Category Archives: Uncategorized

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Allie Samberts

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Hi! I’m Allie. I’m a romance writer, book lover, and high school English teacher. I was voted funniest teacher of the year for 2023 and 2025, and it is probably my highest honor to date. I enjoy spending quiet days with my husband, two kids, and our dog, especially in the fall. I also enjoy knitting, sewing, and running. We live and work in the Chicago suburbs.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

This will be my first year, and I’m so excited! Many people say such great things about this event.

 

What genres do you write?

I write mostly contemporary romance and romantic comedy, but I’m working on a witchy paranormal romance, too!

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Not a Strong Enough Word or Love Out Loud

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

I am absolutely terrified of cicadas. I know they’re harmless! But they’re creepy!

 

What are your social links?

https://www.instagram.com/alliesambertswrites/
https://www.tiktok.com/@alliesamberts
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088651039907&mibextid=LQQJ4d
https://www.facebook.com/groups/740767444856613/
https://www.youtube.com/@AllieSamberts
https://www.threads.com/@alliesambertswrites

 

What are your buy links?

https://www.amazon.com/author/alliesamberts

 

 

Twinsie Angie top 5 books from July – December 2025 #Apocalypse #OppositesAttract #MC #GrumpySunshine #Stalker #Dark #Siblings

Attending Authors are JD Hollyfield and Sara Burlong Furr

Be sure to grab tickets to Writers on the River year 11 in East Peoria, IL on July 11th.  VIP Tiers are all gone but we still have General Admission and After Party available at www.WritersontheRiver.com

 

My top 5 reads from July to December in no order are as followed.

Wildflowers – Kylie Scott

There’s only one person Dean Wallace wants to save from the end of the world. Sunshine girl from across the road. His neighbor who’s always smiling. Who knows, maybe she can teach him a thing or two about how to live. But saving her against her will is harder than it looks.

Astrid Hardy doesn’t know what to think when she wakes up in her hot neighbor’s basement. He says it’s to protect her from the collapse of society due to a virus. Which sounds like some paranoid conspiracy theory nonsense. Losing her shit seems the correct response.

As they watch the downfall of modern life on the flatscreen, however, and hear the gunshots from up on the street and smell the smoke from nearby burning buildings, it all starts to seem horribly realistic. The real question is…with almost everyone dead and law and order gone…how will they navigate this new world together?

Goodreads

Amazon

My Review –

I was given this book by the author for an honest review.
I absolutely loved her zombie books so I JUMPED to read this one. Now there aren’t any zombies so if that isn’t your thing you should be good.
Dean and Astrid are quite a pair. LOL Dean kinda…well….yeah he wants to keep the pretty but clueless neighbor safe as the world is coming to an end. SO he does what all rational men do, he kidnaps her. LOL If you read Kylie books you know the banter is amazing and hilarious between them.
As the world is falling apart and Astrid realized Dean isn’t as crazy as she thinks, they begin to travel to find a safe place to hunker down. Dean wants to keep her all to himself, and Astrid is like HELLLLS NO. They find a crew of like-minded people to form a town with while also finding another town of not so great men who feel they own all the women and items around.
I loved seeing Astrid realize her attraction to Dean and him opening to the fact she actually might have a few good ideas. Their adopted kid they find in the town is such a fun character because she is NOT ok with the friends to lovers change between the two.
I cannot wait to get this in audio because I just know it will be 100x better!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shredded Love – S.J. Chaynie

Shredded Love is an age gap, motorcycle club romance with no cheating and an HEA.

I should have known with a name like Romeo it was doomed from the start. A love that was forbidden. A love that was too intense to last. A love for a man loyal only to his club and his president. I knew he would never choose me. But when a story I’m chasing places me in the center of danger, I have no choice but to turn to the club for help. To him. Now he vows to never let me out of his sight. But there’s only one way this story can end. In tragedy. Because I’m the president’s daughter, and my Romeo….well…. he’s the president’s best friend.

Shredded Love is book one of the Legacy Series, a second generation series for the Knights of Paradise MC. You do not need to read the first series to enjoy this one. Intented for mature readers. Some situations may be triggering.

Goodreads

Amazon

My Review-

I was given this book by the author for an honest review.
STOP!!! Look Miss Author Friend. You know that Mav has my heart so how in the world can you make me love Romeo so much! UGH!!!
I have been WAITING for this series and waiting for you to go back to the MC family. When you did you did it so well. Romeo is just such a great grumpy falls first character but is too scared to admit it to anyone let alone his best friend. I mean awkward right!!!
Hailey is everything I would expect Tanner and Mav’s daughter to be. Head strong and heart on her sleeve. OMG They are such a great pair.
I had so much fun reading their story. Granted they are both so dang stubborn and I did wanna tell Mav so Romeo would finally get his head outta his butt to claim his girl. The story of Romeo and Hailey is a great one with love but also so much fear. Romeo is afraid to lose his family…again. He pushed Hailey away out of fear. Hailey is so in love with Romeo but is tried of being the “secret”.
Their attraction was amazing and super combustible. I cant wait to read more especially about a certain dancer and a certain MC guy. There is a good story I am sure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Text 2 Lovers – J.D. Hollyfield

It’s the start of nothing good.
I fired off a storm of raunchy text messages…to the wrong number.
And he replied.
Him: Show me a picture.
Him: Tell me your name.
Why does the lure of anonymity have me craving to indulge a stranger?

It’s the start of everything right.
I received a slew of text messages…when everything in my life was wrong.
And she made me laugh again.
Her: You’re probably a creeper.
Her: Possibly a stalker.
Why do I have the overwhelming need to find this stranger who saved me and make her mine?

Him: Take a chance with me.
Her: This is crazy.
Him: I need to see you.
Her: What are we doing?
Him: We’re about to find out.

Her: PHOTO ATTACHED
Him: PHOTO ATTACHED

Goodreads

Amazon

My Review-

I purchased this book.

I met JD Hollyfield at a book event and thought she was adorable. I knew she has sudio books and I had credits so here we are!! I grabbed this book based solely on the premise of texting the wrong number. I mean brilliant is todays society who hasnt texted the wrong person once or twice.

Ram is a hilarious stalker….LOL I mean he is pretty in to Dani from jump and when they actually see face to face he was 100 in all the way. Dani texted Ram accidently when she was drunk texting her ex boyfriend. The two start to daily chat but Dani gets in her head about the WHAT IF. Ram is not going to stop from meeting this girl who has become his everything.

I loved the story and how they met was amazing. The chemistry between the two was great but Andi and Roman have them beat hands down. LOL I was so captivated by the story I couldn’t stop and was super sad when it ended until that prologue dropped and I was in a fit of giggles. Another credit gone to see what happens with Andi and Roman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Something Stronger – H. D’Agostino

Fall in love. Get married. Have a baby.
That’s the way it’s supposed to happen, right?
When I married my high school sweetheart, I thought all of my dreams were coming true. We loved each other and life was perfect, but marriage is about compromise, and I seemed to be the one who was always giving in.
The sacrifices were small at first, but as the years passed by, they became bigger and bigger, until I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
Because sometimes, love just isn’t enough.
Sometimes, you have to search for something stronger.

Goodreads

Amazon

My Review-

I received this book for an honest review.

In book 1 we met all the sister of this series. We see the oldest sister Codie fall in love and marry the love of her life Hank. In that book we met Lou. We knew things were off based on scenes in the book but when he finally see her story it is heartbreaking.
Lou and Charlie marry and she thought she had everything is perfect. She soon realizes that it might not be as perfect as she things. She keeps swimming and hoping things will change but of course they dont. When she makes that step to divorce and move on she finds that the right man is there. He is another dance dad who is over his head with nervous energy. Their daughters click and soon so do they.

I loved this story. I love when Heather writes about older female characters vs younger girls. The older characters have more depth to them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Evergreene – Sara Furlong Burr

Everleigh

I packed up my life, moving halfway across the country for a fresh start. Running away from my past, running away for my future. A year later, I’ve settled into my new home, my new job, my new friends, and my new identity. You could say things have started returning to normal.

Normal, if not for him.

His identity is a mystery to me, but I know he’s there, watching me, leaving tokens outside my door. The gifts he sends are personal and deliberate, proving he has eyes everywhere—even where I least expect it.

For months, he remained hidden in the shadows until a chance encounter with a masked man at a Halloween party led to a one-night stand and a box delivered containing the most personal gift from him yet: A feather from my Halloween costume.

Loche

After years of living with the consequences of my actions, I’ve finally gotten my life together. Well, aside from the occasional illegal activity that may or may not include a little light stalking. But who’s counting?

When I first saw Ever, I was captivated by her until I learned about her past. Then I became obsessed with her. Obsessed with keeping her safe, obsessed with protecting her when and if the past were to come back to haunt her. Everything was going fine, but then one night at her friend’s Halloween party changed everything.

Ever still doesn’t know who I am, despite having spent the night with me, and I have to keep it that way. Because in reality, she already knows exactly who I am.

And she despises me down to my very core.

Content Warnings (To be updated closer to release):
Foul Language
Strong Sexual Content
Edging
Mentions of Blood
DubCon
Domestic Violence
Violence
Primal Play
Stalking
Unaliving

My Review –
I received this book from the author for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read from this author but will not be the last.

I grabbed this ARC when I knew this author was going to be at a book signing I was attending.  I didnt know her writing and wanted to take a chance on a new to me author to read.

This book hits all my favorite dark romance wants…stalker and enemy to lovers.  What I didnt expect was the comedy in the book and I was loving it!!  It was amazing to get a good laugh and then think WHUUUT is wrong with me.  LOL

Everleigh and Locke were all I wanted to a dark romance.  They had me laughing and fanning myself.  The character development was very well done and the backstories were done really well.  I sure did fell for Loche and wanna cuddle him as well.

I am excited for the series and cant wait to read more.

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Audrey Simmons

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

I’m Audrey but you can call me Aud. I’m a queer author who writes queer stories about traumatized people trying to save their worlds, whether it’s the whole world or their small part of it. On top of being an author, I’m also an artist. I got my BFA in animation and game design with a minor in fine arts from Bradley University. I don’t do much with the degree but I do draw character illustrations and fantasy maps.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

I honestly don’t remember how I heard about this event. I’ve lived in Peoria for 2/3rds of my life so it was probably some sort of advertisement somewhere or a friend. My first time coming was in 2018? 2019? My friend Pella (known as author JE Mueller), dragged me along. Then the next year she had a table and asked me to be her assistant. I was her assistant for a couple years and then in 2023 we finally got to share a table. Unfortunately she passed away so the last two years I’ve been alone.

 

What genres do you write?

Under Audrey Simmons, I write spiceless romantic fantasy and under Andrea Marie Johnson, I write steamy why choose romantasy.

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

I wish more people read Shadows Dark and Deadly. It’s my dark and steamy gaslamp romantasy about polyamorous bisexual assassins.

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

I’m frog obsessed and have a cute little Australian green tree frog named Froppy. My favorite frogs are glass frogs and poison dart frogs.

 

What are your social links?

Audrey Simmons:
https://www.threads.com/@authoraudreys
https://www.instagram.com/authoraudreys/
https://bsky.app/profile/authoraudreys.bsky.social
https://x.com/AuthorAudreyS
https://www.facebook.com/authorAudreySimmons

Andrea Marie Johnson:
https://www.tiktok.com/@authorandimarie
https://www.threads.com/@authorandimarie
https://www.instagram.com/authorandimarie/
https://bsky.app/profile/authorandimarie.bsky.social
https://x.com/AuthorAndiMarie
https://www.facebook.com/authorandimarie

 

What are your buy links?

