Are you an avid reader looking for your next "fix"? Can't bear to be without some form of reading material in your spare time? Welcome to my world! Whether you are seeking a new book to "feed your need", or you are an author seeking an unbiased point of view on your own recent masterpiece, this is the place to be. With life as with books, you never know where the next step might take you...

Thursday, March 31, 2022

RRR presents... A YEAR OF MR MAYBES by Judy Leigh - REVIEW!

HI guys!
Ready for another bookish day here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers? FABULOUS!


Today's blog tour guest and title in the REVIEW spotlight comes to us via Rachel's Random Resources and is the latest release from author Judy Leigh. We've featured her work before, and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was rather looking forward to this escape into the epages. Was it all I was anticipating? Let's find out! Ready or not, here comes today's ebook of choice...


A Year of Mr Maybes
by
Judy Leigh


About the book...
Never say never to falling in love…

Val didn’t expect to be starting again in her seventies, but when life gives her lemons, Val is determined to make lemonade.

Settled into her new home – a picture-perfect fisherman’s cottage in the small Cornish seaside town of Lowenstowe – Val is ready to start a new chapter. And with her son due to get married next Christmas, there’s also the little job of finding herself a plus-one to help her face her ex-husband and his new girlfriend.

With the support of her neighbour Connie, and after decades of married life, Val takes the plunge back into the world of dating with trepidation and excitement. But can she remember how the single life works, let alone what her type is? There seem to be plenty of Mr Maybes, but no sign of Mr Right.

As the year passes, and as friendships and community life flourish, Val begins to blossom. And as Christmas approach, she might just decide she doesn’t need that plus-one after all - although never say never...

Judy Leigh is back with her trademark promise of laughter, love and friendship. The perfect feel-good novel for all fans of Dawn French, Dee Macdonald and Cathy Hopkins.






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Here's something to wrap your mind around...
...ever notice that the majority of contemporary fiction works with a romantic lean tend to be about 20 - 30 somethings? What about AFTER that? I mean, love isn't JUST for a particular age group, right? So, why wouldn't you want a story starring an older leading lady/man? Why indeed!

I've had this thought before, and contemplated it a bit with a different series/author. When the question was actually posed to the writer, the reply was something along the lines of who wants to read an older person's love story. Umm... *raises hand*...and I'm pretty sure I see SEVERAL of you out there raising your hands along with me. A romance or love story isn't JUST about the bedroom scenes for goodness sake...although some are and other prefer just that and hey, to each their own...but it's about the story, the heart, the how-they-got-there and where-do-they-go-from-here. Young or old-er, people are still split between the camps of forever love found and forever still looking.

This story gives us a leading lady that I think most would aspire to be as strong as, as brave as, and lovely and kind as some day. Though my heart broke for her in the opening scenes, that was a tragedy SO well played! I mean, I was meant to stay downtrodden, and yet...I was busting out the giggles and smiles. He deserved it 110%; trust me. As her new life progresses, she meets love in its various forms, and learns so much about herself as well as those she surrounds herself with. She creates a new family from her chosen tribe, and while not forsaking her past, is gloriously looking ahead to her future. 

YOU GO GIRL!




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About the author...


Judy Leigh is the bestselling author of Five French Hens, A Grand Old Time and The Age of Misadventure and the doyenne of the ‘it’s never too late’ genre of women’s fiction. She has lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Cornwall, but currently resides in Somerset.


SITE  |  TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM  |  NEWSLETTER  |  BOOKBUB




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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!


Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Happy BOOK BIRTHDAY week to... SO THIS IS EVER AFTER by F.T. Lukens - REVIEW!

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

If you follow me on other social media platforms (and I hope you do!), you may have already caught sight of today's book of choice and book birthday week celebrant. It's a NEW RELEASE via Simon and Schuster's Children's Publishing and is so much fun, filled with so much heart, and will keep you holding your breath until the final pages are turned.  So, if you're a fan of Young Adult Fiction, love fairytale-esque tales with a modern day twist, KEEP READING as we jump between the pages of today's book of choice...


by
F.T. Lukens
9781534496866
Margaret K. McElderry Books


About the book...
Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the prophecy that said he was destined to save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler. So now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he and his rag-tag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do next.

As a temporary safeguard, Arek’s best friend and mage, Matt, convinces him to assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower. Except that she’s dead. Now Arek is stuck as king, a role that comes with a magical catch: choose a spouse by your eighteenth birthday, or wither away into nothing.

With his eighteenth birthday only three months away, and only Matt in on the secret, Arek embarks on a desperate bid to find a spouse to save his life—starting with his quest companions. But his attempts at wooing his friends go painfully and hilariously wrong…until he discovers that love might have been in front of him all along.



 ๐Ÿ’œ ๐Ÿงก ๐Ÿ’™ ❤️ ๐Ÿ’› ๐Ÿ’š




So, this book... so much love for this book!
It's a YA lit adventure that takes place after the big to-do, aka a wizard given prophecy seen to completion by a motley crew turned lifelong friends. It's what happens after that we never really think about. ๐Ÿค” I mean, the baddie is overcome (beheaded, awfully yet not without humor), the followers dispersed, and the kingdom set free... but THEN what? Well, let's just say the newly crowned ๐Ÿ‘‘ king is about to find out not only the power of words, but just what responsibilities come with a magically charge rule.

Okay, so you see how the story will snag you, but the characters will too! From Arek to Matt, Sionna to Rioan, Bethany to Lila, even Harlow, Meredith, and the princess that wasn't, they all leave their mark. Their personalities, the solidity of their bonds, and all the antics they get up to, will keep you coming back for more. Even the fluidity of their relationships is something to remark at because the openness with which various couplings are accepted without a second glance was heartwarming and definitely a message that can be taken out into the real world.

So come for the story, stay for the snark, and keep reading to see just how they find their way from athe expected HEA to THEIR HEA.



๐Ÿ’œ ๐Ÿงก ๐Ÿ’™ ❤️ ๐Ÿ’› ๐Ÿ’š


About the author...


F.T. Lukens is the author of In Deeper Waters and five young adult novels published through Interlude Press. Their book The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic was a 2017 Cybils Award finalist in YA Speculative Fiction, the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Gold Winner for YA fiction, the Bisexual Book Award for Speculative Fiction, and on ALA’s 2019 Rainbow Book List. F.T. lives in North Carolina with their spouse, three kids, three dogs, and three cats. Visit them at FTLukens.com.



๐Ÿ’œ ๐Ÿงก ๐Ÿ’™ ❤️ ๐Ÿ’› ๐Ÿ’š





Special thanks to Cassie at Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing for the ARC/copy 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 newly available, so snag your copy today!

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


Silver Dagger Book Tours presents... THE RAVENCREST SAGA by Tamara Thorne & Alistair Cross - SPOTLIGHT + GIVEAWAY!

 


The Ravencrest Saga: Volumes I, II, III

by Tamara Thorne & Alistair Cross

Genre: Gothic, Paranormal 

Book 1: THE GHOSTS OF RAVENCREST

Ravencrest Manor is the most beautiful thing new governess, Belinda Moorland, has ever seen, but as she learns more about its tangled past of romance and terror, she realizes that beauty has a dark side. Ravencrest is built on secrets, and its inhabitants seem to be keeping plenty of their own -- from the English butler, Grant Phister, to the power-mad administrator, Mrs. Heller, to Belinda's mysterious and handsome new employer, Eric Manning, who watches her with dark, fathomless eyes. But Belinda soon realizes that the living who dwell in Ravencrest have nothing on the other inhabitants -- the ones who walk the darkened halls by night … the ones who enter her dreams … the ones who are watching … and waiting …


Book 2: THE WITCHES OF RAVENCREST

Governess Belinda Moorland has settled into life at Ravencrest and, as summer gives way to autumn, romance is in the air. She and multi-millionaire Eric Manning are falling in love … but powerful forces will stop at nothing to keep them apart. As the annual Harvest Ball is set to begin, evil abounds at Ravencrest. Murder lurks in the shadows, evil spirits freely roam the halls, a phantom baby cries, signaling a death in the mansion, and in the notoriously haunted east wing, three blood-soaked nuns, Sisters Faith, Hope, and Charity, tend to the demented needs of a maid gone mad.

