. The trip quickly turns threatening when one climber never shows up, climbing equipment fails, and Chuck and his wife, Janelle Ortega, are suspected in the shocking, present-day death of one of Chuck’s former rock-climbing partners. Together, Chuck and Janelle race against time to solve the dual mysteries and prove their innocence—all while facing down a ruthless killer on the loose. 



"Graham has created a beautifully balanced book, incorporating intense action scenes, depth of characterization, realistic landscapes, and historical perspective."
REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE


"This riveting series debut showcases Graham's love of nature and archeology, simultaneously interjecting some serious excitement. Graham is to be commended for weaving together several cultures into one story. Recommend to readers who enjoy Tony Hillerman, Nevada Barr, and C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett series."
LIBRARY JOURNAL


"A gripping tale of kidnapping and murder...in a style similar to mysteries by Tony Hillerman."
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL


"Graham has created a story [of] richness and depth...Graham's comfort and familiarity with his subject make the story an enjoyable read."
DURANGO HERALD


"A riveting mystery...Graham takes readers intimately into the setting, his knowledge of the places he writes about apparent at every turn."
DURANGO TELEGRAPH


"A terrific debut novel..."
C.J. BOX, New York Times bestselling author of Stone Cold and Breaking Point


"The real star of this engrossing mystery novel is the Grand Canyon itself. Scott Graham clearly knows the territory. In addition to some fine plot twists guaranteed to keep you guessing to the end, Graham delivers a glorious portrait of one of the most compelling landscapes on earth, a place that can kill just as easily as it thrills. This is a topnotch read."
WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER, New York Times bestselling author of Tamarack County


"One of the most engaging mysteries I've read in a long while! In archaeologist Chuck Bender, Scott Graham has created a flawed, all–too–human and memorable investigator who had me rooting for him to the end. The setting is magnificent and fascinating—nothing less than the Grand Canyon with its centuries–old secrets. The plot is fast–paced and filled with suspense. Canyon Sacrifice delivers it all and then some."
MARGARET COEL, New York Times bestselling author of Killing Custer


"Bring an extra–large bowl of popcorn while you read Sacrifice in one sitting."
C.M. WENDELBOE, author of Death on the Greasy Grass


"In this gripping, imaginative mystery set in Grand Canyon National Park, ancient Anasazi culture collides with the modern world in the most unexpected of ways. Like Tony Hillerman, Scott Graham uses his deep knowledge of the region to fashion a thrilling, compulsively readable story."
FRANK HUYLER, author of The Blood of Strangers


"As unpredictable and twisty as a switchback trail plummeting into its depths, Graham's thriller sucks you into the mysteries of the canyon and the story of an unsuspecting family whose lives will never be the same."
TED BOTHA, author of The Girl With the Crooked Nose


"Graham deftly weaves a first–rate mystery through the caves and canyons and winding roads of the Grand Canyon. If you've been, you'll immediately be drawn into the story. If you've never been, this may be your motivation to buy the ticket! I can't wait to read which national park he tackles next!"
TRICIA FIELDS, Hillerman Prize–winning author of Scratchgravel Road


"Stunning setting, intriguing plot and likeable characters make this debut novel a bookseller's dream."
ANDREA AVANTAGGIO, owner of Maria's Bookshop


























Scott Graham has explored the Grand Canyon all his life. He has backpacked into the canyon’s farthest reaches, and rowed his own eighteen-foot raft down the canyon’s notorious Colorado River rapids. He is an avid outdoorsman and amateur archaeologist who enjoys rock climbing, skiing, backpacking, mountaineering, river rafting, and whitewater kayaking with his wife, an emergency physician, and their two sons. Graham’s book, Extreme Kids, won the National Outdoor Book Award. His five nonfiction books have been reviewed positively by many publications, including the New York Times. Graham lives in Durango, Colorado. Learn more about Scott Graham at ScottFranklinGraham.com.


"DEVIL'S HARBOR"--author ALEX GILLY'S memorable fiction debut--perfectly imperfect protagonist and compelling storyline








With heart-stopping thrills, a Walter White-esque villain, and a fascinating hero, Alex Gilly's Devil's Harbor is a thriller unlike any you have read before...