Audrey Simmons: https://books2read.com/ap/xKJAZG/Audrey-Simmons
Andrea Marie Johnson: https://books2read.com/ap/RQK4aV/Andrea-Marie-Johnson

 

 

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Jennifer Julie Miller

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Jennifer Julie Miller is my real name. A little about me, married 30 years, momma of two and I have four grand varmints.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

I have been fan-girling this event for years, never imagined I would ever get the chance to actually come.

 

What genres do you write?

I am all over the place. I have one book that I call my real people, another fairy tale series that has talking dragonflies, but my heart is in love with my alien vampires. But mostly sci-fi, where the guy always gets the girl.

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

DaR

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

I hate being the tallest girl in the crowd, and worms creep me out.

 

What are your social links?

Http://facebook.com/jenniferjuliemiller,

Http://www.tiktok@authorjenniferjmiller,

Http://instagram.com/rickjen5325903,

Http://amazon.com/author/jjm5325903,

http://jenniferjuliemiller.wixsite.com/mysite

 

What are your buy links?

Http://amazon.com/author/jjm5325903

 

 

#WOTR26 #Authorinterview – Michel Prince

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Michel Prince. Avid traveler with only a little bit of the crazies.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

I think 9 and heard about it on FB then good things from both readers and authors.

 

What genres do you write?

Romance in subgenres paranormal, contemporary, sports, MC, interracial, cowboy, suspense … YA fantasy adventure and mystery.

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Always a Groomsman or Two Ink Minimum

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

I overheat all the time so if it’s -5 and I’m barefoot in the snow mind your business I’m good.

 

What are your social links?

Facebook.com/michelprincebooks

TikTok.com/michelprincebooks

 

What are your buy links?

https://a.co/d/ffBPoP0

 

 

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Cassie Colton

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Hi! I’m Cassie Colton. I’m an award winning and best selling author of the Serenity Mountain Series, Team Hawk, and the Whiskey and Roses series debuting in Jan 2025. I worked for Disney World for 13.5 years and learned about happily ever afters there. I write romantic suspense, military and contemporary. I am also debuting a couple of trilogies this year! I recently celebrated my second year as an author.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

2025 was my first time at this event. Miranda Lynn and Aj Rennee told me about it and the amazing charity they serve.

 

What genres do you write?

Romantic suspense, military and contemporary

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Rescuing Ryder and Loving Lizzy

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

I love to make my readers cry, and I once broke my foot by a frozen chicken flying out of the freezer.

 

What are your social links?

https://bit.ly/cassiecoltonauthor,

https://bit.ly/3RVd4qp,

https://bit.ly/cassiecolton

 

What are your buy links?

https://bit.ly/3T61gnu,

https://bit.ly/cassiecoltonbooks

 

 

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – KD Michaels

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

KD Michaels, I’m a corrections officer for the state I live in, I am hard of hearing/deaf (according to the state), I wear two hearing aids. I have two dogs, a german shepard and a belgium malinois (big babies who don’t realize how huge they are) and I am taking care of my 90 year old grandmother.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

From a friend who attended several times. This will be my first time.

 

What genres do you write?

I write romantic suspense and paranormal.

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

It’s really hard to choose but I have to say Angel of Horror or Saving Laura.

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

I love to collect tumblers and candles. My weakness.

 

What are your social links?

https://bit.ly/4hrdPmL

 

What are your buy links?

https://amzn.to/4jJtgIl

 

 

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Cassandra Featherstone

 

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Cassandra Featherstone

This will be my fourth year attending WOTR, and funnily, I almost didn’t. My schedule for 2026 is kinda packed and I’d told people I wasn’t going to be able to come at the event… but so many lovely readers and folks from the con asked about it before the app closed… I just couldn’t say ‘no’!

Last year was absolutely amazing and Mr. Cass and I will be back in 2026 with all sorts of fun stuff and new books. I’m very excited and I LOVE the new space. I’m getting to the point where I have too much stuff to bring it all, so I will definitely have a preorder up later in the year on Beventi for readers to use to get things I may not have on me at the event due to space constraints.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

The first time, I came because of recs from an author and PA I knew. After that, I’ve come each year because the readers and the runners are so awesome. Year four, baby!

 

What genres do you write?

I write paranormal/Fantasy/dystopian/contemporary whychoose romance.

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

You know, I love them all. But Failed State is the first book in a series I started in June 2024 and it’s very funny, spot on dystopia for now, and the characters are fab. I think if you can hang with all dystopia has within the norms of the genre, you’ll love Sydney and her guys.

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

People call me ‘The Muppet’, which I ADORE, because The Muppets are absolutely the best (and I mean all of them including cousins on Sesame and Fraggles). Sometimes people bring me Muppet-stuff, which I also love, and it makes me happy that I’m equated with something that brings people joy and empathy.

 

What are your social links?

Definitely follow me on Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/cassandrafeatherstone

But also, everything else is here: https://cassandrafeatherstone.com/pages/follow-cassandra-everywhere

 

What are your buy links?

https://amazon.com/author/cassandrafeatherstone

and you can get print and more direct from me at www.cassandrafeatherstone.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

#WOTR26 #SeriesStarter #paranormal #mythology – Blood Lust, Gods of DC book 1 by Tricia Andersen

She doesn’t believe she has a soul.
She believes it was stolen from her when that bastard turned her into the creature she is now.
But little does she know, she does. What is there isn’t dark and twisted, defiled by the lust for blood. She is pure and loving, with a body and attitude that arouses me every moment of the day. And I will move universes and defy my father and mother to make her into something I’m worthy of loving, someone that will stay by my side through eternity.
I will fight the forces of the gods to make her mine. I won’t stop until she belongs to me forever. And how am I, just a mere fighter, going to do that?
Because, baby, I’m a god.

Here

Amazon

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

HOLY MOLY this book knocked my socks off!!! Paranormal meets the Greek Gods?? Uhm YES PLEASE!!! When Tricia told me about this book, I was super excited. When I finally got the book, I was ecstatic. I can’t say enough how much I loved reading this book. But remembering all the Gods from college, I was like “OMG Yes I remember them.”

Juliet is a typical vampire looking to score some blood. Well our little vampire is a little more than usual because she actually cares about who she drains dry. She strolls into the underground MMA fight looking for meal, when she sees the most beautiful and sexy man EVAH!! She is all “Game on” with this one. She knows he might be a bit more of a challenge, but she is ready for it. She is stunned when all of a sudden, the man of hour is right there at the bar hitting on her …along with others things he does with her at the bar *snickers*

Ares, the God of War, is mesmerized by the vampire at the club. He knows she will be able to “handle his appetites” so he dives into a night of fun with the little minx. He is loving spending time with her because she challenges him at every turn and he loves it. He can’t get enough of her telling HIM, the God of War, No!! I love the banter the two have because they cracked me up a lot.
When Ares and Juliet discover there are serious emotions at play, they both freak. The last person Ares loves was Aphrodite and we all know how wonderful their relationship turned out….not good if you weren’t aware. The last person who Juliet loved broke her heart and turned her into the creature she is now. Love and Trust is not something these two people can willingly accept from others.

His family hates her and wants her dead. His ex has become a bit too clingy and needy…ya know I don’t want you but I don’t want anyone else to have you type of chick *eye roll*….her maker is all about claiming what is his again after hundreds of years, PLUS the vampire hunter is closing in on Juliet. There is so much action and so many plot twists you never see what will happen next!! I seriously hope we get another book really soon and I am BEGGING for it to be Aletha because I just loved her so hard but Pan would be pretty funny to see which nymph captures his heart.

Tricia Andersen lives in Iowa with her husband and her three children. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in English and from Kirkwood Community College with an Associate of Arts degree in Communications Media/Public Relations.
For the past five years, Tricia has been a member of Hard Drive Performance Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, an affiliate of Roufusport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has experience in kickboxing and currently trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Even though she has never competed in an MMA cage, she’s witnessed and been a part of a fighter’s journey from fight camp to their walk to the cage. She also has competed in jiu jitsu.