Announcing a New Newsletter!

You may - or may not - have noticed the new banner in the left column, and the sign-up widget right below it. Yep, I've finally given in and joined the newsletter bandwagon!

Not only is this a really great group of authors, but with a group like this there's going to be a great selection of bi-monthly news and information. "Something for everyone," you could say, straight into your inbox every other month beginning in December.

And if you sign up now to subscribe, your name will be entered into a raffle to win one of 3 great giftcards to be awarded at the end of December.

Each issue will bring news of book sales, new releases, and giveaways, as well as special promotions and events. Like I said, something for everyone. So don't wait - sign up today to be entered to win and to receive our first issue in December!

Wild Roses & Romance...
Stay in the know!

Monday Book Review: BORDER HEAT by Hebby Roman

Border Heat, by Hebby Roman
Published May 2016 by Estrella Publishing

About the Book:

Leticia Rodríguez is a business woman and an advocate for divorced mothers seeking children support. Despite all her accomplishments, she hasn’t recovered from her failed marriage and losing both her parents in a freak accident. The last thing she wants is a sexy Latino attorney pursuing her.

Eduardo Villarreal has two law degrees, one from the States and the other from México. He’s a self-made man and an expert in international law, but like Leticia, his personal life has suffered… the loss of his unborn child, a divorce, and the passing of his mother. And when he learns about the father who betrayed him, he hardens his heart to love… wanting only revenge.

Despite their pasts, Leticia and Eduardo begin an affair. But when she discovers his political ambitions are fueled by vengeance, she realizes he has no room in his heart for love… or her.

MY TAKE:

This is a quiet story of second chances, filled with slow-building sexual tension, drama built out of misunderstandings, small town sensibilities, and emotional yearning that transcend borders.

Leticia lives in a small Texas border town, having dropped out of college to run her parents furniture store after their sudden deaths. Despite the daily struggle to compete with the chain stores, she also finds time to volunteer to help single moms track down their deadbeat husbands. It's in pursuit of this goal that she meets Eduardo, a lawyer from the Mexican side of the border who agrees to help track down the men running away from their child support obligations.

Sparks fly when the pair first meet, but both have been burned before. Each was previously married and dumped by their spouse, and each fears repeating past mistakes or letting anyone get too close. The author gives us alternating points of view from both Leticia and Eduardo, so the reader is privy to the inner fears and secrets they keep from one another.  The author also flavors the story with Spanish words and phrases, mixing them liberally into the dialogue in a way that made the story's setting feel more authentic.

Ms. Roman does a masterful job of painting two broken people both yearning and fearing that second chance at love. I loved the growth of Leticia's character, as she shed her cocoon and spread her wings, realizing her own inner strength and desires, and standing up for what she believed in.

Grab your copy on AMAZON.

Monday Book Review: WHEN WE'RE ENTWINED by Jody Kessler

When We're Entwined, by Jody Kessler
Published 2016

About the Book:

Do not judge me for where I stand today, until you know how far I’ve traveled to get here.” — J. Pyrah, When We’re Entwined

Former circus performer and aerial gymnast, Tara knows it’s time to move on. Tired of the constant abuse and the emotional rollercoaster ride at home, she takes to the road to perform on stage with her boyfriend and his band, Paradox 21.

Drunken excursions and late night after-parties lead to an unfathomable betrayal by her boyfriend, Keel. Tara never imagined her summer tour would come to an abrupt end that lands her jobless, homeless, and broke in a city far from home. Unable to reach out to her emotionally distant and unstable mother and her abusive stepfather, a knight disguised as a homeless man gives Tara new perspective. And a punk named Corban, with his gemstone inspired eyes, takes her on a spontaneous road trip that ultimately lands her a job with the traveling sideshow, The Circus of Misfit Marvels.

As Tara searches for a freedom she has never known, she documents her journey by writing her most embarrassing, profound, excruciating, and soul-searching moments in letters to her sister. Despite heartache, love and loss, Tara finds immeasurable strength and wisdom during her travels in this unforgettable adventure of self-discovery.

“When We’re Entwined is a gripping, emotional modern-day adventure with a glimpse of alternative lifestyles in America as one vibrant, young aerial gymnast realizes cruelty and injustice can be outweighed by kindness, humor, and compassion with the help of a most unlikely and wildly colorful cast of characters.”

My Take:

A fast paced, coming of age novel, WHEN WE'RE ENTWINED takes the reader on a twisting journey of self discovery and introspection as the main character tries to navigate the road to adulthood through the land mines of her past.

Jasper Pyrah grew up as a circus performer until her mother remarried and they left the circus life.  Now 19, she's running away, striking out on her own to get away from her abusive stepdad. Told from Jasper's first person POV, her story unfolds in fits and starts, each bit of backstory filling a hole in the puzzle of her life as she examines each piece and figures out where it fits. Her landscape is filled with interesting and strange characters who move in and out of Jasper's life, each with their own unique wisdom to impart.

I've read several books by Ms. Kessler, and loved them all for different reasons, but they all have a similar thread of broken characters trying to find their places in the world. As she matures as an author, Ms. Kessler's voice only grows stronger and more pronounced, and I'm totally looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

Grab a copy on AMAZON.

Writing Wednesday: WINNERS! We have Winners!

Halloween is in the rearview - which means it's time to announce WINNERS for the various hops and trick-or-treat prizes!

The list of grand-prize winner for the Snarkology Halloween Hop can be found HERE. Individual prizes at the various participant pages can be found at their various sites - and the winner of my ebook copy of GHOSTS DON"T LIE is  

BRITTANY WENDTLAND

(I will send you an email directly)

(who, by the way, was one of only 4 people to follow the directions. C'mon, people, read the directions to win.)

 (But seriously, BIG THANK YOU to everyone who visited, commented and entered the contest! Hope your Halloween Hop was fun and filled with treats!)

The ABA hop included some really fun posts from some of my favorite authors... and I must say I was totally blown away by some of the real-life ghost stories you readers shared on my blog in the comments! I had so much trouble picking one favorite that I had to throw the names in a basket (Longaberger, of course) and pick one at random...

 ...And the winner is

TRICIA SCHNEIDER

 (I will send you an email directly)

HUGE Thanks to  everyone who stopped by, read my story and especially to those who commented with ghost tales of their own! 

Happy Halloween and whew! glad the madness is over for another year!

If you didn't win a copy of my book - never fear - you can grab it easily over on AMAZON