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Release date: March 21, 2017

Genre: Romantic Comedy 

Blurb: 

She’s a work in progress . . .

Bailey Meredith has had it. As an assistant at a prestigious interior design firm, she’s tired of making coffee and filing invoices. She’ll do just about anything to get out from under the paperwork and into the field for real experience. Then she sees an ad for a job that seems too good to be true. 

He’s a fixer upper . . .

Wilder Aldrich knew she would be perfect for the crew the moment he saw her. His hit home improvement show only hired the best, and Bailey had potential written all over her. It isn’t just her imaginative creativity and unmatched work ethic that grabs his attention. There’s just something about her. 

With chemistry on screen, it’s only a matter of time before sparks fly behind the scenes as well. But with Bailey’s jaded views on romance and a big secret that could destroy Wilder and everyone he cares about, are either of them willing to risk it all for love?

I’m so happy to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Playing House! This was such a cute, fun read, perfect for fans of those fixer upper type reality TV shows, I loved it. I’m sharing an excerpt today to whet your appetite then my review will follow. There’s also a giveaway linked at the very end you can enter! 

Excerpt: 

Keeping a close distance, she followed Waverly up the cracked path to the house. Bailey took quick mental notes of her surroundings. The exterior needed a lot of work. The sagging roof missing gutters made her think they’d find the inside in similar disarray. They stepped through the front door, nearly tripping over Wilder Aldrich, who was measuring the entryway.

 

“Hey!” He sprang to his feet and out of their way. “What did I tell you about waiting until I gave you the all clear?”

 

“You were taking for-frickin’-ever, and some of us were freezing our tits off.” She pursed her lips and took on a warrior stance, seemingly daring him to say something else.

 

Conceding victory to her, Wilder turned and flashed an apologetic grin at Bailey. “Hey.” He offered a hand. Warmth permeated through the thin material of her glove. “Welcome to Casa de Waverly.”

 

Giving him a smug grin, Waverly sipped her coffee and faced Bailey. “Do you have a smart phone?”

 

Bailey stared blankly for a second, still dazzled by seeing Wilder up close. But she quickly snapped to attention and dug her phone out of her coat pocket.

 

“Good,” Waverly said after inspecting it. “While you’re on the job, I’d like you to snap some photos for our social media accounts. I’ll want to vet everything before we post it, but we need to start building the buzz for the next season while we’re filming. In exchange, we’ll cover your phone payments to take care of your data usage. Understood?”

 

“I can do that.”

 

“Good. Now . . .” She pulled out her own phone. It was the latest model that had come out on the market a month ago. With all of its reported bells and whistles, it put Bailey’s poor phone to shame. “I’m going to make a quick call. I’ll be back in a few minutes, and we can get started on,” she gestured around her, “this mess.”

 

She spun on her heel and waltzed out of the room, cooing into the phone.

 

Wilder cleared his throat, and Bailey turned to give him her full attention. She estimated he was only a couple of years older than herself—maybe in his late twenties or early thirties. He looked younger in real life than he did on TV. He was leaner and a little shorter—though she still had to crane her neck a little to meet his gaze.

 

He was also more handsome. Not the GQ model, your tongue-sticks-to-the-top-of-your-mouth kind of sexy. But he was hot in the same way the guy you sat next to in Chemistry was. It was enough to distract you from formulas and Bunsen burners every so often, but not enough that you’d ever set the lab on fire or forget to finish your final exam.

 

So far, he seemed much more serious. Where was the guy who scared Waverly with a stuffed dummy in a closet in the last episode she’d watched before calling an end to the marathon?

 

He was, she realized, studying her every bit as closely, with those hazel eyes speckled with green. Noting that, she didn’t feel quite as rude taking mental notes on the man in front of him.

 

At least she looked good. She’d laid out three outfits that morning in the hotel room. The first was a long, silky turquoise tunic that she’d paired with a pair of black leggings and knee-high boots. It was similar to the clothes Waverly favored on screen—only hers weren’t name-brand knockoffs. Then she had the casual jeans, a gray T-shirt that she could dress-up with a navy blue blazer. And there was option three: dark-wash, fit jeans, a chambray shirt, and a scarf. It was an ensemble that fell somewhere in the middle. It was the one that looked the most like her when she inspected herself in the mirror.

 

It was the one that felt most like her now in the middle of the foyer.

 

She wondered what he saw when he looked at her. Did he see a confident young woman ready to tackle major projects adeptly? Or did he see someone who was desperate to create, no matter what happened? Both were correct, but which one shone through right now?

