#FridayReads – If you like #Romance then you might like these…..#AmReading

If you like reading #Romance then I can recommend these books

22038196Bella Abbascia has returned to Seaside Cottages in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, as she does every summer. Only this year, Bella has more on her mind than sunbathing and skinny-dipping with her girlfriends. She’s quit her job, put her house on the market, and sworn off relationships while she builds a new life in her favorite place on earth. That is, until good-time Bella’s prank takes a bad turn and a sinfully sexy police officer appears on the scene.

Single father and police officer Caden Grant left Boston with his fourteen-year-old son, Evan, after his partner was killed in the line of duty. He hopes to find a safer life in the small resort town of Wellfleet, and when he meets Bella during a night patrol shift, he realizes he’s found the one thing he’d never allowed himself to hope for—or even realized he was missing.

After fourteen years of focusing solely on his son, Caden cannot resist the intense attraction he feels toward beautiful Bella, and Bella’s powerless to fight the heat of their budding romance. But starting over proves more difficult than either of them imagined, and when Evan gets mixed up with the wrong kids, Caden’s loyalty is put to the test. Will he give up everything to protect his son—even Bella? Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

22845672Twenty-one-year-old Lizzie Adler had everything a young woman could want: she was beautiful, bright, and had both a faithful best friend and a handsome boyfriend with whom she was deeply in love. In one fell swoop, calamity strikes, stripping Lizzie of all that she holds dear. While driving with her best friend, Nan, en route to a party, Lizzie collides with another car.

The results are devastating: Nan doesn’t survive the accident, while Lizzie is forever crippled and disfigured. Lizzie undergoes scores of surgeries and endures ample physical therapy, which ultimately leave her with a face and body she can no longer recognize.

Meanwhile, Daniel has just recently left Lizzie to stay with his ailing grandparents in England. He intended to return to her arms after just one summer. Little did he know that, after months of silence from his beloved, he would receive a cold, curt break-up letter, devoid of explanation.

Unable to bear the pain brought on by memories of who she used to be, Lizzie casts her former identity aside forever and decides to go by the name of Beth.

Fast forward twelve years, and Beth is now an almost-happily-married stay-at-home mom with a five-year-old daughter, Stacy. Boredom and pressure from her husband, Alan prompt Beth to join Stacy’s school’s PTA. There, she meets Noreen: the first woman she is able to connect with since Nan’s death so many years ago. Beth is delighted to have finally found someone with whom to face the travails of womanhood.

Unfortunately, friendship with Noreen comes at an unexpected – and painfully high – price.   Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

22515690Erik “Fish” Fiskare loves the theatre, but he’s more intrigued by the wizardry behind the red curtain than the spectacle center stage. That is, until Daisy Bianco steps into the spotlight. The moment Erik lays eyes on this ballerina, his atoms rearrange and the young stagehand will never be the same.

For two years, the romance thrives within a tight-knit circle of artists and friends. Then, a newcomer arrives—James, a brilliant but erratic dancer with a misguided infatuation and a burning desire to belong. Rejection sets James on a course for destruction and when the smoke clears, Erik’s world is torn apart. He soon discovers that in the face of heartache, grief and betrayal, love is not always enough to make you stay. And sometimes, it’s the only thing that can bring you back.

Spanning fifteen years and following a man’s thrilling emotional journey back to the truth of himself, this award-winning novel has gripped readers and placed Laqueur as one of the most exciting debut authors of 2015. The Man I Love is an epic tale of love and forgiveness that will linger long after the last page is turned. Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

22178905Discover beautiful South Africa in this sweet, heart-warming Cinderella story about a blogger, a billionaire, and one chance meeting.

When it comes to men, if physiotherapist Caitlin Sutherland didn’t have bad luck, she would have no luck at all. To help cope, Caitlin starts blogging in her spare time, about the types of men she meets and the bad dates she goes on.

While on duty during the annual Wines to Whales bicycle race, a gorgeous, sweaty cyclist walks in and sets her hormones dancing. But he is Don Cavallo; one of the four Cavallo brothers — hotel tycoons, famous as much for their business skills as for the number of beauties regularly seen on their arms.

Don Cavallo has his own issues with the other sex. He has yet to find one who is interested in him and not in his money or hotels. But when this sexy physio puts her hands on his back she not only touches his body, but also his heart.

They’ve both been burned before, but neither of them can stop themselves from playing with fire. Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

25849896SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS
Where men are men and women are glad of it!

