Thursday, December 31, 2020

Farewell 2020! HELLO 2021 New Releases! DOUBLE REVIEW with Atria Books!

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.


Well, you made it.  It's New Year's Eve 2020 and we're about to say goodbye to the “affectionately” titled “year-that-shall-not-be-named”.  Seriously, I think people are going to utilize 2020 as a curse word in future generations because really...WHEW!  Who thought all THAT craziness would happen?  Anyway, should old acquaintance be forgot and all that jazz...but well, maybe not ALL acquaintance because there were some fabulous books that definitely took me to places outside our wonderfully pandemic ridden world, and I for one am grateful for them!

Today, we're going to zero in on a few that I read pre-release that are coming, in what we're hoping will be a fabulous year...2021!  So get ready for our bookish countdown as we help feed your wish list with titles that left an imprint on me this year that I will gladly carry into the next.


by
Janet Skeslien Charles
9781982134198
Atria Books
Release Date:  February 9th, 2021

About the book...
Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.



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Often times, though reading is a joyous pastime that brings a smile to my heart, we get so rushed by our daily lives, and schedules (self imposed or not) that we end up rushing through a title like it's a race to get to the end.  This time, I self indulged and took my sweet time to read every page, every word of this beautifully rendered story filled with heartbreak, betrayal, love, war, friendship, and just simply...life.

We get to know Odile both then and now as her history is revealed through present interactions, memories that play out in her mind, and the steps she is willing to take to try to put the past to rest.  Both versions of this character, young and older, are fascinating.  She lived a life some would be envious of, while others would see the undercurrents she swam against and run for the hills.  She was bookish and sought out her soul's delight, a job in the hallowed halls of the American Library, and while first impressions with the powers that be were not what she had hoped, the support she received from the cast of characters already laying themselves at our feet was heartwarming, and just the boost she needed to let her written words express what in person she initially could not.  It's funny actually how someone who found it hard to express what she held deeply as a part of her self, should have to learn the lesson of holding her tongue in the coming years.  Yes, my friends, the war taught them many things, and many lessons that should never be witnessed first hand or otherwise, but putting trust in the wrong person, speaking out of anger or frustration in lieu of from the heart, THAT was something that would come to haunt her in so many ways.  But I digress...

It all begins and ends with a curious neighbor girl knocking on Odile's door at just the right moment, and turning both their world's upside down.  Lily would never know just how much she was a force of good in Odile's life, though their connection, their love and fondness for each other grows with every coming-of-age lesson learned along the way.  She would know how cherished she was.  She would know that someone was there for her, come what may.  She would know that life goes on, even after the darkest of nights, and that there is always something or someone worth reaching for.

Honestly, I can't wait to see this one actually in print because I know despite having read the eARC, I'll have to have a copy on my own shelf.  It was just that good.  So, if you like Historical Fiction with both heart and lessons to be learned, or are even perhaps bookish yourself, this is a title I'd be setting my sights on come February for certain.





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by
Madeleine Henry
9781982142964
Atria Books
Release Date:  February 9th, 2021

About the book...
A brilliant physicist studying the nature of time embarks on a journey to prove that those we love are always connected to us, leading to surprising revelations in this fresh and unique love story.

Sophie Jones is a physics prodigy on track to unlock the secrets of the universe. But when she meets Jake Kristopher during their first week at Yale they instantly feel a deep connection, as if they’ve known each other before. Quickly, they become a couple. Slowly, their love lures Sophie away from school.

When a shocking development forces Sophie into a new reality, she returns to physics to make sense of her world. She grapples with life’s big questions, including how to cope with unexpected change and loss. Inspired by her connection with Jake, Sophie throws herself into her studies, determined to prove that true loves belong together in all realities.

Spanning decades, The Love Proof is an unusual love story about lasting connection, time, and intuition. It explores the course that perfect love can take between imperfect people, and urges us to listen to our hearts rather than our heads.



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I admit it, this one takes you out of your comfort zone in regards to some of the theories it explores, however it's not so much so that you get lost from the story...and oh my goodness does it have HEART!

