Blog Tour and Review! The Daughter of River Valley by Victoria Cornwall

The Daughter of River Valley Full Banner

SYNOPSIS:

The Daughter of River Valley

Beth Jago appears to have the idyllic life, she has a trade to earn a living and a cottage of her own in Cornwall’s beautiful River Valley. Yet appearances can be deceptive …

Beth has a secret. Since inheriting her isolated cottage she has been receiving threats, so when she finds a man in her home she acts on her instincts. One frying pan to the head and she has robbed the handsome stranger of his memory and almost killed him.

Brought together by unknown circumstances, and fearful he may die, she reluctantly nurses the intruder back to health. Yet can she trust the man with no name who has entered her life, or is he as dangerous as his nightmares suggest? As they learn to trust one another, the outside threats worsen. Are they linked to the man with no past? Or is the real danger still outside waiting … and watching them both?

The Daughter of River Valley

REVIEW:

The Daughter of River Valley is a true romantic historical novel. Written with descriptive prose, Victoria Cornwall imbues her characters with the language of Cornwall and the proper spoken language of that historical period. It has been awhile since I have read a true historical novel and once I got used to the flow of her words, I enjoyed the moving story of these two characters.

Beth Jago was an independent woman before independence was allowed for women. The fact that she wanted to work and survive alone without leaning on a man gave her character a modernity that enabled me to identify with her. When she finds an intruder in her home and knocks him over the head she definitely creates a rocky start to their relationship. His lost memory means that he doesn’t know who he is, but his feelings for Beth grow and they soon create a partnership that goes beyond the bounds of border and caretaker. With Beth, he finally finds a happiness he hasn’t felt in a long time, a happiness that he wants to continue.

This novel is not just a sweeping historical drama, there is also a bit of a mystery. It becomes apparent that someone is watching Beth’s cabin and Beth isn’t sure if it has to do with her secret she’s been keeping or if it is someone from the village. This small bit of tension escalates and helps move the plot forward quickly reaching a satisfactory conclusion to both the mystery and their relationship.

If you enjoy true historical’s then you should pick up The Daughter of River Valley. It’s sweeping tale will take your imagination on an adventurous journey to the Cornwall countryside. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book for my honest review and it was honest.

To purchase this book, please click the link:

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daughter-River-Valley-Cornish-Tales-ebook/dp/B07DHWTH5T

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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Victoria Cornwall can trace her Cornish roots as far back as the 18th century and it is this background and heritage which is the inspiration for her Cornish based novels.

Victoria’s writing has been shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romantic Fiction and her debut novel reached the final for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Joan Hessayon Award.

Victoria likes to read and write historical fiction with a strong background story, but at its heart is the unmistakable emotion, even pain, of loving someone.

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Social Media Links –

Website: http://victoriacornwall.com/

Blog: http://victoriacornwall.com/news-blog-2/

Facebook (Author Page if you have one): https://www.facebook.com/victoriacornwall.author/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VickieCornwall

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16069968.Victoria_Cornwall

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/vickiecornwall/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoria_cornwallx/

Friday YA: Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch

Addie and her brother Ian, only 15 months apart, have always been best siblings. You know, best friends except for the fact they are brother and sister, however currently Ian is super pissed at Addie. She has done something and he wants her to tell their mother before she finds out from someone else. Addie refuses. In Ireland for a wedding, Addie and her brother Ian continue this argument and fall down the side of a cliff. At a wedding. Her mother is at her wits end wanting to see the relationship between her two kids repaired, so she ships them off to Italy to visit with Addie’s friend Lina. Ian has other plans, and Addie, not wanting to be left behind is an unwanted visitor on a road trip around Ireland, hosted by Ian’s online friend Rowan.

Secrets between siblings, especially close ones, never turn out well. Addie’s secret had to do with a summer romance gone wrong which will be embarrassing to face, but Ian’s secret is a life altering change. When Addie finds out why they are traveling around Ireland she realizes that this brother that she loves so much has a secret life, and that she may not have known him as well as she thought.

Rowan, as the Irish lad who owns the car they are traveling in, also has his own little bit of personal drama. When Addie finds a travel guide for a broken heart in their hotel, Rowan decides that his heart could use a little mending as well. The two of them bond over their heartbreaks, and he also helps her see who Ian really is. Love & Luck wasn’t a very intriguing or even very dramatic story, but it’s message about family and loving someone for who they are and not who you think they are was well played.

