The Secret Stealers by Jane Healey

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Reecaspieces

About The Book:

A female American spy in Nazi-occupied France finds purpose behind enemy lines in a novel of unparalleled danger, love, and daring by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Beantown Girls.

Anna Cavanaugh is a restless young widow and brilliant French teacher at a private school in Washington, DC. Everything changes when she’s recruited into the Office of Strategic Services by family friend and legendary WWI hero Major General William Donovan.

Donovan has faith in her—and in all his “glorious amateurs” who are becoming Anna’s fast friends: Maggie, Anna’s down-to-earth mentor; Irene, who’s struggling to find support from her husband for her clandestine life; and Julia, a cheerful OSS liaison. But the more Anna learns about the organization’s secret missions, the more she longs to be stationed abroad. Then comes the opportunity: go undercover as a spy in the French Resistance to help steal critical intelligence that could ultimately turn the tide of the war.

Dispatched behind enemy lines and in constant danger, Anna is filled with adrenaline, passion, and fear. She’s driven to make a difference—for her country and for herself. Whatever the risk, she’s willing to take it to help liberate France from the shadows of occupation and to free herself from the shadows of her former life.

Review

Anna Cavanaugh is a young widow. She has been teaching high school French and she hates it. A long time family friend, Major General Donovan, recruits Anna as his assistant at the OSS. Anna decides she wants more to do with the war. So she goes after an important espionage job and this changes her whole life and purpose!

This is a unique WWII novel. I have read so many lately, I was a little hesitant to start this one. But the beginning really intrigued me with the start of the OSS and all that entailed.

Then there is Anna. She is a strong woman with a goal. After she sees how Paris has changed since she was a student, she is determined to do everything in her power to kick the Germans out!

I loved the intensity and the energy this story portrayed! My emotions were all over the place! Need a good WWII spy thriller…this is it! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the author for a honest review.

About The Author: 

Jane Healey is the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of The Beantown Girls and The Saturday Evening Girls Club. When her daughters were young, Jane Healey left a career in high tech to fulfill her dream of writing historical fiction about little-known women in history. It was a passion that has turned into something much more. Jane shares a home north of Boston with her husband, two daughters, and two cats. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, running, cooking, and going to the beach. For more information on the author or upcoming events or to schedule a book club visit, please visit her website, https://janehealey.com.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaneHealeyBooks/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/healeyjane

Twitter: @HealeyJane

Book Blurbs:

“The Secret Stealers is a flawlessly crafted and engrossing story of the unexpected ways in which war changes who we are. Once again, Healey gifts readers with her trademark characters: everyday women who prove themselves to be extraordinary—women so relatable, so endearing, and so brave that they jump off the page and into our hearts.” —Lynda Cohen Loigman, USA Today bestselling author of The Two-Family House and The Wartime Sisters

“Set against the fascinating and well-researched history of the OSS, Jane Healey has crafted a remarkable story of perseverance, friendship, and the adventurous spirit and bravery of women who were instrumental to the Allies’ efforts during WWII. This novel captured my heart while speeding up my pulse with its triumphs and tragedies; suspense and struggle; and ultimately, redemption, revelation, and reflection. Fans of Kate Quinn and Martha Hall Kelly will love this book.” —Susie Orman Schnall, author of We Came Here to Shine and The Subway Girls

“The Secret Stealers is World War II historical fiction about women spies that offers the rare balance of nail-biting action with strong, fully-developed characters who embrace friendship, empowerment, and romance. Jane Healey’s crew of intrepid women are equally at home navigating the intrigue of the OSS in Washington, DC, and the dangers of war-torn France. This one’s not to be missed!” —Elise Hooper, author of Fast Girls

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When a Cowboy Loves A Woman by Jennie Marts – Book Spotlight – Excerpt- GIVEAWAY @sourcebooks #giveaway #spotlight #excerpt

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Reecaspieces

When a Cowboy Loves a Woman

by Jennie Marts

Publication Date: 3/30/2021

They both know the pain of loss and how to protect their hearts…but fate has a way of stepping in…

When a kitchen fire forces young widow Elle Brooks to move in with her friend Bryn and her motley collection of rescue animals, she doesn’t foresee ending up in the muscled arms of handsome cowboy and veterinarian Brody Tate. But she can’t deny the feelings that being close to Brody are stirring in her. Spending time with the hunky cowboy and his adorable young daughter as they rehabilitate rescued horses reminds Elle of all she lost in a car crash years ago.

As a widower himself, Brody is devoted to being a good dad for his spirited daughter. He hasn’t let romance even enter his head. But now he’s met Elle. Spending time with her is shaking up the calm he’s worked so hard to achieve, and he can’t seem to get this woman off his mind.

