Strawberry Sundae Afternoon Is Delectable

Strawberry Sundae Afternoon

By L. M. Gonzalez

Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. School teacher, Ally is a single mother of an adorable seven year old, Jimmy. On the surface, their plans for the summer seem delightful. They are visiting Ally's hometown, staying with Ally's mother, and looking forward to sharing the fun of where his mother grew up and the memories she treasures. So why the reluctance to make this trip? Ally is returning to help her ill mother, but their relationship has always been rocky. Will they get along now? At least her ex had moved away after that one incredible summer together. At least she'd heard he'd moved. After an intense, romantic summer seven years ago he had never responded to her attempts to contact him. But if Henry had moved away, what was he doing right there at the park selling ice cream for his family's business? With her broken heart, how can she face him now? And, will he recognize his likeness in Jimmy, his son?

It's spellbinding and inspiring to read all that Ally faces, and her difficult choices. Her actions are not always the best, but her motives are pure and she is persistent about addressing consequences. She's a fascinating personality, and at the heart of all she does is what's best for her son. Jimmy is so wonderfully innocent and warms a reader's heart. Ally's beloved Henry has his own side to this story too, skillfully revealed by this author.

As this summer goes on, the memories of their past summer season together heat up emotions on both sides. They spar, and yet they're both drawn to each other. Those tender feelings surface, and even spark a graphic interlude, but then bitter tensions also simmer, and erupt. And standing before them, holding his mother's hand, and enjoying ice cream man Henry's company is Jimmy, who personifies a deep secret.

Author L. M. Gonzalez has created an enthralling situation and artfully entwined compelling characters.. You'll hope these characters can find their way to become a family. You'll cheer for them to overcome the hurdles thrown in their way, and the miscommunications that tear them apart. Can the summer season create its magic once again? Will the sweetness of the Strawberry Sundae Afternoon cool their divisions and captivate their hearts with what the future could be?

We're With The Band Hits A High Note

 

We're With The Band

By Johanna Flynn

Her name is Lark, and she says she's dead ended with nowhere to go. Relationship ended, job non-inspiring, and the perception that her options are few and pathetic. That's just the kind of attitude that can lead to taking a chance and ending up on a wild adventure. You never know where destiny will send you, just when you least expect it. A night out with her best friend Bev, a musician stranded on the road ahead of them, followed by an invitation to enjoy the music scene. Before they know it, Lark and Bev are on stage singing. They're a hit. Suddenly Lark and Bev decide We're With The Band. It's a band that's in need of singers for their new road trip, from Oregon to Ireland. Added benefit, Lark knows Ireland well, since she's from there. Here's an opportunity to visit her mom and her home, but can you go home again? And, in the mists of Ireland there lies in wait a mystery to be solved. Not all is as it appears.

Rhett is the unpredictable leader of this rag tag motley band of characters who play to a different drummer. This eclectic group get themselves into the funniest, most outrageous situations. Their actions will keep you laughing, and wondering how they'll ever get back on track, or if they ever will. Driving their rented bus all over Ireland to different locations for their performance bookings generates plenty of time for mutual suspicions and romances to simmer, and in time boil over. The drummer, Jeremy and the third singer, Candi come and go as they apparently fall in and out of love with each other, or in and out of something. Each musician has their own eccentricities.

In the meantime, there's been a disappearance of treasured antiquities of Irish history from the museum. How could this diabolical theft have been executed so secretly and so successfully? Who could have pulled this off? It could be anyone. Lark has her suspicions and theories, and recruits her friend Bev to investigate with her. Their efforts are rewarded by threats of danger, encroaching and waiting to pounce.

This book is such a treat to read. It sweeps you away to Ireland and immerses you in the beautiful landscape, people, and culture. There is so much fun humor throughout this adventure, and the characters are intriguing, yet in many ways you feel like you know them so well. The mystery will tickle your curiosity, and Lark's energetic personality will delight as she interacts with friends, family, exes, musicians, pub and bar owners, audiences. She has some big surprises of her own to reveal, and a best friend to try and save. They're in this together. After all, We're With The Band.

Award winning author Johanna Flynn's debut novel is Hidden Pictures. She is a contributing author in the NIWA Anthology, Escape. She lives in Western Washington and you can learn more about her at her website johannaflynn.com.

Mountain Blaze - A Steamy, Romantic Mystery

 

Mountain Blaze

By Debby Grahl

Diana Thompson is engaged, but not happily. Doubts about the imminent big day lead Diana to accept a Thanksgiving invitation from her friend Jenn, who promised a relaxing time away from the city and her fiance. They travel into the mountains of North Carolina to join Jenn's family at their remote ranch. It's a fateful vacation, where Diana meets rodeo star Dillon McCoy and discovers he is the love of her life. Danger stalks Dillon now though, and that puts Diana's life at risk too.

This is a steamy romance between Diana and Dillon, sizzling on the page. Their mutual attraction is strong and the surrounding danger draws them close, and they hang on tight to each other. Dillon has quit the rodeo to return home to the ranch and run it for his grandparents. A mysterious, anonymous person seems determined to buy the ranch away from him. Dillon is not at all interested in selling, but persistent offers continue, and grow bolder. Tensions grow from Dillon's neighbors. Similar to Diana, Dillon is entangled in a relationship that is not ending smoothly. Then, there are shots, and an attempted murder.

Tensions heat up from Diana's side of their relationship too. Her suspicious fiance is not happy, and he decides he'll take out his feelings violently. Even nature turns treacherous, as the beauty of the Carolina mountains shows its hazards. Diana and Dillon will have to solve the mystery of who is threatening them, and put a stop to it, if they want to have any chance for a steamy and happily ever after together.

This book is a fun, romantic read. The contrasting lifestyles of Diana and Dillon adds to the interest in the developing relationship, and whether it is true love. The supporting characters of friend Jenn and her family bring humor and reveal more about the main characters' personalities. The array of suspects are all worthy opponents, with diverse motives. They will keep you guessing, as Diana and Dillon uncover clues and discuss theories about who may be after one, or now both of them.

Award-winning author Debby Grahl writes contemporary romance with elements of suspense -- and sometimes ghosts or witches. She lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband, David.

Yummy Read - The Spy Who Loved My Russian Teacakes

 

The Spy Who Loved My Russian Teacakes

By Marilyn Barr

Here's a fun read that will tantalize and intrigue you with its mystery and passion. At the heart are unique characters whose actions are driven by the misunderstandings surrounding their lives. Cassie Morgan is a spiritual healer, completely surprised by the events that follow her first sight of an unknown coma patient. She wants to help this patient, but it's really not like any other patient. She's drawn to this handsome, mystery man, although she knows nothing of him. When she discovers more about him, desire ignites between them. The flames may prove to be dangerous, especially because he has unfinished business.

What an amazing start to a relationship. Cassie reaches out to her patient within conjoined dreams. These are seductive reading. The author excels at surfacing both the physical and the emotional connections. And these characters are so sincere as they reach toward each other in these dreams. As her patient restores parts of his identity his name begins clues to his identity, Sergei Chekov. Learning about and reacting to his life and his feelings, shows aspects of Cassie's feelings too. The reader begins to cheer for these two, in the hopes that their destinies will merge for a happy future. Trouble is on Sergei's horizon though, and Cassie is now involved.

You'll be spellbound. This story is a most enjoyable romance, laced with mystery and the paranormal. The author skillfully blends these genres into a taut, thrill that sends your heart pounding. You'll be cheering for the characters and wondering on every page how all the entanglements can resolve. You'll be as surprised as the characters are, thanks to the author's clever plotting.

And added bonus, the recipe is included for the delicious Russian Teacakes. And just wait until you find out how the teacakes are woven into the story.

An Eco-Thriller Read, Beyond The Human Realm

 

Beyond The Human Realm

By Gene Helfman

Join the orcas of the Pacific Northwest on this beautiful, fictional journey Beyond The Human Realm. It's the ultimate adventure, as an elusive and anonymous donor decides to do something never done successfully. He will need the help of a university professor, Dr. Rudy Laguna, who flounders in his own life journey until he discovers the great purpose ahead of him. The start is the possibility of saving a single orca, Makai from the devastating captivity he endures. If that can be achieved, then can Makai lead them to give hope for a brighter future for the Pacific Northwest pods?

Makai's life in captivity is shown from his captors' motives, and also the trainers who teach him to perform. What is thrilling is that Makai tells his own story. We're given Makai's perspectives and emotions of life events, the sad, the mundane, the confusion, the joy, the outrage, and more. During this time, Makai gets a taste of family with a temporary placement of a new female orca in his tank. Together they are charming. What happens next is life altering. The intensity of these creatures is inspiring, and their intelligence and compelling desire for freedom. Makai is determine to find and reunite with his family, but how?

Rudy joins forces with an anonymous benefactor and they attempt the impossible, to bring Makai out of captivity, and teach him how to live in the wild. What a beautiful story of tentative trust, as it builds between Makai and Rudy. Although the story is fiction, there is so much factual information woven into the orca's actions. With his hands full working with the whale, Rudy begins to share his work with another scientist, a woman who interests Rudy very much. She keeps much of her background a mystery, but the attraction between them is apparent, and their mutual love of the orcas.

This book is a great read for shifting perspectives about the incredible orcas. As the story moves on to the pods in the wild, what is learned about the orcas, from them, gives great insights into what they face from the impacts of humanity on the environment, their own culture and ways, and their need for conservation efforts. This is a compelling read, pushing for appreciation for these wonderful orcas, and to give them what they need. As one step in the right direction, the author has committed that profits from the sale of Beyond the Human Realm will be donated to orca conservation efforts.

Author Gene Helfman is an animal behaviorist turned conservation biologist. With a PhD in Ecology from Cornell University, Gene was on the faculty of the University of Georgia for thirty years, authoring four books on fish and marine conservation and dozens of related scientific papers. He spent much of his professional career underwater demonstrating that fish are smarter than conventionally thought. In an effort to get the message to a larger audience, he has turned to writing screenplays and novels, on the premise that more people read fiction than non-fiction. Gene and his wife Dr. Judy Meyer, an aquatic ecologist, live on Lopez Island in Washington State.

Aces Is A Wheels Up Great Read

 

Aces

By Michael January

Wheels up for this high flying adventure. Hearts soar to the heights of love and friendship, and at times plummet from turbulence during the high stakes years at the start of WWII and the Battle of Britain. Miki and Aaron are friends attending Princeton in 1935, both daring fliers with distinctly different styles that reflect their contrasting personalities. These friends are fierce competitors in flight, in life, and in love as both of them have fallen for the same woman, Lacy. She is left with a difficult choice between these two dynamic men. They are all at the mercy of the winds of war, the devastating threat of imminent death, and the sacrifices demanded of them. Yet each must act, and what they do will surprise you.

Graduation day approaches, and the group of friends are making decisions about the rest of their lives. This momentous time includes the love triangle where marriage proposals must be answered. Lacy is conflicted, until a devastating action by Aaron throws her into Miki's arms and future. Miki takes his new wife back to his home in Germany where he fiercely competes in the 1936 Olympics, then becomes a Luftwaffe Ace. His impulsive and passionate friend Aaron volunteers with the RAF. Once again, they are opponents, and this time the future of the world is at stake.

How these pilots feel about their lives and commitment is revealed compassionately, giving the reader a true understanding of their perspectives and what they are learning in this unrelenting new world. Lacy is also learning about the new life in Germany, and the people who are suffering terrifying punishments and indoctrination. Lacy also is compelled to find a way to act, to help, to save lives. In her actions she faces terrifying dangers also within her marriage, and ultimately from the Nazi regime.

What great insights about dynamic flying come from this author, who is also a pilot. When writing scenes in the air, the reader is placed right in the middle of the cockpit action. Initially the aeronautics stunts and racing fascinate and will have the pulse pounding. Later the perilous flight missions and the dog fights have the reader right in the thick of the danger, and the high emotion – will the pilot make it home alive? These daredevils show great concern as well for their friends and loved ones. Their chilling refrain to celebrate those who die in the war effort haunts, “to absent friends”.

It's not just the action that will draw you into this epic novel. The characters' intense and realistic interactions and motivations are artfully revealed. The tender, romance is sweet and memorable. The ties that bind these interesting characters together delight, and draw you into their story.

Author Michael January is a writer for film and television as well as a travel writer and photographer. His "Favorite Castles" book series is in its fifth edition with "Favorite Castles of Germany" and "Favorite Castles of Switzerland" as well as England, Wales and the Castles of Ireland. He regularly writes of historical connections and has followed in the literal footsteps of the Romantic writers. "The Secret Memoirs of Mary Shelley: Frankenstein Diaries - The Romantics" was his first historical novel. Next is this WWII adventure and love story of pilots in the Battle of Britain, "Aces". Find out more about the author at michaeljanuaryauthor.com, and hear from the author on YouTube's podcast A Novel Talk with Michael January.

Drink In The Story of the Sisters of the Vine

 

Sisters of the Vine

By Linda Rosen

Sometimes your dream comes true, but you find that living your dream is nothing like what you'd hoped for. Can a person who's trapped by disappointment carve out an escape, and dare to dream again? When Liz married Rick she had no idea how murky their future would turn. Liz now faces new challenges, and she doesn't have any idea what to do. She has a lot to learn. Sometimes we get along with a little help from friends, and in the process we help those friends too.

When Liz and Rick are able to move to a large property, they debate what crops to plant. Their decision to plant a vineyard is a test of patience. It takes years for these acres of plants to grow, and then to bear fruit. These tender plants take great care. Liz becomes especially enthusiastic with the land and the vines, learning every step of the way. When the grapes are finally ready for harvest, Liz isn't. She's alone and doesn't know how she can ever accomplish the overwhelming tasks ahead of her.

The neighbors in the surrounding area keep very much to themselves. Now Liz wonders if anyone can be moved to help her. As she reaches out, she's surprised by the response. Liz is captivated by the stories of the ladies' lives, as she learns more about each of them. What lies beneath the surface are hidden secrets and strengths. Now the question is whether these ladies can work together to bring in a harvest, build a wine business, and foster true friendships.

The reader meets fascinating characters skillfully created by author Linda Rosen. First introductions stimulate curiosity about them, much as in meeting people in real life. Personalities and background about each of the Sisters of the Vine are revealed naturally with insightful dialogue. Everyone has difficulties to face. The beautiful revelations of how they all learn how to help each other is an exciting and heartwarming victory the reader shares.

Author Linda Rosen's novels are set in the not-too-distant-past and examine how women reinvent themselves despite obstacles thrown their way. She illustrates the wonder of how family is not dependent on blood relations. Linda Rosen is a contributor to Women in the Literary Landscape: A WNBA Centennial Publication for the Women's National Book Association and has had stories published in online magazines and print anthologies. She is a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association and the Women’s National Book Association as Selections Coordinator of the Great Group Reads committee which curates a list, published annually, of novels and memoirs perfect for book clubs. Find out more about the author at linda-rosen.com, and hear from the author on YouTube's podcast A Novel Talk with Linda Rosen.