What I'm Reading: Be My Baby (Susan Andersen)

This is NOT a new book. It's a fairly old book, in fact. It was a favorite from back in the day, but I've just returned from a trip to Louisiana, and thought I'd give it another look. Overall, I think it still holds up. I mean, I don't think any present day MMC's could get away with the level of naked sexism that Beau exhibits. And there's a voyeur who I don't think is treated as seriously as he should be, but otherwise... Two thumbs up. 

BE MY BABY

Susan Andersen

https://susanandersen.com/books/bemybaby.php

Detective Beau Dupree has more important things to do than babysit a Yankee rich girl newly arrived in New Orleans for the grand opening of Daddy’s new hotel. Assigned guard dog duty despite his protests, he vows to get himself pulled off the assignment by driving the oh-so-proper Juliet Astor Lowell beyond the bounds of her good-girl restraint. Once she demands he be replaced, he can get back to doing what he does best– real police work.

It’s a foolproof plan.

Until Juliet lets her hair down. Then all bets are off.

Mug Shot: Shh...I'm Reading.

 

So, this is a mug my daughter bought me a bazillion years ago. How many years? Well, I think she might have picked it up in Borders. So...that long ago. Obviously, she bought it because she knows I like reading and I was really surprised to realize that I hadn't shared it yet. It has a crack and a chip on the side you can't see, but I love it all the same.  

You still have a couple of weeks to pick up a free copy of A Sight to Dream Of! And here's a reading-themed excerpt below. 

https://books.bookfunnel.com/OberonFirstFour

Marsha wandered through the crowded stacks of Digressions, searching the shelves for books on mice as pets. It was not a subject that commanded a lot of shelf space in a store whose inventory of new and used books was heavily weighted towards women’s literature, natural remedies and quilting, but she had never yet failed to find exactly what she was looking for here. In that way, she’d often thought, Heather and Ginny’s store was as magically oriented as her own.  

There had to be a book here, somewhere, that would contain the information she needed. The trick was in recognizing it.

“Okay, I think I got it,” Heather called from the back room. Marsha smiled as her friend bustled towards her bearing a slim volume. “I thought I remembered seeing this back there. We just hadn’t had a chance to shelve it yet. Guess it was waiting for you, kid. Must be your lucky day.”

“That would be a switch,” Marsha muttered, as she followed Heather through the narrow aisles. “Because so far, the week’s been lousy.”

“What’s that?” Heather asked, half turning.  She accidentally brushed against a hip-high stack of books as she did. The stack started to topple and both women reached to steady it.  

“Oh. Cool.” Heather raised her eyebrows as the top book slid neatly into Marsha’s outstretched hand. “I gotta tell you, Marsha. You do that really well.” ³

“Yeah, thanks,” Marsha answered faintly. An uncomfortable awareness washed through her as she stared at the book in her hand, at the silver foil cover and the bold black type. Unlocking the Patterns, Keys to Understanding Japanese Candlesticks.  

“So, you want that one, too?” Heather inquired, lips twisting into a crooked smile.

“I guess so.” Marsha sighed unhappily, tearing her gaze away from the cover with an effort, and handing the book to her friend. “Sure. Ring me up.”

Marsha was soon headed back up Main Street towards her teashop, but the tingles of apprehension that had hit her as soon as she’d touched that book grew worse with every block. She found her footsteps slowing as she passed through the small redwood grove that lay at the heart of Oberon’s downtown, bordered on all sides by shops and restaurants, and the city’s municipal buildings.  

Reluctantly, she sank down onto one of the benches there. She was aware of a chill that had nothing to do with the perpetual shade cast by the big trees. There was a terrible heaviness in her heart as she fished the silver book out of the bag Heather had given her.  

According to the jacket, the book had been written by a top trader, one of the masters in the field, a man by the name of Sam Sterling. Marsha skimmed past the laudatory appellations. The name meant nothing to her, except for the strange misgivings in her heart. She turned to the back jacket flap, read an even more laudatory biography, and still found nothing to disturb her. Then she turned the book over. She found herself faced with a photo of the author, and forgot how to breathe. 

