Thursday, October 24, 2024

Blitz & Giveaway: How to Solve a Murder with a Grump by Laura Pauling

How to Solve a Murder with a Grump
Laura Pauling
Publication date: October 8th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance

Barrie:

I am determined to make my best friend’s wedding weekend perfect. That includes editing the best man’s speech and making sure he doesn’t drink too much.
Except, he’s the worst kind of grump with a capital G.
Not only that but when this perfect wedding unravels, I find myself the object of his wrath.
He blames me.
So I run.
And I’m wearing the wedding dress. (Don’t ask.)
As I hide out in a small town, following my dreams, I stumble upon a decades-old murder mystery.
Turns out texting the grump might be my only lifeline. And I’m definitely not flirt-texting. Nope. Not me.
Because falling for a grump can only lead to a broken heart.
Right?

Miles:

For the record, I am not a grump.
It’s not me. It’s them.
It’s women.
I’m looking forward to the wedding this weekend. My best friend is getting married.
And the maid of honor texts me.
Not just once.
Oh, no, because that would be much too sensible. Nope. Try a dozen. It felt like a hundred.
I can tell by a glance at the texts that she’s one of those micro-managing, in your business, thinks-she-knows-everything type of woman.
Forget it.
I don’t want her number. I don’t want coffee. I don’t want a date.
I don’t want a single conversation.
Okay, fine. I’m a grump.
But can you blame me?

How to Solve a Murder with a Grump is a full-length hilarious romantic mystery with a swoony, heart-thumping, happily-ever-after kind of ending complete with glitter bombs, snapping turtles (imaginary or not), a decades-old murder, and grand romantic gestures.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

I take one look at him. Oh yeah, he’s a grump.

Definitely.

But I don’t have time for grumps right now.

You see, I’m running late and the elevator is taking forever to get to the bottom floor. My best friend is getting married in two days, and I’m the maid of honor. I’m trying to compose a text to the best man so we can talk about the speeches. I should’ve reached out to him ages ago, but this weekend came fast. It snuck up on me.

Then, a man near me clears his throat, like he’s trying to send me a message. I take one look at him.

No doubt in my mind he’s a Mr. Grumpy Pants, because I can pick them out a mile away. They’re easy to spot once you know the signs.

Of course, sometimes you’ll get lucky. You’ll make a quick exit. Or he’ll spill his coffee. Someone else will grab his attention.

But there will be times you have to interact with this particular species of men.

Just so you know, there are many ways to deal with a grump. I could write a book on it.

First, don’t be fooled by those flashing white teeth and sexy smirks. Don’t be fooled by a blue shirt, almost the color of tropical ocean water that offsets the gray of his eyes. Don’t be fooled by the rippling muscles underneath the blue shirt.

Nope.

Sexy grumps are the most dangerous, because they’ll steal your heart then stomp all over it.

Author Bio:

I write about spies, murder, and mystery. I love a lot of things about writing and reading stories that have mystery and romance. I love the puzzle of a whodunnit and witty banter between characters who love to hate each other. Especially, when they don’t know they are falling in love.

There are about a gazillion books in the wilds of Amazon and maybe half of them are mysteries. If you want to make sure you know when I have a new release in a current series or the start of a new series then visit www.laurapauling.com and sign up for my newsletter.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thursday, October 17, 2024

Blitz & Giveaway: #HotAndHandy by Lynne Hancock Pearson

#HotAndHandy
Lynne Hancock Pearson
Publication date: October 15th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Everyone in town loves the handsome handyman.
Everyone except his new neighbor.

Out of jail and desperate for work, Vincent scrapes by with odd jobs. He’s hired to help the gray-haired lady move in next door but stumbles when he finds nothing old or feeble about Hilary.

Rejected by her husband after her body rejected implants, the breast cancer survivor shuts out Vincent until a kitchen appliance crisis forces her to accept his help. Convinced that he could do better, she keeps the younger man at a distance, but he persists, building her confidence and coaxing her out of her colorless cocoon.

With the hot handyman by her side and in her bed, Hilary develops a community program bringing at-risk youth into the building trades. But not everyone wants to see the ex-con succeed. An old foe is determined to derail Vincent, and Hilary is caught in the chaos.

She’s ready to retreat. Ready to leave everything behind—including Vincent.
Can he convince her to stay?

#HotAndHandy is a small-town, reverse age-gap romance between two people starting over after being kicked to the curb by life and love.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

It was Friday, and Vincent hadn’t seen Hilary all week, even though they shared the same address. They’d texted, though, and agreed to happy hour on her deck, with him bringing the drinks and her providing the food. Taking the stairs two at a time, he smiled at his own eagerness. Last week was great. Her enthusiasm for setting up the training program was contagious. Tonight, they would work on a proposal to present to Iris and Ali, to get KBS on board. And hopefully, they’d do some more kissing. He stopped himself from thinking beyond that. After all Hilary had been through, he did not want to rush her. His cock argued otherwise; thus Vincent started and ended each day with a cold shower.

He shifted the six-pack of beer and bottle of wine in his arms to rap on the door. No one answered. Glancing over to the driveway, he confirmed Hilary’s car and bicycle were both there. Through the windows of the French doors, he saw her purse and car keys sitting on the counter so he tried the doorknob. Unlocked, he pushed the door open and called, “Hey, you okay?”

“Not really. Can you come back here?”

Dropping the booze on the table, he hustled to the bedroom, expecting more blood. The room was empty. “Hilary?”

Her voice came from the en suite bathroom. “In here.”

He peeked in to find her rooted to the floor, arms crossed over her chest, facing away from the door. Seeking her reflection in the mirror, he caught the disgusted look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“There was a huge-ass spider. It startled me, and I dropped my glass, which shattered on the floor. I can’t move because I’m afraid I’ll cut myself.”

“I’m thinking you should give up day drinking,” he said, taking in the broken glass and Hilary’s bare feet.

“It was a glass of water.”

“Maybe buy plastic stuff. You and glass don’t seem to get along.” He grinned at her growl of annoyance.

From his examination of the floor, his eyes moved upward and widened. She wore bright pink panties and a matching camisole. Nothing else. He swallowed. With clothes, she was hot. Without, she was dynamite. Long firm legs, tight rounded ass, flat belly, and toned arms. She may not have tits, but Hilary was sexy as hell.

“Are you going to stare, or are you going to help me?” Bright red dots sat high on her cheekbones.

He cleared his throat. “Yeah, umm…give me a second.” He pulled off his T-shirt and placed it on the floor at the base of Hilary’s bed. Then he leaned into the bathroom and grabbed a hand towel from the rack. “I’m going to wipe down the backs of your legs in case there are any pieces of glass on them.” Glass crunched beneath him, and he was thankful to be wearing shoes. He crouched, and carefully ran the towel down the backs of her thighs and calves. She tightened at his touch, and he heard a sharp intake of breath. He spoke gently as he would to a wild animal, “Your legs look fine. I’m going to pick you up and put you on the end of the bed. We’ll do the fronts of your legs, and then your feet.” He glanced up to catch her nod, then tossed the towel over his shoulder as he rose to stand next to her. A pulse beat rapidly in the hollow of her throat. He grinned at her reflection. “I promise not to drop you.” With one arm behind her knees and one arm around her shoulders, he scooped her up and carried her to the bed. He placed her down so her feet were above his T-shirt on the floor, and knelt in front of her. Her slim foot was silky smooth, and he concentrated on looking at the skin of her legs and feet, trying not to inhale the provocative scent emanating from the juncture of her thighs. “I didn’t know you were afraid of spiders.”

She huffed and crossed her arms again. “I’m not afraid. It startled me. Did I not mention it was a huge-ass spider? It had to be the size of a dinner plate.”

“Really?” He sat back on his heels, trying not to smile. “And what happened to it?”

“I don’t know.” She waved an arm in dismissal. “It probably scuttled back down the drain, laughing at me. I’m surprised you didn’t hear me scream.”

He picked up his T-shirt and wrapped the towel in it, chuckling as he stood. “I didn’t see any glass, but I’m going to shake these out over the garbage can and put them on the washing machine. Then I’ll grab the vacuum cleaner. Don’t move until I get back. There might be bits of glass in the carpet by the door.” Looking up, he caught her gaze on his chest and abs…and lower. He slowly straightened, not bothering to conceal the proof of his arousal.

The red spots were back in her cheeks. “Fine. I’ll be here.”

Author Bio:

Lynne Hancock Pearson writes fun, flirty, feel-good fiction that simmers at low heat. Set in the Pacific Northwest, they are stories of people finding their way, even if it takes a while to get there.

