Wacky Wednesday: A Visit With Kimberly Kincaid, author of DRAWING THE LINE + #Giveaway (and two HOT guests)

Hi Everyone! Well, on Monday, I reviewed DRAWING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid and if you were lucky enough to get it, it was free on Amazon that same day but only that day. However, you are in luck because Kimberly is visiting with me today and both, she and I, are offering up a Kindle copy of this deliciously intriguing new contemporary romance. That’s TWO copies available today! So, if you’ve got a Kindle or a Kindle App, you’re in luck! And if you've already got your copy, enter for a family member or friend. I'm going to allow you to gift your prize to someone special!
 
Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she's not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as "The Pleather Bomber", she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. She has written two digital novellas, LOVE ON THE LINE and DRAWING THE LINE, about hot cops and sexy chefs, with a third novella, OUTSIDE THE LINE, due this summer. She is also thrilled to have collaborated on a Christmas anthology with Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell, titled THE SUGAR COOKIE SWEETHEART SWAP, to kick off her Pine Mountain foodie series with Kensington this October. Kimberly’s first full-length novel, TURN UP THE HEAT, will follow in February 2014. She resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters. Visit her any time at her website or feel free to follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Amy: Ah ha, here she comes now, looking lovely as always. I hope you’ll help me welcome her back to Unwrapping Romance. Oh my, it seems she’s brought some guests with her.

***Enter Kimberly followed by two men. The first is tall with dark hair and steely gray eyes, looking as if he needs a shave. He’s dressed in a plain white button down shirt tucked into gray suit pants. The light above glinting off a badge alongside the gun holstered on his belt. The tall, dark-blond haired man with him has smiling blue eyes and is dressed in charcoal pants and a gray and white striped shirt. He also carries a similar badge and gun. Oh my goodness, it’s Detectives Noah Blackwell and Jason Morgan. ***

Amy:  Hi Kimberly, it's a pleasure to have you with us again.

Kimberly: Thanks for having me. I even got a police escort! *nods to the guys*

Amy: So I see. *knees wobbling a bit*

Welcome Detectives, I hope it’s all right if I call you, Noah and Jason, I feel I know you both so well. *winking at my readers*

It's certainly our pleasure to have you all with us today!

Kimberly, perhaps you'd like to tell us a little bit about yourself, and your gorgeous companions, for those who don't know you yet. 

 

Kimberly: I write contemporary foodie romance, sometimes with a twist of suspense. The "line" series is a trilogy of digital novellas that are my first foray into publishing, with a print series coming from Kensington starting this fall. Noah is my first published hero - *points to the dark-haired guy trying really hard to blend into the walls* - and Jason is my second. *of course, Jason gives up an all-American smile for the crowd*

 

Amy: Well, I, for one, am very pleased that you brought your heroes with you today. It’s always a pleasure to meet some of the men who help keep us safe.

Noah and Jason, you're both police officers. Do you find that as such, it's easier or more difficult to meet women? *I may be married but I can still look!*

 

Jason: *laughing* Well, we're both really off the market now. But before, it didn't make things easy. The job has weird hours, and even weirder pitfalls. Even now, we never know what we're going to get.

 

Noah: *nodding*  Yeah. But Violet's pretty cool about it. And if you want to get technical, I did meet her as part of the job since she's Jason's sister and he and I are partners.  

Jason: *making a face* Don't remind me. I guess I met Serenity on the job too since she was a witness in a case I worked, so maybe it does make it easier to meet women! 

 

Amy:  Sounds like it to me. *smiling, while grumbling under my breath –Why couldn’t I have met cops like this when I was still available?*

Noah and Jason, you are brave men who put your lives on the line every day to keep us safe, and we thank you so much for your service. Kimberly, was there any special reason you were drawn to creating stories for police officers as heroes?  

 

Kimberly: Lots of them! I like really intense heroes, and for me, first-responder professions like cops and firefighters are the perfect base. Even though Noah and Jason both have different personalities and backgrounds, they're both really powerful on the page. I think their profession, and their dedication to that profession, is a large part of that intensity. 

Amy: Powerful and intense are definitely two traits both of these men have in common. *looking longingly at the two handsome men*

It's said that the fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

Noah and Jason, is this true or do feel there is some other quality a woman must possess in order to truly capture your heart?  

Noah: *looks around* Violet will probably have a fit if she hears this, but the food isn't the most important thing to me. She's just right out there, no matter what. It's her honesty that gets me. She's really comfortable with who she is. I like that. 

 

Jason:  Awww. Look at you, talking about your feelings

*dodges a not-so-friendly punch on the arm from Noah*

No, really, while I like the food a lot, Serenity's not afraid of anything. I really dig that confident air she has. But I'm not gonna lie, her apple turnovers are killer too.

 

Amy:  Two very lucky ladies, I say. I’m planning to try out those apple turnovers on my hubby. Serenity got very lucky so I’m hoping for the same. 

At this point, I usually ask my favorite question of an author.

If you could be ANY character in ANY book, who would it be and why? I am addressing this to Kimberly.  

Kimberly: Oooo, I don't know! I might be a character in a JR Ward novel, because honestly, the paranormal aspect is so fantastical and unreal. It's not like I could have it any other way. 

Amy: Some very sexy heroes running around in JR Ward’s novels – I like that choice. : )

As for the gentlemen, I would like to ask you this for a last question:  if you had a second chance to choose a profession, would you choose something other than being a cop and if so, what would it be?  

Jason:  Well, I knew I was going to be a cop from an early age, but I think it would be cool to be a newspaper reporter. And watching Serenity run her own business gives me a lot of respect for anyone who does that, too. 

Noah *looking sheepish*: Sorry, Amy. I've gotta punk out on this one. I never wanted to be anything other than a cop. Ever. 

Amy: *ooh, he said my name* Well, we’re very glad that you’re both police officers ensuring our safety and watching each other’s backs. Thank you so much for visiting us and for being so candid. : ) 

So Kimberly, Noah, and Jason - what's up next for the town of Brentsville? 

 

Kimberly:  Funny you should ask! That quietly sexy ER doctor who popped up in Noah's book made a repeat appearance in Jason's book, too...I was thinking we should give him a happily-ever-after. What do you think, guys? 

Noah: Who, Dr. Fisher? He's all right! Don't go messing with him too much. But yeah. It'd be cool to see him with someone. 

Jason: Hey, the doc took great care of Serenity. I say go for it. And you know what, mess with him! After all, you messed with us and we turned out just fine.  

Noah: *lifting a brow* Speak for yourself, dude. Kincaid shot me in the beginning of my book, you know.  

Kimberly: *laughing* He never lets me forget it, either! Don't be such a pouty face. Violet took great care of you. 

Jason: *with a wicked glint in his eyes* Did she just call you a pouty face?  

Noah: *frowning* It's time to go.

Kimberly: Yes, sadly it is. I've got another novella to finish. Stay tuned for OUTSIDE THE LINES, Dr. Blake Fisher's story, later this summer.

Hint: His heroine is actually someone readers have seen before... : ) 

Amy: *smiling at the banter between her guests* I’m sorry you all have to go but I totally understand – duty calls, as does the keyboard for writers. I can’t wait to read OUTSIDE THE LINES. 

I want to thank Kimberly Kincaid for joining us today, and for bringing with her, two of the most wonderful men I've had the pleasure to meet between the pages, to spend the day with us. Noah and Jason, you're wonderful heroes and we thank you for making our lives safer, and oh, so much happier.  

Kimberly: I'm laughing. All this praise goes right to their heads, you know! 

Amy:  If you haven't read LOVE ON THE LINE - Noah's story, and DRAWING THE LINE - Jason's story, then by all means, do so.

Kimberly and I are each offering up a Kindle copy of DRAWING THE LINE to two lucky commenters today. So, if you'd like a chance to win one of two copies of Kimberly's newest release, DRAWING THE LINE, please answer the following question to comment for a chance to win a Kindle copy of this wonderful contemporary romance. I’ve asked Kimberly to ask the question – Kimberly? 

Kimberly:  Thank you!!! Let's see. Let's go with this: In all my books, the characters have nicknames for each other (Noah calls Violet by her last name, Serenity calls Jason Detective McHot Hot-- albeit not to his face, heh) What's the best nickname anyone's given you?  

Amy: Great question!! I’ll give mine up to get the ball rolling – hubby calls me “Red”! I love it. It reminds me of Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in Philadelphia Story. So, … 

WHAT’S THE BEST NICKNAME ANYONE’S GIVEN YOU?

GIVEAWAY: Two Kindle Copies of DRAWING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid. One Copy Each to Two Lucky Commenters.

Blurb for DRAWING THE LINE:

When Detective Jason Morgan is tasked with keeping a local restaurant owner safe as part of a make-or-break case, he rises to the challenge. The job is his first priority, and he owes it to the memory of his father, a detective killed in the line of duty, to do it at any cost. But Jason never expected Serenity Gallagher to be so beautiful, so serious...or so tough to protect.

Serenity has moved from place to place at the whim of her capricious mother all her life. The last thing she wants is to leave the diner she finally calls home, even if it means being stuck with a sexy blue-eyed detective. But she’s the only witness to a horrible crime, and the man behind it wants her very, very dead. Going into protective custody means survival, no matter how much Serenity hates hiding.

As Jason and Serenity bide their time together, they are shocked to discover they have much more in common than the surface reveals. But keeping her safe is Jason’s number one priority, no matter how much he’s drawn in by the woman beneath the witness, and Serenity’s past makes it difficult to trust. As the stakes get higher and the spark burns hotter, can Jason and Serenity draw the line?

GIVEAWAY RULES:

***This Giveaway is OPEN TO EVERYONE with a Kindle or Kindle App, international included. (void where prohibited) 

*btw, you can get a FreeKindle App at Amazon*

***For VALID ENTRY, commenter must leave a VALID EMAIL ADDRESS. Remember the Magic Formula for Entry: 

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. Thank you to all who visited.

 ***This Giveaway will run until 11:30PM EST, Friday, May 31, 2013 at which time two lucky valid entries will be chosen by randomizer to each win a Kindle Copy of DRAWING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid. The winners will be notified by email, and announced in a special Saturday post. If the winners don’t respond by end of day Thursday, June 6, 2013, a new winner, or two, will be chosen by the same process.

***If you've already got your copy, feel free to enter anyway and if you win, you can designate who you'd like to 'gift' your win to.
Good Luck Everyone! 

Happy Reading Everyone! 

DRAWING THE LINE, a novella by Kimberly Kincaid, Amazon, available for Kindle and Kindle app. 

LOVE ON THE LINE, a novella by Kimberly Kincaid, Amazon, available for Kindle and Kindle app. 

THE SUGAR COOKIE SWEETHEART SWAP, an anthology by Donna Huffman, Kate Angell, and Kimberly Kincaid, coming September 24, 2013.


                                                 

Unwrapping: Review of DRAWING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid

Back in March, I introduced you to a new author named Kimberly Kincaid and her first book, LOVE ON THE LINE.  Well, I was so taken by her characters that when her second book, DRAWING THE LINE, starring Violet Morgan’s twin brother Jason, I knew I had to read this one, too. Again, because it’s only on Kindle or Kindle App right now, I had to sit at my computer and read there instead of comfortably in a chair or bed with my ereader. But, just as with LOVE ON THE LINE, it is a fast read that catches and holds tight. It’s not so bad reading these on the PC! Still wish they were available in .epub though! 

***Purchased this one for my own personal reading but of course, will share my thoughts with you! 

Blurb for DRAWING THE LINE:

When Detective Jason Morgan is tasked with keeping a local restaurant owner safe as part of a make-or-break case, he rises to the challenge. The job is his first priority, and he owes it to the memory of his father, a detective killed in the line of duty, to do it at any cost. But Jason never expected Serenity Gallagher to be so beautiful, so serious...or so tough to protect.

Serenity has moved from place to place at the whim of her capricious mother all her life. The last thing she wants is to leave the diner she finally calls home, even if it means being stuck with a sexy blue-eyed detective. But she’s the only witness to a horrible crime, and the man behind it wants her very, very dead. Going into protective custody means survival, no matter how much Serenity hates hiding.

As Jason and Serenity bide their time together, they are shocked to discover they have much more in common than the surface reveals. But keeping her safe is Jason’s number one priority, no matter how much he’s drawn in by the woman beneath the witness, and Serenity’s past makes it difficult to trust. As the stakes get higher and the spark burns hotter, can Jason and Serenity draw the line?

 

                                          *               *               *              *               *               *              *

Serenity Gallagher owns and runs Mac’s Diner. It’s her life, livelihood, and nothing is going to keep her from it – not even a killer. When she stumbles upon an attack on one of her staff, she also comes face to face with a killer who will see to it that she disappears so that she can’t testify against him. With no other choice, but to go into protective custody, she unwillingly agrees to turn over the diner’s operation to her assistant and hide out with the handsome detective who frequents her lunch hour every Wednesday with a pretty, blond-haired woman.

Jason Morgan is a cop and he takes his job very seriously, so much so that he doesn’t have the time or the inclination to have a woman in his life. Of course, that doesn’t stop him from noticing the dark-haired beauty that works at Mac’s Diner who always smells as good as the apple turnovers she serves up when he meets Violet for lunch each week. It's because Jason is so serious about following the rules of the job that he tries very hard to keep his attraction for Serenity from getting in the way, but soon succumbs to her charms and in the process, possibly puts them both in grave danger.

DRAWING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid catches hold of the reader on the very first page and doesn’t let go until you see those words, THE END. However, don’t shut your reader off yet because then she treats you to a delicious recipe that if you’re like me, you’re going to want to try out.

Kimberly weaves a romance filled with sexual tension that will have you itching for one of them to make the first move. When it finally happens, you’ll find yourself cheering Serenity on as she captures the heart and full attention of Jason Morgan, a cop who always says the job comes first. We are also treated to reappearances by Noah Blackwell and Violet Morgan so things stay interesting as each puts in their two cents and eventually gets to give Jason one of those ever satisfying, “I told you so” moments.

I highly recommend DRAWING THE LINE, a novella by Kimberly Kincaid to anyone, whether you’ve read LOVE ON THE LINE or not. This fast-paced, quick romance can easily be read as a stand-alone but really, as fast as these go, why not read LOVE ON THE LINE first and then treat yourself to Jason’s moment of surrender when Serenity claims his heart. The thing about reading a Kimberly Kincaid novella is that they are as delicious as the recipes she shares at the end and you can’t stop with just one. I’m already eager for the next one.

***Be sure to stop by on Wednesday when I’ll have Kimberly Kincaid as a guest for Wacky Wednesday and yes, there will be a Giveaway but there will also be a couple of guys coming with her. Anyone want to make a guess who?

Happy Reading Everyone!

DRAWING THE LINE, a novella by Kimberly Kincaid, Amazon Digital, available now on Kindle and Kindle App.

                                                                  

And A Copy of BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett goes to ...

THANK YOU EVERYONE

for taking the time to visit

my stop on the Tasty Book Blog Tour
for BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett

I hope you will all enjoy

reading this sweet contemporary romance.
It is available in all vendors. 

 As promised, one lucky commenter is

going to win a  digital copy of
BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett
 

so without further ado,

the winner is: 

 

SOFT FUZZY SWEATER

 

 Congrats to Soft Fuzzy Sweater! She has been notified by email

and she will be receiving a digital copy
of BABY STETSON from her choice of vendor. 
 

 Please check your SPAM folder so you don't miss the message.

If by chance, I don't hear from her by end of day,
Thursday, May 30, 2013, or she is unable to accept the
prize copy, I will choose another winner
from the valid entries. So ... SOFT FUZZY SWEATER, 
please check your mail!

 Thank you to everyone who visited and played.

Happy Reading Everyone!

Unwrapping: ERRORS IN PUBLISHED BOOKS!

Hi dear readers! I’ve been hitting you with a lot of reviews lately, mainly because I eliminated one day a week from my blogging schedule, but still had many books to review. I thought I’d take a day to ask you about something that may well be affecting me some day.
ERRORS IN PUBLISHED BOOKS!

As a writer, as well as blogger, I do my best to present my posts with no errors if possible but since I’m only human, sometimes after posting, I discover spelling errors, missing words, and on occasion, words that don’t belong. If I can, I correct them so as not to hinder your reading but many times, I miss them altogether. After all, I’m only human. But what about books that you pay good money for, only to find errors aplenty? 

I read a lot of ARCs – Advanced Reader Copies – and so have learned to ignore most errors, although they do register in my brain. I can only hope that all or most have been caught before the final copy is released to the public but I’ve seen them there after publishing. Some of these errors are just annoying but some are so outrageous that they make me laugh when I should be feeling what the characters are about in the story. 

Examples of outrageous errors are wrong names – for real, I’ve read a few books where a name pops up that doesn’t even belong in the book but is, in fact, a character from another in the series. Another type of error that throws me is when the wrong pronoun is used as in –  he kissed her and in response, he eagerly pressed her aroused bosom against his hard body. That’s an amazing bit of biology!  

I realize in this age of spelling and grammar check, it’s easy to utilize these tools to aid in editing, but only blatantly incorrect items are going to be caught. I admit that as readers we tend to skim, even if we’re not aware of it, and if you’ve read the same thing over more than a few times, your brain really skips and skims, and even fills in the blanks. Yes, missing words easily go unnoticed because our brain actually fills in those missing words and letters for us. 

There’s a message that is posted across social medias quite often and they claim that only a certain percentage of the population can read it - 55 out of 100 people or some such thing. I don’t believe that. I think we all can read it, if we allow our brain to do its job. Can you read it?

 

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

 

If you could read it with little or no trouble, it’s because your brain recognizes the words rather than the letters. The same thing happens when you’re reading a book. So do you notice typos and errors in the books you read? Does it bother you? I’ve actually written to authors and given them the page number and quote when it’s a really huge blunder – have you ever? Have you thought about it? I'll bet you have. *wink*

Like I said, I’m just curious. I hope that someday I’ll be asking you to read a book I've written and when I do, that I have very few, or better yet, no errors in mine. By the way, my current work-in-progress is coming along nicely and I’m very excited about it. It’s a suspense romance. If you haven’t had a chance already, please feel free to check out two chapters I have posted at Avon Romance. It’s not finished yet, and no, it’s not been published, but some day, some day! Click HERE to read two chapters from KEEPING FAITH written by me! Also, while you’re there, if you like it, please click the heart at the top. The higher my rating, the better chance I have of one of the editors taking notice. Feel free to let me know what you think of it - good or bad! Thanks. I love my readers! 

 

Don't forget there is a double giveaway happening on my Wacky Wednesday post - a chance to win a digital copy of BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett and also a Rafflecopter chance to win a $20 Gift Card. Stop by and enter if you haven't, it ends Friday night!

 

Happy Reading Everyone!

Wacky Wednesday: BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett Tasty Book Blog Tour + #Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett Tasty Book Blog Tour. Nikki is one of my Avon Addict sisters and has written and self-published two books – braver than me! BABY STETSON, book one of her Love and Music in Texas series is her second published work. Her first, THE SECRET SANTA WISHING WELL, came out at Christmas. I have not had an opportunity to read that work, so BABY STETSON was my introduction to Nikki’s talent. I hope you’ll enjoy an introduction to a new young writer, take in an excerpt, and stick around for a giveaway!

***ecopy provided by author in exchange for an honest and unscripted review. 

Blurb for BABY STETSON:

In small Texas towns, strangers come and go...

Left in a Stetson hat, on the steps of the local bed and breakfast, Avery Callimer came into the world on a wing and a prayer. Raised by loving adoptive parents, she's never lacked for love...only the knowledge of her past.
By day, she works the Inn, but by night...Avery comes alive as lead singer in a band. Life was good...stable, until new guests blew into town. 

Some strangers come with secrets and lies.

