Sourcebooks Casablanca – The Book Diva's Reads

Book Recommendations: April 2021

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My apologies, my bookish peeps, I’ve fallen behind on writing reviews due to these incessant daily migraine headaches and another bout of bronchitis. Having a migraine every day is bad enough, add in hacking up a lung (at least that’s what it feels like at times), and it just adds to the joy. Of course, it could be so much worse and I’m incredibly grateful it isn’t. To make a long-story shorter, in lieu of reviews, I’ll simply be posting the synopsis of a few of the books I’ve read that I’m recommending you add to your TBR list, if these titles aren’t already there.

Okay, I have two recommendations for you romance lovers. First up is the final book in the Brown Sisters trilogy by Talia Hibbert, Act Your Age, Eve Brown. If you haven’t read the previous two books in this series, Get A Life, Chloe Brown and Take A Hint, Dani Brown, then you’ll want to add those to your list as well. These stories feature flawed, but realistic characters that are trying their best to cope in a world that doesn’t often make room for differently-sized, neurodiverse/neurodivergent, or differently-abled people. What more can I say other than these are great diverse romance reads.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown, The Brown Sisters #3, by Talia Hibbert
ISBN: 9780062941275 (trade paperback)
ISBN: 9780062941282 (ebook)
ISBN: 9780062941299 (digital audiobook)
ISBN: 9781799971085 (audiobook on CD)
ASIN: B089WJ184B (Audible audiobook)
ASIN: B089SYX5F5 (Kindle edition)
Publisher: Avon Romance
Release Date: March 9, 2021

In USA Today bestselling author Talia Hibbert’s newest rom-com, the flightiest Brown sister crashes into the life of an uptight B&B owner and has him falling hard—literally.

Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong—so she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It’s time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she’s not entirely sure how.

Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.

Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help . Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.

Read an excerpt here.

My next romance recommendation is the first book in a new series by award-winning romance author Sandra Kitt. Winner Takes All kicks off the Millionaires Club series. This is nice, tender, and sometimes emotional diverse romance from an author that has written quite a number of tender, emotional romances.

Winner Takes All, The Millionaires Club #1, by Sandra Kitt
ISBN: 9781728214887 (paperback)
ISBN: 9781728214894 (ebook)
ISBN: 9781662081477 (digital audiobook)
ISBN: 9781662081828 (audiobook on CD)
ASIN: B08SR9CXWF (Audible audiobook)
ASIN: B08DHGVN2L (Kindle edition)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: April 6, 2021

“Great story-telling of the most romantic kind.”—Brenda Jackson, New York Times bestselling author

“A warm-hearted story and a clever plot reflecting current issues with sensitivity, warmth, and wisdom.”—Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Jean Travis has the job of announcing the latest lottery winner on TV and is stunned to find that Patrick Bennett, her teenage crush, is the top mega winner. They haven’t seen each other in years, and Patrick is thrilled to renew their acquaintance. Jean, not so much. After all, a lot has changed since they used to study together and Jean worked so hard to hide her feelings. Now that he’s won so much money, Patrick faces a whole new world of demands from family, friends, coworkers, strangers. The only person he knows for sure he can trust, is Jean…

“Romantic, tender, emotional, and compelling.”—RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author

The previous books have already been released and are available for purchase in multiple print and digital formats. The next book won’t be available for some months, but I highly recommend adding it to your TBR list and pre-ordering it especially if you’ve ever read anything by this author in the past. The book is The Passing Storm by Christine Nolfi and this could be categorized as women’s fiction and/or family fiction. I simply classify it as a darn good read. It is a story about secrets, forgiveness (of others and of self), tragedy, survival, second chances, love, and family being more than DNA. Although this book won’t release until November, it will be worth the wait.

The Passing Storm by Christine Nolfi
ISBN: 9781542029124 (paperback)
ASIN: B08SXRK8M1 (Audible audiobook)
ASIN: B08MZPFY3J (Kindle edition)
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Release Date: November 1, 2021

A gripping, openhearted novel about family, reconciliation, and bringing closure to the secrets of the past.

Early into the tempestuous decade of her thirties, Rae Langdon struggles to work through a grief she never anticipated. With her father, Connor, she tends to their Ohio farm, a forty-acre spread that itself has enjoyed better days. As memories sweep through her, some too precious to bear, Rae gives shelter from a brutal winter to a teenager named Quinn Galecki.

Quinn has been thrown out by his parents, a couple too troubled to help steer the misunderstood boy through his own losses. Now Quinn has found a temporary home with the Langdons—and an unexpected kinship, because Rae, Quinn, and Connor share a past and understand one another’s pain. But its depths—and all its revelations and secrets—have yet to come to light. To finally move forward, Rae must confront them and also fight for Quinn, whose parents have other plans in mind for their son.

