This is the blog of Samie Sands, author of Lockdown. There will be many great books and projects reviewed here. For more, check out thelockdown.co.uk.

Tuesday 28 February 2017

Pipeliner by Shawn Hartje

Pipeliner by [Hartje, Shawn]
For seventeen-year-old Jason Krabb, high school life in 1990s Idaho is a world of cargo shorts, cassette tapes, and junk food. Plagued equally by algebra and puberty, Jason sets out to find a girlfriend and become a rock guitarist. His quest is irreversibly jolted when he attends a bonfire and meets an alluring girl from the other side of town and a rag tag crew who are bringing gas lines through the desert in order to keep the lights on in Portland and Seattle, places where Jason hopes to find his nirvana as a guitarist.

Meanwhile, things deteriorate at home. Jason's pediatrician mom, Leah, sadly faces the twilight of her parenting years while his father, Curtis, contends with the enormity of running a big ticket research laboratory and coming to terms with his son's wayward path.

Pipeliner is at once a coming of age love story and a comical timestamp of early 90s family life. Set in the fictional Idaho town of Helen Springs, pop. 58,000, its characters are as vibrant as the lofty peaks and purple sunsets of the high desert. Here we find rich farmers, poor ranchers, dutiful Mormons, government honchos, disgruntled vets, drug-dealing bruisers, irksome teachers, and spirited students, all doing their best to keep the lights on.
Review: This is a really enjoyable book, with a cool, unique storyline. Jason may be going through his 'coming of age' period, but his journey is refreshingly real and every time I put the book down, I couldn't wait to get back to it. The author has a real talent, and I look forward to reading more. 

Redeeming You by Lisa Cardiff

Redeeming You (Before You Book 2) by [Cardiff, Lisa]
*Mature Content Warning** Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual content.

After walking away from a controlling relationship, Taylor Reed is broke, homeless and unemployed…

When her brother, Alec, the drummer for Chasing Ruin offers her a job working for Chasing Ruin for the final thirty days of the tour, Taylor jumps at the chance.

Unfortunately, that job entails keeping Cam Donovan, Chasing Ruin’s lead guitarist, out of trouble for the remainder of the tour…

But Taylor isn’t worried. She’s smart enough to keep her distance and there’s no way she’ll let herself be another notch on his bedpost.

Cam Donovan’s life hasn’t been the same since he ruined his chances with Bre, his childhood sweetheart.

With regrets eating at his soul, he fills his life with meaningless one-night stands blurred by alcohol and drugs until Chasing Ruin threatens to kick him out of the band.

When Taylor joins Chasing Ruin on tour, he’ll do anything to avoid the mutual attraction burning between them. He can’t afford another the distraction. But as the lines blur, and the days turn into weeks, Cam and Taylor realize their feelings might be worth fighting for.

Monday 27 February 2017

Starting Over by Evan Grace

Starting Over (Starting Over Series Book 1) by [Grace, Evan]
Book #1 "Starting Over"
Book #2 "Second Chances"
Book #3 "Begin Again"
Book #4 "One Day at a Time"
Book #5 "Finding Hope"

**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual content.

Bellamy Carmichael’s finally come home after staying away for six years. There’s just one problem, Luke Carter…

Six years ago she seduced him, but a realization had him turning his back on her and became the cause of her long exodus. But with her brother’s imminent deployment Bellamy knows she’s bound to see him.

Luke Carter made the mistake of crossing a line he never should’ve crossed six years ago…

He knows he’s the reason why Bellamy avoids home, and with her coming back home he’s hoping to make things right. He just wasn’t expecting her to look so damn beautiful.

However, there’s one more problem, Bellamy’s been keeping a secret from Luke for past six years. When passion builds between them she knows that she must tell Luke the truth, but will it bring them closer together?

Or will it drive them apart for good?

Sunday 26 February 2017

RECKLESS: A Rocker Romance Collection by @limitlessbooks

RECKLESS: A Rocker Romance Collection by [McNeil, Aimee, Dahlgren, Heather, Quinn, Michelle Jo, Warren, J.E., Rivers, BK, Kenborn, Cora, Steps, Seven, Publishing, Limitless]
There's something sexy about a rockstar...
Something sexy, but dangerous when it comes to falling in love...
Do I chance it, or do I guard my heart?
Maybe it will work, maybe it won't, but one thing's for sure.
...I'm about to experience something I'll never forget.


We have 7 Full length Rocker Romance novels by International and best selling authors. Yes complete Rocker Romances! They are hot, they are steamy, and you won't be able to get enough of these sexy Rockstars...

Authored by:
Aimee McNeil
Heather Dahlgren
Cora Kenborn
Michelle Jo Quinn
J.E. Warren
BK Rivers
Seven Steps

Saturday 25 February 2017

My Soldier: A Military Romance Collection by @limitlessbooks

My Soldier: A Military Romance Collection by [Mello, Alison, Slough, Cristina, Lynn, Delisa, Bellus, HJ, Drake, J.L., Nacole, Kris, Marshall, Penelope, Publishing, Limitless]
Special Forces...
Navy Seals...
US Marines...
We got it all…

7 Full length novels by International and USA today best selling authors. Hot, steamy, sexy, military romances with an edge! Romance, suspense, drama…you will love our My Soldier collection!