Ravencrest has come to life. In the gardens below, granite statues dance by moonlight, and a scarecrow goes on a killing rampage, collecting a gruesome assortment of body parts from unwilling donors … But Belinda’s greatest danger is the vengeful spirit of Rebecca Dane. Once the mistress of Ravencrest, Rebecca Dane has a centuries-old axe to grind with the powerful witch, Cordelia Heller -- and Belinda becomes her weapon of choice.


Book 3: EXORCISM

In the 1920s, Henry Manning ruled Ravencrest with an iron fist. He held debauched parties that would have inspired Jay Gatsby himself. From the Manning fortune to a beautiful wife, the silent film star known as the White Violet, Henry had it all … including a loyal cult that worshipped him, and the demon Forneus. Violet lost her life putting a stop to the demented perversions that Henry and his demonic familiar visited upon Ravencrest … but now that evil has returned.

In the night, an innocent maid is seduced by a demon lover. A child is born, but it is not of this earth. Father Antonio DeVargas is summoned as ghostly parties light up the old poolhouse and phantom screams rip open the night. Meanwhile, the White Violet wanders the halls of Ravencrest warning the inhabitants of death and disaster to come. . . and the current master of Ravencrest, Eric Manning, is decidedly not himself.


Goodreads * Amazon


Tamara Thorne's first novel was published in 1991, and since then she has written many more, including international bestsellers Haunted, Bad Things, Moonfall, Eternity and Brimstone. A lifelong lover of ghost stories, she is currently working on continuing collaborations with Alistair Cross as well as a new solo novel, Old Wives’ Tales, that kicks off a series starring Sheriff Zach Tully from Eternity. Learn more about her at: http://tamarathorne.com

Alistair Cross' debut novel, The Crimson Corset, a vampiric tale of terror and seduction, was an immediate bestseller earning praise from veteran vampire-lit author, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and New York Times bestseller, Jay Bonansinga, author of The Walking Dead series. In 2012, Alistair joined forces with international bestseller, Tamara Thorne, and as Thorne & Cross, they write the successful Gothic series, The Ravencrest Saga as well as bestselling novels including The Cliffhouse Haunting, Darling Girls,  and Mother. They are currently completing their next thriller, Spite House, and working on several other novels.

In addition to writing, Alistair and Tamara host Thorne & Cross: Carnival Macabre. Join them as they explore legends and lore, monsters and myths, and  hauntings and horrors. They’re digging deep in their research files to bring you face-to-face with the unknown, the unusual, and the bizarre.

From 2014-2020, Alistair and Tamara hosted Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!, which featured such guests as Anne Rice, V. C. Andrews, Preston & Child, Christopher Moore, and Laurell K. Hamilton. You can listen to every show at either of their websites. 

The Purple Probe is the official newsletter of the Thorne & Cross Universe and it’s the strangest thing to ever hit your inbox. You’ll get exclusive content, including articles written by the Thorne & Cross cast, like Jojo’s Catty Corner, Essie to the Rescue, and a Roving Reporter who thinks he knows it all. Additionally, you’ll get news of sales, appearances, and inside looks at all sorts of things. Just visit:  http://eepurl.com/ckaBrr


Author Links:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Podcast


Tamara's Links:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads


Alistair's Links:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads


Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner,

ebook of The Ghosts of Ravencrest – 3 winners!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway


Monday, March 28, 2022

HFVBT presents... A Deadly Legacy by Malia Zaidi - SPOTLIGHT!

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we've teamed up with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for a BOOK SPOTLIGHT on a new Historical Mystery released earlier this month. It's part of the Lady Evelyn Mystery series and, from the sound of things, the Carlisle Detective Agency is about to take on more than it bargained for.  Ladies and gents, get ready to meet today's title in the spotlight...


