Roman's Holiday Book Blast

   


Roman's Holiday by Susan Aylworth

Four years after Roman Kincaid was catapulted into stardom as a country-western singer and A-list movie star, he is burned out: exhausted by a grueling schedule, drained by the ceaseless demands of producers and managers, weary of meeting the needs of others at the expense of his own. Leaving a sold-out show in Phoenix, he rents a car and drives north and east, landing in the Painted Desert town of Rainbow Rock.

Nearly three years after leaving her old life behind, Lottie Beale is feeding people and baking pies, managing the Kachina Café and tending secrets of her own. When circumstances conspire to give two attractive people some time alone together amid the world-class vistas of the Four Corners, they discover more than either had bargained for.

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  Excerpt “Ro-man! Ro-man!” A capacity crowd in the Ak-Chin Pavilion chanted his name under the starry desert sky, but Roman Kincaid barely heard it. He stood in the stage wings, gearing up for an encore and wondering when his dream had become a nightmare. “Okay, guys,” he said to his back-up band via their ear buds. “One encore only. Let’s do ‘Gamble.’ Start with the chorus.” He took two steps toward the stage entrance, swinging his guitar into playing position. Sam, his manager, caught his elbow. “Are you sure about this? That crowd adores you. You could probably play three encores, sell more CDs—” “No.” Roman left no room for argument. “One and done. And no backstage stuff, either. I’m outta here.” He took a deep breath, pasted on the same fake, crowd-pleasing smile he’d used in the last half-dozen shows, and jogged back onto the stage to the roar of twenty thousand excited voices. He strummed the intro and launched into the chorus of his first number-one hit: “Love is such a gamble. You break a new deck every time. Sometimes you’re dealt the aces; Others you draw to nines. But when I met you, I knew it was true. A winning hand you seemed. Now I have the rush of a royal flush. You are the gamble of my dreams.” The crowd cheered wildly as he played his way through the music he now sang in his sleep. In fact, he realized as he watched fans taking up the beat and clapping along, that was pretty much what he was doing now. He struggled to suppress a yawn during the guitar interlude as he turned to acknowledge his band. I spent my early life dreaming of a crowd like this. When did performing start to feel like a chore? He put the thought away. Lately he’d been thinking of times when he’d heard of some celebrity being hospitalized for exhaustion and assumed it was a euphemism for drug rehab. Now he wondered. When was the last time I felt truly rested? The question was an imponderable. Months, at least. He hit the last chord and took a deep bow, then shouted, “Thank you, Phoenix!” and dashed off-stage.





     

Author Susan Aylworth

Susan Aylworth started her first book when she was nine. "It was called Buff, The Proud Stallion. I wrote eight whole pages." For her fifth grade career day, she stated her ambition to become "a rich and famous author." Decades later, she is pleased to have achieved the 'author' part of that goal. A former university professor, she enjoys researching backgrounds and careers for her novels. "It's one way to live many lives at once." She lives in northern California with her husband of 45 years and two spoiled cats.

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 Book Blast Giveaway - $50 Amazon Gift Card or $50 in Paypal Cash Ends 12/11/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Rising Darkness (Finding Sanctuary #3) by Nancy Mehl

Romantic Suspense to Keep Readers Guessing Until the Last Page

Sophie Wittenbauer left her strict Mennonite hometown under a cloud of shame and regret. After a rough childhood, her teenage poor choices harmed others, leaving her with no choice but to change her life. Her entry-level writing job at a newspaper puts her in the right place at the right time to overhear office gossip about a prisoner who has information on a decades-old unsolved crime. While the other reporters write off the tip as the ravings of an angry criminal, Sophie can't ignore it because she knows the name of this prisoner from her old life.

Upon learning from the man that one of the other suspects is hiding out in the Missouri town of Sanctuary, she takes on a false identity to investigate and meets the young pastor of a local church--the very man she'd loved as a troubled teenager. As she gets closer to finding the suspect, will the truth of her own past come out before she discovers the identity of the criminal--or the very person she's seeking puts a fatal stop to her investigation?

Amazon

About The Author

Nancy Mehl is the author of eighteen books and received the ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award in 2009. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Missouri where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their Puggle, Watson. Visit her website at www.nancymehl.com.


