Lost in Nowhere (Legacy in Legend, #3)

Lost in Nowhere (Legacy in Legend, #3) By Barbara Pietron
Publication date: April 20, 2021
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Summary:

Jeni has fully accepted her spiritual ability, and yet she’s unnerved by the apparition of Marielle, the ghost of a pioneer girl asking for help. 

As the ghost’s tragic love story unfolds in her dreams, Jeni’s resistance melts and she resolves to save the soul of Marielle’s lost love. 

When she discovers her own impulses cause Marielle to act uncharacteristically, Jeni believes she can change the past. Despite warnings against meddling with time, Jeni’s convinced she can save the soul of Marielle’s lover. Deep inside a dream and intent on her quest, Jeni is lured into a trap that binds her soul to Marielle’s. 

With no allies, no knowledge about crossing through time and with limited 18th century resources, Jeni is terrified: failure will leave her soul trapped in the past, or worse . . . lost in nowhere.

—

EXCERPT:

Ice reached for the teardrop-shaped planchette. It was about the size of his palm and had a hole in the middle. When Jeni’s fingers rested across from his, they stared at each other, waiting for something to happen.

“Since you haven’t done this before, you might want to circle around the Ouija board allowing the momentum to take on a life of its own,” the medium prompted. “Use a very light touch.”

They followed her advice, gliding the wooden piece smoothly over the board.

A few moments later, the medium said, “Go ahead and ask if she’s here.”

Love and Other Moods

This is my stop during the book blitz for Love and Other Moods by Crystal Z. Lee. Love and Other Moods is a standalone coming-of-age "own voices" story set in contemporary Shanghai, about falling in love, learning to adult and discovering one's place in the world.

This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 10 till 23 March. See the tour schedule here.

And don’t miss the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a Love and Other Moods gift basket at the bottom of this post!

Love and Other Moods By Crystal Z. Lee
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Multicultural Romance, Coming of Age
Age category: New Adult
Release Date: December 10, 2020

Blurb: 

Love and Other Moods is a coming-of-age story set in contemporary China, about falling in love, learning to adult, finding strength, and discovering one’s place in the world.

Naomi Kita-Fan uproots her life from New York to China when her fiancé’s company transfers him to Shanghai. After a disastrous turn of events, Naomi finds herself with no job, no boyfriend, and nowhere to live in a foreign country.

Amidst the backdrop of Shanghai welcoming millions of workers and visitors to the 2010 World Expo, we meet a tapestry of characters through Naomi: Joss Kong, a Shanghai socialite who leads an enviable life, but must harbor the secrets of her husband, Tay Kai Tang. Logan Hayden, a womanizing restaurateur looking for love in all the wrong places. Pan Jinsung and Ouyang Zhangjie, a silver-aged couple struggling with adapting to the ever-changing faces of their city. Dante Ouyang, who had just returned to China after spending years overseas, must choose between being filial and being in love. All their dreams and aspirations interweave within the sprawling web of Shanghai.

This multilayered novel explores a kaleidoscope of shifting relationships—familial friction, amorous entanglements, volatile friendships—in one of the most dynamic metropolises of the twenty-first century.

Love and Other Moods by Crystal Z. Lee

 

Author Interview

Topic: Writing Inspiration

 

Share about the inspiration behind the novel. 

When I lived in Shanghai, it often felt like a city on steroids; there was always something exciting or bizarre going on. It's also one of the most international and fastest-developing metropolises, and every day I was meeting somebody with a unique background and story. I also became obsessed with the city's history, its stunning architecture, and its myriad of delectable cuisine. The city itself and its people provided endless inspiration. 

The story explores the city of Shanghai as well as the different people and relationships Naomi has. Was there anything you pulled from your own life and put into the story?

Yes. This is very much an “own voices” story. After I moved to Shanghai, my grandfather revealed that his father had once lived in Shanghai as well, during the World War Two era. I myself had lived in China for nearly a decade, and had worked on projects for the 2007 Special Olympics in Shanghai, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

Shanghai is one of the most fascinating cities I’ve ever been to, and I’ve traveled to over thirty countries. There are contrasts abound in every corner—east and west, old versus new, modern meets tradition.

Text Me On Tuesday: All is Fair in Love and Texting … (An Accidentally in Love Story, #1)

Text Me On Tuesday: All is Fair in Love and Texting … (An Accidentally in Love Story, #1) By
Whitney Dineen & Melanie Summers
Publication date: March 5, 2021
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Summary:

All is fair in love and texting…

When Aimee Tompkins loaded up her old catering van and pulled into Manhattan, she had her sights set on becoming one of the best (and most lucrative) caterers to ever serve crudités and creampuffs in the Big Apple. But after a year of leaving fliers all over town, she’s not only running out of money, she’s running low on hope. So when she lands a gig at a big architecture firm, Aimee’s certain her luck is about to change.

Noel Fitzwilliam is pitching the most important project of his life—the type architects dream of. Everything has to go right, so when he finds the new caterer naked in his office bathroom right before the meeting, he’s torn between thrilled and extremely irritated. He doesn’t have time for romance, no matter how incredible she looks without her clothes on.

A mix-up means Aimee is accidentally given his cell number instead of his assistant’s. So when she starts texting Noel about how much she hates him, he decides to have a little fun with her. The last thing he expects is for her to turn his world upside-down. But that’s exactly what happens as the pair start sharing their deepest secrets and their greatest fears, and Noel discovers he can share so much more over the phone than he can in person. But what will happen when she finds out who he really is?

It’s a case of opposites attract, even when they repel…

—

EXCERPT:

Walking through the clear glass doors of Fitzwilliam and Associates is very impressive. Sleek furniture primarily in black leather and chrome adorn the lobby and the walls are painted a grey so light it almost looks silver. The paintings on the walls are modern splashes of color that probably cost more than I make in a year, not that that’s much.

I look out the window at the Brooklyn Bridge and am momentarily paralyzed as a wall of amazement hits me. This is the big time, Aimée, don’t screw it up.

A tall brunette in a pencil skirt so tight it looks painted on, pulls me out of my trance by asking, “Who smells?”

I’m about to covertly sniff my armpit, when she clarifies, “Who dared to where perfume today?”

After All This Time (Silver Falls, #1)

After All This Time (Silver Falls, #1) By Erin Randall
Publication date: February 23, 2021
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Summary:

He can’t remember a time he didn’t love her. It’s always been Mina.

But Finn’s spent the last decade looking for the right moment to tell her. “If she’s waiting at my locker between classes I’ll ask her out, if she smiles at me right now I’ll kiss her, if she calls me before I book the flights I’ll invite her to Cancun or Paris or London or Spain.”

Now he’s moving back to California just as she might be moving away. He’s done waiting for the perfect moment. 

He just needs to convince her to give him a chance and find a way to test the waters without ruining their friendship. Good thing Finn likes a challenge.

If you love hot businessmen, sexy s’mores, steamy showers and happy endings, download now.

Explicit content: This book contains hot, steamy love scenes. You’ve been warned.

—

EXCERPT:

“Remember our first dance in junior high?” she asked.

He nodded.

He’d wanted to ask her to go with him but none of the other guys had asked a girl so he’d kept his mouth shut.

“Can you even call it a dance if nobody actually does any dancing?”

She laughed. “If you remember, the girls started dancing with each other. It was the guys who refused to step away from the wall.”

Bossy

Bossy By N.R. Walker
Publication date: March 4, 2021
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
Summary:

Michael Pietersen isn’t up for complications. He’s one of Sydney’s fastest-moving career-focused corporate realtors, and the only thing he has time for is one-night stands with zero fuss.

Bryson Schroeder’s back home from two years overseas with plans to leave his family’s hotel empire and begin his own business ventures. 

Out with his friends to celebrate his return, he sees a gorgeous blond man across the bar, and with barely a smile and a raised eyebrow, they leave together for a night of incredible chemistry.

But the rules are clear: no names, no details, no complications.

But one night becomes one more night, and eventually the arrangement suits them both for weeks . . . until their professional and personal worlds collide. 

With their hearts already on the line, Michael and Bry need to decide just how complicated they want to get.

—

EXCERPT:

It was Friday night, the bar on Sydney’s George Street was busy, the music loud, the vodka and limes were going down a little too easy. There were so many suits and egos, it was hard to tell where the corporate world ended and the supposed night off began.

It was Friday night, for God’s sake, and all around me were conversations about commissions, clients, contracts, cases, and codes.

I mean, I loved it.