Book Talk & More with Kathy

May 18, 2023 · 12:01 am

Thrifty Thursday: Stark Raving Naked by A.L. Gordon

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: Stark Raving Naked by A.L. Gordon
Publisher: JMS Books LLC
Genre: Contemporary, Gay, Erotic, Romance
Length: 194 pages/Word Count: 51,001

Summary:

Michael is a massage therapist faced with the prospect of offering extras to his clients. When he discovers his boyfriend had an affair during a vacation, Michael begins to reassess his outlook on life, love, and business.

With the help of a friend, Michael starts advertising his business in a gay magazine. As the clients flood in, Michael realizes maybe happy endings are just what he, his clients, and even his relationship need.

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon * JMS Books

Comments Off on Thrifty Thursday: Stark Raving Naked by A.L. Gordon

Filed under Thrifty Thursday

May 17, 2023 · 12:01 am

eBook Contest 5/17

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

Title: The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Length: 413 pages

Summary:

Sparks fly when a romance novelist and a documentary filmmaker join forces to craft the perfect Hollywood love story and take both of their careers to the next level—but only if they can keep the chemistry between them from taking the whole thing off script—from the New York Times bestselling authors of The Soulmate Equation and The Unhoneymooners.

Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached.

Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie?

Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work in large part because it allows him to live near his daughter. But when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.

The True Love Experiment is the book fans have been waiting for ever since Fizzy’s debut in the New York Times bestselling The Soulmate Equation. But when the lights come on and all eyes are on her, it turns out the happily ever after Fizzy had all but given up on might lie just behind the camera.

Title: The Little Flower Shop by Lori Foster
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Length: 329 pages

Summary:

How did her love life become a community affair?

Since her divorce, Emily Lucretia—affectionately known as the flower lady to the people of Cemetery, Indiana—has been focused on her flower shop and taking care of her aging aunt and uncle. Her love life is hardly the centerpiece of her busy days.

Saul Culver, the town’s favorite bachelor and owner of the local barbecue joint, has been interested in Emily for a while. But as much as Emily knows about flowers, she can be a little oblivious to her own appeal. Saul is determined to show her just how special she is.

Saul isn’t the only one trying to get Emily out of her shell. Well-meaning locals have started tagging photos of Emily with #theflowerlady on social media—and now the entire town is involved in finding her Mr. Right. Saul won’t give up easily. He’s finally caught her attention, and he’s determined to convince Emily—and the town—that this is the real deal and not just some passing trend.

Title: Game Misconduct by Ari Baran
Penalty Box Book One
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary, Gay, Romance
Length: 326 pages

Summary:

Two bitter rivals go head-to-head in this age-gap, enemies-to-lovers hockey romance.

Michael Sato is used to fighting.

An undersized defenseman, Mike had to be tough, clawing his way up from the minors by taking down one ferocious player at a time. No way is he going to lose his spot on the league roster, especially not by giving in to his attraction to a hot, infuriating rival.

Daniel Garcia is used to fighting, too.

Enforcer Danny is the biggest, meanest player on the ice. A target for anyone trying to make a name for themselves, he doesn’t show weakness, nor is he going to risk his last seasons for a sexy rookie who nearly knocked him on his ass.

When their intense physical connection explodes outside of the rink, Mike and Danny learn they just might be able to build something real, but only if they can let down their guard—and their fists—long enough.

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.

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.***

1 Comment

Filed under Contest

May 16, 2023 · 12:01 am

Review: Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray

Title: Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray
The Marleigh Sisters Book One
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical, Mystery, Romance
Length: 319 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

Amita Murray takes us on a journey from the pleasure gardens of society to the dangerous streets of 19th century London, in this spectacular romantic debut by an unforgettable new voice.

“Women mind their reputation if they want to marry. I don’t want to marry.”

As the eldest daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress, Lila Marleigh knows what it’s like to be an outsider from “polite” society. As children, she and her sisters were wrenched from their home and sent to England, never quite accepted by those who claimed to care for them. Now Lila has set herself up as hostess of an exclusive gaming club, charming the ton that flocks to her establishment each night, though it shuns her by day.

One night, Ivor Tristram comes barging through her door, accusing her of being his father’s mistress. Lila defies his expectations at every step and convinces him to navigate London’s rat pits and pleasure gardens with her, in her quest to solve a violent crime.

