Book Blitz/Release: A Bleak December by Author Hanleigh Bradley

On May 2, 2018April 30, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, book launch, Book PromotionLeave a comment

Author: Hanleigh Bradley

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult Romance,

Release Date: 1st May 2018

Price: 99c / 99p

Key Words: Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult Romance, Short Story, Novella, Christmas, Death of a Parent, Loss of a Loved One, Office Romance, Depression, Grief,

Length: Just below 20K

Availability: Amazon, iBooks, Barnes and Nobles, Kobo, etc.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2oTOGJg

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38943078-a-bleak-december

Blurb:

Her Christmas list isn’t long. It is the shortest it has ever been. She doesn’t want a pretty new pair of shoes or a new dress to wear to her work’s New Years Eve bash.

All Ella wants is a Christmas Miracle.

With a sick mum in hospital and a little brother at home, she struggles to maintain order in the chaos that is quickly engulfing her. If she doesn’t get her miracle will her entire world fall apart? And if it does, who will help her put it back together again?

Excerpt:

He’s my boss. That doesn’t stop me though. It doesn’t stop my mind from picturing him naked standing in my shower, water cascading down over his toned, muscular flesh. No. It doesn’t stop my inappropriate thoughts, and it definitely doesn’t stop me having them at the most inopportune of moments. It’s not like I just think about him when I’m lying in bed late at night. No, I fantasise about him during staff meetings, when he’s being a pain in the arse bossing us all around and when he’s reprimanding me yet again for being late.

Do you want to know the worst bit? It’s not the thoughts. I can deal with my dirty mind; it’s always been that way. Dirty thought after dirty thought, wrapped in a world of dirty thoughts. No. The thoughts are fine; it’s the things that come out of my mouth. The actual words that I apparently have an equal lack of control over. Like right now, the whole room has gone silent in shock because of my stupid, big mouth. As if I just said that. I can feel my cheeks redden with embarrassment and my best work friend is laughing under her breath beside me. The bitch.

Tristen had asked me why I was late. It was a reasonable enough question but why, oh, why couldn’t I give him an equally sensible response??? No. Instead, I only went and gave him the most ridiculous cock and bull story known to man.

“Why are you late?” Tristan Riggens, my boss had asked in that deep, authoritative, yet almost disrespectfully uninterested voice of his. It’s a voice that threatens to destroy you while drawing you in, keeping you walking some imaginary tightrope.

“My dog ate a condom.” Why that sentence made it passed whatever filter I have, I will never know. Sometimes my mouth does unexplainable things, embarrassingly unexplainable. It’s a problem I’ve had since childhood and it shows no sign of improving.

The room goes silent, but he doesn’t react at all. His face remains expressionless except I think I can see humour in his eyes, or at least I hope I do. He’s not exactly easy to read and right now I really have no idea what he thinks. “Well, I hope your dog is okay now.”

“He’s absolutely fine.” I’m probably the colour of the Christmas tree in the corner. I think I might throw up my breakfast from the sheer embarrassment that I now feel.

“Someone should call the RSPCA.” A voice says from somewhere behind me.

“You might want to reconsider where you stash your condoms.” Another of my colleagues laughs.

My best friend, the one who’s supposed to be on my side is in fits of hysteria. In fact, she’s laughing so hard she’s close to choking. I hope she chokes.

“Okay.” Tristen tries to divert their focus from me and my condom eating dog, back to the meeting. “New Year – we’ll be having an office party.”

If he thinks talk of a party might divert their attention from my poor imaginary dog, he is wrong and he clearly doesn’t know his team that well. “How on earth did your dog get a hold of a condom?”

“Did it still have the foil wrapper on?”

“Eww, it wasn’t used, was it?”

I’m shrinking into myself. Massively embarrassed. Eyes on the floor. Cheeks burning hot. Head pounding. Heart palpitating. How the hell will I get out of this one? I have an uncanny knack for getting myself into a bit of a pickle and absolutely no skill at getting myself back out again. “That’s enough – I’ve heard more than enough about condoms and dogs for one day. Back to work.” He’s shaking his head as he dismisses us all before leaving the open offices of our floor of the TRW Advertising building. Walking into his office, he closes the door behind himself. Lucky sod. At least he has a door he can hide behind.

“Fuck.” I say under my breath.

“Only you Ella.” Sadie laughs beside me. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“I just open my mouth…” I sigh.

“You don’t even have a dog!”