Addie was your typical teen who doesn’t want to face up to her mistakes, but she grows up a lot by the end of the book. Rowan was a sweet guy, the perfect foil for Ian and Addie’s sibling antics. The romance between the two of them was only hinted at as the plot was about growing up and facing the consequences of your actions. Ian was my favorite character by far. He was the big surprise of the book, and in my mind should’ve been the main protagonist. His journey was the more interesting of  the two and a big lesson in not judging a book by it’s cover.

If you are looking for a light, easy to read YA contemporary novel, this is a solid hit and would be a great vacation read, especially if you have a trip planned to Ireland. I actually bought Love & Gelato last year because I had a trip planned to Italy, where it is set, but never got around to reading it. Now that I’ve tested the waters with this author (and those characters showed up in this book) I may move it onto my summer vacation reading list this year instead! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Love & Luck

Click this link to purchase! Love & Luck

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small stipend if you purchase through clicking the above link.

Release Blitz! Young Love by Alyson Santos

Young Love by Alyson Santos IS NOW AVAILABLE!

“I never wanted to come up for air. Alyson Santos is a master at painting the pages with emotions. This one is a must-read!” – Ginger Scott, Bestselling Author

Amazon ➜ https://amzn.to/2LmfOgd
Amazon Universal ➜ mybook.to/YoungLoveAlysonSantos
FREE with #KindleUnlimited

ADD TO YOUR TBR ➜ http://bit.ly/2JABiGj

Sometimes you need to let yourself fall…
Recently divorced Sienna Porter has the life she’s supposed to. A house, career, even a hot young contractor working upstairs to distract her. At thirty-eight, she’s entitled to a little fun (according to her best friend, anyway).

Pain, though— it’s so clever in the way it infects hope and poisons happiness.

Jace Beckett should be flying high. Talented, driven, and disciplined, he’s far beyond his twenty-three years. He’s used to the game, the attention his looks and highly-trained body get from women. Doesn’t mean he likes to play.

Doesn’t mean his own secrets aren’t intent on tearing him down.

It’s just a fling. Sexy. Temporary. It’s not supposed to last. It’s not supposed to transform into love. It’s certainly not supposed to become the air you breathe and everything worth fighting for.

About the Author:
I’m a writer, musician, and cat lover. I also have an alternative music obsession. Seriously, it’s a real problem.
I write what needs to come out, whether it’s pain, tears, or laughter. I write people and relationships, about the beauty and horror of what we do to ourselves and each other. I write Love. Vengeance. Compassion. Cruelty. Trust. Betrayal. Forgiveness. Darkness, and the incredible way humans destroy and heal each other.
I like to eradicate barriers, refusing to be confined by the laws of physics or limitations of reality. I will befriend a vast population of possibilities and introduce them in ways that might surprise you.

Connect with Alyson!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralysonsantos/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAlySantos
Join her group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AlysBreakfastClub/
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2E57FWM

This Chick Read: Edge of Truth (The Legionnaires #2) by Brynn Kelly

Journalist Tess Newell is being held hostage in an African cell when French Leggionaire Flynn is also taken hostage and thrown into the dark with her. In complete darkness Tess bandages his wounds waiting for the cell door to open and the terrorist Hamid to come in for another round of torture. Fortunately, Flynn isn’t going to wait around for that to happen and in a daring breakout he and Tess join together to outsmart and outwit the terrorists who want to use them as propaganda for their own agenda.

Just because they had escaped doesn’t mean that Tess and Flynn are safe. They must get to where Tess has hidden a file that will break her story wide open and end the political corruption that is fueling a war and will stop the terrorist plot. This novel started off quickly with a breakout and was running non stop until the end of the book. Did they defeat their enemies? You need to read this book to find out.

I really enjoyed this story. Tess was her own brand of hero, finding a story and not giving up even though her own life came under fire. She and Flynn were not without their problems, but they were stronger together than they were apart. I liked their mix of brains and brawn that didn’t always fall down stereotypical lines. It helped ground their characters and made it easy for the reader to root for and identify with them.

This is the second book in a series, but can be read as a stand alone novel. I didn’t read the first book, and didn’t feel like I missed out on too much back story. I am curious enough to go back and read Deception Island. I think I may have found a new author I can enjoy! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Edge of Truth

Click this link to purchase! Edge of Truth (The Legionnaires)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

I am an Amazon Associate and will receive a small stipend if you purchase this book through the above link.

