Showing posts with label Novel Publicity. Show all posts

24 October, 2016

Debdatta Dasgupta October 24, 2016 1

#Spotlight :: Scorched Sould by Jeff Altabef and Erynn Altabef

Scorched Souls in the Spotlight

Welcome to The Scorched Souls Tour! Welcome to another exciting Spotlight Tour with Novel Publicity. Today, I’m sharing the spotlight for Scorched Souls, the final story in the Chosen Trilogy by Jeff Altabef and Erynn Altabef.

About the Book

Fate and destiny clash in the explosive, heart-pounding conclusion to the award-winning Chosen series. ~~~~~ Survival is not enough. Alliances will be formed. Loyalties tested. A choice made. My name is Juliet Wildfire Stone and I’m not just a Chosen, I’m the Alpha… and the fate of Earth rests in my hands. When I finally met the Prime Elector, he wasn’t anything like I expected. He was supposed to be our mortal enemy, a monster I needed to destroy to fulfill my destiny, yet he was nothing like that—he’s young, brilliant, and looks like an angel. Caught in the middle of a conflict between two ancient foes, which threatens to rip Earth apart, I must do what is right at all costs. To choose my fate, and Earth’s future, I will need to navigate a new path, form unlikely alliances, and solve ancient mysteries forgotten for centuries. Yet I cannot do it alone. Will the other Chosen follow me? Do I have the strength to make the right choice, or will the people of Earth be enslaved for all time?

Here is an Exclusive Excerpt

I lean back in my chair; he’s dumped a bucket of ice water on my head, and the chill settles into my bones. “So the Chosen were set up to fail. You’ve planted a bomb on the planet to explode when the Deltites take over.” He nods, a smug self-congratulatory grin on his face. “A Heart Stone to be precise. It was the only logical action to take.” Bile burns my throat. “But billions of humans live on the planet.... They will all die. They have souls.” Still, my father’s logic is undeniable. “Another complication has developed.” Two different human faces materialize above us and hover in front of the image of Earth. “The woman’s name is Summer Stone. She’s what humans call Native American, and is the mother to the Alpha among the Chosen. The man is not from her tribe. He’s what they call Irish.” “So?” Why does he care? “The calculations behind the Chosen were extremely advanced and fragile.” A third face joins that of the others. “The Alpha’s name is Juliet Wildfire Stone. She was supposed to be born from a union between two members of the same Native American tribe. That genetic combination was the only way humans could produce a Chosen strong enough to be an Alpha and draw power from the other three. The secret order had specific rules regarding this, yet they failed to heed them. Fools! I can’t predict what the outcome will be of this particular pairing.” I study the faces and notice that Juliet has inherited much of her physical appearance from her mother: the long straight black hair, the caramel colored eyes, brown skin and high cheekbones—all but her sharp nose, which resembles her father’s. Her eyes seem to sparkle, but I shake my head. These are only holographic images. I can’t read too much into them or let my imagination cloud my reason. “I don’t understand the problem. Either she is powerful enough to be the Alpha, or she isn’t. Since you want them to fail, why do you care?” My father bores his gaze into me, and an icy blade carves into my chest and twists. “There is a third possibility.” My body turns weak. I’m lucky I’m already sitting. It’s unthinkable, but it’s the only thing that might frighten my father. “You’re afraid she’s an... abomination.” “I can’t rule it out. Even if she is, she won’t be strong enough defeat an Elite, but we can’t take any chances. I want you to go to Earth. Make sure the Chosen fail and never find out about our plans. They can’t tell the Deltites about the Heart Stone I’ve planted on the planet. If they retrieve that crystal, all would be lost, and they could use its power against us.” “Me.” I point to my chest. “Why me? Why not send someone else, someone who has already proven—” “I trust no one else with this! You will succeed and return to Alpha, and when you return you will take the final test. This way we have an excuse for your... reluctance to finish the final exam.” Two small discs fly into his hand, and he hands one to me. “This one is programmed with my brainwaves. You will use it when you have succeeded. I will keep the second here, so I can contact you... if need be.” I sense the implied threat in his words and bow my head. “Yes, father. As you command.” If pure evil exists in this universe, it’s sitting next to me, and I am this monster’s son. What does that make me? I glance at the hologram of Earth above me. It’s a beautiful planet. He’s sentenced billions of humans to die, but can I carry out the punishment?