Sophie is a wonderful young lady on the cusp of opening doors the world didn't even know they needed open, and the genius of her mind is ready to take her there.  Her dedication to her work at such a young age is inspiring and the things she knows would put some of the best scholars to shame.  Thing is...up until now, her interactions have been limited to her family and scholarly endeavors.  Her equations never factored in...Jake.  From the moment she sees him, the moment they first pass words between them, her heart takes a sudden detour.  She doesn't forsake herself for the relationship that builds, but she is content.  She is happy.  She is in love...but with a mind like hers, no one seems to understand or accept that fact...including the one who should the most.  Years pass and all seems somewhat well, until an end she never anticipated coming, comes to pass.  To say it shakes her world is the understatement of the century, and yet it is the cataclysmic event that puts her in limbo.  Nothing lasts forever and though a lifetime passes, she rebuilds her foundations, and discovers an alternate purpose to pursue, but never forgets her first love...

As I said, the ideas explored about time and the present versus future existing on the same plane, are definitely the cause of some peculiar looks when I was talking about the book with fellow readers, but the concept of love never really leaving us, of being there in the moment and yet somewhere else at the same time, experiencing things in such detail that they are memories not dreams and yet you can't recall actually DOING them, those things transcend the intellectual aspect of the story and speak directly to the heart.





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Special thanks to Atria Books for the eARCs for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on these titles, the authors, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  Both titles are set to release February 9th, 2021 (as of this post) via Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, so mark your calendar, or pre order your copies today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Happy BOOK BIRTHDAY to... HER WICKED MARQUESS by Stacey Reid - REVIEW!

Hi guys and gals!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're celebrating a BOOK BIRTHDAY for author Stacey Reid as the newest addition to the Sinful Wallflowers series hits bookshelves via Entangled Publishing!  If you're a fan of Historical Romance filled with fabulous characters, a chatty ton just waiting to be disproved, secret romantic entanglements, danger in many forms, and a well formed plan for revenge that you may be more on board with than you'd at first think...this is SO the book for you!  So, ready...set...feast your peepers on today's title in the spotlight...


by
Stacey Reid

About the book...
Miss Maryann Fitzwilliam is too witty and bookish for her own good. No gentleman of the ton will marry her, so her parents arrange for her to wed a man old enough to be her father. But Maryann is ready to use those wits to turn herself into a sinful wallflower.

When the scandal sheet reports a sighting of Nicolas St. Ives, the Marquess of Rothbury, climbing out the chamber windows of a house party, Maryann does the unthinkable. She anonymously claims that the bedchamber belonged to none other than Miss Fitzwilliam, tarnishing her own reputation—and chances of the dastardly union her family secured for her. Now she just needs to convince the marquess to keep his silence.

Turns out Nicolas allows for the scandal to perpetuate for his own reasons… But when Maryann’s parents hold fast to their arranged marriage plan, it’ll take a scandal of epic proportions for these two to get out of this together.




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TOO witty?  TOO bookish?
Not in today's world, but back then, it would have set the tongues of the ton wagging with abandon.  Then again, the steps this supposed wallflower is about to take with one notorious rake will do much more than turn heads....MUCH more.

Oh.  My. Goodness.
I loved this book SO MUCH, it's simply ridiculous!

Maryann was the perfect leading lady to see yourself in. The knowledge she held in a time when women were simply to look pretty and keep their opinions to themselves would astound the noblest of men.  The talent she possessed with a rapier was surprising, but grand.  The depth with which she felt, her ability to truly sense the person beneath the persona, her desire to bend for nothing in a marriage beyond true love, and her determination to put an end to plans to marry her off for something less...all were not desirable qualities then to most...except the right one.  Oh, but the right one could not be perceived, could not be chosen, could not have been fathomed to be the rake with which she hoped to ruin herself in reputation only to put an end to those marriage plans her family had in the works for her.   That, my friends, was a completely unexpected development, but OH SO GOOD!

Nicholas had a very carefully cultivated persona, not simply for acceptance in the ton because his title alone and being born a male did that on its own.  No, his reasons were entirely more self serving and yet in the vein of justice that once revealed can not be ignored.  He needed that cover to exact the revenge he sought for one that could no longer fight their own battles.  He needed to stay focused in order to lurk in the shadows undetected, flit behind the scenes to uncover truths well hidden, and reach his ultimate goal despite the passage of time...but then came Maryann.  Their start was certainly gasp worthy, their continuation unexpected, but their connection, despite their very own protests to anything of the sort was mesmerizing.  He didn't need to be driven to distraction; his heart took him their of its own accord with no directions from his own person.  The heart wants what it wants...even if it's too stubborn to admit it, too involved in other business to take care of it, or too driven by darker plans to call it quits and accept the gift being given.  It all comes to a delightful head with an explosive ending you won't expect and a twist that will have your heart in pieces, but rests assured...the Marquess always gets his man (or woman) in the end.

Come along for the ride, or take the reins, as you discover this second release in the Sinful Wallflowers series, and pluck another from the sidelines she has been placed on by society.


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About the author...


Stacy is an avid reader of novels with a deep passion for writing. She especially loves romance and adores writing about people falling in love. Stacy lives a lot in the worlds she creates and actively speaks to her characters (out loud). She has a warrior way, never give up on her dreams. When Stacy is not writing, she spends a copious amount of time drooling over Rick Grimes from Walking Dead, watching Japanese anime and playing video games with her love, Dusean Nelson.



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Special thanks to the Entangled Publishing team for the ebook for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.   This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Thursday, December 24, 2020

And to all a good...READ!: Holiday reading with Brown Books Kids!

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.


This is SO not how I wanted to pull out the days before Christmas, but quite honestly, it's been a real rat race around here.  What with the normal holiday fun/obligations pulling at you, work has been uber stressful, family life has been the same, and personally, I'm just feeling the strain...the same way most of you might be too.  So, my apologies for leaving you post-less, but I was still reading, loving the heck out of it too, and tonight, I bring you a Christmas Eve reading duo from Brown Books Kids perfect for the reading season AND for all ages!



by
Sarah Janco
Illustrated by
Blayne Fox
9781612544588

This is a story filled with the magic of the season that reminds us that even the smallest of us has something to give, even the most simple of "gifts" can have a BIG impact, and that, as the green man once thought himself, maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store; maybe Christmas, perhaps means a little bit more.  Combined with full color illustrations, the tale of one little girl's mittens living wild and free for one Christmas Eve, flying through the air, snagging a ride on the breeze, being "called" by need, and loved with joy, will bring a smile to faces young and young at heart, as we recall the true gift found in sharing with those around us.


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by
David Mulford
Illustrated by
Christine Cathers Donohue
9781612549682

This story was much different than I imagined, but no less joyful or filled with love.  This story shares the magic of showing kindness to others, whether they be two legged, four legged, winged, or flippered.  The animals of Crab Lake have caught wind of a special visitor that they haven't seen in their parts for some time...or at least not in winter time, when they are endowed with a special magic that allows them to share what is on their hearts.  Together they gather, spreading the news of Jeannie's imminent arrival, and making plans to show her just how special the memory of her is to them, and when she is finally there...oh the joy to be seen!  It was a wonder to get to know all the woodland creatures, and see the wintery world through their eyes.  The wisdom they share with Jeannie, the glad tidings, and celebrations, and the promises made for future visits to come, will leave you with a smile in your heart.




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Special thanks to the Brown Books Kids team for the copies for review. (THANKS!)  Both titles are available now, so feel free to click on over to their site or your favorite online retailer to snag your copies this season.  I wish you all a very HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON...MERRY CHRISTMAS...and happy reading!



Saturday, December 19, 2020

RRR presents... IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS by Freya Kennedy - REVIEW!

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.


Today, we're heading back to Ivy lane to catch up with some old friends, meet a few new friends, and discover the power of true friendship, with the latest title from author Freya Kennedy, on tour now with Rachel's Random Resources!  So, if you're ready, join me as we dive between the epages of today's blog tour guest and ebook of choice...



In Pursuit of Happiness
by
Freya Kennedy
Boldwood Books

About the book...
'A lovely escape that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. Just what’s needed at the moment' No1 bestselling author Jane Fallon 


The world is waiting...but just outside of your comfort zone. 

Jo Campbell is perfectly content in a perfectly structured life.

Nothing ever changes in Jo’s life, and she likes it that way.

Or at least, she tells herself she does.

Most of the time, she manages to push down the tiny voice that tells her to chase her dream and maybe, just maybe, open her battered and bruised heart up to love.

But to chase her dreams she needs to take chances that are way out of her comfort zone and learn to not put other people’s happiness above her own.

Most of all she has to learn to trust her heart, which may just be the biggest challenge of all.





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I quite honestly finished this over two days of reading...and I could have finished it in one!  

It's a simple statement of fact.  I simply couldn't wait to finish this one and it wasn't because it was dragging on or anything, but rather I was enjoying it so much!  So, yes, there was reading into the wee hours...and I regret nothing!  Story wise, it took one turn I guessed, a few others I didn't, avoided several I had my fingers crossed it wasn't pursuing, and in the end, we have a pairing that was surprisingly meant to be!  I loved visiting Ivy Lane again.  Meeting up with the gang I was introduced to in The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn was absolutely a welcome gift.  Taking walks with Paddy, checking out Libby's bookshop, visiting the Beer Garden...and getting to know Jo a little better!  She may come off as a little tough, straight forward, and no nonsense, but there is a heart of gold that beats within.  The love she has and shows for family and friends is breathtaking.  The self doubt she experiences in sharing her hidden talent was heartache inducing, but so SO real.  The tangles she gets into were shout worthy (for SEVERAL reasons), but the ending was worth every step of the journey.

A high recommendation for Contemporary Romance fans, as well as those of Women's Fiction.  You won't be sorry if you pick this one up...in fact, you'll end up feeling, by book's end, a part of the family.



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About the author...


Freya Kennedy lives in Derry, Northern Ireland, with her husband, two children, two cats and a mad dog called Izzy. She worked as a journalist for eighteen years before deciding to write full time. When not writing, she can be found reading, hanging out with her nieces and nephews, cleaning up after her children (a lot) and telling her dog that she loves her. 

She has met Michael Buble and even kissed him. It was one of her best ever moments.

She believes in happy ever afters.

Freya Kennedy is a pen name for Claire Allan, who also writes psychological thrillers.


(CLICK HERE to sign up for her newsletter!)







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Special thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today and be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun!




Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!


Friday, December 18, 2020

Once upon a COVID-19 Christmas... REMEMBER TO SMILE by Shannon Q. McDonald - REVIEW!

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're throwing the book spotlight on a Picture Book title that was set in motion thanks to the lovely...the wonderful...coronavirus!  (*so silent I can hear crickets chirping*)  Okay, so those adjectives have never before been uttered, let alone written in conjunction with this definitely-not-wonderful pandemic, but the book that we're setting our sights on today helps make a bit more sense of the "new world" we're living in for the wee ones among us.  I mean, we've not grown up wearing masks, so it's hard enough to get use to, so imagine the strangeness to a child...

Ladies and gents, may I present today's title in the spotlight and ebook of choice...


Remember to Smile
by
Shannon Q. McDonald

About the book...

As more and more places are requiring masks, and young children are having to experience so many new, confusing, and sometimes scary things, Remember to Smile adds playfulness and laughs around mask-wearing to help kids see masks as something fun. With the help of some giggles and an adorable wiener dog based on the author’s family pup, Remember to Smile will help children become more comfortable with the idea of face masks, and encourage them to keep smiling, even if it has to be hidden from sight at times



Remember to Smile proudly supports the COVID-19 Relief Fund (for Teachers and Students) through the non-profit organization AdoptAClassroom.org. Visit remembertosmile.org to learn more.

Available now in hardcover, paperback and ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever books are sold.



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With an adorable puppy leading the way, readers of all ages will gladly follow this adventure from start to finish!  Throughout our journey, we discover the many types of masks that are worn in day to day life, depending on your job or occupation, and the importance of wearing their gorgeous smile whether it can be directly seen or not.  We see the many fabulous shades these protective shields come in, and the patterns that can add a dash of pizazz to your every day outfit.  We also see how they can help us be as serious or silly as we want to be, especially with masks that give us the face of a puppy, kitten, or our favorite animated character!

The most important thing it does though is help normalize in a kid-friendly way a situation that is anything but normal...and THAT can be the difference between having kiddos wear this not-as-comfortable accessory willingly and an every day struggle.  We know they're not fool proof, but until things are safer, they're are certainly better than nothing in most situations.  Much applause to the author for bringing this perfectly timed topic to the forefront and making it absolutely FUN-tastic!





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About the author...


A Midwest girl at heart, Shannon Q. McDonald is originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Not long after graduating from law school, she moved to California to work in entertainment law at WME. After a few years in California, she and her husband moved to South Florida to raise their own family. Along with daughter Sloane (5), son Sean (3) and their wiener dog, Rudy, they are now residents of sunny Delray Beach, Florida. When not balancing remote-school schedules and playdates, Shannon works as corporate counsel for a large technology and outsourcing company, Everise Holdings, while still maintaining her own law practice for select clients. Learn more about her book at remembertosmile.org and connect with her on Facebook.




