Showing posts with label Book Tours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Tours. Show all posts

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Mystery Thriller Review: Avarice by Britt Lind

I love finding mysteries to share! This week, I have a thriller series that I'm reviewing--and, this morning, I have Avarice by Britt Lind in our book review spotlight! Learn about the book and the author--and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post! Check out the rest of the series below too if you missed those this week!


About the Book

“An awesome read that should be made into a film!” --Readers’ Favorite

Rosemaria Baker loved being a cop even though at times she had to chase down pimps, drug dealers, and killers who inhabited the sleazy dark world and back alleys of Hollywood. She decided to become a prosecutor because she enjoys putting the bad guys away even more than arresting them. When she met Josh Sibley, a down and out singer songwriter, she had no intention of falling in love with a man with whom she had nothing in common and, even worse, he was a murder suspect in a case she was investigating. But life had other ideas and after a few ups and downs, most of them involving dangerous criminals, they discovered they were soulmates, and their differences became the reason why they fell in love.  Taking a long-awaited holiday in Pacific Beach, California, Rosemaria and Josh are enjoying the sun and each other, anticipating a few days of focusing on the good things in life. Josh is also looking forward to touring Europe with Joell, who is a world-famous singer, as well as being Josh’s friend and mentor. But rain clouds blow in from the ocean and bring a raging storm and an attempt on Rosemaria’s life. She escapes the two gunmen who come after her but is injured in the attack and hospitalized. Josh is adamant that he will not leave for Europe until the shooters are caught. Fortunately, Rosemaria’s former partner, Larry Coleman, whose parents are obscenely wealthy, comes to the rescue. After much persuasion, Josh agrees that Rosemaria will stay with Larry’s parents in their heavily guarded mansion in Holmby Hills, the most exclusive area in the city, until he returns. 
 
Rosemaria, of course, cannot be convinced by her friends to stay out of the investigation. She gets deeply involved in the case from the safety of her gilded cage in the mansion and later, after Josh comes back, amongst the wealthy denizens of Beverly Hills. Working with her ex-homicide-detective father, and her former partners, she helps track down the suspects as they flee California while all her instincts tell her that the person who wants her dead is much closer to home. 

My Review 

 

Excellent continuation of the Series. I enjoyed this entire series — but Avarice was probably my favorite. The author creates a well-paced story that delivers plenty of thrills and twists, keeping readers guessing and engaged. The author's storytelling style focuses on her characters, and the dialogue and scenes feel well-organized and true to each character's role.

 

Avarice Dives Deeper into the Characters. In earlier books of the series, I didn't "love" the romance between Rosemaria and Josh — but that relationship seemed better rooted and developed throughout this novel. As the mystery unfolds, other relationships and characters play stronger roles as well. This novel, as with Malevolence, would appeal to fans of television crime dramas.

 

Would I recommend Avarice by Britt Lind? I enjoyed the even pace of this novel, and I found myself "believing" the characters and the relationships a little more than I did in previous books. Avarice is very well organized, with well-written dialogue and scenes that create a realistic flow to the novel, while entertaining readers from beginning to end — even offering some surprises.  I would definitely recommend this series to fans of police procedural thrillers and mystery novels.

 

 

Buy the Book 

 
Check out the Series

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Mystery Spotlight: Murder on the Squid Row Run by Julia Shovein

This morning, I have a mystery novel in our book spotlight! Learn about Murder on the Squid Row Run and author Julia Shovein! 



Mystery

Date Published: June 10, 2025

Publisher: MindStir Media


 

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Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
affiliate partner. 
 

 About the Book


Set sail for suspense in the thrilling first installment of the Sailing Mystery Series!
 

In Murder on the Squid Row Run, oboist Georgiana Quilter is finally hitting her stride—with a dream orchestra job and a new apartment. But when she agrees to pose as a celebrity’s girlfriend during a glamorous international sailing rally, things take a dark and deadly turn. 

 

A body turns up on board. A child disappears. A saboteur strikes. As the Squid Row Run heads from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Georgiana races to uncover secrets buried at sea—all while navigating a fake romance that’s becoming dangerously real. 

 

Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, strong female sleuths, and nautical adventures, authentic maritime details inspired by the author’s own seven-year circumnavigation. Suspense, wit, and danger at every port

 

“… action-packed with a pitch-perfect ear for all the craziness of an international sailing rally.”
—Cap’n Fatty Goodlander, Cruising World Magazine

 

Love mystery series set on the water? This is your next great read.