Friday YA: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

I love fairy tale re-tellings and Geekerella is a re-telling of one of the biggie’s. Ella is an orphan with a horrible stepmother and two stepsisters. They couldn’t be any more different. Ella is a bit of a nerd. She and her now deceased father shared a love for the show Starfield (think Star Trek) and would watch episodes for hours. Her stepmother is a country club snob and her stepsisters CC brats. I had forgotten how hard it was to watch Cinderella get treated so horribly in animation and I’ll just say that set in present time, that difficulty was doubled. Her step-everythings were just awful. Her only avenue of escape was to her job on the Magic Pumpkin food truck with her new friend Sage. There she dreams of going to Excelsicon the sci-fi comic con that her father started in Atlanta, but her step’s would never allow her to go. Scheme ensues.

I, too, am a bit of a geek when it comes to sci-fi, fantasy and comic cons. I grew up going to them and used to be able to walk the walk and talk the talk. This novel did get the Con part right. You do see people dressed in all sorts of fantasy gear. What fell a little short for me was the story between Ella and her Prince Charming, love interest Darien Freeman. Darien sends an accidental text to Ella’s cell, which used to be her fathers. They end up being pen pals (text pals?), never revealing too much about themselves yet telling each other their secrets. Ella never knew it was the famous actor on the other end of the line. Their stories are told from both of their perspectives and truly they both had pretty awful aspects to their lives. You know about Ella’s problems, but Darien’s were just as bad. His manager was his father who just took advantage and belittled him the whole time. Yuck. Really, I just wanted the two of them to be able to run away together and say “the hell with all this!”. This novel for me rode a fine line of child abuse and even when put in a fairy tale like setting it didn’t make it better. Even though there were cute parts, that aspect was just hard for me to overlook.

I know I am older than the average YA reader and most of these novels are not written for my age group. That being said, this novel was more juvenile than the characters ages. Sure, their decision making was pretty accurate. Teenagers make errors in judgement and these two made some big errors, but maybe the story was too simple? I can’t really put my finger on it. Geekerella was well written and at times playful, and I did like the walk down memory lane and maybe it didn’t ring all my bells, but that doesn’t mean it’s not for you! ❤️❤️❤️❣️

Did you read this book? What did you think?

Geekerella

Click this link to purchase*! Geekerella: A Fangirl Fairy Tale (Once Upon A Con)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

This Chick Read: The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert

This book has been on my radar for a couple of years. I have a sweet tooth and the cover spoke to me and I’ll admit to purchasing her Luck, Love and Lemon Pie book for the same reason. What can I say, coconut cake and lemon pie are two of my favorites!

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake was aptly named as our heroine, Lou, is the chef/owner of restaurant Luella’s in Milwaukee. She has just baked the titled coconut cake to deliver to her fiancee’s house for his birthday. As she was walking to his house, she run’s into our British hero, Al, on the street. He is struck by her smell of vanilla and coconut, and fondly remembers her as he goes about his every day. Lou doesn’t have quite as good a day because she delivers the cake to her fiancee who is caught with a co-worker in their underwear. Dropping the cake, she rushes back to her restaurant and has the absolute worst day of cooking/service ever. Of course, this is the day that Al, the food critic for the local paper, chooses Luella’s to critique. Needless to say, he was pretty brutal. Drowning in her sorrows at the neighborhood pub that night, tipsy Lou, meets charmed Al, not knowing he was “the” food critic and offers to show him around Milwaukee.

This is the set-up for this love story. Through showing Al what the locals love about Milwaukee, she rejuvenates her restaurants vision and also opens Al’s eyes to the charm of this city. The reader is in on who Al truly is, while the two of them are completely ignorant of the fact she is the owner/chef and he the critic that has tanked her restaurant. These two characters were completely likable, the setting original, and the food explored really yummy making this a really light, enjoyable weekend read. A perfect vacation book!

The food references in this book just about killed my resolve. Sweets and cheese being two of my absolute favorites. The city of Milwaukee also needs to put this book in all of the hotels as a guide for what to do and where to eat. Assuming they are all real events and places, I may have to plan a trip to Milwaukee myself. The city was as charming a character as Al and Lou.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Coconut

Click this link to purchase! The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved.

I am an Amazon Associate and receive a small stipend if you purchase through the above link.

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Uppercase Box Reveal July ’18

Design

HI!  Yep, it’s that time of the month again…. NO, not THAT time, it’s time for our Uppercase Box reveal! Sheesh! As if I’d go down that road. This month when the package arrived I knew we had a big book or a ton of gifts. The package was pretty big and very heavy.

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I immediately noticed the change in bag design. Very clever! It looks like an envelope and the color scheme pops a little bit more than in the past. I like it!

On to the first bit of book swag. It’s a Reading is Magical unicorn key chain. Hmmm, I’m not really into key chains, so I’m sure I’ll pass this one off to one of my fellow bloggers who may like it better. The other item looks to be a little coin with a tree on it. Could this be a hint on which book arrived???

