Need something new in your mailbox? Win a Subscription Box! (Monthly #Giveaway)

Do you love subscription boxes? I do. They're like the best surprise packages arriving monthly in my mailbox. I thought this month I'd share the love by giving away a subscription box from Cratejoy (up to $40 USD, one box, winner's choice) to one follower. Check out what they have here.

Also, as this month I'm running my annual read-a-thon, there are extra entries for those who participate (must post a final update on reading progress to be eligible). You can find out more about that here.

Total subscription including shipping must be $40 or less USD. Open to international entrants if the subscription ships to where you are and still stays $40 or under. Must be at least 13 years old to enter and have parental permission if under 18. Please ensure that you correctly enter your email (and check your junk mail folder if I'm not on your contact list) so that I have a way to contact you. You can read my giveaway policy on my policies page. Void where prohibited by law. Enter via the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Four Books and Four Leading Men, Which is a Match for You? (Celebrating Romance Awareness Month & the Proper Romance Line)

Today is National Matchmaker Day! This is my last post in celebration of
Romance Awareness Month and the Proper Romance line of books.
I'm spotlighting some books below that I hope will be a match for you.

Do you like your leading men a little rough around the edges, but quite charming when they want to be? This romance has a dashing rogue as it's leading man...

My Fair Gentleman

(A Proper Romance)

by Nancy Campbell Allen

Adult Historical Romance

Paperback & ebook, 256 pages

January 5th 2016 by Shadow Mountain

You can read my review here.

Summary

Jack would rather be at sea than fixing the mistakes of his grandfather, the late Earl of Stansworth. Instead, he finds that inheriting his grandfather's wealth and title—and securing the welfare of his sister and mother—means joining the ranks of high society and living with the aristocracy. Luckily, Ivy Carlisle, the granddaughter of a dear friend of Jack's late grandmother, is willing to teach him etiquette and properly introduce him into society. Jack soon learns that his challenge isn't surviving his new lifestyle but surviving the conspiracies against him—as well as keeping himself from falling madly in love with his new tutor.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository│Deseret Book

The Pursuit of Lady Harriett by Rachael Anderson (Book Blitz Excerpt & #Giveaway)

The Pursuit of Lady Harriett

(Tanglewood #3)

by Rachael Anderson

Adult Historical Romance

Paperback & ebook, 270 Pages

August 28th 2017 by HEA Publishing

Summary

When wills clash and hearts collide, who will reign victorious?

Termed an Incomparable during her first London season, Lady Harriett Cavendish is beautiful, spirited, and confident, capturing the attention of a great many suitors. Unfortunately, they all failed to capture her attention, and she concluded the season as unattached as she’d begun it.

Only weeks prior to her second season, Harriett encounters Lieutenant Christopher Jamison while visiting Tanglewood Manor. Recently returned from war, the lieutenant is everything that Harriett's previous suitors were not. He’s arrogant, ungentlemanly, irritating, and challenges her at every opportunity. When he goes too far, Harriett decides that it’s time to turn the tables on him. But as she sets out to put the lieutenant in his place once and for all, she discovers there is more to him than meets the eye, and when it comes to matters of the heart, she has no control whatsoever.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon

I can't wait for... Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco (Can't-Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday)

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you're continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.

I was completely surprised how well done and how much I loved the first book in this series, Stalking Jack the Ripper, when I read it last year. I'm not normally into thrillers or horror on the more gory side. This series isn't as gory as most in this genre, but it definitely is thrilling and violent. This follow-up release sounds like it will be more wit and charm mixed with two keen intellects, suspense, murderous secrets, and some romantic sparks. I know it's not too much longer until release, but I can't wait...

Masked by J.D. Wright (Blog Tour Character Descriptions & #Giveaway) @everealmbyjdw

I love all things super hero, so this one sounds right up my alley...

Masked

(Superheroes UnderCover #1)
by J.D. Wright

YA Paranormal, Super Heroes

Paperback & ebook, 217 Pages

August 15th 2017 by Limitless Publishing

Summary

Vada's To-Do List

- Turn 18 (check!)

- Register super name

- Order supersuit

- Attend superhero indoctrination

- Graduate high school

- Start kicking criminal tail

Vada Lawson can’t wait to be a superhero. Born into a family with special powers, she’s been training to fight criminals and villains her whole life. But her indoctrination into the underground super community is derailed when normals start breaking out in superpowers themselves.

Not trained to control their new abilities, the normals are frightened and vulnerable. Then their mutilated corpses begin turning up all over town. What the heck?

Somehow, with the help—and hindrance—of an annoying newly-minted super named Orion, Vada has to stop the chaos before it destroys her and everything she holds dear…and ruins her superhero debut.

No one ever said that being a superhero was easy…

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Sunsets at Seaside by Addison Cole (Blog Tour Review & #Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

I've been wanting to try this author's books for a while and since I prefer my romance on the
sweet side I was happy to hear that she had this series. Check it out as well as the giveaway...

Sunsets at Seaside

(Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers #4)
by Addison Cole
Adult Sweet Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 308 pages

August 23rd 2017

Summary

Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers features a group of fun, flirty, and emotional friends who gather each summer at their Cape Cod cottages. They’re sassy, flawed, and so easy to relate to, you’ll be begging to enter their circle of friends!

Sunsets at Seaside by Addison Cole is the sweet edition of New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster's steamy romance novel Seaside Sunsets. The stories and characters remain the same, and convey all of the passion you expect between two people in love, without any explicit scenes or harsh language.

In SUNSETS at SEASIDE…
Jessica Ayers has lived a sheltered life with little more than cello lessons and practices taking up her day. Now a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she escapes the prim and proper symphony to vacation in the Seaside community in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, to determine if she is living life to the fullest or missing it altogether.

For the first time since developing the second largest search engine in the world, billionaire Jamie Reed is taking the summer off. He plans to work from the Cape and spend time with his elderly grandmother—and falling in love is not in his plans.

From the moment Jamie and Jessica meet, the attraction is white-hot. Once-overly-focused Jamie can think of little else than sweet, smart, and alluring Jessica, and Jessica discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. But when Jamie’s business encounters trouble and his attorney and best friend intervenes, he proves that the brown-haired beauty is too distracting for Jamie. To make matters worse, it appears that Jessica might not be who she says she is, turning Jamie’s life—and his heart—upside down. In a world where personal information is always one click away, Jamie must decide if he should trust his heart or watch the woman he loves walk away.

SWEET WITH HEAT: SEASIDE SUMMERS SERIES
Read, Write, Love at Seaside
Dreaming at Seaside
Hearts at Seaside
Sunsets at Seaside
Coming soon!
Secrets at Seaside (releasing October 25th)
Nights at Seaside (releasing December 13th)
Seized by Love at Seaside
Embraced at Seaside
Lovers at Seaside
Whispers at Seaside

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo│iBooks│GooglePlay

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen (Celebrating Romance Awareness Month & the Proper Romance Line)

Today is National Just Because Day! Did you know that? As part of celebrating Romance Awareness Month and the Proper Romance line of books, I'm highlighting another book.

This one is a little against the norm for this line of books, but one I absolutely loved! Of course, it helps that I love Steampunk and that's what this one is. So, you should read it, just because...

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast

(A Steampunk Proper Romance)

by Nancy Campbell Allen

Adult Steampunk

Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages

August 2nd 2016 by Shadow Mountain

You can read my review here.

Summary

Just like in the classic"Beauty and the Beast, "this Steampunk Romance features an unlikely love story.

When Lucy Pickett arrives at Blackwell Manor to tend to her ailing cousin, Kate, she finds more than she bargained for. A restless ghost roams the hallways, werewolves have been reported in the area, and vampires lurk across the Scottish border.

Lord Miles himself is clearly hiding a secret. He is brash and inhospitable and does not take kindly to visitors—even one as smart and attractive as Miss Pickett. He is unsettled by the mysterious deaths of his new wife, Clara, and his sister, Marie. Could Miles himself be to blame for the deaths?

Working together, Miles and Lucy attempt to restore peace to Blackwell Manor. But can Lucy solve the mystery of Miles? Can she love the man—beast and all?

Also includes a 15-page bonus prequel novelette, Marie s Story. Marie Blake is Miles s younger sister, and her untimely death begins the story of "Beauty and the Clockwork Beast. "Set on the eve of her murder and told in the first-person from her point-of-view readers will get to her know her as a person, and not just as the ghost who haunts the halls of Blackwell Manor. The story provides greater depth and more personal details to one of most memorable characters in the novel.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository│Deseret Book

Weekly Update #228, August is almost over...

Welcome to my Weekly Update where I post my blog's schedule for the week!

I'm linking up to The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Tynga's Reviews for Stacking the Shelves and Mailbox Monday showcasing the books I added to my shelves or Kindle this week, and It's Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn @ Book Date.

This last week was busier than I expected to, but it was a good week and I got some things done that I really needed to. We also had some fun with the kids and took them bowling. We had a great time! I decided this week that I'm ready for the heat to go away. It's almost September and we've still been reaching highs almost to 110. I'm looking forward to fall and cooler weather. Are you still summering where you are?

Here's what to expect this week here on the blog:

The Lady of the Lakes and Forever and Forever by Josi S. Kilpack (Celebrating Romance Awareness Month & the Proper Romance Line)

Today is National Kiss and Make Up Day! I wasn't aware there was even a day like this, but
it fits Romance Awareness Month and the Proper Romance line of books quite well. :)

In honor of today, I'm highlighting two books where the love interests found love to be somewhat fickle and difficult until they reached their happily-ever-afters (and there definitely was some kissing and making up!). These both are also based on true stories.

The Lady of the Lakes

The True Love Story of Sir Walter Scott
(A Historical Proper Romance)
by Josi S. Kilpack

Adult Historical Romance

Paperback & ebook, 336 Pages

January 3rd 2017 by Shadow Mountain
You can read my review here.

Summary

One is his first love. The other is his best love. Which will be Walter’s true love?

Walter Scott has three passions: Scotland, poetry, and Mina Stuart. Though she is young and they are from different stations in society, Walter is certain their love is meant to be. For years, he has courted her through love letters. She is the sunshine of his soul.

Though Mina shares Walter’s love of literature and romantic temperament, it’s hard for her to know if she truly loves him or if she has only been dazzled by his flattery. When she meets the handsome and charming William Forbes, her heart is challenged. Who will she choose?

But as every poet knows, “the course of true love never did run smooth,” and on a windy morning in the lake country, Walter meets Charlotte.

At twenty-six, Charlotte Carpenter believes she will never find love. After all, she is a Catholic-born Frenchwoman living in London with a family history shadowed by scandal. Though quiet, practical, and determined to live a life of independence, her heart longs for someone to love her and a place to call home.

Passion and promises collide as Walter, Mina, and Charlotte must each decide the course for their futures. What are they each willing to risk to find love and be loved in return?

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository│Deseret Book│Target

Perfectly You by Robin Daniels (Book Blitz Excerpt & #Giveaway)

Perfectly You

(The Perfect #2)
by Robin Daniels

YA Contemporary

ebook, 326 Pages

August 24th 2017 by Bluefields Publishing

Summary

Ivy Nixon is the student body Vice President at Franklin High School. Each year, the school holds a date auction to raise funds for the senior class graduation party, and this year, Ivy’s in charge. Planning the event is a huge task and Ivy is determined to prove she can get the job done right. Unfortunately, she’s still one participant short and her deadline is looming.

Andy Walker, her cute but socially reclusive art class table mate, is her last resort. He may not be popular, but he’s funny, talented, and full of surprises. With a makeover and some major social marketing, Ivy is sure he could fetch a decent price at the auction.

Andy reluctantly agrees to help, but the more time Ivy spends with him, the more her feelings shift from professional to romantic in nature. To top it off, she’s done her marketing so well, that other girls are starting to notice Andy too. Come auction time, will Ivy be able to let him go to the highest bidder? Or will she find a way to keep him for herself…

Content Description: This is a stand-alone YA contemporary romance with companion novels set at the same high school. It contains minor language, innuendo, and crude humor, some steamy kissing, a party scene where underage drinking is taking place, and a brief but tasteful conversation about sex. The author has attempted to write characters who make good choices in questionable situations, in effort to keep the content appropriate for teens. This book contains no sex, written or implied, and no explicit language. Recommended for ages 14 and up.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon

Courting the Country Miss by Donna Hatch (Blog Tour Grand Finale & #Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for

Courting the Country Miss

By Donna Hatch

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

Today’s star attraction, Courting the Country Miss, is about letting go, learning to forgive, and finding one’s true self—one’s best self. It’s also about not giving up on dreams or good causes just because of a little (or a lot) of opposition.

— Donna

The Deadly Sun by H.J. Lawson (Blog Tour & #Giveaway)

The Deadly Sun

(The Sanction Series #1)
by H.J. Lawson

YA Dystopian, SciFi

Paperback & ebook, 411 Pages

August 21st 2017

Summary

Skylier is desperate to escape her underground confines and save her mother’s life.

On a school visit, she hears something she’s not supposed to and now she realizes that not only was her whole life a lie, but that she is in grave danger.

She doesn’t know who to trust and her enemies are everywhere. Now she is in a race against time to save not only her life, but her mother's and those she cares about.

And if she fails, she'll suffer a fate worse than death...

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon

The Bride of Glass by Candace Robinson (Cover Reveal)

Welcome to the Cover Reveal, designed by Jenny Zemanek @ Seedlings Design Studio, for

Bride of Glass by  Candace Robinson

Coming September 1st 2017...

Double Eagle Double Cross by M. R. Durbin (Blog Tour Review & #Giveaway)

Double Eagle Double Cross

by M. R. Durbin

LDS Romantic Suspense

Paperback & ebook, 272 Pages

August 1st 2017 by Covenant Communications

Summary

After an unexpectedly thrilling summer with his grandfather, Oregon State student Charley Sawyer is ready to catch his breath at his late parents' Oregon beach home. Hoping for some rest and relaxation, Charley is met instead by devastation: the house has been ransacked. In his inventory of the damage, Charley stumbles across the item the trespasser must have been after, the only thing that seems out of place: a mysterious key. And when he learns what it unlocks, Charley is drawn into yet another adventure with a ragtag group more than willing to help.

Mac Bowman, the brainy and beautiful anthropology student who joined Charley in his summer escapade, is thrilled when she is presented with the opportunity to conduct research in Oregon. Maybe a little time together will allow the pair to explore their feelings for one another. But when she arrives, she is disturbed by what she finds: Charley has disappeared without a trace.

As Charley and Mac each work to unravel their mysteries, their searches collide dramatically. Only one thing is clear: the moment he found the key, Charley unwittingly opened the door to a long-held secret—one that could cost him his life. . . .

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Deseret Book

Sunsets at Seaside by Addison Cole (Book Tour & #Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Launch for

Sunsets at Seaside

By Addison Cole

About the Series

Sweet with just enough heat...

Under the name Addison Cole, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster is releasing each of her beloved, and steamy, Love in Bloom titles in a “sweet with heat” version. The new Sweet with Heat series has no explicit love scenes or harsh language, but her voice is naturally passionate, and because of that, the stories convey all of the heat you expect between two people in love (within the confines of the “sweet” genre). The stories and characters in Sweet with Heat remain mostly the same as the Love in Bloom series, however, in addition to the omission of graphic sexual scenes and cursing, certain characters have also been repositioned.

Addison's Sweet with Heat collection kicks off with the Seaside Summers Series, which is about a group of friends who gather each summer at their Cape Cod cottages. They are sassy, flawed and so much fun! The first title, READ, WRITE, LOVE AT SEASIDE is FREE at all Ebook retailers, followed by DREAMING AT SEASIDE, HEARTS AT SEASIDE and now SUNSETS AT SEASIDE, which are all now available!

I can't wait for... The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli (Can't-Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday)

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you're continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.

The cover grabbed me when I was looking at releases in October. Somehow I'd missed this one and I love fantasy, especially with fierce heroines. This sounds like exactly that...

The Duke's Brother and An Ocean Away by Heather B. Moore (Review Briefs)

Review briefs are just like they sound, a briefer review (and usually for more
than one book) than my norm for books that I want or need to share about.
It's also a play off of legal briefs, which include just what you need to know...

The Duke's Brother

by Heather B. Moore

Adult Historical Romance

ebook, 74 Pages

August 8th 2017 by Mirror Press

Summary

THE DUKE’S BROTHER, a regency romance novella by USA Today bestselling author Heather B. Moore 

"Unique, entertaining, and just right for any Regency lover." --Melissa DeMoux, DESERET NEWS 

Mr. Gregory Clark is having an awful day, and it only gets worse when he’s ran over by … a woman. Mabel Russell reluctantly visits her sister in London for the Season, even though she’d rather stay in the country cataloging insects and aphids. When she runs into Mr. Clark, quite literally, she’s afraid to show any interest, especially since he’s a member of the dreaded Ton. But getting to know Mr. Clark becomes an unexpected delight. 

*Note for readers: THE DUKE'S BROTHER was previously published in A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Regency Collection

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

The Secret of the India Orchid by Nancy Campbell Allen (Blog Tour Review & #Giveaway)

Welcome to another post for the Proper Romance line from Shadow Mountain!
Today I'm reviewing their newest release. Check that and the giveaway out below...

The Secret of the India Orchid

(A Proper Romance)
by Nancy Campbell Allen

Adult Historical Romance, Suspense

Paperback & ebook, 320 Pages

August 1st 2017 by Shadow Mountain

Summary

Anthony Blake is in love with his best friend's sister, Sophia Elliot. But his plans to court her are put on hold when he is forced to resume his role as an undercover spy for the Crown. A secret document listing the names of the entire network of British spies-including his own-has been stolen. To protect Sophia, Anthony cuts off all ties to her and exchanges his life as an honorable earl for the façade of a flirtatious playboy.

Heartbroken and confused, Sophia travels to India, hoping to find healing in one of the most exotic regions of the British Empire. But the exotic land isn't as restful as she had hoped. Instead, she finds herself embroiled in a mystery of a missing sea captain, a possible murder, and a plot that could involve the prince of India. And when Anthony appears at the British Residency, asking questions and keeping his distance from her, she is stunned.

She still loves him, and, in her heart, she knows he loves her too. But how can she rebuild her relationship with him if he won't confide in her? Does she dare offer her heart to him a second time, or will their love be lost under the India sun?

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository│Deseret Book

Bout of Books 20 Read-a-thon

Bout of Books 20 read-a-thon is held a couple of times a year.
Find out more and sign-up here.

It's been a while since I participated in a Bout of Books read-a-thon. I have quite a bit of reading I'd like to get caught up on and this week is looking on the lighter side, so I thought I'd join in. I also want to make sure that I'm scheduled out ahead on my blog with books I need to review so that I'm ready for my annual Tackle Your TBR Read-a-hhon in September.

I'm going to be fairly laid back and just update this post with my status for each day.

Weekly Update #227, August is already half-way over...

Welcome to my Weekly Update where I post my blog's schedule for the week!

I'm linking up to The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Tynga's Reviews for Stacking the Shelves and Mailbox Monday showcasing the books I added to my shelves or Kindle this week, and It's Monday! What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn @ Book Date.

I feel like this summer has just gone by way too fast for my taste. I've missed a lot of new releases that I was hoping to get to and I know fall is just around the corner with its release season, so I've decided I need to get back to reading consistently and gear up for my read-a-thon in September, which I'm really looking forward to. How about you? Are you keeping up with your books?

This coming week is going to be blissfully light for me. I have had a non-stop summer, then just finished dealing with the craziness of getting the kids back in school plus studying for a professional license (I took the test Friday morning and passed and am ecstatically happy to have it over!), and am so happy to have a mostly open schedule this week. I'm looking forward to finally, finally getting back on Instagram and doing some things I've neglected (like more reading!).

There's quite a mix of books this week on the blog. Here's what to expect:

New Releases/#Free & Bargain Books for August 14th - 20th #BookSale

Here are the New Releases / Free & Bargain Books, hosted by
Sharon over at Beck Valley Books, for this week! Check it all out below...

Authors please feel free to add your own books.

Readers please free to add your own finds.