Authored by:
J.L. Drake
Alison Mello
Delisa Lynn
Cristina Slough
Penelope Marshall
H.J. Bellus
Kris Nacole

Thursday 23 February 2017

Something Like Normal Series by Monica James

Something Like Normal Series: Books 1-3 by [James, Monica, Publishing, Limitless ]
SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL - BOOK #1

Mia Lee has a secret…

A secret she’s kept hidden since she was eight years old, however, Mia will no longer allow that secret to define her.

An irrevocable decision has left Mia Lee a fugitive and on the run—a circumstance that should leave her weak and scared, yet Mia has never felt so alive.

Under the pseudonym of Paige Cassidy, Mia is ready to live the life she’s never had, and she’s determined not to allow her tainted past dictate her promising future.

Paige is on a Greyhound bus heading from L.A. to South Boston, Virginia, to start a new life.

A life that includes finding her mother, who abandoned her at age three. But what she finds, is four people, who will change her life forever.

Yet no one can outrun their past…

Especially one filled with bitter memories, which refuse to remain hidden.

SOMETHING LIKE REDEMPTION - BOOK #2

Some secrets are best left untold...

Mia Lee escaped to the sleepy little town of South Boston, Virginia with the intent to be normal, and to find a place she could call home.

Sadly for Mia, her past has come back with a vengeance, and forced her to flee yet again.

This time, however, she’s not alone…

Mia and Quinn are on the run, fleeing for their lives, while attempting to prove their innocence for a crime they did not commit.

But with a tainted past like Mia’s, it was inevitable that one day, it was going to catch up to her in a way she never fathomed.

One ill-fated decision leads to an explosion of unimaginable events, and now Mia and Quinn are not only running for their lives, but also, for their redemption.

SOMETHING LIKE LOVE - BOOK #3

The secret’s out...

Fate has never been kind to Mia Lee, but her misfortune has driven her to seek redemption from a past filled with regret.

Mia’s future depends on uncovering her past, but sadly, the answers lay with her mother, a mother who abandoned Mia when she was only a child.

Now that Mia has finally found her kin, she’s determined to get the answers she so desperately seeks.

But those answers come with a price…

Mia’s blossoming relationship with Quinn Berkeley is the sole reason she carries on. But Quinn has a secret of his own. Will his secret destroy the one stable foundation in Mia’s life? And more importantly, what will Quinn’s secret do to him once he confesses the sins of his past?

Life for Mia and Quinn is about to explode in a way she never thought possible…

Doing More with Less by Anthi Theiopoulou

Doing More with Less: Organizational Learning and the OLSET tool by [Theiopoulou, Anthi]
A sustainable learning organization always has a competitive advantage, and organizational-learning tools can provide businesses of any size with the ability to achieve more with less. This innovation in management is based in science and backed by numerous successful applications.

Author Anthi Theiopoulou, MSc, conducted breakthrough research in organizational learning (OL) best practices and the operationalization of OL principles. As a leading international expert, she offers this guide for applying OL to any business and measuring the outcome.

This overview is for leaders and researchers from a range of backgrounds. It begins by reviewing management strategies and the most current research on OL. Part two covers each component of OL in greater depth to allow leaders to design and implement their own systems. Part three is a sample OL management system, which is highly customizable, uniquely scalable, and it includes the organizational learning self-evaluation tool—or OLSET—developed by the author at the University of Liverpool. This unique element of the methodology allows leaders to conduct an OL capacity audit.

The result of years of experience and research, Doing More with Less turns science into practice. These empirically based guidelines and techniques have the power to make organizations successful in any future.
Review: This is a really useful guide, one that's well worth a read. I found it fascinating and filled with some interesting points I hadn't ever considered before, all backed by solid research. Highly recommended. 

Wednesday 22 February 2017

BETWEEN THE BLEEDING WILLOWS by D.A. Roach

Bleeding Willows Ebook.jpgBETWEEN THE BLEEDING WILLOWS
by D.A. Roach
The Demon Hunter Series Book 1
YA Paranormal Romance

