Blog Tour: LAST VACATION by Sarah Elle Emm

About the Book:

Seven days have passed since Naples real estate agent Megan MacKenna has heard from her twin sister, Madeline, who was vacationing on the beautiful, Caribbean island of St. Croix. Though authorities are not convinced there is a case to solve, Megan knows with all of her heart something happened to Maddy. When Megan receives a direct warning to leave the island or end up like her sister, she turns to the only person who has taken her seriously since she arrived, Gabe, a breakfast cook at a local diner. 

Undercover DEA agent, Gabriel Walker has been building his cover for months, waiting for the opportunity to work his way into the infamous Torrez crime ring. When Megan shows up asking questions and Gabe realizes her twin’s disappearance might be linked to the Torrez men, he has to convince her to go back to Florida before she becomes their next victim. 

The closer Megan gets to the truth, the more Gabe begins to suspect he is missing a huge piece of the puzzle. And someone is closing in on Megan…

Review:
This is a compelling read, combining romance and suspense. Meg is out of her very controlled analytic element trying to find her sister. Gabe tries to help her without blowing his cover and has his own demons to deal with as well. He doesn't need the distraction she so quickly becomes and hates not being able to tell her the truth. Meg can't convince anyone her sister is still alive and gets warned to go home or she might also disappear. 

Readers who like romance with their suspense and increasing tension will enjoy LAST VACATION. Gabe is likable and it is easy to get wrapped up in Meg's journey. Be prepared for some graphic (violent) scenes but not to excess.


FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review as part of this blog tour. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

Buy Links:

Amazon USA I Amazon UK I Amazon Canada I Amazon India I Kobo I Smashwords

Character Interview with MEGAN:

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?
A day with no responsibilities? I don’t have those. My twin sister, Maddy, has enough free days for the both of us. That being said, if I have everything on my list crossed off for the day, I might read for a bit. I might also stop in one of the boutiques on Fifth Avenue in Naples and pick up a new pair of heels. But only if I’ve finished work for the day.

If you could spend the day with someone you admire (living or dead or imaginary), who would you pick?
That’s easy. I always visit Grandma Lynn when I have time. She’s adamant about living in the retirement home because she says I am too young to have an old lady living with me, but I visit her almost everyday. It is part of my routine. I’d spend the day with both of my parents if they were still around, but I am not sure how that would go. I probably wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut, and I’d ask them why they always had to travel and go off on adventures instead of staying home with Maddy and me. 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? And, what is your current state of mind?
In a perfect scenario, my sister has finally come to her senses and is settled down in Naples, holding a steady job. I no longer have to worry about what sort of trouble she might get into next. Currently, I am frantic and desperate with worry, trying to find her. I’m the only person who can help her. It’s been my job to look after her since our parents died.

What do you consider to be the most overrated virtue and why? 
That’s tough. Before Maddy disappeared, I might have said forgiveness was overrated. I admit, I’ve been a little tough on her all of these years, never really understanding her or forgiving her for making what I consider reckless decisions. But now? That’s she missing? I wish I had told her to her face that I accepted her and wasn’t mad at her for every decision she made. I hope I get the chance to tell her how sorry I am.

Tell us 3 things about yourself that the readers do not know about.
- I secretly admire Maddy for being so daring and going on adventure-seeking vacations. 
- My co-workers always remark about how I have my life together, from my luxury convertible to my designer shoes to my commercial real estate sales record. And yes, I am successful in my career and happy with that part of my life, but underneath it all, I am a bit lonely.
- I’ve never been in love. Even though I thought I loved my ex-boyfriend, I look back now and realize I was in love with the idea of him and the image of us as a power couple. But it wasn’t really love. I doubt I’ll ever be in love.

Read an Excerpt:

Megan parked in front of the bungalow and climbed out of the junky, little car, as she was referring to it now, resisting the urge to kick it. Though the air-conditioning wasn’t working at full power, it had offered some relief from the island temperature. Even though she’d tried to dress weather-appropriately with a short, thin cotton dress, the humid air seemed to reach out to her and settle over her at once, sending a drop of sweat down her temple. Out of habit more than anything, she wiped the sweat away before it could ruin what was left of her make-up. She sighed aloud. She didn’t just miss her Maserati. She missed her office and her house. Her routine. She missed her life. 

Maybe the police were right. Maddy had just left on a whim. It was something she had a reputation for, for Heaven’s sake. Megan wondered if she should just leave and go back to her life. Maddy would probably show up with some ridiculous story and a new tattoo before she knew it. After all, how was she supposed to find her sister if no one had seen or heard of anything bad happening to her? All facts pointed to what the police were saying... 

Maddy checked out of her hotel, and no one had seen her since. 

Of course, she still had questions...Who were the guys she had left the hotel with? Maddy could have gotten involved with a man, but had she left St. Croix with him? It was a definite possibility. Her twin was probably sun tanning on a booze cruise somewhere in the British Virgin Islands by now. Still, before she had left Naples, Maddy had been sober for nearly sixteen months. Had she given up on sobriety? 
As she climbed the steps to her bungalow, Megan tried to convince herself the theory was true. She would go home and wait for Maddy to show up with her new tattoo and tale of sailing the Caribbean islands. Then, she would try, yet again, to convince Maddy to get a job and stay put. And they would have the same old argument about why Maddy refused to act more responsible. 

As she pondered her twin’s recklessness, a hand clamped over her mouth, and her arms were pulled into captivity. 

Everything went dark. 

About the Author:

Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the HARMONY RUN SERIES, a young-adult fantasy and dystopian series, released in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012, OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT, September 2014, NACREOUS, August 2015) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida with her family. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship or snapping photos of Southwest Florida scenery, she is writing.




Stalk the Author:
Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon Author Page

Check out the Release Day Blitz for Last Vacation

Giveaway:

1 Amazon Gift card worth $20

2 Paperback Copies

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: ANTIQUE MAGIC by Eileen Harris

Antique dealer Alicia Trent is hired to appraise a huge collection of treasures hoarded by a woman who has recently died in the town where Alicia grew up.

The huge old house poses mystery after mystery from the moment she arrives, but the stakes become deadly when murder is added to the mix. The question then becomes, can she stay alive long enough to unmask the killer?







Review:
As Ali takes on the job of cataloging all the antiques and "stuff" that Mrs. Hall has accumulated over the years is a massive undertaking in itself.  Add to that the gnawing sense that something about her death might be questionable, the many books on magic, the mysterious tunnels and apartment, and Ali's natural curiosity, and it's easy to get hooked.  The two nice looking men, Dan and Nick, add a little spice to the story, along with Naomi's great cooking.  Ali's a little too down to earth for magic, but some things can't be explained. Well written, with likable characters and expected as well as unexpected twists and turns. I'll be looking forward to more of Ali's mysteries.

Buy Links:
Wings e Press I Amazon I Barnes & Noble

Excerpt:

Without consciously making a decision to do so, I grabbed my robe and headed for the door. If the thief was in the house, it might be my chance to identify him or her. One last glance at the globe showed the black was now mixed with a lot of orange. It looked like a Halloween decoration.

I turned off the light in the room, then quietly unlocked and opened my door. A flashlight would be a big help, but mine was packed in my suitcase. This was the first time I’d needed it. I eased out into the dark hall. A nightlight plugged in at the top of the stairs made a dim glow and I started in that direction. Moving slowly, I listened intently for any unusual noise. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful. I didn’t think anyone had stayed overnight in the house except Naomi and me. The stairs were solid and didn’t make a sound as I crept down. Time moved in slow motion and it seemed to take forever to reach the bottom. Once there, I began making my way to the living room. We always turned off the electronic security on that door at night since there were no potential buyers coming in and out after five. Even though I still hadn’t seen anything suspicious, somehow the atmosphere seemed wrong. Danger seemed to lurk in every dark corner. I was anxious to make sure the items displayed for viewing hadn’t been disturbed. Moving into the room and closing the door seemed to take forever. I couldn’t wait to get the light turned on. At first glance everything looked fine. Walking around the items for a closer look, I still didn’t see any evidence of tampering. Maybe I was overreacting and chasing ghosts. I decided to return to my room, but instead I veered into the study for a quick look. I wasn’t quite ready to admit my fears were just my nerves playing tricks. This time I hadn’t done the smart thing and called for Dan. He had to be tired of my crying wolf and not finding any evidence. I’d need a darn good reason before choosing to disrupt the entire household again.

At first the study also seemed undisturbed, but as my eyes adjusted, my heart skipped a beat. Someone had pushed the button that moved the desk aside. The light on the stairs leading down into the passageway had been turned on. Someone had entered the house, but I couldn’t call Dan from here and didn’t want to lose the chance to discover the identity of the intruder. All of a sudden my policy of not crying wolf didn’t seem so wise. I picked up a large letter opener from the desk and started down the stairs. The cloying feeling of danger increased with each step. The second bookcase on the left hand side of the hall was moved aside, revealing a passage I hadn’t known existed. The walls in this new passage were lined with artwork. Creeping silently along, I noticed that the art consisted of a variety of styles. At a quick glance I saw pen-and-ink, charcoals, watercolors and oils. I wouldn’t know what all was there until I had time to investigate. Right now my attention was focused on finding out who was down here and why. The passage climbed steadily upward. There didn’t seem to be any side doors, at least none that were obvious, until the end of the passage. Here one door opened to the right. By now my sense of direction had become confused and I wasn’t sure what part of the house this passage ran through, but it might be somewhere on the second floor.

About the Author:

From living off the grid in the Arizona desert, Eileen has moved to the woods of upstate New York. She has authored a standalone adventure novel called Desert Shadow. She is also the author of Alicia Trent Series. The Black Cane : Dowager Diaries Book 1 is her latest release.

Stalk The Author

Blog I Facebook I Goodreads I Amazon 

Blog Tour: THE BLACK CANE (Dowager Diaries #1) by Eileen Harris

Book Blurb: 
The decision to help one small boy turns eight elderly women's lives upside-down. Danger becomes a way of life. If the women are going to save the boy and stay alive, they are going to have to use skills that have been dormant way too long. 

Review:
Amelia doesn't particularly like being invisible now that she's 66, but that's just the way it is.  But she's not the only sixty-something (or older) woman who had a career and now retired, with bridge the excitement of their life.  And then along comes Marc and he needs their help.  The eight women now have a problem to solve and put their collective talents to work to help Marc.  In the process they encounter some other twists and turns and find answers to many other questions.  Why is the ruby top of the cane loose?  Their success gives them a new purpose (and a new hobby beyond bridge) and gives one pause - better not underestimate this group (or any others) because of their age.  

About the Author:
From living off the grid in the Arizona desert, Eileen has moved to the woods of upstate New York. She has authored a standalone adventure novel called Desert Shadow. She is also the author of Alicia Trent Series. The Black Cane : Dowager Diaries Book 1 is her latest release.

Links:  GOODREADS
               AMAZON