(any genre except erotica welcome)

Courting the Country Miss by Donna Hatch (Blog Tour Excerpt & #Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Donna Hatch's books are always fun with plenty of sizzling romance on the clean side. If
that's your kind of romance, definitely check this one out, as well as the giveaway below...

Courting the Country Miss

(Courting #2)
by Donna Hatch
Historical Romance

Paperback & ebook, 312 pages

August 4th 2017 by The Wild Rose Press. Inc.

Summary

Cynical and broken-hearted, Leticia banishes dreams of marriage. When her childhood friend, Tristan, wagers he can find her the perfect husband, she hopes the challenge will coax him to forgo his devil-may-care lifestyle. Meanwhile, Leticia throws herself into forming her charity school but meets opposition—even from the people she’s helping.

Guilt-ridden that his past mistakes robbed Leticia of true love, Tristan vows to set it right, but match-making has its pitfalls for a repentant scoundrel. When he finds two ‘perfect’ gentlemen to court her, he discovers his own deep feelings for the lady.

Though Tristan seems to reform, Leticia doesn’t dare risk heartbreak with a notorious rake. When opposition for the school takes a deadly turn, can Tristan protect her from a madman bent on destroying their dreams and their lives?

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│The Wild Rose Press

The Alaskan Catch by Beth Carpenter (Blog Tour Grand Finale & #Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for

The Alaskan Catch

By Beth Carpenter

We hope you enjoyed the tour and getting a taste of Alaska! If you missed any

of the stops you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Author Interview

What inspired you to write THE ALASKAN CATCH?

One thing I hear over and over in Alaska is, “I came for the summer and never left.” I wanted my heroine, Dana, to feel that connection, to recognize that Alaska is a place where she can become the person she wants to be.

What do you hope readers take with them after they’ve read it?

As Sam tells Dana, “You can paddle your own boat or you can throw up your hands and let the current carry you wherever it will.” Find your river and keep on paddling.

The Tiger's Watch by Julia Ember (Blog Tour Excerpt & #Giveaway)

I really like the cover of this one because it's so artistic. Read an

excerpt from the book and enter to win a copy of your own below...

The Tiger's Watch

(Ashes of Gold #1)

by Julia Ember

YA Fantasy

Paperback & ebook, 180 Pages

August 22nd 2017 by Harmony Ink Press

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Tashi has spent their life training as a inhabitor, a soldier who spies and kills using a bonded animal. When the capital falls after a brutal siege, Tashi flees to a remote monastery to hide. But the invading army turns the monastery into a hospital, and Tashi catches the eye of Xian, the regiment’s fearless young commander.

Tashi spies on Xian’s every move. In front of his men, Xian seems dangerous, even sadistic, but Tashi discovers a more vulnerable side of the enemy commander—a side that draws them to Xian.

When their spying unveils that everything they’ve been taught is a lie, Tashi faces an impossible choice: save their country or the boy they’re growing to love. Though Tashi grapples with their decision, their volatile bonded tiger doesn’t question her allegiances. Katala slaughters Xian’s soldiers, leading the enemy to hunt her. But an inhabitor’s bond to their animal is for life—if Katala dies, so will Tashi.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│TBD│Kobo

iBooks│Google Play│BAM│Chapters│Indies

I can't wait for... Last Star Burning by Caitlin Sangster (Can't-Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday)

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here, at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you're continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.

This one just intrigues me from the cover to the description! It sounds character driven, while also having a strong plot that sounds rather mysterious. It's my pick this week...

The Search by Clair M. Poulson (Blog Tour Review & #Giveaway)

This is the fourth book I've read from this author. Read my
thoughts on his newest release and enter the tour giveaway below...

The Search

by Clair M. Poulson

LDS Romantic Suspense

Paperback & ebook, 240 Pages

August 1st 2017 by Covenant Communications

Summary

Young private investigator Jayden Spaulding has cracked his share of tough cases, but nothing like this. When stunning professional basketball player Nadia Fairchild walks through his door, her story seems simple enough: two days ago, her mother disappeared along with a member of the women’s college basketball team she coached. Jayden and Nadia delve into a baffling maze of motive and opportunity with a lengthy list of possible suspects. As they work together amid their growing attraction to one another, the unlikely duo seems no closer to discovering the truth. Then the threats begin. Soon, the pair begins to suspect that this case is much more complicated than a simple disappearance—they have unwittingly stumbled on a conspiracy of corruption, greed, and murder far more deadly than they ever imagined. Others are also searching for the missing women, and they will eliminate anyone who stands in their way . . .

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Deseret Book

Edenbrooke by by Julianne Donaldson (Celebrating Romance Awareness Month & the Proper Romance Line)

Today is National Relaxation Day! As part of celebrating Romance Awareness Month and the Proper Romance line of books, I'm highlighting my go-to book for when I want to relax.

This book is one of my all-time favorites and it's one I re-read every year. It's sweet, endearing, makes me laugh out loud every single time, has a little danger, and a fabulous romance. I hope it's one of your favorites too! If you haven't read it, I hope you'll give it a try...

Edenbrooke

(A Proper Romance)
by Julianne Donaldson

Adult Historical Romance

Paperback & ebook, 264 Pages

March 27th 2012 by Shadow Mountain

Summary

Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she’ll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.

From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will she be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

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There is a collector's edition of Edenbrooke being released in September that will include
the prequel novella, Heir to Edenbrooke. You can read my review of the novella here.

The Hummingbird Heart by A.G. Howard (Book Release Blitz Excerpt & #Giveaway)

The Hummingbird Heart

(Haunted Hearts #2)
by A.G. Howard

New Adult Paranormal

Paperback & ebook, 339 Pages
August 15th 2017 by Golden Orb Press

Summary

Set 19 years after The Architect of Song:

Shortly after escaping a circus tragedy, young Italian orphan, Willow Antoniette, seeks refuge at The Manor of Diversions—a holiday resort in England born of a ghost story. For eleven years, she’s raised alongside the children of the resort’s owners: Julian, his twin brother, Nick, and their younger sister Emilia. Now that Willow is of marriable age, she's determined to escape finishing school along with everyone's efforts to make her a proper lady. The only man she wants to spend her life with is Julian, after all. Yet how can she tell him, when he thinks of her as nothing but a friend?

As a machinist and engineer, Julian Thornton prefers a governable life. He can't allow his ever-deepening attraction for Willow to distract from his amusement park plans to lure a younger, wealthier clientele to their family's resort. In hopes to escape Willow and find investors, Julian sets off on a transatlantic ocean liner headed for the St. Louis World’s Fair, unaware Willow has secretly stowed away on the same ship.

A tiny, mute orphan named Newton and a pair of haunted Italian shoes bring Willow and Julian face to face on deck. Forced to work together to solve the mystery of Newton and his vindictive, ghostly companion, Julian and Willow can no longer fight their untapped passions. However, time to admit their true feelings is running out, for the ghost and her murderer have enlisted them as unsuspecting pawns in a karmic game of cat-and-mouse that could cost all of them their lives.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Golden Orb Press

Chesapeake Valor Series by Dani Pettrey (Series Review)

Cold Shot

(Chesapeake Valor #1)
by Dani Pettrey

Christian Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages

February 2nd 2016 by Bethany House Publishers 

Summary

In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet--until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern--a young social justice lawyer missing since spring--and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository

Courting the Country Miss by Donna Hatch (Blog Tour & #Giveaway)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Launch for

Courting the Country Miss

By Donna Hatch

Note from the Author

I’m so excited about my newest book in the Courting Series, Courting the Countess, my 19th published title.

While helping me polish my manuscript for Courting the Countess, my critique partner begged me to write the story of the hero’s rakish brother, Tristan. Though a “bad boy,” Tristan had a fun sense of humor, a depth of character, and a vulnerability that really begged to have his tale be told. So, book two, Courting the Country Miss, was born. But don’t worry; it’s a stand-alone story so you don’t have to have read the first one to know what’s going on. It helps though. So, one of the prizes I’m giving away is a copy of the book that started it, Courting the Countess. to one lucky winner. The rest of you are welcome to purchase your own copy of Courting the Countess. ;-) 

Today’s star attraction, Courting the Country Miss, is about letting go, learning to forgive, and finding one’s true self—one’s best self. It’s also about not giving up on dreams or good causes just because of a little (or a lot) of opposition.

— Donna