My Review

Nancy Mehl has gifted us with another visit to Sanctuary Missouri, and a stay with Esther our beloved Mennonite friend.
This one will keep you page turning and on the edge of your seat, you won’t know where the danger is coming from, or who is the guilty party. There are a lot of surprises here, and things that appear one way, are soon looking like something else.
We reunite with several friends from previous visits to Sanctuary, and because we feel rather safe here, sometimes we become too complacent and don’t see some of the danger lurking.
Some people have changed their looks, including the main character, Emily, or Sophie, she is not that abused child that grew up Mennonite, and now feels God should have protected her.
Will she get the answers she seeks here, or will evil win and get away with the crimes they have committed? Come along for a good heart stopping read, which will keep you reading, until you have answers.
I received this book through Bethany House Review Tour, and was not required to give a positive review.

Miracle Drug by Richard L. Mabry

The infection wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did. The treatment was supposed to take care of it, but it didn’t. Then Dr. Josh Pearson discovers why—his patients, including the former President of the United States, have been dosed with a different strain of the original virus, one that is universally fatal. The only chance for survival is treatment with an experimental drug, but the manufacturer might already have discarded its supply.



As if treating the President of the United States isn’t stressful enough, the situation goes from bad to worse when Rachel Moore, a nurse Josh is falling in love with, falls ill. With the nation’s eyes on him, Josh must pull off a miracle to save a man who holds a good deal of power and the woman who holds his heart.

About The Author


A retired physician, Dr. Richard Mabry is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels of medical suspense. His previous works have been finalists for the Carol Award and Romantic Times Reader’s Choice Award, and have won the Selah Award. He is a past Vice-President of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of the International Thriller Writers. He and his wife live in North Texas.




Learn more and purchase a copy at Richard’s website.



My Review

I just finished Dr. Mabry’s Miracle Drug and you need to know that not all is revealed until the last page is turned.
How do you choose who lives? The man you have committed to save, a former President and World leader, or the woman who has finally reopened the door to your heart and you finally admit you love.
How the treachery and deceiving evolves throughout the book, and you never know who or whom you can trust and maybe they were also involved. What it all comes down to is the almighty dollar, and what length these people will go to achieve their goals.
The author tells you at the end that there is no such disease or drug, but could there be? Could people actually ransom a curing drug and if you don’t have a large sum of money you die?
I loved the faith of some of these characters, how willing would you be to give your supply of a drug that would save your life to another? Yet, we have a nurse, who knows the Lord and is willing to let the former President have her supply, she knows where she will be going when she dies.
Come and enjoy an unforgettable read, you won’t be able to put it down and it will have you riveted to each page as you discover who to trust and where you went wrong.
I received this book through Litfuse Publicity Book tours and was not required to give a positive review.

A Gentleman's Agreement

Genre: Contemporary Romance

A GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT

Publication Date: 10-24-2015

ASIN: B0172YH9XM

Author: Joy Avery

 



When it comes to love, all deals are off! Blake Farrington knows exactly who to call when he finds himself needing crisis management. Yes, this task is outside Eunice Howard’s usual realm of responsibilities, but he’s willing to make it worth her time. Plus, she’s ideal for the role. Who better to play his pretend lover than the one woman who knows him almost better than he knows himself? The last thing Eunice Howard expects when summoned to her boss’s office is a request to play the role of his new love interest to appease his mother, restless to marry him off. Foolishly agreeing, she ventures with him to Farrington Estates for the Thanksgiving holiday. She thought she’d seen all sides of Blake Farrington, but the man who emerges is a man she could easily love. Their agreement blossoms into a connection neither expected—nor are willing to admit. When the lines between make-believe and reality blur, something phenomenal occurs.
 
 


 Joy Avery is a contemporary romance author who loves watching her imaginary friends fall in love. When not crafting her next love story, she enjoys reading, spending time with the family, playing with her two dogs, and cake decorating. She’s the author of the novels Smoke in the Citi, His Until Sunrise (book 1 in the Indigo Falls series), Cupid’s Error-a Valentine’s novella, and His Ultimate Desire (book 2 in the Indigo Falls series).  