With forgiveness, love, and the spring thaw, there might be hope for a new season—a second chance Rae believed in her heart was gone forever.

Needless to say, I’ve been doing quite a bit of reading and could recommend many more titles, but felt this would be a good start until I get back to normal-for-me. I hope you’ll enjoy reading these books as much as I did. (Psst, if you enjoy reading nonfiction then you might want to grab a copy of The Black Church by Henry Louis Gates Jr. This book is an excellent companion to the recent PBS special and has some fascinating historical tidbits.) Have you read anything lately that you can recommend?

Happy Reading, y’all!

Book Spotlight: THE PRICE OF GRACE by Diana Muñoz Stewart

The Price of Grace, Black Ops Confidential #2/Band of Sisters #2, by Diana Muñoz Stewart
ISBN: 9781492694090 (paperback)
ISBN: 9781728206714 (ebook)
ISBN: 9781977372468 (audiobook)
ASIN: B07QTCV5NH (Kindle edition)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: September 24, 2019

Who can you trust

When family, truth, and love are all on the line?

Gracie Parish knows the true cost of trust. Rescued as a child by the infamous Parish family, she became a member of their covert sisterhood of vigilantes. Gracie saw her most precious relationships destroyed by secrecy. She learned long ago to protect her heart as well as her family’s secrets.

Special Agent Leif “Dusty” McAllister will do anything to uncover the truth about the Parish family’s covert operations. Dusty knows Gracie is his ticket in. He’ll use everything he’s got—fair, unfair, and just plain wrong—to break through her defenses. But the more he gets to know Gracie and her family’s mission, the harder he starts to fall. Neither one is sure they’ll get out of this with their lives—or their hearts—intact.

“Witty, dangerous, fun, and smoking hot.”

—Cindy Dees, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author regarding I Am Justice

“A high-octane…satisfying roller-coaster ride. Stewart’s talent shines.”

—Publishers Weekly regarding The Price of Grace

“Spellbinding, sizzling. Unsurpassed romantic suspense.”

—Patricia Gussin, New York Times bestselling author regarding I Am Justice

Meet the author

Armed with a razor-sharp wit and a rolled-up MFA in Creative Writing, Diana Muñoz Stewart cartwheel-kicked her way into publishing with her fiery Black Ops Confidential series. Washington Independent Review of Books called the series’ award-winning debut, “original, impressive” a “rollicking good ride” and “high-octane.”

Muñoz Stewart’s work has been a BookPage Top 15 Romance of 2018, a Night Owl Top Pick, A BookPage Top Pick, and an Amazon Book of the Month. A 2014 Pages From The Heart Winner, 2015 Golden Heart® Finalist, 2016 Daphne du Maurier Finalist, and a 2016 Gateway to the Best Winner, Diana Muñoz Stewart is a member of Romance Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime.

Diana lives in an often chaotic and always welcoming home that—depending on the day—can hold husband, kids, extended family, friends, and a canine or two. A believer in the power of words to heal, connect, and distract from chores, Diana blogs regularly on topics near and dear to her heart, including spotlight pieces on strong women from around the world. When not writing, Diana can be found kayaking, doing sprints up her long driveway—harder than it sounds–attempting yoga on her deck, or hiking with the man who’s had her heart since they were teens.

Connect with the author via Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and her website.

Giveaway

Enter to win a print copy of The Price of Grace by Diana Muñoz Stewart via TLC Book Tours. This giveaway is limited to US residents only and runs from 12:01 AM ET on 10/01/2019 through 11:59 PM ET on 10/07/2019. The winner will be announced by 10:00 AM ET on 10/08/2019. All non-US entrants will be automatically disqualified. To enter use the Rafflecopter form below. Please note that the book will be sent to the winner by TLC Book Tours at the end of the blog tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This spotlight, blog tour, and giveaway brought to you by TLC Book Tours

2019 Book 251: NOTHING TO FEAR by Juno Rushdan

Nothing To Fear Final Hour #2 by Juno Rushdan
ISBN: 9781492661573 (paperback)
ISBN: 9781492661580 (ebook)
ASIN: B07NRSHHWF (Kindle edition)
Publication date: August 27, 2019
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

The clock is ticking

Fearsome Gray Box operative Gideon Stone is devoted to his work and his team. He’s never given reason to doubt his loyalty…until he’s tasked with investigating Willow Harper, a beguiling cryptologist suspected of selling deadly bio-agents on the black market.

He knows she’s innocent. He knows she’s being framed. And he knows that without him, Willow will be dead before sunrise.

Thrust into the crossfire of an insidious international conspiracy, Gideon will do anything to keep Willow safe…even if that means waging war against his own. With time running out, an unlikely bond pushes limits―and forges loyalties. Every move they make counts. And the real traitor is always watching…

We were introduced to the Black Ops group, Gray Box in book one of the Final Hour series, Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan. This group is comprised of super intelligent, highly skilled, and well trained analysts and operatives. Willow Harper became somewhat suspicious in the last Gray Box mission when she took a break and missed tagging the bad guy at a crucial moment. It didn’t seem to matter to some people that she had been working for over 20 hours, hadn’t had any sleep, and had only taken a mandated 15 minute break, it was still suspicious. Adding insult to injury, when the suspect was apprehended and brought into custody, Willow’s pin code was used in an effort to murder the suspect. Now a million dollars has been found in an off-shore account in her name and it doesn’t seem to matter that she was almost killed in a recent car accident. A car accident caused by tampering. Fortunately, one of the Gray Box operatives, Gideon “Reaper” Stone, knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Willow is innocent and is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her. One key question is will it be enough considering there is a traitor hidden deep at Gray Box? An even bigger question is can he trust his emotions with Willow in this dangerous situation?

Nothing to Fear is the second book in the Final Hour series by Juno Rushdan. This is a fast-paced and engaging thriller that incorporates international intrigue, kidnapping, espionage, murder, romance, and more. I enjoyed the main characters primarily because Willow isn’t your average female lead character. Yes, she’s smart, intelligent, and pretty, but she’s also on the spectrum and used to a highly regimented life. I did have difficulties accepting how well she adjusted to having this regimented life disrupted given the fact she talked (and thought) about needing to adhere to a schedule, etc. It seemed as if she was on the spectrum for a few pages and then all of sudden she wasn’t, but that’s just my perspective. Gideon initially comes across as the super-strong alpha male, and although he is definitely an alpha-male, he also has his fair share of issues he’s dealing with in terms of his first marriage and the death of his first wife. There’s a lot of action crammed into Nothing to Fear and if you’ve read Every Last Breath, I strongly encourage you to grab a copy to read as soon as it releases (even with the issues I had with Willow being on-and-off the autism spectrum). For those of you that haven’t read Every Last Breath, if you enjoy reading romantic-suspense, then I encourage you to grab a copy and read that first so you’ll understand the story arc, then get yourself a copy of Nothing to Fear. Yes, I had some issues with some facets of this story, but I still found it to be an enjoyable read. How enjoyable? I had a moderately-severe migraine and the story kept me turning the pages! I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss+. I was not paid, required, or otherwise obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: I AM JUSTICE by Diana Munoz Stewart

I Am Justice (Band of Sisters, Book 1) by Diana Muñoz Stewart
ISBN: 9781492662389 (paperback)
ISBN: 9781492662396 (ebook)
ASIN: B0785NC2GV (Kindle edition)
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

This bad-ass band of sisters plays for keeps.

She’s ready to start a war

Justice Parish takes down bad guys. Rescued from the streets by the world-renowned Parish family, she joined their covert sisterhood of vigilante assassins. Her next target: a sex-trafficking ring in the war-torn Middle East. She just needs to get close enough to take them down…

He just wants peace

Sandesh Ross left Special Forces to found a humanitarian group to aid war-torn countries. But saving the world isn’t cheap. Enter Parish Industries and limitless funding, with one catch— their hot, prickly PR specialist’, Justice Parish.

Their chemistry is instant and off-the-charts. But when Justice is injured and her cover blown, Sandesh has to figure out if he can reconcile their missions. With danger dogging their every move, their white-hot passion can change the world— if it doesn’t destroy them first.

Praise for the book

“Diana Muñoz Stewart explodes onto the scene with I Am Justice. It’s witty, dangerous, fun, and smoking hot–the perfect can’t-put-it-down read if you love badass women, honorable men, scary bad guys, non-stop action and steam heat.”–CINDY DEES, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

“Revenge is best served cold, but Justice serves it scorching hot. Spellbinding, sizzling. Takes your breath away. Unsurpassed romantic suspense.”–PATRICIA GUSSIN, New York Times bestselling author of Come Home

“A tense, fiery writing style that drags you in and won’t let go.” –PAIGE TYLER, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the SWAT series

Meet the author

Diana Muñoz Stewart is the award-winning, romantic suspense author of the Band of Sisters series, which includes I Am Justice, I Am Grace, and I Am Honor. Visit her at dianamunozstewart.com.

Connect with Diana
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