Elle and Brody have both lost people they loved, but their mutual attraction and growing feelings are too strong to ignore. The hope of a future together is a beautiful possibility, but can these two wounded souls take a chance on each other and find the courage to love again?

Jennie Marts is the USA Today bestselling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. She is living her own happily ever after with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies, in the mountains of Colorado.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3aXFFW1

B&N: https://bit.ly/2FN9PzR

Apple: https://apple.co/2QqI5TY

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2ZKNJ7L

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3ht3zLR

BAM: https://bit.ly/32oioc5

Books2Read: https://bit.ly/3kjUM0Y

Link to giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af71047/?

Excerpt:

Everything hurts, thought Elle Brooks as she sank lower in the bathtub. Her back and shoulders ached from carrying bales of hay and brushing the horses that morning at the Heaven Can Wait Horse Rescue, where she volunteered. Although she preferred the physical labor over the headache she got from spending the afternoon with her financial advisor, going over the trust and through her finances. Between his company and his considerable life insurance policy, her beloved Ryan had left her with a substantial amount of money. But she’d give it all away for one more day with him. 

She pushed a bubbly pile of suds across the spacious garden bathtub as the final strains of one of her favorite Pink songs faded in her ears. Usually the pop star’s music could energize her, but tonight she felt more like a sinking stone than any kind of rock star. With a sigh, she pushed the drain release with her toe and pulled the earbuds from her ears. 

That’s when she heard the sirens. 

Hair raised on the nape of her neck, and a chill that had nothing to do with the cooling bathwater raced up her spine. She slammed her eyes shut against the onslaught of memories. It had been over a year since Ryan died, but the images of the ambulance’s throbbing lights and the mournful sounds of the sirens were as vivid as if it had happened the day before. 

She caught the first whiff of smoke as she heard the fire trucks pull up in front of her house. Water sloshed over the side as she stumbled to get out of the tub. Grabbing a towel, she scarcely had time to run it over her body before she heard the slam of her front door and raised voices. 

Reaching for her pajamas, she pulled on the cotton shorts and wrenched the tank top over her head. 

Move, her brain screamed. Get out. 

The fabric clung to her damp skin as she snatched up her short robe and raced out of the bathroom. From the landing, she could see a flurry of men in yellow coats dragging a gray hose across the Italian marble of her foyer toward her kitchen. 

She choked on the acrid smoke filling the air. There were no blazing flames, but the smoke scorched her throat, and she blinked against the sting of it to her eyes. 

An older fireman caught sight of her. “You need to get out of the house, ma’am.” 

Panic gripped her as she wildly looked around at the chaos invading her home. Then her gaze caught and held on the familiar eyes of the tall cowboy who’d just stepped into view. He was dressed in jeans and boots and a black Stetson hat, and the sight of his broad shoulders filling the doorway somehow grounded her. 

She didn’t really know him—she’d briefly met him a few weeks ago. But that one time had shown his ability to stay calm and steady in a crisis situation. His name was Brody—Doctor Brody Tate. He was her best friend Bryn’s veterinarian. But why was a veterinarian at a house fire? 

A plume of dark smoke billowed out of the kitchen, and Elle caught the distinct sound of the crackle of flames. She coughed, then turned around and ran back down the hallway. 

She heard the older fireman’s voice yelling, “Get her out of here, Tate,” followed by the sound of cowboy boots sprinting up the stairs as she raced to the closed door at the end of the hall. 

She pushed through, ignoring the rush of emotions that normally flooded her when she opened the door to the room decorated in pink-and-white stripes. A hand-knit pink blanket lay in the seat of the rocking chair. Elle grabbed it and clutched it to her chest. If she could only save one thing, it had to be this. 

She turned back to see Brody in the doorway. He didn’t say anything, just reached for her hand and led her quickly back down the hallway. 

They reached the top of the stairs, and she froze again at the commotion below—the rush of the firefighters’ feet, the commanding tone of their voices as they shouted orders, the pulsing flash of red lights against the white walls of her entryway. 

Brody pulled at her hand, but she couldn’t move. He turned back and must have seen the panic in her eyes. His tone was soft as he swept her up, cradling her to him as if she weighed nothing at all. “It’s all right, darlin’. I’ve got you.” 

She buried her face in his chest, clinging to him, as he carried her down the stairs and out the front door. Elle lifted her head and gulped at the fresh air. 

“Is there anyone else in the house? Any pets?” 

She shook her head. “No. Only me.” 

“You remember me? We met a couple of weeks ago at Bryn’s?” 

