New Normal By Michelle Paris Review

New Normal
By Michelle Paris
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 2 May 2023

Blurb:
After the sudden death of her husband, Emilie Russell just wants to feel normal. But being a middle-aged widow doesn’t come with a how-to manual. Her well-meaning friend, Viv, believes the cure to all that ails is simple: a new man. So, she sets Emilie up with her handsome and charming new neighbor, widower Colin. There’s only one problem with the plan—Colin is gay.

Emilie embarks on a rollicking journey of self-discovery with Colin as her mentor and best friend. From learning to swipe right without cringing while midlife dating in constricting shapeware to cougar moments in Key West, Emilie reenters the dating pool with both humorous and soul-crushing results.

With the encouragement of her friends, including a new furry one, plus a little therapy, Emilie begins forging a new life, one where she exchanges tears for laughter, and one that maybe—just maybe—includes the courage to find love again.

My Review:

I wanted to hang out with Emilie and Colin. I wanted to be their third musketeer and have fun with them. Their dynamic was fun to read. These characters are relatable and normal. There is definitely a learning curve to becoming a widow and this book makes it so you are not alone in the grieving process. The best emotion of all is love. This book makes you believe that the world is full of love and everyone has a chance at a happy ending. I also loved the dog! I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own. This could not have been an easy book for the author to write, because she pulls from her own experiences. 

Links:
- Goodreads
- Bookbub
- Amazon
- B&N
- Kobo
- Walmart
- Bookshop

About the Author:
Michelle Paris is a Maryland writer who believes laughter can heal the heart. Her debut novel, New Normal is loosely based on her own experience as a young widow. Her personal story of overcoming grief was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. And her essays about grief and mid-life dating have appeared in multiple editions of the Chicken Soup for the Soul inspirational book series as well as in other media outlets. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Maryland Writer’s Association. Currently, Michelle is enjoying chapter two of her life with her new husband, Kevin, who keeps her from being a cat lady but only on a technicality. For more information, please visit www.michelleparisauthor.com.

Author links:
- Website
- Twitter
- Instagram
- Amazon

A Codebreaker's Christmas Surprise by Anne Greene Review

If you reveal where you work, you will be shot. During the height of World War II, the government instructs small-town girl, Elizabeth Talbot, chosen as a cryptographer, to decode at a top-secret facility in Washington, D.C., to lie about where she’s employed.

Living at a time when men think women are capable only of homemaking and bearing babies, she adores her exciting new job, excelling in an area men have dominated.

However, D.C. swarms with soldiers being shipped overseas into dangerous combat. Facing death, these men hunger for a legacy—a wife and a child who bears his name. There’s a frenzy to marry.

Two exemplary men fall in love with Elizabeth. Scarred by a fiancé who left her at the altar, she no longer trusts men. Especially women-magnets like Bill and Steve. As Elizabeth fights to overcome her lack of trust, she must decide which of these captivating men she loves.

Is it possible to love two men?

About the Author:

I’ve lived on both sides of the tracks. On the “wrong” side I learned valuable life lessons about money not buying happiness. On the “right” side I achieved some lifelong ambitions – education and travel. Like the apostle Paul, I’ve learned to live in both abundance and want. Most importantly I discovered that on both sides of the tracks, Jesus is there. 

Still living on the wrong side of the tracks, my good life began at age twenty-one when I became a Christian. Later, after moving to the right side of the tracks, I graduated from the University of Texas Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Literary Studies. 

My dear husband and I love sailing and once sailed a forty-three foot sloop through the British Virgin Islands. We may live on a sailboat one day. Come visit us. 

In common with most writers, I love to read. When I lived on the “wrong side” of the tracks, reading fiction was my escape. Now I read for pleasure and research. 

I play occasional golf, exercise when forced to, and love the outdoors, but mostly sit in front of a computer and write. Sailing shows up in my book HATTERAS ISLAND MYSTERY. 

When my dear husband, a Special Forces Army Colonel, had duty in Turkey I spent three months with him there. the book SHADOW OF THE DAGGER resulted. One cannot travel in Turkey without bumping into history. Think the crusades, the Ottoman Empire, Alexander The Great defeating Darius the Persian and the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation. I stood in the amphitheatre where Paul preached and walked the marble streets of Ephesus. Could I be more blessed? 

The rest of my books are set in the various places where I’ve lived in our own magnificent U.S.A.

My first book was published by Moody Press and enjoyed three printings - not bad for a first book. Thanks to my supportive hubby, Larry, I am able to write full time.  

Blessed with wanderlust, I’ve visited most states in the United States - including Hawaii and Alaska. A fantastic trip to the Virgin Islands resulted in my historical, THE VIRGINS. Most of you know three of the Virgin Islands belong to the U.S. I've also cruised the British Virgin Islands aboard a 43-foot sloop. 

Another totally great travel experience was in the United Kingdom where I explored England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. That trip resulted in my books MASQUERADE MARRIAGE and MARRIAGE BY ARRANGEMENT. Being of Scots-Irish descent what else could I do but write of Scotland?

My Review:

I love the description of this book. Many people may not realize what role women play at home when there are wars overseas. I did not know about the codebreakers of WWII. I find unknown history to be very interesting. The Way that Elizabeth moved and kept her job secret was awe-inspiring. I do wish that there was at least one code to crack in the story. I expected there to be some sort of puzzle. However, the love triangle was fun to see grow and Elizabeth was lucky to find two gentlemen. This was a fun fast read that was enjoyable and a feel-good story. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy, however all opinions are my own.

