Check out this incredible #BookGiveaway

 

Join Us For This Tour From Aug 8 to Aug 26 
 
Book Details:

Book Title:  Superwoman: A Funny and Reflective Look at Single Motherhood by Mona Andrei
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 174 pages
GenreHUMOR / Topic / Marriage & Family
Publisher: Cynren Press
Publication Date: March 2021.
Tour dates: Aug 8 to Aug 26
Content Rating: PG-13: No violence, but a splattering of profanity (including the F-word) and discussion of bad marriages.

 

Book Description:
 

They put the tiny, red-faced bundle into her arms, and time stopped. She gazed at that puckered little face and whispered, Welcome to the world, baby girl. Little did she know that within weeks, she would become a single mother—not exactly what she had imagined for her daughters and herself, but exactly what needed to happen. This is the story of a single mother, but it’s more than that. Sometimes funny, sometimes reflective, it’s also your story—a story of that peculiar, trying, and wonderful state of motherhood.

In Superwoman: A Funny and Reflective Look at Single Motherhood, popular humor blogger Mona Andrei brings you her sage and snickery insights on being a single mom, with all its gore and glory. Through a series of interviews, you’ll also get a voyeuristic peek into the lives of other single mothers—and don’t we all love that feeling of Thank goodness, I’m not the only one! We’re all superwomen here.

 

Meet the Author:

Mona Andrei’s adulting journey took an unexpected turn when she realized that the father of her children was not committed to the family they had started together. At the time, she was twenty-four years old. With a baby in her arms and a toddler in tow, she soon realized that everything had fallen on her shoulders, including any chance for a secure future for her and her girls. With humor and candor as her strongest tools for survival, she went from struggling single mother to accomplished wordsmith to member of an award-winning advertising team to top 100 humor blogger. Today, she continues her journey, writing and speaking about her experiences as a single mother with a focus on changing the way that single mothers are respected and appreciated in the workplace: a
win–win for both.

connect with the author: website ~ blog ~ twitter ~ facebook instagram ~ goodreads

Tour Schedule:

Aug 8 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 8 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 9 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 10 – The Momma Spot – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 11 – Paws.Read.Repeat – book spotlight / author interview
Aug 12
– Rockin’ Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 12 – Hall Ways Blog – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 15 – Splashes of Joy – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 15 – Lamon Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 16 – Amy’s Booket list – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 16
– Westveil Publishing – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 16
 A Mama’s Corner of the World – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 17 – She Just Loves Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 18 – The Phantom Paragrapher – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 19 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 22 – Reading Authors Network – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 22 –
 Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 23 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 24 – GeauxGetLit – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 24
– Books are a Blessing – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 25 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Aug 26 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Aug 26
– Novels Alive – book spotlight / giveaway

 

Enter the Giveaway:

 

Superwoman: by Mona Andrei Book Tour Giveaway

 
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I AM NOT OK by K LUCAS

I am notok copy

We are so excited to share I Am Not OK by author K. Lucas with you all today! Read on for more info!

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I Am Not Ok

Publication Date: July 5th, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

All he ever wanted was a normal life, but now he’s been indicted for murder.

Ed is a social pariah, a target of bullies at work, and bears the brunt of his father’s brutality. When his co-workers start to go missing—people he has a reason to hate—Ed finds he’s a prime suspect.

Now, barbed wire, armed guards, and a forthcoming prison sentence separate him from the only person who matters: his twin sister, Emmie.

Emmie witnesses his abuse and vows to do everything she can to help him start a new life. But as the court date looms, everything she thought she knew is brought into question. Ed seems resigned to his fate and time is running out. She must convince her brother to fight for his defense before it’s too late.

CW: Profanity, Mental Illness, Abuse, Violence, Death

ADD TO GOODREADS

PURCHASE HERE!
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About the Author

Author

K. Lucas is an author who lives for the unexpected twist. Originally from California, she now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, son, three dogs, cat, chickens, and ducks. After earning a bachelor’s degree in information technology, she became a homeschool mom and then a full-time author. She loves all things thrilling & chilling, and her favorite pastimes include reading, watching scary movies, and exploring nature.

K Lucas

Book Tour Organized By:

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What They Don’t Know by Susan Furlong

This is a book I am looking forward to reading and it’s perfect for this #ThrillerThursday!