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The next bookish item in the bag was one that I really liked! It’s a cute book bag that says Adventure Starts Here. I have a ton of these bags and enjoy their catchy little sayings. I use them for work, take them to festivals, use them for shopping. They are multi purpose and also deliver a message about how wonderful reading a book can be. Adventure awaits!

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I was really excited to see which book came in the Uppercase Box this month. It had been on my radar and I’ve read a few good reviews about it.

SPINNING SILVER by Naomi Novik

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Synopsis:

A fresh and imaginative retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale from the bestselling author of Uprooted, which was hailed as “a very enjoyable fantasy with the air of a modern classic” by The New York Times Book Review.

With the Nebula Award–winning Uprooted, Naomi Novik opened a brilliant new chapter in an already acclaimed career, delving into the magic of fairy tales to craft a love story that was both timeless and utterly of the now. Spinning Silver draws readers deeper into this glittering realm of fantasy, where the boundary between wonder and terror is thinner than a breath, and safety can be stolen as quickly as a kiss.

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty—until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold.

When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk—grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh—Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.

But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.

Channeling the vibrant heart of myth and fairy tale, Spinning Silver weaves a multilayered, magical tapestry that readers will want to return to again and again.

For me, Fairy tale retellings are hit or miss, but this one looks really good and I can’t wait to read it! I will, of course, review it here on The Reading Chick!

Thanks for tuning in for my Uppercase Box reveal!

Deb

Friday YA: The Star Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

As the daughter of a Raja, Maya should’ve had a life of privilege and love. She did live in the lap of luxury within the harem where she was born, but because of her horoscope she has always been hated and feared. When her father arranges a political marriage, she must choose a husband who will help save her kingdom from war. She does not choose a husband from the suitor’s her father put in front of her and instead chooses Amar. a masked stranger, who sweeps her off to his kingdom.

This novel deserves to be set to music, it’s words are like lyrics, but despite the pretty prose, the first half of the novel seemed a little slow. However, when Amar arrived on scene the pace of the novel picked up and my interest peaked. Who was this masked man and why wasn’t he scared of her horoscope of death and destruction? You knew there was more to his story than a handsome prince rescuing her from the brink of war and an unhappy marriage. When they arrive in his kingdom, Maya finds his kingdom was a land of mystery, loneliness and darkness and she starts to doubt her decision. Fear not, fair readers, there is a happy ending, but just like all great fairy tales there are roads that must be traveled and hearts to mend before our King and Queen find their HEA.

I love traveling to different countries and exploring a culture that might be very different from my own. The Star Touched Queen was an adventure into Indian folklore and it made me want to explore. I’ll admit that my knowledge of India is limited to their food and Bollywood movies and has always been painted in a faded shade of romance, but The Star Touched Queen with it’s fairy tale like pace and language made those romantic colors more rich and bright. It made me itch to explore more mythology from this fascinating country and see what else I can learn.

If you are like me and love to travel to new places within your imagination, then you need to read The Star Touched Queen. This novel will take you places you’ve never seen and expand your horizon.

Star Touched

Click this link to purchase! The Star-Touched Queen

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

On a side note. I met Roshani Chokshi at a book signing a year or so ago. I couldn’t help picturing her face when I read about Maya. They were both so lovely. (She is the lady on the left)

Roshani

This Chick Read: Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant #1) by Ilona Andrews

A couple years ago Ilona Andrews published a blog post saying that they were writing a novel about Hugh D’Ambray, the ultimate evil character in their Kate Daniels series. They received a ton of comments from readers who were so excited to see how they would turn the Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Roland’s right hand into a character sympathetic enough to capture readers hearts.

April Fools! they said. Well, that April Fools joke has turned into a reality.

Iron and Magic is the first in a new series set in the same world as their Kate Daniels series. Hugh D’Ambray has been thrown aside by Roland and is floating adrift in an alcoholic stupor when his Iron Dogs, men on his warrior crew, sober him up by saying Roland is killing them all one by one. They need Hugh to stand with them and be their leader. Hugh may not be a very nice guy, (in fact we have seen him torture and kill some of our favorite characters!) but he is very loyal to this group of men and would do most anything to help them survive. Including marry.

Elara Harper is the leader of her own crew, The Departed. She is known as the White Lady and in some eyes she is an abomination. That is all we know about her when Hugh arrives at her castle. His men need a place to defend and food to eat, and her castle needs defending. Not really a match made in heaven but they do both get something out of it. Elara’s people are fiercely loyal to her and as the story unravels we see why. She is strong, loyal, and will sacrifice her own needs for the survival of her people. Hmm, sounds a little similar to someone else we know, right?