As they set out together to uncover the truth, an irresistible passion ignites that will shake them to the core. Lila must fight to protect those she loves, yet the biggest threat is to the sanctity of the heart she has guarded so carefully all her life.

Review:

Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray is a delightful historical romance which features an intriguing mystery.

Lily Marleigh is the illegitimate daughter of an English earl and his Indian mistress. Following the deaths of her parents, she and her sisters are sent to England to live with his estranged wife (weird, huh???). Now in her late twenties, Lily is a strong, independent woman who is unconcerned about her reputation. She runs a salon which is popular among the peerage and she has no desire for marriage. Lily can sometimes be impetuous but her heart is the right place. When someone from her childhood needs her assistance, Lily does not hesitate to jump into the fray. Even if it means she must join forces with Ivor Tristram.

Ivor have the highest opinion Lilybut he agrees to help her find out the truth about her friend’s plight. His viewpoint of Lily is colored by his concern for his mother and his father’s history of marital misdeeds. Ivor has worked hard to turn around his family’s fortunes and he continues to work hard. Despite his better judgment, Ivor is determined to see his commitment through in helping Lily uncover the truth for her friend.

The sparks fly between Lily and Ivor right from their first meeting. Given what he thinks of her, Ivor is not exactly thrilled with his fascination with Lily. And Lily is a bit dismayed by her attraction to Ivor. Yet they try to put their feelings to the side as they work together. As they spend time together, they begin to realize they might have misjudged one another.

Unladylike Lessons in Love is an engaging romance with a diverse cast of characters. The storyline is multi-layered and compelling. The mystery aspect is perfectly balanced with the romantic element of the plot. The various characters are well-developed and quite charming. Lily and Ivor’s romance is both sweet and steamy with little conflict until late in the story. With unexpected twists and turns, Amita Murray brings this marvelous historical romance to a heartfelt conclusion. This first installment in Marleigh Sisters series will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next installment.

Comments Off on Review: Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray

Filed under Amita Murray, Avon, Historical, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Romance, The Marleigh Sisters Series, Unladylike Lessons in Love

May 15, 2023 · 12:02 am

Mystery Monday: The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay

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

Title: The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Psychological, Mystery
Length: 348 pages

Summary:

In this twisty, fast-paced thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Find You First and Take Your Breath Away, a man desperately tries to track down his father—who was taken into witness protection years ago—before his enemies can get to him.

Your dad’s not a good person. Your dad killed people, son.

These are some of the last words Jack Givins’ father spoke to him before he was whisked away by witness protection, leaving Jack and his mother to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives as best they could.

Years later, Jack is a grown man with problems of his own. He’s a talented but struggling author, barely scraping by on the royalties from his moderately successful first book. So when the U.S. Marshals approach him with a lucrative opportunity, he’s in no position to turn them down. They’re recruiting writers like Jack to create false histories for people in witness protection—people like Jack’s father.

The coincidence is astonishing to Jack at first, but he soon realizes this may be a chance to find his dad. Only there’s one problem—Jack’s father hasn’t made contact with his handlers recently, and they have no idea where he is. He could be in serious danger, and Jack may be the only one who can find him.

But how will he find a man he’s never truly known? A man who has done terrible things in his lifetime and made some deadly enemies in the process—enemies who wouldn’t think twice about using his own son against him.

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon * B&N

Comments Off on Mystery Monday: The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay

Filed under Mystery Monday

· 12:01 am

Book Talk: What have you been reading lately?

Welcome to this week’s Book Talk!

I only read a couple of books last week:

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin: 4.5 stars. I very rarely read sci-fi but something about the summary just grabbed my attention and would not let go of it. Terrific world-building, an intriguing storyline and oustanding characters are an absolutely winning combination. The premise is soooo interesting as are the various characters. There are twists galore and even the one I wasn’t sure about turned out to be fantastic! Although the novel has 560 pages, it is very fast-paced and does not seem that long at all. Highly recommend!

The Thing About Home by Rhonda McKnight: 4.5 stars. Casey Black’s social media downfall turns out to be a much needed turning point in her life. Deciding to meet her South Carolina relatives, she is delighted and charmed by her granna, farm manager Nigel Evanston and her deep roots in the local community. This delightful journey of self-discovery stars an outstanding cast of lovable characters, a richly developed storyline and glimpses of life for freedman in the late 1800s. The ending is a little bittersweet but incredibly uplifting. Highly recommend!

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