“Yes, I remember. But what are you doing here?” And why was she clutching his neck like he was a life preserver? A handsome, tall cowboy life preserver. 

***

Excerpted from When a Cowboy Loves a Woman by Jennie Marts. © 2021 by Jennie Marts. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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When a Cowboy Loves a Woman by Jennie Marts- Book Spotlight, Excerpt and GIVEAWAY! @Sourcebookscasa #excerpt #giveaway #spotlight

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Reecaspieces

When a Cowboy Loves a Woman

by Jennie Marts

Publication Date: 3/30/2021

They both know the pain of loss and how to protect their hearts…but fate has a way of stepping in…

When a kitchen fire forces young widow Elle Brooks to move in with her friend Bryn and her motley collection of rescue animals, she doesn’t foresee ending up in the muscled arms of handsome cowboy and veterinarian Brody Tate. But she can’t deny the feelings that being close to Brody are stirring in her. Spending time with the hunky cowboy and his adorable young daughter as they rehabilitate rescued horses reminds Elle of all she lost in a car crash years ago.

As a widower himself, Brody is devoted to being a good dad for his spirited daughter. He hasn’t let romance even enter his head. But now he’s met Elle. Spending time with her is shaking up the calm he’s worked so hard to achieve, and he can’t seem to get this woman off his mind.

Elle and Brody have both lost people they loved, but their mutual attraction and growing feelings are too strong to ignore. The hope of a future together is a beautiful possibility, but can these two wounded souls take a chance on each other and find the courage to love again?

Jennie Marts is the USA Today bestselling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. She is living her own happily ever after with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies, in the mountains of Colorado.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3aXFFW1

B&N: https://bit.ly/2FN9PzR

Apple: https://apple.co/2QqI5TY

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2ZKNJ7L

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3ht3zLR

BAM: https://bit.ly/32oioc5

Books2Read: https://bit.ly/3kjUM0Y

Link to giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af71047/?

Excerpt:

Everything hurts, thought Elle Brooks as she sank lower in the bathtub. Her back and shoulders ached from carrying bales of hay and brushing the horses that morning at the Heaven Can Wait Horse Rescue, where she volunteered. Although she preferred the physical labor over the headache she got from spending the afternoon with her financial advisor, going over the trust and through her finances. Between his company and his considerable life insurance policy, her beloved Ryan had left her with a substantial amount of money. But she’d give it all away for one more day with him. 

She pushed a bubbly pile of suds across the spacious garden bathtub as the final strains of one of her favorite Pink songs faded in her ears. Usually the pop star’s music could energize her, but tonight she felt more like a sinking stone than any kind of rock star. With a sigh, she pushed the drain release with her toe and pulled the earbuds from her ears. 

That’s when she heard the sirens. 

Hair raised on the nape of her neck, and a chill that had nothing to do with the cooling bathwater raced up her spine. She slammed her eyes shut against the onslaught of memories. It had been over a year since Ryan died, but the images of the ambulance’s throbbing lights and the mournful sounds of the sirens were as vivid as if it had happened the day before. 

She caught the first whiff of smoke as she heard the fire trucks pull up in front of her house. Water sloshed over the side as she stumbled to get out of the tub. Grabbing a towel, she scarcely had time to run it over her body before she heard the slam of her front door and raised voices. 

Reaching for her pajamas, she pulled on the cotton shorts and wrenched the tank top over her head. 

Move, her brain screamed. Get out. 

The fabric clung to her damp skin as she snatched up her short robe and raced out of the bathroom. From the landing, she could see a flurry of men in yellow coats dragging a gray hose across the Italian marble of her foyer toward her kitchen. 

She choked on the acrid smoke filling the air. There were no blazing flames, but the smoke scorched her throat, and she blinked against the sting of it to her eyes. 

An older fireman caught sight of her. “You need to get out of the house, ma’am.” 

Panic gripped her as she wildly looked around at the chaos invading her home. Then her gaze caught and held on the familiar eyes of the tall cowboy who’d just stepped into view. He was dressed in jeans and boots and a black Stetson hat, and the sight of his broad shoulders filling the doorway somehow grounded her. 

She didn’t really know him—she’d briefly met him a few weeks ago. But that one time had shown his ability to stay calm and steady in a crisis situation. His name was Brody—Doctor Brody Tate. He was her best friend Bryn’s veterinarian. But why was a veterinarian at a house fire? 

A plume of dark smoke billowed out of the kitchen, and Elle caught the distinct sound of the crackle of flames. She coughed, then turned around and ran back down the hallway. 

She heard the older fireman’s voice yelling, “Get her out of here, Tate,” followed by the sound of cowboy boots sprinting up the stairs as she raced to the closed door at the end of the hall. 

