Blame It On the Cowboy by Delores Fossen (4 stars)

About Blame It On the Cowboy

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: HQN Books (September 27, 2016)

Every cowboy has a wild side—all it takes is the right woman to unleash it…

All of Logan McCord’s carefully laid plans erupt the day he walks in on his would-be fiancée getting…well, not so carefully laid. Tonight, just once, Logan is acting on instinct. And that instinct is telling him to say “Happy to oblige” to the cute stranger looking for a no-strings fling with a Texas cowboy.

When chef Reese Stephens made her bucket list, she mistakenly thought she had weeks to live. Not that she regrets her one-night-stand with the gorgeous rancher. But she does regret leaving an heirloom watch as a parting gift. Tracking Logan down is easy. Walking away again is another matter. Because Reese’s crazy past and Logan’s battered heart are no match for the kind of chemistry that could turn one night into the start of a passionate lifetime.

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Review

No reason to reiterate the summary above. Instead, I'll jump right into what I liked. To start... Kudos to the way these two characters met. I found it much more appealing than the look-across-the-room-and-fall-in-love go-to of far too many romance novels.

I also appreciated that every time I thought I knew what would happen next, the story took a turn. So refreshing to not see everything coming in a too-fast relationship. And extra points for the humor I wasn't expecting.

If you enjoy a hot romance that defies standard romance storytelling, then take a chance on this one. I think you'll find it refreshing without forgoing any of the heat and romance.

Rating: 4 stars

About Delores Fossen

USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, has sold over 70 novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®.

In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.

Connect with Delores Website | Facebook | Twitter
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Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own. 

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Last Chance Rebel by Maisey Yates (4 stars)

About Last Chance Rebel

Series: Copper Ridge
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: HQN Books (August 30, 2016)

The prodigal son of Copper Ridge, Oregon, has finally come home 

The man who ruined Rebecca Bear’s life just strolled back into it with one heck of an offer. Years ago, Gage West’s recklessness left Rebecca scarred inside and out. Now he wants to make amends by gifting her the building that houses her souvenir store. Rebecca won’t take Gage’s charity, but she’s willing to make a deal with the sexy, reclusive cowboy. Yet keeping her enemy close is growing dangerously appealing…

He’s the wild West brother, the bad seed of Copper Ridge. That’s why Gage needs the absolution Rebecca offers. He just didn’t expect to need her. After years of regretting his past, he knows where his future lies—with this strong, irresistible woman who could make a black sheep come home to stay…

Purchase Links

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Review

Rebecca Bear has lived her life in the shadows of the scars from a car accident and hoping she never had to see the man responsible ever again. But then he waltzes back into town, and instead of avoiding her, he seems intent on lessening his guilt.

Two people in need of healing... can they embrace the future and heal the wounds of the past?

I love to read a good love story, but it has to start with caring about the characters and having a build up that makes sense--no instal-love for me. Rebecca and Gage have depth to them, which makes their growing feelings more intriguing. Love isn't easy, and it's definitely not for the two of them, but two damaged people can work through the pain when their hearts are in it. Their love story is reaffirmation of this kind of hope.

Their story stirred many emotions in me, something I wasn't expecting. To say I was pleasantly surprised by this is an understatement.

If you love a good romance with an added emotional attachment to the characters, then pick up a copy of Last Chance Rebel. And there's plenty of steamy scenes, too... just saying.

Rating: 4 stars

About Maisey Yates

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit.

In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book. Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard. She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.


Connect with Maisey 
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Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own. 

Please visit other stops on the Last Chance Rebel blog tour page.

The Last Woman Standing by Thelma Adams (4 stars)

About The Last Woman Standing: A Novel of Mrs. Wyatt Earp

Paperback: 298 pages 
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (July 1, 2016) 

Thelma Adams has built a successful career writing profiles of Hollywood’s biggest and brightest stars. From Julianne Moore and George Clooney to Jessica Chastain and Matthew McConaughey, her portfolio is dazzling and reputation as a film critic in the industry stellar.

Now, Adams shifts from Hollywood to the Wild West with THE LAST WOMAN STANDING (Lake Union Publishing; on-sale July 1, 2016), the first biographical novel about Josephine Marcus, Wyatt Earp’s wife, the gutsy Jewish beauty who captured the lawman’s heart in 1881, the year he fought the legendary Gunfight at the OK Corral. 