About the Author

Jeff Altabef is an award-winning author who lives in New York with his wife, two daughters, and Charlie the dog. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. After years of being accused of “telling stories,” he thought he would make it official. He writes in both the thriller and young adult genres. Jeff is very happy and proud that his co-author for the Chosen Series is his teenaged daughter, Erynn Altabef. Wind Catcher, the first in the Chosen Series, has won the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal for Coming of Age Novels, the 2015 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best YA Fiction and a Mom’s Choice Award. As an avid Knicks fan, Jeff is prone to long periods of melancholy during hoops season. Jeff has a column on The Examiner focused on writing and a blog designed to encourage writing by those who like telling stories. Connect with Jeff on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Facebook.

Don't forget to enter for your chance to win some great prizes including an Amazon Gift Card, a Paperback of Scorched Souls and a dream catcher!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

10 June, 2016

Debdatta Dasgupta June 10, 2016 1

#BookReview :: The Witches of Panay by Fayr Willow

I was a normal girl, went to school, stayed out of trouble, and did my homework. I hung around with my best friend, Chantelle, and worked part-time at my Mama's floristry. My life on Earth was as normal as anyone’s could be, other than my being a witch. Nothing exciting ever happened. That was, not until the day Jake arrived. Then, slowly everything changed.
Now, I find myself entering Magickal realms, talking to animals, and encountering monsters that I thought were just myths. I am told I am the Chosen One. I have a job to do. I have to save the Earth.

Goodreads I Amazon

Larissa may seem like any other ordinary girl but she is anything but ordinary. She is a witch from a different world on the whole. She was brought to earth as a child by her mother and her well-wishers in order to escape an evil queen took over the control of Panay. But even that is not all… Larissa also happens to be the Chosen One – she is the only one who can defeat the evil queen. But it is almost as if Larissa is out of time because the queen has her own plans for the Earth. Is Larissa ready to do what is expected from her? How will all this end?

The author has created a brand new world setting in The Witches of Panay. A world that obviously has witches, but also has normal humans, magical creatures, crystals and it even has a ‘chosen one’. Basically it has every ingredient for a beautiful fantastical world. Certain aspects of this magical realm are interesting and intriguing. The plot of the story suits the world – simple and uncomplicated. While the story line feels mostly predictable, there are moments when the readers are forced to second guess things. The author’s language and narrative style is simple and dainty. It gave the feeling that the story was being narrated for middle grade readers rather than young adult, but I quite liked it that way as it felt just right for the plot.

Larissa, the protagonist, failed to make a mark on me. I felt as if she was ‘lost’ for most parts. She had no clue about her powers or her destiny and she certainly hasn’t found her voice. Whenever we have read about characters that are meant for great things, they are either trained to meet their destiny or they slowly grow into their roles. In Larissa’s case it was neither and it felt liked she stumbled around till fate was fulfilled. The antagonist didn’t make much of an impression either with the lack of the scare factor. The characters could really do with some more depth and development including Jake and Chantelle.

This book has its high and lows but the world it is set in holds some promise. As such I would recommend fantasy lovers to try this book for an opportunity to read about some unique concepts.

Review Copy received from Novel Publicity

05 July, 2015

Debdatta Dasgupta July 05, 2015 1

#BookReview :: Along the Way by Jacqueline Kolosov

Three friends, 33 days, and 500 miles walking the Camino de Santiago add up to one journey they’ll never forget

Piper Rose, Dani Shapiro, and Alexandra ‘Tessa’ Louise De Mille Morrow share a history that goes back to their preschool years in Chicago when their families were still intact. Now Piper lives in Evanston with her divorced dad, her estranged, unstable mother popping in and out of her life at random moments. Meanwhile, Dani’s been living in Santa Fe with a psychologist mom pregnant with her fiancé’s IVF babies. The blueblood Tessa resides on a prominent street in Boston and dreams of a romantic and well-heeled love story like that of her great-grandmother who went to France during World War II. Now that it’s the summer before college, these radically different friends decide to celebrate their history and their future by walking the legendary pilgrimage along the Way of St. James, from the French Pyrenees to the Spanish city of Santiago. Along the way, each young woman must learn to believe in herself as well as in her friends, as their collective journey unfolds into the experience of a lifetime.