She pushed through, ignoring the rush of emotions that normally flooded her when she opened the door to the room decorated in pink-and-white stripes. A hand-knit pink blanket lay in the seat of the rocking chair. Elle grabbed it and clutched it to her chest. If she could only save one thing, it had to be this. 

She turned back to see Brody in the doorway. He didn’t say anything, just reached for her hand and led her quickly back down the hallway. 

They reached the top of the stairs, and she froze again at the commotion below—the rush of the firefighters’ feet, the commanding tone of their voices as they shouted orders, the pulsing flash of red lights against the white walls of her entryway. 

Brody pulled at her hand, but she couldn’t move. He turned back and must have seen the panic in her eyes. His tone was soft as he swept her up, cradling her to him as if she weighed nothing at all. “It’s all right, darlin’. I’ve got you.” 

She buried her face in his chest, clinging to him, as he carried her down the stairs and out the front door. Elle lifted her head and gulped at the fresh air. 

“Is there anyone else in the house? Any pets?” 

She shook her head. “No. Only me.” 

“You remember me? We met a couple of weeks ago at Bryn’s?” 

“Yes, I remember. But what are you doing here?” And why was she clutching his neck like he was a life preserver? A handsome, tall cowboy life preserver. 

***

Excerpted from When a Cowboy Loves a Woman by Jennie Marts. © 2021 by Jennie Marts. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Danger in Numbers by Heather Graham #fiction #suspense @harlequinbooks

Posted on March 23, 2021 by Reecaspieces

Book Summary:


This Spring, Heather Graham returns with a sultry and shocking standalone thriller about an FBI special agent trying to run from his past and a state police agent bent on solving a horrifying crime, even if it leads the two of them into the web of a vicious cult. Graham deepens the intrigue and raises the stakes in DANGER IN NUMBERS (MIRA Hardcover; March 23, 2021; $27.99).


On the edge of the Everglades, a brutal murder and an eerie crime scene set off an investigation that sends two agents deep into a world of corrupted faith, greed and deadly secrets.
A ritualistic murder on the side of a remote road brings in the Florida state police. Special Agent Amy Larson has never seen worse, and there are indications that this killing could be just the beginning. The crime draws the attention of the FBI in the form of Special Agent Hunter Forrest, a man with insider knowledge of how violent cults operate, and a man who might never be able to escape his own past.
The rural community is devastated by the death in their midst, but people know more than they are

saying. As Amy and Hunter join forces, every lead takes them further into the twisted beliefs of a dangerous group that will stop at nothing to see their will done.

Author Bio:


Heather Graham is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author has written over two hundred novels and novellas, has been published in approximately twenty-five languages and with about 60 million books sold in print in the categories of romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. For more information, visit her at TheOriginalHeatherGraham.com.

Review

There has been a brutal murder on the edge of the Everglades. Special Agent Amy Larson has a bad feeling about this one. She teams up with FBI Special Agent Hunter Forrest to find the killer and the cult.

Hunter has a special interest in this case. He is an expert in the occult. He has a past dealing with them. And you will have to read this to find out.

This story is fascinating. With the cult undertones and the weird murders, I was completely engaged from start to finish. You just didn’t know who to trust.

This author and I go waaaay back. I remember reading her very first book in the 80s. I loved her then and I love her now. I don’t think I have read one bad book. Now, I have not read them all, but I have read the majority. She just keeps putting out good reads!

Grab your copy today…you will not be sorry!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Buy Links:

Harlequin

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

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Meant to Be By Jude Deveraux @Harlequinbooks #excerpt #bookspotlight

Posted on March 22, 2021 by Reecaspieces

Overview

An inspiring new family saga by New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux

Two headstrong sisters are bound by tradition but long to forge their own path.

It’s 1972 and times are changing. In the small farming community of Mason, Kansas, Vera and Kelly Exton are known for their ambitions. Vera is an activist who wants to join her boyfriend in the Peace Corps. But she is doing her duty caring for her widowed mother and younger sister until Kelly is firmly established. Kelly is studying to become a veterinarian. She plans to marry her childhood sweetheart and eventually take over his father’s veterinary practice.But it’s a tumultuous time and neither sister is entirely happy with the path that’s been laid out for her. As each evaluates her options, everything shifts. Do you do what’s right for yourself or what others want? By having the courage to follow their hearts these women will change lives for the better and the effects will be felt by the generations that follow. Meant to Be delivers an emotional, smart, funny and wise lesson about the importance of being true to yourself.

About the author

Jude Deveraux is the author of forty-three New York Times bestsellers, including For All Time, Moonlight in the Morning, and A Knight in Shining Armor. She was honored with a Romantic Times Pioneer Award in 2013 for her distinguished career. To date, there are more than sixty million copies of her books in print worldwide.

Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

Mason, Kansas May 1972

Adam is back.

 Vera Exton couldn’t get that thought out of her head. The man she had always loved, the man who held the keys to her future, was finally home. 

She was on the front porch of her family home. As always, she was surrounded by newspapers and magazines. She paid to have the New York Times sent to her. That it arrived three days late didn’t matter. At least she got to see what was going on in the world. The world. Not just Kansas, not just the US, but everywhere. 

In college, she’d majored in political science, with a minor in geography. She knew where the Republic of Vanuatu was, where Rajasthan, India, was. She could tell Bhutan from Nepal by a single photo. She’d studied languages on her own and knew a smattering of several. Rhodesia, she thought. Madagascar. She’d send her sister photos of herself with a lemur when she got there. Kelly would like that. 

Vera closed her eyes, leaning back in the old chair that her mother had bought at a craft fair. It had been made by someone local, using local materials. That was the difference between them. Her mother and her sister prided themselves on “local,” while Vera could only see the world.

 “And now it’s all going to begin,” she whispered, and opened her eyes.

 Bending, she began stacking the newspapers and magazines. Her mother complained about the mess that always surrounded Vera. “We can hardly walk through a room,” her mother often said, frowning. Since her husband died two years ago, Nella Exton did little but frown. 

If Kelly was around, she helped Vera clean up. Or helped Vera do anything, for Kelly was deeply glad her big sister was there and doing what everyone expected her to do.

 When Kelly mentioned her gratitude, their mother just sniffed. “She’s the eldest child, so of course she takes care of things.” Even though the sisters were only ten months apart, to their mother Vera was to take on the family’s responsibilities, so she was doing what she was supposed to do. There was no other choice. 

But Kelly didn’t feel that way. In what people tended to call “the drug culture,” many kids ran away, never to be seen again. The idea of “family obligations” was becoming obsolete. But not to Vera. 

She had postponed the future she’d dreamed of, had studied for, to give her sister what she wanted and Kelly was ever thankful, grateful and appreciative.

 For all her sister’s appreciation, right now all Vera could think of was that Adam’s return meant the ordeal of staying at home was over. 

He’d arrived just in time for his father’s funeral, as there’d been delays on the long flight from Africa. Vera had searched the newspapers to find out what was going on in Kenya. During the years he’d been away, Adam’s letters were full of stories of floods and bridges collapsing, infestations and diseases with exotic names. His letters had made her heart pound with excitement. She’d read them to her mother and sister, then was shocked by the horror on their faces. “But doesn’t it sound wonderful?” Vera would ask. 

Nella said a flat no, and Kelly would say, “If you like that sort of thing.” Then she’d pick up a few of her animals and feed them or groom them or whatever she did with them. 

Vera had seen Adam after the service, but she’d not spoken to him. He was surrounded by people offering condolences. His father, Burke Hatten, had been a big shot in the county. “Ask Burke” was a common catchphrase.

 In Vera’s opinion, the man thought he knew much more than he did, which is why he and his eldest son had always butted heads. Burke’s temper and his son’s matching one was why Adam had run off to join the Peace Corps. 

Well, that and Vera’s endless talk of how she was joining the second she finished college. She’d begged Adam to go with her, but he’d always said no. He said he’d be waiting for her in Kansas when she grew tired of moving about the world and came home.

 Funny how things work out, she thought as she stacked the papers. Adam had the big fight with his dad and had run off to the Peace Corps. Vera had planned to join him, but her father had died suddenly, leaving no one to care for the farm. To Vera, the solution was to sell the farm, but Nella had refused to leave the place. In just a few weeks, everything changed. Vera had agreed to stay behind until Kelly finished veterinary school. The new plan was that as soon as Kelly graduated, Vera would join Adam wherever the Peace Corps had sent him. 

Now everything was going to change again. Burke Hatten’s horse threw him and he’d died instantly, so Adam had returned. But this time when he left the country to go back to his job in Africa, Vera wouldn’t be kissing him goodbye. They’d leave together. The goodbyes would be to her mother and sister, to the farm, to her job at the travel agency. Goodbye to the town of Mason. The world she’d been reading about was out there and calling to her. 

At last, she was going to answer its call. 

Excerpted from Meant to Be by Jude Deveraux Copyright © Jude Deveraux. Published by HQN Books.


Author: Jude Deveraux
ISBN: 9780778331445 Publication Date: March 16, 2020 Publisher: MIRA Books

Purchase Here

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Walmart 

Google

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Social Links

Author Website: https://judedeveraux.com/

TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/JudeDeveraux1  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudeDeveraux

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/judedeveraux/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/28574.Jude_Deveraux

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The Girl in the Painting by Tea Cooper @thomasnelson #historicalfiction #review

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Reecaspieces

Overview

A young prodigy in need of family.

A painting that shatters a woman’s peace.

And a decades-old mystery demanding to be solved.

Australia, 1906

Orphan Jane Piper is nine years old when philanthropist siblings Michael and Elizabeth Quinn take her into their home to further her schooling. The Quinns are no strangers to hardship. Having arrived in Australia as penniless immigrants, they now care for others as lost as they once were.

Despite Jane’s mysterious past, her remarkable aptitude for mathematics takes her far over the next seven years, and her relationship with Elizabeth and Michael flourishes as she plays an increasingly prominent part in their business.

But when Elizabeth reacts in terror to an exhibition at the local gallery, Jane realizes no one knows Elizabeth after all—not even Elizabeth herself. As the past and present converge and Elizabeth’s grasp on reality loosens, Jane sets out to unravel her story before it’s too late.

From the gritty reality of the Australian goldfields to the grand institutions of Sydney, this compelling novel presents a mystery that spans continents and decades as both women finally discover a place to call home.

Review

Michael and Elizabeth are wealthy siblings. They take in an orphan, Jane. She is a prodigy in math. Jane helps them with all their business dealings. When Elizabeth sees a museum exhibition, she has a “spell”. This turns on some past memories and Jane struggles to find out what is going on.

I love this family. Michael has a heart of gold. Elizabeth is tough as nails. And Jane just wants to learn and be the best she can be. But, when Elizabeth becomes ill, it throws everything off kilter. I mean…what do birds and paintings have to do with her memory?

Then…Michael reveals his secret…and what a secret it is!

I fluctuated between 4 and 5 stars. I settled on 4 because it is just a bit far fetched. You will have to read this to find out…But, I enjoyed the story and the setting. And…it is fiction! Right!? And…you might find it to be a 5 star! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

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The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry @pamelaandedward @randomhouse #fiction #review #5stars

Posted on March 16, 2021 by Reecaspieces

Overview

A woman returns to her small southern hometown in the wake of her mother’s sudden death—only to find the past upended by stunning family secrets—in this intimate debut novel, written with deep compassion and sharp wit.

“A deeply moving work of Southern fiction that will appeal to fans of Where the Crawdads Sing . . . a story to remember long after the last page is turned.”—Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookshop

Lila Bruce Breedlove never quite felt at home in Wesleyan, Georgia, especially after her father’s untimely demise when she was a child. Both Lila and her brother, Henry, fled north after high school, establishing fulfilling lives of their own. In contrast, their younger sister, Abigail, opted to remain behind to dote on their domineering, larger-than-life mother, Geneva. Yet despite their independence, Lila and Henry know deep down that they’ve never quite reckoned with their upbringing.

When their elderly mother dies suddenly and suspiciously in the muscadine arbor behind the family estate, Lila and Henry return to the town that essentially raised them. But as they uncover more about Geneva’s death, shocking truths are revealed that overturn the family’s history as they know it, sending the pair on an extraordinary journey to chase a truth that will dramatically alter the course of their lives. The Sweet Taste of Muscadines reminds us all that true love never dies.

Review

Lila and Henry have returned home because of their mother’s death. Not only is this a tragedy itself, but they discover a family secret their mother kept hidden for nearly 30 years. This changes their lives and their sister, Abigail’s life forever.

I loved every single character in this story..heck! I know half of them. They all live in my town. The author nailed the south! I love it when they get it right. And Pamela Terry got it right.

There is also a lot of wisdom in this read. Not only did it have me laughing out loud, it had me thinking about so many misconceptions. The story starts out kind of quirky and funny, then it takes a turn toward seriousness. I am trying to be careful because I do not want to give anything away. But this is a book you do not want to miss!

Need a unique read…this one is it! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.

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Float Plan by Trish Dollar #excerpt #bookspotlight @stmartinspress

Posted on March 12, 2021 by Reecaspieces

Overview

Heartbroken by the loss of her fiancé, adventurous Anna finds a second chance at love with an Irish sailor in this riveting, emotional romance.
After a reminder goes off for the Caribbean sailing trip Anna was supposed to take with her fiancé, she impulsively goes to sea in the sailboat he left her, intending to complete the voyage alone.
But after a treacherous night’s sail, she realizes she can’t do it by herself and hires Keane, a professional sailor, to help. Much like Anna, Keane is struggling with a very different future than the one he had planned. As romance rises with the tide, they discover that it’s never too late to chart a new course.
In Trish Doller’s unforgettable Float Plan, starting over doesn’t mean letting go of your past, it means making room for your future.
“The perfect escape. Fresh, funny, and romantic. I wish I could sail away with this book.” – Meg Cabot, New York Times bestselling author of The Princess Diaries and Little Bridge series

About the Author

TRISH DOLLER is the author of novels for teens and adults about love, life, and finding your place in the world. A former journalist and radio personality, Trish has written several YA novels, including the critically acclaimed Something Like Normal, as well as Float Plan, her adult women’s fiction debut. When she’s not writing, Trish loves sailing, traveling, and avoiding housework. She lives in southwest Florida with an opinionated herding dog and an ex-pirate.

Buy link:

Float Plan


Social Links:

@TrishDoller on Instagram and Twitter

Excerpt

Anna—­

There’s­ a­ kind­ of­ jacked-­up­ happiness that­ comes­ when­ you­ know­ your­ life­ is almost­ over,­ when­ the­ ­decision­ to­ end­it­ becomes­ solid.­ It­ might­ be­ adrenaline.­ It­ might­ be­ relief.­ And­ if­ I had­ always felt­ like­ this,­ I­ might­ have­ climbed mountains ­or­ raced­ marathons.­ Now­ it’s­ just­ enough­ to­ see­ this­ through.

I­ should­ have­ left­ you­ alone­ that­ first night­ at­ the­ bar.­­ If­ I had,­ you­ wouldn’t be­ reading­ this­ letter­ at­ all.­­ You’d­ walking ­your­ dog­ or­ watching­ TV with your­ boyfriend.­You­ didn’t­ deserve­ to be­dragged­ into ­my­ shit,­ and­ you definitely­ don’t­ deserve­ the­ pain­ I’m­ about ­to­ cause.­This­ is­ not­ your­ fault. For ­two­ years­ you­ have­ been­ my­ only reason­ for­ living.­ I­ wish­ I could­ give you­ forever.

You are­ strong­ and ­brave,­and­ someday you’ll­ be­ okay.­ You’ll­ fall­ in­ love,­and I hate­ him­ already­ for­ being­ a­ better man.­Someday ­you­ will be happy­ again.

I love­ you,­ Anna.­ I’m­ sorry.

Ben

ten months and six days (1)

I walk out of my life on Thanksgiving Day.

Last-minute shoppers are clearing shelves of stuffing mix and pumpkin pie filling as I heap my cart with everything I might need. (Dry beans. Canned vegetables. Rice.) I move through the grocery store like a prepper running late for doomsday. (Boxed milk. Limes. Spare flashlight.) I am quick so I won’t lose my nerve. (Apples. Toilet paper. Red wine.) I try not to think beyond leaving. (Cabbage. Playing cards. Bottled water.) Or about what I might be leaving behind.

My mother calls as I’m wrangling the grocery bags into the back seat of my overstuffed Subaru. I haven’t told her that I won’t be there for Thanksgiving dinner, and she’s not ready to hear that I’m skipping town. Not when I’ve barely left the house for the better part of a year. She’ll have questions and I don’t have an- swers, so I let the call go to voicemail.

When I reach the dock, the Alberg is right where it should

4    Trish Doller 

be, the shiny hull painted navy blue and the transom empty, still waiting for a name. For a moment I expect Ben’s head to pop up from the companionway. I wait to see his little fuck-me grin, and to hear the excitement in his voice when he tells me today is the day. But the hatch is padlocked, and the deck is covered in bird shit—another part of my life I’ve let fall into neglect.

Ten months and six days ago, Ben swallowed a bottle of pre- scription Paxil and chased it with the cheap tequila that lived under the sink, and I don’t know why. He was already gone when I came home from work and found him on the kitchen floor. In his suicide note, he told me I was his reason for living. Why was I not enough?

I breathe in deep, to the bottom of my lungs. Let it out slowly.

Step onto the boat and unlock the hatch.

The air is stale and hot, smelling of wood wax, new canvas, and a hint of diesel. I haven’t been aboard since before Ben died. Spiders have spun their homes in the corners of the cabin and a layer of dust has settled on every surface, but the changes leave me breathless. The interior brightwork is varnished and glossy. The ugly original brown-plaid cushion covers have been replaced with red canvas and Peruvian stripes. And a framed graphic hangs on the forward bulkhead that reads i & love & you.

“Why do all this work for a trip you’ll never take?” I say out loud, but it’s another question without an answer. I wipe my eyes on the sleeve of my T-shirt. One of the things I’ve learned is that suicide doesn’t break a person’s heart just once.

It takes me the rest of the morning to clean the boat, unload the contents of my car, and stow everything away. Traces of Ben are everywhere: a saucepan at the bottom of the hanging locker,

Float Plan    5

an expired six-pack of Heineken in the cockpit lazarette, a moldy orange life jacket stuffed in the refrigerator. I throw these things in the trash, but even with my spider plant hanging from an over- head handrail and my books lining the shelf, the boat belongs to Ben. He chose it. He did the renovations. He charted the course. He set the departure date. My presence feels like a layer as tem- porary as dust.

The last thing in my trunk is a shoebox filled with photos taken using Ben’s old Polaroid, a dried hibiscus flower from our first date, a handful of dirty-sexy love letters, and a suicide note. I take out a single photo—Ben and me at the Hillsboro Inlet Lighthouse about a week before he died—and stash the box in the bottom drawer of the navigation station. I tape the photo to the wall in the V-berth, right above my pillow.

And it’s time to go.

My only plan was to spend today in bed—my only plan since Ben’s death—but I was startled out of sleep by an alarm. The notification on my phone said: TODAY IS THE DAY, ANNA! WE’RE GOING SAILING! Ben had programmed the event into my calendar almost three years ago—on the day he showed me his sailboat and asked me to sail the world with him—and I had forgotten. I cried until my eyelashes hurt, because there is no lon- ger a we and I’ve forgotten how to be me without Ben. Then I got out of bed and started packing.

I’ve never been sailing without Ben. I don’t always get the ter- minology correct—it’s a line, Anna, not a rope—and I’ll be lucky if I make it to the end of the river. But I am less afraid of what might become of me while sailing alone in the Caribbean than of what might become of me if I stay.

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The Poet by Lisa Renee Jones #thriller #review #5stars @LisaReneeJones @entangledpub

Posted on March 10, 2021 by Reecaspieces

Overview

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones brings a fresh, modern take to the thriller genre that will keep you guessing until the very end.

“The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth.” -Jean Cocteau 

Some call him friend or boss. 
Some call him husband or dad. 
Some call him son, even a favorite son. 

But the only title that matters to him is the one the media has given him: The Poet. 

A name he earned from the written words he leaves behind after he kills that are as dark and mysterious as the reason he chooses his victims. 

One word, two, three, a story in a poem, a secret that only Detective Samantha Jazz can solve. Because he’s writing this story for her. 

She just doesn’t know it yet.

Review

Detective Samantha Jazz has been given a new murder case. The murderer left a note…and it feels directed right at her. It is a poem. Samantha knows this poem very well. She has her guard up but will it be enough.

The story starts with a good bit of police procedure. A lot of readers do not enjoy the hunt…I enjoy the hunt and this author did a great job with the puzzle. She kept the Poet a complete mystery till the end.

Plus, her characters are the best. I enjoyed Samantha. She has had some family trauma and it has affected her career. But, this has not slowed her down. She has an awesome intuition and intellect. But my favorite character is her partner, Lang. He pushes everyone’s buttons and he made me chuckle throughout this novel.

When I first started this book, I thought, well, it’s pretty good. But then…boy did it GET GOOD! Somewhere in the middle I actually slammed my kindle closed and texted my friend and said OMG!

Grab your copy today! And for $5.99 you will not be disappointed! I cannot wait for the sequel!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

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Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan @BerkleyPub @pcalhenry #5stars #historicalfiction #review

Posted on March 9, 2021 by Reecaspieces

Overview

It was called “The Titanic of the South.” The luxury steamship sank in 1838 with Savannah’s elite on board; through time, their fates were forgotten–until the wreck was found, and now their story is finally being told in this breathtaking novel from the New York Timesbestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis.

When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski, she’s shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly can’t resist the opportunity to try to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking.

Everly’s research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah’s society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions. This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive the surviving.

Review

Everly has been struggling for quite a while. Her best friend was killed in a hit and run and Everly has been lost ever since. But, she has been recruited to help put together a museum exhibition about the sinking of the steamship Pulaski. As she dives into the research of the tragedy she discovers family ties and history she never expected.

Well! This book is wonderful! I loved the dual timelines and the author wove them together so well. I was hooked from the very first. Everly, in the present time period is heartbroken but she is strong and determined. Then there is Lilly from the past. I was captivated by her plight. You will have to read this to find out!

Oh, and the setting of Savannah! This is one of the prettiest cities in the south. And after reading this book…I am ready to go back!

You do not want to miss this one…really…grab your copy today. You will not be sorry!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

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