In her well-researched and vividly composed novel, Adams doesn’t waste any time proving her talent as a dynamic writer with a cinematic flair. She explores the brief defining period when Josephine comes-of-age on the American frontier, weaving action, wit, and clever introspection. 

The daughter of Jewish immigrants, Josephine shames her tight-knit family (her over-bearing mother begins to sit-shiva the minute Josephine walks out the door) when the 19-year-old follows the smooth-talking and attractive lawman, Johnny Behan, from San Francisco, California to Tombstone, Arizona. Hanging on the slim promise of a wedding, the naïve young woman eventually discovers the older man’s untrustworthy side. She also learns that divided loyalties and corruption plague the silver boom town—with her fiancé at the conflict’s heart. And she can’t pretend she hasn’t noticed the courageous straight-shooter Wyatt Earp who becomes Behan’s sworn enemy. 

When Behan betrays Josephine, she leaves him—and immediately faces the harsh realities of being a woman on her own in the Wild West, a world where a lady’s every action depends on a man’s approval. Adams’s storytelling from a female perspective, and her rich and descriptive style, allow the reader to feel Josephine’s desperation as she realizes the only available options she has are prostitution or returning home. That is—until Wyatt Earp declares his love for her. As their romance blossoms and their bond deepens, Behan’s jealousy ignites a rivalry destined for the history books. 

THE LAST WOMAN STANDING is a compelling novel: both an epic tale of an improbable romance and a retelling of an iconic American legend through a female lens. Josephine is a charismatic, fierce heroine who seeks to reinvent herself—and find her soul mate—in a lawless outpost among cowboys and lawmen, where few people are what they seem on the surface. 

“Adams is that rare, vivid author who brings a cinematic quality to her wildly entertaining fiction.” —Peter Travers, Rolling Stone 
  .

Purchase Links 

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Review

I jumped at the chance to read historical fiction featuring Wyatt Earp's wife. I've always found the Wild West fascinating. But to read about it from a woman's point of view... I was truly excited.

Josephine falls in love with Johnny Behan and follows him to Tombstone. At first, she clings to her ideas of how their relationship will go and manages to not let him have his way. But soon after giving into his manipulations, she finds herself facing new choices. And Wyatt Earp.

I loved Josephine's spunk and determination. And I found the side cast of females--some strong in nontraditional ways--entertaining. My only complaint was that Josephine really doesn't become involved with Wyatt until too far into the book. I understand that the relationship with Johnny molded who she'd be, but it was when she was with Wyatt that she truly shined.

If you love the Wild West, historical fiction, and great female characters, you'll be thoroughly entertained by this book. Enjoy!


Rating: 4 stars

About Thelma Adams 

Thelma Adams is an established figure in the entertainment industry. For two decades, she has penned celebrity features and criticism for high-profile publications. Her portfolio of actor interviews includes Julianne Moore, George Clooney, Jessica Chastain, and Matthew McConaughey, among many others. While covering film for the New York Post, Us Weekly, and Yahoo Movies, Thelma became a regular at film festivals from Berlin to Dubai, Toronto to Tribeca. She sits on the Hamptons International Film Festival Advisory Board and twice chaired the prestigious New York Film Critics Circle. Her debut novel, Playdate, published by Thomas Dunne Books, won high critical acclaim. Adams is often recognized, as she has been invited to share her expertise on many broadcast outlets, including appearances on NBC’s Today, CBS’s Early Show, and CNN. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a history degree from UC Berkeley and earned an MFA from Columbia University. She lives in Hyde Park, New York, with her family. 

Connect with Thelma 
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Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own. 

Please visit other stops on The Last Woman Standing blog tour page.

Deception Island by Brynn Kelly (4 stars)

About Deception Island

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: HQN Books (May 31, 2016)

A stolen boy 

A haunted soldier 

A cornered con woman… 

Rafe Angelito thought he was done with the demons from his past—until his son is kidnapped. Blackmailed into abducting an American heiress, the legionnaire soon finds himself trapped in paradise with a fiery, daring beauty who’s nothing he expects…and everything he desires. But when he uncovers her own dark secret, Rafe realizes he’s made a critical mistake—one that could cost him everything.