A Deadly Legacy
A Lady Evelyn Mystery
by
Malia Zaidi
Book Baby
Release Date:  03/15/22


About the book...
A few months after the Carlisle Detective Agency opened its doors, Lady Evelyn and her partner, Hugh, are twiddling their thumbs. The cases are slow to trickle in, leaving the detectives feeling uninspired. So, when Evelyn’s Aunt Louise asks her to join the local chapter of the Women’s Institute, she has no excuse to decline the invitation. Yet what she expects to be a tedious gathering, turns out to be anything but. She meets former suffragettes and outspoken women, eager for change, forcing Evelyn to reexamine her own prejudices. A decidedly less welcome surprise is the body she comes across only a few days later. Evelyn need hardly be a professional detective to recognize a murder when she sees one. Amid planning her wedding and navigating family affairs, she sets out to solve the case. The investigation takes Evelyn and Hugh into the past, examining the war years, which left the present far from untarnished. Is the victim’s history connected to her death? Could her involvement in the war have given someone a motive for murder? The questions pile up, and Evelyn and Hugh must race against the clock to discover the truth, before more lives are lost, not least, their own…







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




About the author...


Malia Zaidi is the author of The Lady Evelyn Mysteries. She studied at the University of Pittsburgh and at the University of Oxford. Having grown up in Germany, she currently lives in Washington DC, though through her love of reading, she resides vicariously (if temporarily) in countries around the world.




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Special thanks to Amy at Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the chance to bring this tour to you. (THANKS!) For more information about this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now so get spirited away and snag your copy today!


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


Sunday, March 27, 2022

RRR presents... JEANNIE'S WAR by Carol MacLean - REVIEW!

Hi guys! 
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. 


The days just keep rolling and so do the reviews! Today’s featured title comes to us via the ever fabulous Rachel’s Random Resources and stars a Historical Fiction novel my fellow genre fans will want to get their hands on. I admit, I had a love-not-so-love relationship at first, but once the tide turned, I couldn’t turn away. Ladies and gents, get ready...get set...grab your TBR list and prepare to add today’s ebook of choice and blog tour guest... 


Jeannie’s War 
by 
Carol MacLean 


About the book... 
War changed her country, but it couldn’t change her spirit 


Glasgow, 1939 

Despite being shy and reserved, Jeannie Dougal finds herself newly engaged to handsome soldier, Arthur Dunn, the day war is announced. Jeannie accepts, even if she is unsure if a girl from the tenements will fit in with Arthur’s comfortable, middle-class background. But as WW2 takes its toll on the world, her wedding must wait… 

As she sets off to work at a munitions factory she meets Eileen, Janet and Annie. As her new friends bond together in war work, sharing their stories of romance, Jeannie is grateful to be settled with Arthur, even if he is set in his ways. 

Until she meets charming Canadian soldier, Bill, and realises she has found a spark she was always missing. But how can Jeannie tell Arthur? And is she strong enough to fight her own battle, with the country already at war…? 

An emotional and romantic family saga set in WW2 Scotland and the start of a captivating new series. Fans of Call the Midwife and Katie Flynn won’t be able to put this down. 



AMAZON  |  KOBO





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This is not a book about a war, but rather the lives of those in it, surrounding it, and surviving it. As I previously noted, I was prepared for a worst case scenario thanks to the utterly detestable Arthur and his severe lack of emotional ANYTHING. I couldn’t fathom how I was going to make it through the pages if THAT was the scope of the characters built. However, my quick snap opinion was put to rest as the novel unfolded. I got to know Jeannie and her new friends. ..wonderful ladies, even when I didn’t agree with them at times. I had the chance to witness the heartache felt while their loved ones were away, whether for their own safety or to protect the safety of kin and country, and joyous reunions, however short lived. I was privy to new beginnings never imagined, and friendships made that were stronger than blood ties. The highs and lows as well as the scary times in-between, all made you feel a part of this small town. 

By book’s end, I realized that it was in fact a book about a war, but not one historically plotted as such, but rather the personal, individual wars that each person was fighting through. Jeannie had to come into her own and realize that she was worth more then she was being given, and while I wish the BIG SCENE happened differently (namely with someone-who-shall-not-be-named-at-this-moment lying on the ground, crumpled in pain from a well aimed knee), it had the desired affect, allowing her to finally be free. Helen, Arthur’s mum (and SO not like the son!) was unknowingly fighting for her own independence, while Jeannie’s mum (a remarkable woman!) is fighting for the strength to pull through it all for her family. Eileen, Janet, and Annie all had their own battles as well, from searching for love in all the wrong places to family secrets kept off the radar to finally understanding their family as well as their place in it. There’s not a soul left without battle scars, (including Jeannie’s younger sister!) but they all come through THAT much stronger in the end. 






