Musings of a Literary Wanderer

Monday, October 17, 2022

Blog Tour + Excerpt: Not Since Ewe

Not Since Ewe, an all-new heartwarming second-chance romance from Susannah Nix, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!

Tess McGregor doesn’t need anyone.

So what if she doesn’t have any close friends or family anymore? Her successful consulting business keeps her so busy she barely has time to be lonely. She’s got her life organized exactly the way she wants it.

Until the daughter she gave up for adoption 30 years ago tracks her down.

Tess doesn’t know anything about being a mother, but now that she’s met Erin, she’ll do anything to stay in her life.

Even if it means facing the life-ruining jerk who got Tess pregnant in high school and broke her heart.

Donal Larkin would do anything for a second chance.

He’s divorced, his kids hardly talk to him, and he works so much he barely has time to eat. But when he’s united with the daughter he never had a chance to know, he vows to make up for past mistakes.

Step one is proving to Tess he’s not the same unreliable kid she knew 30 years ago.

And maybe if he’s lucky he can win back the heart of the girl he never got over…

Not Since Ewe is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #4 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Grab your copy TODAY!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3zCRbUO

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3oGPSy6

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3oEX8dz

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3zeFwtX

Audiobook: https://bit.ly/3SCGqZG

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3bU1fzI

Excerpt

“I’m just nervous.” Admitting that to Donal took a lot of effort. “Opening up to people isn’t exactly my strong suit, and I’m taking my insecurity out on you.”

He surprised me by pulling me into a hug.

Wow. The man really knew how to give a hug. I wasn’t generally a big hugger, but just like the other night when he’d held me in his arms, I didn’t hate it.

In fact, it felt amazing. A few more hugs like this, and I’d be a dedicated convert to the holy sacrament of hugging. I’d be going door to door proselytizing on the spiritual benefits of embracing physical embraces.

“I promise I’m on your side.” Donal’s voice was low and rough, his breath a warm caress against my hair. “I’m not going to say or do anything to damage your relationship with Erin. You’ve got to trust me on that.”

It was difficult to talk with my heart lodged in my throat and my face pressed against his astonishingly firm chest. “I want that for you too. I’ll try to be a better teammate.”

He pulled back to look at me, and my stomach did another one of those unsettling flips under his up-close scrutiny. “We’re really bad at this, aren’t we?”

I was so flustered, I thought he was making fun of my poor hugging skills and stiffened. “I—what?”

“Being friends.”

Oh. There went my heart, right into my throat again. “Is that what we are?”

“I’d sure like us to be.” His eyebrows notched up a few millimeters. “Wouldn’t you?”

Damn the man for being so likable. How was I supposed to protect myself when he kept being all vulnerable and appealing?

And handsome. Don’t forget the handsome.

Shit, did I really want to be friends with Donal Larkin again?

Yes.

Even with our poor track record, I wanted that. Maybe it could be different this time. We were both mature adults now. Surely we could handle it. We wouldn’t make the same mistakes.

“I’d like that too.” I sounded out of breath, like I’d just done a hill ride on the stationary bike.

“Good.” Donal’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Can we go sit down and eat now? Because I was too nervous to eat much at lunch, and I’m seriously hangry.”

About Susannah Nix

Susannah Nix is an award-winning author of contemporary romances featuring smart women and swoony men, including the Chemistry Lessons series of romcoms about women who work in STEM fields and the Starstruck series of movie star romances.

Susannah resides in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching stupid amounts of television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs.

Find Susannah Nix online

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B072KHZS5W

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

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/160037207970579/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/susannah-nix

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

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16880740.Susannah_Nix

Twitter: @Susannah_Nix

Website: https://www.susannahnix.com/

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Friday, October 14, 2022

Paranormal Romance Quick Reviews

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston (2022)

Florence is a ghostwriter for a famous romance novelist, which is a little awkward because she no longer believes in love. Her meeting with her new (and hot) editor is cut short when Florence is called home after her father's death, but she's surprised when the editor's ghost greets her in her small hometown. I have seen such glowing reviews for this story that my expectations were really high, and unfortunately, I didn't seem to love this one as much as others have. I think the "romance" elements of this book didn't work as well for me. Florence and Ben, the editor, only have two brief encounters before his ghost appears, and their rapid closeness afterwards just felt a bit odd (and also a bit juvenile, which kind of makes sense since this is Poston's first adult novel after a string of YAs). However, I did enjoy Florence's journey through grieving her father and spending time with her family after being away for so long. All the happy (and sad) family dynamics came through so strongly, and I was really hoping for one last meeting between Florence and her dad, considering her gift for seeing ghosts. Also, all the bookish references were really fun! 3.5 stars

Reborn Yesterday by Tessa Bailey (2020)

Ginny, a funeral home director, is surprised but not scared when the body she's about to start preparing for its funeral suddenly sits up and starts talking to her. It's soon revealed that Jonas is a vampire, and while he should wipe her memories of this night, the instant connection between the two (as well as a disturbing problem Ginny is dealing with), brings their worlds together. Honestly, I wasn't quite sure what to make of this book! I couldn't tell if the author was serious about the story or if it was more of a tongue-in-cheek look at the paranormal romance genre. I'm going to go with the latter, because that makes for a much more interesting read for me! The story was basically Twilight for a slightly older audience (human girl falls for vampire boy, someone is trying to kill human girl, there's a hidden but very powerful vampire hierarchy). Ginny is super naive and innocent, but I admired her devotion to Jonas, and the way he cared for her was actually pretty swoon-worthy. The side characters inject some much-needed humor. I won't be continuing with the series, but this was good for a quick, light read. 3.5 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Very Merry Bromance

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

A Very Merry Bromance

Lyssa Kay Adams

Expected publication date: November 1, 2022

'Tis the season for a Bromance Book Club matchmaking mission! This time, they're pulling out the mistletoe for everyone's favorite country music star, Colton, and his second chance at love.

Country music’s golden boy Colton Wheeler felt the most perfect harmony when he was with Gretchen Winthrop. But for her, it was a love him and leave him situation. A year later, Colton is struggling to push his music forward in a new direction. If it weren’t about to be the most magical time of year and the support of the Bromance Book Club, he’d be wallowing in self-pity.

It’s hard for immigration attorney Gretchen not to feel a little Scrooge-ish about the excess of Christmas when her clients are scrambling to afford their rent. So when her estranged, wealthy family reaches out with an offer that will allow her to better serve the community, she’s unable to say no. She just needs to convince Colton to be the new face of her family’s whiskey brand. No big deal…

Colton agrees to consider Gretchen’s offer in exchange for three dates before Christmas. With the help of the Bromance Book Club, Colton throws himself into the task of proving to her there’s a spark between them. But Gretchen and Colton will both need to overcome the ghosts of Christmas past to build a future together. - from Goodreads

Monday, October 10, 2022

Henry's Shelves #3

Henry and I have been having so much fun together reading (even if he thinks reading includes putting the books in his mouth)! Here are some new pictures of him with his books:

And here are some of our recent favorites!

The Tiny Traveler: Egypt // Doggies // Welcome Little One

Little Blue Boat // I Love You So // The Wide-Mouthed Frog

Here Come The Helpers // Good Night Beach // My Beach Baby

Have you read any of these?

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Friday, October 7, 2022

Quick Reviews

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill (2022)

Four strangers are seated at a table in the Boston Public Library reading room when they hear a woman scream. Friendships are formed from the shared experience, but could one of them be hiding a deadly secret? I'll say this to start - the blurb for this book is kind of deceiving, but in a good way! I went in pretty blind and was surprised by the direction the story went in, right from the beginning. The format is so unexpected but really kind of genius, and I love the wild ride it takes the reader on. In a way, you're getting a traditional murder mystery, but it's so much more than that. I don't want to say too much and spoil the surprise! I feel like we got to know the four strangers pretty well, although they each have their secrets, and the subtle pushes from the author towards one character or another will keep you guessing the whole time. For a short novel, the pacing did drag in places, but you'll definitely want to keep reading! 4 stars

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse (2021)

Detective Elin Warner is visiting a former sanatorium turned five-star hotel to celebrate her brother's engagement when her brother's fiancée goes missing. A massive storm traps Elin and the other guests at the hotel when it becomes clear that a killer is among them. I was really in the mood for a mystery/thriller, and I was hoping this atmospheric story would fit the bill - while I enjoyed it, there were unfortunately also a lot of issues. The sanatorium/hotel itself was a fantastic setting - minimalist, with a tragic history, and located in the middle of nowhere. It really added a sense of great tension and eeriness. Elin, however, was a bummer. Apparently this is the start of a series focusing on the detective, so Pearse really went for it on the character development; however, Elin's baggage was just so heavy and overwhelming that it made reading a slog sometimes because it seemed like she could barely function. The story also could have been about 100 pages shorter, and the killer's reveal was a bit... underwhelming? It just didn't make a ton of sense. 3 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Two Wrongs Make a Right

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

Two Wrongs Make a Right

Chloe Liese

Expected publication date: November 22, 2022

Opposites become allies to fool their matchmaking friends in this swoony reimagining of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.

Jamie Westenberg and Bea Wilmot have nothing in common except a meet-disaster and the mutual understanding that they couldn't be more wrong for each other. But when the people closest to them play Cupid and trick them into going on a date, Jamie and Bea realize they have something else in common after all—an undeniable need for revenge.

Soon their plan is in place: Fake date obnoxiously and convince the meddlers they’re madly in love. Then, break up spectacularly and dash their hopes, putting an end to the matchmaking madness once and for all.

To convince everyone that they’ve fallen for each other, Jamie and Bea will have to nail the performance of their lives. But as their final act nears and playing lovers becomes easier than not, they begin to wonder, what if Cupid’s arrow wasn’t so off the mark? And what if two wrongs do make a right? - from Goodreads

Monday, October 3, 2022

Month in Review: September 2022

I honestly can barely think of what happened this month! The biggest thing going on right now is my mom's upcoming move. She planned on retiring next year and moving to Oklahoma (where my brother lives), but she accelerated her plans over the summer and is now leaving in October. So, this month was filled with garage sales, packing, and purging. We've lived a mile away from her for 5 years now, so it's going to be a big adjustment for us!

Other than that, it's been pretty quiet. I'm glad the fall weather has arrived! Henry and I have been going for lots of walks. He's still going weekly to physical therapy and his helmet comes off soon! He's making lots more sounds, some that actually almost sound like words (finally babbling "mamama"!). Pretty exciting stuff, haha!

The Books