One Bad Day by @EdieHart_ #CozyMystery, #StrappyHeels, #RomanticSuspense

The Plot:

When Tessa agreed to do a favor for her boss, she never thought she’d end up being a mistaken target for a hired killer or falling for the sexy cop who is determined to keep her safe.

About the Author:

Edie Hart was born in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, where she now resides with her husband, two children, dog, and three cats. Edie is a die-hard romantic and believes that everyone deserves to be loved unconditionally—both in print and real life.

Review:

Darn! I’m sure I already wrote this review, and now I can’t find it. Maybe I dreamed it.

At any rate, Ms. Hart tells a pretty good story in only sixty-six (66) pages, and this was one of the grammatically cleanest books I’ve read in quite awhile! Brava!

Tessa expected to help her best friend with registration at a lightbulb convention, not walk around in an extremely brief outfit with a giant lightbulb with long, sparkly eyelashes and a purple-sequined hat on top, peering through net eye holes. Had she been warned, she might have chosen slightly lower heels, rather than a pair of strappy, three-inch stilettos. Then, her clothes disappear and she has to wear the “stripper outfit” home. But, despite the blisters they caused, the stilettos save her life when she uses them to fend off a would-be attacker in the parking lot on her way home.

Grayson Kingsley is on his way home from a colleague’s wedding when he hears Tessa scream. He scoops her up, dumps her into his car, and coaxes the uncooperative "prostitute" to tell him where she lives. Tessa refuses to cooperate, worrying the cop will arrest her for her unpaid parking tickets. But when she finds her apartment door ajar and the house ransacked, she’s glad he’s there. Could all these problems have something to do with the little square piece of plastic she found in her coat pocket? It was the only piece of clothing she had left in the locker room.

One Bad Day is a quick read full of suspense, humor, and romance. There was even a hot sex scene or two. I fell so far behind in writing reviews with all the problems I had with my e-mail and website last month, I had to reread the book when I finally got to the review, and it was just as good the second time. I highly recommend you buy One Bad Day. Read it when you’re having a bad day. It’ll make you feel a whole lot better!

Author Website:  https://ediehart.com/

Warnings:  Some Sex and Violence.

Length:  66 Pages

Digital Price:  $0.99

Buy Link:  https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01MG8GOAW

Thanks for visiting.

Season of Promises “The Littlest Angel” by Vicki Batman @VickiBatman #Contemporary #HolidayRomance #Anthology

The Plot:

Lauren MacDonald has always coveted her mother’s ornament, The Littlest Angel. When her mother gave it to another, Lauren embarks on a lengthy search and finds a replacement only to have it snatched from her hands.

Smith Hancock’s grandmother had a little angel which has gone missing. Finding another at a flea market would make her holiday the best ever. Only a feisty girl is claiming it for herself.

Can the twosome find common ground and discover the true meaning of Christmas?

About the Author:

Award-winning author Vicki Batman has sold many romantic comedy works to the True Magazines, several publishers, and most recently, two romantic comedy mysteries to The Wild Rose Press. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and several writing groups. Ms. Batman is an avid Jazzerciser, handbag lover, mahjong player, yoga practioner, movie fan, book devourer, cat fancier, best mom ever, And, she adores Handsome Hubby.

Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard thinking, What if?

Review:

Vicki Batman is a master of short fiction. She writes succinctly, yet pulls you in with fully-drawn characters you care about, whether the story is three, fifty, or two-hundred pages. You know these people, and you feel what they feel.

While I read the entire anthology, the other stories were okay, but marred by the usual editing problems that drive me crazy. Ms. Batman also apparently either paid attention in English class or owns a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style, because her tenses match, she uses the right homonyms, and simply writes well. So whether or not you read the rest of the Season of Promises Holiday Box Set, I highly recommend “The Littlest Angel.”

Author Website:  http://vickibatman.blogspot.com

Warnings:  None

Length:  Anthology 433 Pages

Digital Price:  $0.99

Buy Link: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01LQUP9AS

Thanks for visiting.

Temporarily Insane by Vicki Batman @VickiBatman #Contemporary #HumorousRomance #RomCom

The Plot:

No man. Bad job. And Murder. Hattie Cooks is still searching for her dream job, and one might be available—in the Big Apple, far from friends, family, and Allan Wellborn, the man who still makes her heart race. In the meantime, she finds temporary employment at an accounting firm where two auditor friends turn up dead.

Detective Allan Wellborn dropped Hattie for Blonde Bimbo who, coincidentally, is employed at NLB where fishy things are taking place. When Allan interviews Hattie, he must determine why all signs point to her as a suspect.

Can Hattie discover why Allan dumped her and who is murdering auditors before death strikes again?

About the Author:

Award-winning author Vicki Batman has sold many romantic comedy works to the True Magazines, several publishers, and most recently, two romantic comedy mysteries to The Wild Rose Press. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and several writing groups. Ms. Batman is an avid Jazzerciser, handbag lover, mahjong player, yoga practioner, movie fan, book devourer, cat fancier, best mom ever, And, she adores Handsome Hubby.

Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard thinking, What if?

Review:

Anyone who follows this blog knows I’m a longtime fan of Ms. Batman. I loved the first Hattie Cooks Mystery, Temporarily Employed, and the second book, Temporarily Insane, does not disappoint.

I have to say, though, I would not want to share a temp assignment with Hattie. She’s had two so far, and people got killed at both. I’m beginning to think maybe she’s a jinx. First, she worked at a car insurance company, and people got killed. Now they’re dropping like flies at the accounting firm where she works. Nope, I think maybe Hattie should become a writer. It’s a nice, solitary job.

But that wouldn’t be any fun for those of us who love to read about her escapades—and those of her fun-sisters, her family, and of course, her favorite detective (when he’s not dating Blonde Bimbo) Allan Wellborn.

Wow—two choking hazards in a row. You’d think I’d have lost weight. Since my twin addictions are reading and eating, fortunately, I’ve gotten good at Hiemliching myself. This is another book you have to buy! Just don’t eat or drink while you read it, unless you’re good at rescuing yourself when you laugh so hard you choke.

Author Website:  http://vickibatman.blogspot.com

Warnings:  None

Length:  272 Pages

Prices:

Print:  $16.99

Digital:  $5.99

Buy Link: 

The Wild Rose Press:  http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4520-temporarily-insane.html

You’ll notice we always include the publisher’s buy link. That’s because authors usually receive 40-50% of the net proceeds from the publisher. Editors and cover artists usually receive about 5%. When you buy a book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or another third-party vendor, they take a hefty cut and the author, editors and cover artists receive their cuts from what is left. So, if a book costs $5.99 at E-Book Publisher.com and you buy from there, the author will receive about $2.40-$2.99. If you buy the book at Amazon, the author will receive about $1.70-$2.10.

Download the file from the publisher onto your computer as you would any other file. I’ve created a folder for books on my computer, with subfolders by source (Marketing for Romance Writers, Net Galley, Authors who find me on Kindle lists, etc.). That way, if there’s a glitch with your Kindle, the books are on your computer. Some publishers send books in all digital formats. If my Kindle breaks and my kids buy me a Nook, I won’t have to replace all of my books. If you have a Kindle and your hubby has a Nook, you won’t have to buy separate copies, so buying directly from the publisher can save you money.

Moving the file from your computer to your e-reader is as easy as transferring any file from your computer to a USB flash drive. Plug the larger USB end of your e-reader charging chord into a USB port on your computer and simply move the file from the folder into which you’ve downloaded the book to Documents/Books directory on your e-reader. You can move the file by highlighting it and dragging it to the documents directory in you Kindle you want to move it to. Or right click on it, and then left click copy or move. Or hit Control/C for copy, Control/X for cut, and Control/V for paste.

Your author will be happy you did when he/she sees his/her royalty statement.

Thanks for visiting.

Her Best Man by Jana Richards @JanaRichards_ #RomCom #Contemporary #HumorousRomance

The Plot:

Sarah Stevens experiences a bride’s worst nightmare: being dumped at the altar. When she goes on the Caribbean cruise meant to be her honeymoon in order to lick her wounds, she discovers her ex-fiancé has sent his brother, Will Marshall, the former best man, on the cruise as well. Everyone on board thinks they’re newlyweds, and Sarah is too embarrassed to set them straight. How is she supposed to share a tiny cabin with a man she barely knows? How is she supposed to pretend she and Will are on their honeymoon? Even worse, how can she keep from falling in love with him? Sarah discovers the best man for her really is the best man.

About the Author:

Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.

When not writing up a storm, working at her day job as an Office Administrator, or dealing with ever-present mountains of laundry, Jana can be found on the local golf course pursuing her newest hobby.

Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren, and a highly-spoiled Pug/Terrier cross named Lou.

You can reach Jana through her website at http://www.janarichards.com, her Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor, or her blog http://janarichards.blogspot.com

Review:

Poor Sarah Stevens—jilted at the author. It’s bad enough when you have to rescind invitations and return gifts from the comfort and relative anonymity of home, but to stand there at the church waiting for her fiancé Brad Marshall to say “I do” only to hear “I can’t do this,”… That’s enough to make a girl want to get out of town awhile.

Will Marshall’s an adventure travel writer recuperating from his latest trip—down the Amazon, and the bug he picked up along the way. His novel is languishing on his laptop, and while home between assignments he serves as his brother, Brad’s, best man. Brad suggests Marshall take his cruise ticket so he can work on his novel aboard ship while Brad grovels at Sarah’s feet trying to get her back. Needless to say, Sarah and Marshall don’t expect to end up sharing a tiny cabin aboard a ship full of people who think they’re newlyweds.

I started laughing on the first page when Sarah’s mother removed her shoe and started whacking Brad with it, chasing him out of the church, wailing about how he’d humiliated her. Even then, Marshall wanted to comfort Sarah rather than his brother, despite the fact he’d only met her at the rehearsal the evening before. Yes, this book, like all of Ms. Richards’ books, comes with a choking warning. Do not eat or drink while reading—you’ll laugh so hard you’ll choke, and liquid will spew out your nose. Buy the book!