  The second they rounded the corner, Eunice snatched her hand away. “What the hell was that?” she asked in a whisper. “What?” He wasn’t truly that clueless, but played so. She released a heavy sigh and hiked up the stairs. Inside the bedroom, he was on her heels—right until the moment she stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door in his face. Blake leaned against the door jamb. “Are you upset?” “Yes. No. I mean—” She cursed under her breath. He couldn’t understand why she’d gotten so distressed. Okay, maybe he’d gone a little overboard, but… Eunice continued. “I don’t know. Did you—” She yelped once the door slung open and he was standing there. He flashed one of his award-winning smiles in hopes of lightening the mood. She pushed him out of the way and moved toward the bed. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and she wore a simple white nightgown shirt. It was sexy as hell. “Did you have to take it that far?” she said. “We’re supposed to be a believable couple, right?” She narrowed her eyes at him. Had she been a bull, he had a feeling this was the moment she would have charged. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize my words would affect you so…deeply. They were pretty poetic, huh?” Eunice snatched a pillow from the bed and hurled it at him. What was with him and women with pillows? “Enjoy the floor, Mr. Poetic.” Blake barked a laugh. Eunice climbed in bed. He sobered. She pulled the covers to her chin. Blake pulled his hands to his waist. “Eunice?” When she didn’t answer, he rested his hand on the back of his neck. “Come on. You can’t be serious. You’re really making me sleep on the floor?” “Goodnight, Prat. Sweet dreams.” There was a hint of laughter in her tone. Frankly, he didn’t find anything funny. “Seriously, that bed is the size of a small island.” “In that case, you should feel privileged. You have the entire ocean to yourself.” Every damn body is a comedian in this house. “Okay. I’ll remember this.” This time, humor played in his tone. “See if you get a Christmas bonus.” He escaped into the bathroom, did his before bed rituals, then returned and made a pallet on the floor. Using the remote, he shut off the lights, then attempted to find a comfortable position. “Blake?” Ah-ha. I knew she’d feel sorry for me. “Mmm-hmm,” he hummed. “Your story… This is going to sound strange, but it actually happened to me in Central Park. Weird, huh?” Not weird at all. Unlike her story, his had been steeped in truth. All except for the approaching her part. Unbeknownst to Eunice, he’d seen her in the park doing exactly what he’d stated. He’d also wanted to ask her out. But before he could, he discovered she’d recently started working for his company. Imagine his surprise when they’d bumped into each other at the annual Spring Fling he threw for his staff. “Huh. Yeah. That is weird.”    

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An Amish Noel (The Amish Bachelors #2) by Patricia Davids

An Amish Homecoming

Luke Bowman's homecoming is turning Emma Swartzentruber's carefully ordered world upside down. Gone is her rebellious girlhood crush, and in his place is a handsome man who seems committed to serving the community. Luke's even agreed to work for Emma's ill father, whose last wish is to see his daughter wedded to a stable, loving man. But Luke - a man who flirted with the outside world with disastrous consequences - is hardly marriage material for a good Amish woman. Yet this Christmas, when her family is flung into crisis, Emma finds that he may just be the one to capture her heart for good.


About The Author



Patricia Davids is an award winning author of more than 20 Inspirational and Amish romance novels. Her book, A Home for Hannah, won the Romantic Times Review's Choice Award for Best Love Inspired Novel of 2012. She was a finalist in the Review's Choice Awards and the National Reader's Choice Awards in 2011. She has sold nearly 2,000,000 books world-wide since her debut novel in 2006. Born and raised in central Kansas, Patricia has found a way to combine her Midwest values and sense of humor into emotionally rich novels that deal with contemporary subjects. Her Amish novels have become increasingly popular with readers who are looking for stories with a bit of nostalgia, a sweet romance, and a measure of faith in our turbulent world. Patricia currently resides with her family and her dog in Wichita, Kansas.
Patricia is a popular speaker for many kinds of groups. Drop her an email if you would like to find out more about having her speak to your group.

My Review

An Amish Noel is the next book in the Amish Bachelor series, and this book focus’s on Luke. If you remember Luke from the first book, he carries a lot of guilt and pain; he was responsible for Samuel’s accident. He is also on probation from his time with the English, and is responsible in a way for Timothy going to jail.
Will he be able to turn his life around, and join and live his faith? He is off to a good start when he decides to help his former girlfriend, ah is she, Emma Swartzentruber’s father. Will he be able to face her each day, will she accept that he is working for her Dad, and he sure needs help. Will he influence her teenage brother with the life he lived with the English.
What a wonderful reunion we have with the characters we met in the first book, and we catch up with their lives, and are included in this story. There are a few chuckles and joy found here and there are some very serious moments, and times of fear.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series, and from the author’s hints it is going to be brother Timothy’s life.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Love Inspired, and was not required to give a positive review.

Pump Up Your Book Presents: The Rockstar Remedy Blog Tour

Title: The Rockstar Remedy
Author: Dr. Gabrielle Francis with Stacy Baker Masand
Publisher: HarperCollins Wave
Pages: 330
Genre: Health and Wellness/Rock n Roll
Format: Paperback/Kindle/Nook

Known as the “Rock n’ Roll Doctor” to some of the most famous bands in the world, Dr. Gabrielle Francis shares her unique holistic prescription to achieving health and balance—even when you don’t live like a saint!

As a Holistic Doctor to the music industry’s elite, Dr. Francis has helped rock stars repair, recover, and refuel from the demanding schedules and occasional overindulgences that come along with the rock star lifestyle. Being overscheduled, sleep-deprived, overeating, drinking and managing physical and mental stressors aren’t lifestyle habits unique to the music industry; they are the same challenges faced by all of us, every day. 

In The Rockstar Remedy, Dr. Francis shares her unique strategies designed to be incorporated into your hectic lifestyle. Her programs are customized to meet you where you are at, whether an experienced health enthusiast or a beginner. Completing the 21 day detox will give you a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm for life, while looking and feeling your personal best. She explains how health is not a destination, but exists on a spectrum, and the simple act of making better choices every day—even if they’re not the best choices—helps us achieve balance in both mind and body. With tips for improving energy levels, easy food guidelines and a simple no-starvation detox, Dr. Francis offers a simple, effective plan for staying healthy and happy amid the chaos of our daily lives. Her popular “Harm Reduction Techniques” and “90/10 Rule” make it easy to celebrate life with occasional indulgences while maintaining good health. This is not a temporary fix; this program brings long-lasting, life-changing results. 

Now you can reach for the stars too!

For More Information

• The Rockstar Remedy is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.

Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

About the Author

Dr. Gabrielle Francis has been practicing natural medicine for more than thirty years.

She is a Naturopathic Doctor, Chiropractor, Acupuncturist, and Licensed Massage therapist. Dr. Francis currently practices in New York City as The Herban Alchemist.  She also operates Backstage Alternative, which is her natural medicine road show that provides chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, nutrition and herbal remedies to performing artists on tour. 

Dr. Francis received her formal medical training at National College of Chiropractic and at Bastyr University. She has extensive training in Alternative Cancer Therapies, Environmental Medicine, Functional Medicine, Mind-Body medicine, and Bio-Identical Hormone therapies. Following her formal medical education, Dr. Francis travelled extensively to various parts of the world studying medicine with indigenous healers in countries such as China, India, Thailand, Bali, Brazil, Morocco, Peru, Guatemala, Ecuador, Belize, Mexico, Egypt, and Mali. 

 

Stacy Baker Masand is a health, fitness and lifestyle editor whose work has appeared in magazines such as In Style, Marie Claire, Self, Shape, Fitness, DuJour and Women's Health. She's co-author of New York Times bestseller Your Best Body Now. Stacy is currently developing projects for both small and big screen.

Their latest book is the health/wellness/rocknroll book, The Rocstar Remedy.

For More Information

• Visit Dr. Gabrielle Francis’ website.
• Connect with Gabrielle on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about Gabrielle at Goodreads.
• Connect with Gabrielle on Instagram.
• Visit Gabrielle’s blog..
• Contact Gabrielle.

 

Book Excerpt:

The year is 1984.  I was fresh out of massage school… a ripe 19 years old.  My cousin worked for Belkin productions, the company that promoted Rock Concerts in Cleveland.  One day she called me and said, “ Cuz, such and such, the biggest name in rock n roll at the time, is coming to Cleveland and they want massages. I volunteered you.”   I was in a state of shock, but gladly accepted the offer.  Weirdly enough, I was not nervous or overly excited.   I felt I would be great for the job.