“I know.” I’m groaning in mortification. “We should get back to work before Tristen gets all shitty.”

“Or worse,” Sadie whispers, “Delos might come out of her office and have at us.”

“As if – Clara’s too nice for that.”

“To you. She hates me.”

“That’s not true.” I laugh gently. The door to Tristen’s office opens once more, and he pops his head out. “Winthrope. Reed. Do I need to find you something to do?”

“No sir.” Sadie nods her head before turning back towards her cubicle.

I move to follow her, but Tristen is still talking. “Winthrope, in here please.”

“Shit.” I grumble before following him into his office. This is the moment when he finally tells me that enough is enough and I need to start being on time, or worse look for a new job. The new job scenario is probably more likely. My tardiness is my biggest failing. I’m lucky I haven’t already lost this job.

He’s sat behind his desk; calm and composed in a way I have never been. He motions a hand towards the leather chair in front of him, and I take it gratefully because my legs are like jelly. My mouth is practically glued shut because I can’t trust myself not to say something completely absurd. His eyebrow is raised. “Your dog ate a condom?”

“Yes.” My sister Tia says when you lie you have to own it.

“Have you taken him to the vets?”

“No. He… he just coughed it up.” I tell him, desperately hoping that he doesn’t see through my lies.

“You do need to make a better effort to be on time for work in the morning.”

“Sorry Sir.” I tell him honestly. It’s not exactly news to me that I need to get my shit together.

About The Author:

Hanleigh loves books more than nearly anything in the world; whether its reading them or writing them, Hanleigh just can’t get enough. She relishes in the way authors can create worlds with the words they put in their books. She loves the way your imagination introduces you to a new world when you read a book. It may well be a world completely foreign to the one you live in. That world is brought to life; inspires you to dream, captivates your imagination, entices your senses.

Hanleigh first took to reading as a small child reading Dr Zeus. She then fell in love with romance literature when she first read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; when she first swooned over Mr Darcy. She’s read more books than she can count and owns more books than some libraries.

Although born in Scotland, she sometimes wishes she could live inside the world that she can create inside her mind, but since that isn’t possible she puts pen to paper and shares that world with this world instead. There is something addictive about being able to mould your words into something that causes the reader to fall into your mind. When you put pen to paper and create a world, it’s exhilarating. Every word has meaning. You know every character intimately. You know every secret, every whisper, every smell, every look; as the author you know the world you created and more so than even the most avid of readers you can get lost in your own creation.

Author Links:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/authorhanleigh/

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hanleighbradley/

Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hanleighsstreetteam/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HanleighBradley

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

AFWB: http://authorfriendswithbenefits.com/members/HanleighBradley

Readers Group: http://authorfriendswithbenefits.com/afwb-groups/hanleigh-s-brits

Google + : https://plus.google.com/u/1/+HanleighBradley

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14468232.Hanleigh_Bradley

Interview with Author Brooke Williams

On April 12, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’m pretty sure I’ve been writing since birth. Ha! As a child, I used to cut photos out of magazines, glue them to blank paper and write stories about the pictures. But I don’t think I ever thought writing could be a career. Actually, I went in radio after college and spent a decade on the air and in production behind the scenes. When my first daughter was born, I quit my full time job to stay home with her. After a year, I wanted to find something I could do from home around her schedule and I’d always loved to write so that seemed like a good fit. I started writing novels and got into freelance writing and things have steamrolled from there.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

Reality shows are hilarious to me and I often wonder what they would be like with someone more like me on it. Someone who wouldn’t excel on TV! I like the put characters into situations that make the uncomfortable and watch things unfold. More often than not, they grow as a person and learn their true strength. I wanted to watch confidence grow, but I also wanted laughs so nothing goes right during any competition!

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

That it’s okay to be who you are…whoever that is. Be strong and confident in your body and in your personality because you are who you are for a reason!

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I think sleep deprivation, honestly! After you have kids, things just seem funnier. I got advice from an agent to try the romance genre and I couldn’t go straight romance, it had to be humorous!

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

I think I’d want to talk with Grace, one of the side characters in the book. She’s a little spit fire and has a fascinating military background. I think I’d just want to know more about her, what makes her tick, and what inspires her to be such a strong person.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Facebook because it’s the only one I do much with. 🙂 I do have a twitter account and I use it on occasion, but I can’t begin to understand that realm of social media.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Write because you love it and everything else will fall into place. If you love to write, you can’t lose because you get something out of it yourself, whether someone else reads it or not!

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

Next year, my youngest daughter will start kindergarten. So I hope to write more fiction at that time. Right now it’s hard with her around part of the week and my full time freelance writing business. But I have so many ideas floating around my head, it’s not even funny! Well, hopefully it will be, if I keep up with romantic comedy… 🙂

www.authorbrookewilliams.com

@authorbrookew

https://www.facebook.com/authorbrookewilliams/

The Leftover by Brooke Williams

On April 5, 2018April 6, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young woman’s reluctant journey into the world of reality television may just lead her to a mission of self discovery and possibly love in author Brooke Williams novel The Leftover. Here is the synopsis:

Megan Malone is the ultimate homebody. When her sister talks her into going on The Leftover, a local version of the TV show Survivor, she isn’t sure she’ll make it past the first vote. Cane Trevino is nursing a broken heart by joining the show as a medic. With time away from his regular job and a dozen contestants to distract him, he hopes he can finally get over the woman he thought was “the one.”

This book was incredibly well written. A testament to both the author and her handle of the new adult/romance genres, the book does a great job of showing two people with self-confidence issues finding one another in the most unlikely of places. I heavily identified with the protagonist, Megan Malone. Her life as an introvert who works from home spoke to me greatly, as I personally suffer from social anxiety and have had trouble speaking to people in general, and so her journey to finding her voice and confidence is something I found myself clinging to throughout this novel.

The novel itself was a quick read. The only critique I had personally was just a matter of eBook formatting, but as my copy was a media copy I believe the formatting may have been fixed before publIshing to the public. The author did a masterful job of creating relatable characters and integrating the modern day reality television aspect of the plot in a natural and authentic way.

Overall I loved this book. The imagery and setting of this tale was incredibly vivid and easy to picture in my head, and the whirlwind romance Megan finds herself in is strong enough to keep the reader hooked until the final pages. If you haven’t yet, be sure to pick up your copy of The Leftover by Brooke Williams today!

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Rating: 8/10

Towne Square (Providence Island Book 2) by Dianna Wilkes Review

On March 25, 2018April 6, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A woman reconnecting with her son after recovering memories of a life she never knew she had leads a small knit group of people through a mystery that shakes up the small town of Providence Island in the hit book Towne Square (Providence Island Book 2) by Dianna Wilkes. Here’s the synopsis:

Jamie Danvers’s luck changed for the better when she was hired to handle marketing and communications for a Providence Island design firm. Although she’s learned from her past mistakes, her family continues to believe the worst about her. On PI, she’s making a fresh start—a home, good friends, and a challenging career. Her boss, Dana Canfield, believes in her, something Jamie hasn’t experienced for a long time. Falling in love with architect Rhys McCall wasn’t in Jamie’s plan, especially since he’s Dana’s son. Can she trust her instincts this time that Rhys might be The One?

Workaholic Rhys McCall put off having a personal life for too long. A fractured family life growing up left him cynical about finding eternal love. Jamie’s beauty catches his interest from the beginning. Her clever mind and quick wit keeps him on his toes, and he’s ready to become a believer in Forever After. She’s the perfect fit for him—personally and professionally.

But the path to love isn’t going to be easy. A killer roams the streets of PI. He’s murdered two people already, and Rhys appears to be next in his sights. Until Rhys discovers who’s targeting him, he can’t put Jamie’s life at risk. But Jamie’s not about to let Rhys shut her out. Will her determination to save their relationship put them both in jeopardy?

This book perfectly balances the mystery surrounding these characters with the personal relationships both romantic and familial that everyone loves to read. This romantic suspense thriller is the second in the acclaimed Providence Island series, and sees the story continue as a woman who learned she was lied to for years about who she was reconnects with her long lost son, trying to rebuild the life they never got to have together. However her son not only has to deal with a blossoming romance, a man swooping his mother off her feet and a huge business deal that could affect the entire town, but now he has to contend with a stalker who sets their sights on him, going after anyone he cares about.

The suspense is addicting to read, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat until the books final moments. Leaving room for the anticipated third book in the franchise, the story does a marvelous job of furthering the character’s story developments while keeping the relationships fresh and heartwarming to read. Twist after twist keep the story flowing in this small town, as the island itself becomes a character that sets the scene for a coastal town becoming the home to a mysterious killer with an agenda all his own.

