Mailbox Monday

Monday:
A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD by Therese Anne Fowler ~ eBook from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley
Tuesday:
IN AN INSTANT by Suzanne Redfearn ~ eBook from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley
Wednesday:
BEHIND EVERY LIE by Christina McDonald ~ eBook from Gallery Books via Edelweiss
Saturday:
THE STARTER WIFE by Nina Laurin ~ TPB from Author via giveaway at Bloom With Tall Poppy Writers on FB

This week’s Fill-Ins:

1. If I had ________________, I would _________________________.
2. ___________________sparks my creativity.
3. _________ keeps me up at night.
4. I only just recently learned _________.

My answers:

1. If I had unlimited funds, I would spend the winters in Aruba.

2. The cold weather sparks my creativity (in the form of crocheting).

3. Sometimes my anxiety keeps me up at night.

4. I only just recently learned a book that I was hoping to get an ARC of was approved.

One is playing a long game. But which one?

They meet at a local tavern in the small town of Belleville, Delaware. Polly is set on heading west. Adam says he’s also passing through.

Yet she stays and he stays—drawn to this mysterious redhead whose quiet stillness both unnerves and excites him. Over the course of a punishing summer, Polly and Adam abandon themselves to a steamy, inexorable affair. Still, each holds something back from the other—dangerous, even lethal, secrets that begin to accumulate as autumn approaches, feeding the growing doubts they conceal.

Then someone dies. Was it an accident, or part of a plan? By now, Adam and Polly are so ensnared in each other’s lives and lies that neither one knows how to get away—or even if they want to. Is their love strong enough to withstand the truth, or will it ultimately destroy them?

Something—or someone—has to give.

Which one will it be?

I have to admit that I have quite a few of Laura Lippman’s books in my TBR bookcase but haven’t read one in a very long time. Since it is summer, I thought the perfect hot weather read would be SUNBURN.

As the synopsis states, Adam and Polly meet in a small-town bar in Belleville, MD. At first, the reader gets the feeling that this isn’t a chance meeting but not sure why these two people are in the same place at the same time. Which of the two have secrets? Or are they both guilty?

Polly has left her husband and small child Jani and plans on heading to the West Coast but stops n Belleville after the ride she hitched with is making it very uncomfortable. Adam comes to the same small town but for many different reasons. And on that fateful night meeting, the two start a friendship, even working together in the tavern they met at, which then turns into a romantic relationship. Furthest from their minds is that they would fall in love even though most of their secrets aren’t being told to each other, even after there is the suspicious death of another co-worker. Could one of them be the murderer?

Love the author’s writing style as it felt that I was there and could picture every scene due to the descriptive narrative. The suspense had me turning the pages as fast as I was able to. Some of the scenarios had me guessing as to who I believed. And the climactic ending was a total surprise.

I will definitely be reading the other Laura Lippman books that are waiting for me on my shelves.

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

Lila Bennett’s bad choices have finally caught up with her. And one of those decisions has split her life in two. Literally.

In one life, she’s taken hostage by someone who appears to be a stranger but knows too much. As she’s trapped in a concrete cell, her kidnapper forces her to face what she’s done or be killed. In an alternate life, she eludes her captor but is hunted by someone who is dismantling her happiness, exposing one secret at a time.

Lila’s decorated career as a criminal defense attorney, her marriage, and her life are on the line. She must make a list of those she’s wronged—both in and out of the courtroom—to determine who is out to get her before it’s too late. But even if she can pinpoint her assailant, will she survive? And if she does, which parts of her life are worth saving, and which parts must die? Because one thing’s for certain—life as Lila Bennett knew it is over.

I became a fan of this writing duo after reading THE GOOD WIDOW 

Lila Bennett, a ruthless defense attorney has always won her cases for her clients even if she feels that they are guilty. But then, that’s her job. But one case has haunted her for years even though she never has talked about it to anyone.

Having a tough as nails personality, Lila knows deep down that she has not always made the right and moral decisions in her life to get what she wants. Has it all caught up with her as she has now been kidnapped to face those issues.

The narrative takes place during her week of captivity. Each of the 5 days that she has gone missing, the chapters alternate between 2 scenarios on each particular day, of her being free and her being captured, which I found to be a bit confusing. However, with that being said, I kept turning the pages to see which was truly the reality.

The story was a continuous read of suspense. Not only trying to figure out which was the true storyline but who was the kidnapper. Was it her husband, Ethan, who found out she had betrayed him, or was it her boss Sam who was extremely angry with a decision she made, or could it be her best friend and Sam’s wife, Carrie who had reason for revenge or even a college friend who Lila stole the prestigious internship from her?

Without giving away any spoilers, I did figure out which was of the scenarios was the truth but was totally surprised at who the real kidnapper was and why.

A read that will have you guessing to the very end!!!

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

• This blog was founded on the premise to write honest reviews, to the best of my ability, no matter who from, where from and/or how the book was obtained, and will continue to do so, even if it is through PICT or PBP.
• I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
• I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

There is a stranger outside Caroline’s house.

Her spectacular new beach house, built for hosting expensive parties and vacationing with the family she thought she’d have. But her husband is lying to her and everything in her life is upside down, so when the stranger, Aiden, shows up as a bartender at the same party where Caroline and her husband have a very public fight, it doesn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary.

As her marriage collapses around her and the lavish lifestyle she’s built for herself starts to crumble, Caroline turns to Aiden for comfort…and revenge. After a brief and desperate fling that means nothing to Caroline and everything to him, Aiden’s obsession with Caroline, her family, and her house grows more and more disturbing. And when Caroline’s husband goes missing, her life descends into a nightmare that leaves her accused of her own husband’s murder.

HOLY S#@T!!!! What a read!!!

I read IT’S ALWAYS THE HUSBAND and became a fan of Ms. Campbell with that book. And after reading this book, can’t wait to read SHE WAS THE QUIET ONE, which is in my pile of TBRs. Ms. Campbell is now on my “authors to read” list and should be on your’s too.

While running on the beach in front of her new beachfront home in the Hamptons, Caroline Stark comes upon a young man staring at her house. Thinking he may be a burglar, she stops to ask who and what he is doing. His name is Aidan Callahan and this isn’t the first time that he has been there. He often stops to look at what used to be his grandfather’s land but the house that he knew is now an extraordinary dwelling.

Not long after this meeting, Aidan was hired by a caterer to bartend at an exclusive party that Caroline has planned. But things aren’t festive. Caroline’s husband shows up with a Russian woman and everyone is talking. Is her marriage over?

After the humiliation, Caroline goes to a local bar where Aidan works and after too many drinks, Caroline and Aidan end up at her house and a one night stand happens. However, Aidan thinks it more than that, he is in love. A love that becomes obsessive. To the point of murder?

The premise of the story was absolutely brilliant!! The narrative chilling as the reader sees the different perspectives of events as told by Aidan, Caroline, and her family.

You will be holding your breath one minute, gasping for air the next and finally picking your jaw off the floor!!!

A white knuckle read that was hard to put down!! A story that will stay with you long after you read the last word.

An exceptional Psychological Thriller. Pick up your copy asap but be prepared that you will need to read this one in one sitting!!!!

Purchase Links: Amazon 🔗 | Barnes & Noble 🔗 | Goodreads 🔗

Mailbox Monday

Thursday:
AMERICAN RED by David Marlett ~ eBook from The Story Plant
Saturday:
THE SLEEPOVER by Carol Wyer ~ eBook from Bookouture via NetGalley

1. I have been contemplating ___________________________________.
2. I want to ____________ a _________________ about __________________.
3. People should worry less about _________ and more about _________.
4. I want to make the world a better place by _________.

1. I have been contemplating starting Chantix again but am leery of the side effects.
2. I want to learn to worry a lot less about things I have no control of.
3. People should worry less about material things and more about being kind and compassionate.
4. I want to make the world a better place by praying. (Think that’s the only thing that will help the world as it is now).

