Second Chances Release Blitz

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Release Blitz: Second Chances

by T.M. Franklin

Genre: Second Chance / Holiday Romance / Adult Contemporary Romance

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Sometimes second chances aren't quite what you expect.

Every Christmas Eve, Carter Reed sits in a bar and regrets the decision he made ten years earlier that tore the love of his life from him. Mackenzie Monroe was his everything, but he left her behind to follow his dreams.

Now those dreams all revolve around her. The one that got away.

Or so he thinks.

A not-so-chance encounter with a mysterious stranger sends Carter on a mystical journey to fix the mistakes of the past. But he quickly finds out making things right isn't as simple as making a different choice. And if he doesn't find the key to Kenzie's heart, he could lose her all over again.

Second Chances is a story about a man who gets a peek at what his life could be, if only he'd walked a different path. In the tradition of It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, it's a heartwarming romance sprinkled with a touch of magic that's sure to become a holiday favorite.

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About the Author

T.M. Franklin writes stories of adventure, romance, & a little magic. A former TV news producer, she decided making stuff up was more fun than reporting the facts. Her first published novel, MORE, was born during National Novel Writing month, a challenge to write a novel in thirty days. MORE was well-received, being selected as a finalist in the 2013 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book Awards, as well as winning the Suspense/Thriller division of the Blogger Book Fair Reader's Choice Awards. She's since written six additional novels and several best-selling short stories ... and there's always more on the way.

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Second Chances by T.M. Franklin Cover Reveal

Presents

Cover Reveal: Second Chances

by T.M. Franklin

Genre: Second Chance / Holiday Romance / Adult Contemporary Romance

GOODREADS

Available for Pre Order on all PLATFORMS!

Sometimes second chances aren't quite what you expect.

Every Christmas Eve, Carter Reed sits in a bar and regrets the decision he made ten years earlier that tore the love of his life from him. Mackenzie Monroe was his everything, but he left her behind to follow his dreams.

Now those dreams all revolve around her. The one that got away.

Or so he thinks.

A not-so-chance encounter with a mysterious stranger sends Carter on a mystical journey to fix the mistakes of the past. But he quickly finds out making things right isn't as simple as making a different choice. And if he doesn't find the key to Kenzie's heart, he could lose her all over again.

Second Chances is a story about a man who gets a peek at what his life could be, if only he'd walked a different path. In the tradition of It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, it's a heartwarming romance sprinkled with a touch of magic that's sure to become a holiday favorite.

Follow the Author

FACEBOOK

WEBSITE

Hosted by

RRR Promotion

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Read Review Repeat

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Tru Smoke by Edie Danford

*** 1/2

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire… Whenever Jones touches him, flames flicker in Truitt Larkin's smoky-gray eyes. 

Growing up in Ember Peak, Colorado, Jones Hudson nurtured dreams as big as the Rockies. Why else would a flat-broke college student believe he has a shot with Truitt Larkin, the billionaire CEO of Larkin Corp? And, sure, Tru might own the fab, five-thousand-acre Ember Peak Ranch, where Jones is just the son of a ranch employee, but that doesn’t mean a future with Tru is doomed, does it? When he finally, finally convinces Tru to break his chiseled-in-rock no-sex-ever policy, Jones is sure smoke will never shroud Tru’s silver-flame eyes again.

But fire burns and dreams crash. And Jones leaves Ember Peak—and a big chunk of his heart—behind.

Tru knows he’s responsible for fracturing his valued friendship with Jones. Indulging his attraction to the younger man was selfish and destructive—something he’ll always regret. When Jones returns to Ember Peak for a family wedding, Tru wants a chance to heal their friendship and give back to Jones the comfort of coming home. But sparks fly the moment they reunite, and they scramble to douse the passion that’s burned them both before. Yet a flicker of hope glows brightly, and soon they need all their courage to see their way to a future together.

Review:

A few things drew me to this story.  First, I’ve been wanting to read a story by Edie Danford ever since reading How We Began, which she edited.  Second, there is a certain allure of the second-chance and friends-to-lovers combo that I couldn’t ignore.  Lastly, I’ve been searching for m/m cowboy/western romance and was crossing my fingers that this would finally be the one that I love.

In a many ways I found a gem in Tru North.  The writing was unbelievably rich.  So much detail on every page.  Any reader that loves to immerse themselves in a setting will love the descriptions of Ember Peak Ranch and the characters.  Anyone looking for a lot of time with their heroes will be happy with the length of this story.  Both heroes were extremely lovable.  Jones’ growth from their first try at a relationship to the next time they see each other is significant.  His certainty in what he wants out of life is extremely attractive.  As his deep affection for his friends and family.  Truitt was a little more difficult to understand.  He’s a closed book to himself and those around him.  But the more Truitt reveals to himself and the reader the deeper his attachment to Jones grows.   

My biggest struggle with this story was how their relationship began (meeting when Jones was 5 and Truitt 19 years old) and where it ended it up.  It left me feeling slightly uncomfortable.  What I like to call “Thorn Birds” uncomfortable.  Significant age differences rarely bother me.  But just like I could never quite reconcile Father Ralph and Maggie’s priest/child parishioner relationship with their romantic adult relationship, I had a very hard time accepting Truitt and Jones’ older/younger brother relationship with THEIR adult romantic relationship.   Obviously, that’s my own issue and not a big enough one to make me stop reading (I finished The Thorn Birds too).   

That struggle aside, I really enjoyed this story.  It was something different that helped me move out of a long term book funk.  If you are looking to immerse yourself in a romance that truly has everything Tru Smoke might be the book for you.  Heads up, Tru and Jones story has a Happy For Now conclusion.  Fortunately, we get to find out what happens next in Tru Burn which releases in December.

Nat 

The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis

I couldn't resist the promo ad with the hot guy on it!  

If she has her way . . .

Willa Davis is wrangling puppies when Keane Winters stalks into her pet shop with frustration in his chocolate-brown eyes and a pink bedazzled cat carrier in his hand. He needs a kitty sitter, stat. But the last thing Willa needs is to rescue a guy who doesn’t even remember her . . .

He’ll get nothing but coal in his stocking.

Saddled with his great-aunt’s Feline from Hell, Keane is desperate to leave her in someone else’s capable hands. But in spite of the fact that he’s sure he’s never seen the drop-dead-gorgeous pet shop owner before, she seems to be mad at him . . .

Unless he tempers “naughty” with a special kind of nice . . .

Willa can’t deny that Keane’s changed since high school: he’s less arrogant, for one thing—but can she trust him not to break her heart again? It’s time to throw a coin in the fountain, make a Christmas wish—and let themistletoe do its work . . .

Source:  Advance copy in exchange for honest review.

The Trouble with Mistletoe has all the hallmarks of a Jill Shavlis book - heart, heat, and hilarity!  I love a good holiday story and when you throw one of my favorite authors into the mix, I'm a happy girl!  

Keane is hilarious with the devil cat.  Willa is crazy and full of heart.  I could totally identify with her trust issues.  It's been a while since we've had a Shalvis heroine that owned her own crazy when it causes problems in the burgeoning relationship, so I loved that.  And with that crazy Keane and Willa together are a steamy mess!

As always, I love the supporting cast of a Shalvis book.  The "gang" reminds me of the best of friends - they love you, always have your back, and call you on your shit.  Willa's gang is great.  Elle and Archer's book, Accidentally on Purpose, hits the shelves in February and promises to be all full of stubborn people refusing to admit they are falling in love.    

Grab your copy here:

The Trouble with Mistletoe Buy Links:

Kindle: bit.ly/MistletoeAmazon
iBooks: bit.ly/MistletoeiBooks
Nook: bit.ly/MistletoeNook
Paperback: bit.ly/MistletoePaperback
GooglePlay: bit.ly/MistletoeGooglePlay
Kobo: bit.ly/MistletoeKobo
BAM: bit.ly/MistletoeBAM

~ Shel

Mystic Summer by Hannah McKinnon

* * *

From Atria Books:

“When two roads diverge...take the one that leads to the beach! Hannah McKinnon delivers a charming gem of a novel in Mystic Summer. I adored this book.” —Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Rumor

A chance run-in with a college boyfriend puts a young woman’s picture-perfect life in perspective in this warm-hearted and lyrical novel—from the author of The Lake Season.

Since finishing graduate school, Maggie Griffin has worked hard to build an enviable life in Boston. She’s an elementary school teacher in a tony Boston suburb, a devoted sister, and a loving aunt. With her childhood best friend’s wedding quickly approaching and her own relationship blossoming, this is the summer she has been waiting for.

But when Maggie’s career is suddenly in jeopardy, her life begins to unravel. Stricken, Maggie returns home to seaside Mystic, Connecticut, where she expects to find comfort in family and familiarity. Instead, she runs into Cameron Wilder, a young man from her past who has also returned home, and whose life has taken a turn that puts Maggie’s city struggles in harsh perspective. When tragedy strikes for Cameron, Maggie is faced with big decisions as she weighs what matters most and strives to stay true to the person she’s become.

Set against the gorgeous backdrop of a New England summer when past and present collide, Mystic Summer is a gorgeous novel about looking back, moving forward, and the beauty that blooms when fate intervenes.

Source: advance e-galley received from the publisher


Some days just call for a sweet story that soothes you and puts your heart at ease. Like comfort food. Mystic Summer is that kind of a novel. When faced with life changes coming at her from her work and personal life, thirty-something year old Maggie decides to return to her picturesque hometown of Mystic. Being with her loving family, away from the madness, she can take a few deep breaths to plan her next move. She’s surprised when she runs into her first love - her high school sweetheart, Cameron. Seeing him is a reminder of a previous life that seems so much simpler. What she doesn’t count on is feeling just as connected to him now as she was back then. To further complicate things, she has a boyfriend who’s a rising, young TV actor who adores her and he has his own commitments. Maggie inevitably finds herself at a crossroads as she immerses herself back into Mystic life and into Cameron’s, all the while asking that ultimate question: what will she be when she grows up? The other question: how does Cameron fit in?

Hannah McKinnon has written a romance that's cute and devoid of any unnecessary angst. This was exactly what I needed. I also liked her description of the many spots around Mystic that have special meaning to Maggie. As for Maggie herself, she's an adorable, tender-hearted young woman who receives a second chance at creating a life of happiness but on her terms. You should grab this feel-good read to take along on your next trip to the beach or pool! 

~ Bel
  

Rescuing the Bad Boy by Jessica Lemmon

* * * *
NOT ALL SCARS HEAL

For Donovan Pate, the lake town of Evergreen Cove is a minefield of tough memories—including the day he had to let go of Sofie Martin. Years later, he still can’t forget the taste of her lips and the feel of her killer curves. He knows he’s too damaged, that he should stay away for her own good. But what the head says and the heart wants are two very different things…

Seven years ago, Donovan broke Sofie’s heart. Now her career depends on playing nice in order to pull off the charity fundraiser of the decade. She vows to keep things professional…yet working by his side every day doesn’t make it easy to fight temptation, and it isn’t long before she finds herself falling for this bad boy all over again. But loving Donovan means helping him face his past–so they can fight for a future together.




Review:

This was my first Jessica Lemmon book.  As you know, I’ve become a huge fan of Shannon Richard’s and since she and Ms. Lemmon are besties I was easily persuaded to try out Rescuing the Bad Boy.  And, of course, I’m glad I did.

Sophie would love nothing more than to forget the night she lost her virginity.  It was amazing and horrendous.  But the horrible outweighed the good and, seven years later, not thinking about it is completely working for her.  But then Donovan Pate walks into her office and the past comes crashing back. 

Donovan Pate wants absolutely nothing to do with Evergreen Cove.  He’d rather not live in the home and town where his late father abused him regularly.  When he inherits his family’s estate, his plan is to go to town, sell it (he already has a buyer) and then moving back to his life in New York. What he doesn’t plan on is an annual charity dinner that is being planned and the event is at the house he so desperately wants to get rid of.  A charity dinner that not only raises money for a group home for abused kids but is also planned by the local event planner.  The never forgotten (no matter how much he tries), Sofie Martin. 

Even thoug Donovan would love nothing more than to cut and run, he can’t, in good conscience, put a stop to supporting a charity that he fully supports.  That and an iron clad contract won’t let him.  So he agrees to hold off on selling the house until the charity dinner is done.  Over the next few months Sofie and Donovan skirt each other at the Pate Mansion.  Sofie planning a party and Donovan cleaning it out and fixing it up for its new owner. Of course, skirting each other doesn’t really work and soon they are openly fighting their attraction to each other.

No matter how much the two of them try to protect themselves there is no denying the connection between the two of them.  A connection that is much more important than either of them want to admit. They each have to decide if they can overcome the past in order to have a future with each other.

At first there was a part of me that had difficulty understanding the residual angst between Sofie and Donovan.  It had been seven years since they had seen each other and they had both moved on with their lives.  But then I realized they hadn’t really moved on at all.  Sure, Sofie is succeeding in her career. Her family is a bit crazy but she loves them.  And sure, she’s had her share of relationships.  But none of them have worked out long term and she is completely honest about the fact that she hasn’t had a connection with anyone like the way she did with Donovan Pate.   Then there is Donovan.  On the outside he’s moved on.  Moving away from Evergreen Cove and making a name for himself as a mason worker.  But dig a bit deeper and you find out he’s made some pretty drastic changes to his private life after that night he spent with Sofie.  

All of a sudden it wasn’t so hard to understand all that underlying tension between the two of them. It was there and it was REAL.  On top of that there is Jessica Lemmon’s story telling abilities.  She has a way of pulling a reader in.  Even if I had never understood the lasting angst, I would have been drawn to these two main characters.  The chemistry between them positively leapt off the page.

Needless to say, this was a great introduction to Jessica Lemmon’s writing and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series as well as her backlist.

Nat

A Match Made on Main Street (Briar Creek #2) by Olivia Miles

*** ½

This kitchen isn’t big enough for both of them…

If there’s anything Anna Madison knows, it’s how to turn life’s lemons into a lemonade cocktail served in a vintage glass. So when her beloved Briar Creek café burns down, she sees it as an opportunity to start fresh. But the only kitchen available to her is in the diner down the street—owned by her sinfully sexy ex.

If Anna thinks she can take over his greasy-spoon kitchen with her high-end cuisine, Mark Hastings is about to set her straight fast. Their breakup is his biggest regret—not that he’ll ever admit it to her. Nope, he’d rather show her exactly what she’s been missing. With desire set on a high simmer, their menu is about to get a whole lot spicier… 

Review:

If you had the opportunity to read Olivia Miles’ Christmas romance, Mistletoe on Main Street, you may have sensed more than a little bit of sexual tension between Anna Madison and Mark Hastings.  With all that steam rising off the pages, I couldn’t wait to read their story.

Anna and Mark have a history that they have carefully hidden from the rest of people in Briar Creek.  While they were both in culinary school, their longstanding friendship morphed into a summer romance that shook them both.  Anna was all in.  But Mark?  Not so much.  He knew that loving each other that much would only spell disaster for their personal and professional lives.  His father walking out on his family when Mark was a kid proves that he’s right.  So he ended their relationship in a cruel manner that would ensure Anna wouldn’t fight for them.

Fast forward six years.  Mark has taken over his mother’s diner and Anna is running a successful café with a second location attached to her sister’s bookshop.  I the years since their whirlwind romance, Mark and Anna have managed to avoid each other as much as possible without alerting the town about their previous relationship.

When Anna’s café is seriously damaged and temporarily closed due to a fire, she finds herself in a financial situation that could mean the loss of her sister’s bookshop.   A possible solution?  Winning the cash prize in a nearby culinary competition.  The catch?  She needs to enter with a partner.

Mark began running his mom’s diner right out culinary school.   His mother was going through chemo and he felt it was his responsibility to keep it running.  But everything has been going well for his mother and he thinks it might be time to pursue his dream of owning his own restaurant.  And what better way to fund his dream than by winning a culinary contest.  Now he just needs to convince Anna Madison to forgive him long enough to become his partner so they can win a prize that they both desperately want and need.

Much like Grace in Mistletoe on Main Street, Anna is a strong independent heroine that is determined to be a success at everything she does.   I loved that, even though she was still hurt and still pining over Mark, she was not going to let those feelings get in the way of achieving the rest of her dreams.  Mark was an interesting hero.  Although he is struggling with a lot indecision in regards to his career and Anna, I never once wanted to tell him to man up. His struggles, while frustrating, were realistic and understandable.

My only complaint (and this definitely a personal preference than a critique) with this story was consistent reminders of Anna and Mark’s previous relationship.  Anna’s inner monologues, in particular, seemed to have a lot of repetition in regards to how badly Mark hurt her when they were in culinary school together.  The repetition does a great job of enhancing the angst in the story line.  There were just times when it didn’t work for me personally.  

Other than that, I enjoyed this story a lot.  I’m always a sucker for angst and I’m equally a sucker for a book that features chefs and/or food.  Although that does sometimes work against me.  There is one point in this story where Anna and Mark are FINALLY about to air their dirty laundry.  They are in Mark’s kitchen and the conversation is becoming emotionally intense.  But…I was distracted.  Because Mark was cooking delicious scallops and they were ruined by the time their conversation ended.  No!!!  Seriously.  I need help.  I also need a plate of deliciously broiled scallops. 

Needless to say, A Match Made on Main Street is an emotional and sweet foodie romance that will please lovers everywhere.

Nat

The Hot Corner by Amy Noelle

* * *

                          

Professionally, Danielle Pierce is making a name for herself writing biographies of famous athletes. Her star is on the rise, and her publisher is pleased. Her personal life isn’t going as swimmingly, and she’s recently back on the market after calling off her engagement to Mr. Perfect-On-Paper, not that she’s looking for anyone special. Her career is her focus and it keeps her content.

Her agent and publisher throw her a curveball she never saw coming when she’s assigned to cover the hottest baseball player—on and off the field—Bradley Reynolds. Brad, the Dodgers’ third baseman, spends as much time on the covers of tabloids as on the sports pages, dating models and actresses, each one more beautiful than the last. But he doesn’t let them distract him from his need to excel on the field. Baseball comes first, and it always has, ever since the love of his life walked away from him years ago. Danielle Pierce had been the only woman who ever mattered to him, the only one who ever would.

Dani never thought she’d have to see Brad in person again, let alone spend weeks with him writing his biography. He broke her heart in college, and she’d never risked it since. Seven years later he selects her to write the story of his life, and she’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. If she refuses, she looks like a coward. If she gives in, he wins. Can she be around him without falling for his Southern charm and deadly looks again? Can she show him that he didn’t break her? She doesn’t know what his game is, but she hopes she’s strong enough this time to play without getting burned.

Dani's career takes off thanks to her first two sports biographies that are fast gaining attention, and as a result her publisher wants to capitalize on this. Her current assignment is to interview Brad Reynolds, mega-talented baseball player and tabloid fixture, for his biography. Her publisher is very well aware that the two have a previous history but the opportunity to write a book about one of the hottest athletes around is too good to pass up. Despite her own reservations, Dani goes with it because even she admits she’s a bit curious about Brad.

When they meet for the first time in seven years she’s irritated to find herself still physically attracted to him. This makes keeping him at arms-length difficult. But she has a job to do and she intends to do it properly. They get on well enough but in the back of her mind, she’s always viewing him as he’s portrayed in the tabloids – a womanizer with a trail of broken hearts behind him. It doesn’t help that one of those is her broken heart from when they dated in college and eventually had a messy break up. In the flashback scene, you see what happened from Dani’s perspective and why she broke up with him. She gave Brad a different story though claiming it was for the sake of his career. Problem is, she was rather hasty in her decision and we can go ahead and chalk that up to immaturity. But she didn’t know that then and hindsight is such a pain in the behind.

In the present, Brad employs everything in his arsenal to woo Dani back, trying to convince her as best he can that he’s the same guy he was in college. He has never known the real reason she broke up with him. Trusting Brad is not something she’s going to do willingly but as she interviews some of the more important people in his life, she learns that he just may be the same man she fell for.

Brad is committed to her right away whereas she still doesn’t trust him fully. And how can she when she sees women falling all over him? When she does decide that a second chance is worth the potential heartbreak, she falls all over again. And because of this second chance she considers the possibility that may be she had things wrong seven years before. The great thing is that she’s admitting to her mistake. Now she has to fess up to Brad and who knows what that would do to him, to them.

Aside from Dani and Brad, there’s also his good friend Pamela, an actress who happens to be his ex. You’d think that would make things difficult for Dani but no. Pamela’s say-it-like-it-is personality adds some very funny moments and she quickly becomes a good friend to Dani. She helps Dani see past all the glitz and glamour of Brad's life and encourages a reconciliation between them.

I had a great time reading The Hot Corner. It was exactly what I needed – a more grown up romance featuring two people rebuilding a relationship and finally being honest with each other. The chemistry between Dani and Brad is spicy but it’s the romantic gestures that Brad offers Dani that are utterly swoon-worthy.  And as I'm waiting for Spring to get here and counting down to baseball's opening day, what better way to bide the time than by reading about one of the boys of summer?

~ Bel

Just Sing (Seven Oaks #1) by René Gilley

* * *

Sixteen-year-old Lily O’Brien has one goal in life—to sing. Her dream is to get into a topnotch college vocal program, but the summer before her junior year, her high school cuts their awarding-winning vocal ensemble. She might as well kiss her dreams goodbye.

When the snobby new neighbors move into their mansion up the hill, Lily is positive summer can’t get any worse, and she’s determined to hate and ignore them—until she meets Aiden.

He’s broken and beautiful, and they become reluctant friends. Through her newfound friendship, she finds the strength to step outside the comfort of her plan and follow her dream.

But when Lily’s family is about to lose their home, she puts her wishes aside and finds the answer to save their generations-old ranch in the last place she expected.

Lily is rather unique in that where many of her peers feel a sense of entitlement about everything and neglect the benefits of hard work, she doesn’t take things for granted. Her family has been displaced because of financial problems and has had to sell off parts of their ranch in order to keep above water.  Her mother left them years ago and she lives with her grandmother, younger brother, an aunt and her daughter and finally, her alcoholic father. It’s rather depressing but Lily’s bright spot, her escape, has always been singing. When the program is cancelled at school because of sour grapes on a schoolmate’s part (this is where the entitlement things comes in), Lily is forced to find alternate plans for her future.

I expected the story to continue to focus on her search for a new school that would nurture her singing career and how she could possibly manage that. But the story diverges from that as she reluctantly befriends her new neighbours. Why reluctant? They happen to be moving into her former home. Not only that, the new guy Aiden, is hot and cold towards her and she’s never quite certain where exactly she stands with him. She figures he’s going through something so she patiently waits for him to come around at his own pace. In the meantime, he just makes things confusing.

This is a very sincerely written story.  The language makes you feel you’re inside the mind of a seventeen-year-old. One who’s facing changes and experiencing new emotions. When she realizes what Aiden goes through, and that all families have their problems, she tries to become the friend that he needs. You get the sense that she's always being the adult among all the "grown ups" in her life. She works on her mixed feelings toward her mother, a person who has consistently disappointed her and yet to whom she’s always granting second chances. How should she help her father whose drinking is a problem that no one wants to admit aloud? 

At the heart of it, she is still a kid who simply wants her dream to come true. Once she gets back on track, you just want to cheer her on. She deserves that elusive reward and she deserves that happiness. But most importantly, on this path, she comes to recognize her own self-worth. She may be an underdog but she's a fighter. You go girl!

~ Bel