Bootleg Broadway

              For a look at events and results following the ratification of the 18^th Amendment [aka Prohibition], we offer Bootleg Broadway, written by Diana Rubino and published by the Wild Rose Press.

About Bootleg Broadway: a story of debauchery and a little romance. Booze, music, sex, murder, Prohibition…New York… what a time to be alive!

Our Review: Told from the point of view of the main character, musician and raconteur Billy McGlory, this fictionalized version of life during Prohibition is based on research and discussions with many who lived during that tumultuous time, Author Diana Rubino offers a close-up and personal view of everyday life during Prohibition, those who learned to cope, who went along to get along. This is a vividly painted story, filled with outrageously named and multi-colorful characters, ringing of truths only insiders would know. They should. They lived it.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Bootleg Broadway merits a 5.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

Twisted Fates by SD Porter

 Twisted Fates, written by SD Porter and published by the Wild Rose Press, brings a compelling conclusion to the Haunting of Pinedale High series.

 About Twisted Fates: The ghosts of the Pinedale High girls’ volleyball team have been trapped on campus for decades. When Ben Danvers arrives on campus, grieving the death of his twin sister, Beth, the past and present collide. Beth, now a ghost herself, vows to help the trapped players get their justice and recruits her brother’s help. During their investigation, the twins discover that even though it’s been more than forty years since the tragedy, the danger is still very much alive.

 Our Review: This one has it all: well-drawn, interesting characters, both human and ghostly; compelling goals, motivation and conflict, coming from a variety of sources; and emotion. Gut wrenching, from the heart, appealing to all age groups, emotion. A large box of tissues is called for, particularly during the last pages. This is one beautiful story. Our congratulations go out to all who are responsible for bringing this excellent story to fruition.

 

Based on a scale of 1-5, Twisted Fates merits a 9.

 

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Tetons By Morning

               A cowboy and a librarian discover love the second time around isn’t always roses.

About the Book: After a whirlwind summer romance, Casey Girard marries ex-rodeo champ Chance McCord and settles at the North Star, his family’s Wyoming ranch. Certain their love will last forever, she secretly harbors fear he will return to the rodeo circuit.

 Chance never wanted the responsibility of running the ranch. When circumstances force him into that role, he must protect the North Star Legacy, as well as keep his promises to Casey. Loving and protecting her and his stepson are what matter most in his life.

When their tragic pasts come back to haunt them, their love is tested to the limit. How will a summer romance survive the depths of winter?

Our Review: As in book one of the North Star Legacy series, the author shows a talent for creating a setting which is so vivid and colorful, the descriptions jump off the page. Equally compelling are the two lead characters, Casey and Chance, so needy and deserving of the love and respect, which they rarely receive from those who should be giving it instead of tearing them down at every turn, keep the reader rooting till the last satisfying pages. Another winner from talented author Lucy Kubash. 

 

Based on a scale of 1-5, Tetons by Morning merits a 6.

 

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

The End of Promise by Rita A. Popp

           The murder of an arrogant young professor puts an amateur detective to the test.

About the Book:

Paul Kiefer enjoys a promising career at New Mexico University—until a murderer cancels his plans to fast track to full professor. Shocked at the sight of her colleague’s dead body, department head Eleanor Jarviss turns for comfort and aid to her daughter Bethany.

When, as the Jarviss Family Foundation’s grants manager, Bethany goes to campus to award a student scholarship, she gets drawn into the murder investigation. With her mother’s help, and the support of her cowboy boyfriend, Nathan, she compiles a list of suspects stunned but not saddened by the scheming doc’s demise.

It’s academic that one of them is the killer.

Our Review: written in a crisp, clear writing style, this one will be a joy for cozy mystery fans. The suspects are varied and cleverly portrayed—showing the machinations of higher education can be rich and fulfilling at its best, ugly at its worst. This one takes the concept of ‘publish or perish’ to new and interesting lengths. And it’s a beauty.

Based on a scale of 1-5, The End of Promise merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

How to Write Compelling Romance Novels

 From emotional intimacy to breathless tension, this definitive guide shows romance writers how to build love stories readers devour in one sitting.

 About the Book: Looking to write a romance novel your readers will devour in one sitting? Look no further than How to Write Compelling Romance Novels, the must-have guide for any writer who wants to create page-turning love stories!

With its insider tips and practical advice, this guidebook will take your romance writing to the next level. You'll learn how to create emotional beats, build sexual tension, and craft conflict that will keep your readers hooked until the very end. And with detailed analyses of emotional stakes, subtext, and internal conflict, you'll have all the tools you need to craft a compelling love story that will leave your readers breathless.

How to Write Compelling Romance Novels will also show you how to create authentic emotional intimacy and chemistry between your characters, so your readers will be rooting for their happily-ever-after. And with examples created especially for this guidebook, you can see exactly how to put these concepts into practice.

Whether you're an experienced romance writer or just starting out, How to Write Compelling Romance Novels is the ultimate guidebook for writing unforgettable love stories. So why wait? Grab your copy today and discover the secrets to writing romance that will make your readers fall in love with your characters and beg for more!

 Our Review: Do Not Let the Title Deter You! 

     From many years experience at presenting workshops to authors at all levels of their careers as well as genres, we found Author DeVere's primer to be clear, concise and an excellent tool for writers of any fiction genre and who would do well to keep at hand. From offering tips on how to deliver that extra degree of emotional punch and excitement, to creating multi-dimensional characters whom readers will relate to, this one is a winner all the way around. Well done!!

On a scale of 1-5, How to Write Compelling Romance Novels merits a 7.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Conditions

            When reinvention comes at a price, an acupuncturist—and reformed law breaker—must decide if freedom is worth facing the mistakes of her past and confronting those whom she never thought would jeopardize her future. . .     