What I'm Reading: Mermaid in Troubled Water (Nikki Haverstock)

I'm trying to focus on paranormal/PNR/paranormal cozies right now because I think I'm going to be diving back into the more paranormal side of writing for awhile. This is a pretty cute series. Cozy mystery, low angst. Although if you are triggered by characters with narcissistic parents, you might not enjoy it as much as I did.

MERMAID IN TROUBLED WATER

Nikki Haverstock

https://nikkihaverstock.com/purgatory-falls-mysteries/
As a mermaid, Brooke has never been to the Rocky Mountains. And stumbling across the murder of a werewolf is not a great start to her visit. In the paranormal-only town of Purgatory Falls, though, she's discovered a place where she can reveal her true self for the first time in her life. So she shakes off her unease and tries to enjoy herself, exploring the quaint small town and getting to know its residents, including a dragon shifter police officer. When the official investigation into the crime she witnessed seems to narrow in on the wrong suspect, however, Brooke realizes she might have to start poking around on her own—and begin to test her own magical abilities.

Mug Shot: Another Save the Turtles Mug

 

Like I've already explained on my last turtle mug post, I do NOT need another turtle mug. But, can you ever REALLY have too many? I don't think so.  This one came from Gulfport, Louisiana and I picked it up on a recent trip there. It's a nice size with a nice satiny finish with a sand-colored raw clay bottom. Funny thing about this latest trip, it was hot AF, yet no one was in the water. Good for the turtles, I guess? 

Anyway, it's cute and cheerful and it supports a good cause. 

What I'm Reading: Just My Luck (Jennifer Bernard)

As I mentioned last week, Jennifer Bernard's newest release is Just My Luck, which is the second book in her newest series, Accidentally Yours. Hopefully it's not the last. I mean, I'm pretty sure it isn't. I'm not saying the book ends on a cliff hanger--it doesn't. Neither did the first book in the series. But in both cases there are loose threads left hanging. Which is great! Because, like I said earlier this year, I get depressed whenever series I've become invested in come to an unexpected end. 

Also, the series is set in Hawaii. C'mon, what's not to like?

JUST MY LUCK

Jennifer Bernard

https://www.jenniferbernard.net/just-my-luck

Everything's fine. Nothing to see here.

Just because billionaire Lincoln Kerr has misplaced a priceless piece of technology doesn't mean he can't fix the problem. All he has to do is go undercover as a gardener at a luxury Hawaiian resort, search the property, and convince everyone he's just another employee.

Easy. Until the gorgeous and sunny concierge catches him in a very compromising position.

Zara Morrissey knows something is off about the resort's mysterious new gardener, but she can't quite figure out what. Raising her younger siblings doesn't leave her time for secrets—or charming men who keep showing up exactly when she needs them. And now Lincoln owes her.

When Zara recruits him to play temporary manny, she has no idea she's stumbled into a high-stakes tug-of-war over a dangerous new threat. She’s experienced her share of life’s crazy left turns, but she never saw this one coming.

A billionaire in hiding. Tropical adventures. One unforgettable meet-cute. And suddenly Zara and Lincoln aren’t just falling for each other hard, they might be the only two people standing between paradise…and disaster.

Mug Shot: The Turteley Awesome Mug

Did I need another turtle mug? No. Of course not. Did I get one anyway? Why, yes. Yes, I did. Because this one is Turteley Awesome. And also because Green Sea Turtles finally made it off the Endangered Species List. Huzzah!

Mug Shot: Sicilian Mug

 

I picked up this mug in an antique store recently. And by recently I mean at some point during the last six months, or so. I don't think it's actually an antique, but I recognized it as being Sicilian right away. 

A gazillion years ago, my parents had an ice cream/gift shop (that morphed into a candy and toy shop--but that's neither here nor there) and one Easter they sold candy eggs in brightly decorated ceramic egg cups that I believe was manufactured by the same company that made this cup. 

My father's family is Sicilian and to be honest, as a kid I was not enamored of the busy designs and all the bright colors. Now I'm older and nostalgic and I love it. 

This mug is big--almost soup bowl big. It puts me in mind of a sunny, summer morning in Italy. 

Flashback Friday: A Sight to Dream Of

ICYMI: I've made A Sight to Dream Of free for the next few weeks. You can download it here:  https://books.bookfunnel.com/OberonFirstFour

Or, if you don't want to download the whole book, I've made an Excerpt booklet that you can locate here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/5dpdov0sge

What I'm Reading: Night Light (Jennifer Bernard)

So, a funny thing happened to me on my way to download Jennifer Bernard's newest book (Just My Luck) from her newest series, Accidentally Yours. I realized that I'd MISSED an earlier release, Night Light from her (completed, I think) Sea Smoke Island series. So, of course, I had to buy and read them both. 

NIGHT LIGHT

Jennifer Bernard

https://www.jenniferbernard.net/night-light
On Sea Smoke Island, secrets never stay buried—and the truth is never safe.

Every time Detective Tina Chen comes to Sea Smoke Island, two things happen. One, criminals get busted. Two, she nearly loses her lunch on the boat ride over. This time, maybe things will be different. She’s on vacation, for one thing. But what kind of vacation would it be without an investigation to keep her busy? Enter Marigold Olson, who hires her to locate the mystery man who ditched her at the altar. His trail takes Tina to the Lightkeeper Inn and a head-on collision with … her longtime TV crush? 

Jack Finnegan is no detective, though he plays one on a long-running crime series. But since no one will believe him that his sister Jessie’s in trouble, finding her is on him. Why has she disappeared from their grandparents’ old cottage on Sea Smoke? Who was the man she was seeing? And why can’t he shake the feeling that something has gone terribly wrong? Teaming up with the hot badass cop Tina is a no-brainer, at least for him. He’s not the one with the crush…not yet. 

On Sea Smoke Island, the connections go deep and the mysteries go deeper, and soon Tina and Jack are dodging bullets and getting drawn into a notorious unsolved murder. And that’s before they discover they’ve stumbled onto a secret more dangerous than they ever imagined. What is the truth behind Night Light? Can they unbury it before it buries them?

NIGHT LIGHT is an opposites attract, reverse grumpy-sunshine romantic suspense set on the hauntingly beautiful coast of Maine.

Mug Shot: Don't Worry Dishes

I found this in a cute little shop in Lockhart and I couldn't resist. I adore fun mugs. Other than that, there's really not much more to say. It's a good size and it's funny. 

OTOH, I recently found out that Sentient Object Romance is an actual sub-genre. I don't think I'm going to end up writing any, but I've learned never to say never. 

And, not to yuck anyone's yum, but REALLY?

What I'm Reading: The Carrot Marmalade Murder (Meg Benjamin)

Who doesn't love a good wedding story--even if it's actually a cozy mystery? Well, maybe even ESPECIALLY if it's a cozy mystery! I've really enjoyed this series--even if I suspect that Meg and I may have very different tastes in jam. Not that Roxy's carrot marmalade recipe doesn't sound luscious (see what I did there? No? Then go and read the series, STAT!) but personally, I would have gone with grated carrots. Also ginger and raisins.  

But anyway, if you're looking for a cozy mystery series and you haven't looked into this one yet, why not celebrate National Bookshop Day with a reading binge?

The Carrot Marmalade Murder

Meg Benjamin

https://www.megbenjamin.com/the-carrot-marmalade-murder/

Roxy’s getting married, but murder may send the wedding off the rails.

Roxy and Nate are finally getting married, but murder wasn’t on the program. In the midst of her wedding prep, Roxy has to deal with Nate’s trouble-making ex who thinks she can rekindle their romance. But things get serious when the ex ends up dead in a Shavano back alley. Now Roxy needs to clear Nate’s name, sell her customers on her carrot marmalade, and find herself a wedding dress. All before it’s time to take a deep breath and confront her own wedding jitters.

Mug Shot: Beach House Mug

This is an old mug. And an old picture of it. Because, sadly, I don't think I still have this mug. I bought it because it was cute not because I agreed with the sentiment. I've lived in a lot of cool, touristy-type places--the Jersey Shore, Midtown Manhattan, Los Angeles, California wine country (twice) and the San Francisco Bay area and never noticed any uptick in my friend group. 

Which is actually kind of a shame. I think I'm a great hostess.

Stuff Your E-Book Reader! Today Only!

So, today is another Stuff Your E-Reader Day! For one day only (maybe two--it depends on the venders) you can download over 1200 romance ebooks for FREE!

https://www.romancebookworms.com

My contribution this time around is Giada Mazzi is Living her Best Life--a book I absolutely love! Giada is one of my all time favorite characters. 

Giada Mazzi is Living her Best Life

Games We Play series 3/Whole Latte Love

life is more than just the lies we try and tell ourselves about what we’ve done and who we are.

I guess the truth is that I never stopped loving Ben. And I never stopped imagining how different my life might have been if he were only the person I needed him to be, instead of the person that he is. Which is silly, right? I mean, truly; it’s laughable. Because if he were someone else, he wouldn’t be him.  And the world is already full of people like that. What good is one more gonna do me?

Besides, if I’m honest, Ben wasn’t ever the problem. That was me. I was never the person he believed me to be. Oh, I thought I was, in the beginning. I tried hard to be, and that worked for a while. Sort of. But eventually I reached the point where I had to make a choice between living life for myself, or for everyone else.

And when it came right down to that…how could I not choose me?

Previously released in the Love and Espresso anthology. 

Tuesday Teaser: Touch of a Vanished Hand (free-this week only!)

Does it count as a teaser when you're giving away the whole entire book? Not to mention when that book is SO LONG that your nickname for it while writing it was "the beast"? Well, I feel like Sinead would sign off on that idea, and since it's HER book, I guess I have no choice but to go along with it. FREE until Sunday the eighth.  You snooze, you lose. 

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/xofy3ssvv7

Touch Of A Vanished Hand

Oberon Book 5.0

Sinead Quinn has always been something of a drifter.   But now, with her ex-husband trying to blackmail her, and her ex-boyfriend's widow trying to put her in jail, she has no choice but to go to ground.  What better place to hide than with your family?   After all, what are sisters for?  Especially when you're a twin.

But the first rule of hiding out, is to keep a low profile.  And that does not mean kissing your sister's boyfriend (even if he can't tell the two of you apart); rescuing a troubled teen; or taking a highly visible job as hostess of Oberon's most celebrated new inn.

Adam Sasso has always dreamed big.  But big dreams beget big complications.  First, his goal to turn the vineyard he inherited from his grandfather into a world-class winery is threatened by a mysterious saboteur.  Next, his plan to run the finest bed & breakfast Oberon has ever seen, is broadsided by a hostess who wants to run him.  Finally, it seems his fondest wish, of finding love-everlasting with the soul mate of his dreams, is about to go up in smoke when he can't convince her that they're destined to be together.

This summer, it's going to take all the wizardry in Oberon to craft a happy ending for the drifter and the dreamer.

Mug Shot: Hummingbird Mug

Did I need another mug when I saw this little guy in a grocery store in Florida? Hell to the absolute no. But it was so pretty and so cheery that I couldn't resist. It's sitting on my desk right now, brightening up this muggy and overcast day, reminding me to "Be Happy and Smile."

Which...now that I think of it, maybe I did need, after all. 

And can you REALLY ever have too many pretty flower-and-hummingbird covered mugs? I'm thinking not.  

Christmas in July Free Read #4

https://books2read.com/Winter-World-of-Love

Winter World of Love

A Winter Hearts Steampunk Novella

December 24, 1871

Just one short year ago, Ophelia Leonides returned to New Texacali hoping to reconcile with her husband. And, for a while, it seemed that most, if not all, her dreams were coming true. But as the holiday season approaches, Ophelia can’t help but notice that Dario has begun to brood. He says it has nothing to do with her, but trust, once lost, is hard to regain.
 