Hugh has always been a rough bastard, and he does not change in this novel. He’s still a bad ass. However, Ilona Andrews has made him human and that humanity gives him a new emotion, regret. Once you start to regret things your heart and mind are open to other new emotions. Now, don’t get me wrong, Hugh is still one bad hombre, but he’s now a bad hombre with a conscience. A conscience that makes him hesitate slightly before he makes the decision to maim or kill. He and Elara do not get along, but their bickering provides humor and also adds to Hugh’s humanity. He has always had wit, but has never had a female sparring partner who would see the charm beneath the one liners. Elara is fierce, and like Kate that is very attractive to Hugh. He doesn’t want to like her but can’t seem to help himself. Their relationship is as fascinating to watch unfold as is the story of their fight against a common enemy which is an amazing read.

This novel was everything I never knew I wanted and I can’t wait to read it again. If you have not read the Kate Daniels series, I think this would stand well on its own. BUY IT!

Iron and Magic

Click this link to purchase*! Iron and Magic: (The Iron Covenant Book 1) (Volume 1)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

Blog Tour! Why Stars Chase the Sun by C.R. Ellis

Why Stars Blog Tour

Why Stars Chase the Sun Synopsis:

JADE

Twenty-four hours.

A no-strings-attached adventure with the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen—this was my alcohol-slash-lust-fueled proposal, and given before I could consider the potential ramifications. While his looks alone are enough to make a girl swoon, it’s the rest of him—a perfect balance of mysterious, sweet, and effortlessly charming—that draws me in. Through his cryptic comments and half-answers, he’s quickly become an enigma I’m determined to solve.

 One way or another, this adventure promises to snap the stagnant, lackluster pattern my love life has been locked in lately.

Is it naïve and a little reckless to think this won’t blow up in my face? Probably.

But the bigger question is the only one I need to answer…

Is the chance to soar among the stars worth the risk of being burned when the sun eventually rises?

 EMMETT

Love is a mistake I won’t make again.

My rules are simple. Keep things surface-deep. Don’t make plans. And never, ever get attached.

One look at her is all it takes for me to break my first rule.

One conversation with her is all it takes for me to question everything.

Which means accepting her proposal is bound to be a mistake.

She has no idea who I am or what kind of demons I live with, so I tell myself there’s no harm in spending one day with her. But the more I lose myself in her, the more she brings me out of the darkness and into her light, the harder it’ll be to let her go.

When reality comes crashing down on us in the worst way possible, I have to decide between walking away…or risking everything for the woman who breaks all of my rules.

REVIEW:

Two people who were damaged by their previous relationships and don’t want to take a chance on love again, decide to indulge in each other for 24 hours. It sounds pretty simple, right? Why the Stars Chase the Sun did have a simple premise, but it would’t be a romance novel without a little conflict and our two main characters deciding to throw caution to the winds and fall in love. Usually this kind of novel bores me a little. There is only so much indulging I can take before I think, where’s the story? Luckily, C. R. Ellis gives us a lot of back story for Jade and Emmett and makes it really easy to read to the finish to see them get their happily ever after.

Both Emmett and Jade were truly nice people who had bad things happen to them in their previous relationships. Jade is finally ready to have another relationship and when she bumps into Emmett she knows she wants it with him. Unfortunately, Emmett is not in the same place but doesn’t want to let her go either. Why anyone would think 24 hours would be enough time to get over some serious chemistry, as well as serious like, I don’t know. After their 24 hours was over this romance novel turned into a bit of a thriller, creating some conflict that brings the two of them back together and give Emmett a reason to overcome his previous convictions. I liked this turn in the novel because it added a little heat to the flirty story giving it a little more meat and the ending a bigger impact.

This was my first novel by C.R Ellis and I enjoyed the journey!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review and it was honest!

Why Stars Blurb

Giveaway Details:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why Stars

About the Author:

C.R. Ellis is a Texas native who writes contemporary romance novels with plenty of drama and humor, and just enough heat to ignite e-readers and paperbacks everywhere. She can almost always be found attached to her laptop with coffee nearby and her two trusty canine sidekicks by her side. When she’s not writing or plotting, she enjoys going to concerts with her sweet husband, dragging him along to see rom-coms at any theater that serves booze, checking off the next destination on her ever-growing travel bucket list, and trying new recipes.

 Her passion for writing stems from her lifelong love of reading, and she often binge-reads entire books in a day. She’s an unapologetic book hoarder, and her paperback collection is rivaled only by her massive shoe collection.

Buy Links:

Amazon

 Links:

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