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 





About the author... 


Carol MacLean lives in the Glasgow area. She began by writing pocket novels, having 18 published before deciding to write an historical saga. She enjoys weaving social history into fiction and imagining how life must have been for ordinary people living through different times. 

When she’s not writing, Carol can be found visiting museums or walking around the city looking for traces of old Glasgow to inspire her next novel. 

Carol is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association. 


She has written 18 pocket novels published by DC Thomson and Linford Romance Series (Ulverscroft). 







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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!


Saturday, March 26, 2022

RRR presents... BAD PENNY by Michelle Gorman - SPOTLIGHT!

Hi there! 
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. 


Today, we’re turning the BOOK SPOTLIGHT on a Fiction title currently on tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. It’s a story that features a character that embrace the chance to start over...but eventually that hidden past was bound to catch up with them. What antics will ensue? Will heartbreak be on the menu? You’ll have to read it to find out, but first...the introductions. Ladies and gents, today’s title in the spotlight... 


Bad Penny 
by 
Michele Gorman 


About the book... 

Penny’s life is one big, fat secret… and everyone is about to find out

Penny isn’t the girl she used to be, or the woman everyone thinks she is now. At 19, she bolted for London and never looked back. Nobody there knows who she was - not her care home colleagues, her boss, her clients or even her best friend and flat-mate. Auntie Mags is her only connection to her past, and she’s keeping schtum.

Oli can’t believe his luck. Not only is he about to fulfil his dream of really making a difference (assuming he wins his seat in the upcoming general election), now he’s met the perfect woman. Within a few dates he’s sure he wants to spend the rest of his life with Penny, and it’s all he can do not to shout it from the rooftops.

But Penny has hidden her secret by not shouting from any rooftops. In fact, the quieter, the better. So when Oli’s campaign swings into gear and the reporters start circling, it’s not only her future that’s about to come crashing down.

How can she find a happy ending with Oli when her past will definitely ruin his future, yet living with the lie will ruin their future together?

Then Penny’s past gets out of prison, and he’s about to turn up like a... bad penny. 




AMAZON  UK  |   US





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About the author... 


Michele writes comedies packed with lots of heart, best friends and girl power. She is both a Sunday Times and a USA Today bestselling author, raised in the US and living in London. 

Michele also writes cozy comedies under the pen-name Lilly Bartlett. Lilly’s books are full of warmth, quirky characters and guaranteed happily-ever-afters. 



TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM



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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, March 25, 2022

RRR presents... SHOOT THE MOON by Bella Cassidy - SPOTLIGHT + EXCERPT!

Hello, hello!
Welcome back to another day, another DOUBLE POST here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.


For today's second post, we've got the book spotlight shining on a title that shares the story of a wedding photographer with commitment issues. Sounds like there's a bit more to that issue, and you're right, there is...but far be it for me to ruin the surprise of it all! Let's introduce things properly, THEN get between the pages with a special EXCERPT! Ready, set, READ...



Shoot the Moon
by
Bella Cassidy


About the book...
Tassie Morris is everyone’s favourite wedding photographer, famous for her photos of offbeat ceremonies and alternative brides. Yet commitment is proving impossible for Tassie herself, who cannot forget her first love.

When she’s sent to photograph a ceremony on Schiehallion - the Fairy Hill of the Scottish Caledonians - she meets Dan, who might be the one to make her forget her past. That is, until a family crisis begins a chain of events that threaten to destroy not only Tassie’s love life, but her entire career.

Set in a colourful world of extraordinary weddings, Shoot the Moon explores the complexities of different kinds of love: romantic love, mother love, friendship. And, ultimately, the importance of loving yourself.



