Sunday 23 February 2020

REVIEW The Edge of the World by Garrett Leigh




BLURB:
Shay Maloney is living his dream—on tour with his pirate/folk-rock band. But you can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’re from, and that’s where moody filmmaker and researcher Ollie Pietruska comes in.

The band’s management persuades Shay to let a television company film a documentary about his roots beyond his adoptive Irish family, and Ollie comes into his life knowing more about Shay than Shay’s ever known about himself.

But while Ollie holds the key to Shay’s past, he’s also hiding deep scars. Even as the hardships of the tour bring them closer, Ollie’s demons threaten the blossoming romance. They might both reach the breaking point before Ollie realises he’s been standing on the edge of the world for too long, and it’s Shay who holds the key to his future.

A friends-to-lovers, rock star, road-tripping romance, with a guaranteed happily-ever-after.
REVIEW:
I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s easier to review a flawed book. There’s plenty to pick apart, comment on and explore. With a good book, it’s harder because what more can you say than it was flawlessly written, and I loved it. Well, I’ll give it a try.
I got hooked on Garrett Leigh when I read her Roads series and nothing I’ve read since has disappointed. The author has a knack for writing flawed but beautiful characters that are so easy to slip into. Ash from Roads is a character that has lived with me for years, and I think both Shay and Ollie will be joining him on the list of characters who have taken over my life for the time I’ve been reading them, and beyond.
The book was flawlessly written, and I didn’t notice any faults in grammar, style or editing. That might have been because I was so enthralled by the story but if there are small flaws, I’m sure any reader who notices would forgive just because the story and these characters are so absorbing.
This is one of those rare stories that takes you on a journey of amazing scope. Ollie has been researching Shay’s past and the story of his ancestors takes us all over Europe and through many trials and traumas. Through it all is their own story of heartbreak and recovery, which is slow but steady.
Sometimes, when you have two characters who are obviously meant for each but keep bouncing back and forth between attraction and rejection, for whatever reason, it can be frustrating. You can find yourself metaphorically yelling at the page for God’s sake just get over it and get together. In this case there was less frustration and more heart-in-the-mouth praying that this time they’d get over their hurdles and allow themselves to be together. I’ve rarely read two characters with so much personal growth. The Ollie and Shay we end up with are not the Ollie and Shay we were introduced to and the journey has been one partly spent together and partly on their own. It wasn’t an easy one, but true self-development never is, and these boys have a lot to get through and get over.
All-in-all this is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. As usual Garett Leigh does not disappoint. When you pick up a Garrett Leigh book you know you’re going to get a gritty, earthy, well told story about characters who bite back. This one is not the exception. I heartily recommend to anyone who wants something beyond the fluffy bunny romance with characters who grip you by the throat and don’t let go until four a.m. when you have work the next day and finally run out of just one more pages.

Wednesday 12 February 2020

BLOG TOUR - RENEWED by Maggie Blackbird




Renewed 
The Matawapit Family Series Book 4 
by Maggie Blackbird 
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance 

ABOUT THE BOOK

When two former enemies fall in love, family secrets threaten to destroy their fragile union and everything they hold dear. 

With their extreme ideas about traditional Ojibway life, the radical Kabatay clan have made enemies in their fight to rid the reserve of Western culture and its religion. Disowned by her family for daring to love the church deacon’s eldest son, Jude, Raven Kabatay longs to put an end to the feud started by her mother, brother, and sisters against the Matawapits…people she’s come to think of as her own since Jude changed her life. 

Jude Matawapit suffered a humiliating divorce after his wife left him for another man, but with Raven, he’s created a beautiful, new sanctuary after losing his previous one, and his new haven is everything he’s ever wanted for himself and his children. Only two things could destroy his pristine bliss: the secret he holds close to his chest, and the vengeance Raven’s family wants to exact on the Matawapits. A secret and vengeance that could cost the unlikely lovers their hard-won, much longed for happily ever after. 


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GUEST POST

It is so nice to welcome Maggie Blackbird to my blog. She has been so very kind to me, and now it's time to return the favour. Maggie has written a quite amazing series of books about the Ojibway, the largest First Nation tribe in Canada. 


Maggie is going to tell us about how she decompresses after she has been busy writing.


I use a laptop and desktop to write.  Once I shut off the computers, I’m done.  My phone is devoted to my personal life.  There is nothing writing-related on it, and I prefer it that way.  My down time is important for me.  I dedicate a lot of hours to writing, whether drafting a new MS, editing a MS, working with my editor, my publisher, marketing, blog posts, etc.  When I’m done, I want to get away from that world and delve into another.

I read that my favourite romance author, the late Johanna Lindsey, unwound after turning in her manuscript by playing a video game for twelve hours.  For me, it’s golf.  Since I live in a seasonal climate, I can’t very well golf in the winter haha.  So I record my golf tournaments (I watch the PGA, European, and Asian tours), sit back, relax, and watch.  Okay, not watch.  I get a bit crazed, heh.

I play fantasy golf, so I make my picks every Tuesday morning.  Come Thursday, I begin watching to see how my picks are doing.  And I get too involved LOL, whining when my picks are playing poorly, hissing if my fave golfers aren’t making birdies, and some ranting if an easy putt is missed.  Yes, I get worked up watching golf, but it’s a fun worked up because I enjoy the game.

When the majors are airing, my writing wanes LOL, because those are four special times of the year that are must-watches.  Y’see, sometimes I do watch golf while I’m writing.  I’m doing that right now.  The Sentry Tournament of Champions is on, and I’m multi-tasking because I’m writing this blog post.  I always stop writing when a golfer is making a shot.  If it’s a golfer I’m not a fan of, I keep typing haha.

As for summer, I can hardly wait to take my sticks to the links.  I even schedule time away from writing to enjoy hitting the links.  Down time is a must, or I’ll burn out.


Thank you, Maggie. I can't say that I have any interest in golf myself, I have no interest in any sport to be honest, but it's great you have a hobby to help you unwind and to remind you that there is more than writing out there. For myself, I favour the playing games for twelve hours approach, whether they be computer or tabletop.

Now, let us take a look at the previous books in the series. If you haven't yet read them all, I would strongly suggest you do, not only because they make sense of the final instalment, but also because they're all damn good.





Sanctified 
The Matawapit Family Series Book 3 
Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance 

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the midst of a battle for leadership at their Ojibway community, two enemies of opposing families fall in love… 

After suffering a humiliating divorce, infuriated Catholic Jude Matawapit bolts to his family’s Ojibway community to begin a new job—but finds himself thrown into a battle for chief as his brother-in-law’s campaign manager. The radical Kabatay clan, with their extreme ideas about traditional Ojibway life, will stop at nothing to claim the leadership position and rid the reserve of Western culture and its religion once and for all, which threatens not only the non-traditional people of the community, but Jude’s chance at a brand-new life he’s creating for his children. 

Recovering addict Raven Kabatay will do anything to win the respect and trust of her older siblings and mother after falling deep into drug addiction that brought shame and anger to her family. Not only does she have the opportunity to redeem herself by becoming her brother’s campaign manager for chief—if he wins, she’ll have the reserve’s backing to purchase the gold-mine diner where she works, finally making something of herself. But falling in love with the family’s sworn enemy—the deacon’s eldest son, Jude—will not just betray the Kabatay clan. It could destroy everything Raven believes in and has worked so hard for. 






Redeemed 
The Matawapit Family Series Book 2 
Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance 

ABOUT THE BOOK

A single woman battles to keep her foster child from his newly-paroled father—a dangerous man she used to love. 

Bridget Matawapit is an Indigenous activist, daughter of a Catholic deacon, and foster mother to Kyle, the son of an Ojibway father—the ex-fiancé she kicked to the curb after he chose alcohol over her love. With Adam out on parole and back in Thunder Bay, she is determined to stop him from obtaining custody of Kyle.

Adam Guimond is a recovering alcoholic and ex-gangbanger newly-paroled. Through counselling, reconnecting with his Ojibway culture and twelve-step meetings while in prison, Adam now understands he’s worthy of the love that frightened him enough to pick up the bottle he’d previously corked. He can't escape the damage he caused so many others, but he longs to rise like a true warrior in the pursuit of forgiveness and a second chance. There's nothing he isn't willing to do to win back his son--and Bridget.

When an old cell mate’s daughter dies under mysterious circumstances in foster care, Adam begs Bridget to help him uncover the truth. Bound to the plight of the Indigenous children in care, Bridget agrees. But putting herself in contact with Adam threatens to resurrect her long-buried feelings for him, and even worse, she risks losing care of Kyle, by falling for a man who might destroy her faith in love completely this time. 






Blessed 
The Matawapit Family Series Book 1 
Genre: Contemporary M/M Inspirational Romance 

ABOUT THE BOOK

It’s been ten years since Emery Matawapit sinned, having succumbed to temptation for the one thing in his life that felt right, another man. In six months he’ll make a life-changing decision that will bar him from sexual relationships for the rest of his life.

Darryl Keejik has a decade-long chip on his shoulder, and he holds Emery’s father, the church deacon, responsible for what he’s suffered: the loss of his family and a chance at true love with Emery. No longer a powerless kid, Darryl has influence within the community—maybe more than the deacon. Darryl intends on using his power to destroy Deacon Matawapit and his church.

Hoping to save the church, Emery races home. But stopping Darryl is harder than expected when their sizzling chemistry threatens to consume Emery. Now he is faced with the toughest decision of his life: please his devout parents and fulfill his call to the priesthood, or remain true to his heart and marry the man created for him.

This is very erotic book about a spiritual journey. 

**On Sale for only 99 cents at eXtasy Books for the month of February!!**



ABOUT THE AUTHOR


An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes. When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most. 







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