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I had super high expectations of the latest book from Dana Mason having LOVED the previous one. Good news: it is just as good as the last one, yay!

As I stated in my review of Accidental Lies, I had judged that book by its cover and thought that the plot would be shallow and physical. Once again, this was completely wrong.

Fourteen years ago Rachel and Mike were devoted to each other, planning college together and a future in each other’s arms. But then Rachel became pregnant and her toxic mother threatened to destroy Mike’s life with lies. To protect the boy she loved and her unborn child, Rachel agreed to leave without speaking to him again.

In the present day, Raegan is desperate to discover the truth about her father. She searches through her mother’s belongings and finds a name then uses Google and social media to locate him in their own home town.

In the meantime, Rachel and Mike meet unexpectedly and the attraction is still instant, their love rekindled. Have too many years and secrets destroyed their potential for happiness…?

The narrative is split between the three perspectives of Rachel, Raegan and Mike. This allows us to gain insight into their actions and develop a personal association with each character.

The path to true love is often bumpy and Rachel and MIke’s relationship has certainly had its problems. Drama, romance and triumph against adversity are all wrapped up in Accidental Secrets, steamy but with a solid centre of love radiating throughout.

Media Kit:

Title: Accidental Secrets     

Author: Dana Mason   

Publication Day: 05/12/19

Buy Links:

https://geni.us/B07XMD9YW2Social

Description:

She’s been hiding something from him. Until now…

Her

He was my childhood sweetheart.

Then it all went wrong and my mom tore us apart.

Ever since then I’ve kept my secret.

I haven’t had a choice.

Fourteen years later, just thinking about him makes my stomach flip.

I still remember his citrus smell, the way he used to gently hold my hand.

And then… It turns out he’s living in the same damn town.

But he’s not the Mike I remember.

He’s dark and dangerous, covered in ink.

He’s completely and utterly mouth-watering.

His whiskey-colored eyes blaze as he catches sight of me.

And it’s just a matter of time before he finds out the truth…

The question is, will he forgive me?

Him

She was my ride or die.

And she left without even saying goodbye.

Left me with nothing but a broken heart.

Since then, I’ve struggled to get close to anyone.

It’s pathetic – who else clings to their high-school love?

And then, all these years later, I see her.

But Rachel’s not how I remember.

Her wavy, raven hair frames her sexy sea-blue eyes.

Her perfect hourglass figure has curves in all the right places.

She’s pin-up girl hot. And I refuse to let her get away this time.

Next thing, we’re in suite 108.

I’m unbuttoning her blouse, tasting every inch of her.

She’s screaming in pleasure.

She’s begging for more.

Everything’s perfect.

Except for one thing…

She’s hiding one hell of a secret.

And when I find out what it is, do I have it in me to forgive her?

Or will I be the one walking away without a goodbye this time?

This is a full-length, standalone romance with some hot-under-the-collar action, no cheating and a guaranteed HEA. For fans of R.S Grey, Whitney G. and Vi Keeland, Accidental Secrets features a sexy, tattooed alpha and a steamy second-chance love story that will have you totally addicted!

Author Bio:

Dana Mason started writing about ten years ago after being overwhelmed by a story that wouldn’t let her sleep until she wrote it down. The story, Dangerous Embrace, was published in 2012 and won Best Mystery/Suspense from eFestival of Words Best of Independent eBook Awards in 2014. Dangerous Embrace is the first book in her Embrace Series. The second book in the series, Precious Embrace, was Runner-Up for Best Hero from eFestival of Words Best of Independent eBook Awards that same year. Her third book, Broken Embrace, was awarded Best Indie Book in 2015 in the Romance Category.
Dana loves turning your worst nightmares into happy endings. She lives in Northern California with her husband, children, and her writing companion and mighty protector, Mia the Chihuahua.

Author Social Media Links:

Website: http://danamasonromance.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danamason06

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danamasonromance/

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS BOOK COVERS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DRUG ADDICTION

In the present day, Nicola is devastated by her mother’s death and her thoughts dwell on her childhood and the abuse that her mother endured. We are then shown the family’s escape from the violence but then her brother Graham’s life breaks down as a result of drug addiction and his actions land him in prison.

However, it emerges that Nicola, Carol and Graham have all been keeping secrets and it is time for the truth to be revealed…

Part one of the book was absolutely compelling. I loved the representation of Carol as a victim and survivor which I found utterly gripping, feeling raw and honest to me as a reader. The fear of what will happen and anticipating the imminent danger of a beating is palpable and we are in the moment with Carol. Equally, her guilt at leaving her husband and hope for a better relationship with him is something that we hear time and again from abuse victims so felt very real.

Parts two and three cover Graham’s descent into addiction and then his rehabilitation in prison. I’ll be perfectly honest and say I did not enjoy this as much despite the excellent writing. I wonder if it is the selfishness of his behaviour that made me switch off and this is due to the emotional pull I felt towards Carol, thinking she had suffered enough and not wanting her to have further pain.

Despite the serious topics covered in The Lies We Hide, S.E. Lynes manages to include love and humour as well. The introduction of prison chaplain Richard and his story, looking for redemption and finding it through his interactions with Graham, is gentle and full of hope. The overwhelming love of a mother for her children and the need to protect one’s family radiates through the book.

Take a look at my review of The Women

Book Description:

Author Bio:

Gemma is thrilled to tell her boyfriend Jack that she has a new job but he drops the bombshell that he is going travelling without her. They promise to commit to a long distance relationship but that soon collapses.

Heartbroken, Gemma bares her soul on her YouTube channel and it goes viral… Her life changes forever as she gets swept up in a life of glamour and celebrity that makes her yearn for early nights and junk food.

As an influencer, content creator, blogger, occasional vlogger, whatever, this was a fab book to read and I found I could identify with Gemma quite a lot as she battles to be herself and work out what she wants from her life.

There is an important message about reality in social media which I think is important for young people to realise. Celebrity is sold in reality TV shows every day and the amount of work it takes to be successful is often overlooked. I think most bloggers start for themselves but it is very easy to swept up in products and money making potential.

Out With The Ex, In With The New has plenty to say about relationships, both friendships and romantic connections. Again, this really resonated with me as I had a boyfriend who went off to travel when I thought we would settle down. When he came back, he was ready for all the things I’d wanted previously but I’d moved on.

There is a serious side to this book as Gemma discovers that her housemates are in an abusive relationship and uses her media presence to promote a campaign against violence.

The overall effect of the book is a balanced one of fun and drama. Many of the media aspects of the novel are ridiculous yet probably true (daily cat articles sounds very realistic and I’m sure I’ve clicked on quite a few over the years!) as are the celebrity parties and the truth behind big YouTubers. This book is modern yet with the classic story of looking for love.

For another book with humour and emotion, try It’s Not You, It’s Him by Sophie Ranald too

Media Kit:

Title: Out with the Ex, In with the New     

Author: Sophie Ranald  

Publication Day: 03/12/19

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B07XY63YRTSocial

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2kzkp3m

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2kzf24f

Googleplay: http://bit.ly/2mwHgx7

Description:

Gemma didn’t expect her life to look like this. She’s still living with her mother, who steals her leggings and tells her off for leaving crumbs in the butter. After twenty failed interviews she thought she’d got her dream job as a journalist – except it turns out to be writing articles about cats that look like George Clooney. Luckily she has her wonderful boyfriend, Jack, to help her forget just how awful things are.

Then Jack dumps her out of the blue. With nothing but her childhood teddy bear, Stanley, and a whole heap of heartbreak, Gemma resolves to turn things around. She throws herself into her new job and soon she’s hanging out with cheeky, golden-haired hunk Charlie, eating in swanky restaurants and sipping trendy cocktails – and her old life seems like a distant memory.

But it’s not long until her shiny new world starts to lose its sparkle – and Gemma misses the days of wearing battered pink converse and eating peanut butter on toast in bed. Then Jack turns up, backpack in tow, and things start to go wrong with Charlie. ‘Out with the old, in with the new’, the saying goes. But what happens if neither one is quite right?

This laugh-out-loud romantic comedy is for anyone who’s ever cried their eyes out to love songs after a break-up or accidentally drunk-texted their ex. Fans of Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk will love this unmissable read which is all about falling in love with the most important person: yourself!

This book was previously published as the Truth About Gemma Grey.

Author Bio:

Sophie Ranald is the youngest of five sisters. She was born in Zimbabwe and lived in South Africa until an acute case of itchy feet brought her to London in her mid-20s. As an editor for a customer publishing agency, Sophie developed her fiction-writing skills describing holidays to places she’d never visited. In 2011, she decided to disregard all the good advice given to aspiring novelists and attempt to write full-time. After one false start, It Would Be Wrong to Steal My Sister’s Boyfriend (Wouldn’t It?) seemed to write itself. Her second, third and fourth novels followed. Sophie also writes for magazines and online about food, fashion, finance and running. She lives in south-east London with her amazing partner Hopi and Purrs, their adorable little cat.

To find out about Sophie’s forthcoming releases and get access to free books and special offers, sign up to her newsletter at sophieranald.com or

Author Social Media Links:

Website: sophieranald.com

Twitter: @SophieRanald

 https://twitter.com/SophieRanald

 Facebook: www.facebook.com/SophieRanald.