Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read: December 2022

Friday, December 30, 2022

✱✱Book Review✱✱ Prodigal Son by Lydia Michaels

Bestselling author, Lydia Michaels, weaves a ferociously addictive tale of immortal hunger, lust, and noble sacrifice in the haunting continuation of The Order of Vampires series.

Cain Hartzler has a tortured past and a score to settle. After losing his destined mate, he is sentenced to an eternal life of pain and solitary sacrifice. To serve a purpose, he enters a deadly crusade to hunt and destroy the lethal vampire butchering mortal females in the Pennsylvania woods. But his honor is put to the test when the meddlesome news reporter, Destiny Santos, gets in his way.

Foolish ambition drives Destiny into the woods, but rather than find a lead, she discovers a sinister army of feral vampires out for blood. Desperate to escape, she shoots the one immortal willing to protect her from certain death.

As sinister vampires close in, Cain has no choice but to take the blood of the human female to survive. Mortally injured, he must escape the woods alive, or break his greatest vow.

Momma Says: 5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was so excited to get my hands on Cain's story, and it does not disappoint. It's as emotional, gritty, and intense as I expected and then some. These characters have wormed their way under my skin, and I'm thoroughly invested. Cain's circumstances tug at the heartstrings in so many ways. I've wanted others in the series to find their HEA/HFN, but none so much as Cain. Whether he got there or not is for each reader to find out for themselves (no spoilers here). What I will say is there is a lot going on in this 3rd book in Lydia Michaels's The Order of Vampires series, and I was totally glued to my Kindle from word one. I would highly recommend reading from the beginning of the series because a lot of what's happening here started back at the beginning. You won't be sorry, and if you're as hooked as I am by the time you reach this one, just know that you won't be the only one who's impatiently waiting for the next book in the series.

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The Luck of the Irish Gift Tour and Giveaway

Johnny's Story

The Luck of the Irish Gift Book 1

by Marilyn L. Hart

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Colonel Johnny Mackenzie inherited “The Luck Of The Irish Gift” being able to feel other people’s emotions. It is a gift that has served him well in his military career but takes an emotional toll on him personally. Even though he is grateful for the gift, it is not something he would ever want to pass down to a child of his own. So he made a promise to himself never to marry or have children. Instead, he made his career his life.

It was a promise he was able to keep until one day while visiting one of his soldiers in the hospital he meets Nurse Marta Simmons. The moment they shake hands an electric current goes through them. He knows she feels it too when he sees the surprised look in her eyes matches his own. For the first time in his life, he wanted to open his heart to a woman, unfortunately, she was engaged to a fellow officer. His code of conduct would not allow him to cross that line.

The next day he and his team are sent on a mission to Vietnam. The moment he steps into the jungle his senses come alive because he knows danger is coming towards them and signals his men to stay alert. Moments later, bullets start firing. As he lies bleeding on the jungle floor, his last thought before slipping off into unconsciousness was he hoped to live so he could get to know Marta better.

**On Sale for Only $1.99!!**

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Sarah's Story

The Luck of the Irish Gift Book 2

Sarah had inherited the same “Luck of the Irish” gift as her Uncle Johnny. Where he had used his gift in his military career and his security business protecting people, she hide from the world. As a child, she picked up her Mother's fear of separation and later felt her parents terror as their plane crashed in the mountains. From that moment on, she stayed close to her Uncle, wanting his protection and rarely venturing outside of her loft. The only time she did go out is when she would meet clients to design and make the perfect dress for them, whether it was for parties or their weddings. Using her gift to know exactly what would fit each personality. Professionally, her business was thriving, yet personally, she kept herself locked away.

One day while looking out the window and seeing all the people in the park enjoying life, she realized how much she was missing out by staying hidden. Just as she was thinking those thoughts, her best friend, Jeffrey walks into her loft. He too works for the security company and knows of a simple job in Miami, Florida she would be perfect for. His friend, Brandon, owns a design company that was getting their designs stolen and could not figure out who the mole was. With her fashion experience and gift, she would be the perfect person to go undercover and find the thief.

It should have been an easy job but got complicated very quickly when Nicco Kombi purchases Brandon's company. The day she meets him, his energy is so strong it knocks her into her chair. Never before had she felt such strong emotions from a man. She knew she should stay away from him, but the moment he touches her hand, she felt the electric current her Uncle Johnny and Aunt Marta always talked about. She always thought it was them making up a story, but now realized it was real. The only question is, could Nicco possibly be or mole, or is he the key to unlocking her heart?

**On Sale for Only $1.99!!**

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Ever since I was little I have loved using my imagination and making up stories in my head. Now I use my imagination and put them into books.

In each of my books, there is a personal connection, whether it is the people, places or events. In my latest book, "I Saw The Signs, I Just Ignored Them", I did take this cruise with my three girlfriends. I just had fun embellishing what happened to us.

My other books include, "Johnny's Gift", "Sarah's Gift" , “Keeping Promises” and "The Chance To Do It Again".

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon,

Irish Prayer Coffee Mug,

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-1 winner each!

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Her Best Friend’s Brother Blitz

Her Best Friend’s Brother
Yahrah St. John
(Six Gems, #1)
Published by: Harlequin Desire
Publication date: December 27th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Childhood friends become forbidden lovers in this sexy start to the Six Gems series from Yahrah St. John.

Their fiery affair fulfills her fantasies…
And puts everything at risk.

When travel blogger Wynter Barrington’s wealthy, disapproving family cuts her off, she finds comfort in a passionate chance encounter with Riley Davis, her best friend’s brother. He’s hot as hell…and totally off-limits.

And when they meet again months later, they begin a sizzling affair. Wynter knows Riley doesn’t do love and marriage, but her youthful crush is feeling more and more like a real relationship. If she’s not careful, Wynter may put more than her relationship with her best friend on the line. Can she survive falling in love with the one man she was never supposed to touch?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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EXCERPT:

Riley brought Wynter to his bed. He wanted to make love to her properly. That first time in his living room had been a feverish coupling because of the intense attraction they felt. But now, he wanted to take his time. If tonight was all he had, he wanted to show Wynter how much pleasure they could have together.

Wynter wasn’t some naive virgin. She returned his touches and kisses and showed him she knew exactly how to make him moan. And when she wanted to be on top, Riley let her without hesitation. She was skilled and brought them both to a culmination that had Riley seeing stars.

Eventually, they took a shower together, but even that turned into a sensuous glide of naked bodies that kept them up until the wee hours of the morning. Afterward, Riley fell into a deep sleep, which was unusual for him. For years, he’d never been able to get more than four or five hours of sleep because, when he was a teenager, he’d been on high alert. He had to make sure his mother was okay and wouldn’t harm herself. The pattern stuck when he went to college and then, later, law school. The long nights of studying to stay on top and be the best took their toll until Riley didn’t need much sleep to operate.

But last night, he’d slept like a baby because he’d had Wynter’s lush body wrapped around him. However, awakening this morning, something was very clear.

He was in bed alone.

Sometime in the early morning, after they’d just had the best sex of his life, Wynter had slipped away from his bed. Riley sat upright. That had never happened before. He was used to being the one who left, not the other way around.

Riley didn’t know whether he should be offended or not. Or perhaps Wynter hadn’t been as satisfied as he thought last night? No, he shook his head. Women could fake it, but Wynter hadn’t faked a moment of their intimacy. He could tell. She was responsive and very vocal about what she wanted. She hadn’t been afraid to take charge of her pleasure or his.

Riley groaned when he thought about the way she’d wriggled down the bed last night to position her head close to his groin. The way she’d run her fingertips over his erect shaft. Her touch had been featherlight, as if she’d reveled in the sensation of having him at her mercy. He’d been enthralled, and rather than fight it, he’d given in. She’d bent her head, taken him in her mouth and sucked him.

Afterward, she’d raised her head and given him a triumphant smile, all the while licking her lips as she caught a drop she must have missed.

It was one of the most erotic experiences of his life. Wynter had moved to the top of the list as the best lover he’d ever had. Although he wished they could have a repeat of the night before, Riley appreciated that Wynter understood the parameters. As a result, she’d left of her own accord, without him having to show her the door like some of his ex-lovers.

At least he would always have the memory of their one hot night. But, in the back of his mind, Riley would always wonder what might have happened if she had stayed.

Author Bio:

Yahrah St. John is the International author of forty books. She became a writer at the age of twelve when she wrote her first novella after secretly reading a Harlequin romance. Throughout her teens, she penned a total of twenty novellas. Her love of the craft continued into adulthood. She’s the proud author of thirty-nine books with Arabesque, Kimani Romance and Harlequin Desire as well as her own indie works.

