Category: iread

New York executive Julie Tate knows what it takes to win in the financial world, but her big-city success could never prepare her for her latest career move. 

About A Jingle Valley Wedding

New York executive Julie Tate knows what it takes to win in the financial world, but her big-city success could never prepare her for her latest career move. When her brother abandons the failing family farm, Julie hopes its salvation lies in transforming it into western Massachusetts’s newest premier wedding venue. With her social-savvy friend Freddy in her corner, Julie feels infallible. But as their bank account dwindles and one obstacle after another crops up, the business partners wonder if their venture is doomed for failure before the first bride walks down the aisle. Maybe the best way to succeed in a business based on romance is to find one.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Martha Reynolds was raised in Rhode Island, spent a year of college in Switzerland, and is always planning a return visit. She completed an accomplished career as a fraud investigator and decided it was time to do something she really liked.

She now writes full-time and has set a personal goal of releasing a book a year until she dies. Her writing has appeared in Magnificat magazine and her very short poem was read by journalist Connie Schultz during NPR’s Tell Me More poetry challenge.

Her novel VILLA DEL SOL won the 2018 Book Award in Literary Fiction by the Independent Publishers of New England.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.

Three years ago, the nation gasped in horror when the President of the United States barely escaped an assassination attempt that left two dead—the vice president’s wife and the attempted assassin. 

About The Nutcracker Conspiracy

Three years ago, the nation gasped in horror when the President of the United States barely escaped an assassination attempt that left two dead—the vice president’s wife and the attempted assassin.  Even after numerous investigations proved otherwise, conspiracy theorists argue that the assassin was acting on orders from the CIA, FBI, and every federal agency within a hundred miles of the capital.

Aspiring Author Dean Conway is the last person Lieutenant Commander Murphy Thornton wants to spend his Saturday afternoon when they end up at the same wedding reception table. While their wives tend to bridesmaid duties, Murphy is trapped listening to Dean’s latest work-in-project—completing the manuscript of an investigative journalist who’d disappeared months earlier.

“She was number twelve,” Dean says.

“Twelve?” Murphy asks.

“Twelve witnesses connected to or investigating The Nutcracker shooting have died either in an accident or suicide.”

Two days later, Dean dies suddenly―but not before sending a text message to Murphy: “13”

My Thoughts

Wow – this is one INCREDIBLE novel that I could not put down. It had me on the edge of my seat and I can honestly say that I never saw the end coming. It was full of suspense, action but also humour (done in a way that only Lauren can accomplish).

The book starts off with the murder of the vice president’s wife which led to the Nutcracker Conspiracy – that someone wanted the President dead and somehow the CIA, FBI and law enforcement were all in on it. Following her murder, eleven additional people were murdered. Their murders or disappearances were never solved and were thought to be connected to the original murder. Dean, an aspiring author but not a nice person, gets his hands on a book around this conspiracy but is murdered before he can publish his book – which forces Murphy to begin to look into the murders much closer. What he uncovers, will blow your mind away.

What begins to unravel is an intense, well thought out plot – which definitely keeps you on your toes as you are introduced to new characters, new plot twists and history. The story takes off fast and keeps on moving, drawing you in deeper to the story and feeling a deeper connection to the characters. They solve the original crime but also keep good friends of theirs from being criminally punished for something they did not do.

I loved this book from start to finish and would say this is by far one of her best written works. It has a little bit of everything with some well planned humour to lighten the mood. It is well written, an excellent, never before read plot with lovable characters. The Nutcracker Conspiracy is a definite must read, that does not disappoint!

You can pre-order the book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

Book Trailer

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.