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Special thanks to Smith Publicity for the chance to bring this title to you as well as the ecopy for review.  (THANKS!)   For more information on this title or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!


Thursday, December 17, 2020

Sourcebooks Casablanca presents... SMOKIN’ HOT COWBOY CHRISTMAS by Kim Redford - EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!

Hi guys!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Well, I don't know about you, but we've had a FUN-tastic time sharing all the Sourcebooks Casablanca holiday fun and we're sending it off with a bang!  Our last and final share for this virtual tour-ish event features another tall drink of water looking to do a supposed good deed for the town, but getting so in over his head, he won't know which way is up...unless he follows his heart!  Ready or not, here comes today's title in the spotlight...


Smokin' Hot Cowboy Christmas
by
Kim Redford
Sourcebooks Casablanca

About the book....
Have yourself a Smokin’ Hot Cowboy Christmas 

It’s been one fiasco after another for newcomer Belle Tarleton since she began trying to turn her ranch into an arts center. Local workers seem determined to ruin her Christmas party plans, and she hopes bringing in down-on-his-luck Rowdy Holloway to help with renovations will get things back on track. 

Rowdy is the unluckiest cowboy in the whole of Wildcat Bluff County, Texas, and things are not improving this holiday season. Sure, he’s the object of many local women’s drool-worthy fantasies, but the town has decided he’s the man who should stop Belle’s renovation plans. 

It started as a simple mission, but now Rowdy’s so twisted up he doesn’t know whose side he’s on. With only days until Christmas, Rowdy and Belle need to tap into their fiery personalities and off-the-charts chemistry if they’re ever going to find a way to thaw the ice on this reluctant town’s heart. 





🎄 🤠 🎄 🤠 🎄 🤠 🎄


~~~   EXCERPT   ~~~

 Life had taken on the magical quality of Christmas that Rowdy enjoyed every year. As he drove down Wildcat Road, he thought about the fact that the county was only two days out from the annual festivities centered in Old Town, Sure-Shot, and Wildcat Hall Park. Out-of-towners were starting to arrive and fill up Twin Oaks B&B, Wildcat Bluff Hotel, Cowboy Cabins, and every other available space for rent. It was fun and exciting, but everybody was running to get last-minute details completed so everything rolled out smoothly for those who came to relax and enjoy the holidays.

Well, not quite everybody was involved in supporting the festivities. At Lulabelle & You Ranch, Belle had created her own little island of holiday happiness. She wasn’t involved in the county’s affairs, so she was focused on her clothing line, the horses and cattle on the ranch, and the pigeons in her barn. He smiled at another thought. She also put a little focus on him because he spent evenings at her house.

He turned off the road, rattled across the cattle guard of Belle’s ranch, and drove up to her house. He parked in front on the circle drive. He shook his head in disgust at the shingle stacks. They were a glaring reminder of what he—and nobody else—hadn’t done for her, but at least most of them were there. If she had a leak on her roof, there’d have been no question about reroofing her house, but upgrading could wait until they were past the holidays…at least he hoped she saw it that way.

He’d make up for the shingles today because he was arriving with gifts in the back of his one-ton pickup, sort of like Santa Claus with gifts in the back of his sleigh. Horsepower and reindeer-power got the job done.

She knew he was coming, so she opened the front door, raced across the lawn, and threw herself into his arms just as he stepped out of his vehicle. She felt good like she always did…and so right with him.

“Did you bring my gifts like you said?” She grinned at him, excited like a little kid on Christmas morning.

“Look in the back of the truck.”

She started to run back there but stopped and looked at him. “You could have waited until Christmas.”

“I want you to enjoy my gifts now. Besides, aren’t you going to your family’s ranch for Christmas dinner?”

“I always do, but this year…”

“Family is important. Tradition is important.”

“But we’re important, too.”

He pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. “Let’s table that for today. I want you to have what I made.”

“Made?” She opened her hazel eyes wide in excitement.

He tugged her to the back of his truck.

“Oh my! You made furniture for my new patio?”

“Remember, I told you I did a little woodworking as a hobby. I hope you like cedar. It’s perfect for outdoors.”

“It’s gorgeous.”

He was pleased with the two chairs, love seat, and table he’d created for her. He lowered the tailgate and hopped up into the bed of his truck. He set each piece on the ground and then picked up a big sack and handed it to her. He leaped back down and closed the tailgate.

“What’s in here?” She hugged the sack to her chest. “It feels soft.”

“You need cushions for your furniture, don’t you?”

“Wonderful! You thought of everything.”

“I wanted you to have it all for Christmas.”

She peeked into the open sack. “I can hardly believe it. You matched the color of the new trim on my house.”

“If I’m going to do something, I do it right.”

She gave him a little self-satisfied smile. “Yeah. I can give testimony to that fact.”

“Come on. I’ll carry your new furniture around back and set it up.”

“I’ll help.”

He picked up the love seat and headed for the backyard. She kept right up with him, lugging the sack of cushions. When they got there, he set down his piece of furniture near the metal set. The old patio set looked insubstantial, almost whimsical, in comparison.

“Where do you want me to position your new furniture?”

“I’m not sure.” She set the big sack on top of the old table.

He checked the flagstone patio under his feet, looking for any problems that might have occurred since he’d finished installing it. No issues so far, but he didn’t expect any because he did meticulous work. He liked the big size of the patio. It stretched the length of the house just outside the long bank of windows, so the patio served as an extension of that room, melding outdoors with indoors.

He was as proud of building the patio as he was of making the furniture. He’d worked hard to bring her vision to life…and he’d succeeded. He realized now that when something was made for someone out of love, it turned out not just beautiful but special as well. He could easily spend a lifetime creating wonderful things for her just to see her face fill with happiness as it was at this moment. He’d learned that was part of what love was all about.

“I want to center the set just outside the windows so when I’m inside I can see how beautiful it looks outside,” she said.

He tugged her close, feeling his heart swell with happiness. “Perfect. Now let’s get the rest of your new furniture back here.”

Soon they had the cedar pieces arranged on the patio with the cushions in place. It looked good, even better than he’d imagined when he was making it.

“Rowdy, I love it.” She set the crimson-silk-flower holiday arrangement he’d included in the sack on the center of the table and then plopped down in a chair and stroked long fingers across the smooth, varnished tabletop.

“Merry Christmas.” He sat down beside her, feeling as if he’d come home for the holidays.





🎄 🤠 🎄 🤠 🎄 🤠 🎄


About the author...



Kim Redford is a bestselling author of contemporary Western romance novels. She grew up in Texas with cowboys, cowgirls, horses, cattle, and rodeos. She’s a rescue cat wrangler and horseback rider—when she takes a break from her keyboard. Kim Redford currently divides her time between homes in Oklahoma and Richardson, Texas.





🎄 🤠 🎄 🤠 🎄 🤠 🎄








🎄 🤠 🎄 🤠 🎄 🤠 🎄






Special thanks to the Sourcebooks Casablanca team for the chance to bring this title to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this book, the author, the series, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today.


Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!





Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Sourcebooks Casablanca presents... BLUE SKY COWBOY CHRISTMAS by Joanne Kennedy - EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

The holidays are nearly here and what am I doing?  Working like a crazy woman (retail...ugh!), and reading up a storm!  Hey, we all need a break from the real world from time to time, am I right?  Anywho, today marks our third feature from Sourcebooks Casablanca seasonal selections and we're back in the saddle with a SPECIAL EXCERPT plus your chance to win!  So, grab your riding boots, and get ready, we're heading out for...


Blue Sky Cowboy Christmas
by
Joanne Kennedy
Sourcebooks Casablanca

About the book....
There’s no place like home… 

Weary from a long deployment, Griff Bailey has been dreaming of a quiet Christmas on his father’s ranch. But all his hopes of peace are upended when he finds his one-time fling, Riley James, has moved in. 

Riley swore off dark, dangerous men a long time ago, but Griff’s emotional scars pull at her heartstrings, and she desperately wants to help him heal despite their complicated past. 

It’ll take a miracle for these two stubborn former lovers to open themselves up again, but isn’t that what Christmas is all about?



AMAZON  |  B&N  |  APPLE
BAM   |   WALMART



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~~~   EXCERPT   ~~~

 The snow globe on the dashboard rocked and sloshed as Griff Bailey’s Jeep dropped off the pavement onto the dirt road that led to his father’s ranch. The music-­box base tinkled out a few hesitant notes, but they were lost in the racket of icy flakes clattering on the windshield.

Griff had picked up the globe at an airport gift shop, remembering how his sister loved Christmas kitsch. He’d set it on the dashboard in an effort to inspire his own Christmas spirit, but it was just making him sad. There was Santa, the most senior of senior citizens, frozen forever with one foot in a chimney and a heavy pack slung over one shoulder while phony snowflakes swirled around him. It was obvious the bag wasn’t going to fit down the chute, and the jaunty, tinkling rendition of “Here Comes Santa Claus” was just plain rude. This Santa wasn’t going anywhere.

Neither was Griff, in the long run. Like Santa, he’d flown halfway around the world only to find his life shaken and stirred by unseen forces.

As the wipers thwacked out their restless rhythm, he saw a light burning in the distance.

Almost home.

He was surprised to find his heart lifting at the thought. His sole ambition from boyhood had been to escape the everyday sameness of ranch life, with its early mornings, late nights, and chores that were never done well enough, soon enough, or fast enough.

So why was he coming home?

Simple. The last place he wanted to go was now the only place that would have him.

At least, he thought they would. As far as his family knew, he was still deployed. His dad and stepmom were on an RV trip in the Southwest, while his sister was honeymooning in California. He wasn’t sure how long they’d be gone, but he was hoping for a couple weeks of solitude so he could shake off the dark memories that had smudged his bright military future. Bit by bit, day by day, he would become the man he’d been before.

Before what?

Ghosts of the past rattled their chains in the back of his brain, threatening to rise and walk, but he knocked his head with the heel of his hand and sent them skittering back to their caves. He’d deal with them later. Right now, he needed to concentrate on the road.

As he nudged the Jeep around an icy curve, he laid eyes on his father’s house for the first time in four years—­and slammed on the brakes, sliding sideways, feeling the tug of a snowdrift hauling him into the ditch. White-­knuckling the wheel, he spun right, then left, and lurched to a sudden stop that slammed his chest against the shoulder harness.

Breathing hard, he stared at his childhood home. He’d expected to feel reluctance, nostalgia, even a surge of relief at the sight of it—­but all he felt was shock.

The entire front wall of the house was demolished, with beams and boards scattered like matchsticks in the snow. He might not be a fan of ranch life, but the Diamond Jack was the one safe, unchanging place in his world. And it had exploded.

Unbuckling, he opened the door and fell to his knees. A low buzzing began inside him, blind bees bumbling for a way out. They were with him every day, simmering beneath any emotion he dared to feel, pushing for release in a roar of rage, a howl of fear, a savage strike at something, anything. But releasing them would make the outside world match the darkness inside him, so he held them in.

The docs ought to give him some credit for that. They ought to let him go back. They would if he could control it, so he followed their advice.

Breathe.

As he drank in the cold air, the buzzing faded and died.

Surprised, oddly empty, he rose to his feet and trudged toward the house through snow up to his thighs. It was slow going, but that gave him time to assess the situation.

There were lights on in the upstairs bathroom, his sister’s bedroom, and the kitchen. That was all wrong. Nobody was supposed to be home. And what was that weird shape in the wreckage? Had it moved?

Holy crap. What is that?

It looked like an animal—­one with beaming yellow eyes that reflected the Jeep’s headlights. Had he started hallucinating now?

Apparently not. The creature proved itself disturbingly real by launching itself from the wreckage and loping toward him with an awkward, lolloping gait. Feet like paddles flung snow all around, and its drooling jowls flapped as it ran, revealing long, white teeth that gleamed in the starlight. Those teeth were the last thing he saw before it leapt up and knocked him to the ground.

Pressing Griff’s shoulders into the snow with paws the size of dinner plates, the beast dripped a cold string of drool onto his cheek as its amber eyes burned into his with a passion for…

