Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams and Lynette Eason, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Impending Strike Series: Elite Guardians Collection #2 Author: Sami A. Abrams and Lynette Eason Publisher: Sunrise Publishing Release Date: June 28, 2022 Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense
Protecting him just might cost her everything…
Elite Guardian Charlie Lee knows that there is no future with the woman he loves—fellow Guardian Lizzie Tremaine. And, he gets it—as a single mom, Lizzie has to protect her daughter. But more than anything, he wants the chance to prove himself.
Then, the unthinkable happens—while working undercover, Charlie is seriously injured…and his memory of the past four years is lost. Could it be the fresh start that he didn’t realize he longed for?
Despite a friendship that’s turned flirtatious at times, Lizzie Tremaine has held Charlie at arms’ length. She’s lost all the men she’s ever loved, and is unwilling to risk her heart again. Still, she’s glad to keep an eye on him—as his bodyguard—and while she’s at it, help him put the pieces of his past together, including discovering who attacked him, and why.
But Charlie seems to have forgotten their agreed-upon professional distance—and suddenly, all the rules are off the table. She’s seeing a side of Charlie she could possibly let into her heart. Problem is, the closer he gets to uncovering his memories, the closer he gets to trouble.
It’s her heart…or his life. What will protecting Charlie cost her?
Another edge-of-your-seat Elite Guardians thriller!
Sami A. Abrams grew up hating to read. It wasn’t until her 30s that she found authors who captured her attention. Now, most evenings you can find her engrossed in a romantic suspense novel. In her opinion, a crime plus a little romance is the recipe for a great story. Sami lives in Northern California, but she will always be a Kansas girl at heart. She has a love of sports, family, and travel. However, a cabin at Lake Tahoe writing her next story is definitely at the top of her list. Visit her at http://www.samiaabrams.com.
Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of Life Flight and the Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master’s degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.lynetteeason.com.
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Impending Strike and a $25 Amazon gift card!
Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 20, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 27, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Book: Vivid Author: Ashley Bustamante Genre: YA Fantasy Release date: May 17, 2022
Danger Lurks Behind Every Color
When Ava Locke was five years old, she began a journey to join the Benefactors—the leaders of the magical continent of Magus. Twelve years later, she unwittingly started down the road to betray them.
On Magus where colors fuel magical abilities, yellow is banned in an effort to protect people from its mind-controlling capabilities. When a rogue Yellow magic-user named Elm escapes imprisonment Ava becomes innocently fascinated with his story. Once this mysterious Elm shows up at her school, Ava pushes her interest to the next level by helping him evade the Benefactors. Ava grows increasingly conflicted as her intrigue leads her down a dark road of secrets about her world. As she learns more about Yellow magic’s potential to control its victims, Ava now must question whether her rash decisions are all her own or if someone else is pulling the strings.
Ashley Bustamante has created stories from the moment she could scribble and staple sheets of paper together. She simply cannot recall a time when writing was not a force in her life. When not running through lines of dialogue in her mind, she enjoys taking photographs and spending time with her husband, three children, and any furry, feathered, or scaly creature she can find. She currently works at Arizona State University.
Vivid by Ashley Bustamante Book 1 in the Color Theory series Rating: 4.5/5
Enclave Publishing never disappoints! I was excited to read this interesting YA fantasy from new-to-me author, Ashley Bustamante, and she did NOT disappoint. The writing feels fresh and exciting with a plot that draws you into her magical world of color and possibilities. As the first book in a series, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading more.
First, I obviously had to read the book based on that COVER! I mean, come on! If that cover doesn’t make you stop and want to read the book, I don’t know what else can. The book cover is stunning and the cover art designer needs a promotion! Second, like I said earlier, the story is well fleshed-out and the world-building is brilliantly done in a fairly non-confusing way. LOL. It is another world that I enjoyed escaping to for a few hours and cannot wait to return to. I need a quiz on what COLOR I would be 😉 Third, the characters keep you guessing with lots of twists and turns which make you doubt yourself. The main characters are interesting and their slow-burn romance makes you want to root for them.
Highly recommend this fantastic and clean YA fantasy with romance, magic and self-exploration.
My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
More from Ashley
Vivid is a great example of how something small can turn into something big with a little faith and a lot of work!
The idea for Vivid came from a dream (which later became part of Chapter 5) that I just couldn’t forget. A dream about a charming young man in a top hat and a young lady in a yellow dress. I won’t give away the whole scene, but what stood out to me was the complicated feelings of the young lady. She was left so conflicted and dazed by her encounter with this roguish stranger. She knew she shouldn’t have spent time with him, and yet it was exciting. The thing she wanted more than anything was for him to come back, and yet that was also the thing that terrified her the most.
This scene and these characters would not leave my head. I wanted to know the rest of their story and it was all I could think about. Finally, I wrote it all down. How could I not? I made some adjustments, and soon I was plotting. Soon I had names. Places. A magic system. A chapter. Two chapters. Ten chapters. Within a month, I had my first draft written.
The road forward wasn’t easy as I was met with rejection after rejection. But through it all I could feel my Heavenly Father cheering me on, encouraging me to grow the talent he had given me. At once point I almost shelved the project, but that little nudge kept me going and eventually led me to my publisher. All the little pieces that came together over the years to lead me there is a story in and of itself.
I hope you will enjoy Vivid and come to love Ava and Elm as much as I do. It is my privilege to have this opportunity to share them with you.
Title: Lily of the Valley Series: The Gents #2 Author: Sarah M. Eden Genre: Georgian Romance Publisher: Covenant Communications Release Date: April 11, 2022
Cumberland, 1786
Amateur inventor Kester Barrington prefers the peace and quiet of his estate to the bustle of Society. But when his tight-knit group of friends, the Gents, descends on Livingsley Hall for their annual gathering, he stoically joins in their activities. It all seems exhausting—until an unexpected addition to the party catches his eye: his new neighbor, the lovely Violet.
Violet Ridley longs to make friends in this new corner of the country, but her family’s fortune was made through investments rather than inheritance, and Society can be fickle. So when tragedy forces her family to shelter at neighboring Livingsley Hall, Violet is delighted to receive a warm welcome from the Gents. In particular, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Kester. The pair is a study in contrasts: Violet, with her sunny disposition, and Kester, with his prickly facade. Their connection is impossible to deny, but both Kester and Violet harbor heavy constraints. As their association becomes increasingly tangled and confused, their only hope of pursuing a life together is to trust one another with the very truths that could tear them apart.
Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today best-selling author of witty and charming historical romances, including 2020’s Foreword Reviews INDIE Awards Gold Winner for Romance, Forget Me Not, and 2020 Holt Medallion finalist, Healing Hearts. She is a two-time “Best of State” Gold Medal winner for fiction and a three-time Whitney Award winner. Combining her obsession with history and her affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting deep characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a bachelor’s degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library.
Lily of the Valley by Sarah M. Eden Book 2 in the Gents series Rating: 4.5/5
I don’t know how she does it but the author has written such a fun, charming, witty and heartwarming romance between two very interesting characters. I easily lost some sleep over this novel and must know more. (I actually have not yet read the first book in this series but from her other books, I am somewhat familiar with the characters at-a-glance) I am planning on going back to read the first book, but I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary for your enjoyment.
First, the cover was just okay for me but after reading the story, it makes a bit more sense. I personally don’t find the cover model’s hairstyle attractive but that doesn’t take away from the story. Second, the premise of the story was interesting since Kester Barrington seems to be an introvert while the rest of the Gents do not. The friendship between them is so refreshing and fun. I loved all their antics and larks. I also enjoyed seeing the Ridley family move up in the world. Trying to avoid the insecurities and the faux pas is not easy to navigate but the Gents and Julia were happy to help. Third, the love story between Kester and Violet was beautiful though not perfect. The characters each must deal with their hardships before being able to come together. The way they complement each other is precious, and I love how the author didn’t shy away from the harder topics. Fourth, I loved all the ingenuity involved with Kester being an amateur inventor and all that entailed. As someone who is also a “fixer/problem-solver”, I love exploring all the possibilities (especially during that time).
Highly recommend if you enjoy clean, sweet romance that makes you laugh and cry.
P.S. Kester’s speech at the end is perfect. There, I said it.
My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
More from Sarah
Research is one of my favorite aspects of writing. Lily of the Valley offered ample opportunities for researching incredibly interesting topics. One main character is an amateur inventor, which tossed me deep into the realm of innovations of the 1780s and 1790s. The other main character has an interest in engineering and mechanics, allowing me to delve into what was known and understood in these fields at the end of the 18th Century. Amongst the supporting cast are a variety of interests, strengths, and passions, all of which saw me pouring over everything I could find from this era on those topics.
A particularly fun area of research I tossed myself into was parlor games played in late 18th Century England. Among my favorites I learned about:
The Three Kingdoms, a game very much like modern-day “Twenty Questions.” The guesser has up to six questions to gain clues about what the others in the group have decided among themselves is the thing the guesser is trying to discover. One twist: the first question is always “To which Kingdom does the item thought of belong? (meaning animal, vegetable, or mineral)
Short Answers, a game of wits and creativity. The group sits in a circle and one at a time, ask the person to their right a question which that person has to answer in only one word. However, the word cannot be repeated during that round. Once someone has answered a question “Yes” no one else can answer with that word until the round is over. A round ends when someone cannot think of a one-word answer to the question they have been asked and is, subsequently, eliminated.
A centuries-old version of musical chairs
A game that involved determining which fabricated crime the various players would pretend to have committed.
Plenty of games involving forfeits of kisses or handkerchiefs or other shows of affection that the very staid rules of Society would have otherwise looked down on.
Discovering more about the historical context of this book was intriguing and delightful. I hope readers will enjoy learning more of this bit of the past, lose themselves in romance, enjoy the delightful friendship between the characters, and perhaps even find a few new games to try.
To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Gift Card, print copy of book, and Exclusive Sarah Eden vinyl stickers!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Hello. This blog is all mine and I will do my best to post what interests me and what books I read with honest reviews. I am a lover of good Christian fiction with a touch of romance, mystery, intrigue, humor, fun, etc. I invite you to join me as I read my way through books and life. I am currently pursuing my residency training as a family medicine physician!!! I have to carefully choose what I want to read for fun. My name is Kim and you are entering the Wong Mind.
Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Impending Strike by Sami A. Abrams and Lynette Eason, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