She lives near Seattle with two and a half finicky felines and one long-suffering husband. She is a left-handed middle child who grew up in the Great White North and is a proud member of the Métis Nation of Canada.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Monday, October 7, 2024

Book tour & Giveaway: Murder, She Wrote: A Killer Christmas by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran

Murder, She Wrote: A Killer Christmas by Jessica Fletcher & Terrie Farley Moran

About Murder, She Wrote: A Killer Christmas

 

Murder, She Wrote: A Killer Christmas Cozy Mystery 59th in Series Setting - Maine Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (October 8, 2024) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593640721 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593640722 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CRTW3Z9N

goodreads badge

It’s Christmastime in Cabot Cove, but there’s more homicide than ho-ho-ho in the newest entry in the USA Today bestselling Murder, She Wrote series. Christmas is not an easy time to sell a house, but in Boston tycoon John Bragdon, Cabot Cove Realtor Eve Simpson has found a buyer for the old Jarvis homestead. Unfortunately, Eve gets a lump of coal in her stocking in the form of Kenny Jarvis, who has been missing for years and presumed dead but has now come back to stop his sister from selling their childhood home. Eve presses on, organizing a welcome dinner for Bragdon and his wife, Marlene, to meet the leading citizens of the town, including Jessica Fletcher. Dinner is interrupted by an uninvited guest—not Santa but Kenny, who threateningly promises Marlene she will never live in his house. When Marlene is found dead a few days later, Kenny is the natural suspect. But Jessica isn′t so sure he′s on the naughty list . . .

About the Authors

Along with Jessica Fletcher, Terrie Farley Moran co-writes the Murder She Wrote mystery series including Murder, She Wrote: Killer on the Court. She is the author of the Read ‘Em and Eat cozy mystery series and also co-writes the Scrapbooking Mysteries with Laura Childs. Recipient of both the Agatha and the Derringer Awards, Moran has published numerous mystery short stories. The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is hanging out with any or all of her seven grandchildren.

Author Links – Webpage Facebook
Purchase Links – AmazonB&NKoboBookshop.orgPenguinRandomHouse


TOUR PARTICIPANTS

October 7 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

October 7 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 8 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW

October 8 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 9 – The Mystery of Writing – SPOTLIGHT

October 9 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

October 10 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

October 10 – Diane Reviews Books – REVIEW

October 11 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT

October 12 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 12 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT

October 12 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

October 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW

October 13 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 14 – Sarah Can't Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

October 15 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

October 15 – Boys' Mom Reads! – REVIEW

October 16 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – SPOTLIGHT

October 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

October 17 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

October 18 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW

October 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

October 20 – Deal Sharing Aunt – SPOTLIGHT

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today! Want to Book a Tour? Click Here

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Meditation and Mischief by Elizabeth Pantly Book Tour and Giveaway

Meditation and Mischief: Magical Mystery Book Club by Elizabeth Pantley

About Meditation and Mischief

 

Meditation and Mischief: Magical Mystery Book Club Paranormal Cozy Mystery 8th in Series Setting - A resort on a tropical island Better Beginnings, Inc. (September 15, 2024) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 349 pages ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8339068211 Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CVW72ND4 goodreads badge

When this club selects a book, magic happens!

This book club does more than read their books – they are absorbed into them to become the amateur sleuths! In order to leave the book, they must solve the mystery and reach The End.

In this journey they travel to The Golden Island Wellness Retreat for yoga, meditation, workshops, and spa treatments. They’ll bond with nature and improve their spiritual wellbeing. They’ll find their inner peace – and a dead body, of course.

Graduates from an acting college have gathered at the retreat for their ten-year reunion. Old friends reconnect, but apparently, so have old enemies. The book club must evaluate the attendees to determine whose baggage has led to murder.

About Elizabeth Pantley

Elizabeth writes well-loved cozy mysteries in two series: The Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic book series and the Magical Mystery Book Club series.

Elizabeth lives in the Pacific Northwest and Arizona, two very different places. Both are rich, gorgeous, natural places, and inspire the settings in many of her books.

Author Links

  Purchase Link: Amazon 

  TOUR PARTICIPANTS 
  September 30 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT 
  September 30 – Angel's Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 1 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 1 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 2 – Review Thick and Thin – REVIEW 
  October 3 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 3 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 4 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW 
  October 4 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 5 – Boys' Mom Reads! – REVIEW 
  October 6 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 7 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 8 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 9 – Christy's Cozy Corners - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST 
  October 10 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST
October 11 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT 
  October 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST 
  October 13 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW



Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today! Want to Book a Tour? Click Here