Playing body double for a spoiled socialite was supposed to be Holly Ryan’s ticket to freedom. But when she’s snatched off her yacht by a tall, dark and dangerous stranger, the not-quite-reformed con artist will make a desperate play to turn her captor from enemy to ally, by any means necessary.

Yet as scorching days melt into sultry nights, Holly is drawn to the mysterious capitaine, with his unexpected sense of honor and his searing touch. When they’re double-crossed, they’ll have to risk trusting each other in ways they never imagined…because in this deadly game of deception, it’s their lives—and hearts—on the line.

Purchase Links

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Review

Rafe and Holly are thrown together by crazy circumstances. Rafe is desperate to save his son from a madman. To do so, he's being forced to kidnap and kill a Senator's daughter. Except things aren't as they seem. Holly has a convoluted past--one she's trying to overcome by putting her life in peril.

Thus begins a fast-paced cat and mouse game where the two must work together if they have any hope of coming out alive. 

From the very first word, you are thrown into this story, and the action doesn't let up. Two desperate people must learn to trust each other to save themselves and Rafe's son from a man with nothing to lose. Along the way, they find themselves drawn to each other.

Trust is an issue, but desire and attraction are not, as Rafe and Holly bond. Desperate and intense situations explode into a strong connection between them, one of passion and need. Both will have to let their guard down in order to survive. 

(And if you like a strong, kick-butt female character like I do, you'll connect with Holly right away.)

Interesting characters, heart-pounding action, scorching heat... these prove to be a great story-telling combination and a fast read. Once you start, you won't be able to put it down. 

Rating: 4 stars

About Brynn Kelly

As a journalist Brynn Kelly once spent her days chasing stranger-than-fiction news reports. Now she spends them writing larger-than-life novels, in a happy bubble of fiendish plots and delicious words. Brynn has a journalism degree and has won several prestigious writing and journalism awards, including the Valerie Parv Award and Pacific Hearts Award. Her debut novel Deception Island was a Golden Heart finalist. She’s also a bestselling non-fiction author in her native New Zealand.

Connect with Brynn

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Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own. 

Please visit other stops on Deception Island blog tour page.

The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer (4 stars)

About The Girl in the Red Coat

Hardcover: 336 pages 
Publisher: Melville House (February 16, 2016) 
Costa Book Award for First Novel finalist
Dagger Award finalist 

Newly single mom Beth has one constant, gnawing worry: that her dreamy eight-year-old daughter, Carmel, who has a tendency to wander off, will one day go missing. 

And then one day, it happens: On a Saturday morning thick with fog, Beth takes Carmel to a local outdoor festival, they get separated in the crowd, and Carmel is gone. 

Shattered, Beth sets herself on the grim and lonely mission to find her daughter, keeping on relentlessly even as the authorities tell her that Carmel may be gone for good. 

Carmel, meanwhile, is on a strange and harrowing journey of her own—to a totally unexpected place that requires her to live by her wits, while trying desperately to keep in her head, at all times, a vision of her mother … 

Alternating between Beth’s story and Carmel’s, and written in gripping prose that won’t let go, The Girl in the Red Coat—like Emma Donoghue’s Room and M. L. Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans—is an utterly immersive story that’s impossible to put down . . . and impossible to forget. 

“Keeps the reader turning pages at a frantic clip… What’s most powerful here is not whodunnit, or even why, but how this mother and daughter bear their separation, and the stories they tell themselves to help endure it.” —Celeste Ng (Everything I Never Told You) 

“Compulsively readable…Beautifully written and unpredictable, I had to stop myself racing to the end to find out what happened.” —Rosamund Lupton (Sister)   

“Both gripping and sensitive — beautifully written, it is a compulsive, aching story full of loss and redemption.” —Lisa Ballantyne (The Guilty One) 

“Hamer’s dark tale of the lost and found is nearly impossible to put down.” —Booklist  .\

Publishing Links

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Review

A mother's worst nightmare... her child goes missing. Divorced Beth is raising her daughter, Carmel, pretty much by herself. Then, one foggy day... Carmel is gone. 

There were times I had to lay this book down and take a few minutes to step away because it's so intensely emotional. I'm a mom, and the thought of one of my children (I have three daughters, so I especially connected) going missing... a lump immediately forms in my throat.

But added to that is the girl's journey (which we get to see thanks to alternating points of view). I would grieve for the mother and then go through a myriad of emotions for the daughter. So many times I worried tragedy was just around the corner.

I won't give away any more, and I hope no reviewers give away the ending. However, I will say the story ended too abruptly for me. Ultimately, that's a compliment because I didn't want to let the characters go.

An emotional journey that will grab your heart and not let go. Highly recommend.
Rating: 4 stars

About Kate Hamer 


KATE HAMER is a winner of the Rhys Davies Short Story Prize. Girl in the Red Coat is her first novel. It is shortlisted for the Costa Book Award for First Novel and a finalist for The Dagger Award. 

She lives in Cardiff, Wales with her husband and two children.

Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own. 

Please visit other stops on The Girl in The Red Coat blog tour page.

The Crescent Spy by Michael Wallace (4 stars)

About The Crescent Spy 

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (November 10, 2015) 

Writing under a man’s name, Josephine Breaux is the finest reporter at Washington’s Morning Clarion. Using her wit and charm, she never fails to get the scoop on the latest Union and Confederate activities. But when a rival paper reveals her true identity, accusations of treason fly. Despite her claims of loyalty to the Union, she is arrested as a spy and traitor. 

To Josephine’s surprise, she’s whisked away to the White House, where she learns that President Lincoln himself wishes to use her cunning and skill for a secret mission in New Orleans that could hasten the end of the war. For Josephine, though, this mission threatens to open old wounds and expose dangerous secrets. In the middle of the most violent conflict the country has ever seen, can one woman overcome the treacherous secrets of her past in order to secure her nation’s future?
 

Purchase Links

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Review

For fans of the Civil War and female empowerment, this is a must-read. How often do we get to see a strong female presence in a war situation, particularly the Civil War? Josephine is tenacious as a female reporter in the midst of a torn nation. Nothing will stop her. I am drawn to these types of characters and couldn't wait to see her fate.

Seeing the men scramble around her brought a little joy to my heart... I won't lie. 

Why then a 4-star rating? 

I wanted more for her than just her strength. So much of her soft side seemed missing. In my humble opinion, what makes women special is their ability to embrace strength and vulnerability. 

Also, the tension in the story never seemed to ebb and flow, instead barreling forward at a constant and intriguing pace. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it attributed to my feeling of a missing softness.

But, overall, this is an empowering and captivating read. One well-worth your time.

Rating: 4 stars

About Michael Wallace 

Michael Wallace was born in California and raised in a small religious community in Utah, eventually heading east to live in Rhode Island and Vermont. In addition to working as a literary agent and innkeeper, he has been a software engineer for a Department of Defense contractor programming simulators for nuclear submarines. 

He is the author of more than twenty novels, including the Wall Street Journal bestselling Righteous series, set in a polygamist enclave in the desert.

Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own. 

Please visit other stops on The Crescent Spy blog tour page.

Silver Tongue by AshleyRose Sullivan (4 stars)

About Silver Tongue

Paperback: 274 pages 
Publisher: Seventh Star Press, LLC (April 20, 2015) 

The Colonies lost the Revolutionary War. Now it's 1839 and the North American continent is divided into three territories: New Britannia, Nueva Espana, and Nouvelle France where seventeen-year-old Claire Poissant lives. 

Claire has a magical way with words--literally. But a mystical power of persuasion isn't the only thing that makes her different. Half-French and half-Indian, Claire doesn't feel at home in either world. Maybe that's why she's bonded so tightly with her fellow outcasts and best friends: Phileas, a young man whose towering intellect and sexuality have always made him the target of bullies, and Sam, a descendant of George Washington who shares the disgraced generalís terrible, secret curse. 

But when Sam's family is murdered, these bonds are tested and Claire's special ability is strained to its limits as the three hunt the men responsible into dangerous lands. Along the way they cross paths with P.T. Barnum, William Frankenstein and other characters from both history and fantasy as they learn the hard way that man is often the most horrific monster and that growing up sometimes means learning to let go of the things you hold most dear.

 

Purchase Links

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Review

Imagine America if the Revolutionary War had failed. If that's not an intriguing enough premise for a book, then add three friends who find themselves in challenging situations... with a paranormal twist and an interesting cast of peripheral characters.

Claire struck me as the most interesting character, both with her Native American background and her keen ability to influence others. It's a power we've all wished for, but don't always realize the after effects. 

Sam, a descendant of George Washington--a storyline I found captivating and insanely unique--suffers the horrific loss of his family, barely surviving himself, only to face life with a devastating curse. 

Kudos to the author for a vivid imagination--deftly mixing genres in an intricate storyline--and a grand journey with friends who cross paths with interesting characters.

If you enjoy a unique, genre-bending story with both action and character-building, pick up Silver Tongue. I highly recommend it.

Rating: 4 stars

About AshleyRose Sullivan

Born and raised in Appalachia, AshleyRose Sullivan now lives, writes, and paints in Los Angeles. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University and her first novel, Awesome Jones: A Superhero Fairy Tale is available from Seventh Star Press. 

She can be found at her website or her blog, My Year Of Star Trek.

Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own. 

Please visit other stops on Silver Tongue blog tour page.

The Determined Heart by Antoinette May (4 stars)

About The Determined Heart

Paperback: 410 pages
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (September 29, 2015)

Frankenstein lives on as one of the most fascinating fictional creations of all time, but the true personal story of the women behind this work of genius is equally as compelling. In her new historical novel, The Determined Heart: The Tale of Mary Shelley and Her Frankenstein (Lake Union Publishing; September 29, 2015), New York Times bestselling author Antoinette May brings to life the tragic story of obsessive love, betrayal, and redemption that spawned an enduring classic. In a story more dramatic and tragic than anything a writer could invent, the lives of Mary Shelley, her great love, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and her complex web of family and friends entwine in a chronicle of strange behavior, bohemian attitudes, and unconventional acts as far ahead of their time as the amazing literary work that grew from them.

Mary Godwin Shelley was the daughter of two revolutionary thinkers—political philosopher William Godwin and philosopher and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. An unconventional childhood in an intellectual, if impecunious household would shape the young girl’s renegade spirit. When still a teenager, she ran off with the already-married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, an act of equal parts passion and defiance that led to a life of wandering destitution. Espousing free love, the couple would endure its share of tragedies, each of which would add to their romantic legacy. From the darkness that surrounded her life, though, the brilliant and talented Mary imagined a timeless work of fiction that secured her place in history, if not her happiness.  

The Determined Heart is a masterful work of historical fiction that reanimates the timeless story of an iconic literary life.

“Epic in scope, this is a beautifully written novel about a woman whose story is every bit as extraordinary and gripping as that of the epic character she created, Frankenstein. May’s meticulous research and exquisite prose shine on every page.” —Erika Mailman, author of The Witch’s Trinity and Woman of Ill Fame

“May displays a deft flair for historical fiction…” –BookList on Pilate’s Wife, A Novel of the Roman Empire

 

Purchase Links 

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble 

Review

Mary was drawn to her poet love from an early age and fought against convention to be with him. Their relationship had extreme highs and lows, and during their time together, she created a manuscript that would become Frankenstein. 

Epic in scope, this story details Mary's life. Although I must admit I was around 35% on the Kindle version before I felt fully committed to the story, I then found myself captivated. At times, I wanted to throw the Kindle across the room from frustration and pure sadness. But I couldn't help but continue to read, completely enthralled with this woman's life.

She was foolish in love but so resilient and brilliant in other matters. With all her losses, I'm amazed she managed to continue. Equally, my heart broke for her step-sisters. Devastation seemed to touch everyone involved with Percy, yet so many were compelled to be in his life.

I do wish, however, that more about her writing had been highlighted. Then again, I find particular interest in what drives an author.

This book is an emotional roller coaster of epic proportions. Yet, there's something so irresistible about it. Much like Mary to Percy, I couldn't help but stay the course and hope for the best. 

Overall, it's a real winner. Just don't give up during the slower first third of the book.
Rating: 4 stars

About the Author

Antoinette May is the author of Pilate’s Wife and The Sacred Well and coauthor of the New York Timesbestseller Adventures of a Psychic. 

An award-winning travel writer specializing in Mexico, May divides her time between Palo Alto and the Sierra foothills.

You can connect with her on her website.

Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own. 

Please visit other stops on The Determined Heart blog tour page.