I arrived at the coliseum with my massage table in check, but I was secretly looking forward to the massive parties back stage.   To my dismay, the backstage seemed quite quiet.  All the artists were in their private dressing rooms and keeping to themselves.  I was taken to the catering hall and noticed that there was a completely organic and vegetarian spread.   In those days this was very rare and unheard of.  Whole Foods was not a household name.  I also noticed there was not an ounce of alcohol backstage.  The most intoxicating beverage I could find was Coca-Cola. Wives had taken the place of the groupies.  The Myth was shattered!

 The first artist I worked on was the Saxophone player.  He had the spiritual name, given to him by his Guru, on the dressing room door instead of his real name. When I entered his dressing room, I felt I had entered a Temple. It was lit with candles, incense permeated the air, and a picture of his Guru stared at me throughout the entire massage. I worked with most of the band that night just doing massage to get them ready for the marathon show.  There was a medical doctor backstage giving them B12 shots to boost their energy for the big performance.  Each artist was so thoughtful and down to earth.  I was taken by their humility and realness.  It was an ego-free zone. 

They put on a super 4-hour show that night.  I watched from backstage and I could see what an amazing dynamic a rock concert was.  The band gives energy to the audience. The audience gives love and more energy to the band.  The band gets high on the energy from the crowd. And it seems like it can go of forever.  The only thing that made the band come off the stage was the venue saying that they had to go.

 I will never forget that night as I saw the power of music to elevate the energy of a theater to a higher vibration.   It is no wonder that some people feel that going to a concert can be like a religious experience.  I decided Rock’n’Roll would be one of my religions too!  It would blend very well with my Catholic upbringing.  Catholics revere saints.  So, why not add a few like Jimi Hendrix, Patron Saint of the Wa Wa Pedal; Santana, the Archangel of Long Instrumental Grooves; Keith Richards, Holy Father of the Rhythm Guitar: and of course Our Lady Madonna. 

After the show, that band asked me to tour with them as a massage therapist. I had to say no because I was very committed to the idea of finishing medical school.

I regretted that decision for a very long time.  Luckily, I had the chance again almost 17 years later…

Read on…. BUY the ROCKSTAR REMEDY

 

Keeping Christmas by Dan Walsh

For the first time since their children were born, empty nesters Judith and Stan Winters spent Thanksgiving without the kids, and it's looking like Christmas will be the same. Judith can't bring herself to even start decorating for the holiday; her kids always hung the first ornaments on the tree, ornaments they had made each year since they were toddlers. Sure they were strange-looking--some could be called downright ugly--but they were tradition. A tradition she's heartbroken to miss this year.

With Judith refusing to decorate the bare spruce tree in their living room, Stan knows something must be done. And his only hope for saving the holiday is found in a box of handmade ornaments.

Fan-favorite Dan Walsh invites readers to enjoy this nostalgic Christmas story that celebrates all of our most cherished seasonal traditions, especially the importance of family. Readers will join in remembering the things that make their own Christmas season so special.


About The Author

Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of several books, including The Dance and The Promise with Gary Smalley, as well as The Unfinished Gift, The Discovery, and The Reunion. He has won three Carol Awards, and two of his novels were finalists for RT Book Reviews Inspirational Book of the Year for 2011 and 2012. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Dan served as a pastor for twenty-five years. He lives with his wife in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel. 

Visit www.danwalshbooks.com for more 


My Review

The empty nest syndrome hits Judith Winters hard this years, Stan and her first Thanksgiving that they have been alone since they had children. Now a call of all three of her children informs her that they cannot make it home for Christmas.
The story revolves around the reminiscing of past holiday season moments, remembering how each year she helped the children make new ornaments for their tree, and how they are in a box marked Ugly Ornaments. The story tells about the ornaments and how the family jokes and cherishes these, to the point that Judith can’t stop mourning and put them on the tree.
A fun Christmas read and one that makes you keep turning to find out all that is happening here. It almost felt like I was reading an O. Henry, and hoping it wouldn’t end up like that one did. This one would make a great holiday movie, and I recommend this sweet read.
I received this book through Revell Reads Blogger Tour, and was not required to give a positive review.