When she’s not at home crafting one of her spicy romances with compelling heroes and feisty heroines with a dash of family drama, she is gourmet cooking or traveling the globe seeking out her next adventure. For more info:www.yahrahstjohn.com or find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bookbub or Goodreads.

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Apex Predator Reveal

Apex Predator
Cara Dee
(The Game, #11)
Publication date: January 24th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance

Ring in the new year with Lane, Macklin, Walker, and Ty as a group of Mclean members head down to Florida for some fun. More info to come.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

Author Bio:

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

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Excerpt Tour: Nine Bear Lodge by Keith A Hamilton

NINE BEAR LODGE

by Keith A. Hamilton

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Fiction

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

The beautiful Bella Coola Valley in British Columbia provides a dramatic backdrop in a story of two men who crossed paths years before, who meet again by chance. Taking his family on a bucket list vacation, a former smuggler confronts the former policeman who had arrested and tortured him many years before. The family enjoys the luxury setting and the variety of activities provided by the Nine Bear Lodge, while the two men come to grips with their shared past. Will one man take the ultimate revenge, or will they both find a path to redemption and reconciliation?

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT

Hans thought also about the last futile years, swimming upstream against a tide of corrupt or inept coworkers, trying to fulfill the wishes of the increasingly paranoid and delusional leaders in Berlin. And now his supervisor was talking about setting him up as a scapegoat. This would not do.

It was early November, and around him in Rostock and all of Germany the times were quickly and irrevocably changing. Hans left the office, telling his secretary he would be out for the rest of the day. He had to walk to clear his head. Hans walked out into the gloomy light of the overcast day, rain spitting down fitfully, turning into ice as it clung to the metalwork of the fences and light poles along the roadside. He headed for the ferry terminal, taking one short detour on the way. He showed his pass to the border guards and was waved perfunctorily through. They knew not to question the Deputy too closely. Hans boarded the next departing afternoon ferry, which happened to be for Trelleborg, Sweden. As the boat slipped out of harbour, he surreptitiously dropped his Stasi credentials over the side. Hans Klein disappeared. In a couple more days, the Wall came down, and everything changed.

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

Since the early 1990s, Keith A. Hamilton has lived and worked in small remote Indigenous communities throughout Northern and Western Canada. He has made Bella Coola his home since 2016. He and his wife and their dog enjoy the beauty and serenity of the Central Coast region.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23022323.Keith_a_Hamilton

https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Bear-Lodge-Keith-Hamilton-ebook/dp/B0BL3VB5WF/ref=sr_1_1?

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GIVEAWAY

The author will award a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn host.

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Thursday, December 29, 2022

✱✱Book Review✱✱ Blog Tour for Michelle Gable’s THE LIPSTICK BUREAU

The Lipstick Bureau :

A Novel Inspired by a Real-Life Female Spy by Michelle Gable

Published by Graydon House Books

Inspired by one of the OSS’s few female operatives, Barbara Lauwers, a WWII novel set at OSS’s Morale Office in Rome, which was responsible for creating black propaganda and distributing it behind enemy lines. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookseller's Secret.

Inspired by a real-life female spy, a WWII-set novel about a woman challenging convention and boundaries to help win a war, no matter the cost.

“A gripping, fascinating read.” —Kelly Rimmer, New York Times bestselling author of The Warsaw Orphan

1944, Rome. Newlywed Niki Novotná is recruited by a new American spy agency to establish a secret branch in Italy's capital. One of the OSS's few female operatives abroad and multilingual, she's tasked with crafting fake stories and distributing propaganda to lower the morale of enemy soldiers.

Despite limited resources, Niki and a scrappy team of artists, forgers and others—now nicknamed The Lipstick Bureau—find success, forming a bond amid the cobblestoned streets and storied villas of the newly liberated city. But her work is also a way to escape devastating truths about the family she left behind in Czechoslovakia and a future with her controlling American husband.