 
Buy the Series

Series on Amazon

 


About the Author

 

 Author Julia Shovein brings authenticity and edge to her mystery novels, drawn from a life spent at sea and in service. After a thirty-year career as a university professor of nursing (Professor Emeritus), Julia retired and embarked on a global sailing adventure with her husband, circumnavigating the globe over seven years. 

 

She lived and wrote in exotic locations like New Zealand, Turkey, and London’s St. Katherine Dock. Upon returning home to Paradise, California, Julia and her husband narrowly escaped the devastating Campfire wildfire. These life-altering experiences shaped her writing—and her heroine, Georgiana Quilter. 

 

Now living in Bremerton, Washington, with her husband Horst and husky Blue, Julia is a proud member of the Poulsbo Yacht Club. She’s truly, as Cruising World puts it, “the real thing.”

 

Connect with the Author

Website

Facebook

Youtube

TikTok

Instagram


Buy the Book

Amazon


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Monday, November 24, 2025

Memoir Feature: Book of Me by Kevin Hipes

I love stories--especially life stories, so finding new memoirs to share is always so exciting for me! Today, I have a memoir from author Kevin Hipes. Learn about Book of Me: The Life and Times of Kevin Hipes, the New York Forrest Gump and the author, and buy the book on Amazon today! 



The Life and Times of Kevin Hipes, the New York Forrest Gump


Memoir

Date Published: July 24, 2025


 

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Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
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 About the Book


From the streets of Queens to the deck of an oil tanker in the Caribbean—meet Kevin Hipes, the real-life New York Forrest Gump.

Book of Me is not your average memoir. It’s a laugh-out-loud, tear-in-your-eye, one-of-a-kind true story collection from a man who has lived more lives than most of us can imagine. Factory worker. Hippie. Banker. Entrepreneur. Rockstar (sort of). Preacher. Politician. Oil tanker owner. Cancer survivor. Bipolar truth-teller. Kevin Hipes has worn all these hats—and more.

Told with warmth, humor, and heart, Kevin’s stories come alive in this unconventional autobiography. Originally recorded as a series of YouTube episodes on his channel Planet Hipes, these 66 episodes have been transformed into a compelling, easy-to-read book that invites you to laugh, cry, reflect, and recognize a bit of yourself along the way.

What you’ll find inside:
 Hilarious tales from childhood in Queens
 Life lessons learned the hard way—and the funny way
Private struggles and surprising triumphs
A faith-driven journey of self-discovery and humility
A reminder that we’re all “special” in our own unique way

Whether you're looking for a good laugh, a touch of inspiration, or a wildly entertaining ride through 70 years of true-life adventures, Book of Me will leave you smiling, thinking, and maybe even saying, “Hey, I’ve got a story like that too.”

📺 BONUS: After reading the book, head to Kevin’s YouTube channel Planet Hipes and experience the stories told by Kevin himself—animated, real, and unforgettable.

Because life’s not about the destination—it’s about the journey. And Kevin Hipes has quite a story to tell.

 

Buy the Book

Amazon

 


About the Author

 

 Kevin Hipes is a born storyteller, lifelong entrepreneur, and proud New Yorker with a personality as big as the adventures he's lived. Often called “the New York Forrest Gump,” Kevin’s life has taken him from the streets of Queens to the pulpit, to business boardrooms, and even to the deck of his very own oil tanker in the Caribbean. As Kevin often says “Forrest owned a shrimp boat, but I owned an Oil Tanker and my story is true!”

With no formal writing background, Kevin still managed to turn a lifetime of unbelievable experiences into a heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply human book—Book of Me. Rather than writing in the traditional sense, Kevin recorded over 100 personal episodes for his YouTube channel, Planet Hipes, then compiled them into a unique memoir filled with wit, wisdom,determination, and raw truth.

As an uneducated street kid from Queens, Kevin has lived many lives from factory worker to Hippie, to rockstar (almost), banker, preacher, restaurateur, politician and more. He shares not just the ups and downs of a seven-decade journey but speaks intimately about being a cancer survivor who also struggled through and dealt with a bipolar disorder, keeping the high energy manic side while overcoming the devastating depressions that plagued him through most of his life. You will find Kevin’s faith in God, unrelenting positive mindset and sense of humor make for a powerful story boldly told in his own words.