AMAZON  UK  |  US




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




~~~ EXCERPT ~~~

Tassie has been asked to photograph the wedding of a D-list celebrity – and things do not go well...


When she returned to the manor house, Tassie asked at reception for the honeymoon suite and was directed to a room on the middle floor. Before she’d even reached the ornate door she could hear the bridal party – loud shouts still audible above a heavy bass beat. She knocked, then, realising no one would hear her, opened the door. 
Inside it was mayhem. Five women lounged or stood around, all in varying states of undress: two wearing matching shocking-pink satin robes, the others in an array of pink and apricot underwear. There were some fantastic breasts on show; not least Sadie’s, who was sitting in the centre of the group, dressed in a cream corset, suspenders and lace-topped stockings, her tiny feet up on a low table. She had a large glass of something turquoise in her hand and was smoking a long cigarette, while one of the pink-robed women stood behind her, styling her hair into a small mountain. 
Tassie was pretty sure smoking wasn’t allowed inside the venue. But then again it was unlikely anyone was going to tell the bride of the moment that she couldn’t. 
She placed her camera bags in the corner, then looked around more carefully. With sun streaming through the large windows it made a brilliant scene, like a tableau from some decadent royal boudoir, or a Victoria Secret’s shoot. Knowing it was a shot she shouldn’t take, she quickly changed the lens on her camera and took a couple of wide angles. Nobody noticed. 
After she’d changed the lens again, she walked over to Sadie. ‘Is there anything particular you’d like me to take or shall I just do my own thing?’
‘Did you get the doves?’
‘No, but I saw them, they’re definitely here. The man didn’t want them disturbed after their drive.’
Sadie frowned. ‘But you will get them, won’t you? Lots of photos. I fuckin’ love me doves.’ She took a drag on her cigarette.
‘Yes, I will. But now shall I concentrate on you? I’ll start with the dress, shall I?’ 
Sadie nodded, and Tassie walked over to the wardrobe where the wedding dress was hanging. It had a tiny shell-pink bodice and a tutu-style skirt fanning out beneath. On the floor were diamond encrusted wedge shoes – at least six inches high. 
The room was filled with swirls of cigarette smoke, but the bathroom had wonderful light coming through its windows. She turned to one of the bridesmaids who was busy putting fake tan on her arms. ‘Would it be all right if I photograph the dress in there d’you think?’ 
The woman looked at her blankly – her eyelids coated with heavy black liner and sparkly blue shadow – before turning to Sadie. 
‘Oi, Sade, the photographer wants to take your dress into the dunny to photograph it. That’s all right ain’ it?’
Sadie looked across. ‘Yeah, that’s fine. Just be careful of it. You ’elp ’er will you?’

***

By the time Sadie was due to arrive, all the guests were noisily congregating, rearranging hats and hair, their voices loud and shrill as they greeted each other. There were a few minor celebrities, as well as the family contingent; although it was the latter who’d really gone to town on their attire: each suit louder, each tan deeper, each hairstyle more elaborately coiffured than the last. 
There was a general murmur and Tassie turned to see Sadie’s Rolls-Royce pulling up. She glanced at Dev, who looked distinctly underwhelmed by the imminent arrival of his beloved. 
The service was as short and secular as a church will allow. Throughout it Tassie could see Christopher and the dove man talking, the latter frequently peering up at the stained-glass windows. The weather had worsened and now the occasional grumble of thunder could be heard. 
When the couple returned from signing the register, the vicar addressed the congregation. ‘May I be the first to give my congratulations to the happy couple, Mr and Mrs Stavos.’ The audience whooped and clapped, phone cameras flashing. He put his hands up to quieten things. ‘Please wait, while they make their way out of the church, but first…’ 
He glanced up as another rumble of thunder trundled across the roof, then anxiously to the side, where Dove Man was busy opening the baskets. At the same moment Tassie noticed Sadie looking at a young girl sitting in the front pew, a huge ghetto blaster now propped up in front of her. She watched as Sadie nodded to the girl, who pressed a button.
Then everything happened so fast. 
The first notes of Beyoncรฉ’s ‘Crazy in Love’ blasted through the air, just as a clap of thunder detonated above. Then, five bridesmaids stood up, waving their hands in choreographed unison as fifty doves shot out of their baskets, before – instead of leaving in an orderly queue through the open doors – flying around the church in crazy zigzags. 
And then it was chaos. Pure, glorious chaos. Birds everywhere, poo everywhere – including on the guests – until, the piรจce de rรฉsistance, a dove took a low flight over Sadie’s head and got entangled in her hair. 