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What They Don’t Know

by Susan Furlong

May 9 – June 3, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

What They Don't Know by Susan Furlong

A picture-perfect suburban life fractures. . . and a darker reality bubbles beneath the surface.

Mona Ellison’s life is as perfect as the porcelain dolls lined up on her shelves. She has a successful husband, a loving son, a beautiful home, and a supportive group of girlfriends ever ready for their weekly wine night.

But when Mona’s son gets entangled with the wrong crowd and runs away from home, her blissful suburban world begins to unravel. She tells her friends that boys will be boys, that he’ll be back as soon as his money runs dry . . . but deep down she knows there’s something else going on.

Then the police show up at Mona’s door. A young girl has turned up dead in their quiet town, and her missing son is the prime suspect.

Determined to reunite with her son and prove his innocence, Mona follows an increasingly cryptic trail of clues on social media, uncovering a sinister side of suburbia and unveiling lies and betrayal from those she trusted most. And as Mona spirals further from her once cozy reality, a devastating revelation shatters everything she thought she knew. Now the only thing she’s sure of is that she can’t trust anyone . . . not even herself.

With unrelenting psychological suspense and a wicked twist, What They Don’t Know marries small-town thriller and domestic mystery—suburban paranoia at its best.

What They Don’t Know Book Love:

“Part domestic thriller, part small-town mystery, What They Don’t Know is everything suspense fans want: characters who’ll make you think twice, a subversive plot, and pages that seemingly turn themselves the deeper you get into the story. In this portrait of suburban life tinged with malice and intrigue, paranoia lurks just around the corner. Read it at night. Don’t plan on sleep.” (Tosca Lee, NYT bestselling author of The Line Between)

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense
Published by: Seventh Street Books
Publication Date: May 17th, 2022
Number of Pages: 286
ISBN: 1645060403 (ISBN13: 9781645060406)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

It was the last Tuesday of the month, our normal book club night, and we were gathered at my house—Selma, Alice, Tara, and me—settled in the living room, Moroccan rug plush beneath us, immersed in the decor’s eclectic mix of whimsy and Old-World aesthetic. This would be our last book club meeting, but it was more than that, really. It was a pulled thread in the carefully woven tapestry of our friendships that had begun in college and endured careers, weddings, our first-borns, and remained constant through affairs, divorces, and much worse …

***

Excerpt from What They Don’t Know by Susan Furlong. Copyright 2022 by Susan Furlong. Reproduced with permission from Susan Furlong. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Susan Furlong

Susan Furlong is the author of eleven novels including SHATTERED JUSTICE, a New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year. She also contributes, under a pen name, to the New York Times bestselling Novel Idea series. Her most recent novel, WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW, has been praised by reviewers as an engrossing and delightfully creepy read. She resides in Illinois with her husband and children.

Catch Up With Susan Furlong:
www.SusanFurlong.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @SusanFurlongAuthor
Instagram – @susanfurlong
Twitter – @Furlong_Sue
Facebook – @SusanFurlongAuthor

 

 

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!https://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=306068

 

 

GIVEAWAY:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for What They Don’t Know by Susan Furlong. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

 

Happy Pub Day

Falling in love with the billionaire wasn’t part of the deal.

The Billionaire’s Guide to The Marriage Deal, an all new hilarious and spicy, fake dating, opposites attract romantic comedy from debut author Piper Marlowe, is available now!

A FAKE WHIRLWIND ROMANCE AND MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE WITH THE WRONG GIRL NEVER FELT SO RIGHT

When my grandparents founded the Taylor Corporation, it was to make life better for future generations of Taylors.
But Grandma Sofia doesn’t think said generations are trustworthy enough to take over.

“Get married and prove you have an eye to the future,” she said.
“It’ll be easy,” she said.

But “easy” is not exactly the word I’d use to describe the new Mrs. Easton Taylor. Phoebe isn’t exactly my type, which is the plan–easy to marry, easy to walk away from. She makes flashcards for fun. She’s mouthy, sexy, and uninhibited. Worst of all, I’m now stepfather to a cat named Roger.

Some would call it a marriage of convenience.
But what I got into is more of a convenience store arrangement . . . an overpriced, fast, knockoff version of the real thing.

So why do I actually like the cat? And why can’t I stop imagining something more real with my fake wife?

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CJ467y
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/marriagedeal

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3JeHLkY

About Piper Marlowe

Piper Marlowe is an absolute legend, if you know where to look. And trust us, you don’t.
For national security reasons, her identity is a secret. As a matter of fact, there’s a good chance that at this very moment, she’s undercover, speaking with a bad Lithuanian accent to a bunch of shady characters. She can neither confirm nor deny that she’s writing ultra-fun, uber-witty, hot-darn-sexy romance to distract from the stress of her current clandestine operation.
Or maybe romance writing is the cover for a cover?
She could tell you, but then she’d have to . . . you know. That.

Connect with Piper
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3MnIS2U
Stay up to date with all releases by signing up to Piper’s mailing list: https://bit.ly/3vsJptu
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3EBcdUO
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MlpTpt
Website: www.pipermarlowebooks.com

RED Review

Today I am excited to be a part of the Transplanted Tales 10-Year Anniversary Blog Tour. The year long event kicks off today with Red by Kate SeRine. Kensington is giving the series a fresh new look and Kate is hosting a year long giveaway in addition to tours for each book. Come check it this fantastic paranormal romance series featuring Tess “Red” Little. 

REVIEW

My favorite fairytale as a child was Little Red Riding Hood because I always found her mysterious and mystery always intrigued me. Red by Kate Serine is the retelling of this marvelous fairytale that packs all the mystery and fun in a grown up version.

Red is a crass and brassy fem fetal, is on the hunt for the perpetrators who are murdering tales. Nate, who has given his heart to unpure Red, teams up with her to uncover the mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved the great character development by the author. I will definitely be reading more of the transplanted tales series.

Red by Kate SeRine

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Goodreads

Fairytale characters meet the mean streets of Chicago in this gritty paranormal romance featuring Little Red Riding Hood as a tough-as-nails detective.

Once upon a time, a spell went awry, stranding Make Believe characters in the ordinary world. Since then, Tess “Red” Little has worked as an Enforcer for the Chicago branch of the Fairytale Management Authority. All grown up and with nothing to lose, she’s not some waif with a basket of goodies. Guns and combat boots are more her style now. And on her latest assignment, no one’s living happily ever after.

Someone is viciously murdering transplanted Tales, and the list of characters capable of such grisly violence includes more than one of Red’s old flames. To make matters worse, she’ll be working alongside sexy, enigmatic Nate Grimm, the FMA’s lead detective and part-time Reaper. Red normally prefers playing the lone wolf, but Nate’s dark side makes him perfect for this case. That is, if she can trust him. As she learned long ago, believing in the wrong person can have big, bad consequences.

Transplanted Tale Series

Read an Excerpt

I threw the covers back and stormed down the stairs, brushing past Gran in my fury. I charged into the kitchen, fully expecting to light into Nate about barging into my house—okay, well, not technically my house, but still—but when I saw him I slid to a halt, briefly wondering if I’d wandered into a parallel dimension.

            Nate had discarded his omnipresent suit jacket and fedora in exchange for one of Gran’s pink frilly aprons with a creepily cheery gingerbread man embroidered on the front. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, revealing muscled forearms and intricately drawn tribal-style tattoos that were completely out of sorts with the girly cooking attire.

            When he heard me come in, he turned away from where he was scrambling eggs with peppers and onions and offered me a wide smile. “Good morning, sunshine,” he called over his shoulder.

            I intended to stun him with a witty comeback that started with Piss and ended with Off, but before I got the chance, he added, “Breakfast will be ready in a sec. I hope you like your eggs loaded. I didn’t figure you for a cinnamon roll kind of girl, but Gran insisted I whip some up when she heard my recipe.”

            I blinked at him, now certain about my alternate reality theory. “What the hell are you doing here?”

            Nate added some shredded cheese to his concoction and gently folded the eggs a couple of times before responding, “Thought we’d get an early start.”

            I hopped up onto one of the stools nestled around the kitchen bar and gave him a wary look. “Start on what exactly?”

            “I figured we’d drop in on Wolf,” he said. “Get it out of the way.”

I felt my stomach flop ominously. Probably just the hangover. “He’s nocturnal,” I muttered. “Maybe we should wait until later in the day.”

“Or we can catch him unawares so he doesn’t run,” he rejoined.

I bristled a little at his tone. “Seth won’t run.”

Nate shrugged. “Because he has a history of sticking it out when things get rough?”

“Fine,” I snapped, having to admit he had a point. “But he’s not the guy.”

“So you keep saying. As soon as he’s cleared, we’ll move on to Caliban.”

Nate scooped the eggs onto a plate and arranged a few slices of crisp bacon, perfectly toasted sourdough, and a sprig of parsley around them before setting the lot in front of me.

            I stared down at the beautifully arranged food before me and wondered if I should eat it or take a picture of it. My stomach grumbled in spite of its queasiness, which really left only one option. I shoveled a bite of eggs into my mouth and had to stop myself from moaning with delight as Nate set out a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

            “So what do you think?” he asked, studying me in that über-intense way of his.

            “I think Caliban can be an arrogant, foul-tempered asshole,” I mumbled around my eggs, “but I don’t think he’s your perp either.”

            Nate laughed. “Not what I meant. The breakfast—do you like it?”

            I swallowed, lifting my face from the trough—uh, plate—and meeting his gaze. “Yeah, it’s great. Thanks.”

            He gave me a wink and went back to the stove, gathering up the frying pans and utensils and loading them into the dishwasher. Bemused by the decidedly surreal experience, I continued eating and was just polishing off the last of the most delicious cinnamon roll I’d ever consumed when Gran came bustling in.

            “Well, I’m off!” she cried cheerily, her cheeks aglow with excitement. “Wish me luck, my darlings!”

            Darlings? Plural?

            Nate hastily dried his hands on the edge of his apron and shook Gran’s hand warmly. “Best of luck, Tilly—”

            Tilly?

            “—I’m sure your interview will go swell.”

            Swell?

            Gran tittered like a schoolgirl, blushing at Nate’s encouragement, then good-naturedly batted at his shoulder. “Oh, Detective, if all my audience was as kind as you, I would never worry about ratings!”

Dear God, it was a morning person conspiracy.

About the Author

Kate SeRine (pronounced “serene”) is a hopeless romantic who firmly believes in true love that lasts forever. So it’s no surprise that when she began writing her own stories, Kate vowed her characters would always have a happily ever after. She’s the author of the award-winning TRANSPLANTED TALES paranormal romance series as well as two romantic suspense series: PROTECT AND SERVE and DARK ALLIANCE.

Kate lives in a smallish, quintessentially Midwestern town with her husband and two sons, who share her love of storytelling. She never tires of creating new worlds to share and is even now working on her next project — probably while consuming way too much coffee.

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Newsletter

Giveaways

Red Blog Tour Giveaway

Enter to win a $25.00 eGift card from retailer of your choice (Amazon, Apple, B&N or Kobo). Ends March 10th.

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10-Year Anniversary of the Transplanted Tales Giveaway

Join Kate SeRine’s newsletter for the chance to win a US Amazon eGift Card. Winner will be selected at random from active subscriber list on December 16, 2022. 

Enter here:  https://www.subscribepage.com/w8n0q1

 

Book Review Giveaway Tour

Trust Me

by Kelly Irvin

February 7 – March 4, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

Trust Me by Kelly Irvin

When her best friend is murdered the same way her brother was, who can she possibly trust?

MY THOUGHTS

Trust Me by Kelly Irvin is my second book I have read by this author and I must say she has now become an auto buy author for me.

Trust Me is not only a thriller, but also a book about second chances, of hope, forgiveness, and friendships that are closer than family.

10 years ago Delaney discovered her brother murdered and her best friend and boyfriend was convicted by his peers as the person whom did this devastating act.

Now, 10 years later she is going through the same devastation when she finds her best friend Ellie, who was her brother’s girlfriend, murdered also.

Hunter Nash, the convicted killer of her brothers murder, has been newly released from prison on good behavior and he has one thing to prove, that he was innocent.

This book was full of twists after twist, figuring out who could have killed Ellie and if the two murders were connected.

It’s also a book that makes you hold onto faith when you have nothing else to hold onto. I adore her Kelly Irvin’s writing style and her reality based thrillers from all perspectives of the story.

I highly recommend this one and can’t say enough good things and I was completely caught off guard with the major reveal towards the end.

Five Star Read!!

Synopsis

A decade ago, Delaney Broward discovered her brother’s murdered body at the San Antonio art co-op he founded with friends. Her artist boyfriend, Hunter Nash, went to prison for the murder, despite his not-guilty plea.

This morning, Hunter walks out of prison a free man, having served his sentence.

This afternoon, Delaney finds her best friend dead, murdered in the same fashion as her brother.

Stay out of it or you’re next, the killer warns.

Hunter never stopped loving Delaney, though he can’t blame her for not forgiving her. He knows he’ll get his life back one day at a time, one step at a time. But he’s blindsided to realize he’s a murder suspect. Again.

When Hunter shows up on her doorstep asking her to help him find the real killer, Delaney’s head says to run away, yet her heart tells her there’s more to his story than what came out in the trial. An uneasy truce leads to their probe into a dark past that shatters Delaney’s image of her brother. She can’t stop and neither can Hunter—which lands them both in the crosshairs of a murderer growing more desperate by the hour.

In this gripping romantic suspense, Kelly Irvin plumbs the complexity of broken trust in the people we love—and in God—and whether either can be mended.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: February 8th 2022
Number of Pages: 384
ISBN: 0785231935 (ISBN13: 9780785231936)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook.com | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

CHAPTER 1

APRIL 22, 2010
SAN ANTONIO ART CO-OP
SOUTHTOWN, SAN ANTONIO

The cloying stench of pot told the same old story.

With an irritated sigh Delaney Broward quickened her pace through the warehouse-turned-art-co-op toward her brother’s studio at the far end of the cavernous hall. On his best days Corey had little sense of time. Add a joint to the mix and he lost his sense not only of time but of responsibility. It also explained why he didn’t answer his phone. When he got high and started painting, he wanted no interruptions. His lime-green VW van was parked cattywampus across two spaces in the lot that faced Alamo Street just south of downtown San Antonio. He might be physically present, but his THC-soaked mind had escaped its cell.

Marijuana served as his muse and taskmaster. Or so he’d said.

The soles of her huarache sandals clacking on the concrete floor sounded loud in Delaney’s ears. “Corey? Corey! You were supposed to pick us up at Ellie’s. Come on, dude. She’s waiting.”

No answer.

At this rate Delaney would never get to Night in Old San Antonio, affectionately known to most local folks as NIOSA. Everyone who was anyone knew it was pronounced NI-O-SA, long I and long O, the best party-slash-fundraiser during the mother of all parties where her boyfriend would be waiting for her. “Hey, bro, I’m starving. Let’s go.”

Delaney’s phone rang. She slowed and dug it from the pocket of her stonewashed jeans. Speaking of Ellie. “I’m at the co-op now. He’s here.”

Share as little info as possible.

“He’s stoned again, isn’t he? I’m sick of this.” Ellie’s shrill voice rose even higher. “I swear if he stands me up again— ”

Us. Stands us up.”

“Stood us up again. That will be it. I’m done. I’m done waiting around for him. I’m done playing second fiddle to his self-destructive habits. I’m done with his starving-artist, free-spirit, pothead schtick. The man is a walking stereotype. I’m done with him, period.”

Delaney mouthed the words along with her friend. She knew the lyrics of this lovesick song by heart. The childish rejoinder “It takes one to know one” stuck in her throat. “We’ll be there in twenty. You can tell him yourself.”

Ellie would and then Corey would kiss her until she took it all back. With a final huff Ellie hung up.

The door to his studio— the largest and with the best light because the co-op was Corey’s dream child— stood open. “Seriously, Corey. Think of someone besides yourself once in a while, please.” Delaney strode through the door, ready to ream her brother up one side and down the other. “You are so selfish.”

Delaney halted. At first blush it didn’t make sense. Twisted and smashed canvases littered the floor. Along with paints, brushes, beer bottles, and Thai food take-out cartons.

Wooden easels were broken like toothpicks and scattered on top of the canvases. Someone had splattered red paint over another finished piece— a woman eating a raspa in front of a vendor’s mobile cart, the Alamo in the background.

Delaney’s hands went to her throat. The metallic scent of blood mingled with the odor of human waste gagged her. A fiery shiver started at her toes and raced like a lit fuse to her brain. Her mind took in detail after detail. That way she didn’t have to face the bigger picture staring her in the face. “Please, God, no.”

Even He couldn’t fix this.

She shot forward, stumbled, and fell to her knees. Her legs refused to work. She crawled the remainder of the distance to Corey across a floor marred by still-wet oil paint, beer, and other liquids she couldn’t bear to identify.

He sat with his back against the wall. His long legs clad in paint-splattered jeans sprawled in front of him. His feet were bare. His hands with those thin, expressive fingers lay in his lap. Deep lacerations scored his palms and fingers.

