Tag: amazon

And Then You Were Gone by R.J. Jacobs

Advanced Readers Copy 

“How can you save someone else if you can’t save yourself…”

Emily Firestone finally has a handle on her future. Struggling for years with her bipolar disorder, she is now in control and dominating every aspect of her life. A great job, a place to call her own, and an incredible boyfriend, Paolo.

When Paolo wants to whisk Emily away on a weekend sailing trip. The perfect get away in his eyes. Just the two of them… on the water. Emily accepts, who could resist this marvellous mini vacation.

The weekend starts off perfect. Until the next morning when Emily wakes all alone. Paolo is nowhere to be found. Emily doesn’t understand, he is an amazing swimmer. There is no way he could have drown.

Once Emily’s feet are back on dry land her desperate search for Paolo is well underway.

Days pass and he is still missing. Emily finds herself starting to slip back into her old ways. Depression slowly taking its tight grip all over again.

Until some evidence comes to light that Paolo may not have drown but murdered.

Now Emily is not only fighting her own mania but trying to clear her name, as she is the number one suspect in the disappearance of her boyfriend.

What will happen next? Will Emily lose all she has worked so hard for?

***

4 out of 5 stars

And Then You Were Gone is a heart pounding, teeth clenching, psychological thriller.

With so many thrilling twists and turns you can’t possibly have an idea what is going to happen next. It will have you gripping to the edge of your seat.

R.J. Jacobs is a psychologist in clinical practise. He also performs PTSD evaluations for veterans. Have you ever heard the term “Write what you know?” That is exactly what he has done, and it couldn’t be more brilliant.

If you are a thriller lover this novel is for you.

Absolutely sensational.

“Being bipolar just means I get a lot done.”

***

Thank you so incredibly much to HarperCollins Canada for sending this fascinating read my way.

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Release Date: March 12, 2019

 

Photo taken from my Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichi.i_readpastmybedtime/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Elephants Fly by Nancy Richardson Fischer

T. Lily Decker is a high school senior with a 12-year plan: avoid stress, drugs, alcohol, and boyfriends, and take regular psych quizzes administered by her best friend, Sawyer, to make sure she’s not developing schizophrenia.

Genetics are not on Lily’s side. When she was seven, her mother, who had paranoid schizophrenia, tried to kill her. And a secret has revealed that Lily’s odds are even worse than she thought. Still, there’s a chance to avoid triggering the mental health condition, if Lily can live a careful life from ages 18 to 30, when schizophrenia most commonly manifests.

But when a newspaper internship results in Lily witnessing a mother elephant try to kill her three-week-old calf, Swifty, Lily can’t abandon the story or the calf. With Swifty in danger of dying from grief, Lily must choose whether to risk everything, including her sanity and a first love, on a desperate road trip to save the calf’s life, perhaps finding her own version of freedom along the way. 

***Synopsis copied from Amazon.ca*** – TRIGGER WARNING: Schizophrenia, suicide, and animal abuse.

I generally enjoy starting off my reviews with a break down of the story, in my own words.

Lets just say with this one I couldn’t….Honestly! I sat at the computer, staring at the screen… and nothing. My words would not do this novel justice. I am still trying to wrap my head around it all. I had to use the synopsis right off amazon.

When Elephants Fly is absolutely breath-taking. I may even go as far to say, life changing.

This novel will truly tug at each and every one of your heart-strings. You will experience all emotions, ones you knew you had and ones you didn’t even know existed.

Nancy is an incredible author, and her knowledge and love for Elephants is impeccable, absolutely inspiring. There is so much detail in this sensitive, yet moving story.

Stunning. When Elephants Fly has got to be one of my absolute favourite reads of 2018. I will always cherish this story.

Please! go out and pick it up now. You will not regret it. It is one of a kind.

Oh and the cover! just beautiful. 5 out of 5 Stars.

Thank you for reading.