 

Like a light switch, that triggered something in her. She offered her hand again. “We haven’t officially met. I’m Bailey Meredith.”

Review: 

My husband and I are in the process of building a house right now and to say he’s obsessed with HGTV is putting it mildly. He always has it on when we’re home and though I didn’t see the appeal of these types of shows at first, they’ve admittedly grown on me. There’s something so satisfying about seeing a whole remodel or renovation being completed in thirty minutes, even if I know it’s unrealistic. Getting to see behind the scenes of a home improvement show AND adding in funny romance was like a match made in heaven for me. 

Bailey was just a doll, the perfect lead character for a rom com, and I would totally watch the movie version of Playing House. She’s passionate about interior design and when the opportunity to work as an assistant designer on one of the top rated shows for the Design Network arises, she’s pretty excited. Waverly and Wilder are the couple behind an uber successful TV series, they have an adorable four year old daughter, Virginia and seem to be living a dream life. But not is all as it seems, and Bailey soon finds out that besides clever editing and sneaky reshoots, Waverly and Wilder are keeping some pretty big personal secrets as well.

This one was just a ball of fun and had such a great energy. Wilder and Bailey had indisputable chemistry despite some complications and reservations on both ends. Wilder oozed sex appeal, as a Texas native he had the whole gentlemanly, southern charm routine nailed. Besides those two, there was a great supporting cast of likable characters. Paige is Bailey’s older sister, Felix is one of the crew, Renée is the shows producer, and then Waverly and little Virginia round it all out. They all brought something unique to the table and I would love to see more of any of them and am hoping the author has plans to turn this into a series? If you’re looking for a sexy, flirty read with a few surprises thrown in along the way, look no further. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy. 

About the Author: 

Laura Chapman is the author of First & Goal, Going for Two, Three & Out, The Marrying Type, and Playing House. A native Nebraskan, she loves football, Netflix marathons, and her cats, Jane and Bingley. She loves talking to readers. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also get the latest news from her website, blog, and monthly newsletter. 
***Giveaway***

This month, during the Playing House blog tour, you can enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win one of 1 free Audible copy each of The Marrying Type, First & Goal, Going for Two or 1 $20 Amazon gift card. Enter here. 

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Release date: March 22, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Blurb: 

Poppy Bloom has a Life Plan: PhD in psychology, research job at her university, and a life of domestic bliss with handsome boyfriend Gregory. 

But then she finishes her PhD with no job offer, no relationship, and nowhere to live. Being unemployed and living back at her mum’s house in her vampire-themed childhood bedroom was definitely not the plan. 

Poppy is back to square one and miserable, so when she runs into childhood friend Leanne she jumps at the opportunity to catch up. The chance to run into Leanne’s gorgeous brother Tom is just a bonus… 

Soon Poppy’s scored an internship at a radio station, a boyfriend, and a whole netball team of friends: things are on the up. 

But life has a way of tripping you up when you least expect it, and Poppy soon has to decide where her priorities lie… With new friends, a new career and a new romance, can Poppy keep everyone happy, or is everything about to tumble down around her? 

Review: 

I’m so pleased to be a stop on the blog tour for Don’t Stop Me Now! 

What a delightful little surprise this book was! I shouldn’t be shocked, Bookouture have never disappointed me before, but when I say I was surprised I mean that this book had an altogether different vibe and overall message than I was expecting, in a very positive and lovely way!

Poppy was such an endearing character, she’s highly intelligent, a total type A personality, and really relatable. Even though she’s extremely smart, she’s not one of those people who is arrogant with it, she’s rather warm and approachable. She’s had her entire life mapped out for years,  but on the day of her graduation, her perfect plans start to fall apart at the seams.  Her boyfriend dumps her for her best friend, she loses her potential (and highly sought after) job, and finds herself almost thirty and living back at home. But instead of wallowing in self pity and binging Netflix and eating Ben & Jerry’s (like many chick lit heroines so often do) she decides to take the opportunity to try some new things and take some risks that may have a huge payoff for her in the end. 

This was such an empowering read! Poppy has the BEST attitude, she was so brave in the face of adversity. She had several setbacks and she would allow herself to be upset for a short period of time, but then she would brush herself off and get back in the game. She tried new things, she let go of her fears, and she ended up learning so much about herself and having plenty of adventures along the way. While there is a bit of romance present it wasn’t heavily featured or the main storyline and I found that refreshing that Poppy focused more on herself and her own life than solely on a man. Yes, love and romance is important to her but it’s not the end all and be all of everything. 

The message was so powerful, it’s about having self confidence and believing in what you can achieve. I think everyone could benefit from hearing that sort of thing from time to time and it made me feel unstoppable and inspired in the end. A portion of the books sales will be donated to mental health charities that help young people and I found that so touching, I think it says so much about the author as a person. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Bookouture for my review copy. 

About the Author: 

Colleen Coleman is an Irish-Canadian novelist. She is the winner of the much-coveted Novelicious Undiscovered People’s Choice Award launched to find the next ‘chick-lit star’. She spent over ten years working as a teacher of English and Philosophy before finally taking a deep breath, scrunching her eyes shut, putting her pen to paper and vowing not to lift it again until she wrote the words The End. As a result, her first novel was born. Colleen lives between London, Ireland and Cyprus with her very patient husband and very, very chatty twin daughters. Don’t Stop Me Now is her first book and will be released in March. 

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Release date: March 15, 2017

Publisher: Orenda Books 

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

The novel is constructed as a series of podcasts, in which an investigative journalist describes the circumstances around the death of a teenaged boy in an outward-bound centre, interviewing witnesses, suspects and people close to the incident. Their six accounts form the six stories of the title, creating a “chilling and compelling, page-turning thriller that also delves deep into notions of truth, perception and loyalty”.

I’m ecstatic to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for Six Stories today! 

Orenda Books has a knack for publishing unique, fresh books under the umbrella of crime fiction and once again, I’m completely blown away by one of their books. Six Stories is a wholly original, modern twist on a classic murder mystery. There are six distinct stories, six very easily distinguishable voices used in this podcast style book. Tom Jeffries was fifteen when he disappeared in 1996 and his body was found a year later. Twenty years later and Scott King, a podcast host decides to feature the story on his podcast.  What happened the night he disappeared? Why did it take a year for his body to be discovered? And most importantly, who killed him? 

The format of this book really made it standout from the crowd for me. I loved the conversational style it provided, it really felt like I was listening to a true crime podcast. Wesolowski did a phenomenal job of giving each character a clear, unique voice and I couldn’t help but think the audiobook version of this must be superb. As my husband isn’t a reader I’m thinking we need to listen to it together, but I digress. As each podcast comes to a close, more truth is revealed, but more questions also arise. Who is actually reliable and trustworthy? Seeing as how the events in question occurred twenty years ago, everyone’s recollections are hazy at best making it all the more complicated to put all the puzzle pieces together. Everyone interviewed by King is directly involved in the case and they all add a new twist to things, leaving you to draw your own conclusions as to what to believe, or not to believe. As the layers are slowly peeled back, secrets are unveiled that finally shed light on what truly happened. 

This was an unsettling read, one that makes you feel like evil is lurking just around the corner, that leaves a pit of uneasiness in your stomach. Scarclaw Fell was hauntingly atmospheric and a ideal setting for such a tragic event. The whole thing was brilliantly, cleverly executed and a highly immersive read. You could feel the chill in the air, hear the sounds of the forest, see glimpses of the unknown skulking about. The ending was utterly perfect, I really can’t find fault with any aspect of this one and I’m praying that Wesolowski is currently working on his next book. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy. 

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Release date: March 17, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Chick Lit, Cozy Mystery 

Blurb: 

Welcome to Chapelwick, a leafy English town in the hills of Shropshire, where chocolate pecan cookies come with a helping of sabotage.

Maplemead Castle is crawling with ghosts, and the new owners need them gone. When Melody Bittersweet and the Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency arrive on scene, they quickly identify the troublemakers swinging from the chandeliers… literally. 

A century ago, stunning trapeze artist Britannia Lovell plunged to her death, and has done every night since. But did she really just fall, or was there something more to her demise?

Forced to work with Leo Dark, her scoundrel ex, and infuriating, irresistible reporter Fletcher Gunn, Melody’s investigative powers are under strain (i.e. lost in a pink mist of lust and confusion). She needs her team on top form, but best friend Marina’s cake pipeline goes AWOL, assistant Artie’s distracted by a giant sausage roll, and the pug is scared witless by a lion.

Somewhere, hidden in the castle, is a heart-breaking secret, but what will it take to find it? And is there a chance it could set Britannia free, or is she doomed to repeat her last fateful act forever?

Review: 

Ahhhh I am SO excited to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Mystery at Maplemead Castle today! This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites, I think I may have liked this one a tiny bit more than the first book, and I really liked that one as well! My review for the first book can be found here. 

Melody and crew feel like old friends at this point, and I was so pleased to be aquatinted with them again. Not much has changed since the first book, Melody is still a sugar addict who daydreams of sexy superheroes, Marina is still a vixen in stilettos, Artie is still slowly gaining confidence and may be ready to dip his toes into the dating pool, and Silvana and Dicey are still up to their old tricks. This time around the Girls Ghostbusting Agency is tasked with clearing a gorgeous castle of its lingering spirits and things are seriously complicated. Leo Dark is also underfoot and Fletcher Gunn is writing yet another piece for the newspaper. One ex boyfriend and one potential new love interest for Melody is overwhelming enough, but a ghostly love triangle, with the terrifying bonus of a lion is enough to push sweet Melody over the edge.

I can’t get over how hilarious this was! I laughed even harder than I did during the first book, at one point I was crying with laughter, full blown hysterics. There is an over abundance of witty, snarky banter between all of the characters, but when Marina and Melody go off on a tangent, I lose it. They get naughty, sassy and are downright incorrigible but I love every minute of it. Fletch played a large presence in this one and the heat between him and Melody was awesome! Their banter was amazing as well, their chemistry is sizzling and the way he manages to make Melody tangle herself in verbal knots is beyond funny. I think I’ll chuckle to myself anytime I hear/see the word rhubarb. 

I now know that I can only start a Kitty French book when I have nothing else to do because I hate having to put it down. For such a quirky, fun loving read, there were some heartfelt and tender moments, I swear this series has it all. This book was an utter delight and I can’t wait for the next one. I dare you to read this without cracking a smile, I’m still smiling and giggling hours after finishing. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to Bookouture for my review copy. 

About the Author: 

Kitty French lives in the Black Country with her husband, two young sons and two crazy cats. She’s a lover of all things romantic – songs, music, and most of all, books. Her USA Today best-selling Lucien Knight series topped the erotic chart on both sides of the pond, and she also writes romantic comedy as Kat French for Avon, HarperCollins. 

She’s over the moon to join Bookouture with her brand new paranormal romantic comedy series, Melody Bittersweet and the Girls Ghostbusting Agency.

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Release date: March 21, 2017

Publisher: Bloodhound Books 

Genre: Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

Gavin Law was a whistleblower.

Now he’s missing.

Just another case for Glasgow PI, Charlie Cameron, until he discovers there is more to Law and his disappearance than anyone imagined.

Wallace Maitland, the surgeon responsible for leaving a woman brain-damaged may have abandoned his sacred oath and become a killer. Did the hospital which refused to accept responsibility for the tragedy have Law silenced permanently? Or, with his wife little more than a vegetable, has David Cooper, believing he has been betrayed yet again, taken justice into his own hands?

Charlie comes to realise the world of medicine can be a dangerous place.

Across the city, East End gangster, Sean Rafferty is preparing to exploit the already corrupt city council in a multi-million pound leisure development known as Riverside. The project will be good for Glasgow. But not everybody is keen to work with Rafferty.  

With more than money at stake, Sean will do anything to get his way. His motto, borrowed from his old man, is simple. Never take a no from somebody who can give you a yes.

If that means murder, then so be it.

Charlie has crossed Rafferty’s path before and lived to tell the tale.

He may not be so lucky a second time. 

Review: 

Happy publication day to Owen Mullen, I’m thrilled to be kicking off the blog tour for Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. 

This is book three in the Charlie Cameron series and I wouldn’t recommend reading it as a standalone because at this point there is some pretty deep character development at play and you would also be missing out on a great series! One of my favorite things about this series is that Charlie is a PI and not a detective which while being unique, it’s also fun because he’s not restricted by the same rules and regulations as a police officer and he has the freedom to take on cases of his choosing. He also can toe the line more and follow his gut instincts which keeps things fresh and exciting. 

I spoke of character development earlier and while there are always more layers to Charlie’s character being revealed, this time you learn more about Charlie’s police contact and friend, Andrew Geddes. Diving into his background and seeing what drives him was really interesting and following along with him as he works a case was also a new treat. When two separate cases that both men are working on collide, things really start to get sticky and compelling. 

I’ve really grown to love and appreciate Mullen’s use of dry wit and humor in his writing, it breaks things up and always causes me to smirk. Charlie is such a likable guy to me and though I always enjoy following along as he tries to solve a case and find a missing person, seeing what he does in terms of his romantic and personal life is also a draw. There is a little bit of that in this book and I can’t wait to see what comes of that. The Rafferty’s are also back, and that only means trouble for Charlie and things were left wide open, the epilogue especially intrigued me, I’ll be impatiently awaiting book four! 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for my review copy. 

