BlackJack by Gail Meath / #Extract #BlogTour @zooloosBT @GailMeathAuthor

A lifetime game of solitaire turns into a vicious family feud.

New York City 1923

Back in the city after a nightmare vacation, PI Jax Diamond and his courageous canine partner, Ace, just can’t catch a break when three quick and easy cases explode into a massive mess of unrelated major crimes with victims, dead and alive, piling up.

Laura Graystone’s career soars as she rehearses for her new Broadway musical. Yet, she senses something’s amiss when Jax spends more time with a new buddy aboard a steamboat than solving crimes. With the help of their friends and a mysterious stranger, Laura and Ace set out to get to the bottom of it.

It’s a whirlwind of twists and turns as Jax discovers there is far more to a family than just blood relatives. And who knows? They may just solve the biggest case of his life.

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Extract

Sister Rosemary wrapped her arm around Laura. “Jax is traveling down a different path this time, one that may very well lead him to the end of his long journey into the unknown. It is a dangerous path, but I have every faith in him. Jax is strong, smart, and persevering. He proved that time and again as a child and in adulthood. He is also lucky to have you and such a fine group of loyal friends behind him. Please promise me that you will all tread carefully.”

Laura puzzled over her warning and glanced up at her, but in doing so, she spotted the gold cross around the sister’s neck. “Jax thinks the world of you, Sister Rosemary, and now I see why. I can’t imagine how you know so much about the situation, and I won’t press you for answers. I do have one question, though. Jax was very worried about Sister Adelaide.”

“You can assure Jax that Sister Adelaide is quite safe.”

Laura hesitated. “Safe from what, Sister Rosemary?”

“We should get back to your friends now.”

Laura went along with her through the field, thinking about all that she’d said and didn’t say. In the distance, she saw Ace still playing with the children, but she suddenly stopped walking. “Sister Rosemary, may I ask you one more question?”

“What is it, dear?”

Laura worried she was going to sound crazy. “On one of his cases, Jax came upon a handwritten list of popular songs in a woman’s apartment. I think the songs have some greater meaning. A tune called Barefoot Trail is one of them. Jax heard me sing it lately, and he became upset. After what you told me, he had good reason as it must have brought up painful memories for him. Cross of Gold was another song on the list. I’m wondering if it has something to do with you?”

Sister Rosemary lifted her head and gazed up at the blue sky. “Every song tells a story, Laura. Perhaps a list of songs tells someone’s life story.”

Thank you

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About the author

Award-winning author Gail Meath writes historical romance novels that will whisk you away to another time and place in history where you will meet fascinating characters, both fictional and real, who will capture your heart and soul. Meath loves writing about little or unknown people, places and events in history, rather than relying on the typical stories and settings.

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Author Links

Facebook: https://facebook.com/Gail-Meath-Author-121289219261348

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gailmeathauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GailMeathAuthor

Website: https://www.gailmeath.com

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Book Link

https://geni.us/MPxvbiw

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Advertentie

Fateful Connections by Karen Charles / #Spotlight #BlogTour @pumpupyourbook @karenra24229683

“Fateful Connections” follows a group of four CEO’s as they gather for an executive conference in Seattle on September 11, 2001. As they attempt to reach home following the day’s catastrophic events, they are besieged by terrorists of a different kind. The story follows their troubles, trauma, and redemption as they race to safety amidst international chaos. Much of the history and events of 9/11 are woven throughout the story. This compelling, exciting story captures the reader’s attention from the first page. As the story progresses, the reader will become thoroughly invested in the lives of the intriguing main characters and a number of antagonists and eager to discover their ultimate fates.

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About the author

Karen Charles is a children’s book author and educator. She lives with her husband on a beautiful bay in Washington State. Her latest book is the thriller, Fateful Connections. 

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Author Links

Website: https://karenrabe18.wixsite.com/my-site-2

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenra24229683

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Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fateful-Connections-Inspired-True-Story-ebook/dp/B0BZWMTLXD/

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Hammer of Fate by G.N. Gudgion / #Spotlight #BooksOnTour @SecondSkyBooks @GeoffreyGudgion

“No surrender. No retreat.” With twenty enemy swords at their backs and a broken bridge ahead, the last knights of an outlaw order turn to fight. A young woman with forbidden magic joins their final stand. And as blade meets blade, she starts to sing…

Adelais was raised in the far north, learning stories of the old gods and the skill of weaving runes into magic. Now, she is locked in a convent far from home, forced to kneel to a foreign god.

When inquisitors arrive with plans to torture an innocent man, Adelais cannot stand by. She aids an attack to free the prisoner and joins the raiders as they flee into the night.

Her new companions are the last of the Guardians—once a powerful holy order, now ragged fugitives, hunted almost to extinction.

The knights carry a secret treasure, precious and powerful enough to shape kingdoms. Their pursuers, desperate to possess it, will crush any who stand in their way.

Nowhere is safe—in city or chateau, on the road or in the wilds. And even disguised as a boy, Adelais draws attention wherever she goes. Is she angel or demon, priestess or witch?

Adelais must summon all her courage and all her memories of the old gods’ magic as the noose tightens around her and a thunderous final reckoning approaches.

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About the author

G.N. Gudgion (‘Geoff’) grew up with his nose in a book, often one featuring knights in armour. A later search for stories where women didn’t have to be either beautiful damsels or witches led him to the fantasy genre and the works of Guy Gavriel Kay and Mark Lawrence.

After Geoff gave up a business career to write, it was natural to gravitate to historical fantasy, to stories with complex, conflicted characters that a reader can bleed with, cry for, and perhaps fall in love with. They live in worlds where you can smell the sweat and the sewers, as well as the roses.

Geoff lives in a leafy corner of England, where he’s a keen amateur equestrian and a very bad pianist. He spends much of his time crafting words in a shed, fifty yards and five hundred years from his house.

He is also the author, as Geoffrey Gudgion, of supernatural thrillers Saxon’s Bane (Solaris, 2020) and Draca (Unbound, 2020)

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Author Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geoffrey.gudgion.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeoffreyGudgion

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

Website: https://geoffreygudgion.com

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Book Link

https://geni.us/B0BT8BH85Dsocial

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Widow Lake by Rita Herron / #Review #BooksOnTour @bookouture @ritaherron

Detective Ellie Reeves #8

“Help,” a tiny voice cried out into the darkness. Little Betsy trembled, praying someone would hear her, save her. “Please,” she whimpered. “I’m scared.”

On the hottest day of the year, as a heatwave takes hold of the Appalachian Mountains, a five-year-old girl goes missing. Just as the sun is setting, a family vacation becomes a worst nightmare—Betsy, with her green eyes, ponytail and rainbow t-shirt—disappears in the woods by Widow Lake. Detective Ellie Reeves is straight on the scene, promising Betsy’s heartbroken parents that she will stop at nothing to find their precious daughter.

Hours later, Ellie is called back to the lake. One of her team have discovered some remains near where Betsy disappeared. The bones belong to a local girl, Amy Dean, who vanished ten years ago to the day, along with her two-year-old baby girl Paisley. But why was Paisley never reported missing? And could she still be alive?

Ellie is suddenly up against the toughest case of her career. Her instincts tell her that the two cases are somehow connected, and she works day and night to uncover the link. When she comes across some little graves beside the water’s edge, she knows she needs to stop the evil lurking around this tranquil lake.

When Ellie discovers a notebook scrawled with the handwriting of a little girl, it could be the breakthrough she needs. Can she unravel a decades-old mystery, and stop the monster claiming innocent lives?

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Review

This author has the ability to make me shiver each and every time. She creates the most disturbed characters on earth in my opinion and the books are creepy, creepy, creepy.

And I can say with my hand in my heart, that she has done it again. The short chapters make me feel like I am on the TGV and I don’t mind that. I wanted to keep on reading and reading and read some more.

Ellie is a tough lady. She does not mind having to go in a physical fight with someone. I loved it when she said it did hurt, of course, but that it was part of the job. So, no need to moan about the pain. Wow. 🙂

As in every series, here too we are allowed a glimpse in the main characters personal life. For those who have read the previous books, know about her love life. I, for one, thought she is involved with the wrong one. Each and every book I hope she will see the light. The question is, did it happen in this book…?

I love books where you think everything has been revealed, but where you have to think again because the author has another surprise in store or maybe some cliffhanger to make you go oh no?  Did the author treat to one of those or maybe both or non at all? That for me to know and for you to find out. 🙂

I loved it and was shocked by it at the same time. 5 big stars

Thank you

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About the author 

USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. But she didn’t think real people grew up to be writers, so she became a teacher instead. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job.

With over ninety books to her credit, she’s penned romantic suspense, romantic comedy, and YA novels, but she especially likes writing dark romantic suspense and crime fiction set in small southern towns.

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Author Links

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ritaherron

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

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Book Link

https://geni.us/B0BS5FLYWCsocial

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Death at Sycamore House by Betty Rowlands / #Review @bookouture @BettyRowlandsFP

A Sukey Reynolds Mystery Book 12

Cream tea, a curious cat… and a rather mysterious murder?

It’s been a quiet few weeks on the crime front in Somerset and Sukey Reynolds is starting to wonder if all the villains have gone on holiday. Although Sukey loves solving crimes, she’s happy to have a bit of extra time to spend with the handsome journalist who lives just around the corner…

But when she is summoned to charming Sycamore House it seems that Sukey has tempted fate. Sitting amongst well-tended grounds bordered by trees, with a view of rolling hills in the distance, this stylish set of apartments is usually home to little more than spirited disagreements between members of the neighbourhood committee. Until the body of Fenella Tremaine, one of their residents, is discovered by the caretaker in the garden…

The police quickly close in on Marcus Ellerman, a neighbour and colleague of Fenella’s, with whom she often crossed swords, both in and out of the office. When his distinctive ornamental dagger is found to be the murder weapon, the case seems closed.

But Sukey has a hunch that the police are barking up the wrong tree and decides to dig deeper into Fenella’s past. Sukey’s investigations turn up an estranged daughter, Fenella’s secret affair with the owner of a local care home, and a neighbour’s cat with a sixth sense for danger. But who is the killer? Can Sukey unmask the true villain of Sycamore House, before any more lives are lost?

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Review

This series grows with each and every new book. The cases are more complex and it makes the books even more interesting. 

It all started more like a cozy mystery series with our main character Sukey being a SOCO. She was working for the police but because she was not an officer, her ‘interference’ was that of a citizen and not a member of the force. Now, with her being a PC, the series has been turned into a police procedural. On the one hand this gives Sukey less freedom to follow her own path because she has to follow more rules now, but on the other hand it gives her more insight in the case itself. 

I also like the way her personal life has evolved. She has found someone who really values her and is not blowing hot and cold all the time. He supports her and genuinely wants to be with her and be seen with her. No need to hide behind secrets anymore. 

One person I like was pushed to the background in this book and I missed them. I missed their input, jokes and the interaction between them and Sukey.

The behaviour of one of the characters made it all clear for me and steered me in the direction of the culprit. 

Great story that a thoroughly enjoyed. 5 stars 

Thank you

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About the author

Betty Rowlands 1923-2020

Betty Rowlands burst onto the crime scene in her mid sixties by winning the Sunday Express / Veuve Clicquot Crime Short Story of the Year Competition which shows it’s never too late to start writing. Her success continued with her highly acclaimed Melissa Craig mysteries featuring a crime writer who solves mysteries in Gloucestershire. Her second series, The Sukey Reynolds Stories comprise of thirteen books, featuring Sukey Reynolds, a Scenes of Crime Officer who later becomes a detective. She lived in the heart of the Cotswolds, where her Melissa Craig mysteries are set, and then in Bristol which is closer to Sukey Reynolds patch, where she lived until her death on 29 July 2020, just a few months before her 97th birthday. She passed peacefully in the residential home that she called ‘home’. She will be greatly missed by her two surviving children, her four grandchildren, six great grandchildren, other family members, her friends and you, her many readers. The resurgence in interest in her Melissa Craig and Sukey Reynolds books in her last years gave her immense pleasure. She loved to receive emails from her fans knowing that her writing was being so enjoyed. Betty may no longer be with us but Melissa and Sukey are still there solving those mysteries. Keep on reading!

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Book Link

Amazon : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Sycamore-House-gripping-Reynolds-ebook/dp/B07XBMK6QX/

The Silent Bride by Shalini Boland / #Review #Thomas&Mercer @ShaliniBoland

Alice and Seth are a perfect love story: the handsome doctor and his beautiful fiancée. They’re wealthy, well liked and made for each other—the envy of all their friends. Alice can’t wait for the day of their dream wedding. But when she arrives at the altar, she doesn’t recognise the man waiting to marry her.

When this stranger insists he’s Seth, her husband-to-be, the entire congregation seems to agree. Even her parents try to persuade Alice to go through with the wedding.

As panic sets in, Alice’s world comes apart. Where is the real Seth, and why have all traces of him disappeared from her life? Fearing she’s losing her mind, she sets out to uncover the truth and escape the nightmare she’s living in. But with everyone around her convinced by the fake Seth, how can she ever hope to find the man she loves?

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Review

I love the stories by this author. They are so easy to read and sweep you up from the very beginning. 

Our main character Alice goes through a lot in this book. Imagine yourself on your wedding day and not recognising your future husband anymore. This is already a real nightmare to go digest, but the worst is she is the only one who see a stranger standing there waiting for her… She must be ill or losing her mind. One way or the other, her world is collapsing. No doubt about that.

Everybody has a type the fall for, but Alice really knows how to chose them. 🙂 The worst of it all is that she does not seem to realise that and nor do any of her friends. Makes you wonder how this will all turn out and who she can trust…

As per usual the author has written another winner. I kept wondering and wrecking my brain trying to figure out what was going on.  It was very intriguing because I most certainly could not see which master plan the author was going to reveal to us in the end.

When it all became clear, I was shocked. Never in a million years I could have guessed this was possible. So there is only this left to say: brilliant idea to use this as a plot to a very good story. 5 stars

Thank you

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About the author

Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband, two children and Jess their cheeky terrier cross. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer songwriter, but now she spends her days writing suspense thrillers (in between school runs and hanging out endless baskets of laundry). 

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Author Links

https://www.instagram.com/shaboland/

https://twitter.com/ShaliniBoland

https://www.facebook.com/shaliniboland

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Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silent-Bride-Shalini-Boland-ebook/dp/B0BH96MK41/

New Normal by Michelle Paris / #Spotlight #BookTour @lolasblogtours @maparis916

After the sudden death of her husband, Emilie Russell just wants to feel normal. But being a middle-aged widow doesn’t come with a how-to manual. Her well-meaning friend, Viv, believes the cure to all that ails is simple: a new man. So, she sets Emilie up with her handsome and charming new neighbor, widower Colin. There’s only one problem with the plan—Colin is gay.

Emilie embarks on a rollicking journey of self-discovery with Colin as her mentor and best friend. From learning to swipe right without cringing while midlife dating in constricting shapeware to cougar moments in Key West, Emilie reenters the dating pool with both humorous and soul-crushing results.

With the encouragement of her friends, including a new furry one, plus a little therapy, Emilie begins forging a new life, one where she exchanges tears for laughter, and one that maybe—just maybe—includes the courage to find love again.

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About the author

Michelle Paris is a Maryland writer who believes laughter can heal the heart. Her debut novel, New Normal is loosely based on her own experience as a young widow. Her personal story of overcoming grief was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. And her essays about grief and mid-life dating have appeared in multiple editions of the Chicken Soup for the Soul inspirational book series as well as in other media outlets. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Maryland Writer’s Association. Currently, Michelle is enjoying chapter two of her life with her new husband, Kevin, who keeps her from being a cat lady but only on a technicality

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Author Links

Website: https://michelleparisauthor.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/maparis916 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.paris.7399/

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Book Links

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/new-normal-by-michelle-paris

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/New-Normal-Michelle-Paris-ebook/dp/B0BQHSXRD2/

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/new-normal-michelle-paris/1142835497?ean=9781627204538

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/new-normal-9

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/New-Normal-Paperback-9781627204521/2111873642

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/new-normal-michelle-paris/19468488?ean=9781627204521

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Giveaway

One winner wins a $20 Amazon gift card, a signed paperback and a canvas bag. 5 winners will win an ecopy of new Normal. Open international.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1424/

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The Last Holiday by Amy Sheppard / #Spotlight #PublicationDay @bookouture @amysheppardfood

One last holiday together. One of us wouldn’t come home…

Saturday night: It starts as an innocent holiday game amongst old friends. As we sit around our campfire, the evening sky streaked with peach, my little boy sleeping peacefully in our tent, the wine flows and secrets are spilled.

It should be harmless fun, but Annie’s questions worry me. She’s always been the keeper of our secrets. She knows all the infidelities, the indiscretions, the stolen kisses…

I just hope she knows when to stop. Because there’s something I can’t let her bring to the surface…

Wednesday morning: It’s the little things that stay with you. The hurried rip of zips being opened. Figures stumbling into the cold night air. The screams echoing across the campsite as flashlights scour the ground. That’s what happens when someone you love is murdered.

One of us is responsible for Annie’s death. One of us will stop at nothing to keep our secrets hidden…

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About the Author

Amy Sheppard is a busy mum of two boys, living in Cornwall. Her obsession with making budget friendly family dinners, led her to writing two cookbooks. Amy creates recipes for her followers and for brands @amysheppardfood

Her debut novel is out in August 2022. A psychological thriller set in Cornwall called ‘The Beach Party’

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Author Link

Twitter: @amysheppardfood

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Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Holiday-unputdownable-psychological-breathtaking-ebook/dp/B0BZPS9S15/

Her Last Promise by Catherine Hokin / #Spotlight #PublicationDay @bookouture @catherinehokinwriter

Hanni Winter #4

‘Too many have suffered at my father’s hands. I won’t let it continue. I’ll stop him, I’ll build a world where we can finally be free, I swear it…’

Berlin, 1938.When Hanni’s beloved sister suddenly vanishes in the middle of the night, Hanni knows her high-ranking Nazi father, Reiner, is not telling her the whole truth and may hold the key to her disappearance.

Years later, after finally learning how to live with her troubled past, Hanni dedicates herself to raising her teenage son, Leo, but her sister is never far from her mind. But when Leo begins to share Reiner’s pro-Nazi views and runs away from home to meet his grandfather, Hanni’s world collapses in an instant. She is determined not to lose her son to her father’s cruelty, like she lost her darling sister all those years ago…

Hanni has tried to stop her father before and nearly lost her life. Now she is fighting for Leo too and the stakes are higher than ever. She can’t lose him to the Nazis. She won’t let her father take her son away from her. Hanni knows this is her last chance to bring her father to justice. With her son’s life hanging in the balance, Hanni knows this will be her toughest battle yet. But with Reiner’s popularity stronger than ever, will she succeed?

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About the author

I write books set primarily in Berlin, covering the period from 1933 up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and dealing with the long shadows left by war. I am a story lover as well as a story writer and this period really fascinates me. Writing about it also means that I get to spend a lot of time in Berlin, which is my second favourite city – my favourite is Buenos Aires.
I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. Both my children have left home (one to London and one to Berlin) which may explain why I am finally writing. If I’m not at my desk you’ll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.

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Author Links

Website: https://www.catherinehokin.com/

Twitter: @catherinehokinwriter

Instagram: @cathokinauthor

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Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Her-Last-Promise-gripping-heartbreaking-ebook/dp/B0BVW74SKW/

Revenge by Kerry Kaya / #Review #BlogTour @rararesources @KerryKayaWriter

The Tempests #2

Damage will be done…

After the brutal gangland murder of her husband Terry, Tracey Tempest just wants to move on. She’ll never get over Terry’s betrayal, but she’s determined his shady past won’t spoil life for her and her beloved boys Ricky and Jamie.

Max Hardcastle just wants a quiet life and to maybe see how things go between him and Tracey. He knows she’s been hurt in the past, but he’s nothing like Terry and he’ll do anything to keep Tracey happy and safe.

But some people have other ideas.

When Max’s car garage is torched, he’s certain someone still has a grudge to settle. And when the Tempest boys discover one last secret Terry’s been keeping, the fallout could tear their family apart.

Will the Tempests survive this storm? Or will revenge be their downfall?

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Review

Second book in this series and when I started reading it, I hoped it would be as good as the first one. I enjoyed getting to know the Tempest family although they are not (always) the most friendly people. Some of them even are evil through and through, but that is exactly what you need when you create a gangland crime. Harsh, vicious, revengeful, those are the characteristics of the people who play the main parts.

But there are also good sites to some of them. They would walk through fire for those they trust and cherish, but in a gangland crime you never know who is your mate and who you have to be suspicious of. People who have known almost all your life and had the best relationship with, can suddenly be the ones to stab you in the back. Others prove again and again you can count on them. 

Revenge is often the key word in this kind of books. The one question that remains is who is out to get who? Are you ever safe in this world?

Gangland crime is not always about violence. There is time for love and friendship too. 

The author wrote a fabulous book with great characters and showed us that even the most spiteful people can suddenly see the light too. I loved it. 5 stars

Thank you

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About the author

Kerry Kaya is the hugely popular author of Essex-based gritty gangland thrillers with strong family dynamics. She grew up on one of the largest council estates in the UK, where she sets her novels. She also works full-time in a busy maternity department for the NHS. 

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Author Links

https://www.facebook.com/KerryKayaAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/kerry_kaya_author/

Twitter: @KerryKayaWriter

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/KerryKayaNews

Bookbub profile: Kerry Kaya Books – BookBub

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Book Link

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Revenge-gritty-gangland-thriller-Tempests-ebook/dp/B0BKFVHLJZ/

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