Goodreads I Amazon

Piper Rose, Dani Shapiro and Alexandra Louise De Mille Morrow have been friends from their preschool years. They have kept in touch and over the years, as things changed around them, they have been the constants in each other’s life. Now with each of them heading out to college, they decide to walk the legendary pilgrimage from the French Pyrenees to the Spanish city of Santiago. They have been preparing for it for almost a year and feel ready to take it head on. Yet what awaits them on the road is more than some random pilgrims. Will they finish the pilgrimage? And how will the experience change them?

The premise of the story attracted me right from the beginning. Most seventeen year olds are worried about fashion, boys and other agonies of being a teenager. Yet these three friends chose to take the pilgrimage as a way to celebrate their friendship and the step towards college. They knew that it would not be easy and that they would have to rough it out for over a month and yet, they were matured enough to consider it. It was so refreshing to see them take this step towards growing up. In the end, the pilgrimage brought them closer to themselves and in some ways closer to each other. They met a myriad of characters on the way who added to their individual stories and to the story as a whole as well. It was fun to see so many different and unique characters in the plot.

The protagonists, Piper, Dani and Tessa themselves are quite clashing personalities themselves. They each come from different backgrounds and have very different dispositions, yet their friendship is what unites them. Tessa comes from a privileged background and is a hopeless romantic. She loves her grandmother’s love story that played out during the WWII and hopes to find that kind of love for herself. Dani is a shy bookworm who is also struggling to accept the fact that her mother is having another baby, so late in life through IVF. Piper has an outgoing nature that is just a cover for her angst from her broken family. It was interesting to see how each of these three go on a journey of self-discovery and decide to make changes in their own lives as a result of this trip. The author’s narration style is pretty good, especially the way she gave us three POVs of Piper, Dani and Tessa where each voice was distinctive. The characters were well developed and watching them mature through the book was a beautiful experience.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to all YA lovers.

Welcome to another exciting publishing house spotlight tour from Novel Publicity. Join us as three new titles from Luminis Books--we're calling them the Luminis Triplex Tour—tour the blogosphere in a way that just can't be ignored. And, hey, we've got prizes!

About the prizes:
Who doesn't love prizes? You could win either of two $25 Amazon gift cards, an autographed copy of Along the Wayby Vallie Lynn Watson, or an autographed copy of its tour mates, The Possibility of Snowby Al Riske, or Entrevoir by Chris Katsaropoulos. Here's what you need to do...

Enter the Rafflecopter contest
Leave a comment on my blog

That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win a $25 gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found HERE. The other $25 gift card and the 3 autographed books will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Luminis Triplex tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Jacqueline Kolosov walked the Way of St. James/Camino of Santiago in the summer of 1999 and had her own share of miracles (including a pony who stepped onto the path) as well as bed bugs and cyclists. Next to giving birth to her daughter, the pilgrimage is hands down the most exhilarating event of her life. Jacqueline has published several novels for teens including THE RED QUEEN'S DAUGHTER and GRACE FROM CHINA. She also writes short stories, essays and poetry. Her third collection of poems is MEMORY OF BLUE, and she has a short story collection, LOVE, THE BITTERSWEET forthcoming. A passionate animal lover, she lives with her family including 3 dogs, 2 guinea pigs and a 1/2 Andalusian mare in West Texas. Jacqueline teaches creative writing and literature at Texas Tech university. She loves to run, swim, and practice yoga. And like the friends in Along The Way, she is a bookworm, a clothes horse, and an avid (amateur) artist. Connect with Jacqueline on her website. Luminis Books was launched in January, 2010 by husband and wife team Tracy Richardson and Chris Katsaropoulos with a mission to publish thought-provoking literary fiction for children and adults. We publish what we love: Meaningful Books That Entertain. Our award-winning books engage and inform readers and explore a wide range of topics from love and relationships, teen sexual assault and homelessness to string theory, consciousness, and the Universal Energy Field. Luminis Books is a proudly independent publisher located in Carmel, IN.

Learn more about Along the Way's tour mates HERE.

28 April, 2015

Debdatta Dasgupta April 28, 2015 0

#Spotlight :: Catching Cassidy by Melissa Foster

Listen up, because today I have a huge announcement!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling Contemporary Romance author, Melissa Foster, has officially entered the world of New Adult Romance—yay! Her first book in the new Harborside Nights series released this week, and she's having a huge party with lots of cool prizes and games to celebrate. So read more about Catching Cassidy below, stop to get your copy at Amazon, Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, or Google Play, and then head on over to Melissa's Street Team to join the party!

Wyatt Armstrong never imagined that instead of celebrating his college graduation, he and his twin sister would be dealing with the death of their parents. Then again, Wyatt had never been one to think past tomorrow. He heads to their summer home in Harborside, Massachusetts, with his best friend Cassidy Lowell in tow, to deal with his parents’ death and to try to figure out his next step.

Six foot two, infuriatingly handsome, and flirtatious, Wyatt Armstrong has always been there for Cassidy, helping her pass her classes and fend off unwanted advances, while driving her insane with his one-night stands—but that’s what best friends are for, isn’t it? Having each other’s backs. There was never any doubt that she would accompany him to his family’s summer home—but she never expected to begin seeing Wyatt as more than a friend. Or has she been ignoring her feelings all along?

It’s impossible to ignore the sizzling heat between them as Wyatt and Cassidy get even closer, but Cassidy knows Wyatt’s past, and she has a real job to begin in the fall. Wyatt may be a sure thing for the summer, but Cassidy needs more. For the first time in his life, Wyatt is forced to look toward the future if he doesn’t want to lose the one woman who’s shared his past and owns his heart.

HARBORSIDE NIGHTS is a sexy, hot, and evocatively real New Adult Romance series that follows a group of friends who have known one another for years as “summer” friends, and now come together after college to build their lives. They’re tough, edgy, and accepting—most of the time. This series is written in the loving, raw, and emotional voice readers have come to love by New York Times & USA Today bestselling, award-winning author Melissa Foster. Learn more at www.MelissaFoster.com.

13 April, 2015

Debdatta Dasgupta April 13, 2015 2

#BookReview :: That Summer Night (Callaways #6) by Barbara Freethy

This is the week you finally meet the Callaways! Not only are they all over the web as part of their extraordinary blog tour, but they are also out and about in your neighborhood. That's right; we're celebrating the print launch with Ingram by throwing a party all over the world! Make sure to follow this tour closely for your chance to win gift cards, swag, autographed books, and other incredible prizes.

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment—easy to enter; easy to win!

About The Callaways:

The Callaways were born to serve and protect! In Barbara’s new connected family series, each of the eight siblings in this blended Irish-American family find love, mystery and adventure, often where they least expect it! Each book stands alone, but for the full enjoyment of the series, you might want to start at the beginning with On A Night Like This! Get the eBooks via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, or Kobo.

That Summer Night (Callaways #6)

Once Reid Becker was the best of the best, an elite soldier whose career ended abruptly in a mission gone awry. Derailed after a decade of intense focus, Reid is spending far too much time in his best friend's bar. Then Shayla Callaway walks into his life with a desperate plea for help. How can he resist a beautiful blonde?

The last thing Shayla Callaway was looking for was trouble. After years of medical school, she is months away from finishing her residency when a stint with a research team lands her in the middle of a game of drugs and money, and the only person who can help her is a burned out ex-soldier with a hot body and a cocky attitude.

Reid and Shayla have always put duty and career first. But as the danger heats up, so do the summer nights. Suddenly, it's not just about saving the world but about saving each other and a love they never expected …

Goodreads I Amazon

My Review:

I have no idea what just happened in this book!

We have seen very little of Shayla over the other books. So I was anticipating getting to know her. Shayla Callaway is a genius who is just months away from completing her medical residency. She has just returned, sans her boss, from a research trip in Colombia where she witnessed a massacre. Her boss instructs her to retrieve something from his office and give it to his brother. Shayla get embroiled in a situation that is both tragic and terrifying. Her only source of comfort in the times of trouble is Reid Becker. Reid Becker is an ex-military man with a complicated relationship with his brother. When Shayla comes to him for help, will he be able to put his past aside and save both his brother and the girl who is slowly making a permanent place in his heart?

I had big trouble digesting this story. While I am generally okay with some larger than life moments, some cheesy lines and even some loopholes from romantic thrillers, this book just goes over the top. Certain intimate moments were so very bizarre given the situations that I just skipped those moments. Then again the author has completely failed to capture the trauma of PTSD. Though I have never experienced it first hand, I have read enough books and watched enough movies to have some idea about the impact it has on a person. It was so understated!! As a result, I didn’t really get a chance to like Shayla or Reid. For a self-sufficient, independent and a genius, Shayla sure acts like a fool most of the time. Also, given Reid’s past, I am surprised that he gets engaged to Shayla so soon without any reservations at all.

This book was complete opposite of what I liked about the series so far. Yes, there was some action and some mystery but they are just not enough to prop up this book on its own. I am majorly disappointed with this book.

About the Author:

Barbara Freethy has been making up stories most of her life. Growing up in a neighborhood with only boys and a big brother who was usually trying to ditch her, she spent a lot of time reading. When she wasn’t reading, she was imagining her own books. After college and several years in the P.R. field, she decided to try her hand at a novel. Now Barbara is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author loved by readers all over the world. Her novels range from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Learn more on her website, Facebook page, or in her Street Team.

To Win the Prizes:

Purchase any of the Callaway novels by Barbara Freethy (optional)
Enter the Rafflecopter contest
Visit today’s featured social media event (that's where the HUGE prizes are)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 April, 2015

Debdatta Dasgupta April 12, 2015 2

#BookReview :: Somewhere Only We Know (Callaways #8) by Barbara Freethy

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment—easy to enter; easy to win!

About The Callaways:

Somewhere Only We Know (Callaways #8)

Firefighter Burke Callaway has been living in the shadows since the tragic death of his fiancée. He had no interest in coming out of the dark, until the beautiful and unpredictable Maddie came back to town.

Maddie Heller is the ultimate free spirit, her love of life and cooking taking her all over the globe, and only a few people know that her easy smile covers a personal tragedy. With a new job offer in San Francisco, Maddie thinks it might be time to stay in one place, especially when she runs into Burke again.

Burke was the handsome, sexy hero of her youth, who could do no wrong. Maddie was the pretty, fun-loving girl of his youth, who loved to break the rules. They were opposites in every way, but there was always a connection. It was just never the right time or the right place—until maybe now.

But their budding love story suddenly takes a dangerous turn, and a series of escalating incidents makes them realize that falling in love might not just be scary but also deadly.

Goodreads I Amazon

My Review:

Burke is the eldest Callaway sibling and we have seen and heard bit and pieces about his history in the previous books. It is finally time to get to know his story.

Burke Callaway has been living in the shadows ever since his fiancé died in a car crash. He has since put himself into his work and his family. He is one of the most respected firefighters in town. His family may think that they know what happened, but he has a secret about his relationship with his ex-fiancé, Leanne. Maddie, Leanne’s twin sister has been living in the shadows too. She too has kept herself busy with work and doing things off her bucket list. But a job offer brings her back to San Francisco. Once she is back, Burke and Maddie have to not only face each other, but also their own grief and confusion.

Burke has always come off as this reserved elder brother of the family, one on whom everyone can count on. But he has been facing his own demons for far too long. Maddie on the other hand feels much brighter even though she has been struggling with guilt and confusion. While Burke is developed as the matured, self-contained and reserved personality, Maddie is more of an outgoing and carefree personality. Their contrast in personality actually balances each other out and they make a good couple. Of course there is some mystery in this installment too. Someone is after Maddie and there are a number of attacks on her where Burke comes to the rescue. I have only one bone to pick regarding the novel… The information provided, could have been done in a better manner. While the information is provided through conversations between Maddie and Burke, they felt more like a debate competition than a conversation.

Overall an, interesting conclusion to the series with all the questions finally answered.

About the Author:

To Win the Prizes:

Purchase any of the Callaway novels by Barbara Freethy (optional)
Enter the Rafflecopter contest
Visit today’s featured social media event (that's where the HUGE prizes are)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

11 April, 2015

Debdatta Dasgupta April 11, 2015 0

#BookReview :: When Shadows Fall (Callaways #7) by Barbara Freethy

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment—easy to enter; easy to win!

About The Callaways:

When Shadows Fall (Callaways #7)

Olivia Bennett is a biographer, a narrator of lives far more interesting than her own. Orphaned as a child, she has always been fascinated by family relationships. When she volunteers to write down the memories of Eleanor Callaway, an elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer's, she gets caught up in a compelling story of a great love and a terrible secret. Suddenly, she is no longer a spectator but an investigator, and in her quest for truth, she finds herself at odds with Eleanor's sexy and very protective grandson, Colton Callaway.

Colton is a firefighter, a man used to going after what he wants and getting it. He pushes the limits, takes chances, and is willing to risk everything to save a life, especially if that life belongs to his grandmother.

As Olivia and Colton stir up the smoldering embers of the past, they soon come to realize that the greatest danger may not come from those who want to protect their secrets but from each other. Because the one thing neither has ever been willing to risk is their heart.

Goodreads I Amazon

My Review:

I have been waiting to get to this story. Grandma Callaway has dropping hints all over the place about a family secret that no one seems to know about. Even though grandpa Callaway has been trying to shut her down every time she started talking about it, she got enough in to have my interest piqued.

Colton Callaway has a lot to prove to his new station chief who seems to have something against the Callaway name. But on his first fire after the chief’s arrival, Colton has an accident and is ordered to be on medical leave for some time. In the meantime, Olivia Bennett arrives in town to meet Eleanor Callaway and her theatre group who seems to have an interesting story to tell. Patrick has to go out of town, so he asks Colton to keep Olivia away from his grandmother. But Olivia has personality that is not easy to ignore or dominate. As mysteries unfold… Olivia finds a personal connection to it and Colton tries to keep the family secret safe, all the while fighting their growing attraction to each other.

Okay so Colton is a bit of a jerk. I did not like his controlling nature at all no matter what the plot called for. On the other hand, Olivia is my favourite non-Callaway character in the series. I just loved her personality. I just couldn’t see these two characters falling for each other and the chemistry seemed a bit forced. I was surprised by Olivia’s personal connection to the mystery part of the story – but it was a good surprise. And once again, I loved the mystery part of the plot and it pretty much made up for the romance part of the book. The climax was way too good and I thoroughly enjoyed the way things turned out. This is one of those books where I found certain things not to my liking but they were acceptable end of the day.

This was one mystery that did justice to its build up over the previous books.

About the Author:

To Win the Prizes:

Purchase any of the Callaway novels by Barbara Freethy (optional)
Enter the Rafflecopter contest
Visit today’s featured social media event (that's where the HUGE prizes are)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

10 April, 2015

Debdatta Dasgupta April 10, 2015 0

#BookReview :: All a Heart Needs (Callaways #5) by Barbara Freethy

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment—easy to enter; easy to win!

About The Callaways:

All a Heart Needs (Callaways #5)

Sean Callaway is the black sheep of the Callaway clan, the sibling who refused to follow in the family tradition of firefighting. Instead, he lives his life in music. On the outside, he's a free-spirited rock star, but on the inside, Sean is haunted by the death of a childhood friend, a tragedy no one knows he witnessed. He's kept the secret for twenty years. But nothing stays hidden forever…

Jessica Schilling, a young widow, moved to San Francisco to reunite her six-year-old stepson with his long-lost identical twin brother, Brandon. She rents a house just around the corner from the Callaways, and while cleaning out the garage for the previous owner Jessica stumbles upon a very old secret—one that someone might just be willing to kill to keep.

Suddenly, Sean is thrust back into the past. He's forced to face his most disturbing memories, not only to solve the riddle of the tragedy that ripped his life apart, but also to save the woman he loves…

Goodreads I Amazon

My Review:

Finally Sean Callaway, the so called black sheep of the family, gets a book all to himself. He has made appearances here and there and had a chunk of a role in Between Now and Forever (Callaways #4), but I am happy to have him in the lead for this one.

Sean Callaway is a musician who plays in a band. He is a far cry from the rest of the ‘community serving’ family and has a surprising relationship with Jack Callaway, his father. As a musician, he travels a lot and has a way with the ladies. But no one has been able to touch his heart where he keeps a secret from his childhood. Jessica Schilling is a single mother who moves to San Francisco in order to keep Kyle and Brandon together and give herself a fresh start as well. But what she soon discovers is that the house she has moved into has secrets that somebody doesn’t want revealed and secrets that are somehow connected to Sean. While Sean and Jessica had formed a certain attachment in the last book, they are wary of each other now. Jessica is not particularly interested in Sean’s lifestyle and Sean isn’t sure whether he is ready to settle down yet – especially with all that is happening around them.

I was eager to read his story as I was sure that he would surprise me in some way and he did! I also liked Jessica and Kyle. This is another well balanced novel where romance and mystery go hand in hand. Though for the first time in this series, I was sure about how it is going to pan out. Also, five books into the series, I am starting to see patterns in Barbara Freethy’s writing style. There are some similar dialogues and comments that are repeated in each book and I am getting tired of that. Each character has been drawn up as unique, yet the way they think and talk resembles each other way too much. I guess, I should have given sometime between each book instead of reading them together.

About the Author:

To Win the Prizes:

Purchase any of the Callaway novels by Barbara Freethy (optional)
Enter the Rafflecopter contest
Visit today’s featured social media event (that's where the HUGE prizes are)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Debdatta Dasgupta April 10, 2015 0

#Interview with Barbara Freethy, #Author of Callaway Series

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment—easy to enter; easy to win!

About The Callaways:

#1 NY Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy talks inspiration, romance, and research, plus tells us about how the Callaways' lives resemble her own… Check out what she has to say then Read on for more information about this blog tour and all its great prizes!

What do you love most about being an author?
Being able to tell stories! I've been a voracious reader since I was a child, and having a job that allows me to create my own worlds, characters and plots is a dream come true.

What first inspired you to write the Callaways? Where did you get the initial idea for the series?
I had wanted to write a family series for a while, and I wanted the family to be blended, just to make the dynamics a little more interesting. Jack Callaway was a widower with four small boys when he met Lynda Kane, a divorcee with two small girls. They fell in love, got married and had twins. The eight siblings are now adults and range in age between 35 and 25. I also wanted the Callaways to stand for something. So there's a family tradition of "serve and protect". All the kids are raised with the idea that they need to serve the community, to help others and to always protect the family as well as anyone else in trouble. And the Callaways always seem to find trouble, even when they're not looking for it.

Which of the Callaway siblings is the most like you? How are the two of you similar?
There is a piece of me in every character that I write, which makes it impossible for me to ever pick a favorite. I do like Emma a lot, because she's the one person in the family who has a close relationship with every sibling. She's also independent, brave and loving, which are all great traits.

Your characters all have such fascinating jobs, and, in reading your novels, it feels like I'm right there with them. How do you perform your research in order to make careers such as a smoke jumper, homicide detective, or Coast Guard rescue pilot so authentic?
I've read quite a few nonfiction books and articles written by smoke jumpers, firefighters, cops, etc. And I have a writer friend who is also a police detective, so I often ask her for help with the more technical aspects. But what's really fun about writing is discovering new things—so I love to write about people in careers I don't know that much about. In THAT SUMMER NIGHT, one of the characters is tied into the pharmaceutical industry, and I had never written a book that delved into that area. I found some of the true whistleblower stories that I read in preparation for writing that book to be fascinating. I think enjoying research is probably a big part of being a successful writer. I was born with a curiosity and an imagination. Writing is a great outlet!

The Callaways all have such beautiful, unique love stories. How do you get in the mindset for writing them? Are any of their stories inspired, at least in part, by your own real-life love story?
I have a wonderful husband who always takes credit for being my inspiration. And while that's true, as a writer I do love to explore stories beyond my own personal experience. I like to bring together couples who complement each other but also drive each other a little crazy. I think love is about finding that one person who pushes you to be better, who challenges the way you think, supports you no matter what and gives you that heady, dizzy, wonderful feeling that comes when you fall in love.

I love that your novels are not only awesome romances but also have gripping suspense as a central part of the story line. How do you start planning your novels with the romance or with the suspense—or with something else altogether?
I enjoy writing romance that brings a little extra in terms of a plot. So every Callaway novel features a great love story, a puzzling mystery, some family drama and a little nerve-tingling suspense. I don't outline in great detail, but I always have a general idea of the suspense plot points before I begin. The story takes shape and changes as I put myself into the characters' heads. That's part of the fun of writing!

Congrats on your groundbreaking, new partnership with Ingram to get the paperback editions of the Callaways out to the world. What about this opportunity has you most excited?
Since I formed my own publishing company and began independently publishing my books outside of the traditional New York publishing industry, it's been a challenge to get my books into print and into physical bookstores across the country. Late last year, I entered into a groundbreaking partnership with Ingram Publisher Services to sell and distribute my books into retail outlets like Target, Barnes and Noble, airport bookstores and supermarkets, as well as other bookstore chains. I know there are lots of readers who still prefer to read in print, and I'm thrilled that they'll now be able to read my bestselling digital series in their favorite format!

About the Author: