eBook Contest 8/23

Here are the eBooks for this week’s Winning Wednesday contest:

Title: Talulah’s Back in Town by Brenda Novak
Coyote Canyon Book One
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 347 pages

Summary:

Sometimes the past we leave behind leads us right where we belong.

Talulah Barclay doesn’t like complications. Unfortunately, they seem to love her. Fourteen years after leaving her fiancé at the altar, Talulah returns to her hometown of Coyote Canyon, Montana, to settle her great-aunt’s estate. As she’d feared, her “runaway bride” reputation is waiting right where she left it, and her ex’s best friend, Brant, isn’t about to let her slip by unnoticed.

Brant has always been a loyal friend, but Talulah’s decision to run isn’t the only thing he hasn’t forgotten. He remembers more about Talulah than he cares to admit. Vividly. And it’s increasingly difficult to ignore her now, especially when they find themselves in close quarters. Talulah has no plans to stay in town after she fixes up her aunt’s Victorian farmhouse, even if the unbridled sparks with Brant give her a good reason to linger. Besides, bailing on relationships is kind of her thing. But a lot has changed since Talulah last turned tail—maybe her heart has changed, too?

Coyote Canyon

Book 1: Talulah’s Back in Town
Book 2: The Talk of Coyote Canyon


Title: Forever in Honeymoon Harbor by JoAnn Ross
Honeymoon Harbor Book Five
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 304 pages

Summary:

Quinn Mannion never believed in destiny until she came to Honeymoon Harbor. The eldest of five siblings, Quinn has always found success—head altar boy, valedictorian of Honeymoon High, big-city lawyer. Until he gave it all up. Walking away from his lucrative career and returning to Honeymoon Harbor to reopen the old family pub wasn’t as tough as he thought. Not nearly as tough as meeting the woman who was meant to be his forever. But loving a married woman is a line Quinn won’t cross.

Despite Amanda Barrow’s attempts to be friendly yet reserved, she knows Quinn has noticed a shadow hanging over her. And walls that don’t invite intimacy. And the unexplained bruises. As much as she tries not to fall so quickly, Quinn’s steady nature and loving concern have Amanda burying memories of her disastrous marriage and feeling hopeful for the future. But she’ll have to let go of the chaos and pain of the past—and accept a staggering family secret—before she and Quinn can get their happy-ever-after.

Honeymoon Harbor

Book 1: Herons Landing
Book 2: Snowfall on Lighthouse Lane
Book 3: Summer on Mirror Lake
Book 4: Second Chance Spring
Book 5: Forever in Honeymoon Harbor


Title: The Face in the Water by Gregory Ashe
Iron on Iron Book One
Publisher: Hodgkin & Blount
Genre: Contemporary, Gay, Mystery
Length: 353 pages

Summary:

Come to Missouri! See the sights! Solve a murder!

When Teancum Leon, a wildlife veterinarian, and his husband, semi-reformed conman Jeremiah Berger, go to a conference in central Missouri, they’re expecting a short and uneventful trip. Tean will present a paper, attend a few panels, and network (under duress). Jem is looking forward to unlimited poolside drinks, some well-deserved couple time, and peace and quiet.

Instead, they find themselves drawn into a frantic search after the head of the association goes missing. Worse, Tean’s friend from grad school is arrested—and charged with murder.

Their investigation takes them face-to-face with a fervent conspiracist, a band of wildlife traffickers, the owner of a big cat sanctuary, and more. But the real killer doesn’t want to be found, and they’ll do anything to stop Tean and Jem from learning the truth. Lucky for them, they’ve got a reluctant group of allies. Not so lucky for them? Their allies are…well, characters.


Wednesday is contest day on Book Talk and More with Kathy. Three lucky winners will win the eBook of their choice! Here’s how to enter:

You must do the Following:

1. Sign up for e-mail updates (below). One email daily with the day’s posts.

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Make sure you have filled out the contest entry form:

3. To be eligible to enter contests on Book Talk and More with Kathy you MUST fill out the contest entry form (found HERE). This form only needs to be filled out ONCE. Your privacy is important to me, and I will not share your information.

