Category Archives: Standalone

#review #partofaseries #shortstory Wine in Waiheke (The Traveling Calvert Sisters 7) by Tori Ross

Clara Calvert is in an unfortunate situation. Dumped while on a plane and crying in the Auckland airport, Clara lucks into a new friend in Ember from Scotland who talks her into not catching the first plane back to the US. When Ember gets Clara a temporary job at a winery on Waiheke Island doing some “fun footwork to entertain the tasters,” Clara meets a man from Liverpool with a love for everything winemaking.

Colin Maloney soon has Clara pushing her boundaries with boulder fishing, white water rafting, and falling for the man she never expected to meet.

Wine on Waiheke is book 7 of The Traveling Calvert Sisters but can be read as a standalone!

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60708987-wine-on-waiheke

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DPLG6ZX9?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_6&storeType=ebooks&qid=1740504023&sr=8-1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book here is my honest review

Unlike the rest of her sisters that went on vacation and met the loves of their lives Claira went to a man she hooked up with one night only to be dumped on the flight to him. But things started looking up when a stranger was nice to her and wanted to help turn her vacation around so with the guy in the past, Claira and new friend Ember are off on an adventure of a lifetime with wine and new friends. Claira is about to learn that you can’t let a guy ruin a perfect trip, but you might find another to help get you to move on.

Tori Ross is an international bestselling, Amazon bestselling, and Apple Top 100 author. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives with her family and two rescue dogs in the Midwest.

#wotr #attendingauthor #partofaseries #YA Dear Wyatt (Love Notes Season 2) by Danielle Keil

Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month.

For Wyatt Anderson, it seems like an April Fool’s Day prank.

She quickly realizes it’s not, but the way her secret admirer sends his clues might just be.

Wyatt is one of the smartest girls in school, but the ciphers she’s given to decode really test her abilities.

On top of that, the answers she uncovers make no sense. Until she realizes how to connect all the clues together…

The other problem? She finds herself around one of her tutoring clients more often than usual… and with that proximity comes some feelings she wasn’t expecting.

It all comes down to the last letter and the last clue. Can she solve the toughest one yet or will she throw in the towel for another guy?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230836450-dear-wyatt

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Wyatt-Love-Notes-Season-ebook/dp/B0DKMJ22FG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=AEG4GL1V80EE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.d37oRl5emRxKFLvRqalW34JPi7sxJvPtjgpSs_IxZ9ZJfPLlf_z1FtuMOJxUZf73PapjzWZzuRBVZnymmvQswvOOzOZk8hE2wAAxkPQa8IpVJk5NPkzj1XSDhhQ4MgTCFkzTfpCgxlC8C5J4WZh5p5ehqDs8UAIP_kDh7p52LR5tyIFUqcKvVndhMoFwkklouvSg5d1g0_JWB_Q2-ma6gJZkVJXRnCyE5vqrnYIp1-0.mXeIyQ1aNp1t-0OfIdWCmHsYWrY3NrIJpArgUEdorhQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=danielle+keil&qid=1744046638&sprefix=danielle+keil%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-3

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book here is my honest review

One of Ryder Highs bright, smart and bubbly tutors is about to get her turn in the spotlight Wyatt Anderson got her famous teal envelope and was now this month’s “IT” girl. Which at first was difficult because she’s already on the shorter side and didn’t know what the crowd was gathered around, but the closer she got to her locker she quickly figured it out. Wyatt may have gotten her envelope on April Fools, but this was no prank, now she had clues to solve, classmates to tutor and keeping up with her life and own schoolwork. Follow Wyatt as she decodes this month’s clues and tries to figure out who the guy is while her heart starts to fall for someone who might not be behind the letters. This might be my favorite book yet (shh don’t tell Max) I loved Wyatt, her guy and their friends.

Danielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.

Danielle’s love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).

#review #partofaseries #shortstory Turkey in Tennessee (The Traveling Calvert Sisters 5) by Tori Ross

Peyton Calvert has never really fit in with normal society. Content to work at Chili Shack and stay close to home with her tight-knit family, she’s always been happy slacking her way through life or spending her time at her local hippie commune.

When a coworker, Avery, asks Peyton to go home with her for Thanksgiving to help deal with her difficult and cold family, Peyton accepts. But dealing with Avery’s brother, Prescott Rausch the Third, is harder than Peyton imagined.

As a physical attraction grows, can the fun and relaxed Peyton teach the uptight Prescott her ways? Or will she be schooled by the Princeton-educated stock trader?

This novella is book 5 in The Traveling Calvert Sisters series but can be read as a standalone. Read the series in any order!

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197491686-turkey-in-tennessee

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CG7JGM96?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_4&storeType=ebooks&qid=1740504023&sr=8-1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Our dear sweet Peyton never a care in the world always high has been invited to thanksgiving with her best friend whose family basically disowned her for her wanting to go elsewhere for college and didn’t want to go alone. Peyton wasn’t sure what she was getting into but wanted to be there for her friend, after a terrible death defining plane ride, which caused Peyton to pee her pants, they were finally there and waking up her besties brother to borrow some underwear and sweats because the airline lost their bags. but one thing Peyton didn’t expect was her besties brother to look as hot as he did for everything, she heard about him. Can Peyton survive the weekend without smoking weed and will he get back home without getting the Calvert vacation lovebug bite one will never know. well unless you read the book. this was another funny story where high class meets white trash but the classy kind.

Tori Ross is an international bestselling, Amazon bestselling, and Apple Top 100 author. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives with her family and two rescue dogs in the Midwest.

#review #partofaseries #shortstory Out of Luck in the Outback (The Traveling Calvert Sisters 4) by Tori Ross

Ava Calvert thinks she’s found her dream gig as a budget travel writer until her boss tells her that her stories are bland and that she needs real travel experience if she wants to keep her job. When he offers her the trip of a lifetime to Australia to work on a story about traveling on a budget, Ava jumps at the chance for real experience.

While at a bed and breakfast in Sydney, Ava catches Maddox Brewster stealing her oatmeal packet. When he sees that Ava’s frustrated with trying to enjoy Sydney on a budget, Maddox asks Ava to come to the center of the country for a weekend to show her that they can enjoy Australia without breaking the bank.

But there’s more to Maddox than meets the eye.

This book is the fourth book in the Traveling Calvert Sisters series but can be read as a standalone.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123192820-out-of-luck-in-the-outback

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BXLWT7ZZ?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_3&storeType=ebooks&qid=1740504023&sr=8-1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Ava Calvert works in Chicago at a travel budget magazine but never really traveled because life isn’t cheap. And her boss can totally tell that within her articles and wants her to work on it just doing research isn’t enough he wanted her to experience travel, so he sends her on a mission, to the land down under and wants her to just go with no plans only so much money per day for meals and just to have fun. Culture shock is real for Ava, but she meets another American and her just might be able to help her and make her trip better than she ever expected.

Tori Ross is an international bestselling, Amazon bestselling, and Apple Top 100 author. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives with her family and two rescue dogs in the Midwest.

#Review #Mafia #Military- American Novela by Marcus Amaro


When Filipino-American U.S. Marine Angelo Marquez receives orders to work in Spain from an old friend, the assumption of a laid-back workcation in Europe disappears when his eyes catch the attention of fiery fashion editor Elena Sanchez Vicario. Quickly, the line between military discipline and succumbing to the urgings of his heart becomes blurred when remnants of Angelo’s past are discovered, and his mid-summer romance quickly turns into a fight for survival in the streets of Seville.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

I picked this book up on a whim while looking for something different to read. The cover grabbed attention, the blurb piqued my curiosity, and the writing kept my attention right to the very last page.

What is the essence of war? After reading this book, to me, it can mean so many different things.

Angelo is a Marine that has been in some crazy scary situations in warzones. The writing for these situations, even though I am not well versed in this lingo or situations, felt very real causing my heart to race and the hairs on my arms to rise as if I were right in the middle of the action. Angelo’s character is so easy to like that you will feel like “one of the guys”, even though you are only the reader.

Elena, what do I say about her. I have to say that I wanted to hate her. Especially at the beginning with their first encounter. I honestly wanted to strangle her and sort of got irritated because I thought I had the plot all figured out. She was this ice princess that Angelo was going to thaw out. Well, my friends, I had it all wrong!!! Give Elena a chance because she will change your mind!

Now, we have a budding romance forming, while demons from the past come forward, all while working with multiple agencies. It sort of ends up having a Jason Bourne vibe without the amnesia (and I love me some Jason Bourne!). Seriously, this book has a lot of a lot! The story hits on so many points with suspense, thriller, action, romance, hidden identities, kidnapping, military….I mean the list goes on and on and on. I highly recommend this book!

This is the first book I have read by this author and I look forward to reading many more!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

 

Marcus Amaro’s life is a dynamic story of resilience and adaptability. After a 21-year career in the US military, he discovered a hidden creative spirit and took on various roles that showcased his adventurous fire. From becoming a hibachi chef to a U.S. Marine to racing sports cars, designing clothes, and writing. Amaro has explored different paths with childlike curiosity and unending enthusiasm. Now living in San Diego, he enjoys taking on challenges and learning new things, even if he has no idea where they might lead. For him, the joy is in the journey, and he embraces each experience, hoping to surpass his own expectations as the ultimate reward. 

 



#wotr #attendingauthor #YA Dear Phoebe ( Love Notes Season2 book1) by Danielle Keil

Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month.

The envelope is part of a tradition called the Secret Admirers, something the students go crazy for.

After tragedy struck, no one thought there would be an admirer this month.

However, a little late, a teal envelope shows up on Phoebe Calloway’s locker.

And with it, an ongoing playlist to use as clues toward the admirer’s identity.

It’s music to Phoebe’s ears—especially since music is her biggest passion. But she soon finds out it’s not the melody that’s important in the songs her admirer chose.

It’s the lyrics.

As the songs keep coming, she’s close to figuring out who he is—but is she prepared for the actual reveal?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223952665-dear-phoebe

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Phoebe-Love-Notes-Season-ebook/dp/B0DTY5X32M/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=R7WT5KHKMNHZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.02EdpRYSxjCjS2j4EaUG4O2wF3zsUrWTTsz_Dm_vNYLY6Y9uRzBn9KLUp4Oqc2zppJlejfEMQpJpQsC2wqRI-Z00OZY6t_0BGY-aa9zL_oXq3oaaKSCkZHW9FEESBuLcfmSm88Igsnp_BmYLKv7l_aVWC4df5Pt1hYWXL6rh71fEJc19ClxMU4Lvfw0KPpnAW2_21HGZV6SwwVWTda8zhQyg2sy1H0C6C2kdtJrEs58.RRuI6WPBZk4h0tnXr4h4pGNEARMfVyOYgMpRBUhF9nE&dib_tag=se&keywords=danielle+keil&qid=1739459010&sprefix=danielle+keil%2Caps%2C263&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i was given this book by the author here is my honest review

New Year, new group of kids to walk the halls of Ryder High. But this year we start with them at the cemetery mourning the loss of a beloved member of Ryder High, and everyone getting a teal envelope explaining the start of the running tradition at the school. the next day only one envelope was seen on Phoebe’s locker but liked every month Phoebe wonders why her, why was she picked she stayed to herself and spent extra time in the music booth perfecting her tapes for college. Well ready or not this guy took the saying “when words fail music speaks” for her clues. Will Phoebe be shocked, surprised, excited or not thrilled when her month is up, and he is revealed. Other than making me cry in the first 3 pages, this was another amazing month with a great story that makes you smile in the end.

Danielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.

Danielle’s love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).

#wotr #attendingauthor #partofaseries #YA Dear Max (Love Notes 10) by Danielle Keil

Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first of the month.
This month is different.
This month belongs to Max Newman. Prankster, jokester, overall funny guy. And the first student to ever receive a teal envelope from a girl.
The Secret Admirers organization switched things up. They allowed a girl to be the admirer, and Max is about to make history.
One problem—he only has three weeks to complete an entire bingo board. Some of the things on it are out of his control. Some things are right up his alley, though, like serenading the principal and pranking his best friend.
Will Max finish the bingo board and get the reveal location?
Or will he become the first guy at Ryder High to fail his challenge?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63898220-dear-max

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BNPC42GP?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_9&storeType=ebooks&qid=1739459010&sr=8-12

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Dear Max, the laugh of Ryder High this month it’s your chance to shine brighter then you already do. One lovely lady picked you to forever change the history with our game, so have fun, enjoy and hope you are happy at the end of these 3 weeks. Having a teal envelope go to a guy indeed of a girl was out of the normal but it’s still fun for all involved. Max was thrilled about his envelope, his ego inflated just a bit more, and then he found out he only had 3 weeks to blackout his bingo board and get his clues. But Max hopes that the girl behind this month is the one who got away who he has never stopped loving, but he can’t get his hopes up incase it’s not her. Omg I loved Max’s month laughing so hard, enjoy all that he was giving defiantly a great one to end this series.

Danielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.

Danielle’s love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).

#wotr #attendingauthor #partofseries #YA Dear Mya (Love Notes 9) by Danielle Keil

Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month.

Mya Burton received not only one envelope, but two.

The second envelope held a change to the Secret Admirer program— if she agreed, Mya would be the first girl to have two Secret Admirers.

It had never been done before. In each clue, the boys would both answer the same basic questions, followed by writing a short, non-identifying letter to Mya.

At the end of the month, she would have to choose just one without knowing who he really is.

But before she can, a shakeup hits the school. A hater slanders the game, leaving Mya feeling defeated and the other chosen girls needing to stick together.

Will Mya be able to finish her month on a happy note?

And will her blind decision be the best one for her?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63186798-dear-mya

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BL26BC48?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_8&storeType=ebooks&qid=1739459010&sr=8-12

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book here is my honest review

Back in the halls of Ryder High and the school play is right around the corner. Mya is already stressed out with rehearsals and normal high school things, that’s when she’s sees the famous teal envelope on her locker, she was shocked why would anyone want to be her admirer. She wasnt that girl but she was now that girl, but this month was different Mya had not one but two guys that had put her name down and so with a new set of rules and guidelines for the month Mya makes history at Ryder. 2 guys 1 girl only to fall in love with 1 guy words will Mya be shocked with who she chooses or will she not be able to make a choice.

Danielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.

Danielle’s love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).

#review #thriller #standalone The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon

Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.

Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life—and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut thriller by a major talent.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61897971-the-quiet-tenant

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Tenant-novel-Cl%C3%A9mence-Michallon-ebook/dp/B0BF9BXN88/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GV91H4WI9I9K&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.X7FGulCRFsEJ_1rd0FPBPrrAqlJh111cZlEq6zyzur_B901AAxo_aBLys4f1pXzwkaiJdZeVWnKlei2-tNUbzi_g-fpgyZ77LB9KJwYLRGb2GFVkzZROoT_dqiyUB2EwiYDcBqTlY7KgmkjeRlDajG_4ucuOreWYMUnv1VfpdMm8eGKDHgDVW7ogU1YoWW2KxaWOrPufa7GLEVgIEm1S6ZlzTGLw_M7nIb_RnfTR9WA.jVykRXnTca5SWX3myCtYu-psq0lii2ob1ZPrs9cpkKo&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+quiet+tenant&qid=1737204709&s=digital-text&sprefix=the+quiet%2Cdigital-text%2C197&sr=1-1

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Taken from society 5 years ago forced to live in a shed and be her captures plaything for to have sex with him when he needs. One day he tells you that he’s moving, after this wife died the house was being sold, but instead of a shed you are now allowed a bedroom and have to act like a normal person, so you don’t scare his daughter. life is still the same as in the shed, but he gave her a bed, new clothes, a bathroom, and able to go to the kitchen. but when you learn more, you can use it to your advantage. also getting a glance inside his mind finding out he has a new target you do what you can to not only save yourself, but his daughter and the new target. this book was confusing to the point you don’t know what’s going on most of the time. it definitely didn’t live up to the hype I had been seeing all over and took a good way through to get into it, before things started clicking into place.

Clémence Michallon was born and raised near Paris. She studied journalism at City University of London, received a master’s in Journalism from Columbia University, and has written for The Independent since 2018. Her essays and features have covered true-crime, celebrity culture, and literature. She moved to New York City in 2014 and recently became a US citizen. She now divides her time between New York City and Rhinebeck, NY.

#review #shortstory #partofaseries Loved in Las Vegas ( The Traveling Calvert Sisters 2) by Tori Ross

Regina Calvert’s in Las Vegas for her friend’s bachelorette party. Regi, barely old enough to gamble, hopes to make enough money at the slot machines and game tables to move out of her parents’ house and enjoy the weekend with her friends. But when a night with a casino dealer and his Hungarian cousins goes downhill, Regi finds herself stranded on the strip with no cash, no phone, and a friend that accidentally ingested acid.

Craig Lucky’s enjoying the weekend at his own friend’s bachelor party, but his world is rocked when he comes upon a damsel in distress in the middle of the Las Vegas strip. After helping Regi and her friend, Craig asks Regi out for a night on the town.

Regi and her friends soon learn that nights and weekends in Vegas don’t always go as planned.

Each Traveling Calvert Sisters story is about 25-35K words long and can be read in any order. HEA guaranteed!

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59840789-loved-in-las-vegas

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Loved-Vegas-Traveling-Calvert-Sisters-ebook/dp/B09QK2GF1Q/ref=sr_1_17?crid=1XAF0FW0AVEVF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ul5BdpMu59aNyRvKziYrKvfkMRdk0NaURTZQFqn1AsX36K4d-ucQEAE0OJWlY9199md5HP2ipOuEWvWcyMM9xewttephsFxeD5supL0IpSg97DPwvfeFCpkHVVVGq_BxcMfynjHN5VQ0n_RIqvOPBHqydvJYn8Khf1zlXrqOSUtqVpSen64FqS4zYvhCuElXI7cp5SP0cScf-OqmL0V_RF7FiyT2dPKeIlLHVv3beww.kyH2HfJfVJlplq2sE2IiMWGqjW8oswlIFUEvaljs-cA&dib_tag=se&keywords=tori+ross&qid=1737203865&sprefix=tori+ross%2Caps%2C230&sr=8-17&xpid=kTpQJIHSEMMWE

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book and here is my honest review

Las Vegas is the place to go for the craziest bachelorette party one will never forget. Regina just wanted a weekend away to celebrate one of her friends getting married and to get out of her small town. but she never pictured her trip the way it went, blind date with a Hungarian guy who thought he was a hooker, her other friend thinking she was seeing bees after an acid laced blunt from her Hungarian date, and that was just the beginning. I mean what else can actually happen in Vegas, it’s not like you are going to fall in love and possibly end up at the white chapel. this was defiantly a trip for the books and one you would never forget this was such a fun short story that will be having you laughing out loud.

Tori Ross is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of steamy contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives with her family and two rescue dogs.