ISHABEL STUART is at the crossroads of her life.
Her wealthy industrialist father has died unexpectedly, leaving her a half-share in a ruined whisky distillery and the task of scattering his ashes on a Munro. After discovering her fiancé playing away from home, she cancels their lavish Christmas wedding at St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh and heads for the only place she feels safe – Eilean na Sgairbh, a windswept island on Scotland’s west coast – where the cormorants outnumber the inhabitants, ten to one.
When she arrives at her family home – now a bed and breakfast managed by her left-wing, firebrand Aunt Esme, she finds a guest in situ – BRODIE. Issy longs for peace and the chance to lick her wounds, but gorgeous, sexy American, Brodie, turns her world upside down.
In spite of her vow to steer clear of men, she grows to rely on Brodie. However, she suspects him of having an ulterior motive for staying at her aunt’s Bed and Breakfast on remote Cormorant Island. Having been let down by the men in her life, will it be third time lucky for Issy? Is she wise to trust a man she knows nothing about – a man who presents her with more questions than answers?
As for Aunt Esme, she has secrets of her own . . . Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

17863305Rose O’Carroll has been single for most of her 40 years. In her search for love she packs up her life in Melbourne and moves to London. Guided by her special friends – her angels, she soon lands a great job, makes great friends and begins her spiritual journey.

It doesn’t take long for Joe DeMarco, the handsome American, to turn Rose’s world upside down and change it forever. Rose intuitively knows she has met her twin soulmate. But how does she cope when he tells her “it’s just the wrong time.”

Everything happens for a reason and soon Rose discovers why she had to meet Joe DeMarco when the timing was wrong. She had someone else to meet first… and it wasn’t only the dishy Dr St. Claire!   Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

16301205Marianne Coltrane is a feisty, award-winning journalist who is far from lucky in love. Taking herself off to the wilds of the west of Ireland to recuperate, she literally runs into Ryan O’Gorman, the most conceited, infuriating man in the world.
He’s an actor who’s just landed the biggest role in movie history and he loathes journalists. One thing they do have in common is they both think their chance of true love has passed them by…but fate has other ideas!
Sexy, moving and funny, this heart-warming duo and cast of colourful characters will stay with you, long after the last page leaves you smiling. Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

22368254Marcus has sworn to avenge his wife’s death—even if it takes an eternity to hunt down the vampire who murdered her. Once a Roman Centurion, Marcus is now immortal and, for the past two thousand years, impervious to human emotions. Until the night he rescues Diana…
Diana knew nothing of the paranormal world until her transformation into a vampling, a newborn vampire entirely reliant for survival upon the distant and seemingly emotionless Centurion, who found her in the throes of changing. Her protector turned her without her consent, but at his untimely death, she becomes the distant and cold immortal’s responsibility.
The entire vampire community is determined to kill Marcus as he protects one of their own. While Marcus and Diana travel the Italian countryside, being chased by their enemies, Marcus must choose between avenging his dead wife or saving Diana from the same vampire who ruined his life. Will the power of love win over his desire for revenge? Bewitched by the Amalfi moon, he soon discovers life might still surprise him. Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

188786611924. The English Shires, after the Great War.
When her jazzing flapper of an aunt dies, Gerardina Mary Chiledexter inherits some silver-topped scent bottles, a wardrobe of love-affair clothes, and astonishingly, a half-share in a million-acre ranch in south-west Texas.
Haunted by a psychic cat and the ghost voice of that aunt Leonie, Gerry feels driven to travel thousands of miles to see the ranch for herself.
Against a background of big sky, cattle barons and oil wells, she is soon engaged in a game of power, pride and ultimately, love, with the Texan who owns the other half.
   Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Good Deeds Challenge Year 2 Week 22

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I an into my second year.

New Good DeedsDuring my week I’ll also being updating you on My Kindness Challenge which I’m also doing. I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on  The Kindness blog . During my learning process I’m donating money to charity for my slip-ups to make me work harder to achieve results. I earn no money from any of my book reviews, so having little to spare should focus my mind.

September 14th – Dark Gothic romance is Jane Godman’s book Echoes in the Darkness, Day 14 of Romancing September. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Hk

Am putting together plans for my next tour, this one will feature mystery books and their authors and will take place in November.