Her throat aching with the effort not to vomit, Delaney forced her gaze to move upward. His T-shirt, once white, now shone scarlet with blood. His blood. Rips in the shirt left his chest exposed, revealing stab wounds— too many to count.

Delaney opened her mouth. Scream. Just scream. Let it out.

No sound emerged.

She crawled alongside her big brother until she could lean her shoulder and head against the wall. “Corey?” she whispered.

His green eyes, fringed by thick, dark lashes that were the envy of every woman he’d ever dated, were open and startled. His skin, always pale and ethereal, had a blue tinge to it.

Delaney drowned in a tsunami of nausea. “Come on, Corey, this isn’t funny. I need you.”

Her teeth chattered. Hands shaking, she touched his throat. His skin was cold. So cold.

Too late, too late, too late. The words screamed in her head. Stop it. Just stop it. “You can’t be dead. You’re not allowed to die.”

Mom and Dad had died in a car wreck a week past her eighth birthday. Nana and Pops had taken their turns the year Delaney turned eighteen. Everybody she cared about died.

Not Corey. Delaney punched in 9–1–1.

The operator’s assurance that help was on the way did nothing to soothe Delaney. She sat cross-legged and dragged Corey’s shoulders and head into her lap. She had to warm him up. “Tell them to hurry. Tell them my brother needs help.”

“Yes, ma’am. They’re en route.”

“Tell them he’s all I’ve got.”

CHAPTER 2

TEN YEARS LATER
NASH RESIDENCE, SAN ANTONIO

Real men didn’t cry. Not even during a reunion with a beloved truck.

Swallowing hard, Hunter Nash wrapped his fingers around the keys, concentrating on the feel of the metal pressing into his skin. He cleared his throat. “Thanks, Mom. For keeping it all these years.”

His mom didn’t bother to try to hide her tears. She wiped her plump cheeks on a faded dish towel, offered him a tremulous smile, and bustled down the sidewalk that led from the house on San Antonio’s near west side where Hunter had grown up to the detached two-car garage in the back. It had housed his truck for the past eight years. Almost ten if he counted the two years it took for his case to go to trial. He had no place to go in those years when he’d allegedly been innocent until proven guilty. His friends no longer friends and his job gone, he had no need for transportation.

The door to the garage was padlocked. Mom handed him the key. “My hands are shaking. You’d better do the honors.” She stepped back. “I still can’t believe you’re here.”

“I did my time, Ma.” As a model prisoner he’d earned time off for good behavior. It was easy for a guy to behave when he spent his days and nights scared spitless.

“I know. All those nights I’ve lain in bed worrying about you in that place, whether you were safe, if you were hurt, if you were sick.” Her voice broke. “I can’t believe it’s over.”

“Me neither.”

It wasn’t over. In fact, it was just beginning, but she didn’t need to know that. His determination to prove his innocence would only worry her more. A divorced mother of four, she’d raised her kids on a teacher’s salary and an occasional child support check from the crud-for-brains ex-husband who showed up once every couple of years in an attempt to make nice with his kids. She deserved a break.

The aging manual garage door squeaked and protested when Hunter yanked on the handle. He needed to do some work around here, starting with applying some WD-40. The smell of mold and old motor oil wafted from the dark interior. Hunter slipped inside and waited for his eyes to adjust. A layer of dust covered the 2002 midnight-blue Dodge RAM 1500, but otherwise it remained in the pristine condition in which he’d left it the night he said goodbye and promised he’d be back. “My baby.”

More tears trickling down her face, Mom chuckled softly. “After you finish reintroducing yourself, come back inside. I’m making your favorite chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, pineapple coleslaw, and creamed corn. Your brother and sisters are coming over after work. Shawna’s bringing a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Melissa’s contribution is three kinds of ice cream, including rocky road. She said it seemed appropriate. I hope you haven’t lost your sense of humor. And you know Curtis. He’s all about the beer.”

The last thing Hunter wanted to do was celebrate with his sibs. Mel and Shawna had visited faithfully at first, but less as the years rolled by. Curtis never showed, even though Fabian Dominguez State Jail was only a few miles down the road from San Antonio.

Nor did Hunter want to explain why he’d sworn off alcohol. The conditions of his parole included monthly pee tests— no alcohol or drugs, but that part of his life was over anyway. It had been easy to comply in prison, obviously. Whether he could maintain his sobriety in the beer drinking capital of the country remained to be seen. He’d do AA if necessary. “Mom— ”

“No buts. They’re family. They love you. You need to live life, enjoy life, make up for all you’ve missed. You haven’t even met most of your nieces and nephews. Did you know Mel is expecting another baby in August?”

“Yes, I— ”

“Today we celebrate your new job and your new life.”

His bachelor of fine arts with an emphasis in drawing and painting from Southwest School of Art might once have allowed him to teach art in one of the school districts, but not anymore.

It didn’t matter. The prison chaplain had hooked him up with Pastor James. The preacher ran a faith-based community center that served at-risk youth. He’d hired Hunter to teach art to those who’d already had their first brush with the law. He figured Hunter could teach life lessons at the same time he introduced them to art as a way to channel their anger at the hand life had dealt them. Learning what happened when a guy got off track would be the lesson.

Even though Hunter hadn’t gotten off the track. He’d been shoved off it. By an eager-beaver, newbie detective; a green-as-a-Granny-Smith-apple public defender; and an assembly-line justice system.

He would get by in this world that had hung him out to dry. Especially knowing Mom had his back. She had that don’t-mess-with-me teacher look in her burnt-amber eyes. Like her sixth graders, Hunter knew better than to argue. It felt good to know she remained in his corner. When everyone else had hit the ground, scattering in opposite directions, she never budged in her belief that son number two could not be a murderer. She’d brought him up better than that.

“You’re right. Give me a few minutes.”

She patted his chest and stretched on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek. Her lips were chapped, and the wrinkles had deepened around her mouth and eyes. Her long hair had gone pure white during his years away. “Take your time, sweetheart.”

Hunter gritted his teeth. After years of looking over his shoulder, bobbing and weaving around hard-core convicts who’d as soon shank a guy in the shower as look at him, he didn’t know how to cope with nice. With sweet. With love tempered with wisdom and a hard life.

“One day at a time.” That’s what the prison chaplain had told him. “Get through the next minute, the next hour, the next day.” That’s how he did eight years at Dominguez. This couldn’t be any harder. He opened the truck’s door and slid into the driver’s seat. The faint odor of pine air freshener greeted him. And citrus.

More likely that was his imagination. Delaney’s perfume simply could not linger that long. Move on. She has. She did. To her credit Delaney held on as long as she could— until the guilty verdict. Then she was forced to move on. She couldn’t be blamed for that.

Hunter picked up the sketch pad on the passenger seat. In those days he kept one everywhere. Just in case. The first page. The second. The third. All drawings of Delaney. Sweet Laney eating a slice of watermelon at a Fourth of July celebration. Laney rocking Hunter’s newborn nephew in a hickory rocker on the front porch. Laney in a bathing suit sitting on the dock at Medina Lake. Laney with her soulful eyes, long sandy-brown hair, and air of sad vulnerability worn like a pair of old jeans that fit perfectly. That too-big nose, wide mouth, and pointed chin. Corey might have been the angelic beauty— totally unfair— but Delaney’s face had character. She had a face Hunter never ceased to want to draw and paint.

And kiss.

He turned the pages slowly, allowing the memories to have their way with him. Meeting at a party Corey had thrown when Delaney was a senior in high school. Their first date, ribs and smoked chicken with heart-stopping creamed corn, potato salad, coleslaw, and jalapeños at Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q followed by dancing at Leon Springs Dance Hall.

She had danced with the abandon of a small child. As if she didn’t care who watched. Her face glowed with perspiration. Her green eyes sparkled with happiness. His two left feet couldn’t keep up, but she didn’t mind. She twirled her peasant skirt as she flew around him, her hands in the air, her curves beckoning.

Hunter closed his eyes. Her softness enveloped him. Her sweetness surrounded him.

He needed to see her again. He needed to talk to her. Somehow he had to prove to her that she was wrong about him. Whatever it took. He laid the sketchbook aside. “Come on, dude, let’s take a ride.”

He stuck the key in the ignition and turned it.

Nothing. Not even a tick-tick-tick. He tried a second time. Nada. “I’m an idiot.” He patted the steering wheel. “Not your fault, man.”

The truck hadn’t been driven in years. The battery was dead. He might be able to jump it, but more likely he’d need a new one. Batteries cost money.

One thing at a time. He’d waited this long.

Hunter slid from the truck and eased the door closed. “I’ll be back when I get my act together.”

In the kitchen Hunter found his mom peeling potatoes. She pointed the peeler at him. “You can’t imagine how good it feels to have you home.”

“You can’t imagine how good it feels to be here.” He landed a kiss on her soft hair. She smelled of Pond’s cold cream. The same old comforting scent. Life had changed but not her. “I’m gonna take a walk. I need to blow the prison stink off.”

“Enjoy. They redid the walking trail at the lake and installed new outdoor fitness equipment.” She waved the paring knife in the air. “But don’t stay too long. You have company coming.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He pantomimed a mock salute and headed for the front door.

One thing at a time. One step at a time. That’s how he’d get his life back.

***

Excerpt from Trust Me by Kelly Irvin. Copyright 2022 by Kelly Irvin. Reproduced with permission from Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Kelly Irvin

Kelly Irvin is a bestselling, award-winning author of over twenty novels and stories. A retired public relations professional, Kelly lives with her husband, Tim, in San Antonio. They have two children, three grandchildren, and two ornery cats.

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www.KellyIrvin.com
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Instagram – @kelly_irvin
Twitter – @Kelly_TrustMe
Facebook – @Kelly.Irvin.Author

 

 

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Winter Dawn

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Congratulations to author Alex Callister on the release of the highly anticipated prequel in the Winter series, Winter Dawn! Read on for more info and a chance to win a $25 Amazon e-gift card and some book swag!

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Winter Dawn (Winter #3) Publication Date: January 24th, 2022 Genre: Thriller/ Spy Thriller/ Strong Female Lead

It is darkest before the dawn..

A hunt to the death. An all-seeing executioner. An unlikely hero.

From the author of the #1 best selling Audible Thriller of the Year comes a totally gripping crime thriller with heart-pounding suspense.

A New York Senator is being hunted.

With the world watching, she has been chosen as Colosseum’s next victim. No one can look away from the chilling new reality show, which awards a huge cash prize to the first person to assassinate its target. No-where is safe. No-one can be trusted. But just when her brutal death seems inevitable, an arrogant 21-year-old arrives from London to protect her. Now Winter is all that stands between the Senator and Colosseum. As dawn creeps in, time is running out for Winter to unravel the riddle at the heart of this sinister game: who is the shadowy Adjudicator of Colosseum, and what is his ultimate purpose?

Meet Winter: she’s the audacious, hyper-intelligent GCHQ agent with more notches on her bed post than James Bond and more hacking cred than Lisbeth Salander. Winter Dawn is the beginning of the Winter series, journeying back to the start of her story. This time, she’s grappling with Colosseum: a sinister online phenomenon that has gripped the world. It promises a massive cash prize to the successful hunter of its victims, unleashing an unstoppable tide of violence – and the world’s authorities are powerless to prevent it. When a New York Senator is targeted, Winter is called in to protect her. But with all the world watching, there’s nowhere to hide. No one has ever survived Colosseum. It’s the winter solstice, and as they journey together into the dark heart of the longest night, they soon discover that nothing about Colosseum is what it seems. There are rules, and there is a purpose, if only they can solve the riddle in time. Colosseum is more than a hunt: it’s a challenge. Targets must face their darkest fear, or die at dawn.

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Available on ebook, Paperback, Audiobook, AudioCD

Also on Amazon US

About the Author

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Alex has spent her career charting the rise of the internet and is fascinated by the dark web and its potential to facilitate crime. An action movie fan, her books are full of cult references. Her kick-ass heroine, Winter, was inspired by Bond, Bourne, John Wick, Vin Diesel, Jack Reacher and many others. Alex has a history degree, a certificate in creative writing and a murderous imagination. She writes when she gets a chance, which is mainly at night between 10pm and 2am at home in London, with her three Bengal tigers. WINTER DARK was the Audible Thriller of the Year 2019.

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Winter Series

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The Overnight Guest

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The Overnight GuestThe Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Heather Gudenkauf delivers yet another shocking blockbuster thriller that needs to be added to the top of your to be read list!

Point of view told in a present timeline that is going through an unbelievable winter weather storm and also told from a 20 year old past in the summer sweltering heat.

How these timelines intermix and correlate to each other had me flying through the pages trying to discover the answer.

A true disturbing treat of a story!

Thank you @htpbooks and @netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

View all my reviews

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