In the end, this was a wonderful read. While I hadn’t read the first book in the series, the second book does a great job of balancing past events in the first book with a fresh new story that doesn’t require the reader to go out and buy the previous book. It’s an engrossing read that everyone should try, so if you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copies of Dianna Wilkes novel Towne Square today!

Rating: 8/10

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Book Tour: Bleeding Hearts by Dana Provo

On February 22, 2018February 12, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, book launch, Book Promotion, Book Related Blog PostsLeave a comment

Title: Bleeding Hearts

Tag Line: Finding love is difficult, especially when it tries to kill you.

Genre: New adult, romantic suspense

Blurb: Orphaned at an early age, now twenty-four-year-old Camryn Lucks is ready to commit to find that special someone, and so accepts a date from a charming, gallant, handsome stranger. The last thing she imagines after accepting that first date with Carson would actually be the beginning of her worst nightmare.

Red roses, a reminder of her parents’ killer, soon become an emblem of horror for Cami as one by one, those closest to her fall victim to a serial killer. Cami becomes an obsession for Carson, the man she had finally allowed herself to love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life.

Finding herself in a whirlwind of torments shadowed by the blood-colored bloom, Cami finds solace in Isaac, a neighboring police officer. She’s desperate to escape the haunting memories, but she must revisit them in order to catch her would-be killer. Living life in constant fear has driven Cami to second-guess every choice she makes. Will the police catch the illusive murderer, or will Cami be forced to face him once again?

Short Blurb: When Cami Lucks accepted a date with a charming, gallant stranger she didn’t know it would be the beginning of her worst nightmare. She becomes an obsession for Carson, her first love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life. Now Cami must work with the police to stop the illusive murderer before he finds her.

Author Bio:

Dana Provo has always loved books and reads everything from young adult fantasy to adult historical romances. When she’s not reading or writing her next novel, Dana can be found riding her horses and getting ready for competition. Dana lives with her husband and two house plants in Richmond, Virginia.

Excerpt:

My arm trembles as I grip the cool handle of my pistol, keeping a firm grasp to ensure it doesn’t slip out of my sweaty hand. It usually stands sentry in my left nightstand to scare the nightmares away. But this isn’t a dream. The room is dark and hides the face of the man whose intent is to kill me. But I know who he is. A metallic taste fills my mouth; I want to gag. My blood drips off the blade in his hand in slow, steady beats on the carpet. My arms shake as I lift the barrel and point it in his direction. He doesn’t move. His heavy breaths alert me to the meager distance between us.

We’re at a stalemate.

A soft glow from the lamppost just outside my window casts a sliver of light on his face. His dark, beady eyes that I have grown to know rake over my body like I’m another one of his many victims. He lifts the edges of his mouth into a smile. My heart plunges into my stomach. I know what that sinister expression means, and I think back to all the times he had looked at me like that before. I had been so blind.

Before I react he lunges at me, grabbing onto my waist and twisting me to the ground. I shriek as my head slams against the bed frame. Black spots flood my vision. I squeeze my hand only to find it empty. My gun is gone. The sound of the knife clattering on the floor gives me slight hope. Not much though. He climbs up my body trying to pin my arms to the floor. I thrash my fists around, desperate to knock him off.

“Get off!” I scream, pulling on his shirt and kicking him off balance. Wrapping his hands around my arms, my attacker cuts off the circulation of blood. Rug burns flare across my skin as he drags me across the carpet. He closes his hands around my neck, shutting off my air supply. I pull at his hands but it’s no use; he has always been stronger than me. My pulse drums a frantic beat in my ears. The air slowly leaks out from my lungs, killing any hope I may have left. I search for the gun around the room; it may be my only savior now.

“Why are you doing this?” I struggle to get the words out. He squints his dark eyes. I’m wondering if there might be a chance that he will stop this madness. I am wrong.

“It’ll be over soon, sweetheart.” His hands again tighten around my neck, blocking the air from entering my lungs.