Your Fellow Book Worm

-Nichole

WHEN ELEPHANTS FLY

 

Mistletoe Miracles by Jodi Thomas

3 Perfectly Passionate Tales…

 

The Maverick Ranch:

Griffin Holloway and his 2 brothers are struggling. The Maverick Ranch has been in their family for generations but recently has become a money pit. With desperation to keep the ranch in their family, not ready to give up. Griffin and his brothers come up with a few ideas. The strongest idea being, one of them has to marry a wealth lady and fast. But will Marriage be the solution to all their money problems?

***

O’Grady:

Jaxon has always been the town’s hermit, enjoying the quiet life.  Until one day Jaxon witnesses an awful car accident. Which may change his extremely peaceful life for the better.  Jaxon may not be the town’s hermit for much longer!

***

Johnson’s:

Jamie Johnson has perfectly settled into the small town of Crossroads, Texas. No more pesky, nosy, questions about her dating life and why she’s still not in a long-term relationship. This Christmas may change everything, when Jamie comes home to find an unexpected guest in her home. Now with the whole town asking questions, the only question Jamie has is, did she just find her mister forever?

 

****

5 out of 5 stars

I absolutely ADORED all three of these compassionate, breath-taking, unusual stories.

Each story was rooted in the quaint town of Crossroads, Texas. The perfect setting!

A dash of Griffin’s, tender, considerate, passionate side. With Jaxon’s protective, devoted, attentive side and Mr. Johnson’s compassionate, warm, worrisome side. You get a mix of all the best worlds with these men.

You will devour each story,  wishing you were able to live just one, if not all of these worlds. Each character has such a unique back story that will have you cherishing them all.

Highly recommend! This read will leave you with all the Christmas cheer.

Thanks for reading!

Your Fellow Book Worm

-Nichole

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Photo from my Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichi.i_readpastmybedtime/

 

 

 

Lone Star Christmas by Delores Fossen

Thank you to Harlequin Publicity Team for sending Lone Star Christmas my way.

Published September 25th 2018 by HQN Books

***

“A Family Crisis Brings Him Home… Just In Time For Christmas”

Callen Laramie has avoided his hometown, Coldwater, Texas, like the plague. Which hasn’t been all that hard for him up until now.

Although being so lucky to grow up in a warm, loving foster home and having a beautiful family. Long ago Cattleman Callen escaped Coldwater, on the search for bigger, better things and never looked back.

As hard as it may have been, leaving one special person.

Callen receives a Christmas wedding invitation to Buck, his foster-father and Rosie’s wedding. With all intentions not to go, Callen soon finds out there is a family secret and  knowing he may be re-united with his childhood crush, Shelby, who has always been off-limits, changes his mind rapidly.

Lone Star Christmas
Photo from my Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichi.i_readpastmybedtime/

4 out of 5 Stars

Such a warm, cozy and dare I say STEAMY Christmas read.

Callen is a stubborn, strong-headed man. Who slowly releases into a considerate, passionate, devoted, sulty, gentleman. Leaving Shelby weak in the knees.

Shelby has forever been Callen’s delicacy, but always seen as forbidden. Now Shelby is all grown up and makes her own choices and Callen is exactly what she craves.

Lone Star Christmas provides, all the romantic, warm fuzzy feels and lets not forget ALL the drama, in the best way possible. Along with the blooming fling between Callen and Shelby there are amazing family and friend relationships. You will love each and every character in such a different way.

With each twist and turn, you will want to devour more and more.

A Perfect Christmas Romance.

Thank you for reading!

Your fellow book nerd

-Nichole

 

The Water Is Wide and The Canary’s Song by Natalie Banks

The Water Is Wide:

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Sarah is slowly piecing herself back together, after the tragic loss of her husband who drown 14 years earlier.

Thomas was and still is the love of her life, making this the hardest thing she has ever had to do. Just as she starts to get the hang of things and is slowly feeling more comfortable in her skin. Sarah has the shock of a lifetime when she sees a man who is a spitting image of her husband, just having aged 14 years.

Only to learn this man is not her late husband Thomas, but a man named Collin.

Collin is new to the area and Sarah cant help but feel drawn to him. Feelings start to flourish between them and a steamy relationship begins. But Sarah cant help but wonder if her feelings for this man are legitimate, or is it just how much Collin reminds her of Thomas and what she had in the past.

***

4.5 out of 5 stars

This read is full of every emotion you could think possible. You watch this immense amount of strength grow within Sarah as she has to put her life back together after losing Thomas. Then jumping to her reflecting any negativity she receives from friends and family who don’t approve of this new relationship with Collin. All while she fights her own thoughts and questions as to how this man can look so much like her husband and is this relationship genuine, or just a form of comfort for her.

An-all-out phenomenal read. This book will not disappoint. It will have you yearning for more.

The Canary’s Song:

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The tragic loss of her son has completely destroyed Juliette. Mourning him is slowly taking over everything she touches. It has caused too much stress on her marriage and now she can see Liam slowly slipping out from her finger tips.

In a desperate attempt to reconnect, and keep her family together, especially for her daughter’s sake. Juliette plans a romantic get away at a secluded cabin in the mountains.

Liam is hesitant to go, in his mind he has already come to a finalized decision that he is leaving Juliette and nothing can change that. But with a heavy heart and for her sake he agrees.

The weekend starts off rocky, but slowly feelings are rekindled. You can feel the warmth of their old spark lingering. When something awful and unexpected happens and the journey for both Juliette and Liam to get home safe and sound to their daughter brings them even closer.

***

5 out of 5 stars

I had the privileged of being part of an early readers group for The Canary’s Song. I couldn’t be more honoured.

This book will forever be near and dear to my heart. The connection between Juliette and Liam is so stunning. To see these characters go through such torture with losing their son, shattering their marriage. Yet such a simple gesture being made and everything starts to make sense again. Only for them to be tested again in a life and death situation. Juliette and Liam can only become the strongest, most powerful team.

This read was truly breath-taking. A must read!

***

Natalie Banks also has a novel called The Dark Room. A psychological thriller that I can’t wait to get my hands on.

-Nichole

Thank You!

A Huge Thank You To HarperCollins Canada – Harlequin Books 

HarperCollins Harlequin team (HQN Books) sent 6 Christmas romance novels my way. Of course I had to come on here and share them with everyone. I am so excited for each of these reads! Perfect for Christmas time!

Know someone who loves to read? loves romance?…perfect Christmas gift? I think so, just saying! he…he. 

*** Please note these are not my official reviews, I have taken the synopsis’s from amazon.ca for the purpose of this post. But please stay turned as I am planning on posting my own review for each as I finish them. 

Lone Star Christmas by Delores Fossen

Published by HQN Books on October 1, 2018

Cattleman Callen Laramie has no intention of returning to his hometown of Coldwater, Texas, until a Christmas wedding and a family secret convince him he has no choice. And when he’s reunited with his childhood crush, the girl who’d always been off-limits, Callen knows leaving might not be so easy this time. 

Shelby McCall is as pretty as a Christmas snowfall, and Callen wants to kiss her under the mistletoe…and the Christmas tree…and the stars. But once Shelby knows the whole truth behind this homecoming, will their holiday fling come to an abrupt end? Or will she accept the gift of his heart?

Mistletoe Miracles by Jodi Thomas

Published by HQN Books on September 25, 2018

A small-town Texas Christmas story, where hearts are lost, love is found, and family always brings you back home.

Griffin Holloway is desperate: the Maverick Ranch has been in his family for generations, but lately, it’s a money pit. He’d sooner marry one of his horses than sell the ranch. Marriage, though, could be a solution. If he can woo a wealthy bride, he might save the ranch—just in time for Christmas.

Jaxon O’Grady likes his solitude just fine, thank you very much. But when a car accident brings the unexpected to his door, he realises just how much one person can need another.

Crossroads is the perfect place for Jamie Johnson: avoiding nosy questions about why she’s single, she’s happy to keep to her lakeside home. So she’s baffled when she gets the strangest Christmas present of all, in the form of a Mr. Johnson, asleep on her sofa. Who is he, and why does everyone think he’s her husband?

The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan

Published by HQN Books on October 1, 2018 

The McBride sisters all have different reasons for finding the holiday season challenging, but their adoptive mother is determined this year will be different. As the countdown to Christmas Day begins, arguments, connections and secrets start bubbling. The McBride family was made, not born—but will they be able to make this the magical family Christmas their mother has always dreamed of?

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Season Of Wonder by RaeAnne Thayne

Published by HQN Books on October 1, 2018

It’s a long way from New York to Idaho…but could they have found a home at last?

Dani Capelli has never truly belonged anywhere. And from her earliest days as a foster child in Queens, she would have been lost if it weren’t for her love of animals. Until high school, when she fell hard for the wrong boy, and found herself pregnant—and married—by graduation. Two daughters later, Dani realised her mistake and filed for divorce, and with the help of scholarships and loans—and a lot of macaroni and cheese dinners—she enrolled in vet school. Things were finally looking up…until her ex-husband became her late husband, in the most notorious way possible.

Now Dani and her daughters need an out-of-town pass more than ever. So when the retiring Haven Point veterinarian offers her a chance to settle in the small Idaho town and take over his practice, she jumps at it. But adjusting to the charming mountain community isn’t easy; thirteen-year-old Silver begins acting out while six-year-old Mia is growing too attached to Haven Point and everything in it, especially their next-door-neighbour, Deputy Sheriff Ruben Morales. And Dani can’t blame her. Ruben is everything she’s secretly wanted—and everything she can’t bear to risk loving…and losing.

As the holidays draw near, their shared concern for Dani’s daughters brings them closer together, giving Ruben the chance to show this big-city woman just how magical Christmas in Haven Point can be…and that the promise of a home at last is very real in the most wondrous season of the year…

A Tall Dark Cowboy Christmas by Maisey Yates

Published by HQN Books on October 1, 2018

It’s Christmas in Gold Valley, and this wounded widower is about to get another shot at love…

Grant Dodge didn’t expect to find a woman sleeping in an abandoned cabin on his family ranch. Or to find her so intriguing. Unlike every other woman in town, McKenna Tate doesn’t know Grant’s a widower. There’s no pity in the looks she gives him. McKenna wants him, and Grant has forgotten what it’s like to feel like a man. A no-strings fling for Christmas might be the kind of holiday cheer Grant needs…

With only a suitcase to her name, McKenna came to Gold Valley to confront her birth father. She didn’t plan to work at the Dodge ranch or fall for the gorgeous cowboy who keeps his heart roped off. But there’s no denying the way their broken pieces fit together. Hope brought her to Gold Valley—but will it be the gift that could finally heal Grant, and McKenna’s own wounded heart?

Snowfall On Lighthouse Lane by Joann Ross

Published by HQN Books on November 1, 2018 (Out soon!)

Growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, Jolene Wells is forever indebted to the mother who encouraged her to fly—all the way to sunny LA and a world away from Honeymoon Harbor. Although Jolene vowed never to look back, returning home isn’t even a question when her mom faces a cancer scare. Which means running into Aiden Mannion all over town, the first boy she ever loved—and lost—and whom she can barely look in the eye.

Aiden’s black-sheep reputation may have diminished when he joined the marines, but everything he’s endured since has left him haunted. Back in Honeymoon Harbour to heal, he’s talked into the interim role of police chief, and the irony isn’t lost on the locals, least of all Aiden. But seeing Jolene after all these years is the unexpected breath of fresh air he’s been missing. He’s never forgotten her through all his tours, but he’s not sure anymore that he’s the man she deserves.

Despite the secret they left between them all those years ago, snow is starting to fall on their picturesque little town, making anything seem possible…maybe even a second chance at first love.

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***Photos are my own – from my bookstagram nichi.i_readpastmybedtime…Check it out!

Keep your eyes out for these delicious books on shelves! 

Thank you again to HQN Books for sending these my way. I am in love!

-Nichole