Author Website:  http://www.janarichards.com

Warnings:  None

Length:  166 Pages

Print:  $10.99

Digital:  $5.99

Buy Link:  https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1532718322

Thanks for visiting.

Reckless by Kathy L. Wheeler @kathylwheeler #Historical #Flappers #Suspense

The Plot:

The Martini Club 4 Series came about as a result of four author friends who meet each week at a favorite hangout, The Martini Lounge in Edmond Oklahoma. They decided to write stories centered around a similar establishment, and these four novellas were the result. Their next installment of the series will be set in the 1940s. Follow the authors to keep up with all their releases, including the Martini Club 4 series.

Now, grab a martini and step back in time to the days of flappers, prohibition, gangsters, and speakeasies in New York City.

Reckless

Lady Margaret turned Lady Bootlegger… Singer Margaret (Meggie) Montley needs money—fast. Her friend is in a dire situation with nowhere to turn. While Meggie is on the brink of stardom, it’s not soon enough to save her friend. Harry Dempsey is out to avenge the deaths of his father and brother at the hands of a ruthless gangster. But trouble spirals out of control when Meggie Montley shows up the night he meets his nemesis to settle the score. Saving the impetuous woman from a crime lord might be easier than saving her from her own reckless behavior.

About the Author:

I love sports. The NFL, the NBA. I hold season tickets to the Oklahoma City Thunder. I love Broadway musicals too. I have a BA in Management Information Systems and a vocal minor. I love travel, reading, writing, and just to round things out and scratch the singing itch, karaoke.

Review:

As you can see from her photo and biography, Kathy L. Wheeler is also Kae Elle Wheeler, who wrote the last book I reviewed, The Wronged Princess. Reckless, I fear, has the same issues.

The reason Ms. Wheeler uses a slight variation on her name is that these two books are in different genres. While one is a fantasy/fairy tale, the other is historical romantic suspense. Lady Margaret (Meggie) Montley has no interest in “marrying well.” Especially when that means marrying an older man whose money will refill the coffers of her titled, but impoverished, family. Meggie wants to sing that new music—jazz.

She and two of her friends decide to run away from home to New York. One friend wants to design clothes, one becomes a waitress at a speakeasy hoping to snag a wealthy yank, and they meet a third girl enroute, rescue her from an abusive situation, and take her aboard ship as their maid. Meggie gets a job at the speakeasy singing, and catches the eye of Harry Dempsey, the manager. When her third roommate gets a job as a maid to a wealthy man who turns out to be a sex trafficker, Meggie tries to raise money to buy the girl’s contract, and gets involved with the bootleggers who killed Harry’s father. He can’t exactly blow up their ship with Meggy as a witness, and she’s not a “loose end” he’s willing to “tie up.”

Again, Ms. Wheeler writes a page-burning story, with great characters, but she really needs a better editor. I found her bad grammar—misused words, mixed tenses, etc., very distracting. If you’re not a grammar stickler, you’ll probably enjoy it.

Author Website:  http://kathylwheeler.com

Warnings:  None

Length:

Digital:  127 Pages

Paperback:  142 Pages

Prices:

Print:  $7.99

Digital:  $0.99

Buy Link:  https://smile.amazon.com/B00RICW0G0

Thanks for visiting.

The Wronged Princess by Kae Elle @kathylwheeler #CinderellaTale #Fantasy #Suspense

The Plot:

Finding his mysterious princess by trying her glass slipper on every maiden in Chalmers Kingdom sounded like a brilliant scheme until the silly thing slid quite easily on the foot of the wrong girl. Now how is Prince Charming supposed to find his true love? Unbeknownst to either, his mother, the queen, and her feisty twin (Cinderella’s infamous fairy godmother) have a lesson to impart—impulsive decisions do not a future king make!

About the Author:

I love sports—the NFL, the NBA… I hold season tickets to the Oklahoma City Thunder. I love Broadway musicals, too. I have a BA in Management Information Systems and a vocal minor. I love travel, reading, writing, and just to round things out and scratch the singing itch—karaoke.

Review:

I just hate it when I read a book by a friend that’s poorly edited. Ms. Wheeler tells a really good story with a much more complex relationship between Ella and her sisters than the usual version of Cinderella. Her stepmother is still the scheming, social climber of the Grimm version, but she doesn’t have to lop off parts of her daughters’ feet to get the shoe to fit. Esmerelda and Cinderella used to swap shoes all the time before the Count died, when the girls were friends. Imagine both Cinderella and the Prince’s horror when the glass slipper slid right onto the wrong foot! And so, the fun begins.

As I said at the beginning, my problem with the book was the editing, or lack thereof. There were mixed tenses, misused words; in short, the grammar was terrible. It really is a shame, because Ms. Wheeler shows a deep knowledge of history and mythology, and her fractured fairy tale would be a great read with better grammar.

Author Website:  http://www.kae-elle-wheeler.com/

Warnings:  None

Length:  190 Pages

Prices:

Print:  $9.99

Digital:  $0.99

Buy Link:  https://smile.amazon.com/B007MF3NK0