Nothing Is Lost In Loving by Brenda Moguez (Book Review)

 

When Stella Delray unexpectedly loses her job a week before Christmas, which is also the anniversary of her husband’s death, she is forced to stop talking to his ashes, come to terms with her loss, and get her life back on track for her young son’s sake as well as her own. She never expected that posting an ad on Craigslist would send her into the arms of not one but two men, one of whom is her former boss. Now she’s working as an admin for a retired Broadway star, bookkeeping for an erotic video production company, and writing love letters for the mysterious “Oaklander.” Adding to the craziness of her new life, her monster-in-law resurfaces and the father-in-law she never met shows up on her doorstep. With the guidance of her best friend, Bono, Stella will learn to redefine the rules she’s always lived by.

 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)

 
Life is a tricky bitch. There are ups, downs, and sometimes it throws us a helluva curveball where you don’t know right from left or up from down. 
 
Stella was a recipient of such a curveball. She lost a husband to cancer, her job…..herself.
 
On the anniversary of her husband’s death, she decided it was time to live again. You could say the butterfly was finally emerging out of her cocoon. The emergence brought about a whole new set of woes and revelations.
 
Broken bridges started to rebuild, new relationships started to form and she realized, no matter what life threw at her, she would survive.
 
All it took for her to discover herself was stepping out of her comfort zone. 
 
She met some very interesting people along the way: Gus (ruggedly handsome man who brought passion back into her life), Joel (the nutty poet), Lucille Gantry (who is nutty in a eccentric sort of way), Buck (owner of a porn studio, a real charmer who resembles Magnum PI), and Outlander65 (a man who opened her eyes the most about living again).
 
Bono was correct in her summation about Stella’s life. It had turned into a soap opera. Heck it even featured a flirtatious doctor; because all good soap operas have at least one. 
 
My only complaint would be about Jack. I wish Brenda would’ve kept things in the friend zone. The last thing he needed to do was pursue Stella while going through a separation. Especially since Stella was ‘getting back on the horse’ after being out in the pasture for twelve years. Cowboy reference seemed fitting since Bobby, her deceased husband, is in “Cowboy Heaven” (Santi’s words). 
 
Speaking of Santiago, her 8 year-old son, he brought light, joy and tears to those around him. I was moved by the song he sang to his father; the day they released his ashes. The chapter he asked if Father Christmas brought daddy presents in “Cowboy Heaven” was also a very emotional moment for me. I’ve lost two parents, one about his age, so I can empathize with his emotions at such a tender age.
 
What a sweet, loving young man. 
 
I’d like to end this review with one final thought. 
 
As I stated in my initial sentence, you never know what each day with bring. You’ll have bad days, good ones, and somewhere in-between. Brenda has portrayed this quite well. She’s also showed us, the readers, how strong we all can be. Life moves on and we must move on with it. Embrace the bad, cherish the good, and be thankful for those quiet moments because you never know when things will go haywire again. 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤
 
 
 

 
Brenda Moguez writes the kind of stories she loves to read–women’s fiction, starring quirky, passionate women who are challenged by the fickleness and complexities of life.
 
She’s particularly drawn to exploring the effects of love on the heart of a woman. She has aspirations for a fully staffed villa in Barcelona and funding aplenty for a room of her own. When she’s not working on a story, she writes love letters to the universe, dead poets, and Mae West. You can find her at http://www.brendamoguez.com where she explores passionate pursuits in all its forms.
 

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Get Inspired — September’s Hot Picks!

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Sexcastle by Kyle Starks (Book Review)

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Image Comics (March 31, 2015)

The Former World’s Greatest Assassin leaves the world of killing to a small town only to be pulled back in. An exciting action romp in the style of classic ‘80s Action Film.

 

REVIEW

Sexcastle was quite a comedic find and I’m so glad our paths crossed. Kyle wrote/illustrated a story so funny and unique I read it more than once.

Shane (Sexcastle), now one of my favorite characters, had no qualms giving anyone the middle finger and the stuff coming out his mouth was funny as hell. Ex. When he spoke about the times when a man should be able to cry. 1.) When his momma dies. 2.) His dick’s got messed up. Like by a bear attack. Don’t know about you but those seemed like two valid reasons to allow waterworks.

Something else I loved about Sexcastle — his weaponry. The man had freaking gunchucks (nunchucks with built in guns). Seriously, they were wicked cool!!

Oh and wait until you meet the assassins after him.You’ll recognize most, if not all, of the 80’s action stars and chuckle at some of their names. Thunderbutt happened to be my favorite. 

From start to finish, I adored everything about this book. I wish it was longer because I DID NOT want it to end. Brilliant…. absolutely brilliant! 

 

Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 

Score: ❤❤❤❤❤

 

 Amazon Print Link

Kindle Purchase Link

 

 

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The Christmas Lights by Rachael Kosinski (Book Review)

Historical Holiday Romance – Length: 96 pages 
 

“Where do Christmas lights come from?” 

The tiny bulbs of color that burn on a Christmas tree, or outside a house to shine in the night; does anyone really know where they originate? What if someone told you they weren’t intended for Christmas at all, but really for a miracle? That they were for love, a desperate idea, to light a boy’s way home? 

In that case, you must have some questions. What boy? What love? 

In that case, allow me to tell you a story.
 
 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
With the holidays quickly approaching, many of us (like myself) are on the look-out for a sweet Christmas story to get us in the mood for the impending festivities. In my humble opinion, “The Christmas Lights” had the makings to be included in Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas. 
 
Incase you are wondering why it had the goods to be turned into a tv movie, let me enlighten you about this novella.
 
We have a young man, with barely any money in the bank, with his heart set on marrying a young woman. Before Louis and Emmy can tie the knot, he needs to secure their future. In other words, they need money and now. He sets out on a journey to earn cash, which will have many high and low moments. 
 
As you would expect from a contender for the Hallmark Channel, all good things come to those who wait. 
 
Louis not only found success, but he also made invaluable friends along the way. 
 
One friend, Fabergé (yes, thee Fabergé) came to his rescue and ultimately changed his whole world. 
 
If this was a fairytale, Fabergé would be Louis’ Fairy Godfather.
 
Oh yes, Louis proved to be a very lucky, lucky man. 🙂
 
Now with all the positives, I must state why I gave The Christmas Lights a three. For me, I wanted to see more interactions between Louis and Emmy. I wanted to see their love blossom and grow, not just hit and miss moments through letters. If we had more showings of their love, besides the beginning and end, the score would’ve been easily a 4. Possibly a 4 1/2. 
 
Overall, I do think many people will enjoy this story while sipping on a mug of hot cocoa or apple cider. 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5
(highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤1/2
 
 
 
 
 
When she was little, Rachael Kosinski wanted to be a paleontologist, an Egyptologist, an astronaut, a Broadway actress, a nature photographer for National Geographic, and the next Jane Goodall. Instead of being a new link between man and chimp, or discovering a planet suitable for sustained human life, or maybe even winning renowned fame by stumbling across an undiscovered dinosaur, Rachael finally decided that, if she never became a writer, she would simply die. Several years later, she now possesses a quirky knowledge of world mythology, an addiction to coffee, and a penchant for making over-expressive faces at her laptop.
 
 
 
 

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Multi-Author Showcase: Dark Captive (Anthology)


Everyone has a dark side… 

 
Dark Captive is an exclusive collection of dark erotic romance stories featuring alpha men with fierce sexual appetites. They’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. And they have their sights on one woman. Possessive and bold, these heroes give their conquests exactly what they crave—to be taken … to be owned. Any resistance offered will be tested, but in the end love rules.

Kidnapping, abduction, and sexual slavery are just a few of the titillating taboo themes in this hand-picked anthology.

 
 
 
TAKE ME BY JENIKA SNOW
 
He’s watched her, stalked her, and makes no apologies about what he’ll do to make her his. But how far will he have to go to make her see she belongs with him?
 

Blurb

After her mother passes away, Holly decides to finally have a life away from her abusive father and the darkened, lifeless world she lives in. But someone has been watching her, waiting for the right moment to take her away. It’s when she comes face-to-face with her captor that she realizes he won’t let her go.

Will Holly stay with a man that decrees she’s his, that he’ll do whatever it takes to make her see they belong together? Despite the twisted and dark nature of it all, she feels freedom for the first time in her life. Will she give in, or will she accept what he offers her … her life back?

 

 

 

SINFUL BY LILY HARLEM
 
A London riot, a lost girl, and a priest with a secret. Will the Devil’s whispered suggestions tempt them to indulge in the sins of the flesh?
 
Blurb

London is aflame with riots. Confusion and danger lurk around every corner. For Cheryl, caught alone and terrified in a dark alley, she fears she’s about to meet her maker.

Luckily the safe sanctuary of a small church, nestled between the deserted shops and houses, affords her protection. And within these sacred walls she finds Father Steve—a man whose decision to be celibate, marry his faith, seems to her an awful waste to the females of the world.

But all is not as it seems and as her hot and holy new friend reveals his layers and confesses his sins, the temperature in the church heats up more than the flames raging across the city.

Safety, however, is an illusion, and the pair must fight to survive. In doing so will fate draw them together? Have the heavens mapped out their destiny? And was Father Steve telling the truth about his virginity?

 
 
 
 
ONE LAST JOB BY ALEXA SINCLAIRE
 
One last heist and then he’ll be free. But can he still keep the woman he loves when he forces her to sacrifice her freedom?
 
Blurb

After a decade of crime, Lawson Trent is done risking his freedom and having nothing real to show for it. But in order to walk away, he needs to do one last job. Except this time there’s a catch: Ivy Stuart. He knows he can’t have her, he knows it’s too risky but he can’t help himself. When she gets got up in the heist, he has to make a choice and risk her life and love.

If growing up in foster care taught Ivy anything, it’s not to let anyone get too close. Working at a jewelry shop, she’s finally building her own life, albeit a solitary one. When she meets Lawson, the new security guard, she can’t ignore the draw she has to him. But when she finds out who he really is, will she be able to look past the lies and forgive the man she fell for? More importantly, if she can’t, will he let her go?

 
 

 

 CAPTIVE ARTIST BY N.J. YOUNG
 
A troubled thief. An art heist gone wrong. A woman caught in the middle. Can she protect her heart from the man who threatens her life?
 
Blurb

Carrie Wentworth never expected to be at the center of a high-stakes art theft. She’s perfectly happy to run her prestigious art gallery in a small mountain community and ogle the super hot janitor, Ellis “Jax” Jackson.

But Jax is more than tall, dark, and bulging muscles. He has an art heist to complete no matter what the cost. When Carrie catches him in the act, he can’t bring himself to kill the pretty blonde. So instead, he takes her captive. But he will have to figure out what’s more important—money or his feelings for Carrie. 

 
 
 
 
THE SHADOW BY ELENA KINCAID
 
He came out of nowhere, like a shadow hiding in pitch darkness. Could he uncover the whole truth before he sentences her to a fate worse than death?
 
Blurb

He came out of nowhere, like a shadow hiding in pitch darkness and turned Emily’s world upside down. Was she a victim of circumstance or part of a more sinister plan? After fighting, begging, and even praying for her freedom fails, she is given a choice … succumb to her Shadow’s commands or die. What Emily did not expect, was her unexplainable desire for her captor.

Brody Beckett thirsts for revenge. He wants those who wronged him to suffer, to bleed, and he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals. The last thing he needs is to go all soft on the beautiful woman who stars in each and every one of his nightmares. When doubt and suspicion seep in, Brody wonders if he could uncover the whole truth before he sentences Emily to a fate worse than death. 

 
 
 
 
GODSEND BY JOCELYN DEX
 
Her captor’s threats and sexual aggression make her wonder if she’ll escape unscathed … or at all.
 
Blurb

Gia’s hike turns into a nightmare when she’s caught breaking and entering. Even though her captor is the most drool-worthy man she’s ever seen, his constant threats and sexual aggression make her wonder if she’ll escape unscathed … or at all.

Bane should get Gia out of his sight before he loses control and becomes more of a bastard than he already is. But he wants nothing more than to lose himself inside her and wash away the painful memories of his past.

 

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