Kevin currently lives in Orlando, Florida, where he owns and runs HCB Real Estate, a retail commercial brokerage and development firm. Book of Me is his debut memoir and a testament to the power of authenticity, faith, and self-deprecating humor.

Follow Kevin’s stories on YouTube: Planet Hipes and experience the animated storyteller in action.

 

Connect with the Author

Website

YouTube

TikTok


RABT Book Tours & PR

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Science Fiction Spotlight: Earth's Last Encore by Logan Peterson

This morning, I have a science fiction novel in our book spotlight! Learn about Earth's Last Encore and author Logan Peterson--and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.  



Science Fiction

Date Published : 07-24-2025


 

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Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
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 About the Book


Saddled with a dying sun, humanity has no time to catch its breath after barely fighting off alien invaders. A defective yet determined super-soldier, Lieutenant ‘Duck’ Diaz shoulders the task of proving humanity’s worth to the Stellarans, an advanced alien species offering salvation.
 

Haunted by his failures and mistrusted by those he fights to save, Duck finds an unexpected ally in Hannily, the Stellaran princess who believes in the potential for unity. Together, they must bridge the divide between two fractured worlds, confronting betrayal, cultural rifts, and their own doubts to give humanity a second chance at survival—or risk losing everything to the void.

 

 

About the Author


I am a working new father and served in the US Army where I drew inspiration for Earth’s Last Encore. I am a nerd at heart for Anime, Kpop, TCG’s, you name it. When I’m not writing overly introspective work I’m playing with my Corgi and new son. I currently reside in the Minnesota Twin Cities.


Connect with the Author

Website

Twitter

Blog


Buy the Book

Amazon

Barnes and Noble



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Saturday, November 15, 2025

Mystery Release Blitz: Early Snow by Kevin Wolf

Today, I have a new release mystery to share in our release blitz spotlight! Learn about Early Snow and author Kevin Wolf and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post. 


Mystery
Date Published: 11-15-2025

 

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Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
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About the Book

Odyssey Pruit paints pictures of the ghosts and spirits she saw in the halls of an old hotel where she worked ten years before. GUY HOGAN doesn’t believe in ghosts. Hogan is hired to guard Odyssey’s pictures for her first art show in the same old hotel. When an early blizzard closes the roads, knocks out the power and telephone, Hogan is trapped in the hotel with Odyssey’s quirky fans. When imps and ghouls make their presence known, Hogan questions his doubts, and the answer could be murder.

 

Buy the Book 
 

Check out Trailridge (Book One in Wolf's Guy Hogan Mystery Series)

 


About the Author 

Kevin Wolf is an award-winning Mystery and Western author. His books include Trailridge (2024), The Homeplace, winner of the 2015 Tony Hillerman Prize and the 2016 Strand Critics Award finalist for Best Debut Mystery. His short story Belthanger received the 2021 Spur Award for Best Short Fiction and his novel, The Bootheel was a 2024 Peacemaker Award finalist.


The legends and landscape of the West are evident in everything he writes. His newest novel, Trailridge, is set against the grandeur of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park and the 1982 Lawn Lake Flood. Those who visit Rocky often or have chosen the national park for their once-in-a-lifetime destination will recognize the mountains, valleys, rivers, and the twists and turns of Trailridge as this story races to its climax.In The Homeplace, a schoolboy hero returns after sixteen years to solve a murder in a windswept, dying town on the eastern plains of Colorado. In his short story Belthanger, readers are given a glimpse of a 1950s small town, soon to be bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System, and the drama that unfolds on the town’s darkened streets one night. The BootHeel is a coming-of-age tale of a teenage orphan and an aging gunman as they follow a treasure map into Mexico as the nineteenth century draws to its end.


Kevin Wolf is a member of Western Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, and serves as Vice President of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. He facilitates a weekly critique group for other writers. The great-grandson of Colorado homesteaders, he enjoys fly fishing, old Winchesters, and almost every 1950’s Western movie. He lives in Estes Park, CO with his loving and patient wife.
 