For pats, probably. Because it was just a dog. A big, weird-­looking dog, but a friendly one. As a goofy grin spread across its slobbery face, Griff heaved it off his chest.

“Who the heck are you?”

The dog sat back and presented its paw as if introducing itself. Confused, Griff shook it, glancing around, and noticed a pickup in front of the barn.

“Shoot,” he mumbled. “I didn’t think there’d be anybody here.”

The dog shimmied close and leaned hard against him, tossing its head back and almost clonking Griff in the nose. It gazed adoringly into his face, and he suddenly felt better than he had in a year.

It might be nice to have a dog around. Trouble was, dogs generally came with people, and he wasn’t ready for people.





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About the author...


Joanne Kennedy is the RITA-nominated author of ten contemporary Western romance novels. The first book in her Decker Ranch trilogy, How to Handle a Cowboy, was named one of Booklist’s “Best Romances of the Decade.” She lives with her retired fighter pilot husband in a secret mountain hideout on the Wyoming border.




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Special thanks to the Sourcebooks Casablanca team for the chance to bring this title to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this book, the author, the series, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer to snag your copy today.


Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!


Sunday, December 13, 2020

Silver Dagger Book Tours presents... Nika Children's Adventure Series from Author Rick Marino - DOUBLE Review + GIVEAWAY!

 


I Love You Very Muchly: The Story of the Brave Little Girl
Nika Children's Adventure Series Book 1
by Rick Marino
Genre: Children's Book


I Love You Very Muchly is a true story about Nika, a Shih-Tzu puppy who was abandoned in a crate with no one to take care of her. Her new mommy and daddy found her and decided to adopt her. They did not know how it would work out because they had two large golden retrievers, but they wanted to try anyway. This the heartwarming story of a beautiful, fun, sweet, (and sometimes bossy) puppy who needed the love of her parents and the skills of the surgeons to save her life




I fell in love with this one from the start. I, too, had a Shih-tzu pupper, her name was Lucia, and she was the most adorable, lovable, stubborn, fuzzy bundle of love you could ever hope for. In her later years, she was a bit of a curmudgeon, wanted things specifically her way, and didn’t back down from letting you know if something wasn’t right, but she could make friends with anyone and melt your heart in an instant. She has since passed on, and I will always hold her in my heart, but little Nika’s story touched my heart. To be abandoned at such an early stage in life, through no fault of her own mind you, with no one to take care of her, and then to have health issues piled on top of that...it was enough to bring tears to my eyes. Once her forever home was found and her new mom and dad got her the help she needed, even with everything still up in the air, I had tears for different reasons...love and joy.

The story coupled with the illustrations help bring the story to life visually, and I must say that they really got the personality of these feisty little dogs right on the nose. Anyone who says they are all the same just isn’t taking the time to get to know them...much like Nika points out how humans and pups CAN hear each other speak, if only we take the time. Recommended read for the kiddos, perhaps with a little adult guidance just to squelch any fears that things will turn out all right in the end.




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I Miss You Very Muchly, City of the Cats: Nika's Trek to Find Big Brother
Nika Children's Adventure Series Book 2


Every year, some of our pets wander away from home, some never to return. Sometimes you get lucky (like our family) and they come home. Why do they ever leave, where do they go? They must have a reason to leave their safe surroundings of good food, fresh water, companionship, and the like.
This is the story of Nika, her desire to find her big brother, and the heroic measures that were taken by both humans and her new found animal friends to save her from certain doom.




Oh my heart was in my mouth throughout this story as little Nika takes on the big, sometimes bad, world in search of her big brother. I’ve often wondered just what our fur kids think when we have to leave them for any length of time. I mean, do they really understand that we will in fact be back shortly, or that sometimes people leave for greater stretches, but will one day return? Or goodness forbid time catches up with some and that return is after the rainbow bridge? What exactly is going through their adorable little minds because they sure are excited when they see us again!

In this story, Nika shares exactly what’s on her mind and she’s none to pleased (or patient!) to leave things as they are. She sets out on a journey to find big brother, pushing aside the warnings of those that have gone before her to the City of Cats. Sounds like an ominous place, right? Yeah, well let’s just say they don’t take kindly to dogs, actually have recruits to persuade some into their midst so they can exact their revenge, and even though they may think they are in power, there are those that conspire against them to save the innocent that will also have their day.

This time around, the story did not go exactly where I had imagined, which is a GOOD thing because the ending we and Nika (and friends!) get is SO MUCH BETTER! It warmed my heart to see everything come full circle, and added a welcome warmth to the tale perfect for the reading season.





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Rick Marino and his wife, Teresa have been raising rescue dogs and cats for decades. They share their time between their home in Ohio and New Jersey. Nika inspired Rick with her personality and braveness to write the two books about her, her bother Marco and her sister Penelope Purr.




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$10 Amazon