Dario is frustrated by his inability to give Ophelia the life he knows she deserves. Now, as old ghosts from his past draw close, and the bright future he’s promised his wife grows increasingly dim, he’s on the brink of making a last, desperate gamble--one that might destroy everything they've been hoping to achieve.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/PGForte-Christmas-in-July

Mug Shot: Sunliner Diner Mug

We were in Orange Beach, Alabama recently, and we stopped in at the Sunliner Diner for breakfast. I've been to a few retro diners in recent years--and even more actual diners back in my Jersey days--but this place really stands out. The food is amazing. The atmosphere--a little loud but not painfully so--is fun. Everything shines like a scene from the movie Pleasantville. The cast...uh, I mean waitstaff, obvs, are all dressed in vintage clothes. You can even eat in a booth that's made out of a classic convertible car. It was adorbs. 

Pictured above is our table with the same Boomerang pattern Formica that I remember from my childhood. The mug is a classic. I had to buy one just because. 

What I'm Reading: Hot, Hotter, Hottest ( Serena Bell)

So. Here's yet another "last in a series" book. And, in this case, it's the last in the second series set in Rush Creek. So...there's a whole cast of characters showing up all over the place.

Kate Davies wrote about this book recently. In her post, she said that this is her favorite book in the series. Maybe, if I'd read it before hearing that, my contrarian self would have liked it more. I didn't dislike it, I just have other favorites. Check out the Wilder and Hott books and see what you think. 

Hott, Hotter, Hottest

Serena Bell

https://books.serenabell.com/

Real bodyguard. Fake boyfriend. Unexpected benefits. Trouble guaranteed.

Tucker: Autumn Sato is a happiness influencer. And I’m…well, let’s just say my brand is more big, gray storm cloud. If life were going according to plan, the closest I’d get to her would be scrolling past her posts as fast as my thumbs could fly.

But my sister needs help, so I agree to bodyguard Autumn at her sister’s wedding. One thing leads to another, and suddenly I’m pretending to be her new boyfriend in front of all her friends and family.

It’s a hot mess, made worse because I swore I’d never do this again. Never get close to someone I was guarding. Never fall for someone whose safety was in my hands. Never let distraction get in the way of my job.

Unfortunately, this entire week is nothing but distractions: trapped in a car with my smoking hot client, only one bed in our hotel room, only one tent on the wedding camping trip… all before the bachelorette prom. Meanwhile, someone seems to have it out for Autumn… or my family… or both.

As things heat up between us, I’m left with one question: Can I keep my heart—and the people I care about—safe?

A spicy, small-town, bodyguard, fake relationship, grumpy-sunshine romantic comedy with a hint of danger and a lot of heart.

Another "Christmas in July" FREE READ!

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/r62kdd0dsy

Christmas Angel

An Angels in the Afterlife Christmas Story

Like Scrooge, only sexier.

Being fully transparent is good for a relationship, right? Well, maybe not when it’s literal.

Christmas Angel is a second-chance, holiday romance with a celestial twist. Probationary angel Jake Hennessy's been sent back to earth to mend fences with his ex. Or has he? Certainly Tony doesn’t seem to think that's the case. 

Tony DiCecco might have ninety-nine problems—and then some—between dealing with his meddlesome family AND running the family business (a Christmas tree farm in rural Texas) but he's pretty sure that playing catch-up with his ex-husband isn’t supposed to be one of them.

And what would even be the point? It’s hard to imagine what kind of future the two of them could have when one of them is alive and the other...isn't.

https://books.bookfunnel.com/PGForte-Christmas-in-July

Mug Shot: Not the Pigs!

What were you thinking, Slovacek's? How could you make a logo using two of the sweetest piggies I've ever seen and then imagine that you could use it to sell sausages to me?

It's a really nice mug overall. It's big, has a nice "hammered" surface and a bit of a matte texture. I do love the pigs. But it actually kind of reminds me of this "It's a Southern Thing" skit: