Blog Tour: The Reunion By Kit Frick

 TITLE:  The Reunion

AUTHOR: Kit Frick

PUBLISHER: SimonTeen (Simon & Schuster)

RELEASE DATE:  August 29, 2023)

GENRES: YA thriller/mystery, YA contemporary
Rating: 💥💥💥💥

SYNOPSIS:

From the author of I Killed Zoe Spanos comes a YA thriller in the vein of The White Lotus and Karen M. McManus’s The Cousins following a doomed family reunion gone wrong at a posh Caribbean resort, where old grudges and dangerous secrets culminate in murder.

Eleven Mayweathers went on vacation. Ten came home.

It’s been years since the fragmented Mayweather clan was all in one place, but the engagement of Addison and Mason’s mom to the dad of their future stepbrother, Theo, brings the whole family to sunny Cancún, Mexico, for winter break. Add cousin Natalia to the mix, and it doesn’t take long for tempers to fray and tensions to rise. A week of forced family “fun” reveals that everyone has something to hide, and as secrets bubble to the surface, no one is safe from the fallout. By the end of the week, one member of the reunion party will be dead—and everyone’s a suspect:

The peacekeeper: Addison needs a better hiding place.

The outsider: Theo just wants to mend fences.

The romantic: Natalia doesn’t want to talk about the past.

The hothead: Mason needs to keep his temper under control.

It started as a week in paradise meant to bring them together. But the Mayweathers are about to learn the hard way that family bonding can be deadly.

My thoughts

Although it had a lot of pov's , it turned out to be an interesting read. But for a family that's supposed to be on a trip to bond, that didn't really happen. I did appreciate how it showed how secrets as well as , favoritism, jealousy and not having an actual conversation can destroy a family.  And there were plenty of shock factors ( that youngest one seem like trouble TBH).  And you could tell they were entitled, because i would have never been able to talk to a parent like some of these teens did. 

 

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AUTHOR INFORMATION

 

Author’s website:  kitfrick.com

Author’s instagram:  instagram.com/kitfrick

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

There are 3 copies up for giveaway, courtesy of the publisher!  Link to enter http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1e4a114d87/?

Blog tour: The Dutchess Effect by Tracey Livesay

 Title:  The Dutchess Effect

Authoe:  Tracey Livesay

Genre:  Romance

Publication Date :  July 11, 2023

Rating : 💥💥💥💥💥

About the Book

Tracey Livesay returns in this seriously sexy sequel to American Royalty, following Duchess and Prince Jameson as they strive to turn their romance into a relationship, beneath the relentless glare of the spotlight.

Against all odds, sexy American rapper, Danielle “Duchess” Nelson and brilliant reclusive royal Prince Jameson have fallen in love! They’ve decided to take their relationship public and find a way to make their two worlds coexist. On their terms.

Unfortunately, falling in love was the easy part. Jameson and Dani’s love story has made them the most popular royals since Prince John, but that popularity comes with a price. Dani looks forward to signing the deal with a major cosmetics company that will make her skin care line, Mela-Skin, a force in the industry, and finally grant her the control over her life she’s craved since childhood. But the company wants to take advantage of their fame and involve Jameson in Mela-Skin’s marketing campaign. Dani is outraged! Her company has nothing to do with Jameson.

After stepping up for the royal family, Jameson yearns to retreat back into academia. But he’s fired when his university raises concerns about his newfound notoriety. And suddenly the queen, initially against the relationship, backtracks, seeking their cooperation when the family is embroiled in yet another scandal. This isn’t the quiet life Jameson was hoping for.

Dani and Jameson truly love each other. But under the scrutiny of the international spotlight, when the doubts, compromises, and secrets begin to take their toll, will their love be enough?

My thoughts.  

This book was just as good as the first one, which I did read before this one just to make sure I didn't miss anything.  Jameson and Dani's relationship kept me hooked.  Not only did the author tackle racial issues, as well as misogyny,  I now have a basic understanding of how to play spades( although I'm still probably not going to involve myself in a game).  This was a delightful, enjoyable and fun read.  Dani, AKA Dutchess will always be that girl, and I'm so happy for her and Jameson.  Can't wait for the authors next book

About the Author 

About the Author:
A former criminal defense attorney, TRACEY LIVESAY finds crafting believable happily ever afters slightly more challenging than protecting our constitutional rights, but she's never regretted following her heart instead of her law degree. She has been featured in Entertainment Weekly, the Washington Post, and CBS This Morning. Tracey lives in Virginia with her husband-who she met on the very first day of law school--and their three children.

Author Links:
Website: https://www.traceylivesay.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TraceyLivesayAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tlivesay
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracey.livesay
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thlivesay/

Blog tour: Secrets to a southern wedding by. Synithia Williams

 

Title:  Secrets to a southern wedding 

Author:  Synithia Williams

Genre: Small Town Romance

Publication Date: August 15, 2023

Rating :  💥💥💥💥💥

About the Book

An emotional and witty story of love, forgiveness, and second chances as the race to the wedding day begins…

It’s been years since Dr. Imani Kemp has returned home to Peachtree Cove, Georgia.  As Tallahassee’s most sought-after OB-GYN, she doesn’t have much time for anything else. But when her mom announces she’s marrying a man she just met on a dating app, Imani knows she has to put a stop to it immediately.  Let her mom be hurt again after the disastrous way her last marriage ended?  Absolutely not. Always her protector, Imani won’t rest until her mom sees reason.  She just never expected sparks to fly with the groom’s son...     

After his mother’s tragic death, Cyril Dash and his father relocated to Peachtree Cove to escape the gossip and speculation. Now, in this quirky small town, they’ve made a new life for themselves, and after years of grief, his dad has finally found happiness again.  And Cyril refuses to let Imani threaten that.  The more determined he is to prove the strength of his dad's love, the more drawn he is to this beautiful, complicated woman who's determined to call off the wedding.

But when Cyril’s heartbreaking past comes to light, destiny won’t be denied.  Because the secret to this southern wedding is you never know how far you'll go in the name of love.

My thoughts

I have read many of the authors books, and I have enjoyed every one of them, but this one is now my favorite.  I absolutely loved this story.  From the messiness to the representation and coverage of some sensitive subjects.  The writing style and flow of the story is top notch .  It was emotional and mixed with laughter and some tears.  This was one of those books that I could not put down until I was completely finished with the story.   I'm hoping we get a couple more stories about this particular town

About the Author 

Synithia Williams has loved romance novels since reading her first one at the age of 13. It was only natural that she would begin penning her own romances soon after. It wasn’t until 2010 that she began to actively pursue her publishing dreams.

 Her first novel, You Can't Plan Love, was released in August 2012. When she isn’t writing, this Green Queen, as dubbed by the State Newspaper, works to improve air and water quality, while balancing the needs of her husband and two sons. You can learn more about Synithia by visiting her website, www.synithiawilliams.com, where she blogs about writing, life and relationships.

Blog tour: See Through You by Lula White

 Title:  See Through You

Author:  Lula White 

Publication Date: August 22, 2022

Genre: Romance

Rating 💥💥💥💥

About the Book 

Eugenia
Several years ago, I had it all.
Married to a wealthy banker in New York, my social worker career on the rise, this girl from the South side of Chicago had left behind her hard knock life. But the fairytale could not silence my demons, or heal me from my family's past tragedy.
Now I'm a single mother in a bare-knuckled court battle with my ex-husband, and on the brink of losing the most important person to me--my son. I can't foul up again. So I'm not taking any risks. Not on crazy social scenes, not on foreign excursions with strangers, and not on romance. Especially not with the brazen, rowdy likes of Keenan McLain.

Keenan
Hell, I'm a roughneck from Baltimore who loves his smash-first-ask-questions-later lifestyle. As the CEO of the East Coast's new black-owned luxury adventure company, I can have practically any woman here in the Hamptons I want. But damn, I'm growing obsessed with only one. Our Christmas hookup a few months ago was supposed to be a one-and-done. But Eugenia was too explosive, a quiet storm with depth she hides from the world and I want more of.
But that night really was just a puff-puff-pass for her. She's older than me. People say she's got issues, but I'm the one having withdrawals over her. Am I really ready to give up my life and go all in to be her man? How do I convince her to move on from her past despair, and take a risk with her heart one more time? Especially for an unproven young 'hood like me.

This is Book 4 of Explore Men of the Hamptons series, and can be read as a standalone. It has a prequel novella offered for free on Lula White's web site--Christmas Down Under-- but it is not necessary to understand this storyline. This is a complete narrative and an HEA, but characters and series storylines are continued from previous books.

Trigger Warnings: neurodiversity, grief, death, pregnancy loss, mental health, alcoholism, discussions of suicide & homicide, explicit language & sex

My thoughts

So far, this happens to be my favorite book in the series.  My heart broke for Eugenia several times throughout the story with what she had to deal with.  And I loved how Keenan treated her and how she was able to grow with him and alleviate some of her fears and Concerns.  And when a certain person asked a question "just because they were being nosey", I howled.  It was my absolutely one of my favorite lines in the story.  Add the many OMG moments made this story that much more emotional and tears flowing.   Such a good job with this story.  

About the Author

Lula White was born and raised in the American South and now lives in Southern California. She loves foreign countries, cabins in the woods, sunsets on lakes, and dinners overlooking water. Writing has been her life since childhood, paying her way through college and sustaining her career as a lawyer. Now her narratives dissect the nuanced lives of Black professionals and the Black elite. With complexity and an open mind, Lula weaves ambition, money and prominence with the rigors of Black love and community

Blog tour and review: Drink You by Lula White

 Title:  Drink You

Author: Lula White

Genre: Romance

Publication Date: June 2, 2022

Rating: 💥💥💥

About the Book 

Lion Middleton
His family is the oldest in the Black Hamptons, and one of the wealthiest in New England. To outsiders, for decades, they have exemplified black opulence and prestige. But the world doesn’t know how decades of betrayal and resentments have driven a wedge through the heart of the Middleton house. Lion returns to the Hamptons this summer to support his father in a possible criminal investigation, and to save his family’s reputation. He doesn’t care about the Slurp brewery, or Explore Adventures. And he has every intention of finally destroying his brother and nemesis, Kevin. That is, until Lion meets a sultry, feisty Louisiana-born auditor who teaches him that riches and revenge are not everything.

Kamilah Rouse
The spicy fourth child of the Rouse clan cannot do the Hamptons under any circumstances. A tomboy and free spirit, she’s gotten along in life just fine without a man. That is until she’s tossed into a summer assignment at Slurp, Explore’s new black-owned brewery, with none other than the Hamptons’ spoiled divorcèe, Lion Middleton. What no one in her family knows is why she hates the Hamptons, and the one person in particular who summers there. It reminds her of the only time in her life she foolishly gave in to love. No matter what, she’ll stay focused on the job, and will never be a fool again.

The saga of luxury, romance, and rivalry in the Black Hamptons continues.

This medium-heat steamy romance is Book 3 in Explore Men of the Hamptons series. Continue to follow the hot, sensual, accomplished brothers of New York as they tackle wealth, prestige and self-love on their rise. Black luxury and sensuality continues in the Hamptons. If you love Summer on Sag Harbor, Summer on the Bluffs, or hit television series Queen Sugar, these are your stories. These books can be read in any order, but are most delicious in sequence.

My Thoughts 

I haven't read the books before this one, and I'm kinds wishing I had.  There were just some things about it I might have understood better.  But if you like overly arrogant men, then I think  you'll like this book.  Kamilah was my girl from the start, but it took me a long time to like Lion.  He did eventually evolve and grew on me.  One of my favorite parts was the history lesson.  It was nice to see something a little different than what we're normally taught."

About the Author

Lula White was born and raised in the American South and now lives in Southern California. She loves foreign countries, cabins in the woods, sunsets on lakes, and dinners overlooking water. Writing has been her life since childhood, paying her way through college and sustaining her career as a lawyer. Now her narratives dissect the nuanced lives of Black professionals and the Black elite. With complexity and an open mind, Lula weaves ambition, money and prominence with the rigors of Black love and community.

Instagram: instagram.com/lulawhitebooks

Website: lulawhitebooks.com

Blog Tour and Review: Rana Joon and the One and Only Now

 Title:  Rana Joon and the One and Only Now

Author: Shideh Etaat

Genre:  Coming of Age YA, LGBQIA

Publication Date:  July 25, 2023

Publisher:  Simon Teen

BUY LINKS:

Bookshop: 

https://bookshop.org/a/25463/9781665917629

Rating  💥💥💥💥

About the Book:

This lyrical coming-of-age novel for fans of Darius the Great Is Not Okay and On the Come Up, set in southern California in 1996, follows a teen who wants to honor her deceased friend’s legacy by entering a rap contest.

Perfect Iranian girls are straight A students, always polite, and grow up to marry respectable Iranian boys. But it’s the San Fernando Valley in 1996, and Rana Joon is far from perfect—she smokes weed and loves Tupac, and she has a secret: she likes girls.

As if that weren’t enough, her best friend, Louie—the one who knew her secret and encouraged her to live in the moment—died almost a year ago, and she’s still having trouble processing her grief. To honor him, Rana enters the rap battle he dreamed of competing in, even though she’s terrified of public speaking.

But the clock is ticking. With the battle getting closer every day, she can’t decide whether to use one of Louie’s pieces or her own poetry, her family is coming apart, and she might even be falling in love. To get herself to the stage and fulfill her promise before her senior year ends, Rana will have to learn to speak her truth and live in the one and only now.

My Thoughts

This was such an emotional coming of age story set in the mid 90's.  Rana lost her best friend about a year ago and not only has to grapple with graduating without him, but has been hiding a secret from her family that can cause issues.  Rana must decide how to be her authentic self in a world that might not accept her for being her authentic self.  

Wow.  This story had me in my feels.  It reminded me of Let me Hear a Rhyme by Angie Thomas, since some of what the main character does happened in that book as well.  I truly felt sorry for Rana for most of the book.  And by the time I was finished with the story, I was a bit spent.  It had an emotional hold on me in a different way as many of the books I've read this year so far.  I am definitely going to be looking for more works from this author in the future.  

I received a copy of the book via the Publisher on NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions

About the Author

Shideh Etaat is an Iranian-American writer living in Los Angeles. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Her work has been published in Tremors: New Fiction by Iranian Americans, Day One, Foglifter, Nowruz Journal, and My Shadow Is My Skin: Voices from the Iranian Diaspora. Rana Joon and the One and Only Now is her first book. When she isn’t busy writing you can find her helping her five-year-old son navigate life.

Author’s website:  shidehetaat.com

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

There is a giveaway for 2 copies of this title, courtesy of Simon & Schuster! Follow this link to enter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1e4a114d83/?

Blog Tour and Review: Sins Of The LInes by Sharhonda Exantus

 Title:  Sins of The LInes 

Author:  Sharonda Exantus

Genre:  Thriller

Publication Date: April 26, 2023

Rating:  💥💥💥💥💥

About the Book

Everyone has something to hide—and someone has nothing to lose …

Nia Bryant has waited her entire life for this moment—the day when she and her line sisters are revealed as the newest members of Kappa Theta Theta sorority. It’s supposed to be the happiest day of her life … except Nia Bryant is missing …

With no clues left behind except for her abandoned car, Detective Chris Evans and his partner have very little to go on when they receive the assignment. The case makes national headlines, and the detectives know that they only have one chance to get this right. Nia Bryant isn’t your typical victim, and girls like her don’t just disappear—at least not by choice.

But as they start to peel back the layers of her life, they discover that the missing student has secrets of her own—secrets that give several people motive to want her gone.

Lies, betrayals, and long buried secrets are unearthed—revealing a twisted crime rooted in revenge that no one saw coming.

My Thoughts

Wow.  This book had me hooked from the beginning right until the very end.  This was such an enjoyable ride from a new author.  It kept me guessing and I could not have enjoyed a book so much. Although I don't dip too far out of romance, I have been getting more into thrillers, and this book falls in line with every one I have enjoyed thus far.  It did not read like it was the author's debut book.   It was such an enjoyable, fast paced read that I did not want to put down.  If the author keeps producing book like this, she will surely have a fan for life.  

About the Author

Sharhonda Exantus is a pharmacist with a love for whodunits and cozy mysteries. A native of Miami, Florida, she received her Doctor of Pharmacy from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. In her spare time, she enjoys writing and binge-reading mystery and crime novels, particularly psychological thrillers. Sins of the Lines is her debut novel. Sharhonda currently resides in Florida with her husband and three children. To learn more, visit her website at www.sharhondaexantus.com.