#BookReview: The Queen’s Spade by @s_raughley @HarperCollins

In this riveting historical thriller that’s loosely inspired by true life events, The Count of Monte Cristo meets Bridgerton as revenge, romance, and twisted secrets take center stage in Victorian England’s royal court when Sally, a kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots her way to take down the monarchy that stole her from her homeland.

A young lady can take only so many injuries before humiliation and insult forge a vow of revenge . . .

The year is 1862, and murderous desires are simmering in England. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Bonetta Forbes (Sally), once a princess of the Egbado Clan, desires one thing above all else: revenge against the British Crown and its system of colonial “humanitarianism,” which stole her dignity and transformed her into royal property. From military men to political leaders, she’s vowed to ruin all who’ve had a hand in her afflictions. The top of her list? Her godmother, Britain’s mighty monarch, Queen Victoria herself.

Taking down the Crown means entering into a twisted game of court politics and manipulating the Queen’s inner circle—even if that means aligning with a dangerous yet alluring crime lord in London’s underworld and exploiting the affections of Queen Victoria’s own son, Prince Albert, as a means to an end. But when Queen Victoria begins to suspect Sally’s true intentions, she plays the only card in Victorian society that could possibly cage Sally once again: marriage. Because if there’s one thing Sally desires more than revenge, it’s her freedom. With time running out and her wedding day looming, Sally’s vengeful game of cat and mouse turns deadly as she’s faced with the striking revelation that that the price for vengeance isn’t just paid in blood. It means sacrificing your heart.

Loosely inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, The Queen’s Spade is a lush and riveting historical thriller perfect for fans of A Dowry of Blood and Grave Mercy.

#BookBlitz: Easy Investing by Italia Tornabene @RABTBookTours

Easy Investing: A Beginner's Guide to Financial Growth (Italia's books) Kindle Edition

Nonfiction / Finance

Date Published: December 18, 2023

 

 

Unlock the potential of investing with my user-friendly guide, designed for beginners eager to explore the financial world. Learn why investing is not exclusive to experts and gain insights into its transformative power. This accessible resource empowers readers to build wealth, secure their financial future, and achieve life goals through beginner-friendly strategies. Start your investment journey today!

#BookBlitz: Some Like It Hott by @serenabellbooks @XpressoTours $25 Amazon gift card

Some Like It Hott
Serena Bell
(Hott Springs Eternal, #3)
Publication date: January 14th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

She’s nothing he wants. And everything he needs.

Preston: I’m Mr. Serious, the guy they call “all work and no play.” So of course my grandfather’s sadistic will has put me in charge of fun at the family’s wedding resort. I have just a few weeks to come up with an all-ages activities program for the resort’s guests—or lose my family’s land forever. Meanwhile, the clock’s ticking at my finance firm, where I’m up for a huge promotion—if I can prove I’m a team player.

Worse, I have to work with the reigning queen of fun, Natalie Archer. If there’s a party, Natalie’s there, and she’s the one dancing on the tables. She doesn’t think much of my suits, ties, cufflinks, and spreadsheets, and I don’t think much of her fun-first–safety-last attitude. But for some reason, I can’t stop thinking about her gorgeous curves, wild curly hair, or sparkling smile. I’m a man who values self-control—and I’m running low.

Natalie launches Operation Fun to help me loosen up and win the promotion I’ve been chasing. Now we’re spending days and nights together—and learning that some activities are a lot of fun for both of us. But as our deadline approaches and our collaboration heats up, Natalie and I find ourselves asking a big question: Opposites may attract, but can they live happily ever after?

A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, fish-out-of-water, billionaire, opposites attract, workplace relationship standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

#BookReview: The Rot (Ravneringene #2) by @SiriPettersen

Book Two in Siri Pettersen's epic fantasy trilogy - The Raven Rings - at last comes to the U.S. after taking European audiences by storm. 

To protect her homeland of Ym, Hirka left it behind. She traveled through the raven rings, a stone circle that can be used as a portal, to an unfamiliar world. A world without the Might, a world where none of the people have tails, a world that seems rotten at its very core. That world is modern-day Europe.

Hirka was supposed to fit in with humans here. And her departure was supposed to be save Ym from the invasion of the blind. Yet none of that has happened. Instead, Hirka finds herself just as much of an outsider among the humans as she was among ymlings—even more so when she discovers that she has blood of the blind running through her veins. Meanwhile back in Ym, Rime—now the Ravenbearer—is fighting an ongoing battle against the blind, not to mention against his fellow Councilors, as well as with his own despair over losing Hirka.

Separated by worlds, unsure who to trust, and hunted for reasons they cannot understand, both Hirka and Rime must find a way to stop a thousand-year-old evil from destroying not only Ym, but every world in existence.

#BookReview: Daughter of Lies and Ruin (Tales of the Blackbone Witches #2) by Jo Spurrier

If they didn't want to get turned into beasts and used to fuel a ritual, they shouldn't have attacked a witch. That's all there is to it.

There's something strange brewing in this tinder-dry forest - a girl with a sword and a secret, a troupe of vicious bandits vanished without a trace, beasts that don't belong and a witch with a macabre plan.

Elodie hasn't been learning witchcraft for long, but she knows enough to be worried, and the fact that her mentor Aleida wants to pack up and leave in short order isn't helping to settle her nerves.

Elodie just hopes to get everyone out of this mess unharmed, but it's looking more unlikely with every passing hour. And when the strange witch's ire falls on her, Aleida's wrath sparks a fire that threatens to scorch the earth itself ...

#CoverReveal for Infernal Strings of Destiny by Jannat Bhat @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: Infernal Strings of Destiny

Author: Jannat Bhat

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Star Crossed Lovers

Workplace Romance

Release Date: February 15, 2025

BLURB

A curse spanning centuries.

A love doomed to end in tragedy.

A TWISTED game of light and dark.

Zayn was the bane of Kavya's existence. Mishaps occurred every time they came within an arm's distance.

Viewing Zayn as a handsome loner, she could love him or hate him, but she couldn't ignore him.

Kavya was unaware that their encounter would lead her towards a destructive path of destiny.

Zayn avoided Kavya's existence like the plague.

He was hurling insults to drive her away, but they were both battling against a force beyond their control.

He was irresistibly attracted to her, unaware that he would ultimately lead to her downfall.

How much will Zayn and Kavya push themselves before facing the consequences?

#BookBlitz: Happy Makes Me Happy by Mr. B's Books @RABTBookTours

Children's Book

Date Published: February 8, 2023

Publisher: MindStir Media

 

A wonderful rhyming story about Happy the dog, and how his kind and gentle love for a little girl teaches children to spread love and kindness to everyone. This glowing story and magnificent illustrations will make your heart smile.

 

Mr. B's Books by Michael Barnes - Rhyming books that teach kindness and compassion, making the world a happier place.

#BookBlitz: Just Call Me Jim by James Peifer @RABTBookTours

Paranormal Thriller

Date Published: 6/13/22

 

 

Jim Vincent thought he'd seen it all, but he'd never seen anything like this.

He'd fought in Vietnam and founded successful companies in Silicon Valley.

His Napa Valley retirement was supposed to be quiet and peaceful.

Until he was visited by an extraterrestrial calling itself the Source.

When the Source recruits him to address some of the problems here on Earth, Jim discovers that world leaders and criminal enterprises don't exactly appreciate his meddling.

How was Jim supposed to know that trying to rid the world of evil would leave people wanting him dead?

#BookBlitz: Daring Destiny (Charming Irish, #2) by @kayleneromance @XpressoTours Signed copy of Daring Destiny + swag

Daring Destiny
Kaylene Winter
(Charming Irish, #2)
Publication date: January 13th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Daring Destiny is a sweltering saga of billionaire intrigue, opposites-attract, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers with an unexpected life-changing twist.

Before I founded my AI tech company, I spent my high school years silently pining over Astrid Gustafsson, the unattainable ice-blonde beauty. Fast forward a decade and I’m shocked when she asks to collaborate on a secret project. The opportunity is too enticing to pass up.

Our newfound friendship quickly ignites into a wildfire of desire, and my passion for Astrid intensifies, leaving me eager to risk everything for our future. The challenge is, relentless demands of my high-stakes empire threaten to smother the flames of our burgeoning romance.

When fate dramatically intervenes, will a life-changing twist dare us to embrace our destiny?

#BookReview: Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen

Inspired by Kailee Pedersen's own journey being adopted from Nanning, China in 1996 and growing up on a farm in Nebraska, this rich and atmospheric supernatural horror debut explores an ancient Chinese mythology.

The last thing Nick Morrow expected to receive was an invitation from his father to return home. When he left rural Nebraska behind, he believed he was leaving everything there, including his abusive father, Carlyle, and the farm that loomed so large in memory, forever.

But neither Nick nor his brother Joshua, disowned for marrying Emilia, a woman of Asian descent, can ignore such summons from their father, who hopes for a deathbed reconciliation. Predictably, Joshua and Carlyle quickly warm to each other while Nick and Emilia are left to their own devices. Nick puts the time to good use and his flirtation with Emilia quickly blooms into romance. Though not long after the affair turns intimate, Nick begins to suspect that Emilia’s interest in him may have sinister, and possibly even ancient, motivations.

Punctuated by scenes from Nick’s adolescent years, when memories of a queer awakening and a shadowy presence stalking the farm altered the trajectory of his life forever, Sacrificial Animals explores the violent legacy of inherited trauma and the total collapse of a family in its wake.

#BookReview: Exodus (The Ravenhood #2) by Kate Stewart

Can you live a lie?It’s a ghost town, this place that haunts me, the one that made me.It’s clear to me that I’ll never outgrow Triple Falls or outlive the time I spent here.I can still feel them all, my boys of summer.Even when I’d sensed the danger, I gave in.I didn’t heed a single warning. I let my sickness, my love, both rule and ruin me. I played my part, eyes wide open, tempting fate until it delivered.There was never going to be an escape.All of us are to blame for what happened. All of us serving our own sentences. We were careless and reckless, thinking our youth made us indestructible, exempt from our sins, and it cost us all.I’m done pretending I didn’t leave the largest part of me between these hills and valleys, between the sea of trees that hold my secrets.It’s the reason I’m back. To make peace with my fate.And if I can’t grieve enough to cure myself in my time here, I’ll remain sick. That will be my curse.But it’s time to confess, to myself more so than any other, that I’d hindered my chances because of the way I was built, and because of the men who built me.At this point, I just want to make peace with who I am, no matter what ending I get.Because I can no longer live a lie.

#BookBlitz: .99! https://amzn.to/42lvFmj The Last Winter (The Shadowweaver Trilogy Book 1) by Holly Monroe @RABTBookTours

We have a fantastic book rec for you, and the best part is that it's the first book in a COMPLETED trilogy! 

Here are the details for the first book, The Last Winter by Holly Monroe!

The Last Winter (The Shadowweaver Trilogy Book 1)

- Completed trilogy

- Morally grey FMC

- Seasonal magic

- Complex world building

- Found family

- Deadly competition

- Obsessed MMC

- Shadow mommy

- Spice 2 chili that increases as the series goes on

- TW for brief mention of past sexual abuse

In the Race, there are no friends. In the Race, there is no family.

Her whole life, Viola has trained not just to finish the Race but to win and gain a coveted spot in Ytopie, the city of fae. The Race, designed to give glory and sustenance to the Gods, is a pilgrimage many Lowlanders feel honored to complete. Harboring anger towards the fae and her parents for leaving her behind years ago, Viola is not one of them. She will stop at nothing to get the spot she deserves amongst the fae in Ytopie. Together with her (only) friend Max, the two embark on the perilous journey through Gallant Summit toward the luxurious fae city of Ytopie.

Within Ytopie, the fae live a comfortable life surrounded by Seasonale fae and their magic. Unbeknownst to Viola, overseers of the Race watch her every move and become increasingly concerned for Viola’s well-being. Zeph is no exception, finding himself inexplicably drawn into Viola's journey.

But everything is not as it seems in Ytopie and everyone has their own agenda. When everyone wants a piece of you, how can you get out alive?

The Last Winter is the first installment in The Shadowweaver Trilogy, a fantasy romance journey through the land of Krillium. This book is intended for adults, with explicit sexual scenes and violence throughout.

#BookReview: The City Beautiful by @AdenPolydoros

Chicago, 1893. For Alter Rosen, this is the land of opportunity, and he dreams of the day he’ll have enough money to bring his mother and sisters to America, freeing them from the oppression they face in his native Romania.
 
But when Alter’s best friend, Yakov, becomes the latest victim in a long line of murdered Jewish boys, his dream begins to slip away. While the rest of the city is busy celebrating the World’s Fair, Alter is now living a nightmare: possessed by Yakov’s dybbuk, he is plunged into a world of corruption and deceit, and thrown back into the arms of a dangerous boy from his past. A boy who means more to Alter than anyone knows.
 