— SYNOPSIS —
At eighteen years old, Cassidy has suffered more loss than most…
At the end of her senior year, her boyfriend, Jace Peters, was killed in a car accident, and her grandmother died only weeks later of a heart attack. Emotionally lost, Cassidy desperately searches for an heirloom her boyfriend was wearing in the crash—her mother’s gold ring. But during her search, Cassidy discovers more than her ring.
She finds a gate to the Demon Realm….
A battle is brewing, and Killian—head of the Demon hunters—preps his Clan for the approaching conflict. They’ve been working to secure the gate between his realm and the mortal world. But it’s been nearly impossible since Rya—a voracious demon on a quest to expand her power—devoured the soul of his Clan’s necromancer. Now Rya is possessed with the necromancer’s powers and she may break through the gate at any moment.
Apparently Rya isn’t the only one Killian has to worry about…
When Cassidy accidentally crosses into the Demon Realm, Killian can’t understand how a human girl survived the transition. Now he has to find a way to return her to her own world, or risk her being caught in the crossfire, which is a complication he definitely doesn’t need.
Once back in the Human Realm, Cassidy readies herself for battle. She signs up for Krav Maga classes, where she meets Tyler Romaitis—a handsome, tenacious, humble guy. He seems almost perfect, but nothing is ever that easy.
And as the balance between good and evil shifts, Cassidy finds herself—and her ring—at the heart of the conflict for the survival of mankind.
** ON SALE FOR 99CENTS! **
 
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WITHIN THE DARKEST HOLLOWS 
by D.A. Roach
The Demon Hunter Series Book 2
YA Paranormal Romance
— SYNOPSIS — 

Cassidy and her mystical ring are stuck in the middle of a battle between the Demon World and the Mortal Realm…A conflict with the demons has left Killian, head of the Demon Hunters, injured and stripped of his powerful Demon Hunter tattoo. Cassidy is tasked with caring for him in the Human Realm until he is well enough to cross back into the Demon Realm. But soon she notices he is acting strangely and begins to suspect something is wrong.
She seeks help from Serena, a retired Demon Hunter, but it’s too late…
Cassidy returns home to find Killian has gone missing. Tyler, a friend with his own set of mystical powers, shows up to tell her that Killian is at his house demanding a meeting with the Demon Queen Rya. She and Serena have to work fast to find a way to heal Killian and get Cassidy’s ring away from him before Rya is involved. Meanwhile, Tyler and his dad have their own plan to make a deal with the Queen.
The Queen has a decision to make, but not before securing her leverage…
Rya wants time to consider the offer presented by Tyler’s dad, and takes Cassidy to the Demon Realm as collateral. The Demon Queen must choose between Tyler, the mate she was promised, and the mystical ring that was forged for her years ago.
Tyler is forced to face the inner demon he has worked so hard to restrain. Will he succeed, or will he be lost to the darkness, leaving Cassidy to be sacrificed by the demons?
As both sides gain alliances, the tension between the realms grows and the time for action draws near…
** ON SALE FOR 99CENTS! **
 
wdh-1wdh-5wdh-2wdh-3Young beautiful pair of lovers hug and kiss
 
— ABOUT THE AUTHOR —
D.A. Roach has been telling stories since she was a young girl in the suburbs of Chicago. In college she met the man of her dreams, her happily ever after, and married him 2 weeks after graduating. They have 3 kids together and a pet cockatiel named Gimli. D.A. did not find a love for books until after college. Her parents were immigrants from Lithuania and found tv and radio easier ways to hear stories so they did not do much reading or encourage it. But once she finished college and D.A. had free time, she discovered how amazing it was to get lost in a story.
D.A. is a full time mom and wife. When she is not doing domestic things (laundry, bills, etc) she is writing, reading, creating mixed media art, and helping beautify her kids’ school landscape. Oh, and she is ALWAYS listening to music. Her favorite authors include Rebecca Donovan, Richelle Mead, Larissa Ione, Stephanie Meyer, E.L. James, and Sylvia Day. Reading great works from authors like these has motivated D.A. to write her own stories. She hopes to make positive changes in the world with her art and writing.
“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
― George Bernard Shaw
 
 
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Tuesday 21 February 2017

Front Porches & Funerals By: K.A. Ware & Cora Kenborn

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Front Porches & Funerals
By:
K.A. Ware & Cora Kenborn
Release Date: February 21st
Hosted By: Chance Promotions
Cover by: Bite Me Graphics

ADD TO YOUR TBR:

http://amzn.to/2mgFg6z


Synopsis

They say you can’t go home again.
But when you’re broke, down on your luck, and wanted in two states…
It’s the only place left.

Adelaide spent high school dreaming of the day she’d lift a middle finger
to her small town life and watch it all fade away in the rear-view mirror.
After marrying a man who she thought was her prince charming, Adelaide had
finally gotten everything she ever wanted…until the silver spoon was ripped
from her mouth and her prince was revealed to be just another cheating
jackass. Suddenly homeless with nowhere else to turn, she must head back to
the one place she never thought she’d have to show her face again.

Savannah just wanted to see the world, but ended up a twenty-five year old
vagabond with nothing to show for her life but a string of loser
ex-boyfriends. Instead of saving the planet, she sells jewelry on the
internet and digs in the cushions for loose change. Making the decision to
cut her losses, Savannah packs up and hits the road. It’s time to go back
to the beginning and figure out where she went wrong.

