• Contemporary,  Is It True

    Is It True: Too True To Be Good by Mary E Thompson @authormet #RLFblog #contemporary

    Play Is It True with today’s guest Mary E Thompson, author of Too True To Be Good, a Contemporary Romance. This is a game in which authors answer yes and no questions. They can elaborate on answers as much as they choose.

    First, tell us about your book.

    His life was good…

    Zach Bennett was content to go to work, hang out with his family and friends, and entertain a woman once in a while. As his family found love all around him, he was content to stay single. Unattached. Happy.

    Besides, he had enough to worry about with a new chef breathing down his neck for his job.

    She faced the truth every day…

    Gianna Brooks always wanted to work with people. She saw enough growing up to know kids need all the help they can get. They deserved to be safe. Loved. Happy.

    Which is why she’s determined to get her new client into a forever home.

    But the truth isn’t always good…

    The last thing Zach needs is a little girl showing up on his doorstep claiming she’s his. Her social worker hot on her heels, and demanding a place to stay, definitely doesn’t make it any better. Especially with Gianna’s curvy body and bedroom eyes, and his daughter’s sad sweetness, making him consider keeping both of them.

    Gianna knows she should run. Zach knows he should send them away. But neither of them can resist the pull toward the other.

     

    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R

    Genre: Contemporary Romance

    Now, tell us Yes or No for each answer below. Feel free to explain any (or none) of your answers.

    Is it true:

    this is your first book?
    No. This is my 36th book.
    this book is part of a series?
    Yes. This is the fifth book in the Raise A Glass series, where nine cousins find love on their vineyard in the Finger Lakes in central New York.
    you lost sleep while writing this book?
    Yes! Way too much unfortunately!
    you did research for this book?
    Yes. I spent three days in the Finger Lakes touring vineyards and learning more about the area. I also read a lot of books about the area, and of course, about making wine. There might have been some sampling in there, too!
    some characters in this book are not human? (pets for example)
    No. All characters are human.
    this book has more than one genre?
    No. It’s pretty straight contemporary romance.
    you speak more than one language?
    No. I wish!
    you grew up where you live now?
    Yes! I lived in South Carolina for seventeen years, but two and a half years ago, my family moved back to the area I grew up in New York.
    you love to read?
    Yes. Absolutely! Sometimes I think I read more than I write, which is not good!
    you are never late?
    Ugh, no. I wish I was never late, but it’s one of those things I’m bad about.
    you love pizza?
    Yes. Although I’m pretty simple and like cheese and pepperoni most of the time. Adventurous for me on a pizza is adding some bell peppers!
    you love sushi?
    No. I’ve sampled some and like it, but wouldn’t say I love it!
    you have a pet?
    Yes. One solid gray cat named Zada. She’s fourteen and not very friendly, but she’s a part of the family so we just warn visitors not to get too close!
    Where can we find your book online?
    Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074VDYHK2/
    Barnes and Noble http://barnesandnoble.com/s/2940158590726
    iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/too-true-to-be-good/id1272226740?mt=11
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/too-true-to-be-good

    Mary E Thompson Social Media

    Mary E Thompson grew up loving to read, like a good little girl. Many nights she would fall asleep with the flashlight still turned on as she hid under the covers trying to finish the last few pages of a book. As an adult, the light from her ereader means she doesn’t need a flashlight, but she still stays up way too late to finish a book.

    When Mary’s not reading, she’s playing with her two kids or living out her own real life romance novel with her hubby. She has a weakness for chocolate, especially when it’s paired with peanut butter, and has been known to have a bad day just because there’s no chocolate in the house. Unless there’s wine. Then everything is okay.

    Mary grew up in Buffalo, New York and swears she’s the only local to never ski or snowboard. Soccer was always her sport, with a couple adventures white water rafting and skydiving to keep things interesting. Mary moved to South Carolina for college but missed Buffalo every day. Yeah, she thinks she’s crazy, too. She somehow convinced her South Carolina born and bred hubby to return to Buffalo to raise their kids and live out their lives. He’s still not sure what he was thinking.
    Website http://maryethompson.com
    Blog http://maryethompson.com/blog
    Twitter http://twitter.com/authormet
    Facebook http://facebook.com/authormaryethompson
    Pinterest http://pinterest.com/metdaisy7
    Goodreads http://goodreads.com/maryethompson
    Amazon Author Page http://amazon.com/author/maryethompson
    Newsletter http://maryethompson.com/fiction-free/