Now, with only days to spare until the dybbuk takes over Alter’s body completely, the two boys must race to track down the killer—before the killer claims them next.

Death lurks around every corner in this unforgettable Jewish historical fantasy about a city, a boy, and the shadows of the past that bind them both together.  

#BookReview: Briarheart by @mercedeslackey

Miriam may be the daughter of Queen Alethia of Tirendell, but she's not a princess. She's the child of Alethia and her previous husband, the King's Champion, who died fighting for the king, and she has no ambitions to rule. When her new baby sister Aurora, heir to the throne, is born, she's ecstatic. She adores the baby, who seems perfect in every way. But on the day of Aurora's christening, an uninvited Dark Fae arrives, prepared to curse her, and Miriam discovers she possesses impossible power.

Soon, Miriam is charged with being trained in both magic and combat to act as chief protector to her sister. But shadowy threats are moving closer and closer to their kingdom, and Miriam's dark power may not be enough to save everyone she loves, let alone herself.

#CoverReveal for What About Now? by Kaylee Ryan @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: What About Now?

Series: Everlasting Ink #4

Author: Kaylee Ryan

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Small Town/Age Gap/Tattoo Artist

Found Family/Drunken Vegas Wedding

Guy Cover Design: Lori Jackson

Photographer: Michelle Lancaster

Special Edition Cover Design: Emily Wittig

Release Date: February 11, 2025

BLURB

NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan brings you a new standalone series surrounding five best friends who co-own a tattoo studio. "What About Now?" is an age gap, found family, drunken Vegas wedding, small town romance.

Brogan

I didn’t plan on hooking up with my new brother-in-law’s best friend… or marrying him.

Life hasn’t been easy, and it’s left me a little bruised, and a lot cautious. So, when I wake up in Vegas married to Maddox, I’m convinced it’s a mistake. A drunken accident that we should undo before anyone finds out.

But he doesn’t see it that way. He asks for six months. Six months to show me we could be something real. And I don’t know why I say yes, except maybe a part of me wants to believe him.

I’m not sure I deserve someone like him. But with every look, every touch, and every little gesture, Maddox is breaking down my walls.

That’s why the next time he asks "what about now?" I know I'm going to say yes.

Maddox

I always thought Brogan was off-limits. Our paths didn’t just cross, they tangled.

If things didn’t work out between us, it would hurt a lot of people. So I stayed in my lane, convincing myself it was for the best.

Until Vegas.

One too many drinks, a blurred wedding chapel, and a couple of shiny rings later, Brogan wakes up next to me… as my wife.

She’s ready to call it a mistake and move on, but I see it for what it is: fate handing me the chance I’ve been too scared to take.

So I make her a deal. Six months. I’ll prove we belong together, and if she still doesn’t believe it, we’ll walk away. No hard feelings.

But I’m not going down without a fight. Flowers, her favorite coffee—I’ll give her everything she never knew she wanted, including me.

And one of these times when I ask if she believes it yet that were meant to be, I just might get the answer I’m hoping for.

Because I’ve waited long enough to make her mine, and this time, I’m not letting her go.

#CoverReveal for Lovestruck by L.L. Collins writing as Liane Mae @GiveMeBooksPR

Title: Lovestruck

Author: L.L. Collins w/a

Liane Mae

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Sport Romance/Instant Chemistry/He Falls

First/Pop Star & Football Player/Opposites Attract

Cover Design: Kari March, Kari March Designs

Release Date: February 6, 2025

BLURB

For Allie Witt, there’s one thing she’s always been successful with—her music. A former teen phenomenon, now at the top of her game in her late twenties, she has more awards and accolades than anyone else in the business.

But she doesn’t have the one thing that seems more and more unreachable: a guy who will stay. Oh, sure, they like the beautiful global superstar they see in the media. But what they get tired of quickly is the life she leads and the attention she garners.

After being dumped by her boyfriend of five years on opening night of her new tour, she runs—literally—into the hottest man she’s ever seen: Theo Nolan, star football player for the Florida Blaze.

Allie is convinced that love isn’t in the cards for her and that Theo will never be able to handle her chaotic life, but Theo isn’t letting their chance meeting go. He is determined to show her that it can be different.

Even though a new relationship is the opposite of what she needs in her life, Allie can’t deny their chemistry when he sets his sights on her. But can she trust him with her heart?