Sadie screamed, swiping at the bird as it flapped wildly. Meanwhile, the ghetto blaster crashed to the ground but still carried on playing – Beyoncรฉ now belting out ‘Love on Top’. Three of the bridesmaids rushed to try and help the bride, all screeching while battling against Dove Man, who was apoplectic with rage as he tried to stop everyone hitting his birds. 
And Tassie? 
Tassie was busy taking photos.
Eventually someone turned the music off and a sort of calm settled. Some of the doves had flown out of the doors, and those that were left had found various perches. By the time the dove man had managed to release his bird from Sadie’s hair it was a toss-up as to who was more damaged. Although, when Tassie saw the bird flapping its wings then settling into the man’s hands, she suspected it was the bride who would take more recovery work. 
Sadie was panting heavily, her eye makeup smudged down her cheeks as her new husband tried his best to calm her, no doubt reminding her of their public image. Her hair was hanging in stiff shards around her shoulders and Tassie could see spots of white on her dress. This wasn’t going to be good. 
The vicar returned to the front, nervously looking above him before he spoke. When he did, his voice shook. 
‘Well, I think we can say that the service has now ended. So if you’d like to calmly make your way through the doors, perhaps that’s the best way of ensuring the safety of any remaining birds. The groom has asked that you then make your way to the manor, where he and,’ – he glanced at the couple – ‘his beautiful bride will see you soon.’



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About the book...


Bella Cassidy grew up in the West Country - reading contemporary romances, romances, historical novels, literary fiction... just about anything she could lay her hands on. After a few years in London, working as a waitress and in PR and advertising, she went to Sussex to read English - despite admitting in her pre-interview that this rather sociable period in her life had seen her read only one book in six months: a Jilly Cooper.

She’s had an eclectic range of jobs: including in the world of finance; social housing fundraising; a stint at the Body Shop - working as Anita Roddick’s assistant; as a secondary school teacher, then teaching babies to swim: all over the world.

She’s done a lot of research for writing a wedding romance, having had two herself. For her first she was eight months pregnant - a whale in bright orange - and was married in a barn with wood fires burning. The second saw her in elegant Edwardian silk, crystals and lace, teamed with yellow wellies and a cardigan. Both were great fun; but it was lovely having her daughter alongside, rather than inside her at the second one.



FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM  |  TWITTER




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YOUR CHANCE TO WIN...

...a paperback copy of Shoot the Moon and Moon and Stars bath salts!

(Open to UK only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.




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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!

RRR presents... BADLANDS by Gary Kruse - SPOTLIGHT!

Hi guys!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.


Today's first tour features a title currently making the rounds with Rachel's Random Resources and shares the story of a past someone can't out run, as well as a betrayal they can't forget. Ladies and gents, get ready for a closer look at today's title in the spotlight...


Badlands
by
Gary Kruse


About the book...

Surf. Sand. Smugglers. Murder.

Willow has run as far as she can.
From her home.
From the friends she betrayed.
From the family who betrayed her.
From her own name.

But a cry for help will bring her back.
Back to face her family.
Back to face the sins of her past.
Back to face the darkness at the heart of Cornwall.

In the search for her sister, Willow will face deception and betrayal, before she’ll find love – and herself. But will she uncover how close the enemy is, or will she become another victim of the Badlands?








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About the author...


Kruse is a multi-genre writer of flash fiction, short stories and novels. He lives with his family in Hornchurch on the Essex/London border.

He began writing as a teenager after seeing the Craft in the cinema and wondering what would happen if the coven of witches from the Craft came face to face with the Lost Boys (the vampires, not Peter Pan's crew!).

His work has appeared online and in print anthologies and his short story "Mirror Mirror" was shortlisted in the WriteHive 2021 Horror competition, and subsequently featured in the "Duplicitous" anthology.

His short story "Hope in the Dark" won first place in the November 2021 edition of the Writers' Forum Short Story competition.

His debut novel “Badlands” is published through Darkstroke on 21st January 2022.



TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM  |  FACEBOOK  |  SITE



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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!


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