Pure Vengeance: A Dark Romance Anthology Giveaway

Pure Vengeance: A Dark Romance Anthology
Felicity Brandon, Madden Kole, Maesha Stone, Raisa Greywood, Yolanda Olson
Published by: GTB Publishing LLC
Publication date: November 5th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

They’ll have their vengeance—and their pleasure, too.
Revenge is like ice cream. Best served cold, and in bed.
And nobody serves up revenge like the villains in these stories.
Because there is no better way to exact your revenge than to make your target crave your touch. To make them beg you for their pleasure, to drive them to the brink of madness as they scream your name.
To make them believe you might actually love them…

Amazon

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We Never Kissed Lia Fairchild Excerpt & Giveaway

We Never Kissed
Lia Fairchild
Publication date: November 5th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

The spark between Ava and Alex, her brother’s best friend, was always undeniable. So, Ava spent her life wondering why Alex had never claimed her lips.

Torn between loyalty and desire, Alex always kept Ava at a distance, leaving her to stand on the sidelines, watching him go through women faster than a beating heart.

No longer able to ignore the pull toward Alex, Ava drops everything in her life—including her boyfriend—to finally try to make things work between them. But surrendering to their deepest desires could ruin everything, including the fragile fabric of a shared family history.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

I ordered one more and took my time finishing it as I waited for the guests to fill the room; maybe I could disappear among the crowds. Still, all eyes would be on me when I gave my toast. But there was only one pair of eyes that could destroy me tonight, and as I glanced over my shoulder, the woman who owned them was gliding toward the ballroom.

F**k me.

Ava was naturally beautiful and typically wore little makeup, but tonight she could have just stepped out of the pages of a magazine. The gown she wore was a dark and elegant shade of red, almost burgundy. It hugged her curves to perfection and had one sleeve draping her arm in sheer red material. The floor-length dress had a slit that I had to tear my gaze from before I broke out into a sweat. I actually eyed the path that led back to the elevators, but now was not the time to turn tail and run.

I stalked after her, planning to…I wasn’t sure, but as she entered the room, I saw dozens of eyes turning her way—men and women. A sense of urgency shot through me; if I had the guts—and was the selfish bastard I wanted to be—I would drag her out of that place and take her back to my hotel room, where we’d stay until I properly worshiped her the way I’d only dreamed of.

I said her name, and she stopped short, hesitating a beat before she turned to face me.

Closing the distance between us, I said, “You’re breathtaking, Ava.” I’d never used that word in my life, but it felt appropriate and inappropriate all at once.

She grinned, but it only lasted a moment, and I knew something was coming. “Can we talk?”

“Dance with me,” I said without thinking. I took her hand and led her to the dancefloor but before we stepped foot on it, fear shot through me as my mind flew back to another time I’d held Ava in my arms.

Author Bio:

Bestselling author Lia Fairchild writes romance and women's fiction. Fans of her books praise her endearing, real characters who become their own heroes.

Fairchild is addicted to the warmth of Southern California and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and a multiple-subject teaching credential. She is a wife and mother of two.

Look for updates on her and her books at http://www.liafairchild.com or follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/liafairchild/ or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lia.fairchild.author?fref=ts

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If You Lie: A Thriller by Caleb Stephens Excerpt & Giveaway

If You Lie: A Thriller
Caleb Stephens
Publication date: November 1st 2024
Genres: Adult, Thriller

A buried past. A new-age cult. A floating prison with no way off.

Seven years ago, Olivia woke up in the trunk of a stranger’s car—and barely escaped with her life. She’s been looking over her shoulder ever since.

Now, Olivia is a true-crime podcaster on a mission to help other women avoid her fate. But years spent covering violence and crime have left her burned out. So when Olivia’s estranged sister Quinn invites her to reconnect on an exclusive cruise, she jumps at the chance for a break…only this trip won’t be the relaxing vacation she’s hoping for.

The ship is elegant, the meals are divine, and the people are friendly—maybe too friendly. But Quinn isn’t the sister Olivia remembers. And strange things are starting to happen that echo Olivia’s past in unsettling ways.

When someone on the ship goes missing, Olivia realizes she’s playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Only this time, she might not survive.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Sounds came.

The steady ping of rain drumming against steel.

The muted whoosh of wind. The high whine of rubber kissing asphalt.

I was moving.

Why am I moving?

Air clawed up my throat and slid back down again—slowly, painfully—my lungs pulling harder than my esophagus would allow, my chest rising and falling in uneven shifts. I couldn’t breathe.

I should be able to—

My eyelids snapped open to darkness. Pure black. I tried to scream and couldn’t. My voice was gone, lost in my burning throat. Another sound came instead—this one closer, directly overhead.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

I raised my hands and brushed a loose rod, then pushed past it and felt cool metal press against my palm. I followed it lower, the metal curving behind my head until it terminated in a rubber seal.

A car, I thought. I’m in a trunk.

Oh, God …

Author Bio:

Caleb Stephens is an award-winning author writing from Denver, Colorado. His novels include the thrillers If You Lie, The Girls in the Cabin, and Feeders, as well as the darkly humorous urban fantasy novel, Soul Couriers, which is forthcoming in 2025. His fiction collection If Only a Heart and Other Tales of Terror includes the short story “The Wallpaper Man,” which was adapted to film by Falconer Film & Media in 2022. He's hard at work writing his next thriller.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / TikTok

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