     About the Book: Being married to a thief had one definite upside—financial security for her sister’s medical expenses. Up until acupuncturist Summer Halley experienced a pregnancy loss while on a heist, she was willing to overlook the immorality of her husband’s crimes. But the miscarriage elicits broken vows and sacrificed money, a perfect combination for the FBI to exploit.

Forced to assume the role of informant in her ex-husband’s realm, Summer also faces the undeniable tension building between her and Liam Reyes, the FBI handler on the case. As she reconciles the choices surrounding her past, Summer concedes to cooperating with Reyes, even when he reveals his own conflicted feelings.

Just as Summer and Reyes stop seeing each other as adversaries, a new target threatens their tentative trust while the truth about her sister’s deception is exposed.

Our Review: Several individual events which can occur in anyone’s life fill this intense, compelling story:

Pregnancy loss. Tragic, unexpected, devastating; author Mueller delves into each emotion with heartbreaking detail.

Vile, manipulative intimate partners—and those vile, manipulative pals they often hang with. Again, Mueller does bad guys so well, when Summer finally reaches her limit, it’s a stand up and cheer moment.

Finding that one person who makes bells ring, birds sing, unicorns dance. We have one word for Summer and Liam: Wow.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Conditions merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Bondwitch by Chelsey Ortega

        Prom night is supposed to be magical, it wasn’t the kind of magic Annamaria was ready for.

About Bondwitch: Eighteen-year-old Annamaria Lyons has never left her small hometown of Harrison, Wyoming. She has lived with her aunt, Trinity, since her parents died when she was two years old. Trinity has been a wonderful guardian with one exception—she won’t allow Annamaria out of the house after sunset. That is, until the night of senior prom. Annamaria’s long-lost sister arrives, bringing with her a world full of hidden family secrets and the supernatural.

Forced to flee her childhood home without a proper goodbye to her human life and first love, Annamaria immerses herself in the magical world. New friends and a new suitor challenge her original dreams for the future, and when she finds herself caught in the middle of a centuries-old conflict, Annamaria must decide to rise above it or give in to the darkness.

Our Review: For any new author, imagining a plot can be monumental. Putting it in a crisp, understandable story arc is difficult. Keeping the length to a reasonable limit is close to impossible. Author Ortega persevered in creating something that shows a young woman’s journey to finding her true self, and her true heritage. It is a story of family responsibility and devotion, how we triumph and how we sometimes fail. 

Based on a scale of 1-5, Bondwitch merits a 4.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Kitsune Kisses by Patricia Kiyono

        Kitsune Kisses: three romantic short stories, bringing Japanese mythology to life in modern-day America.

      About Kitsune Kisses:

·              Protecting the Pack: Legend has it that certain magical foxes are able to transform into other living beings, especially human women. As the fox ages, it grows extra tails, up to nine. Extra tails are regarded as a sign of increased wisdom and power. Kitty is a kitsune who's just gotten her second tail. In her human form by day, she's a caretaker at a wildlife sanctuary, returning to her daughter and the other animals at night as a red fox. She doesn’t expect to fall in love until she meets Bill, a photographer with sea-blue eyes that remind her of the island nation she left behind.

·              Tanuki Trouble: In Japanese legend, a racoon-like creature called the tanuki are shape-shifters who cause mischief. They often wear a straw hat, which is a symbol of protection against bad luck and trouble. When Marty Kraus must take a road trip from West Michigan to Branson, MO to save his family farm, his two best pals, Ross and Jack, tag along to help, then invite Ava Jordan to join them as part of her escape from an abusive father. Ross sees the truth before Marty and Ava — they were meant to be together. But what can a tanuki do to help?

·              Tea Time: In Japanese legend, tsukumogami are items that have existed for hundreds of years become sentient. They sprout arms and legs and become mobile and are able to talk. An online search shows pictures of walking umbrellas, cooking utensils, and items of clothing. Most of the time, they too cause mischief. Shy and introverted Mindy is a graduate student at Michigan State who inherited her Japanese grandmother’s beautiful old tea set. When she meets Rob, her outgoing next-door neighbor, the teapot and cups decide to help the relationship along.

Our Review: While each of these three stories are obvious romances between two deserving characters, they are also love stories shared by family—of the blood and the heart—as well as sentients who care about their owner. Told in incredible detail, this collection would appeal to students from middle school age to young adults to ‘seniors’ who are looking for a feel-good read by a cozy fire with their favorite adult beverage at hand. In this masterpiece of storytelling, Kiyona excels.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Kitsune Kisses merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

The First Fiancee by Rita A. Popp

 The discovery of human bones near a remote New Mexico mountain village sets a worried sister on a treacherous path to solve a murder.

About the Book: Bethany Jarviss heads to the mountains of New Mexico to support her frantic sister, Joni, whose fiancé, Matt, might be a murderer. The bones of a long-missing young woman, Krystal Decker, have been found by hikers. Matt, who was engaged to Krystal in the past, swears he thought she left him to pursue a singing career.

Now, as news of the murder swirls, the newly engaged couple get ready to open their bed-and-breakfast inn for Christmas. As Bethany meets the village locals, she finds that plenty of people besides her future brother-in-law had motive for killing his beautiful, thieving, secretive first fiancée.

For her sister’s sake, Bethany turns amateur detective and won’t stop asking questions until she discovers the killer’s identity!

Our Review: This intriguing fast paced mystery involves the unmasking of who murdered a troubled young woman. As the days go on, the list mounts. The Southern New Mexico setting becomes a character of its own, one which is vividly portrayed as a small town on the verge of fading into nothingness. As well, Bethany is especially well drawn, someone you’d want to call a friend—as well as a sister. Cannot wait for the next book in this interesting series.

Based on a scale of 1-5, The First Fiancée merits a 7.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews