Botched Butterscotch by Amanda Flower

No murders in this novella, but there is a mystery for Bailey to solve! Preparing for a Mother's Day tea Bailey hears the main speaker arguing with someone she can't see. When the money raised from the tea disappears Bailey is on hand to poke around and find out who stole it.

I love the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series! And the novella's between novels are pretty cute. Especially when Juliette's pig Jethro makes an appearance. Bailey is a Nosy Nellie, but she usually finds the culprit in the mysteries she sets out to solve. I like her curiosity and her determination to help right the wrongs done to people. I'm quite a fan of the recipes at the end of each book! Check it out...Butterscotch Peanut Bars. I'm definitely going to have to try these out!

Guest Post by Holly Schindler

The Long and Winding Publishing Road: Playing Hurt

We often talk about the road to publishing as though that’s where the story ends for a book:

a publisher acquires, it’s edited, it hits bookstore shelves—then, fade to black,

a happy ending is found.

Often, that initial publication can just feel like one chapter in a book’s journey. 

Playing Hurt was the second book I ever released. It hit store shelves in 2011, and received

positive

trade reviews and counted fellow authors Miranda Kenneally and Jennifer Armentrout

among its initial fans.

As it often happens in the world of publishing, the rights to Playing Hurt reverted back to me. 

I’ve been a hybrid author for several years, publishing my own work on the indie platform as well

as through traditional publishing houses. And as an indie publisher, I knew I wanted to revise

Playing Hurt. The world had changed quite a bit since 2011. I knew I wanted to address certain

issues in the manuscript differently. 

To start with, I knew I wanted a slightly different scenario regarding Clint and Chelsea’s working

relationship. They still do meet because Clint’s running a boot camp at the resort where

Cheslea’s family vacations, but I made sure that Chelsea decided not to be a client.

In the age of #metoo, I thought that was an important distinction. I also

added several new scenes this time around. And I continued to differentiate

the voices of Chelsea and Clint. I also did line edits throughout. 

It’s a really tricky thing reworking an old manuscript, though. It’s a constant balancing act: you

want to keep what the original fans of the book enjoyed (the connection between Clint and Chelsea,

the healing subplot, the humor injected by Chelsea’s brother), but you also want to make it relevant

to new readers. 

In order to tackle that balancing act, I dictated the manuscript. The whole thing. I opened up a

paperback of Playing Hurt, and I began to read, editing along the way. This time, I found there was

just something about hearing the book out loud that helped guide me. 

I also did decide to re-release the book as a new adult / contemporary romance, rather than a YA,

which was how it was originally categorized. I felt the ages of the main characters (18 and 19) and

the steamy passages make it better suited for an older audience. 

This time (as was the case in 2011), my favorite part of the book is the way Chelsea and Clint bring

each other back to the light in their lives. Those are my favorite romances—those in which the

characters change each other for the better. To me, that’s what makes romance enticing—it’s not

the physical, steamy passages so much as it is about how two people work past their own hang-ups

or fears in order to be together. 

Links: hollyschindler.com

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Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

Playing Hurt:

It’s hard to get back in the game—of life or love—when you’re still playing hurt.

Once, she was a small-town celebrity. One of the most talented high school basketball players her hometown had ever seen. Bound for something far bigger beyond the city limits of Fair Grove, Missouri. But Chelsea’s world changed when an accident on the court ended her days as an athlete. She struggles with the idea of no longer being a star—and has no real idea what life might hold for her next.

Once, he was a small-town celebrity. One of the most talented hockey players his hometown had ever seen. Bound for something far bigger beyond the city limits of Baudette, Minnesota. When an unexpected tragedy took his head out of the game, Clint was forced to hang up his skates. He swore he’d never put himself in a position to be hurt again, building walls around his heart.

When their paths cross one summer at a Minnesota lake resort, Chelsea and Clint are immediately drawn to one another. But wounds of the heart cut the deepest, and take the longest to heal. Will an unexpected romance end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain—or finally heal their heartbreak?

MY REVIEW

I loved both Chelsea and Clint's characters. I loved how they challenged each other and were better together. I loved how they helped each other overcome their hurts and how they both matured over their time together. I enjoyed Chelsea's brother's enthusiasm for his new band, he kind of cracked me up! I loved the setting of the book. The place where the camp was, the lakes, waterfalls, flowers, town etc. were all vividly portrayed and gave me a feeling of peace and excitement. The relationships were portrayed well between Chelsea and her parents, Chelsea and her brother, Chelsea and her boyfriend and Chelsea and Clint. Playing Hurt explored the emotions that two wounded people had to work through in order to become whole again. I enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to the sequel to find out what happens next for Chelsea and Clint.

*Warning* This story contains some mild sexual content and is recommended for mature audiences.

**Come back tomorrow for a guest post from author Holly Schindler on the Road To Publishing**

Dead Center by Susan Sleeman

Grady Houston is a weapons specialist for the Veritas Center. Ainslie Duncan has been working with Sierra at the Veritas Center for a few months. she and Grady have been dancing around their attraction for each other. Neither one of them in a place at the moment to start a relationship. When Ainslie's brother is accused of murder the Veritas Center agrees to help her prove that he is not a murderer. Ainslie doesn't let too many people get close to her, but when someone tries to kill her Grady jumps right in to protect her.

I love the suspense of the Truth Seekers series! As always the author captures the readers attention from the very first page and keeps you wanting to turn the pages quicker and quicker. I enjoyed the development of Grady and Ainslie's feelings for each other. From the moment they met there was an attraction, but there were obstacles to hurdle before they got to the "I want to be with you forever," which gave the relationship more of a role in the story. Figuring out the "who-done-it" wasn't too hard, but it didn't take away from the exciting conclusion of the story. Once again we were able to catch up with other members of the Veritas Center's lives and also a couple guys from Blackwell Tactical made an appearance. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment of the series!

A Wing And A Prayer by Julie Lessman

Oh Gabe! You make life so hard for yourself! But you have such a generous heart and a desire to help those underdogs!

Gabriella Dawn O'Conner, the adopted daughter of Patrick and Marcy O'Conner is now all grown up. If you thought she was a spitfire when she was a young orphan running around the streets of Boston, you should see her now! Gabe is an accomplished pilot that has joined the WASP(Women Airforce Service Pilots) program. In all of her young life there is only one man that Gabe has ever trusted, and that is her father Patrick. He's the only one that has ever been able to clip Gabe's wings. Until she runs into her PT Alex Kincaid that is! Sparks fly between them from the very beginning. Not just sparks of rebellion on Gabe's part, but also sparks of attraction!

Once again, Oh Gabe! Her antics made me laugh at times, and cringe with worry for her soul at other times! She's full of heart, yet she makes such poor choices in her rebellion and desire to not let any man rule over her. As always with a Julie Lessman novel there are spiritual lessons to be learned by the main characters. And boy does Gabe learn hers! Gabe's love-starved heart is finally brought to the only person that can ever fill that void...the God of love and peace for broken souls.

A WING AND A PRAYER was such a fun yet gut-wrenching read! For those of us that have enjoyed Julie Lessman's  Daughters of Boston series and Winds of Change series here is the book that we've been waiting for! Gabe's story will make you laugh, make you cry and leave you with warm feelings and a happy and satisfied smile at the end. Oh, and before I end, let me just say that ALEX will leave all the single ladies with a new book boyfriend!

Check out my reviews of the other books in the series:

A Light in the Window(Prequel)

Daughters of Boston series:
A Passion Most Pure
A Passion Redeemed
A Passion Denied


Winds of Change series:
A Hope Undaunted
A Heart Revealed
A Love Surrendered