American Red

by David Marlett

on Tour July 1 – August 31, 2019

Synopsis:

Author Bio:

David Marlett is an award-winning storyteller and writer of historical fiction, primarily historical legal thrillers bringing alive the fascinating people and events leading to major historical trials. His first such novel, Fortunate Son, became a national bestseller in 2014, rising to #2 in all historical fiction and #3 in all literature and fiction on Amazon. The late Vincent Bugliosi — #1 New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter — said David is “a masterful writer of historical fact and detail, of adventure, peril and courtroom drama.” Just released is American Red which follows the extraordinary true story of a set of radical lovers, lawyers, killers, and spies who launched the Great American Century. Visit www.AmericanRedBook.com. He is currently writing his next historical legal thriller, Angeles Los, which continues some of the lead characters from American Red. Angeles Los is based on the true story at the 1910 intersection of the first movies made in Los Angeles, the murderous bombing of the Los Angeles Times, and eccentric Abbot Kinney’s “Venice of America” kingdom. In addition, David is a professor at Pepperdine Law School, was the managing editor of OMNI Magazine, and guest-lectures on story design. He is a graduate of The University of Texas School of Law, the father of four, and lives in Manhattan Beach, California. For more, visit www.DavidMarlett.com.
 

Find Our Author Online:

davidmarlett.com | Goodreads | BookBub | Twitter | Facebook
 

Which of your characters do you like the most and why?

Oh my…well, AMERICAN RED has a host of characters, each with unique traits, strengths, quirks, weaknesses. So, I would be hard pressed to say which one I liked the most. But if you’re asking which one I most enjoyed writing, then that would be Pinkerton Chief Detective James McParland. He was one of AMERICAN RED’s many actual characters from history…a true-to-life man, bold and brazen man—a bit stuck in the late 1800s Wild West, clearly an advocate of “the ends justifying the means”—seeing his career coming to an end—attempting to do what he thinks is right—while all the same being willing to do some quite nefarious acts in the name of the law. I love his single-minded focus in the face of obvious conflicts of loyalty and duty.

Which of your characters do you dislike the most and why?

Clearly that would have to be the two horrific mass murderers: Orchard and Adams. One might think I disliked Haywood—and sure, he was a nasty soul, ordering the death of hundreds. But he was also true to his convictions and was a principle catalyst and advocate for desperately needed improvement of conditions and wages for laborers.

Which of your characters was the hardest to write and why?

Perhaps it was Neva. She was a real person, and the things she went through were actual events, circumstances. She was complex and full of conflict, just like the male counterparts. But sadly there is almost nothing about her in the historical record, so it was a challenge to bring her to life with the best estimation of her personality. Getting her right was central to the success of the whole book, so I would say she was the greatest challenge. I hope I did her justice.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned through writing?

To trust myself. To allow myself to write what I feel and edit later. To let go and let the story and narrative drive the work.

What has been your biggest challenge to your writing career?

Well, that would be much the same as the “biggest lesson”: to trust my research and work and let go—to disappear into the past and write what I discover there.

What was your biggest challenge writing this book?

Developing and getting to know Neva and the other female characters. The men are documented in history, but not the women. In fact, for that reason, I had this book on development hiatus for over a year or more while I tried to find the story I wanted to tell that was beyond just the masculine plot lines.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I hope they enjoy AMERICAN RED—that is first and foremost. And in that enjoyment, I would like to challenge them to consider the battling conflicts within the story—as reflected in why I chose and designed the cardinals on the cover—the entanglement we all have with ourselves, not just between right and wrong, but in our perceptions of ourselves and our place and purpose in the world—and our willingness to make a difference in the lives of others. Most will read AMERICAN RED for the story that it is, and that is terrific. But perhaps a few will dig deeper into book—beginning with the Overture—and find themselves within the complexities of the tapestry of humanity and challenge themselves as to what they would do in the position of these characters.

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

I see a terrific ensemble cast for the many characters of AMERICAN RED. As it is currently in discussions for series adaptation, I’ll refrain from weighing in on specific actors/actresses.

Give us an interesting fun fact, or a few, about your book or series.

AMERICAN RED is the first of a series of historical legal thrillers carrying some real and some fictional characters through actual events in the first half of the twentieth century. My next (what I am researching/writing currently), ANGELES LOS, tells the true story at the intersection of the first movies made in Los Angeles, the murderous, 1910 bombing of the Los Angeles Times, and eccentric Abbot Kinney’s “Venice of American” kingdom. It brings forward a number of characters from AMERICAN RED, most notably Clarence Darrow, Jack Garrett, and Carla Capone.

Favorite foods?

A great prime rib steak.

Favorite activities?

Time spent with my kids. Hiking with my dog. Participating in live storytelling events.

Read an excerpt:

Tour Host Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!



 

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