Nick Finn and his partner and brother-in-law, Diego Jimenez, are used to rough water. As Marine Interdiction Agents for Customs and Border Protection, the two hunt drug smugglers, human traffickers, and other criminals who hide in the vastness of the waters surrounding southern California.

One night, Finn and Diego track a phantom boat off the Los Angeles coast, but it disappears before they can intercept it. They find a dead body in its wake, ravaged by sharks. Their investigation into the floater stalls when Finn is accused of using excessive force following the death of a suspected drug smuggler.

Then Diego is murdered--and Finn is the number-one suspect. As he races to find the real killer and save his marriage, Finn is forced to partner with Linda Blake, the desperate captain of the Pacific Belle and mother of Lucy, a very sick little girl, to attempt the one thing he has devoted his life to stopping.

In order to clear his name and save a child's life, Finn must smuggle narcotics by sea into the United States…and avoid the net that his CBP colleagues have cast for him.




MY REVIEW:  Author Alex Gilly's debut fiction work, "Devil's Harbor", is a suspenseful thriller that will keep you turning the pages until you read it all the way through. Once you start reading, you'll be hooked by the perfectly imperfect protagonist and the compelling storyline. As a Marine Interdiction Agent for Customs and Border Protection, Nick Finn patrols the ocean waters off Southern California, hunting the human predators who prey upon the weaknesses and addictions of their fellow man. His partner is Diego Jimenez, the younger brother of Finn's wife, Mona. A violent encounter with a phantom boat, skulking through the night waters with its lights out, will forever change the lives of Finn and those around him. When Finn is investigated for using excessive force, Mona, a lawyer, acts for his defense. Then the unthinkable happens--Diego is murdered, and Finn becomes the prime suspect. As his troubles intensify, his recurring struggle with alcohol resurfaces--a lingering inheritance from an alcoholic father. Desperate to clear his name, save his marriage, and hold onto his life and sanity, Finn becomes involved with dangerously warped schemers who have a twisted, evil agenda all their own. Finn has served his country both in wartime and stateside. He is a good man who has made some bad choices. Is it too late to save himself, or can he pull off one more mission--the mission of a lifetime? Author Alex Gilly is also a translator, and I will say this as a reader and a film fan: "Devil's Harbor" will translate into a terrific action-adventure film with a lead character whose flaws are outshone by his inherent heroism.



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Reviews

 

“Gilly's debut is a real page-turner filled with thrills, chills, and unexpected surprises.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Buy it! Recommend it! Push it on anyone who loves suspense and action served with hard-boiled style! The writing is exuberant yet controlled, the plot is twisty and devious yet easily tracked, the characters are freshly imagined...The boat chases are the best since the early Bond novels, the revelations are startling, and the bourbon scenes make you thirsty.” ―Booklist (starred review)

Devil's Harbor is a fast-paced, sophisticated thriller, filled with twists, turns and compelling characters that will stay with the reader long after they've read the exciting final pages. Alex Gilly is a writer to be reckoned with - one that knows his territory, whether it is a speedboat trapped in an offshore gale or how to aim a rifle from a pitching deck. This is a book that operates deliciously in the shadows beneath the dark Pacific waters surface and in the darker places in men's hearts. A fine debut that will keep readers up late at night.” ―John Katzenbach, internationally bestselling author

“[A] thrill-a-moment first novel...The ending is an unexpected nail-bitter that crackles with tension.” ―Publishers Weekl






























ALEX GILLY is a writer and translator who was born in New York City and has lived in Australia, Canada, France, California, and the UK. One of his translations, Thierry Cruvellier's THE MASTER OF CONFESSIONS, was longlisted for the 2015 PEN Translation Prize. Alex holds an MA in Translation and Interpreting Studies and a BA in Linguistics and Spanish and Latin American Studies, both from the University of New South Wales. In addition to his work as a translator, Alex has worked as a boating-magazine writer, editor, and copy editor. He currently lives in Sydney with his wife and son. DEVIL'S HARBOR is his first novel. 

http://www.alexgilly.com/

Sunday, November 15, 2015

“THE MONTGOMERY BROTHERS”—Author Lynne Marshall offers a double delight—two brothers--Wyoming ranch heirs and dedicated doctors—their lives forever changed by unexpected romance…and fatherhood!






















