Saturday Series Spotlight & Giveaway: Michelle Major’s The Carolina Girls

Here are the eBooks in this week’s Saturday Series Spotlight contest:

Title: Wildflower Season by Michelle Major
The Carolina Girls Series Book One
Publisher: HQN
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages

Summary:

She always followed the path of least resistance…until it leads her to a small town where she can follow her dreams.

When Emma Cantrell’s marriage imploded, she learned a fast and painful lesson about trusting her heart. Then, on a visit to Magnolia, North Carolina, to see her brother, an elegant, if dilapidated, mansion for sale presents the opportunity to start over. Risking everything on her dream of opening the Wildflower Inn, Emma buys the house…just as the storm of the century hits, severely damaging the structure. But a chance meeting with Holly, a bride-to-be in desperate need of a new venue, gives her hope…and the name of a contractor who’ll work fast and cheap, allowing Emma to repair the inn in time to host the wedding and save her investment.

A furniture builder who hasn’t picked up a tool in the five years since his wife died, Cameron Mitchell has no intention of agreeing to help this beautiful—and, he’d guess, entitled—woman insisting that he fix her inn. Until he learns that Emma was sent by Holly, the little sister of his late wife. Grudgingly, Cameron agrees to do the work, with one condition: that he be left completely alone. But the more time they spend together, the more Emma touches a part of his heart he was sure died long ago, forcing him to try making peace with his past.


Title: Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major
The Carolina Girls Series Book Two
Publisher: HQN
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages

Summary:

Spend the holidays in Magnolia, North Carolina, where two lonely hearts find exactly what they need for Christmas.

Angi Guilardi needs a man for Christmas—at least, according to her mother. What she really needs is to grow her fledgling catering business. Partnering with Magnolia’s Wildflower Inn holds promise, but when her mother falls ill, Angi’s pulled back to the responsibility of the family restaurant. While she balances work and her eight-year-old son, romance is the last thing on her mind…until Angi runs into Gabriel Carlyle.

Back in town to help his grandmother at her flower shop, Gabriel has no plans to stick around Magnolia, especially after he bumps into one of his childhood bullies. Sure, Angi’s all grown up and gorgeous now, and when they find themselves under the mistletoe, their chemistry is undeniable. But it’ll take more than a Christmas miracle for Angi to break through the defenses of Gabriel’s well-guarded heart and find a love built to last.

Bonus Novella

The magic of Christmas may be what helps a down-to-earth schoolteacher and a good-time firefighter see each other in a new light just in time for the holidays, in Michelle Major’s A Carolina Christmas.


Title: Wedding Season by Michelle Major
The Caroline Girls Book Three
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contempoary, Romance
Length: 352 pages

Summary:

The last person she wants to see in Magnolia, North Carolina, could be exactly whom she’s been waiting for…

Mariella Jacob was one of the world’s premier bridal designers, but one viral PR disaster later, she’s trying to get her torpedoed career back on track in small-town Magnolia, North Carolina. With a secondhand store and a new business venture helping her friends turn the Wildflower Inn into a wedding venue, Mariella is finally putting at least one mistake behind her. Until that mistake—in the glowering, handsome form of Alex Ralsten—moves to Magnolia too.

Mariella ruined Alex’s wedding by announcing that his starlet bride-to-be was sleeping with Mariella’s fiancé. While he’s furious when they’re forced to work together, there’s no denying Mariella is hardworking, talented…and gorgeous. In fact, though Alex keeps reminding himself that they’re enemies, something deeper is growing…daring them to admit that a rocky past might lead to something unexpectedly wonderful.

Includes a Bonus novella!
Josie Trumbull has rebuilt her life after her dreams were crushed by a career-ending injury. Now she teaches ballet in Magnolia and has mostly made peace with her life and future. Until her best friend, and proprietor of the bookstore next door, Stuart Madison, takes her completely by surprise.


Title: The Wish List by Michelle Major
The Carolina Girls Book Four
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 368 pages

Summary:

This Christmas the Carlyle sisters will rediscover the gift of family

For some families, a Christmas reunion is like a feel-good movie. For Beth Carlyle, it might be more of a disaster epic. Her ex-husband’s new girlfriend is already pregnant. Her self-absorbed, bestselling author mother recently suffered a stroke and has summoned Beth’s sisters, Freya and Trinity—neither of whom even seem to like Beth very much—back to Magnolia. Beth’s so lonely and stressed that she spills her guts to a stranger, wondering why the handsome newcomer affects her so deeply. Reality TV star Freya deliberately forged a career that would upset her mother, who’s always been as brilliant as the sun…and just as distant. Now a handsome literary agent is making Freya dream of a different life. As for Trinity, she just wants to start over after leaving an abusive relationship and make a future for her and her baby.

It’ll be a Christmas like no other in Magnolia. But the Carlyle sisters might find they have more in common than their shared past—and that the holidays are made for second chances.

Includes a bonus holiday novella set in Magnolia!


Title: The Front Porch Club by Michelle Major
The Carolina Girls Book Five
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 368 pages

Summary:

They have nothing in common—except a need to start over…

The drawback to having a picture-perfect life is that there’s nowhere to go but down—and Annalise Haverford is falling fast. Once, she was the self-proclaimed queen bee of Magnolia, North Carolina. Now her husband has been arrested for fraud, and she’s become an outcast in the shallow circles she used to rule. There’s only one affordable rental in town, and it’s owned by the woman Annalise got fired from a lucrative job.

Much as single mother Shauna Myer would like to refuse Annalise, who treated her like dirt on the bottom of her red-soled shoe, she needs that rent money. But when Shauna’s first love arrives in town, unraveling secrets she’d hoped to keep, Annalise becomes her unlikely defender. Meghan Banks, an elementary school art teacher whose quiet existence suddenly descends into chaos, is thrown an unexpected lifeline by Annalise, too.

As spring ripens into a sultry summer, the three spur each other on to share their fears and dreams, face new challenges, and seize second chances. Because no matter how turbulent life may be, it’s much easier to navigate those choppy waters when you’re buoyed by true friendship…­

Bonus novella!

The last Carlyle sister, new mother Trinity, finds love where she least expects it—with Magnolia’s upstanding chief of police, Asher Davis. Both Trinity and Asher think their romantic days are behind them. But then Asher asks Trinity for just one dance…


Giveaway

I am giving away one eBook from the The Carolina Girls series-WINNER’S CHOICE. Here’s how to enter the Saturday Series Spotlight contest:

You must Do TWO of the Following:

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

Enter your Email:


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OR:

2. Be or become a fan of Book Reviews & More by Kathy Facebook page

OR:

3. Follow me on Twitter (@BookReviewsMore)

Make sure you have filled out the contest entry form:

4. To be eligible to enter contests on Book Reviews and More by 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:

5. Fill out the form below by 4 PM Mountain Time Monday 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 winner will be selected using random.org. I will e-mail one lucky winner the eBook of their choice in their preferred format. The winner will be posted HERE on Tuesday.

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

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July’s Book Challenge: Word in the Title that Describes Weather

July’s Reading Challenge is to read a novel with a word in the title that describes weather.

The weather where I live has been absolutely miserable for the past three weeks. We are in the midst of a spate of triple digit high temperatures. So when I was trying to come up with this month’s challenge, I knew I had books in my TBR that had “heat” or “hot” in the title. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled on the book I selected!

After filtering my Kindle books for books with “heat” in the title, I came across The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond! What an amazing coincidence! I am looking forward to reading this sweltering mystery.

Please click HERE to learn more about The Heatwave.

I am looking forward to your selection!
Happy Reading!!

If you participated in last month’s challenge, check out the discussion post HERE and let us know if you met your challenge!

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June Reading Challenge Discussion

June’s Reading Challenge was to read a title with any word that begins with any letter in “JUNE”. Or you can step up the challenge by reading titles that begin with all the letters in “JUNE”.

Justice for Sara by Erica Spindler: 4.5 stars. An interesting mysyery about a woman trying to find out who killed her sister ten years earlier. I enjoyed the characters and the murder investigation was definitely intriguing. The small town setting made for a bit of a claustrophobic read. An excellent plot twist disproved my theory about the killer’s identity.

Please click HERE to learn more about Justice for Sara.

Unwritten Rules by KD Casey: 4.5 stars. I cannot believe I’ve let this excellent romance languish in my TBR pile! Mostly told in flashbacks, this engaging romance between two baseball catchers is such a wonderful love story. Three years after their relationship abruptly ended, an unexpected reunion at a ballgame raises the possibly of rekindling their romance. But will the same issues that drove them apart prevent them from starting over again?

Please click HERE to learn more about Unwritten Rules.

No Exit by Taylor Adams:4 stars. A rest stop during a blizzard sets the stage for this twisty mystery. Trapped with four strangers, a horrifying discovery leads an intrepid college student trying to figure out the kidnapper’s identity. After little slow beginning, the pacing gathers steam and moves at a breakneck speed to the action-packed conclusion.

Please click HERE to learn more about No Exit.

Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly by Marie Bostwick: 4.5 stars. Returning home might provide a new beginning for a goal-oriented book editor. The setting leaps off the pages throughout this heartwarming story. The characters are endearing and the storyline tugs at the heartstrings. The story within the story is incredibly captivating. The characters grow throughout this marvelous novel and the conclusion is truly delightful.

Please click HERE to learn more about Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly.

Did you enjoy the book(s) you selected for the challenge? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts about your selection!
***

Check out July’s challenge HERE.

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Friday Feature: One Southern Summer by Heidi McCahan

Do you love a good romance? Then you might like today’s Friday Feature!

Title: One Southern Summer by Heidi McCahan
Publisher: Love Inspired Trade
Genre: Contemporary, Family Fiction
Length: 349 pages

Summary:

It’s her second chance summer…if she’s ready for it—in this warm and utterly irresistible Southern small-town novel.

When Avery Lansing Crawford left her hometown of Camellia, Alabama, she was the darling of the town. A beauty queen. Now she’s come back a disgraced and divorced mom who’s lost almost everything—her home, her husband, even her design TV show—all while the public watched. And if the humiliation wasn’t bad enough, Avery and her two small children are moving in with her mama…just in time to give everyone in Camellia something to talk about.

And oh, they’re talkin’. Especially when Avery reignites her old friendship with Cole Whitaker, who’s offered Avery the opportunity to do something real: a redesign project that would help survivors of human trafficking. It could kick-start both her career and her confidence—not to mention give her a chance to spend more time with Cole.

With three generations of strong Southern women around the family dinner table, coming home to Camellia could be the perfect fresh start. Even if Avery is the topic of salacious gossip over sweet tea and her grandmother won’t stop interfering in her love life. But the bonds of family and the promise of second chances just might lead to a future that looks nothing like she expected.

Purchase Links: Amazon * B&N

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Thrifty Thursday: His Accidental Cowboy by A.M. Arthur

Do you love gay romances? Are you looking for a book that costs less than $5.00? Then you might want to check out:

Title: His Accidental Cowboy by A.M. Arthur
Woods Ranch Book Three
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary, Gay, Romance
Length: 327 pages

Summary:

An experienced Texas ranch hand reluctantly falls for his much younger, very accident-prone coworker in this gay cowboy romance from acclaimed author A.M. Arthur.

Wyatt Gibson is in Texas looking for answers about his past. When he talks his way into a job at Woods Ranch, he never imagines that the hot cowboy he (almost) slept with the night before not only works there, but is the one showing him the ropes.

As a rustler at the ranch, Jackson Summer handles all sorts of things: mucking, herding, grooming, riding—and minding his own damn business. A lifetime of hurt will do that to a guy. What he never imagines handling is the greenest cowboy to ever step foot in Weston, Texas.

Jackson is determined to keep his heart safe—and falling for a hot young thing like Wyatt is definitely not safe. Especially because Jackson knows Wyatt is keeping a secret…one that he can’t quite put his finger on but that just might change life at Woods Ranch forever.

Woods Ranch

Book 1: His Fresh Start Cowboy
Book 2: His Reluctant Cowboy
Book 3: His Accidental Cowboy

Purchase Links: Amazon * B&N

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eBook Contest 6/28

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

Title:Our Place on the Island by Erika Montgomery
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Romance
Length: 315 pages

Summary:

For decades, the Campbell women have reunited at the family’s rambling seaside cottage known as Beech House to celebrate life’s many occasions. But this year, they will be called back to Martha’s Vineyard for a celebration of a different sort: their beloved matriarch Cora is getting remarried. And all the town gossips are calling him the one who got away, years ago…

For renowned chef Mickey Campbell, this wedding isn’t just a welcome excuse to return to the place she first learned to cook at her grandmother’s side. It’s also a chance to regroup while she figures out a way to tell her smoldering head chef boyfriend that she’s mismanaged their restaurant into the red.

Mickey’s mother, Hedy, is still mourning the passing of her adored father three years earlier, and she isn’t sure she’s ready to welcome a new man into the fold—and she’s not certain her own thorny relationship with her mother will weather the storm of her upcoming marriage.

But everyone knows a woman’s heart holds more than meets the eye. For Cora, drawing her daughter and granddaughter back to Beech House isn’t just about a ceremony, but a chance to reveal a history she has kept close to her heart for decades. As the days leading up to the wedding unfold, secrets of Cora’s past come to light– a secret that will cause three generations of Campbell women to question marriage, motherhood, and ultimately learn to savor the delicious joy of following your own heart.

Told in dual timelines on the sumptuous beaches of Martha’s Vineyard, OUR PLACE ON THE ISLAND is the sparkling, romantic read of the season.


Title: The Cafe at Beach End by RaeAnne Thayne
Cape Sanctuary Book Five
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 333 pages

Summary:

For fans of Debbie Macomber and Susan Wiggs, an emotional story of starting over and reclaiming happiness.

When Meredith Collins was a child, the little beach town of Cape Sanctuary lived up to its name. Spending summers there with her grandmother, Meredith finally felt safe and loved.

Now she’s returning in disgrace. Her late ex-husband swindled investors out of millions of dollars and made Meredith a figure of scorn—though she knew nothing about his scheme. But she still has the beach cottage she inherited from her grandmother and half ownership of the local café. It’s a place to work and earn a little money. That’s if her cousin, Tori, will let her through the door. Once, Tori and Meredith were as close as sisters—until Meredith chose her neglectful parents’ expectations over their bond. Now widowed with a teenage daughter, Tori isn’t setting out a welcome mat for the woman who let her down so badly.

While Meredith tries to make a fresh start, she is drawn to a mysterious writer renting the cottage next door. Liam Byrne’s kindness is a balm, though she worries he might not be so friendly if he knew who she was. But Liam has his own secret and a mission that will help Meredith confront her past—and maybe, claim a surprising future…


Title: Bottom Line by G.B. Gordon
Follow the Money Book Two
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Length: 222 pages

Summary:

G.B. Gordon returns with the second installment in the Follow the Money romantic suspense series, perfect for fans of TV’s White Collar.

Working for the FBI has always given Nick Marshall exactly what he wants in life: control over his distinguished career and control over his playboy image. And his notorious hookups have always given him control over his admittedly shallow relationships…until his last assignment showed him how amazing it could be to give up a little of that control. Amazing and terrifying.

Accountant Ben Coyne likes control too. Which is why waiting in vain for the gruff FBI agent to call makes Ben question his judgment and his heart. Just when it seems their intense chemistry must have been one-sided, Ben and Nick’s lives collide again, and Ben gets tangled up in the money-laundering scheme Nick’s investigating in Vancouver. And it’s crystal clear the attraction is still there, hotter than ever.

Tracking down dirty money and working to uncover a suspected mole, Nick and Ben must learn to trust each other and work together, or else watch this case—and maybe their lives—go up in flames…


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 TWO of the Following:

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

Enter your Email:

Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz


OR:

2. Be or become a fan of Book Talk & More with Kathy Facebook page

OR:

3. Follow me on Twitter (@BookTalkMore)

Make sure you have filled out the contest entry form:

4. 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:

5. 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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