September 15th – Laura E James featured in Romancing September today with her book Follow Me , Follow You. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5xp

A school morning and I’m getting to know my new set of children that I listen to as they practise their reading. This year I have twins amongst my group, luckily they are not identical.  Donated a series of books to the school for their library that I had finished reading. Have been and bought a load more books again today, taking full advantage of the sales going on.

September 16th – Mary Forbes joins us on the Romance tour today with her book One Dance With A Stranger, Mary hails from Canada, it’s so great meeting all these people from across the world and bringing them together. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5yC

Getting lots of interest for the November Mystery book tour, busy sending out Q&A sheets and creating pictures to use on Twitter. I enjoy the challenge and the skills that I am learning from this task.

September 17th – Monica La Porta is the featured author on Romancing September today with her book The Lost Centurion, set in a stunning Italian landscape it mixes paranormal with hot romance. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5Er

Am off out to dinner this evening with friends, a rare treat, and it’s another good deed opportunity as it’s my turn to drive.

September 18th – E.L. Lindley is chatting about her book Dare To Lose today on Romancing September. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5DE

What a 24 hours! The blog is SO busy at the moment it’s truly wonderful, thank you to everyone who reads and reviews book, signs up for tours, comments and shares posts and tweets and everything else you do for me.  So here is a little something back for anyone going through an anxious and stressful time at the moment and with children in the Uk off the University this month, I know there will be a few Mums out there in need of a little TLC, firstly why not circle the date of your birthday on every month of the calendar and give yourself a little treat once a month for a whole year. Plan out what you could do, it could be time out for yourself, meeting with a friend, 15 minutes meditation, buying a new book randomly in a genre you don’t normally read, anything, but give yourself a well deserved treat.

Have been helping out my dearest friends with some support at their own emotional times. Plus recommending books for them to read. If you want to read them too, try these, get them in paperback, you’ll want to flip back through them too often to read on Kindle.

You Can Heal Your life by Louise Hay

Heal Your Body/New Cover: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them by Louise Hay

Next watch this video on Tapping or Emotional Freedom Technique http://eft.mercola.com/

September 19th – Today it was the turn of Rock Chick Nicky Wells and her book Fallen for Rock on the Romancing September Tour. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5DR

I’ve been out buying more books as gifts for people. Still at bargain prices.

September 20th –  The Dating Game by Susan Buchanan was our book on the tour today. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5CO

Have been delivering a birthday present for my Dad this morning, it’s his birthday tomorrow.

Romancing September #RomancingSeptember – Day 17

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Welcome to Day 17 of Romancing September Across The World Tour. Today our guest is Monica La Porta. Catch up with more from Monica in a few hours with the second part of our tour when Stephanie chats to her.

The Lost Centurion_new design

Where is your home town?

I am from Rome, Italy, but I moved to Washington State in the summer of 2000.

How long have you been writing romance?

I’ve been writing love stories since I was a kid, but I started writing professionally five years ago.

What is your favourite sub-genre of romance?

I have several favourites, among them paranormal, urban fantasy, and science fiction romance.

Tell us who Marcus is?

Marcus is the main character in The Lost Centurion. Once a proud commander in the Imperial Roman Army with hundreds of men under his lead, Marcus is now a lonely renegade whose life is powered by a thirst for revenge consuming him.

Who has he been searching centuries for?

As an immortal, Marcus has spent the last two thousand years looking for a vampire.

What does he think of Vampires?

He hates vampires, because one of them killed his wife, Aurelia.

How does he meet Diana?

After years of fruitless search for Aurelia’s killer, Marcus has finally a lead. An informant has promised him information about the vampire he’s looking for. The rendezvous is at the Roman Forum, but when Marcus arrives he finds his informant is being attacked. Marcus can’t save the man, but he ends up having to care for the informant’s vampling—a new-born vampire—Diana.

What locations have you used to mix Old and New Italy?

I took a virtual tour through Rome, mixing places I used to frequent when I was living there, and Marcus’s memories of the same places in Roman times. The Forums first and foremost, where the majority of Roman daily life happened, but also the modern neighbourhoods built on top of the ancient city. Marcus travels south to Amalfi to hide with Diana in his friend’s villa perched atop the rugged coast, and takes her to the Blue Grotto for a romantic evening. Finally, he must follow her to Castel Gandolfo, the medieval city where the Pope retires for his summer vacation, where the vampires keep Diana prisoner.

Tell us what you are working on at the moment.

