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Scotland, United Kingdom
Hi! My name is Kendall, I'm 30, a Media Graduate and I'm from Scotland. I'm a Reader, Reviewer, and Blogger.

Sunday, 13 July 2025

Blog Tour & Giveaway: A Holiday For Homicide [A Cook-Off Mystery 09] by Devon Delaney!


Excerpt!

   “This isn’t your typical cook-off. It’s important to remember that,” Jada said.
   “I see what you mean,” Sherry said. “I haven’t figured out what we’re in for and I think that’s the point.”
   Sherry spotted Ray in the distance on her way back to the contestant trailer. He was standing alongside Basil and Mick. She couldn’t recall the detective ever coming to more than one of her cook-offs. He had a love of cooking and, while off duty, picked Sherry’s brain to build his cooking skills. On duty was another story. He was single-minded and not tolerant of deviations from the task at hand. Still, as a friend, she wanted to fill him in on her exciting morning. He was on Sherry’s turf, and he’d have to adhere to her rules. Hah! If only.
   Basil waved Sherry over. “Sherry, the detective would like a word with you. We’re taking Jada’s interview first, so you two can talk. Stacy, give them ten minutes, please, and then escort Sherry to her interview. Excuse me.” Basil scurried off to his next task.
   “I’ll be back soon,” Stacy said. She guided Jada away.
   “Ray, I haven’t heard from you since last week,” Sherry said. “Was Rachel’s killer caught?”
   “On the contrary. We’ve hit an impasse. The investigation has stalled.” Ray studied his lace-up leather shoes, an unusual footwear choice for a warm late summer day. “We’re circling back to your friend Kat Coleman, assistant to the mayor.”
   “Why is that?” Sherry asked.
   “Kat must know more than she’s willing to say, which is not much so far. Mr. Nice Guy Ray Bease is getting stonewalled, and Mr. Hardcore Detective Ray Bease is about to show up at her door.”
   “I’m not sure why she’s not speaking up,” Sherry said.
   “I have a theory. The news leaks are coming from town hall. Beside Kat and the mayor, no one else is privy to the information they’ve provided except the production team. After questioning, everyone from Feral Creations checks out as following the strict nondisclosure protocol,” Ray said. “Kat doesn’t want to be exposed as the source of the leak. Now her friend’s been murdered, and she can’t offer any help, or she’ll be cornered. She’s stuck.”
   “You think Kat thought she was doing the mayor’s office a good deed by spilling tiny amounts of the cook-off production tea to tantalize the viewers? Then the timing turned horrible?” Sherry asked.
   “That’s where I’m at. Mayor Drew’s been forthcoming about his aggravation someone is putting news out there. He doesn’t realize he may be facing the source of his aggravation every day at work. His own assistant.”
   “Oh, Kat. You are in a pickle,” Sherry said.
   “And I haven’t been able to clear her name from the murder suspect list thanks to her uncooperative attitude. She won’t speak to me. I’ll have to go to the next level.”

A televised cooking competition puts Sherry in the spotlight, especially when the final challenge calls for catching a killer . . .

Despite being a seasoned competitor, nothing could have prepared Sherry Oliveri for the thrill of being chosen for a three-day cooking challenge on national television. She’s dying to tell her friends, but she and everyone else involved in the contest has been sworn to secrecy until it airs. Still, that’s not stopping someone from penning cryptic notes about the show for the whole town to read, which has the production crew on edge—right up until one of them is found dead.

Determined to root out the killer, Sherry suspects the truth lies with whoever’s behind the mysterious notes—which have now turned dark with menacing comments on the murder and suggestions of buried secrets. Trying to unravel it all while focusing on her recipes, Sherry’s stopped dead in her tracks when the cook-off host drops a bombshell. With no time to spare, she’ll have to unearth the one missing ingredient that will ensure the killer’s cooked . . .

Includes recipes from Sherry’s kitchen!


