Book Brief: Saving Toby

Saving TobySaving Toby
by Suzanne McKenna Link
Genre: Contemporary Romance/New Adult
Word count: 113,000

Loving someone through their hard fall from grace takes a lot of grit.

In school, Toby Faye was a moody kid who sat in the back of class and looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Claudia Chiametti, the perfect student, always sat in the front row. She might have forgotten him if it weren’t for the fact that his family had been involved in two tragic events. In the small town of Sayville, Long Island, many knew of the family’s dark history.

Hired on as a caretaker to Mrs. Faye, Claudia is thrown into the lives of the widow and her son — a world where sadness lingers and old wounds run deep. Now twenty-one, Toby is not so quiet. A mass of muscles and unruly hair; he is a real head turner. He is jaunty with the confidence his masculine good looks afford him. While not immune to his sexual advances, Claudia sees beyond the cocky grin. Up close, his blue-grey eyes expose something else.

Despite her father’s stern warnings about the family’s violent history, Claudia is empathetic to their plight and vows to help both mother and son move past the hurt. This endeavor forces her to face situations she never imagines possible. She must be tougher than she’s ever had to be. Does Claudia have the grit to love Toby through his fall?

This book is available from Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble. Continue reading “Book Brief: Saving Toby”

Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective

Cassie Scot - Paranormal DetectiveCassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective
by Christine Amsden
Genre: science fiction, fantasy, New Adult
Available from Amazon

Cassie Scot was born into a world of magic, but she has none of her own. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a handsome sorcerer, she will learn that there are many different types of strength and more than one way to be a hero.

 Excerpt:

“My parents think the longer the name, the more powerful the sorcerer, so they named me Cassandra Morgan Ursula Margaret Scot. You can call me Cassie.

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life: normal, ordinary, and even a disappointment. After the Harry Potter books came out, a couple of people called me a squib. Since I haven’t read them, I have to assume it’s a compliment.

Personally, I prefer normal, which is why the sign on my office door reads: Cassie Scot, Normal Detective.

You have to understand that around here, when your last name is Scot, people are easily confused. Not only are my parents powerful practitioners, but I have six talented brothers and sisters. Plus, my family hasn’t always been known for its subtlety. When weird stuff happens around here, the people who are willing to believe in magic are prone to suspect the Scots.”

What others are saying:

“This a book with a lot of soul in it.” — The Reading Cat

Book Brief: The Boyfriend List

TheBoyfriendListThe Boyfriend List
by Renee’ Novelle
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Word count: 57,000

Book #1 in the Boyfriend Books Series. The Boyfriend List follows twenty-year-old Reagan in her quest for the perfect relationship after a somewhat tragic spring break breakup leaves her disillusioned about love… again.

Reagan had always prided herself on making levelheaded, practical, analytical decisions about everything. Everything, that is, except where guys are concerned. Which was proven to her, once again, when her “boyfriend” opts to take another girl on their oh-so-romantic trip to his lake house. In order to prevent future heartbreak, she creates a checklist of all the qualities she wants in a man, and vows not to give her heart away again until she can determine if they fit every last criteria.

After scouring campus with her two best friends in her tricky journey, her detective work returns a pile of unworthy rejects, and it seems as though her choices are narrowed down to only two options: the hot stranger who’s inspired her new project, and her best guy friend Ian, who she’s always kept at bay due to his perceived playboy reputation.

Reagan gets more than she bargained for with her new set of rules, however, and is surprised to find that love, and the perfect boyfriend, may have been within reach the entire time. But will Ian’s reputation ruin his chances to prove his worth? And can Reagan let go of her insecurities long enough to even give him a chance?

This book is available from Amazon, Barnes& Noble, and Smashwords. Continue reading “Book Brief: The Boyfriend List”

How’s Your Fashion Sense?

When I was kid I didn’t give two hoots about fashion. To be honest, as an adult, I don’t really care. Give me a pair of jeans, my Doc Martin boots and a t-shirt, and I’m a happy lady. As long as I’m comfy and the mirror doesn’t crack when I look into it, I can walk out the door feeling confident.

I don’t read magazines, I don’t follow any particular fashion trends and it’s always stood me in good stead. But is not caring about fashion really a good thing?

Let’s talk writing fashion for a moment…

I’ve noticed recently on a few comment threads, within one of my Facebook groups, that the authors who have just released books in the New Adult Contemporary Romance genre seem to be taking off. It hasn’t taken long to work out that New Adult Contemporary is one hot genre in my circles at the moment. Continue reading “How’s Your Fashion Sense?”