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Saturday, July 6, 2019

Brick by ML Nystrom

Title: Brick
Series: Dragon Runner (prequel)
Author: ML Nystrom
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Romantic Suspense
Release Date: July 6, 2019
Cover Designer: Booksmith Design

In the beginning, there was one determined man and one strong woman. In their struggles, they created a dynasty.

Brick had one mission since he was a boy: become a Dragon Runner. The motorcycle club meant everything to him. Blood and bone from his brothers paid the Dragon’s dues time and time again. And watching it split apart was more than he could handle.

Then he met Betsey.

An unwanted daughter born into abuse, Betsy lived her life beatdown under a rigid thumb, never allowed to be herself. Her one goal was to leave her abusive family and be free. She fought on the losing end of that fight.

Then she met Brick.




A tentative knock followed by the wooden classroom door opening caught his attention. Mr. Atwood, the school principal, entered, followed by a new girl. A wave ran through the room as every student sat up straight to get a look at the newcomer. She wore a mud-colored dress that did little to hide an impressive chest and rounded hips. Her plain brown hair was pulled back into a long ponytail, and she hunched into herself as she met the twenty pairs of eyes fixed on her.
“We have a new student, Betsey Fullerton. She and her family just moved here from Mineral Springs, and her father is the head minister at First Methodist Church. Let’s everyone welcome Betsey and help her learn her way around.”
Several “Hi, Betseys” popped up from multiple students, but Deuce’s comment rang out over them all.
“Damn, look at the size of them titties. Betcha can shelve books on them things.”
The room went silent. The principal turned beet red but said nothing. Blackjack’s reputation was well known, and no one wanted to anger either him or any of the other Dragon Runners.
But Betsey was new. She didn’t know the town or the motorcycle club that many of them feared. Her blue eyes lasered to the back of the room and landed on Brick’s. The zap from that look held him in place and burned through to his toes. She wasn’t scared. She wasn’t confused. She understood exactly what was uttered and why. Her expression was one of… of… contempt.
Betsey’s gaze moved to Deuce, who was laughing at his own joke. She straightened up to her above-average height, and her perfect hourglass figure became clearer even in the ugly dress. Her breasts were full and larger than most other girls of the same age. The dress nipped in sharply at the waist and flared out over her curvy hips. Brick had overheard more than one conversation from girls talking about the right skirts, the right shoes, or the right hairstyle. Betsey stood out proudly and with no apology for her less-than-fashionable appearance. She cocked a hip to the side, crossed her arms under her breasts, lifting and displaying them even more, and stared down at the laughing cocky boy with the shiner on his eye.
Brick lost his breath at the picture she presented. He reached over and popped his friend in the back of his head. “Shut up, dumbass.”
“What the fuck, asshole? I’m just messin’.”

“Mess with someone else. That girl is gonna be mine someday.”

My Review
Brick is the Prequel to the Dragon Runner series  and also book 5  by ML Nystrom. I have not read any of the series or any other books by ML Nystrom but that will be changing. I love reading MC books and this one is kind of my own romance. I am the preachers daughter married the biker. The only difference which is a huge difference is my biker is not a 1%er and my daddy wasn't a drunk. This is actually one of the more mellow MC books it is filled with language, but very little violence and no sex. The book is very fast moving and is not filled with descriptions of things that has nothing to do with the story. This is a short read but packed full. 

The book is the story of Brick and Betsey. It starts out when they first lay eyes on each other in middle school but did not speak again until the night of their high school graduation. Betsey has a hard abusive life as her father the Preacher of the Methodist Church is also a drunk who beats his wife and daughter. He takes her tip money from her job at the diner and treats her like crap. Brick is the son of the current President of the Dragon Runner MC and waiting to be patched into the club. When all heck breaks loose and Club members turn on each other it is up to Brick to clean up the blood and try to put the club back together. 








ML Nystrom had stories in her head since she was a child. All sorts of stories of fantasy, romance, mystery and anything else that captured her interest. A voracious reader, she’s spent many hours devouring books; therefore, she found it only fitting she should write a few herself!

ML has spent most of my life as a performing musician and band instrument repair technician, but that doesn’t mean she’s pigeon-holed into one mold. She’s been a university professor, belly dancer, craftsperson, soap maker, singer, rock band artist, jewelry maker, lifeguard, swim coach, and whatever else she felt like exploring. As one of her students said to her once, “Life’s too short to ignore the opportunities.” She has no intention of ever stopping… so welcome to her story world. She hopes you enjoy it!




HOSTED BY:

The Shifter Chronicles by Michelle Areaux


Evershade
The
Shifter Chronicles Book 1
by
Michelle Areaux


Genre:
YA Fantasy Romance Thriller 


How
well do you know yourself? Sixteen-year-old Elle thinks she's got
life in Shady Oaks all under control until new boy Asher comes to
town. Elle can't explain it, but she can't deny the connection she
feels to him. Things with Asher are going great until they're out one
night and nearly attacked by a large wolf.
Before
she knows it, Elle's life is spiraling out of control: Maddox is in
love with her, she and Asher are in danger… and she learns she's a
shifter! If that wasn't bad enough, she finds herself in the middle
of an ages-old war between shifters and hunters. What else can she do
but join the cause?
Will
Elle stay with Asher or break-up with him to be with Maddox? What
does it mean to be a shifter? Who will emerge victorious in the
battle?












Everpure
The
Shifter Chronicles Book 2


Sixteen-year-old
Elle's life changed in a matter of seconds after learning she wasn't
only human, but a shifter too. To make matters worse, her best friend
Maddox and boyfriend Asher have a mutual hate for one another that
leaves Elle in the middle of their constant battles.
With
a new discovery now lingering over Elle, she is left with more
questions than she ever could have imagined. Thinking she has found a
way to handle her new found life as a shifter, she now finds herself
faced with a much larger challenge.
A
huntress named Evaline is now seeking to destroy all shifters and
vampires as she makes it her goal to avenge her father's death and
end all otherworldly creatures once and for all.
Will
Elle be able to survive the army now seeking to destroy her world?
Will Elle be forced to choose between her best friend and boyfriend?
Discover
a new fantasy world with Everpure, the second book in the Evershade
Shifter Chronicles.










Evernight
The
Shifter Chronicles Book 3

For
Elle, she thought the day she learned she was a Shifter was the most
frustrating day of her life. Well, that was until she found herself
in the middle of a war between her best friend and boyfriend.
Now,
everything is about to change for this trio as a known Witch in Shady
Oaks has decided to wage a war against the Shifters and Otherworldly
Creatures.
This
time, Elle may find herself battling with new powers and without her
trusted best friend, Maddox.
Discover
how hearts are broken and mended in this exciting third installment
of the Shifter Chronicles, Evernight.






Everlight
The
Shifter Chronicles Book 4

When
Elle discovers a new Shifter in town, she doesn’t expect her entire
world to be turned upside down. Between Elle’s new powers placing
her in even more danger, Magdalyn taking her best friend, Maddox, and
new enemies; all odds seem to be against Elle.
With
Maddox now falling for Magdalyn, Elle has to fight a new battle;
jealousy. Not to mention, Asher, the Vampire love of her life, is
still pushing for Elle to decide on her fate for eternity.
Will
Elle let her own jealousy distract her? Will she fall victim to her
enemies? Find out in this thrilling novel; Everlight.











Michelle
Areaux is a wife, mother, middle school teacher, and author. As an
avid reader and lover of all things literature, she followed her
dream of becoming a published author and has never looked back!
She
earned her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Kentucky and a
Master’s degree in Literacy from Asbury University.







Follow
the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
















A MURDER IN MOUNT MORIAH The Mount Moriah Mysteries by Mindy Quigley


The Mount Moriah Mysteries by Mindy Quigley

Author: Mindy Quigley

Narrator: Holly Adams

Length: 9 hours 36 minutes

Series: The Mount Moriah Mysteries, Book 1

Publisher: Mindy Quigley

Release date: Apr. 15, 2015

Genre: Cozy Mystery


From award-winning mystery writer Mindy Quigley comes a hilarious tale of small-town intrigue and big-time crime.

For hospital chaplain Lindsay Harding, facing death is part of the job. After all she spends her working days comforting sick and dying patients. But when the annual Civil War reenactment in her hometown of Mount Moriah, North Carolina, produces a real casualty, the Grim Reaper suddenly gets a little too close for comfort. With the clock ticking, the police struggle to unravel how and why a beloved local reenactor was shot in front of hundreds of onlookers. As fingers point and tempers flare, another victim ends up laid out on Lindsay's front porch.

Lindsay's life is in danger, but her efforts to expose the century-old sins that lie at the heart of the mystery are undermined by her disastrous love life, her no-good mother, and a ninja-like squirrel - not to mention the small matter of a dangerous killer who'll stop at nothing to keep a sinister secret. Will courage, curiosity, and Lindsay's irreverent brand of religion be enough to catch the killer before she becomes the next victim?





Mindy Quigley is the author of the Mount Moriah cozy mystery series, which is based in part on her time working with the chaplains at Duke University Medical Center. Her short stories have won awards including the 2013 Bloody Scotland Short Story Competition and the 2018 Artemis Journal/Lightbringer Prize. Her non-writing career has been stranger than fiction, taking her from the US to the UK, where she worked as the personal assistant to the scientist who cloned Dolly the sheep, and as project manager for a research clinic founded by the author J.K. Rowling.

She now lives in Blacksburg, Virginia, with her Civil War history professor husband, their children, and their idiosyncratic miniature Schnauzer.
WebsiteFacebook
Narrator Bio


An actress and physical theatre performer for many years before becoming a Voice Actor, Holly continues to divide her time between stage, screen, circus, and audiobook narration.

Holly began her VO career doing radioplays and audiobook characters with the amazing Full Cast Audio company. Since then, Holly has voiced radio and web commercials, various e-learning projects, documentary shorts. . . and of course, audiobooks! She has been nominated for Best Fiction and Best Female Narrator. Holly has conservatory training; her attention to tone, energy and rhythm make her work personal and dynamic. Holly’s performance projects abroad (Italy, Afghanistan, Haiti, Russia, the UK, France, and the Middle East!) support her training and skill with dialects and languages.

Holly records for Audible, Deyan Audio, Christian Audiobooks, Tantor, and more. Holly loves telling stories!

When she’s not in the recording studio, she is on stage or screen; favorite projects include Richard II, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, the films "Here Alone", "Gotham Blue" and "Your Loving, Virginia", working with girls in Kabul for the Afghan Children's Circus and with performers in Balan, Haiti, as well as with her ‘home circus’ Circus Culture. Holly is a SAG-AFTRA performer, a graduate of the International Dell 'Arte School, and holds a Master's in Theatre, Education and Social Change. Https://shearwaterproductions.com/voice-actor and on IMDb as Holly Adams III.





Interview with Rev. Lindsay Harding, protagonist of the Mount Moriah Mysteries
What are the challenges of being a young, female hospital chaplain?
Well, the job itself brings challenges. As a chaplain, I deal with life, death, betrayal, truth, fear, and the search for meaning on a daily basis. It can be heavy stuff! But it also allows me to build deep relationships with people very quickly so I can be there to support them when they need it.
Chaplains have to minister to people of all faiths, and even people with no faith. People who are scared I’m going to be all “Jesus, Bible, Hell, Hell, Hell,” are pleasantly surprised that I come to each interaction free of dogma and judgement. But then others have been upset that I don’t conform to their ideas of what clergy people should be. I’m glad that I’ve had both kinds of reactions because that shows me that I probably hit the mark just about right. Religion is a bit like cilantro—some people can’t get enough of it and other people think it tastes like soap.
As for the other part of the question--the “young, female” part--that brings its own set of challenges. I’m single, and I can tell you from first-hand experience that when I guy hits on you in a bar and asks you what you do for a living, there is no more potent romance killer than answering, “I’m a minister.”
What are some of your worst dating experiences?
Ugh, I wish I didn’t have so many to choose from. I’d have to say that the blind date with the 19-year-old high school student was up there. Or the time a reckless kiss and a case of mistaken identity almost broke up my best friend’s wedding? Probably the most humiliating one, though, was when a handsome doctor I was dating went to use my bathroom and got attacked by a squirrel. If telling potential love interests that I’m a minister is a romance killer, having to fend off an attacking rodent is the equivalent of romantic kryptonite.
Lately, you’ve gotten tangled up in a few high-profile criminal cases. Has that been a strange experience for you?
Unfortunately, I was already well-acquainted with the criminal justice system from a young age. My mom and dad were busted dealing drugs when I was little, and they spent most of my growing-up years in jail. My dad turned his life around, but my mom...she’s… I’m a Southern girl, so let’s just say “Bless her heart” and leave it at that.
More generally speaking, even though I’m a chaplain, when I see injustice, I’m not comfortable sitting back and hoping God will take care of things and everything will turn out all right. I actively work to make things right for people in the here-and-now, and not just in the sweet hereafter. From a safety and sanity point of view, that’s not necessarily a good trait.
Your friendships are a big part of your life. What does friendship mean to you?
My friend Rob is a fellow hospital chaplain and my friend Anna is an ER doctor, so both of them understand that working in a hospital can sometimes be pretty grim. Like me, they believe that the grimmer the task, the more humor is needed. It’s not that we’re flippant--okay, maybe sometimes we are a little flippant--but I think they both understand that a certain degree of black humor, along with an occasional alcohol binge, is what gets us through.
Me, Rob, and Anna have had our differences, but in the end, we have each other’s backs.
Top 10 List
Top Ten Things to Do on the Outer Banks- Mindy Quigley
The Outer Banks (OBX)--a narrow strip of islands that skirts the coast of North Carolina--plays a major role in A Death in Duck, book two of the Mount Moriah Mystery series.

In the book, hospital chaplain Lindsay Harding heads for a much-needed break in the peaceful town of Duck. However, a boatload of trouble soon follows her ashore. Old family scandals, sunken World War II U-boats, and a stolen Doberman all guarantee a far from restful break for the irreverent reverend.

In A Death in Duck, the unique history, atmosphere, and local culture of the islands are almost characters unto themselves. Here are the top 10 ways that you can immerse yourself in the Outer Banks, hopefully with a little less drama (and murder!) than in the book.


  • See the wild horses in Corolla
    • Corolla, at the northern end of the OBX, is home to a population of free-roaming feral horses, descended from shipwrecked Colonial Spanish Mustangs. These horses lived in relative isolation for centuries, but once the stretch of road connecting Duck and Corolla was paved in 1985, development caused a number of fatal car-horse run-ins. The horses now live in fenced-in safety on the beaches just north of Corolla. Guided 4x4 tours will take you to visit the area, which is the fictional home of Lindsay’s curmudgeonly aunt. 
  • Scuba dive a shipwreck
    • Lindsay’s love interest, Mike, is an adrenaline junkie who throws on a wetsuit and hits the high seas. Like many adventurers before him, he’s interested in exploring the hundreds of shipwrecks that lie just off the coast of the OBX. The wrecks span hundreds of years, with some of the more famous dive sites dating from the Civil War and WWII.  
  • Beachcomb
    • I mean, duh. You’re at one of the best beach areas in the country. Lindsay might warn you to be careful walking by yourself on foggy nights, though... 
  • Climb the Currituck Lighthouse
    • Lindsay takes her fake mother-in-law (you’ll have to read the book to figure that one out!) on a sightseeing trip to the lighthouse, that turns into an eventful, and ultimately important, encounter. Take in the view for yourself if you can climb all 220 steps. 
  • Visit the 4x4 beaches
    • North of Corolla and all the way up to the Virginia State Line, the beach itself is considered a public road. It’s the only access for residents of Corova, a (comparatively) sparsely populated stretch of beach community that’s only accessible on foot or by 4x4 vehicle. 
  • Talk to an old-time ‘Banker
    • The OBX had a long history of isolation, and the Elizabethan English spoken by the early settlers gradually morphed into a unique accent known as Outer Banks Brogue or High Tider (Hoi Toid, if you say it right!). Several of the characters in the book speak this way, which audiobook narrator Holly Adams managed to render and still be understood! The best way to experience the High Tider accent is to hear it for yourself:
  • Find the WWII graves
    • During World War II, it was not unusual for German U-Boats to lurk off the North Carolina coast, picking off supply boats as they passed. Bodies of shipwrecked sailors are buried in several locations along the OBX, and a number of U-boat wrecks lie just off the coast. The inspiration for A Death in Duck comes from a question I just couldn’t shake -- what if one of these sailors had survived? 
  • Go for a run along Highway 12
    • Definitely run north and south, not east and west! The OBX is very narrow, so an east-west run could be as short as a few hundred yards in some places. :) Lindsay Harding is kind of a stress ball, and she uses running to think and decompress. 
  • Buy a book at Duck’s Cottage
    • Maybe even buy a copy or two of A Death in Duck. This cozy cafe-bookshop is a mandatory stop for both locals and the many vacationers who return to the OBX year after year. They carry a ton of local interest titles and serve up the best coffee on the ‘banks. 
  • Snooze at the Sanderling Resort or the White Doe Inn
    • The Sandpiper Resort, where the major action of A Death in Duck occurs, is based on the luxurious Sanderling Resort. Many of the well-appointed rooms open up right onto the beach, and the usually quiet pool is great for when you want a break from the beach.If I’m being honest, though, my favorite accommodation on the OBX is the White Doe Inn. Located on Roanoke Island in the lovely little town of Manteo, this charming B&B effortlessly combines coziness and class. Innkeeper Pam makes guests feel like lords and ladies of the Victorian mansion, and the food is to die for. Monthly arts events are free and open to the public.
A MURDER IN MOUNT MORIAH
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Is it the perfect escape?
Whitaker Island is more than a getaway. For Tessa Jenkins, the remote strip of land in Washington state is a sanctuary. Fleeing from a shattering scandal, she has a new name, a chance at a new beginning, and a breathtaking new view: Hansen Rye. It’s hard not to crush on Whitaker’s hottest handyman. At six-foot-three and all kinds of fine, he’s also intensely private—and the attraction between them soon simmers dangerously out of control.
…or a private trap for two lovers?
After a devastating family tragedy, Hansen finds the pebbled shores of the faraway island to be an ideal refuge. Letting down his guard for the sexy, impulsive Tessa is an unexpected pleasure. But there’s another newcomer to Whitaker. He’s no stranger to Hansen. And when he’s murdered, the crime casts a threatening shadow. As suspicion falls on Hansen, all his secrets are about to collide with Tessa’s. Now the pasts they were determined to outrun are catching up to them. So is a killer who’s putting their love—and their lives—on the line.



About the Book

Her Other Secretby HelenKay Dimon
Seriesn/a; standalone
GenreAdult
Contemporary Romance
PublisherAvon Books
Publication DateJune 25, 2019
Purchase Your Copy Today!
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Tour Wide Giveaway

To celebrate the release of HER OTHER SECRET by HelenKay Dimon, we're giving away a paperback set of Her Other Secret and The Protector by HelenKay Dimon to one lucky winner!

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to US shipping addresses only. One winner will receive a paperback set of Her Other Secret and The Protector by HelenKay Dimon. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Books.  Giveaway ends 7/15/2019 @ 11:59pm EST. CLICK HERE TO ENTER!


About HelenKay Dimon


Award-winning author HELEKAY DIMON spent twelve years in the most unromantic career ever - divorce lawyer. After dedicating all of that effort to helping people terminate relationships, she is thrilled to deal in happy endings and write romance novels for a living. Her books have been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine and E! Online. HelenKay loves hearing from readers, so stop by her website at www.helenkaydimon.com and say hello.
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