As the war drags on and the pressure intensifies, Niki begins to question the rules she's been instructed to follow, and a colleague unexpectedly captures her heart. But one step out of line, one mistake, could mean life or death…

BUY LINKS:

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-lipstick-bureau-a-novel-inspired-by-true-wwii-events-original-michelle-gable/17917455

Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781525811470

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lipstick-bureau-michelle-gable/1142529516

Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-lipstick-bureau-a-novel/9781525804977-item.html

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lipstick-Bureau-Novel-Inspired-Events/dp/1525811479/

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Lipstick Bureau is a captivating story inspired by the life of Barbara Lauwers. It's a loose interpretation, but there's no denying that Michelle Gable did her research. Niki is a bit of a rebel, and she breaks more than her fair share of rules. I think that side of her is a big part of what made her so intriguing. A lot of the story takes place in flashbacks, but it's easy to separate past and present (or present for the characters, anyway). I'm not always fond of that style, but it works for this book, and it's easy to follow the timeline. The book is well written, and the characters and their story held my attention from start to finish. If you enjoy WWII era fiction, I'd recommend this one.

NIKI

May 1989

Washington, DC

Niki’s stomach flip-flops, and there’s a wild fluttering in her chest. You’re fine, she tells herself. In this buzzing, glittering room of some three hundred, she’s unlikely to encounter anyone she knows. Not that she’d recognize them if she did. It’s been almost forty-five years.

“Jeez, what a turnout,” her daughter, Andrea, says as Niki takes several short inhales, trying to wrangle her breath. “Did you know this many people would show up?”

“I had no idea what to expect,” Niki answers, and this much is true. When the invitation arrived three months ago, she’d almost pitched it straight into the trash.

You are invited

to a Black-Tie Dinner

Honoring

The Ladies of the O.S.S.

The ladies of the OSS. A deceptively quaint title, like a neighborhood bridge club, or a collection of wives whose given names are not important.

“You should go,” Niki’s husband had said when she showed him the thick, ecru cardstock with its ornate engraving. “Relive your war days.”

“Manfred,” Niki had replied sternly. “Nobody wants to relive those.”

Though he’d convinced Niki to accept the invitation, it hadn’t been the hardest sell. Manfred was ill—dying, in fact, of latestage lung cancer—and Niki figured the tick mark beside “yes” was merely a way to delay a no.

The week before the event, Manfred was weaker than ever, and Niki saw her chance to back out. “I’ll just skip it,” she’d said. “This is for the best. You’d be bored out of your skull, and no one I worked with will even be there!”

“Zuska,” Manfred said, using her old pet name. As always, he’d known what his wife was up to. “I want you to go. Take Andrea. She could use a night out. It’d be like a holiday for her.”

“I don’t know…” Niki demurred. Their daughter did hate to cook, and no doubt longed for a break from her two extremely pert teenagers.

“You can’t refuse,” Manfred said. “What if this ends up qualifying as my dying wish?” It was a joke, but what could Niki possibly say to that?

Now she regrets having shown Manfred the invitation and is discomfited by the scene. Niki feels naked, exposed, as though she’s wearing a transparent blouse instead of a black sparkly top with double shoulder pads.

“Do you think you’ll spot anyone you know?” Andrea asks as they wend their way through the tables, scanning for number eighteen. Every Czech native considers eighteen an auspicious number, so maybe this is a positive sign.

“It’s unlikely,” Niki says. “The dinner is honoring women, and I mostly worked with men.” Most of whom are now dead, she does not add.

Soon enough, mother and daughter find their table, and exchange greetings with the two women already seated. Niki squints at their badges and notes they worked in different theaters of operation. Onstage is a podium, behind it a screen emblazoned with O.S.S. Beneath the letters is a gold spade encircled in black.

“What a beautiful outfit!” says one of their tablemates in a tight Texas twang.

“Thank you.” Niki blushes lightly, smoothing her billowy, bright green chiffon skirt.

“You’re the prettiest one in the place,” Andrea whispers as they sit.

“What a load of shit,” Niki spits back. In this room, it’s sequins and diamonds and fur for miles. She pats Andrea’s hand. “But thank you for the compliment.” And thank God for Manfred, who’d raised their girl to treat her mother so well.

Manfred. Niki feels a quake somewhere deep. She is losing him. She’s been losing him for a long time, and maybe this is the reason she came tonight. Those three letters on-screen call up—rather, exhume—a swarm of emotions, not all of them good. But they also offer a strange kind of hope, a reminder that Niki’s survived loss before, and this old body of hers has lived more than one life.

MICHELLE GABLE is the New York Times bestselling author of A Paris Apartment, I'll See You in Paris, The Book of Summer, and The Summer I Met Jack. She attended the College of William & Mary and spent twenty years working in finance before becoming a full-time writer. She grew up in San Diego and lives in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California. Find her on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest, @mgablewriter.