I have just released the second title in The Immortals series, The Immortal Greek. My editor has finished her corrections on The Broken Angel, which should be out in October. And I am writing the fourth in the series, The Hidden Demon.

Where can readers find out more about you?

Monica La Porta

I have a blog and an author page on Facebook where I talk about my writing, my hobbies, my outlandish gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free recipes, and my love for beagles. I welcome questions from my readers, because interacting with them gives me great joy.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/monicalaportaauthor

Blog http://monicalaporta.com/

twitter https://twitter.com/momilp

mailing list http://eepurl.com/znSHT

The Lost Centurion buying links:

  1. co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Lost-Centurion-Immortals-ebook/dp/B00KMJB4OA/
  2. com: http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Centurion-Immortals-Monica-Porta-ebook/dp/B00KMJB4OA

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/442440

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lost-centurion-monica-la-porta/1119629009?ean=2940045970778

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-lost-centurion/id883335328?mt=11

 

Find out more about Monica from Stephanie Hurt’s blog and all our Romance writers http://stephanie-hurt.com/

The Lost Centurion by Monica La Porta

Product DetailsThe Lost Centurion by Monica La Porta

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Lost Centurion is the first book in The Immortals series. Marcus has been roaming the world for more than 2000 years in search of the man who killed his wife. Turned into an Immortal and saved by the God Apollo after a fatal war wound, Marcus is finally in reach of his quarry.

An informant has come forward and Marcus hastens to meet him in Rome’s ancient Forum. It’s a dangerous meeting involving vampires which ends in a fight, the death of the informant and the rescue of a young women.

Diana Valente had an incurable disease and the only way to save her was turn her into a vampire. With her sire dead, Marcus is left do deal with a young vampling going through the change who desperately needs blood to survive. Thrown into saving a member of the enemy, Marcus finds himself falling for Diana. She ignites emotions in him which have been buried for hundreds of years since he lost his wife, Aurelia.

As a renegade Marcus is not protected by the 1492 Peace Pact between the Vampires and the Immortals, and head of the Vampire nest, Claudius wants his vampling back. Both Marcus and Claudius seek revenge over the death of Aurelia and shocking events are revealed to Marcus about his former life. Can he save Diana, where he couldn’t save his first love? He has no choice but to enter the vampire nest and attend the ascending of the new bride ritual.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Good Deeds Year 2, week 5

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year.

New Good DeedsThis week I’ve been doing the following;

May 18th – Any one who is now a regular follower of my Good Deeds will know that last week I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on  The Kindness blog . So me being me, I decided to give it a go, starting small I managed 24 hours, then moved on for another 24. I had a couple of wobbles in my first 24 hours and 3 failures today (For each slip up I’ll put a £1 in a jar for charity) First my Mum came over with all the gossip from the family, village and local community and that’s a BIG hazard for me, all that lovely gossip about people and their failings topped with a good moan about the family. I caught myself partaking in a bit of negative moaning – there goes a pound I thought, then another slipped off my tongue opps! Next I went and commented on an e-mail having another moan,  another pound in the pot. It’s certainly a challenge!

So whilst struggling with the new challenge I’m still doing the Good Deeds, gave books to Mum and Mother-in-law today. Went for a good walk this evening and picked up loads of litter.

May 19th – A morning helping out at school, then a lunchtime walk and litter picking. Ending the day with sending along cakes and biscuits for the hungry cricket mid-match snack. Kind comments all the way today but I did become very aware of a potential area where I can slip up. It’s easy to forget myself when I’m casually chatting and relaxing with the family and I need to be very mindful of my words.

May 20th – The lady I work with has had a shoulder operation, so today I got lots of paperwork out for her so she doesn’t have to lift heavy files when she returns to work tomorrow. This evening I had a long walk around a playing field and picked up litter. I managed another day of only kind words, it’s easy to fall into old habits without realising it. A couple of times I definitely had to turn comments.

May 21st – Met Alison Williams for a coffee today, she has been editing my book and guiding me in the right direction. Have put £2 in my charity pot for my failures on the “Kind Words” challenge during our meeting. (Mentally noted the stumbling block I need to work on) Good Deeds received Alison kindly paid for my beverage.

May 22nd – Finished reading A Woman’s Choice by Annie Thomas and sent of my review. Annie is kindly going to take part in a guest author interview for us in June. I’m finding my kindness challenge really hard to change my old bad habits, but I’m going to keep going.

May 23rd – Am reading an ARC of The Lost Centurion by Monica La Porta. This book is due for release at the end of May. Sent a thank you letter. Agreed to read and review The Birr Elixir by Jo Sparkes.

May 24th – Sent off my review of The Lost Centurion and moved on to reading Fallen For Rock by Nicky Wells. Today I posted a piece about book genres on the blog and opened up a discussion on what you feel about the Young Adult and New Adult genres, click here to join in. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5dq

My book review today was for Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada. Hailed as a modern classic this book reveals a resistance inside Berlin during the war years. I posed a question for the readers on this post too. From what you know and have read about the war years, can you believe that people were fighting from within? Click here to read more http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-55M

My kind words challenge is definitely easier when I don’t meet many people, so I’m obviously more successful when I’m relaxed at home with the family. My challenges seem to be when I’m with extended family, friends and new acquaintances. I need to think about if this is because I portray a slightly different persona amongst them? One where I act how I think they expect me to, or I act to a formula which has previously proved popular?

So what do you think about this new challenge, am I asking too much of myself?

Year 2, Good Deeds Week 4

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year.

New Good DeedsThis week I’ve been doing the following;

May 11th – Last week’s sick child has kindly passed me the germs, so I’m slumped on the sofa, but I can still read. Have finished A Change of Heart by Adrienne Vaughan and will write the review up tomorrow. Accepted another book for review, A Woman’s Choice by Annie Thomas. Posted my weekly Good Deed update with lots of links and plugs for various people, that’s really all I can manage today.

May 12th – Written my book review, delivered a birthday card and present and picked up litter. Social networking has lots of plus points when you can only croak at people and you look and feel like something the cat dragged in. No one can see me and I don’t have to verbally speak to anyone, hooray! Pass me another box of tissues will you? About to start reading Suppose by Kathy Steinemann

May 13th – Still struggling to get my voice back. Picked up litter today. Baby birds seem to have doubled in size, still can’t get a long enough glance to count them to make sure they all hatched, they are just a bundle of fluffy moving objects with big open mouths every-time a parent arrives, who then obscures the view from the camera, so frustrating! I bought some live meal worms to put out for all the parent birds who might be grateful of one easy to find meal. But then I found the larvae wriggling out of the container and descending into my garden, hope they don’t devour all my lovely plants! Checked on my Bumble bee box to see if it had any bees in residence, found snails, earwigs and a family of Mice! So the garden is definitely full of livestock.

May 14th – Going to be reading and reviewing The Lost Centurion by Monica La Porta due out at the end of May. Posted a letter and picked up more litter.

May 15th – Agreed to read and review “Fallen for Rock” Nicky Wells soon to be released latest book. Also said I’d review the next book from Randy Mixter called “A Gunman’s Destiny” due out at the end of May. Picked up some litter. Am reading “The Manila Strangler” by Steven Donahue Good Deeds received a fellow author bought a copy of my book today as a thank you for reading and reviewing her book, made my day!

May 16th – Picked up litter. Found a great post on The Kindness blog about speaking only kind words and turning your life around; Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes sounds a really good idea, every time you find yourself saying something mean and negative you have to pay out $1 or £1 depending where you live. The money will soon add up unless you make a positive change. Any one up for it? I’m going to start my own challenge and donate my money to charity. First I’m going to try 24hrs from 5pm UK time. It’s frightening we all pass on bad news and gossip much more readily than good news, but does gossip  and band mouthing others really make the world a better place?

This week the lovely Alison Williams has been having a look at my book in terms of editing. I’m the first to hold my hands up and say that the whole writing a book and self-publishing bit was absolutely brilliant and now I’ve learnt all about how I should have approached it. Stay with me folks, I need to pledge a commitment to sorting out the book and making it a lot more pleasant to read. Stop all the procrastinating and get on with it. So you heard it here on the blog, there will be a second edition, I’m going to look forward to making all the necessary revisions. (See, positive self talk, no dishing myself – can’t afford it!)

May 17th – Oh my goodness, it’s 7pm and I’ve just realised I’ve completed my first challenge, 24 hours saying only kind things. It’s not been all plain sailing, I had 2 wobbles and it nearly cost me money, but I changed my sentences ending on a positive note. I was quite quiet at one time when I chose not to join a conversation which was only negative. Now for another 24 hours! I’m reading A Woman’s Choice by Annie Thomas and today’s book review was for the first book in one of my favourite series The Wardstone Chronicles by Joseph Delaney.