Connect with the Author

 


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Thursday, November 13, 2025

Self Help Book Spotlight: From Behind the Clipboard - Lessons from a Wedding Planner by Shari Zatman

For those who’ve ever dreamed in color palettes and seating charts, or for anyone who’s wondered what really goes on in the mind of a wedding planner, today’s spotlight offers a peek behind the clipboard. With equal parts heart, humor, and hard-earned wisdom, this book reminds us that the most meaningful celebrations aren’t about flawless details—they’re about the beautiful, human messiness that makes every love story unique. Learn about From Behind the Clipboard: Lessons From a Wedding Planner and author Shari Zatman! 



From Behind The Clipboard  

Biographical / Self-Help / Wedding Planning

 

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Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
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About the Book

 

One of the most interesting and rewarding aspects of being an event planner is the personal relationships I develop with clients with whom I work. For a period of time, I get to be an integral part of their lives as we plan together to create a lifecycle event that will be long remembered. During this process with them, I am often navigating a range of emotion, family and relationship dynamics, decision paralysis and more. Not only am I a wedding planner and designer, but I often feel that I am a coach, mentor and therapist as well.

 

This book dives deeper than being only a “how to” guide by also including psychological and professional perspective pertaining to the wedding planning process.  It helps address decision making, external influences, financial pressure, stress management, relationship preservation and so much more. I share my advice and pro tips and open up about personal experiences including stories that reflect on what I have learned and the wisdom I can impart to others based upon what I have done successfully in planning and experiences that may not have gone as I had hoped, but became a great lesson for what not to do. I want everyone who is planning a wedding to know that it is absolutely ok for their wedding to be “perfectly imperfect.”

 

Buy the Book

Amazon

 

About the Author


I am a business owner and professional wedding and special event planner.  I have owned Perfectly Planned by Shari for 20 years and have worked in the event industry for approximately 28 years. During this time, I have planned hundreds of weddings and events.

 

Majoring in design and communications in college, I bring my passion for interior design to my events. I worked with my clients on developing the creative vision and curate the style and aesthetic for all events I plan.

 

That being said, my greatest achievement is being a mom and raising my twin, almost 21 year old sons, whom I am immensely proud of for being responsible and kind humans. I believe the best thing I have done in my life has been creating my family.

 

Connect with the Author

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Instagram

Facebook

YouTube



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Friday, November 7, 2025

Memoir Audiobook Spotlight: The Pink Dress by Jane Little Botkin

Sometimes a single dress can tell the story of an entire generation. In The Pink Dress, award-winning author Jane Little Botkin lifts the satin veil on 1970s beauty culture to reveal the grit, heartache, and awakening beneath the glitter. What begins as a whim—a college pageant entry in small-town Texas—unfolds into an unflinching memoir about identity, womanhood, and the power to rewrite one’s own story.

 

Told with honesty and grace, Botkin’s journey as the first Guyrex Girl captures a pivotal moment in American womanhood: when tradition clashed with liberation, and when beauty itself became a battleground for meaning.

 

🎧 Press play, settle in, and prepare to see beyond the sequins—this is one memoir that proves the truth behind the tiara is far more compelling than the crown.

 



Memoir of a Reluctant Beauty Queen


Memoir

Date Published: September 30, 2025

Publisher: She Writes Press/Tantor

Narrator: Ann Marie Gideon

Run Time: 8 hours and 4 minutes



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About the Book
 
 
For fans of Little Miss Sunshine and Secrets of Miss America, this memoir from a national award-winning author reveals the reality of being the first Guyrex Girl in the 1970s. Beauty pageant stories have never been this raw, this real.
 

Growing up in West Texas, Jane Little Botkin didn't have designs on becoming a beauty queen. But not long after joining a pageant on a whim in college, she became the first protégé of El Paso's Richard Guy and Rex Holt, known as the "Kings of Beauty"—just as the 1970's counterculture movement began to take off. 

 

A pink, rose-covered gown—a Guyrex creation—symbolizes the fairy tale life that young women in Jane's time imagined beauty queens had. Its near destruction exposes reality: the author's failed relationship with her mother, and her parents' failed relationship with one another. Weaving these narrative threads together is the Wild West notion that anything is possible, especially do-overs. 

 

The Pink Dress awakens nostalgia for the 1960s and 1970s, the era's conflicts and growth pains. A common expectation that women went to college to get "MRS" degrees—to find a husband and become a stay-at-home wife and mother—often prevailed. How does one swim upstream against this notion among feminist voices that protest "If You Want Meat, Go to a Butcher!" at beauty pageants, two flamboyant showmen, and a developing awareness of self? Torn between women's traditional roles and what women could be, Guyrex Girls evolved, as did the author.