Social Media Links:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaProvo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icehorses12/

Blog: https://authordanaprovo.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/authordanaprovo

Amazon: https://goo.gl/aL1YR8

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://a.co/3z28apX

Barnes & Noble: http://fw.to/mfIx33N

iBooks: https://itun.es/us/KydHeb.l

Kobo: http://goo.gl/ea1W0W

Smashwords: http://goo.gl/r99gn5

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Video Review: Spirits of the Heart by Claire Gem

On February 17, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews, youtubeLeave a comment

Awake Under The Night Sky by Vanya Sharma Review

On February 15, 2018April 6, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

It’s a story as old as time itself. Two people from very different worlds meet by chance and find themselves falling madly in love, only for fate to intervene in their happily ever afters. Yet in author Vanya Sharma’s novel Awake Under the Night Sky, we get to feel the raw emotions and the powerful way that love impacts the lives of these two young people. Here is the synopsis:

Witness to the ravages of poverty and neglect, Vivian is driven by a purpose, in a world that seems to have lost its conscience. In the fires of loss, a young and fierce Andre has forged an iron will to succeed. His journey halfway across the world does not deter him, but only strengthens his determination.

Two people on the threshold of their lives, touched by love but driven by duty, following separate destinies. He has a past to restore, she has a future to change. Are their paths destined never to converge, or might the vagaries of fate unlock the buried dreams of two proud hearts, and offer a new beginning?

I loved this story. It was incredibly emotional throughout the entire read. Its an interesting concept, as it showcases that we do not always know when or if we will find love, and how that love will impact the dreams we once had. It makes us as readers question what is more important in life: one’s dreams or true love? It also showcases how outside forces can intervene and cloud our minds in the face of love, and how our lives are forever impacted by that found love, both good and bad.

The only small critique I have is that the book ends surprisingly abrupt. This may be a creative choice by the author, but it was shocking as you expected a final scene to play out and instead were left to draw your own conclusions on how things played out in the end. While readers will have a good idea of where things go from there, you become so invested in these two characters that you are left breathlessly wanting more, or at the very least to have confirmation as to these two lover’s fates. Other than that the author does a wonderful job of drawing the reader’s emotions out through this powerful romance. As the Valentine’s Day holiday passes, this book is a great way to keep romance alive and witness the way love changes us forever.

Overall this was a wonderfully written book with a beautiful story and rich characters throughout. Exploring various cultures and backgrounds, the story does a great job of connecting people from different worlds through one singular and purposeful thing, and that’s love. If you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copies of Awake Under the Night Sky by Vanya Sharma today!

Rating: 8/10

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https://www.vanyasharma.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/vanyasharma2017/

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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36281528-awake-under-the-night-sky?from_search=true

Book Blitz: Jasmine in Love by Toni Cox

On February 14, 2018February 12, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, book launch, book news, Book PromotionLeave a comment

Jasmine In Love

Love. How do you define it? Is it something tangible? Hormones, pheromones, testosterone? Or is it something more elusive? Is it something the brain decides? Does your body make the decisions for you?

If you had asked Jasmin two years ago, she would not have been able to answer those questions. Now, however, she looked at the world differently … and not just because she was looking at a different world.

About The Author

Born in Germany in 1976, Toni Cox moved to South Africa in 1991. Although she has spent much of her working career in the timber wholesale business, she is also an accomplished horse rider, has a diploma in project management, photography and nutrition, and has a passion for books and all things fantasy.

From an early age, her dream had always been to put her imagination into words – give the stories life. When she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2013, she decided life is too short not to follow her dream. So, with the support of her husband and three children, she began writing book 1 of the Elemental Trilogy in January 2015.

The Elemental Saga is a fantasy story spanning over 35 books. These stories all take place on the various Life Planets of the Milky Way galaxy. The first 4 books were published between 2016 – 2017, with 5 more books coming in 2018.

The Andromeda Saga takes place in the Andromeda galaxy and will be a mix of sci-fi and fantasy. Hopefully, by 2020, we will see the first books of this saga published.

Toni Cox also writes dystopian fantasy, and her first novel, Resilient, is due for release in 2018.

The Elemental Trilogy
1. Elemental Rising
2. Elemental Betrayal
3. Forbidden Elemental

The Elemental Short Stories
1. On Fire
2. Midnight Tales
3. Jasmin In Love
4. Luke
5. Rebirth
6. The Blade of Death

Valentine Hearts Abstract Red Background. St.Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day Book Giveaway!

On February 13, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn book news, Book PromotionLeave a comment

I wanted to let you guys know that two of my books will be free starting today and ending on the 17th! The first is Blood and Romance and the second is At First Glance.

At First Glance: A Frightening Romance Novel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008X0NK56/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_umVGAbMERH74E

Blood and Romance: A Book of Poetry and Horror https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042P5DP6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4mVGAbAWZFY7K