Adelaide and Savannah couldn’t wait to leave the bayou. However, when
circumstances force them out of their self-imposed exiles, they have no
choice but to belly crawl back to the place they both turned their backs
on. The Dubois sisters find that sometimes you’ve got to uncover your roots
to find your future.

The good thing about hitting swamp bottom?
There’s only one way to go…
Front-Porches-and-Funerals-Ebook-final.png
ABOUT THE AUTHORS

K.A. Ware

K.A Ware is an indie author living in Portland, Oregon. Her days consist of
working at her real life job in the financial field and taking care of her
young daughter. Writing is not her only passion, K.A. also serves on the
Board of Directors for a local non-profit and spends way too much time
reading. She believes in the power of words, alpha females, and that
special escape you get when you hunker down into a good book.
When she’s not busy mothering, working, writing, or reading she enjoys
spending time with family and friends and embracing the weirdness that is
Portland. K.A. loves music, so if you find yourself at a metal show in
Portland —take a look around— she’s the crazy redhead head banging at the
front.

Instagram: https// instagram.com/authorkaware
Email: authorkaware@gmail.com
Cora Kenborn

Cora Kenborn writes contemporary and romantic suspense novels with strong
heroines, complex alphas, harrowing danger, and snappy dialogue. She loves
delving into the twisted mind of a dark villain as well as giggling while
writing romcom banter.
Cora lives in Eastern North Carolina and is a true Southern girl, who grew
up on sweet tea, front porches, and the simple life. She says “y’all,”
“fixin’ to,” and should you deserve it will “bless your heart.” She’s the
proud mother of three hyperactive and occasionally adorable children, and
wife to an understanding husband who tolerates her chaotic writer’s cave.
Although reading is her passion, she can usually be found watching true
crime shows and crafting inspiration for twisted new tales. Cora admits to
being a horrible cook, an even worse baker, and believes she’s more
dangerous with a hot glue gun than any weapon on earth. Oh, and she and
autocorrect are mortal enemies


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Swimming Upstream Series by Rebecca Barber

Swimming Upstream Series: Books 1-3 by [Barber, Rebecca, Publishing, Limitless]
PERFECTION IS JUST AN ILLUSION - BOOK #1

James Thompson is an Olympic swimmer with gold medals, world records, and million-dollar sponsorship deals…

But his fiancée Anna White is just an ordinary girl—or so she believes.

When James takes her home for a visit and encounters her childhood friends and sleazy, jealous ex-boyfriend, Grant, he sees for the first time just how far apart their worlds really are.


NOBODY'S OBLIGATION - BOOK #2

Ava Jacobs is a shy accountant by day, aspiring romance writer by night—and her first novel just got published…

Romance isn’t a big component of Ava’s life. That is, her real life. As the monotonous nature of crunching numbers and drawn-out board meetings slowly eats away at her, the only bright side to her otherwise mundane routine lies on the black and white pages of her debut romance novel. Her inspiration? A long-time infatuation—Tyler Andrews.

Until the Olympic swimmer read her novel and connected the dots…

Tyler Andrews is used to being the center of attention. But when his sister throws a romance novel in his lap, he’s surprised to be the inspiration for the hot, hunky hero. He has no idea who Ava Jacobs is, but he’s not at all happy with her using his likeness to spice up her steamy scenes. When he finally tracks her down, it’s her likeness that intrigues him.


ON DRY LAND - BOOK #3

Tyler Andrews, Olympic swimming superstar, has always gotten his way—until he falls in love.

Living in the spotlight was just part of Tyler’s life. Magazines, paparazzi, and being the topic of every sports radio show in Australia…it was either adjust or be driven insane. He’d gotten used to his fame. Hell, he even enjoyed it. But there is one thing he can’t get used to—his girlfriend, Ava Jacobs, hates being the center of the public’s attention.

Ava has lived her life in the shadows—and that’s exactly how she likes it.

But after fulfilling her lifelong dream to have her debut novel published, her world is turned on its head by Tyler’s fame. She writes novels for a reason—it’s a quiet, peaceful profession. The last thing she wants is to be thrown into the spotlight.

Love and life don’t always fit as well as fame and fortune.

My Broken Soldier by @alisonmelloauth

My Broken Soldier (Love Conquers Life Book 2) by [Mello, Alison]
Patricia Fitzgerald is finally ready to bring her relationship with Carter into the limelight, despite what her mother thinks…

Patty is prepared to face the consequences and announce her relationship at her first public fundraiser with Carter. But when a strange woman makes a move on him, and she finds them in what appears to be a mutual, passionate kiss, Patty can’t believe she’s been so foolish. She should’ve known better than to trust a man.

Carter’s been set up, but he can’t get anyone to believe him…

Floundering under the stress of losing Patty, the PTSD nightmares start in again, leaving Carter no choice but to turn to the only thing that will numb the pain. Alcohol—and lots of it. His family quickly intervenes and takes him to the hospital to kick-start his road to recovery. Carter knows burying the pain isn’t the answer. He has to heal…and save his relationship with Patty.

Outside forces work to keep Patty and Carter apart…

Suspicious of her mother’s recent actions, Patty pushes her to come clean about the setup at the fundraiser. Her jealous ex, Ben, has been blackmailing her mother into helping him ruin her relationship with Carter, and it doesn’t stop at that. Ben shows up at the lake house unwilling to accept no for an answer.

Carter needs to piece his broken life back together, but he’s running out of time…

With so many who want to destroy their happiness, he has to be strong enough to save Patty from an empty, loveless future—or he’ll be nothing more than the broken soldier she used to know.

Monday 20 February 2017

HEY DOORMAN VIII: True Tales of an Uncommon Bouncer in Los Angeles by John P. Kildem

HEY DOORMAN VIII: True Tales of an Uncommon Bouncer in Los Angeles by [Kildemm, John P.]

SEX -- VIOLENCE -- TRUMP

Eight true tales from your wittiest bouncer's, wittiest bouncer

Mister Kildemm chronicles the night life in the City of Angels as only he can, in the fourth installment of, Hey Doorman. But this time with a biting political edge working in cahoots with his always hilarious edge. That's two edges people. TWO.
As Jerry Seinfeld once said, "I'm sure he's having a good laugh over this with his doorman buddies."
Review: I found this a funny, fascinating read. The author has created a really interesting set of stories, and by the end of it I wanted more! I've just checked and the book is in a series, so I'll definitely be checking out more of them!

The Ghost Files by @AprylBaker

The Ghost Files 4: Part 2 by [Baker, Apryl]
Hush little children, all snug in your beds,
Safe in your dreams, tucked away in your heads.
But he is watching and wants to be fed.
Don’t try to run…say a prayer instead,
Because, little children, you’ll soon be dead.

Children all over the city of Charlotte, North Carolina are vanishing and turning up dead exactly one week after their disappearance. The city is in a panic, parents terrified to let their children out of their sights, but it’s simply not enough. You can’t hide from the Devourer of Souls.

Mattie has endured a lot over the last year, but now she’s faced with something even her nine lives can't survive. As old secrets are brought to light, she must confront her destiny—and a curse that may cost her everything.

Throw in a fallen angel serial killer who specializes in little kids, and Mattie may have to seek help from the one person she swore she never would.

Silas.

The real question is will she come out the other side the same person she was, or will Silas finally get what he wants—her soul…?

Sunday 19 February 2017

Mad City: Book One of the Sean Walsh Post Apocalyptic Series by Patrick O'Donnell

Mad City: Book One of the Sean Walsh Post Apocalyptic Series by [O'Donnell, Patrick]

Will one man’s search for his family save the world… or destroy it?

Sean Walsh is waiting for the air to clear after a nuclear war. As a gritty ex-cop with a military background, he knows he’s got what it takes to find his two missing sons in a post-apocalyptic world. When all his leads turn up dead ends, he’s got no choice but to join the new government as an agent. He hopes to leverage the position to get one step closer to his children…
In exchange for the latest in spy technology, Walsh must return to the violent life he thought he’d left behind. As he begins the search for his kids, he has a lingering suspicion that his new girlfriend might have terrorist ties that could bring down more than the government. She might destroy the entire country…
Review: I LOVED this book! The way the author combined zombies with a crime thriller was unique in the best way. I found the main character, Sean, realistic and relatable, and his journey to find his loved ones gripping from the first page to the last. I read a lot of zombie books, and this one stood out from the crowd for me. The twists and turns of the fast-paced plot kept me hooked until the very last page. 

Catching Fox by @aimeeswriting

Catching Fox by [McNeil, Aimee]
A chance meeting between two young souls is all it took...

When Adalynne Fairweather was just a child, her entire life had already been planned. From Ivy League schools to a career in law, adventure was the one thing out of her reach. That was until a boy with bright green eyes and a monster truck t-shirt wandered into her back yard, giving the adventure she longed for.

Refuge can be found in the most unlikely places…

Damon Knight’s abusive home life left him longing for a childhood he never had—until he wandered into Adalynne’s yard. She took his hand, smiled at him, and even gave him a nickname. Fox. The woods became their escape—a place to flee from reality. He discovered music through Adalynne’s piano, and not long after that, she gave him a guitar. Little did he know that gift would change his life forever.

Years later, their age is not the only thing that’s changed...

Adalynne’s love for Fox took on a life of its own. As they begin to build their lives, her heart aches for him in ways she can’t understand. As they slowly begin to drift apart, Adalynne becomes more desperate to cling to their secret romance.

But Fox is no longer the bright-eyed child from the woods. Her shy, beautiful Fox has grown into a dark, troubled man with a guitar. And when her last attempt to salvage their relationship breaks Adalynne’s heart, catching Fox a second time seems just out of her reach.

Saturday 18 February 2017

Into the Darkness by @KiraAdamsAuthor

Into the Darkness (Darkness Falls Series Book 1) by [Adams, Kira]
It was supposed to be a way to end the devastation in the Middle East, but instead a darkness is unleashed unlike anything the world has ever seen before.