 

 

About the Author

 

A NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR, JANE...

 

melds personal narratives of American families often with compelling stories of western women. Jane is a late bloomer as an author. After teaching for thirty years, she was honored by the Texas State Legislature by formal resolution for her work with local history and education in 2008. She edited and directed publishing fifteen volumes of Texas local history with her former students before she decided to write on her own. Jane's first book propelled her membership on the Western Writers of America board and later as its vice president. Jane continues to judge entries for the WWA's prestigious Spur Award; reviews new book releases; authors articles for various magazines; and speaks to groups in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. 

 

JANE'S FIRST TWO WORKS HAVE WON NUMEROUS AWARDS IN HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY AND WOMEN'S STUDIES... 

 

including two Spur Awards, two Caroline Bancroft History Prizes, the Texas Book Award, and the Barbara Sudler Award for the best book written on the West by a woman. Jane was also a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award, High Plains Book Award, two Women Writing the West’s Willa Literary Awards, Independent Book Award, Foreword Indies Book Awards, and Sarton Book Award. 

 

Released in fall 2024, Jane’s third book—what she calls her Covid book—is The Pink Dress, A Memoir of a Reluctant Beauty Queen, a Foreword Indies Book Award winner in pop culture and Women Writing the West's Willa Literary Award finalist in creative nonfiction. The narrative brings far West Texas to life during the 1970s’ American Counterculture era. 

 

Jane's newest book, The Breath of a Buffalo, A Biography of Mary Ann Goodnight, will be released from the University of Oklahoma Press tentatively in fall 2026. 

 

Today Jane blissfully escapes into her literary world in the remote White Mountain Wilderness near Nogal, New Mexico, when she is not speaking at various events or preparing for her next nonfiction book.

 

Buy the AudioBook

Amazon

 Get an Audible Membership Today!


Connect with the Author

 

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Goodreads

Instagram


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Mystery Book Blitz Spotlight: Murder on the Squid Row Run by Julia Shovein

Author Julia Shovein channels her real-life sailing experience into sharp, sea-swept mystery Murder on the Squid Row Run — a blend of charm, chaos, and clever sleuthing that will make readers crave both the next clue and the next port.

⚓️ Drop anchor and dive in below for an exclusive peek at the voyage that’s making waves!



Mystery

Date Published: June 10, 2025

Publisher: MindStir Media


 

Many of our posts contain affiliate links.

Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
affiliate partner. 




About the Book


Set sail for suspense in the thrilling first installment of the Sailing Mystery Series!

In Murder on the Squid Row Run, oboist Georgiana Quilter is finally hitting her stride—with a dream orchestra job and a new apartment. But when she agrees to pose as a celebrity’s girlfriend during a glamorous international sailing rally, things take a dark and deadly turn.

 

A body turns up on board. A child disappears. A saboteur strikes. As the Squid Row Run heads from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Georgiana races to uncover secrets buried at sea—all while navigating a fake romance that’s becoming dangerously real. 

 

Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, strong female sleuths, and nautical adventures, authentic maritime details inspired by the author’s own seven-year circumnavigation. Suspense, wit, and danger at every port

 

“… action-packed with a pitch-perfect ear for all the craziness of an international sailing rally.”
—Cap’n Fatty Goodlander, Cruising World Magazine

 

Love mystery series set on the water? This is your next great read.



Buy the Book

Amazon

 
Buy the Series

Amazon

 


About the Author

 

 Author Julia Shovein brings authenticity and edge to her mystery novels, drawn from a life spent at sea and in service. After a thirty-year career as a university professor of nursing (Professor Emeritus), Julia retired and embarked on a global sailing adventure with her husband, circumnavigating the globe over seven years. 

 

She lived and wrote in exotic locations like New Zealand, Turkey, and London’s St. Katherine Dock. Upon returning home to Paradise, California, Julia and her husband narrowly escaped the devastating Campfire wildfire. These life-altering experiences shaped her writing—and her heroine, Georgiana Quilter. 

 

Now living in Bremerton, Washington, with her husband Horst and husky Blue, Julia is a proud member of the Poulsbo Yacht Club. She’s truly, as Cruising World puts it, “the real thing.”

 

Connect with the Author

Website

Facebook

Youtube

TikTok

Instagram



RABT Book Tours & PR