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Author bio:

Devon Delaney is life-long resident of the Northeast and currently resides in coastal Connecticut. She is a wife, mother of three, grandmother of two and accomplished cooking contester. She taught computer education and Lego Robotics for over ten years prior to pursuing writing. Along the way Devon has been handsomely rewarded for her recipe innovation over the last twenty-plus years. Combining Devon’s beloved hobby of cooking contesting with her enthusiasm for writing was inevitable.

When Devon is not preparing for her next cook-off, she may be found pursuing her other hobbies, including playing competitive USTA league tennis, gardening, needlepointing, painting, jarring her produce, and hooking rugs. Her standard poodle, Rocket, is her pride and joy and keeps her on the path of sanity.

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Saturday, 12 July 2025

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Little Did We Know [The Mclean Tales 01] by Cara Dee!


Excerpt!

   “I’m dominant,” I felt the need to say.
   Reese’s smile widened. “Even better. A Dom who needs to get fucked? Do you struggle with that bit?”
   I narrowed my eyes. “Only if the other guy—or guys—think they can boss me around. And for the record, Doms can be bottoms too.”
   He chuckled and leaned back in his seat. “I know.” He lifted his gaze to something behind me—or someone, rather—and it was River returning with two bottles of beer. Reese scooted farther in, and River sat down next to him. “Lucas West here is a Dom who occasionally needs to get fucked like a savage.”
   For chrissakes!
   “Really.” River hitched his brows at me and took a swig of his beer. “Does he beg?”
   Okay, that one got me. Annoyance tore through me, and I instantly considered calling it a night. I could still drive after two beers, and I hadn’t finished this one anyway. My plan had been to nurse it for a while. My actual plan—and the whole reason I’d chosen to drive—was because I’d thought I’d be in Baltimore.
   “He fucking does not,” I stated. “He’s not that interested either.”
*
“Hey, gorgeous. Did you get your asshole prettied up for us?”
   I stopped short, and it felt like he’d dumped a bucket of cold water over me. Water or embarrassment. Or defiance—or anger!
   Who the fuck was this guy?!
   I made eye contact with River. “Is he always like this?”
   He shrugged a little and took a swig of whatever drink he’d mixed. “More or less. It’s how he digs for information. It ain’t subtle, but it’s effective.”
   Information about what? And how exactly? Through shock value?
   “If there’s information you want about me, you could start a conversation and ask,” I pointed out. “It’s how normal people get to know each other.”
   River chuckled quietly. “Not sure we know what’s normal.”
   “Fuck normal,” Reese said bluntly.

The Mclean Tales #1 • BDSM • Friendship • Found Family • Humor • Origin Story

At Mclean House, everyone knows about the eight founding members. If you need help with anything in the community, you send them a message or approach them at the house. Lucas is the kind Daddy Dom with patience for days, Macklin the funny switch who sure knows how to switch sides as well, and Greer is the primal Master with a huge heart and a devil on his shoulder. Colt has that devil on his shoulder too, actually. Lucian, another Master, is into high protocol and creative punishments. Penelope loves to host events and runs a tight ship. Last but definitely not least, the men who came up with the idea to start a community. River and Reese are the scary, sadistic twin brothers—until you get to know them and see the sweethearts under the ink, of course.

The eight founders find their happily ever afters in the Game Series, but this book isn’t about that. It’s about what happened before. The story very few know so far. How they met, how they became friends, and how they started exploring together.

So let’s go back to the beginning. It’s a cold night in Baltimore, and Lucas is about to catch the scowl of someone at an event where he feels completely out of place.


Check it out on Goodreads!

Buy your copy here


Author bio:

Romance Across the Spectrum.

I’m often awkwardly silent or, if the topic interests me, a chronic rambler. In other words, I can discuss writing forever and ever. Fiction, in particular. The love story—while a huge draw and constantly present—is secondary for me, because there’s so much more to writing romance fiction than just making two (or more) people fall in love and have hot sex.

There’s a world to build, characters to develop, interests to create, and a topic or two to research thoroughly.

Every book is a challenge for me, an opportunity to learn something new, and a puzzle to piece together. I want my characters to come to life, and the only way I know to do that is to give them substance—passions, history, goals, quirks, and strong opinions—and to let them evolve.

I want my men and women to be relatable. That means allowing room for everyday problems and, for lack of a better word, flaws. My characters will never be perfect.

Wait…this was supposed to be about me, not my writing.

I'm a writey person who loves to write. Always wanderlusting, twitterpating, kinking, cooking, baking, and geeking. There’s time for hockey and family, too. But mostly, I just love to write.

~Cara.

Thursday, 10 July 2025

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway: Airplanes, Atlanta, & an Assassin [Katie and Maverick Cozy Mysteries 10] by Mary Seifert!


A National Competition and a Deadly Detour

High school teacher Katie Wilk is thrilled when her students qualify for Mock Trial America, a prestigious courtroom competition in Atlanta. Alongside her best friend and fellow teacher Jane Mackey, a team of eager teens, and a crew of devoted chaperones, Katie boards a flight from Minnesota—ready for a week of intellectual showdowns and Southern hospitality. But things go sideways before the plane is even off the ground.

With canceled flights, endless delays, and one particularly obnoxious passenger stirring up trouble, the trip turns into a logistical, almost deadly, nightmare. When that same rude traveler turns up later in Atlanta, the chaos takes a deadly turn—and suspicion lands squarely on the Mackey family.

As Katie digs deeper, she uncovers a web of secrets: stolen documents, corporate espionage, dangerous toxins, and enough motive to make her question everything. Can she untangle the truth before the killer strikes again?

Luckily, she’s got help—from Maverick, her sharp-nosed, loyal Labrador retriever and trained search-and-rescue dog, who’s always ready to sniff out danger.

Smart, suspenseful, and full of heart, this latest installment in Mary Seifert’s charming cozy mystery series delivers Southern intrigue, tricky puzzles, and the kind of dogged determination only a Lab (and a resolute teacher) can provide.

Check it out on Goodreads!

Buy your copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo or Smashwords


Author bio:

Mary Seifert is the author of the Katie and Maverick Cozy Mysteries 2024 International IMPACT Award winner for books in a series, a collection of fun and thrilling tales that will keep you on the edge of your seat! Her books, including the 2023 American Fiction Award finalist Maverick, Movies & Murder and the 2024 Chanticleer Murder and Mayhem finalist Santa, Snowflakes & Strychnine, are must-reads for cozy mystery fans who enjoy a good puzzle wrapped in a heartwarming story.

Set in the charming landscapes of West Central Minnesota, where the lakes begin and the criminals are caught, Mary’s stories transport readers to a world of intrigue, humor, and small-town charm. Each book is a delightful mix of suspense and warmth, featuring memorable characters, ingenious puzzles, and clever twists that keep you guessing until the very end.

Busy crafting her next mystery, Mary indulges in her love of research, currently studying the flora and fauna of the Nantahala National Forest and the magnetic call of Atlanta for the upcoming installment of her series. She believes that every great mystery starts with a curious mind and a love for uncovering the truth, but scrupulously scrubs her browsers history of any hint of crime.

Join Mary on her literary journey, where a good story is always paired with a cozy blanket, a glass of wine, and a touch of mischief!

Wednesday, 9 July 2025

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway: Just What The Doctor Hired [Plus One 02] by Amanda Nelson & Lisa-Marie Potter!


Student Autumn Haze’s motto no men until she completes her bachelor of nursing degree. Years before, Autumn learned the hard way men are just a distraction she can’t afford until she’s established her career and what she wants. While moonlighting as a Plus One companion pays the bills, she struggles to follow her rules after meeting her newest contract. Pediatric Hospitalist Jensen Edwards is still recovering from a bad breakup that left him the talk of the hospital. Now he’s receiving a best doctor’s award, but after he hires Autumn as his plus one, Jensen is on edge. If word gets out that he hired a companion, rumors are bound to circulate, making work unbearable—again. Their chemistry as a fake couple is undeniable, but can a chance at a real relationship override their fear of commitment?


Check it out on Goodreads!

Buy your copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Apple Books


Author bio:

Amanda and Lisa-Marie are an award-winning, co-writing team of best friends who share imaginary worlds, including Men In Books Aren't Better (September 29, 2024), Just What the Doctor Hired (July 9, 2025), and a short story, Shivers, published in Moments Between (February 28, 2022). Lisa-Marie Potter (BIPOC) is a mom of four who grew up in Nottingham, England, and now resides in Alaska with her husband and golden retriever. Amanda Nelson grew up in Maryland and moved to Arizona, where she attended ASU and currently lives with her husband and four kids. Both women are hopeless romantics, but Lisa-Marie also enjoys suspense novels, while Amanda's second go-to genre is romancy. The duo review books on their socials, hike the Olympic National Park, and fight over the same fictional crushes.

Monday, 7 July 2025

Cover Reveal: The Hunter [Hunter Trilogy 01] by T.K. Leigh!




To take down a monster, you have to become one.

Victor Kane thought he was untouchable… Until he took something that didn't belong to him.

Now I’ll burn his empire to the ground, starting with the one thing he holds dearest.

His wife.

But Ariana Kane is no fragile flower.

She’s colder than winter, sharper than any thorn, and hiding secrets darker than my own.

I took her as a pawn in this ruthless game of revenge.

I didn’t expect to keep her.

And I sure as hell didn’t expect to crave her with every beat of my dead, cold heart.

She was supposed to be a means to an end.

But the deeper I drag her into my world, the more I realize some queens aren’t made for the light.

And some gods fall hardest for the goddess they were never meant to touch.

Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads!

Pre-order your copy here


Author bio:

T.K. Leigh is the USA Today Bestselling author of romance ranging from fun and flirty to sexy and suspenseful. Originally from New England, she now resides outside of Raleigh with her husband, beautiful daughter, special needs rescue dog, and three cats. When she’s not writing, she can be found training for her next marathon (of which she has run over twenty fulls and far too many halfs to recall) or chasing her daughter around the house.

Sunday, 6 July 2025

Pre-Release Tour & Giveaway: Some Call Me Eve by T. Pike!


Excerpt!

   As if summoned from the depths of the earth, my final challenger stepped forward. He towered over me like the great castle walls, his shadow engulfing me in darkness. I watched his sword intently as it swayed like a feather between his fingers. 
   He struck without warning. I was sent stumbling backward after a weak parry, underestimating the power of his swing. But speed was my greatest strength, and I recovered my balance almost instantly. The sheer force of his assaults far overpowered my own, restricting me to the defensive. Each slash of his blade flew by my head at frightful speeds, backed by a guttural grunt. I inched my way backward as each slice brought him a step closer. Without hesitation, my instincts took over, leading me into my signature move. 
   Gradually lowering myself to the ground, I bent into a squatted shuffle. My competitor’s attacks persisted, unrelenting. He leaned downward to better reach my chest. At just the right moment, when he carried his weight on the ends of his toes, I leapt over his low arcing swing, twisted through the air over his outstretched arm, and landed smoothly behind his hunched frame. Before he could regain his stance and turn to face me once more, I delivered a lethal blow to the back of his knees. 
   My rival released a monstrous howl as he fell forward, dropping into a kneel. The heavy pound of his knees shook the ground, a quake that silenced the entire training field. All watched in awe as their star fighter lay helpless by my feet. 
   I looked expectantly at my commander, my racing heart beating in my ears. It was clear by his crossed arms and knitted brow that he was disappointed in his disgraceful brigade, but from the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, I knew he was pleased with my performance. “Finish the job,” he said in a low voice. 
   I turned back to face my statuesque adversary. No longer was he the invincible beast he was just minutes before. Down on his knees, he became a shell of his former self, humbled and abashed by defeat. Through his face guard, I could just make out his pleading eyes, ashamed before his peers, begging me for mercy. 
   With that look, a flood of heat filled my core. A yearning. A hunger. A lustful rage.
   I chuckled coldly. How pathetic. 
   With a skillful twist of my blade, I struck the base of his neck with the flat of my sword, simulating a dramatic beheading and sending his helmet soaring through the air. It bounced through the dirt theatrically, spinning on its edge with a clatter before finding its final place of rest before the feet of the crowd, its hollo interior facing the huddle of defeated men. 
   A slow clap broke through the deafening silence, echoing across the training field. I lifted my gaze to see none other than King Ricard, ruler of Vitalia. He was adorned in a violet tunic lined with golden thread, a puffed silver surcoat that augmented his considerable physique, and a long, draping cloak exhibiting an intricate design of the royal crest. His threatening stature was only deepened by his austere visage—a thick nose framing a set of demanding brown eyes; a bushy, graying beard matching the shade of his thick, protruding brows; and his lips, normally forming a thin, sober line, now curved in a sly side smile. 
   The cluster of knights immediately fell to their knees, dropping their heads in a respectful bow. Even the commander knelt upon the dusty ground before his crowned ruler. But I did not kneel. Instead, I stood boldly, facing my king with my head held high. The monarch stilled his hands. All waited expectantly for him to break the silence once more, this time with his booming voice. 
   “Well done, Princess Evangeline.” 
   At his declaration, I sheathed my sword and doffed my helmet to reveal my face. I released the pin from my hair and let it flow down my back in long copper waves, shining like the silver armor it lay upon. My crimson lips wore their own smug grin, perfectly matching that of the king. 
   “Thank you, Father.”

Princess Evangeline has an insatiate lust for power. As her kingdom’s most feared warrior and heiress to the throne, she plans to one day rule in her father’s place, just as she rules over countless men during secret nights of sin.

But when the castle falls to a new enemy, Evangeline becomes a slave in her own kingdom, forced to obey the heartless queen’s commands to honor her father’s dying wish: to protect her people.

The princess craves vengeance, but can she resist the carnal magnetism between her and Prince Rune, the queen’s son and royal pawn? And as rebellion brews, can she trust Rune, the man with the power to quench her torrid flames, to be her greatest ally?


Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads!

Pre-order your copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Apple Books


Author bio:

T. Pike grew up in Northwest Arkansas where she swam competitively for more than 17 years. After graduating from Texas A&M University with an English degree and All-American honors, she returned home to pursue her master's in English and write her debut novel: Some Call Me Eve. Now a law student, she enjoys running and hiking with her dogs and exploring the mountains with her partner.

Friday, 4 July 2025

Book Blitz & Giveaway: The Heartbeats of Aloha [Under the Hawaiian Stars 02] by Brooke Gilbert!


Excerpt!

   A little sigh escaped me, and he raised an eyebrow, his glasses moving with it. “Good thing we have those fake relation rules in place.”
   “Oh, yeah?” I barely choked out.
   “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about your lips for so long, I don’t think I could ever ‘pretend’ to kiss them. Tasting you could never be fake.”
   I swallowed, a heat swallowing my body. His boldness took me by surprise. The cave must really be affecting him, too. What was down here? Mermaid endorphins? Maybe this was exactly what we needed. No distractions. To get out of our heads and into a world of our own. Just the two of us.
   I tried to steady my voice. “Well, maybe we should practice in case it’s needed. For real. Just so it doesn’t take you by surprise. I wouldn’t want you to be totally unprepared. Louis would give you such a lecture.” The sultry tone that I reserved just for him was finding its sea legs, coming back to me so easily. Just like my love for him.
   “Yeah, I think I could use some practice. I don’t usually get to kiss gorgeous musicians who once stole my heart.”
   Stole. That’s exactly what I did. And ran off without a word, leaving him bare. I swallowed against sandpaper and a fleck of worry crept into the corners of his eyes, tinging our bubble. I shook the thoughts away, trying to return to this oasis.
   I brought my hand to his jaw, running my thumb along the stubble. Trying to get used to all his changes that were driving every atom of me mad. I needed him to know how badly I wanted this. Wanted him. That he wasn’t alone in this need and desire. I wasn’t going to leave him alone again. Not if he wanted me. Not if he chose me.
   My lips began drifting toward his, already feeling their warmth. Endorphins had my imagination running wild when Louis’ voice came crashing through like a rogue cymbal in the middle of a prelude.
   His voice broke the spell. “Luna, honey, the tide is coming in! You don’t want to be down there for that. Plus, we should get you back to the resort so you can get ready for tonight's event.”
   His words hung between us like thick smog as I looked at Reef. Our eyes were still hungrily fixed upon each other.
   “Coming!” I called back. A shared sadness filled the small space between Reef and me. I didn’t want to leave this world. Because this world didn’t feel like ‘pretend’ at all to me.

Separated by tragedy, reunited by fate. Will these childhood sweethearts risk their hearts again?

Reef has been in love with Luna since they were kids exploring the treasures of Maui's tide pools together. Now he channels his unrequited feelings into the books he writes under a romance pen name, creating the happy ending they never got. But when his best friend shows up with an unbelievable offer, Reef must confront both his darkest fears and deepest dreams.

Luna never stopped loving Reef, even when she broke his heart to protect him. Music became her sanctuary as she battled invisible demons, and fame only complicated her journey. When her record label plans a romantic PR stunt between her and her musician ex at the Oahu ukulele festival, Luna's uncle hatches a Reef will pose as her boyfriend to thwart their scheme. After all these years, Luna finds herself face-to-face with the one person who truly understands her.

Beneath Maui's swaying palms and starry skies, their fake relationship awakens feelings that never truly died. As they revisit the mermaid coves and lavender fields of their youth, they'll discover that sometimes the most extraordinary love stories aren't found in fiction, but in the quiet moments of understanding and acceptance. What began as a charade might be their last chance at the love they were denied—if they're brave enough to embrace it.

When their truths come to light, will love heal their broken pieces, or will they wish they'd left the past buried in the sands of time?


Check it out on Goodreads!

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Author bio:

Brooke Gilbert is a Tennessee native, a microbiology graduate of the University of Tennessee, and a border collie mom. She is, as you may have already guessed, a hopeless romantic and a lover of Jane Austen. When she isn’t writing, she works as a jewelry designer, an audiobook narrator, and a graphic designer. Her writing features characters with autoimmune disorders, something she deals with herself. She believes it is important for these types of characters to be seen in modern literature and started writing so she could see someone like herself in literature. She is considered a medical mystery and has several rare autoimmune disorders. These disorders caused her to withdraw from Physician Assistant School, but she is happy to be pursuing her dreams of designing, creating, and writing. She thanks God for leading her heart on this new path and recites “perhaps this is the moment for which you were created” in times of doubt (Esther 4:14).

She loves watching classic films (thrillers and romantic comedies, too), reading, playing the ukulele, painting, dancing, Pilates, and spending time with her dog, family, and friends. One of her favorite quotes is from Flashdance: “When you give up on your dreams, you die.” She believes that if you’re waiting to pursue your dreams, stop waiting and start doing. Your time is now. And may you never stop being a hopeless romantic. Contrary to popular belief, it’s a very good quality. She’s still looking for her Mr. Darcy. Visit brookegilbertauthor.com to connect and stay updated on her latest projects.