Ike Glass is well versed in chaos, but even he is unprepared for what the world will become after the outbreak. Ace Cullen has been loyal to his country ever since he was brought to the states as a young boy, but it’s difficult to stand by a country that can’t even take responsibility for their own actions. Phoenix Blue just wants a night of mindless sex… is that too much to ask? Always a black sheep, she shocks everyone as she finds the strength inside herself to protect the ones she cares about, and fight to see another day. They were strangers when the virus took over, but tragedy will bring them together in ways they never thought possible as they descend into the darkness.

Guarded Heart by @Charms0814

Guarded Heart by [Harms, C.A.]
Life can be very scary… Really Scary when a wounded heart is involved.

Giving your entire heart to someone is hard enough, but when it’s completely shattered by the one person who you believed would always keep it safe, makes it almost impossible to do it a second time.

Insecurity and Jealousy play a huge roll in Samantha Riggins life as her whole world was ripped from her when she least expected it.

The man she chose to spend the rest of her life with betrayed that trust and at the same scarred her soul.

Wes has demons of his own, but Samantha may be the one person who can help him move forward…if only she will allow him past her guarded heart.

Will Samantha be able to recover and allow herself to love again? Or will she continue pushing away the one person who would give anything to be able to heal her?

Thursday 16 February 2017

Nobody Knows by @RebeccaBarber7

Nobody Knows by [Barber, Rebecca]
Gillian Dempsey must find a reason to go on…

Easier said than done after a rare virus robs her of both parents. Left alone and confused, the mourning nineteen-year-old flees to her three best friends, who receive her with open arms.

Her parents give her more than an inheritance—they give her a second chance at life…

When Gillian is left with some properties in her parents’ will, she assigns them to a real estate agent to manage. Joel Matthews takes the job, but he quickly becomes more than a business associate. After a string of fortunate coincidences, Gillian and Joel spend a passionate night together—after which Joel all but vanishes from her life.

But they still have unfinished business, and Gillian won’t allow him to slip away—especially with her heart.

Life is a roller coaster of tragedy and joy…

Gillian reels him in, and soon the two are married. Gillian’s heart expands even more when they receive the news of their first pregnancy. But after the baby is born, things aren’t the same. Joel becomes distant…resentful. And then the abuse begins. Darkness consumes their marriage—only to get worse.

While Gillian tries to hold her family together, it seems Joel is doing everything to tear them apart. But just one slip of his temper makes all the difference, because this time, there’s no turning back.

Maybe being abused can be endured, as long as Nobody Knows…until someone ends up dead.

The Bridge of the Golden Wood: A Parable on How to Earn Money by Karl Beckstrand

The Bridge of the Golden Wood: A Parable on How to Earn Money by [Beckstrand, Karl]
(Entrepreneurship, business) A child with a knack for solving problems helps some hungry fish and finds a treasure. Illustrated folk tale teaches how to spot opportunities to help people and make money. Comes with money-making activities; ideas for businesses; and online resources on finding customers, managing money, and moving up in an organization (for ages 5 and up). Young children will be captivated by the story; older ones will want to apply the things they learn. A how-to book on careers, small business/home based business, and learning how to serve/earn a living (how to work).
Review: This book is such a cool and unique way to look at money and business. I went through it with my almost-5-year-old and she really enjoyed it! It's a cool and practical way to look at mathematics. Highly recommended.

Wednesday 15 February 2017

Wild Within by @chartmannbooks

A year after a family tragedy, Grace Mori embarks on the journey of a lifetime…

Two thousand, six hundred miles of blistering heat, wilderness, and soul searching—that’s what Grace signed up for when she decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s not a voyage for beginners, but with no husband and her family still recovering from her brother’s death, Grace is more alone than ever.

This trail meant something to her brother, and she’ll hike it in his memory, but she can’t do it alone. So with her brother’s gear and a small group, Grace takes the most important first steps of her life.

Grace finds something more than peace and magic on the trail…

When her first day of hiking ends in heat stroke, Grace is rescued by a handsome, red-haired hiker who calls himself Lone Star. Grace has an immediate connection with him, and their brief encounter leaves her fearing her soul mate has slipped through her fingers. Although he vows to keep in touch, Grace doubts she’ll ever see him again.

When fears become reality, the only people Grace can rely on may be killers...

Grace is surprised to find notes left at supply posts along the trail. Lone Star’s eloquent letters keep Grace going, clinging to the hope she’ll find him—and happiness—at the end of her journey. But as the trail becomes more perilous, menace grows within the group. And when Lone Star’s letters mysteriously stop coming, Grace fears the worst.

As tensions flare and a killer emerges, Grace must battle to survive…and reunite with the man she’s sure is her future.