Lucas Bennett is one such stranger. Drifting from one mess to another has left him jaded. Doesn't matter the dramas are never his doing. Giving it one last shot to make a fresh start lands him Harmony's Echo, Texas and smack dab in front of the tantalizing Avery.

Despite his best efforts to ignore the burn Avery's ignited within, he's intent to keep his distance. Secrets have followed him. Secrets he doesn't want Avery to know. Each time they're near the other things heat up like a brushfire on a dry Texas prairie. But maybe, after the dust settles and the smoke clears, love can bloom with a fresh start.

                               *                   *                    *                   *                    *                                              

At only days old, Avery Callimer was left on the doorstep of the Callimers' bed and breakfast in a Stetson hat, but she never lacked for love from her adoptive parents. She grew up with questions in the back of her mind, but never wished to hurt her loving parents by asking those questions or pursuing her birth parents. One day, the question of searching for her parents came directly to her front door in the form of a letter – a letter from the father that claims he never knew about her until now. Avery’s life has always revolved around her family, their business, and her love of music. Just when she’s questioning everything in her life – the possibility of a singing career somewhere other than Harmony’s Echo, Texas, breaking things off with her boyfriend who is also her best friend and part of her band, and those nagging thoughts of her birth mother and father – her birth father wants to meet her.

 

Lucas Bennett has come to this small Texas town on a mission. He carries secrets with him. Secrets that he keeps close, because he owes a debt to the person who sent him to Harmony’s Echo. The woman he seeks has a voice like an angel, and tempts him like a devil, with her pretty face and sexy figure. He knows he should keep his distance but finds it difficult. He knows that the secret he holds will shatter any opportunity he might have with Avery Callimer, yet he’s unable to stay away from her.

 

When the truth comes out, it opens the door to more secrets, betrayal, and a danger that may cost Avery more than a broken heart.

EXCERPT:

Cool, crisp air greeted them as Avery and Lucas exited the inn.  Not too bad of a night weather wise.  Nearby, a twig snapped.  Avery jumped.  “What was that?”

“Probably an animal,” Lucas guessed.  “A little jumpy tonight?”

Avery’s mind went back to that text from earlier.  “Maybe a little bit.”  She wasn’t fully sure why.  A combination of stress and lack of sleep, maybe.

“I’ll protect you from the big bad wolf,” Lucas teased.

“Oh?  So what if you’re the big bad wolf?  Who’ll protect me from you?”

Lucas halted.  “You think I’m the wolf, eh?”

“Well, you haven’t proved that you aren’t yet,” Avery shot back.  God how he riled her.  She hated how much she enjoyed it sometimes.

“I’m guessing you like the wolves then, because you liked this before.”  Lucas reached for her, and his lips met hers.  Avery’s heart melted.  She wrapped herself into Lucas, leaning into his kisses.  He tasted sensational.  Each kiss drove her further over the edge.

“Lucas.”  Avery groaned.  She went in for another kiss, but a strange sound startled her, and she pulled away from him.  “Do you hear that?  If it’s an animal, it’s nearby.”

Lucas whipped his head to stare in the direction.  “I don’t know.  Maybe we’d better go, get away from whatever it is.”  Lucas put his arm around Avery and pulled her close.  They strolled to the house, his arm around her the entire time.

Once they got in front of the house, Avery wasn’t ready to let him go.  “Do you want to come in for awhile?”  It wasn’t just that she longed for Lucas.  The strange sensation that someone was near, watching, the fact that her parents weren’t home ... she just didn’t want to be alone.

“Is that such a good idea?” Lucas asked.

“I don’t want to be alone, Lucas,” Avery pleaded.

“Okay then.”  He squeezed her hand.  That must have been all the convincing he needed.

Avery fumbled with the keys and got the door unlocked.  Once inside, she felt a little safer.  She closed the door behind Lucas and flicked on the light.

“You’re so jumpy.  What’s going on, Avery?” Lucas asked gently, brushing back loose stands of her hair that had fallen over her left eye.

She swallowed.  “I just- I got a strange text earlier.  I keep feeling like I’m being watched.  Mom and Dad aren’t here.  I may be overreacting, but I’m afraid.”

Lucas frowned.  “A text?”

