In Front of Me Review and Giveaway

When all your plans fail, can you find the courage to follow a new path? Lissa Montgomery is on track

to be Boston’s top financial analyst—or she would have been, if her misogynistic boss had ever given her a chance. Suddenly jobless, Lissa has little hope for her life going according to plan. But then she meets handsome and charming Brennon, a workaholic who is just as driven as she is. In order to spend more time with him when he’s not at the office, she agrees to look after his blind roommate, Steve, after he’s hit by a car.

Where Brennon is sweet and thoughtful and practically perfect, Steve is grumpy, abrasive, and refuses to find a reason to be happy in his newly sightless life. Getting to know Brennon, though, means being stuck with his best friend too, even if he is a little rough around the edges.

But as Steve starts to open up and finally live again, Lissa realizes there’s a lot more to life than climbing the corporate ladder. And she has to wonder who is really blind, since Steve seems to be the only one who can see what is right in front of him.

In Front of Me is a sweet contemporary romance that functions as a standalone, with recurring characters from the rest of the Simple Love Story series.

About the Author

Dana LeCheminant has been telling stories since she was old enough to know what stories were. After spending most of her childhood reading everything she could get her hands on, she eventually realized she could write her own books, and since then she always has plots brewing and characters clamoring to be next to have their stories told. A lover of all things outdoors, she finds inspiration while hiking the remote Utah backcountry and cruising down rivers. Until her endless imagination runs dry, she will always have another story to tell.

Review

In Front of Me is a fast-paced, fun, contemporary romance. The characters have unique, memorable personalities that come alive on the pages. The story was clean and wholesome. It was different, unique, engaging. and filled with a few unexpected twists and humorous moments. The story held my attention and the author a good job at pacing the story right.  It can be read as a stand alone, but there are times when a deeper connection between the characters are mentioned that a reader would have understood better if they had read the whole series. The characters have a fun chemistry together and overall it's a good, romantic read. It would recommend it as a summer escape read. To learn more click here.

Giveaway

The author authorized me to giveaway a print version of the book! Enter by using the Rafflecopter below.a Rafflecopter giveaway “Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  

Many thanks to Dana Lecheminant for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. Winner for US only. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

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Where the Stars Meet the Sea Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

Juliet Graham fervently counts the days until her twenty-first birthday, when she can claim the inheritance that will grant her the freedom she has always craved and the guardianship of her younger brother. Until then, she is trapped under her aunt Agnes's domineering will. When forced to accompany the family to a house party at Shaldorn Castle, Juliet's only objective is to keep to herself. That is, until a chance encounter with a boorish stranger stirs up an unexpected whirlwind of emotions in her. Thrown off-balance, Juliet does the unthinkable: loses her temper and insults the man who turns out to be her unwilling host, the Duke of Halstead. Fully expecting to be sent away, Juliet is surprised when the brusque and callous duke instead takes an interest in her.
Drawn to the duke in unguarded moments, Juliet finds herself more and more intrigued by the man who shuns Society's rules as completely as she does, and over the next few weeks, their unlikely friendship deepens into a connection neither expected.

But even as Juliet comes to recognize her true feelings, her scheming aunt issues an ultimatum that threatens the future she was just beginning to hope for. Juliet must choose: either break the promise she made to herself years ago, or lose the man who has captured her heart and soul.

Review - Where the Stars Meet the Sea instantly became a new favorite after reading it. If you like Regency romance, you need to read this book. The protagonists were not only likeable but they had a great built up of romantic tension. The dramatic tension was amazing and there wasn't any dull lulls in this story. It was very well crafted. The antagonists were complex and dynamic. It was quite the page-turner for me. The descriptions were really well done as well as how she introduced the characters. I could easily visualize the settings, the characters and the scenes. This book is a five star "guilty pleasure" book. I would definitely recommend reading this book. Click here to learn more about Where the Stars Meet the Sea.

Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the book!

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Please note that I received this book for free, however, this is my honest opinion. Please also note that there are affiliate links in this post. The giveaway is run by the publisher.

 

Sweet Melody Book Tour

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Sweet Melody
(Seabrook Romance #1)
By Heidi McCahan
Christian Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 242 Pages
August 1st 2019

When a struggling bakery owner is rescued by a wannabe songwriter with hidden culinary talents, they discover they can make sweet harmony … if they can only learn to work together.

Rhett Foster longs to change the world with his music, yet he can’t even finish writing one song. Battered by a string of failures and disillusioned, he returns home to Portland, Oregon. While he desperately wants to create a chart-topping hit, his dad mandates a new mission: move to coastal vacation hotspot Seabrook, Washington and expand the family’s successful restaurant chain.

In danger of destroying her late parents’ legacy if she doesn’t diversify her menu, Lindsay Carmichael will try anything to save her bakery. But with a tiny budget and an injured employee who can’t work, she has no choice but to sink the last of her savings into buying a dilapidated food truck and hiring Rhett as a part-time barista. What she doesn’t know is that the handsome songwriter has a secret … one that could destroy her business and her heart.

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About the Author

Heidi secretly dreamed of writing a book for most of her childhood, but a particularly painful rejection letter in middle school convinced her to tuck that dream away. Instead, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington and a Master’s Degree in Athletic Training from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. After a brief career as a Certified Athletic Trainer, Heidi married her husband Steve, then she dusted off her big dream of becoming a published author and launched her first contemporary romance into the world in 2014. A huge fan of coffee, dark chocolate, and happily ever after, Heidi currently lives in North Carolina with Steve, three active boys and one amazing Goldendoodle.

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Book Excerpt 

That text message was burning a hole in his pocket.

Rhett grabbed a white ceramic mug from the stack nestled beside the bakery’s espresso machine and poured in a generous shot of hazelnut syrup. Brandi’s text filtered through his head while he pulled the shot of coffee.

I played our song for Paige Tyson. She loved it! Amazing, right? Her manager wants to know when we can finish it??

Ha! How about never? He added the coffee to the mug, then reached for the frothing pitcher full of milk. Empty.

He muttered an obscenity under his breath.

Hadn’t he steamed the milk for this order already? Apparently not. The carton sitting on the counter nearby was empty, too. Rushing to the cooler in the back for another gallon, he narrowly missed a collision with Lindsay and a platter of fresh scones.

“Sorry,” he mumbled and brushed past. The confusion in her eyes made him feel even more inadequate. His melodramatic exit from the party on Saturday night was embarrassing. He wasn’t real proud of his sour attitude this morning, either.

Man, why did he let Brandi get back in his head? Waking up to her text message about ‘their’ song was like a kick in the teeth.

Why couldn’t she let it go? Paige Tyson was a megastar. Why did she want a song her new backup singer had only half-written? 

He grabbed two gallons of milk and carried them back out front, then hurried to finish the coffee order before the customers grew impatient.

“Here you go, ladies. Sorry to keep you waiting.” He set two drinks on the counter accompanied by his most charming smile.

“Thank you.” Both women smiled in return, collected their coffee, and claimed a table nearby.

While there was a lull in the orders, he refilled the grinder with coffee beans, finding comfort in the rich aroma wafting around him. Then he wiped down the counter and re-aligned the syrup bottles—anything to stay in perpetual motion so he wasn’t tempted to pull out his phone and fire off a reply.

There was so much he wanted to say. Didn’t she have a clue how much her rejection hurt him? What was he supposed to do—drop everything and meet her on her world tour somewhere so they could finish writing?

They hadn’t been able to pull that off after multiple writing sessions in Nashville—sessions she’d stopped showing up for once she met Mr. Bass Guitarist.

And why was she claiming ownership, anyway? She’d hardly contributed anything. He shook his head in disbelief. She was something else. What did he ever see in her, anyway?

Tour Schedule

Bookstagram Tour

Tour Giveaway

One winner will receive a signed paperback with bookmark, $10 Amazon gift card, Sticky Fingers Strawberry Scone mix and a Seabrook Sea, Salt and Surf 100% soy wax candle from Hometown candle company.

US only

Ends September 18, 2019

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A Lady's Maid Blog Tour, Review and Giveaway

Molly O' Malley, lady's maid to the progressive Lady Amanda Halloway, is determined to continue the life's work of her lost love, killed in the Peterloo Massacre. But when her efforts and a trip to Lady Halloway's charitable orphanage culminate in her own abduction, Molly's eyes are opened to the horrifying crimes transpiring in the city's slums. Despite the risks, she broadens her mission and is drawn ever closer to the peril all around them.

Thomas Flaherty, a footman in the Halloway household, has been with Molly from the beginning, but he fears she will never trust him with her heart. Even though her cause and happiness are of foremost importance to him, his loyal patience is tested by the fears that keep her at a distance. But with their safety on the line, Thomas is resolved to sacrifice everything for the woman he loves.

Risking their lives and their love, Molly and Thomas and a team of nobles on their side will stop at nothing to empower the powerless, no matter the personal cost.

Review - A Lady's Maid takes the reader into the households of the privileged and the unfortunate. The slums described in A Lady's Maid reminded me of Dicken's Oliver Twist. The feelings that I felt during Oliver's plight were similar to reading about Molly's escapade in the slums. The imagery and descriptions were very powerfully written. Johnson has a way of making the story come alive in the reader's imagination even if it's not pleasant. Johnson doesn't write light or fluffy romances. She tackles the politics and troubles of the time period. I would also suggest reading her notes after the story. Some of her notes about the history were fascinating. A Lady's Maid is a stand-alone novel, but has some of the same characters as Johnson's The Nobleman's Daughter. I've read The Nobleman's Daughter and Scarlet, and I think by far this is my favorite. The detail is rich and imaginative. The main characters are inspiring and likeable. Even though this is a stand-alone novel, I think the reader should probably read The Nobleman's Daughter first. There are scenes and background information that carry over into this book. The title of the book makes it seem like this is just Molly's story, but there are also other characters that take center stage at times and it's also their story as well. There is some scenes dealing with prostitutes and rude comments made to the women that were appropriate for the scene and doesn't go beyond that. This is a clean novel. To learn more, click here.

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Please note that I received a free copy to facilitate this review, however, my opinions are my own. The giveaway is facilitated by the publisher. There are affiliate links in this post that help to facilitate the maintenance of this blog.