Smorgasbord Book Promotions – Summer Book Fair 2023 – #Memoir D.G. Kaye, #Mystery #Thriller Joy York, #Romance #Montana Linda Bradley

Posted on July 10, 2023 by Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

This year in the second part of the Summer Book Fair, I will be sharing my recommended books from the last 12 months and sharing either my review or one of their top reviews.

The first book today is by D.G. Kaye…. Debby Gies. and her memoir which I thoroughly enjoyed – Fifteen First Times: Beginnings: A Collection of Indelible Firsts

About the memoir

This book is a collection of stories about some of Kaye’s first-time experiences with life’s most natural events. Told through the intimate conversational writing we’ve come to know from this author, poignant personal steppingstones to learning moments are revealed. She encompasses the heart of each matter with sincerity and sprinkled inflections of humor.

From first kiss to first car to walking in the desert with four-inch heels, Kaye’s short coming-of-age stories take us through her awakenings and important moments of growth, often without warning. Some good and some not, life lessons are learned through trial and error, winging it and navigating by the seat of her pants.

One of the reviews for the book

Balroop Singh Touches upon various emotions.

‘Fifteen First Times’ is a collection of interesting anecdotes from the teenage years of D.G.Kaye. From crazy diets that she tried to follow to the love of shoes and her first kiss, all find a mention in a witty style, as Bobby “planted a big wet kiss… and it was no regular kiss…yuck!” I smiled at the reaction of a nine year old girl who obviously knew nothing about it.

The candor of Kaye is admirable! She shares her stressful moments of becoming a woman in a brilliant manner, trying to figure out what could have caused “the mini bloodbath” between her legs but couldn’t dare to approach her mother, as she was far from “an average mamma” who never cared to explain that there was no need to feel embarrassed about this natural phenomenon.

Kaye’s resilience and independent spirit shines through her words. She grew up into a fine woman despite her dysfunctional family and heartbreaks. Her love for her father and their bonding exemplifies how a child learns to understand life. The book touches upon various emotions and ends with a loving tribute to her late husband. I finished reading it in one sitting and loved the way Kaye shared the stories of her growing up.

Read the reviews and pick up a copy at your local Amazon: Fifteen First Times Universal Link

Also by D.G. Kaye

Read all the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – and: Amazon UK – follow Debby: Goodreads – Blog: D.G. Kaye Writer – About me: D.G. Kaye – Twitter: @pokercubster – Linkedin: D.G. Kaye – Facebook: D.G. Kaye – Instagram: D.G. Kaye – Pinterest: D.G. Kaye

Another recommended book for you I reviewed at the end of 2022 the mystery and thriller . Genuine Deceit by Joy York.

About the book

Abandonment. Suicide. Murder. When a young woman finds herself unknowingly accountable for the past sins of her family, she must unravel their secrets and lies to stay alive.

When her grandmother is brutally murdered in her own home, Reagan Asher leaves her corporate job and rushes to her sleepy hometown in Ohio. She has barely entered the house before a second break-in attempt is made, prompting police to believe it’s not just a random burglary. Reagan’s lifelong friend Mattie asks Aiden Rannell, her brother-in-law and an ex-Navy Seal, to lend support and protection to Reagan as she navigates the investigation.

Aiden suggests a ring that Reagan’s grandmother owned may be more valuable than anyone believes. Considering her frugal life growing up, Reagan dismisses the idea, showing Aiden an old pink box filled with similar colorful, ornate costume jewelry she and her friends played with as children. When they find a decades-sealed container with shocking contents supporting Aiden’s concerns, Reagan begs him to help her find the origin and if it is related to her Nana’s death.

With the answers seemingly rooted in Reagan’s family’s past, they delve into her tragic childhood as the danger escalates. With each new revelation of betrayal and deception, Reagan begins to doubt everything she ever knew about her life.

One of the reviews for the book

Lizzy QUITE THE TWISTY STORY

This was an amazing story that just kept going—giving the reader more and more to ponder.

When Reagan Asher’s grandmother is murdered in her modest home in Ohio, she is wholly unprepared for what follows the tragic event. Everything she thought she knew about her life, her identity, her family, and everything else, unravels before her eyes. Simultaneously, she is questioning her current relationship with Tyler, her boyfriend back in Chicago, as her best friend’s brother-in-law, Aiden, appears on the scene and takes center stage in her heart. But how can she judge anything in the state that she’s in? Who can she trust?

As soon as one question is answered, another is asked. Then another and another. It’s like being in a maze of fun-house mirrors where nothing is what it appears to be. There is threat after threat and mystery after mystery. Will it ever resolve?

Joy York has skillfully plotted a story of deceit that spans the years and is complex and action-packed from beginning to end. I not only enjoyed the suspense aspect of this novel, but Reagan’s evolution as a young woman struck a chord with me. Ms. York did an excellent job of zeroing in on the complexities of human nature and bringing to life relatable, flawed characters that readers can identify with. A thoroughly enjoyable novel.

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

Also by Joy York

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Follow Joy: Goodreads – Website: Joy York – Facebook: Joy York Author – Twitter: @JoyYorkAuthor

And the final book today is for a lovely romance set in Mondana by Linda Bradley – Unbranded (Montana Bred Series 1)

About the book

Threatened by the unexpected, a devoted rancher refuses to compromise her ambition or her legacy.

CHLOE MCINTYRE is determined to become the co-CEO of her grandfather’s Montana ranch, but her father isn’t ready to become partners—yet.

Jaded memories of her parents’ shotgun wedding gone wrong cloud her attraction for best friend Matt Cooper when she discovers she’s pregnant—with his baby. Chloe believes raising a child isn’t in her genes, and she doesn’t expect a marriage proposal. She keeps her condition a secret to hold her position on the ranch and continue what she does best: wrangling strays and working alongside hired hands.

After her father announces his first choice for co-CEO, a wild ride jeopardizes the pregnancy, and Chloe questions life choices. Will the cowgirl grit she has inherited from her grandmother be enough to rein in her disappointment, or will she walk away from everything that could flourish into love?

My review for the book 7th January 2023

It was great to meet up again with Maggie Mcintyre and her family whose story was shared in the Maggie’s Way and other Montana Bound Series books.

Chloe has inherited the grit and love of Montana and cattle ranching from her grandparents and has been lovingly nurtured by her father and step-mother Maggie. The baggage that Chloe is carrying around based on her father’s failed marriage and her absent mother’s lack of presence in her life, has made her form strong opinions about relationships. Not just romantic but with the cowboys she works with. She is ambitious and keen to carve out a future for herself her on the family ranch, and sometimes that is at odds with her father’s wishes but also her safety and that of her unborn child.

She is loved, and the author has created a wonderful support system around this feisty and stubborn young woman as she navigates the intricate interactions with the other main characters in the story. As the plot develops, Chloe learns much about herself and where the future might lie.

The author paints a detailed and engaging world on a busy cattle ranch and takes us along for the ride. All the characters are interesting and play their part in the evolving story, keeping the reader engaged and turning the pages. The romance is subtle and heartwarming and I can recommend to readers who enjoy a gentle but compelling story.

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK

Also by Linda Bradley