Avery pulled her phone from her purse, searched for the text and handed it to Lucas.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he scowled, handing her the phone back.

“I wish I knew.  It came out of nowhere.  It may even be a wrong number, but for some reason, it’s got me a bit freaked out.”

“I can understand that.  You’ve got a few new people in your life lately.”

“That includes you.”

“Do you trust me, Avery?” Lucas challenged.

“I think I do.  Sure, you have your secrets, but something about you makes me feel safer than I have in a long time.  I don’t know how to explain it.  Maybe the question I should be asking you is can I trust you, Lucas?”

He hesitated.  “You can trust me.”

                                    *                   *                    *                   *                    *                                    

BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett is a good story. It’s sweet, and it will snare you into wanting to know more. It will keep you reading on to discover the answers to the many questions that form in your imagination as you delve further into the mystery that surrounds the birth of Avery Callimer, and who Lucas Bennett actually is and why he’s in Harmony’s Echo. I had a little trouble getting into this story at first, not because it didn’t capture my attention but because I found the writing in much need of work, editing, and a more relaxed voice. Nikki has great potential. She’s a natural storyteller, but at times, the characters speak too formally, and too unnaturally, which detracts from the story. The first chapter threw me because I had no idea who 'he' was even though I quickly surmised it was Lucas. I found myself skimming more times than I would’ve liked, to get past filler that I found unnecessary, in order to get to the guts of the story. Keeping the person who sent Lucas a secret, worked well until he started having phone conversations with her. Had this been written in first person, the name could have remained secret, but to continue to refer to Avery’s birth mother as such long after she should’ve, just didn't work for me. Having known the woman’s name would not have pulled anything from the mystery that kept us entangled in the story. Knowing her name would have been merely an essential that kept the story intriguing, flowing, and something to which we could relate.

The mystery was good, the resolution complete, and the ending came together well after some tense moments. I liked that.

 

From a writer’s point of view, I have a hard time recommending BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett simply because it was clumsy at times and caused me to backtrack to reread so that I knew who was doing what in relation to the story. From a reader’s point of view, I can heartily recommend BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett because it is an intriguing story with a mystery that keeps you entangled in the life of Avery Callimer and the need to see a happily-ever-after for her and Lucas.

 

Happy Reading Everyone!

About the Author:

Nikki Lynn Barrett lives in Arizona with her husband and son. She's an avid reader, a dreamer, and loves everything about books. She runs a book blog, an online used bookstore, and writes various genres of romance. Nikki can also be found outside with her camera when a storm is near, snapping photo after photo. Her dreams of becoming a writer started when she was young, when she started writing books in one-subject notebooks by the fifth grade. The Secret Santa Wishing Well is her debut book. You can visit Nikki's website for more information. She is working on her next book. Nikki would love to hear from readers. Email her at nikkilynnbarrett@yahoo.com

Feel free to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY:

In addition to the Rafflecopter Giveaway being sponsored through Tasty Book Tours, Unwrapping Romance will be giving away ONE DIGITAL COPY of BABY STETSON, a Love and Music in Texas novel by Nikki Lynn Barrett to one lucky commenter. So if you’d like to enter both giveaways, please do.

GIVEAWAY RULES:

To enter for a chance at a digital copy of BABY STETSON by Nikki Lynn Barrett, please leave a comment about anything you read in this blog post. Any comment will do.  : )

In order for your comment to be eligible for entry, you must leave a VALID EMAIL ADDRESS as well. This Giveaway is OPEN TO EVERYONE. (void where prohibited)

Remember the MAGIC FORMULA for valid entry.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. Thank you for playing.

This GIVEAWAY will run until 11:30PM EDT on Friday, May 24, 2013 at which time one lucky entry will be chosen by randomizer to receive a digital copy from their choice of vendor. The winner will be notified by email and announced in a special post on Saturday. Good Luck!

As for the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win a $20 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card – your comment left for one will make you eligible for the other by using the Rafflecopter. Feel free to enter both if you’d like.

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BABY STETSON, a Love and Music in Texas novel by Nikki Lynn Barrett, self-published, available in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.