Category Archives: Uncategorized
Carey Baldwin’s Dark Marriage Secret
Today I’m reviewing Carey Baldwin’s book, The Marriage Secret. But first, here is the back of book blurb:
A completely unputdownable and twist-filled psychological thriller from USA Today bestselling author Carey Baldwin.
He married me despite my darkest secret. But am I safe now that I know his?
From the outside, my marriage to Zach was perfect: dream home, a perfect baby girl and passionate, all-consuming love. When we met, I confessed my darkest secret to him and he never judged me for it. Instead, he vowed to always protect me whatever the cost.
But as I cradle my gorgeous baby, I have to accept that the husband who used to be my everything, has changed. At first it was little things: expecting me to keep to a strict schedule, picking out my clothes for me. Now, he controls every aspect of my life: from how much money I have, to when I leave the house and who I can see.
One fateful night, a young woman is found murdered and Zach is a potential suspect. Turning towards me, a look of warmth returning to his eyes, he swears he’s innocent, and I realize there is only one solution. If I agree to be his alibi, he will keep my secret and our daughter can grow up in a loving home. In that moment, I do what any faithful wife would do: I stand by him.
But I know deep down, only one of us will make it out of this marriage alive.
Ok, if that isn’t enough to tempt you, you’re probably made of stone. LOL. But seriously, If you’re not a fan of Carey Baldwin already, you should be.
What separates Baldwin from other authors is her background as a both a physician and a psychologist. When she writes medical characters in a psychological thriller no one does it better.
With Baldwin, you never have that feeling, gee why is the character doing this or that? Why does the heroine fall for the villain’s spiel, or that scene in the hospital is rife with errors. Instead, the continual authenticity fuels the believability of the story and makes the dark passages all the more horrific. Further, while some may believe this subject has been covered before, it’s never been done like this, or this well. Her expert insight on how people think and act, especially those in vulnerable situations, or those with psychotic tendencies, add a layer to this book that made it riveting and an essential read to young women everywhere. Frankly, it would make a terrific film.
Overall, this was a roller coaster ride filled with twists that will keep you turning pages until its shocking end.
Double Trouble!
We’ve got two new books from our gang to tell you about! Rachel and I (Carey here) are very excited to be sharing the new release circuit. And since there’s double the stories to tell you about I’ll skip the small talk. Let’s jump right in! I hope you’ll find something here that goes down easy with your turkey or cookies or holiday spirits!
♦
When a food storage depot in famine-struck South Sudan is torched, American aid worker Brie Stewart flees, only to land in a market where she’s the next item up for auction. Is the attack on the aid facility another assault upon the war-torn fledgling democracy, or has her family set her up as a pawn in their quest for oil rights?
Chief Warrant Officer Sebastian Ford crossed paths with Brie years ago when she was a shill for her family’s company, pushing a pipeline that threatened his tribe’s land. Determined to lead the rescue operation to save her, he won’t let her abduction—or the attraction that flares between them—get in the way of settling their unfinished business.
The Green Beret’s skills are put to the test in the flooded grasslands of South Sudan, where they must battle nature and dangerous factions who are after more than oil. Bastian and Brie put their hearts on the line as they find themselves embroiled in a conflict that extends beyond country and continent. Together they must douse the spark before it reaches the flashpoint and engulfs everything they hold dear.
GET YOUR COPY TODAY: Amazon Barnes and Noble iBooks
♦
Don’t believe everything you see.
Special Agent Atticus Spenser and forensic psychiatrist Dr. Caitlin Cassidy are in Tahiti enjoying a much-needed break from the FBI when they spot newlyweds taking fun photos on the beach. But as the groom carries his bride deeper into the waves, Spense is positive he sees a flash of terror cross her face. All his instincts scream that this woman is in danger. Yet moments later, it’s the groom who has nearly drowned… and the bride has vanished, leaving a bloody wedding dress floating in her wake.
The authorities aren’t sure who to believe—the groom, who insists his wife tried to murder him… or her twin, who claims her sister must have acted in self-defense. Intrigued, Spense and Caity agree to help investigate. But when they discover that the missing bride is the daughter of a notorious confidence man, they begin to suspect that all is not what it seems. Now they’ll need to separate victim from villain, fact from fiction, truth from lie, to determine if there’s really a killer on the loose… or if it’s all one big con.
GET YOUR COPY TODAY: Amazon Barnes and Noble iBooks
A View of the White House
(c) 2017 Diana Belchase
I’ve been lucky to be invited to the Top of the Hay several times this year. While I’ll be talking more about that in a later post, the most striking thing about this private room on the ninth floor of the Hay Adams Hotel is the view. It directly overlooks the White House in the most remarkable way.
From this bird’s eye perch, we can see from Lafayette Square all the way to the Air Force Memorial in Arlington,Virginia, to the National Harbor in Maryland, to the Potomac beyond. Below, protestors march in front of black iron gates, while couples stroll under the thick canopy of trees, and the dome on St John’s Church, also called the Church of the Presidents, glistens in the dimming light.
Here we are at the moment of dusk, when the sun finally submits to night, and the lights of the…
View original post 91 more words
Rolling Thunder in D.C.!
Every Memorial Day weekend, the forecast is Rolling Thunder in the D.C. area. No, not the weather — though we’ve had some storms of late — but a huge motorcycle rally.
This was the 30th year this group roared onto the D.C. Mall — all in tribute to vets and for a great cause — MIAs, POWs, and repatriated remains. For those of you too young to know this terminology, it stands for those still Missing In Action, Prisoners of War, and allowing the dead, who are in hostile territory, to be brought home for a decent burial.
I think there are few greater causes on this Memorial Day and I salute the men and women who gave their lives and their service. I also salute folks like those in Rolling Thunder who remind us of these important veterans’ causes and force us to remember how lucky the rest of us…
View original post 59 more words
Jo Beverley’s Last Interview
by Diana Belchase
Today marks a special event in 
literary history: Jo Beverley’s last book, Merely a Marriage, is being released to the public.
Anyone who has read Jo Beverley’s books knows that it is a singular pleasure. She masterfully merged meticulous detail, lovely characters, and compelling plots. Her heroines inspired, her heroes were manly and believable, bodices never ripped, and in the process, the reader felt transported to another age and time where manners ruled and life, even for the privileged, was far from simple. Along the way, lessons in history were intricately woven into stories making characters of the Regency and medieval periods come alive.
Merely a Marriage is simply one of Jo’s best. In it we are thrust into a time shortly after Princess Charlotte died in childbirth and the consequent effect her death had, not only on the royal line, but on the every day life of the subjects…
View original post 146 more words
Buy a Piece of Tom Clancy
Take a peek at Tom Clancy’s home in this special, Top Secret glimpse!
Thriller writer Tom Clancy passed in 2013, but he’ll always be an indelible part of the top secret D.C. landscape. He knew his subject inside out, and if authenticity is what thrills you, no one did it better.
Now his estate is going up at auction and you can bid to own a piece of Clancy, either in person or online. Or, if you’re a fan like me, you can take a virtual nose around and pretend you’re sipping coffee and discussing fictional spies with a literary master.
For more details, read the write up below. Enjoy!
Bid on Items from Spy Novelist Tom Clancy (Photos)
by Michelle Basch for WTOP.com
WASHINGTON — An eclectic batch of items from American novelist Tom Clancy is being sold by an Alexandria, Virginia, auction house.
Clancy, who was a Maryland native, died in 2013 at age 66, and much of the on-sale belongings…
View original post 102 more words
Are You Ready to Go Rogue?
Happy 2017, KaTs! Manda, here.
It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone, but its even harder (for me) to believe that today marks the release of my 12th book with St. Martin’s Press! Time flies when you’re writing kisses and thrills, I guess 😉
READY SET ROGUE is also the start of a new series for me, and it’s been a joy to write because it combines three of my favorite things in a historical romance: bluestockings, kissing and fantastic libraries. See for yourself…
When scholarly Miss Ivy Wareham receives word that she’s one of four young ladies who have inherited Lady Celeste Beauchamp’s estate with a magnificent private library, she packs her trunks straightaway. Unfortunately, Lady Celeste’s nephew, the rakish Quill Beauchamp, Marquess of Kerr, is determined to interrupt her studies one way or another…
Bequeathing Beauchamp House to four bluestockings—no matter how lovely they are to look at—is a travesty, and Quill simply won’t have it. But Lady Celeste’s death is not quite as straightforward as it first seemed…and if Quill hopes to solve the mystery behind her demise, he’ll need Ivy’s help. Along the way, he is surprised to learn that bookish Ivy stirs a passion and longing that he has never known. This rogue believes he’s finally met his match—but can Quill convince clever, skeptical Ivy that his love is no fiction?
This book has also been exciting for me because it’s garnered my first starred review from Booklist! Reviewer John Charles says:
“Displaying a deft hand at characterization, a superb ability to craft an engaging plot spiced with intrigue and danger, and a remarkable flair for graceful writing richly imbued with a deliciously crisp wit, Collins launches the Studies in Scandal series on a high note.”
Happy dancing!
If you’d like to read an excerpt and see for yourself, check out my website.
And here are the obligatory buy links…
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2diZiep
iBooks: http://apple.co/2cGFleR
B&N: http://bit.ly/2dj1rqc
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2d1cnXN
To celebrate release day, I’m giving away a copy of READY SET ROGUE to a random commenter!
So, readers, I’ve told you I love bluestockings. What’s your favorite heroine type in romantic suspense (historical or contemporary)?
Once You’ve Flashed Your Podiatrist … You Can’t Help but Become a Writer
A five star read now only 99 cents!
Diana Belchase here: Today I’m super excited to welcome guest blogger Chris Campillo to BookSmart! Chris is the kind of person everyone loves — she’s the girl next door, a gal who always has your back, a phenomenal writer with a great sense of humor, and a stand up comic. When this Texas mom isn’t taking care of her kids, her home, and working (with her hubby) to make ends meets, she’s using the honesty of her daily life to imbue humor into her books. Her comedy will have you keeling over howling with laughter.
This is the thing about Chris: She says the things we’re all thinking — the average day-to-day horrors we’ll never talk about. There is something so cathartic about reading her stuff. It’s like therapy between the covers of great fiction. I promise you’ll come out entertained and…
View original post 972 more words
Kiss and Thrill 