Monday 13 February 2017

The Chemist's Shop by @Rxrich

Pharmacology professor Michael Ross retires from the world of academia in 1970 and opens a community pharmacy in a peaceful upstate New York town. He puts the horrific tragedies of his past behind him and finds serenity in his new life. That is, until he recognizes a customer as former Nazi SS officer, Hans Stern.

Michael looks into Stern’s cold, steel-blue eyes, clenches his fists, and boils inside, remembering how his three young daughters were taken from him and gassed, and his wife, Ilona, was tortured, raped, and stripped of all dignity by Stern twenty-five years earlier in Auschwitz.

Face to face with this evil being, Michael forces himself to stay calm. In that moment, he experiences two opposing but related feelings. One is anger, the other exhilaration.

He could not protect his family then, but he can avenge their deaths now. It isn’t just about killing Stern. That would be too easy. His death has to be slow, painful, and diabolical, and it begins with a game of chess…

Sunday 12 February 2017

Next Door To A Star by @KrystenLindsay

Next Door To A Star by [Hager, Krysten Lindsay]
Hadley Daniels is tired of feeling invisible.

After Hadley’s best friend moves away and she gets on the bad side of some girls at school, she goes to spend the summer with her grandparents in the Lake Michigan resort town of Grand Haven. Her next door neighbor is none other than teen TV star Simone Hendrickson, who is everything Hadley longs to be—pretty, popular, and famous—and she’s thrilled when Simone treats her like a friend.

Being popular is a lot harder than it looks.

It’s fun and flattering when Simone includes her in her circle, though Hadley is puzzled about why her new friend refuses to discuss her former Hollywood life. Caught up with Simone, Hadley finds herself ignoring her quiet, steadfast friend, Charlotte.

To make things even more complicated, along comes Nick Jenkins…

He’s sweet, good-looking, and Hadley can be herself around him without all the fake drama. However, the mean girls have other ideas and they fill Nick’s head with lies about Hadley, sending him running back to his ex-girlfriend and leaving Hadley heartbroken.

So when her parents decide to relocate to Grand Haven, Hadley hopes things will change when school starts…only to be disappointed once again.

Cliques.

Back-stabbing.

Love gone bad.

Is this really what it’s like to live…

Next Door To A Star?

Saturday 11 February 2017

Sweet On You by @mariannericeaut

An extravagant cake design brings small town baker Trent Kipson to fame…
After gaining social media exposure of his culinary art, Trent’s cake design goes viral. Soon he’s contacted by the Cooking Network to host a new show in California. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime for the owner of a modest shop in Portland, Maine, and the financial freedom the network offers could be the answer to all of his monetary problems.
Fitness instructor Rayne Wilde wants the life every small-town girl dreams of…
Rayne wishes for a future full of romance and the pitter-patter of little feet. She wants it all, including a white picket fence and a dog named Spot—which is exactly why she refuses to sleep with Trent, the sexy man who attends her Zumba classes. After a series of dead-end relationships, this time she really is in love. Trent is special, and the fear of letting him slip through her fingers keeps her advances at bay.
Life is waiting—all it takes is a leap of faith...
As their friendship grows and skeletons creep out of their closets, their relationship is put to the test. Stakes get higher, and the spark between them burns hotter than ever before. Can they handle the heat when life-changing secrets are exposed, or will the fear of being burned send them on two different paths?

Friday 10 February 2017

Loving Liam by @GloriaIsWriting

Loving Liam (The Cloverleaf Series Book 1) by [Hermann, Gloria]
Rachel Montgomery’s family doesn’t think she can change—but she’s going to prove them wrong…

What could be more out of character for overly-cautious Rachel than moving sight unseen to the small town of Birch Valley to become the principal of the town’s only elementary school? When she arrives late on her first day, she realizes no one was expecting her, leading to conflict with the staff—and particularly with one handsome, emerald-eyed fourth grade teacher.

Liam O’Brien’s life is simple and easygoing, just the way he likes it—until he shows up for school following the holiday break…

Not only is his new boss the rude woman who stole his parking spot, she’s highly motivated to switch things up in his very traditional school, and Liam is not a fan of change. His inexplicable attraction to the petite blonde complicates matters, as Rachel is adamant that she didn’t move all the way to Birch Valley to get involved in any kind of romance.

But as conflicts are resolved, family ties might draw Liam and Rachel together…

Rachel discovers Liam’s family is loving and supportive, particularly his mother Mary—unlike Rachel’s own mother. She bonds with his brothers and his sister Maggie, and it almost seems too good to be true.

Can they work through their differences and compromise enough to build a lasting relationship?

Or will Rachel be unable to let her guard down long enough to take a chance on…

Loving Liam

Thursday 9 February 2017

Rarity by @daroach12books

Rarity by [Roach, D.A.]
Brogen Mathers can’t deal with teen drama…

As an empath, she is constantly bombarded with other people’s energies. Despite coping techniques taught by her psychologist mother, it’s often too much to bear, forcing her to avoid most activities a typical high school junior would enjoy.

Jay Wilken won’t let his past define him…

A dead mother and an alcoholic father brought Jay to Stanton, but he doesn’t want pity. His good looks, charisma, and friendly nature quickly win over the whole student body, but he has his eye on one girl…Brogen.

Brogen can’t believe anyone could be so genuinely nice. It has to be an act, right? But when Jay literally saves her from deadly jaws, she has to admit he’s exactly what he appears, and he’s worth risking the potential emotional upheaval.

“Drama” might as well be Becca Grant’s middle name…

Another newcomer to Stanton, Becca’s blonde beauty and abundant attitude shoots her straight to the top of the popularity charts—and she believes Jay belongs right there beside her. Accustomed to getting exactly what she wants, she launches a relentless mean-girl campaign to shake up Brogen and claim Jay for her own.

Everything changes with a devastating diagnosis…

When Jay learns he has a rare and potentially fatal disorder, he keeps it secret and begins to push Brogen away to spare her future pain—which is exactly the sort of opening Becca is waiting for.

As Jay’s well-meaning deception unravels,

Brogen realizes there is much more than her heart at stake…

But how far is she willing to go to fight for someone she loves?

Wednesday 8 February 2017

Blind Spot by @AdamZorzi

Blind Spot (Blind Justice Book 1) by [Zorzi, Adam]
After spending years rebuilding his life, the woman who left Dan Ramsay devastated and broken wants him back…

Despite enjoying life with his wife Jill and their daughter in a leafy old suburb of Richmond, Virginia, Dan succumbs to temptation after a chance run-in with his former lover Bella. Recovering from their break-up took three years, and a lot of psychiatric intervention, yet Bella still has a hold on him he can’t seem to let go. He’s consumed by an affair with her for over a year until he promises his dying father that he will finally break it off.

But when Dan’s wife is found dead, all the evidence leads to him…

Dan is the prime suspect. It doesn’t help that they think he lied about his alibi and involvement with another woman. Bella killed herself fifteen years ago. Dan’s affair has been with a ghost. His vehement proclamations that Bella can’t be dead land him in the famous, haunted Petersburg psychiatric hospital for a determination of competency to stand trial for capital murder.

Dan’s brother offers him the opportunity to run, but Dan wants to find the truth…

Someone killed his wife and it wasn’t him. Confined to an asylum renowned for paranormal phenomena and murder, Dan must find a way to prove his innocence and that Bella’s ghost is real for the sake of his own sanity.

But even the dead have a thirst for vengeance…

A Life of Inches by @douglasesper

A Life of Inches by [Esper, Douglas]
Ryan Kelly and Woodie Wodyzewski always fight for every inch.

Whether on the baseball diamond, the basketball court, or even the dance floor, these two friends are true competitors.

When Ryan beats Woodie in a bike race because Woodie has the misfortune to be hit by a car, he seems to have won. But the beautiful girl who crashes into their lives is worth far more than any trophy.

Molly De Leon knows all about winning, and nothing will keep her from her goals.

Ryan and Woodie have been vying for Molly since the day they met. How can she possibly choose between them?

Woodie has a complicated family situation and she desperately wants to help him through his misery and confusion. A little on edge with a temper, he’s the bad boy in her life who reminds Molly a lot of her mother, a powerful politician she’s grown up watching bend men and women to her will with a simple smile.

Ryan, on the other hand, is very close to his parents, grounded, and has a good sense of humor. He’s not your typical jock; he’s a safe, reliable pick, and a constant in Molly's life—that is, until his injuries lead him down a destructive path.

Molly realizes it’s time to make a decision…

But how can she risk losing either one of them when they both own a piece of her heart?

Honor (Blackstone Series Book 1) by @jodildrake_j

Honor (Blackstone Series Book 1) by [Drake, J.L.]
Bullets fly during a dangerous mission, and Major Mark Lopez is critically injured…

A Blackstone soldier, Mark is transferred to the North Dakota hospital with the security clearance to treat members of the elite covert team. The pretty new nurse assigned to his case knows her stuff, but Mark soon discovers she knows more than just how to save lives. Mia Harper knows the Blackstone Code.

Mia is a bit of gypsy and doesn’t engage much with people—but there’s something about her mysterious new patient…

After Mark recovers from surgery, he is discharged from the hospital with orders to rest. Not that he does. Instead he rushes to México for the team’s next assignment. But when he returns to the hospital again and again with minor—and not so minor—injuries, Mia suspects he’s only coming to see her. Romance ignites, and because Mia signed a non-disclosure agreement at the hospital, Mark is able to open up more with Mia than any other woman.

Some debts demand payment in either cash or blood…

When someone from Mark’s past comes to him for help, old secrets start to resurface, and more blood is shed. Worlds collide and lies are exposed in an all-or-nothing underground poker game.

Mark must put his life on the line to keep Mia safe…and to finally learn the answer to the question that’s haunted him his whole life.

What really happened that night twenty-five years ago?

Cincopa Gallery

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