About the Author: 

When he was ten, Owen Mullen won a short story competition and didn’t write anything else for almost forty years. In between he graduated from Strathclyde University with a Masters in Tourism and a degree in Marketing, moved to London and worked as a rock musician, session singer and songwriter, and had a hit record in Japan with a band he refuses to name; on occasion he still performs. He returned to Scotland to run a management consultancy and a marketing agency. He is an Arsenal supporter and a serious foodie. A gregarious recluse, he and his wife, Christine, split their time between Glasgow – where the Charlie Cameron books are set – and their villa in the Greek Islands. 

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Release date: March 9, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture 

Genre: Chick Lit 

Blurb: 

Can a holiday romance ever have a happy ending? Escape with Kate to the sun-drenched city of Rome where a love affair is just about to begin …

When Kate’s husband Matt dumps her on Friday 13th she decides enough is enough – it’s time for her to have some fun and so she hops on a plane to Rome. A week of grappa and gelato in pavement cafes under azure blue skies will be just what the doctor ordered.

What she doesn’t count on is meeting and falling for sexy policeman Alessandro. But the course of true love doesn’t run smoothly – Alessandro has five meddling sisters, a fearsome mama and a beautiful ex Orazia. They’re all certain that Kate is not the girl for him.

Can Kate and Alessandro’s love last the distance? Or will she return home with the one souvenir she doesn’t want – a broken heart …

Fall in love with the colourful cafes and the cobbled piazzas of Rome and follow Kate’s dreams and her heart in this enchanting escapist read. Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Carol Matthews.

Review: 

I’m delighted to welcome you to my stop on the blog tour for Rome is Where the Heart Is. I’m sharing the day with the lovely Kaisha at The Writing Garnet so be sure and check in there for her thoughts as well. 

Do you need a vacation but it isn’t happening anytime soon? Me too, but after reading this gem of a book I feel as if I’ve had a refreshing holiday in Rome, it provided an absolutely lovely escape from reality and transported me to the sunny streets of Italy. 

Poor Kate, when the story begins she’s just been unceremoniously dumped by her oblivious husband Matt. He seriously needs to get a clue, and though Kate knows she’s better off without him, that’s easier said than done. They’ve been together for almost twenty years after all, and while being suddenly single and free again is exciting, it’s also scary for her. Looking for a way to escape and heal her heartbreak, she books a vacation to Rome, all alone. She has plans to sightsee and eat plenty of delicious Roman cuisine, but almost as soon as she arrives, things don’t go according to her plans, but is that always a bad thing? 

I LOVED the characters in this book, Kate is warm and likable, and her relationship with her two sisters, Anna and Lily was sweet and genuine. She meets Jamie in Rome and they immediately hit it off (as friends) he’s there on business from New York and he was just a whole lot of fun, just the type of friend Kate needs at the right time. Alessandro is a local police officer who represents everything you would picture in terms of a sexy Italian man. I kept hearing his accent in my head and let’s just say I could completely understand why Kate was charmed by him. He has a crazy, dynamic family with five sisters and a typical Italian mother. They were all easy to like and made me laugh. 

This was my first Tennant book and I was drawn to her easy, breezy writing style. The beautiful backdrop of Rome was the perfect setting for love and romance and then add in the food? Heavenly! I was suddenly craving good wine and even better food, guess I need to book myself an Italian vacation. I loved the storyline but what I appreciated the most was that even though Kate and Alessandro had an instant connection, it wasn’t a quick fix to happily ever after. Kate returns home and has to deal with her ex and family making it so much more real than if she had stayed with Alessandro initially. I’m so pleased that this is the first book in a new series and the second book is out in April, can’t wait to see what happens with these two next. 

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to Bookouture for my review copy. 

About the Author: 

From a young age, Tilly Tennant was convinced that she was destined for the stage. Once she realised she wasn’t actually very good at anything that would put her on the stage, she started to write stories instead. There were lots of terrible ones, like The Pet Rescue Gang (aged eight), which definitely should not see the light of day ever again. Thankfully, her debut novel, Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was not one of those, and since it hit the Amazon best seller lists she hasn’t looked back. Born in Dorset, she currently lives in Staffordshire with her husband, two daughters, three guitars, four ukuleles, two violins and a kazoo.

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