And don't forget to:

4. Fill out the form below by 4 PM Mountain Time Friday afternoon:

CONTEST OVER

* I am the only person who will have access to info that is submitted to me UNLESS a publisher or author has donated an eBook for the giveaway. For a prize donated by an author or publisher, I will forward your e-mail and format selection to the person responsible for distributing the eBook. Please refer to the privacy page HERE if you have questions about how your information is used. In the event the contest form is not working, please leave your book selection in the comments below.*

It’s that easy! The winners will be selected using random.org. I will e-mail the winners the eBook of their choice in their preferred format. The winners will be posted HERE on Saturday.

***The eBooks in this giveaway have been purchased by Book Talk & More with Kathy.***

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Review: Home for the Challah Days by Jennifer Wilck

Title: Home for the Challah Days by Jennifer Wilck
Holidays, Heart and Chutzpah Book One
Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 293 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by the Author

Summary:

Options:

Turning the bitterness of the past…

Into a sweet future!

When big-city advocate Sarah Abrams returns home for the High Holy Days, she’s got a lot on her mind—especially whether to marry her perfect-on-paper boyfriend. The last person she wants to encounter is Aaron Isaacson, her first love and the one who broke her heart. But after Aaron and Sarah join forces to fight an act of hate, it’s clear that their deep connection never abated. If only they could forgive one another for the past…in time for a sweet new start!

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

Holidays, Heart and Chutzpah

Book 1: Home for the Challah Days

Review:

Home for the Challah Days by Jennifer Wilck is a charming romance that also features topical issues.

Sarah Abrams and Aaron Isaacson are former sweethearts whose lives went in separate ways. After college, Aaron returned home to take over the family deli while Sarah moved to DC to turn her dream into reality. After a ten-year separation, Sarah returns to her hometown for a couple of weeks to mull over a possible life-altering decision.

Sarah is very goal-oriented with a life plan firmly in her mind. An unexpected question sends her into a bit of a tailspin so she decides a vacation at home will assist her with her choice. This becomes a turning point as her tunnel vision about her life begins to widen and distance provides her with much needed clarity.

Aaron is very dedicated to his family and he is nursing a ten-year pain that makes it difficult for him to be around Sarah. He impetuously lashes out in anger as circumstances begin to occur outside of his control. Aaron can be very rigid and he does not communicate as well as he could.

The sparks definitely fly between Sarah and Aaron. But she has not been completely forthcoming about certain aspects of her personal life. When unexpected events occur within their community, she begins to see that her current path might not be her only choice.

Home for the Challah Days is a delightful romance with vibrantly drawn characters and a close-knit community. Sarah and Aaron undergo tremendous growth when they realize their goals and dreams change over time. Their small town is diverse and helpful in times of need. Unexpected societal situations explore out of the ordinary solutions when shocking incidents occur.  Jennifer Wilck brings this marvelous romance to a realistic and heartfelt conclusion. Highly recommend!

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Teen Tuesday: Unexpecting by Jen Bailey

Teenage or adult readers who like Young Adult novels might enjoy this week’s spotlight:

Title: Unexpecting by Jen Bailey
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Gay, Fiction
Length: 298 pages

Summary:

Juno meets Heartstopper in Jen Bailey’s Unexpecting, a poignant and emotional story about found family, what it means to be a parent, and falling in love.

Benjamin Morrison is about to start junior year of high school and while his family is challenging, he is pretty content with his life, with his two best friends, and being a part of the robotics club. Until an experiment at science camp has completely unexpected consequences.

He is going to be a father. Something his mother was not expecting after he came out as gay and she certainly wasn’t expecting that he would want to raise the baby as a single father. But together they come up with a plan to prepare Ben for fatherhood and fight for his rights.

The weight of Ben’s decision presses down on him. He’s always tired, his grades fall, and tension rises between his mom and stepfather. He’s letting down his friends in the robotics club whose future hinges on his expertise. If it wasn’t for his renewed friendship (and maybe more) with a boy from his past, he wouldn’t be able to face the daily ridicule at school or the crumbling relationship with his best friends.

With every new challenge, every new sacrifice he has to make, Ben questions his choice. He’s lived with a void in his heart where a father’s presence should have been, and the fear of putting his own child through that keeps him clinging to his decision. When the baby might be in danger, Ben’s faced with a heart-wrenching realization: sometimes being a parent means making the hard choices even if they are the choices you don’t want to make…

Goodreads

Purchase Link: Amazon * B&N

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Mystery Monday: The Enemy at Home by Kevin O’Brien

If you love a good mystery then you should check out this week’s spotlight!

Title: The Enemy at Home by Kevin O’Brien
Publisher: Kensington Books
Genre: Historical, Mystery
Length: 450 pages

Summary:

A serial killer preys on women in WWII-era Seattle in the New York Times bestselling author’s gripping new thriller—a blend of vivid, richly detailed historical fiction and taut suspense.

1943, Seattle. While raging war reshapes the landscape of Europe, its impact is felt thousands of miles away too. Before the war, Nora Kinney was one of countless housewives and mothers in her comfortable Capitol Hill neighborhood. Now, with her doctor husband stationed in North Africa, Nora feels compelled to do more than tend her victory garden or help with scrap metal drives . . .

At the Boeing B-17 plant, Nora learns to wield a heavy riveting gun amid the deafening noise of the assembly line—a real-life counterpart to “Rosie the Riveter” in the recruitment posters. Yet while the country desperately needs their help, not everyone is happy about “all these women” taking over men’s jobs. Nora worries that she is neglecting her children, especially her withdrawn teenage son. But amid this turmoil, a sinister tragedy occurs: One of Nora’s coworkers is found strangled in her apartment, dressed in an apron, with a lipstick smile smeared on her face.

It’s the beginning of a terrifying pattern, as women war-plant workers like Nora are targeted throughout Seattle and murdered in the same ritualistic manner. And eclipsing Nora’s fear for her safety is her secret, growing conviction that she and the killer are connected—and that the haven that was her home has become her own personal battlefield . . .

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon * B&N

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Book Talk: What have you been reading lately?

Welcome to this week’s Book Talk!

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson: 5 stars. As I read this incredible work of non-fiction, this quote kept running through my mind: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. As explained in the book, there were several opportunities to speak out against Hitler’s actions yet, not a single government nor leader condemned his actions. University Professor William E. Dodd is the first Ambassador to Germany when Hitler first becomes Chancellor under President Hindenburg. Despite Dodd’s best efforts, neither President Roosevelt nor anyone in his government, did anything about the information provided to them. Also included in the book is somewhat stunning details of Dodd’s daughter Martha’s associations and love affairs with rather dubious figures during her time period in Berlin. I highly recommend this meticulously researched work of non-fiction that is enlightening (and infuriating).

The Trade Off by Sandie Jones: 4.5 stars. This latest release by Sandie Jones combines mystery and the seamy side of tabloid journalism. A jaded deputy editor and an idealistic new reporter clash over the paper’s lack of journalistic ethics. After an article leads to the death of a reality star, the search for answers becomes dangerous but determination to uncover the truth propels this intriguing mystery.

Where the Dead Speak by Joshua Moehling: 4.5 stars. The second installment in the Ben Packard series is a compelling small town police procedural. The murder investigation into a local resident’s death yields few clues and is interspersed with an unexpected an election to replace the long time Sheriff after his death. With a dearth of suspects, Ben doggedly pursues the slippery killer. While the murder is solved, the mystery comes to a jaw-dropping cliff-hanger that will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next book in this fantastic series.

Home for the Challah Days by Jennifer Wilck: 4.5 stars. Read my review Tuesday 8/22.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been reading lately? Join the discussion by commenting below!

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The Week Ahead Aug 21-26

Here’s a look at what’s happening this week at Book Talk & More with Kathy:

Monday’s Book Talk: What have you been reading lately?

Spotlights

Mystery Monday
8/22 Review: Home for the Challah Days by Jennifer Wilck
Teen Tuesday
Thrifty Thursday
Friday Feature

Winning Wednesday (8/23) eBooks up for grabs:

Talulah’s Back in Town by Brenda Novak
Forever in Honeymoon Harbor by JoAnn Ross
The Face in the Water by Gregory Ashe

Click here for more info on entering the eBook contests.

This week’s Saturday Series Spotlight is Shelley Shepard Gray’s Woodland Park Firefighters Romance and contest for one of the books in the series (winner’s choice).

Have a great week!!

***All the eBooks in this week’s Winning Wednesday & Saturday Series Spotlight giveaways have been purchased by Book Talk & More with Kathy.***

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