SOCIAL LINKS:

Author website: https://michellegable.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MGableWriter

IG: https://www.instagram.com/mgablewriter/

Earn a Blackbelt In... An Average Guy's Guide to Life Virtual Book Tour

An Average Guy's Guide to Life

Nonfiction / Business

Date Published: Apr 27, 2022

Publisher: Elite Publications

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First and foremost, I am not an expert on any of the topics discussed in this book. Hell, this is my first book so I don’t know if I’m much of a writer either. I’m an average everyday person like most. Second, this isn't a book about martial arts. Sorry if it comes as a surprise given the title, and a surprise because, yes, that is what I do for a living. I am a martial arts instructor. I've been training for more than 30 years and running a school for more than 20. I have black belts, accolades, hall of fame inductions, trophies, and all of that. But, to be honest, so do a lot of instructors. So you're probably thinking "what is this book about?"

Well, I will completely admit, I’ve made a lot of mistakes and screwed up a lot of things. But I think one thing that I’ve been fortunate with is that I’m pretty good about learning from those mistakes. So I guess that’s kind of the point of this book; from an average guy's point of view. Yes, I've spent years teaching martial arts, and that comes with the responsibility of motivating others. In this book, I'll be telling stories that inspire others to strive harder and achieve more. That's what a good instructor does, in my opinion. We must be willing to admit that we don't know everything and that there is still a lot to learn, especially when we might fail. I'm not necessarily referring to punching and kicking. I'm referring to your efforts to better yourself as a person; learning about how to educate, lead, read people, and motivate others.

So relax and get ready to have a one-on-one conversation with me. Yes, this is a conversation between two people rather than a book. This is not me telling you how to live your life as you read these pages. Rather, as you hear about my life, you can be reflective and have ideas about your own. Order your copy of Earn A Blackbelt In...An Average Guy's Guide to Life today.

About the Author

I'm New Jersey born and raised. I've been studying martial arts for over 30 years and have been running my martial arts school, Union UTA Martial Arts for over 20 years. One thing you should know about me is that I'm just an average guy...and I'm more passionate about learning and teaching now than I've ever been.

I'm a multiple time inductee of the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame. I'm so thankful for the many opportunities I've had. In 2017 I partnered with SAMI Combat Systems international to have the 1st SAMICS school in the Western Hemisphere.

I'm an avid motorcycle rider and I love to travel. I live with my wife and teenage daughter in western NJ, I'm an active member in the community, plus I believe deeply in the value of martial arts training as a vehicle for self-improvement.

See. I'm just an average, everyday guy and I wrote this book Earn A Blackbelt In...An Average Guy's Guide to Life because I truly believe that my stories of failing, winning, failing and winning over and over again will inspire you on your journey.

As such, I'm excited to meet you and motivate you with this book on not necessarily how you earn that black belt, but why you should earn that black belt. Who knows, maybe after this book some might consider me an expert, but I certainly don’t.

I hope you get as much out of my book as I did writing it!

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Accursed Son Virtual Book Tour

The Martyr's Vow Series, Book 1

Urban Fantasy / Horror

To Be Published: 12-12-2022

Publisher: Shadow Spark Publishing

Armand Tarkanian is trapped in the ultimate dead-end job: embalming decedents under his abusive uncle’s watchful eye. Every day he goes through the motions, making death look beautiful while his life is anything but.

A car accident leaves him indebted to Berj, a mysterious man with rune-carved gold teeth and a penchant for worshipping old gods. Blackmailed and desperate, Armand feels more trapped than he was under his uncle’s thumb. But the embalmer harbors his own dark secret, a bloodline curse that allows him to communicate with the dead.

When the spirits show him how they were murdered, Armand must choose between fealty to the sadistic and manipulative Berj, or joining the Legion of the Lamb, a monster-hunting biker gang with their own agenda. What began as a dangerous game between secret societies has led Armand on a frightening quest to save the only family he’s ever known and a chance to get closer to the rebellious misfits who saved him.

Heartfelt and provocative, Accursed Son is a story featuring generational clashes, found families, and the rewards of tempting fate.

About the Author

Eric Avedissian is an adjunct professor and speculative fiction author. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and a ridiculous number of books. When not chained to his writing desk, he hikes the Pinelands and wastes too much time on social media. Accursed Son is his first novel. Visit him online at www.ericavedissian.com and on Twitter: @angryreporter.