Allie must decide whether to surrender her heart to a love that defies expectations, or miss out on the one thing she’s written and sung about her entire career—true love.

#BookReview: Beasts of Prey (Beasts of Prey #1) by Ayana Gray

Magic doesn't exist in the broken city of Lkossa anymore, especially for girls like sixteen-year-old Koffi. Indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, she cares for its fearsome and magical creatures to pay off her family's debts and secure their eventual freedom. But the night her loved ones' own safety is threatened by the Zoo's cruel master, Koffi unleashes a power she doesn't fully understand--and the consequences are dire.

As the second son of a decorated hero, Ekon is all but destined to become a Son of the Six--an elite warrior--and uphold a family legacy. But on the night of his final rite of passage, a fire upends his plans. In its midst, Ekon not only encounters the Shetani--a vicious monster that has plagued the city and his nightmares for nearly a century--but a curious girl who seems to have the power to ward off the beast. Koffi's power ultimately saves Ekon's life, but his choice to let her flee dooms his hopes of becoming a warrior.

Desperate to redeem himself, Ekon vows to hunt the Shetani down and end its reign of terror, but he can't do it alone. Meanwhile, Koffi believes finding the Shetani and selling it for a profit could be the key to solving her own problems. Koffi and Ekon--each keeping their true motives secret from the other--form a tentative alliance and enter into the unknowns of the Greater Jungle, a world steeped in wild magic and untold dangers. The hunt begins. But it quickly becomes unclear whether they are the hunters or the hunted.

In this much-anticipated series opener, fate binds two Black teenagers together as they strike a dangerous alliance to hunt down the ancient creature menacing their home--and discover much more than they bargained for.

#BookBlitz: Baxter Learns to Save by Italia Tornabene @RABTBookTours

Baxter Learns to Save

Children's Book

Date Published: June 4, 2024

 

Baxter Learns to Save is a vibrant journey into the world of savings, investing, and diversifying, tailored to empower children with financial wisdom that's often missing in early education. Through the playful adventures of Baxter the Bunny and Hazel the Hedgehog, this book plants the seeds of financial literacy in young minds, showing them the importance of building a savings nest egg and the magic of making it grow.

Guided by the astute Wise Mr. Owl, our furry friends explore the forest's natural bounty, learning life-changing lessons about managing resources and ensuring a bountiful future for themselves and their forest friends.

This delightful story is not just a narrative; it's a foundational step towards securing a financially stable future for the next generation.

#BookBlitz: My Heart’s Desire by Heather Alexander @XpressoTours Signed copies of books 1 & 2 in the series OR a $25 Amazon gift card (winner’s choice)

My Heart’s Desire
Heather Alexander
(The Kincaid Brothers Series, #2)
Publication date: January 13th 2025
Genres: Adult, Romance, Time-Travel

When her best friend’s name appears on a tombstone dated 1883, the only way for Amber Harrison to save her is to travel through a mysterious time portal to the Old West—

Destiny drops her in 1883 Montana at the feet of Josh Kincaid—a sexy, time-traveling deputy with plans of his own. Attraction stirs between Amber and Josh, and soon their flirtatious friendship blossoms into a fiery romance. Teaming up, they devise a rescue, but time isn’t their only enemy. An escaped convict, seeking his revenge on the Kincaids, interferes with their plans. In order to keep their future on its true course, they must stop their adversary’s plan from coming to fruition. Can they beat time and return to their rightful place, or will they be stranded in 1883 forever?

#BookBlitz: Where the Road Ends by @KGBeckNovelist @XpressoTours $25 Amazon gift card + promo items/swag

Where the Road Ends
Kathryn Beck
Publication date: January 13th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Bartender Mara Sawyer has sixty days to turn her life around. If she can’t, Mara will lose the chance to regain custody of her daughter. Never having envisioned her life as a living, breathing, public service announcement for the Wyoming judicial system, Mara embraces the judge’s harsh rebuke. Finding a steady job will be easy, finishing school will be easy. Eluding the distraction of the new swaggering Texan, Luke Whitten, will be anything but easy.

With all her cards on the table, Luke and Mara build a strong friendship and along the way, she gives herself permission to fall in love again. When Mara’s ex offers up full custody in exchange for betraying Luke, Mara must choose — her daughter’s happiness, or her own.