 



Trevor Montgomery was more-or-less settled in his hometown of Cattleman Bluff, Wyoming, running his family practice clinic and continuing to help his father with their Circle M Ranch. However, he is taken by surprise when someone from his past applies for a position at the clinic. Julie Sterling had left the area years ago, but now she was back—a skilled nurse practitioner and midwife, and the most qualified candidate for the job. Employment is not the only reason for Julie’s return: after her parents’ death, she inherited their home, and she has returned to her roots to make a new life for herself and her teenaged son, James. Seeing Trevor again after all these years gives Julie the courage to reveal a life-changing secret: James is Trevor’s son—the result of one night of youthful passion so long ago. Trevor is stunned, but he is also eager to get to know his son. Julie agrees, and they try their best to proceed with caution, but the heart will have its own way, and friendship and other deeper feelings grow between them. Trevor didn’t know what he was missing all these years, and now that he has it, he’ll do anything to keep it. Will Julie and James accept him and care for him as he does for them? Author Lynne Marshall’s own many years in the medical field adds a fascinating touch of reality to this heart-warming reunion romance.

Book Copy Gratis Author


























Highly-respected cardiologist Cole Montgomery is widely regarded as tops in his chosen field of specialization. While his younger brother, Trevor, stayed in their hometown of Cattleman Bluff, Wyoming, Cole chose to dedicate his life to his career and keep personal attachments to a minimum. Now it’s time for him to share his family responsibility and run Trevor’s clinic while the younger Montgomery enjoys an extended honeymoon. Coming back to Cattleman Bluff also means helping his father with the family’s Circle M Ranch. Cole is going to need assistance in running the clinic, but he doesn’t expect it to come in the form of a beautiful, newly-minted female doctor from Boston. Not only is Lizzie Silva a knockout, she’s also a single mom with a tiny baby daughter. Two new unplanned ladies in his life could be too much, but the very professional Dr. Cole Montgomery can take all this in stride—it’s only temporary. But when the renowned cardiologist’s own heart begins to beat with a different rhythm, he questions his own life plans. Could they possibly include love and fatherhood, or will he have to let Lizzie go so she can shine in her own dazzling light? Lizzie knows how she feels about Cole, and she wants him to be a permanent part of the future for herself and her daughter. Can she make him see all that life has to offer them as a family? Author Lynne Marshall’s medical romances are extra-special because her own many years of medical experience make them so very readable.

Book Copy Gratis Author

Lynne Marshall 

Lynne used to worry she had a serious problem with daydreaming, then she discovered she was supposed to write the stories in her head. A late bloomer, Lynne came to fiction writing after her children were nearly grown. Now she battles the empty nest by writing stories which always include a romance, sometimes medicine, a dose of mirth, or both, but always stories from her heart. She is a Southern California native, married for almost thirty years, has two adult children she is super proud of, is a dog lover, cat admirer, a power walker, and fellow traveler on this wild road called life!

Saturday, November 14, 2015

“Fire and Ice”, Book Three, in author Mary Connealy's “Wild at Heart” series--tickles your funny bone and touches your heart


























Fire and Ice (Wild at Heart)  by Mary Connealy



Author Mary Connealy is an entertaining storyteller who tickles your funny bone while she touches your heart. “Fire and Ice”, Book Three, in her “Wild at Heart” series features the oldest Wilde sister, Bailey. Content to let folks think she’s a man and keep their distance, Bailey Wilde cares for her younger sisters and manages their homestead. However, after her sisters marry and leave for homes of their, the loneliness of the empty nest begins to wear on Bailey. Maybe that’s why she succumbs to the crazy scheme of her troublesome neighbor, Gage Coulter. Determined to regain his access rights to rich grazing land after Bailey Wilde claimed a homestead spread that cut him off, Gage continues to needle and harass Bailey into giving him back his right of way. Due to Bailey’s skill with a rifle, Gage has never gotten close enough to find out that Bailey is a woman. With her short hair and men’s clothes, he’s always thought she was a man. Stunned though he is when he finds out the truth, he recovers enough to offer his latest threat: he’ll dynamite his way through to the access land. Later he offers to buy half her herd and share the rich grass lands. He also tells her that wants to continue to acquire more and more land and build his herd. When Gage learns that his mother--his very controlling mother--plans to visit, he makes Bailey another urgent proposal of a different kind: he needs a wife, and he needs one fast. He had already told his mother some time back that he was married, and now that she was due to arrive at any moment, he had to produce a wife so that his mother would see that he was settled. Maybe then, she’d leave him be—just maybe. The unbearable loneliness of her solitary existence in her cabin spurs her to accept his proposal. When Bailey meets his mother, though, she learns the truest meaning of unbearable, and its name is “Ma”. As Gage and Bailey get to know each other, a definite fondness and attraction grows between them, but they have many issues to overcome before the seeing the light of true happiness. Will faith, forgiveness, and forbearance find their way into the hearts and minds of this headstrong man and woman? Will going forward with caring compromise bring them a lifetime of love and joy? Author Mary Connealy has a most delightful way with inspirational historical romance.


Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books

Mary Connealy


Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy...with cowboys.


She is a Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader's Choice finalist. She is the author of bestselling Kincaid Brides Series: Out of Control, In Too Deep, Over the Edge. The Trouble in Texas Series; Swept Away, Fired Up, Stuck Together. The Wild at Heart Series; Tried and True, Now and Forever, Fire and Ice. Her work also includes Lassoed in Texas Trilogy, Montana Marriages Trilogy and Sophie's Daughters Trilogy. And Novella collections; A Bride for All Seasons, Four Weddings and a Kiss, A Match Made in Texas, Hope for the Holidays Contemporary Collection, Hope for the Holidays Historical Collection, With this Kiss Contemporary Collection, With this Kiss Historical Collection and many more books.Under the pen name Mary Nealy, she also wrote Ten Plagues--a romantic thriller, and The Historical Society Murders--three cozy mysteries. Mary is married to a Nebraska rancher and has four grown daughters and a small bevy of spectacular grandchildren.


"Drawing Fire" by author Janice Cantore--well-written crime thriller with enjoyable characters whom readers will enjoy reading more about in future entries in the series
























Drawing Fire (Cold Case Justice)   by Janice Cantore


Author Janice Cantore is a talented storyteller whose work rings true with the authenticity of her own law enforcement background. With "Drawing Fire" she begins her latest book series, "Cold Case Justice". Long Beach, California homicide investigator Abby Hart's adherence to her principles and her determination to bring criminal offenders to justice has earned her the nickname "Superglue". At the age of six, she had lost own parents to a still-unsolved homicide. Almost thirty years later, she is haunted by the case and resolute in her vow to find the killer of her mother and father. Conflicts over her dangerous duty are a troublesome issue between Abby and her fiancé, Ethan. His absences due to his missionary work building homes in third-world countries adds even further distance. When a possible serial killer may be stalking and claiming elderly women as his prey, Abby is brought into contact with Luke Murphy, a private investigator who witnessed a suspect fleeing one of the crime scenes. Common elements and a shared sense of uncovering the facts soon have Abby and Luke working together to solve more than one mystery. The two of them each have their own measure of faith, and as further secrets are uncovered, they must each look more deeply into the role faith plays in their lives. Learning to rely on each other, they must also learn to wary of those who will stop at nothing to keep the chill on a decades-old cold case. "Drawing Fire" is well-written crime thriller with enjoyable characters whom readers will enjoy reading more about in future entries in the series.


Review Copy Gratis Tyndale Blog Network


Janice Cantore

A retired Long Beach California police officer of 22 years (16 in uniform and 6 as a non-career officer), Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, patrol, administration, juvenile investigations and training. During the course of her career in uniform Janice found that faith was indispensable to every aspect of the job and published articles on faith at work, one for a quarterly newspaper called "Cop and Christ", and another for the monthly magazine "Today's Christian Woman".


With retirement Janice began to write longer pieces and several novels were born. Janice is excited and honored to now be a part of the Tyndale Publishing House family. Accused, the first installment in her new suspense offering, The Pacific Coast Justice Series, was released February 1, 2012 and kicked off a brand new chapter in her writing career. In addition to suspense and action, her books feature strong female leads. Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep you engrossed and leave you inspired.