  • Contemporary

    Never A Bridesmaid, Always A Bride @AuthorMET #RLFblog #contemporary

    Welcome Mary E Thompson author of Never A Bridesmaid, Always
    A Bride, a new contemporary romance.
    Why did you write this book?
    There are constantly
    stories running through my head. I have enough ideas to keep me busy for the
    next few years. But this story… titles come to me first. I thought of the title
    and it kept going from there. A woman who had multiple failed marriages, but no
    one she was close to who asked her to be a bridesmaid. A woman who got married
    again and again, and again, for different reasons, but always felt alone. I
    wanted to help her find happiness.
    When I added in the
    Finger Lakes area of New York, a spot that’s the picture of small town America,
    it all fell together. Throw in a big family, a quirky matriarch, and lots of
    wine, and you’ve got a story!
    What is your favorite genre to read?
    Contemporary romance.
    I enjoy reading about people I feel I can relate to.
    Who is your favorite character from fiction (not
    including your own)?
    I confess, I’m a
    sucker for a superhero. If we’re talking general fiction, I’d have to say
    Captain America is my favorite. He’s the quintessential good guy. Protector.
    Lover, but sometimes a fighter. And sexy.
    If we’re sticking to
    books, I’d have to say Bailey Moore from My Kind of Wonderful by Jill Shalvis.
    My Kind of Wonderful came out two months after I finished chemo treatments for
    Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and, without giving too much away, I connected with Bailey.
    She was strong and determined and ready to take on the world. She was done
    letting anything hold her back, and I admired the hell out of her for that,
    even though she’s fictional!
    What are you working on at the moment?
    My next release,
    Curvaceous and Captivating, is my current focus. It’s almost finished and
    will be available next month.
    What books will we see from you in coming months?
    There is more coming
    in this series, Raise A Glass, as more cousins find their happily ever after.
    The next book will be out May 30. I’m also continuing my Big and Beautiful
    series. The eleventh book releases April 18.
    Please tell us about your latest book.
    Genre Contemporary
    Romance
    Book heat level (based
    on movie ratings): R (for language and open door sexual encounters)
    Alyssa
    Morgan thought she’d never set foot on her family’s vineyard again. Fifteen
    years was a long time to be away, but not nearly long enough when she has
    nothing to show for her time. Unless you’d count three failed marriages, two
    parents she barely spoke to, one disastrous attempt at a college degree, and
    zero friends to count on.
    Jake
    Monroe thought about leaving Amavita Estates many times after Alyssa left him.
    Over the years, her family became his family. They accepted him. Loved him.
    Healed him. Her family was the family he never had, and without her around to
    remind him otherwise, he could pretend he was one of them.
    Until she
    walked back into his world looking nothing like the girl he used to know.
    Alyssa
    knows she needs to stay away from Jake. Jake wants nothing to do with her. But
    the chemistry that drew them together fifteen years ago is stronger than they
    are.
    Especially
    when Jake glimpses the vulnerability she’s trying to hide. His old protective
    instincts kick in. He wants to soothe her old hurts, and maybe her new ones,
    too. But Jake doesn’t know if he can move beyond their past to be friends, let
    alone what he thought they would become. And Alyssa doesn’t know if she can
    lean on him again when there’s still another woman in his life.
    Amazon
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQVF79A
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/never-a-bridesmaid-always-a-bride-mary-e-thompson/1125323279?ean=2940153908359
    Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/never-a-bridesmaid-always-a-bride
    Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/689227

    Mary E Thompson Social Media

    Mary E. Thompson grew up loving to read, like a good little
    girl. Many nights she would fall asleep with the flashlight still turned on as
    she hid under the covers trying to finish the last few pages of a book. As an
    adult, the light from her ereader means she doesn’t need a flashlight, but she
    still stays up way too late to finish a book.
    When Mary’s not reading, she’s playing with her two kids or
    living out her own real life romance novel with her hubby. She has a weakness
    for chocolate, especially when it’s paired with peanut butter, and has been
    known to have a bad day just because there’s no chocolate in the house. Unless
    there’s wine. Then everything is okay.
    Mary grew up in Buffalo, New York and swears she’s the only
    local to never ski or snowboard. Soccer was always her sport, with a couple
    adventures white water rafting and skydiving to keep things interesting. Mary
    moved to South Carolina for college but missed Buffalo every day. Yeah, she
    thinks she’s crazy, too. She somehow convinced her South Carolina born and bred
    hubby to return to Buffalo to raise their kids and live out their lives. He’s
    still not sure what he was thinking.
    Website
    http://maryethompson.com
    Blog http://maryethompson.com/blog
    Twitter https://twitter.com/authormet
    Facebook https://facebook.com/authormaryethompson
    Pinterest https://pinterest.com/metdaisy7
    Goodreads https://goodreads.com/maryethompson
    Amazon Author Page https://amazon.com/author/maryethompson
    Newsletter http://maryethompson.com/fiction-free/

  • RLF Gems

    #Romance Lives Forever Top Bloggers @tinadonahue @JArleneCuliner #RLFblog

    The Top Blogger for this month is Tina Donahue, who wins a month of free advertising on the blog. Our
    Top Blogger of the Year in 2015 was Sabrina York, who won a year of free advertising
    for 2016.

    About Tina Donahue

    Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/1ChWFkO
    Triberr: http://bit.ly/1CE2ec7
    Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas: http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K
    Romance Books 4 US: http://bit.ly/1JPtfeS

    Top Five Bloggers for the Month

    Each month, the RLF Gems post ranks in the top ten, but is not
    counted, in order to focus on guests. The winners are judged by page views. Congratulations
    to each one!
    1 Tina Donahue
    2 J Arlene Culiner
    3 Rue Allyn
    3 Mary E Thompson
    4 Milou Koenings
    5 Lisa M Owens
    Honorable mention: Red
    L Jameson

    Top Chatters for the Month

    Because the person who gets the most comments in a month is not always the
    person who

    gets the most page views per month, I instituted the Top Chatter Award.
    This is the award for the person who receives the most comments. To win, a guest
    must have five or more comments (not counting the guest author’s). There can be
    up to three winners.

    This month’s winner’s are:
    1 Red L Jameson
    2 Adele Downs
    3 Milou Koenings
    Romance Lives Forever features authors and new books. It has
    a blogger’s FAQ page with a downloadable guide and six optional interviews. Readers
    can follow via Google+, Networked Blogs, Linky Followers, email, an RSS feed, and
    there’s a blog button readers and authors can grab. Authors can share previous books.
    The blog uses author or publisher names as tags on posts, and author Twitter handles
    in the titles. The site is broadcast over Triberr with a potential reach of over
    3.5M readers via its Twitter-linked network. Twitter mentions are also gathered
    in several Paper.li ezines, giving the author additional opportunities for promotion.
    The Romance Lives
    Forever Paper.li ezine
    features only guest authors.
    Each post is featured on the Romance Lives Forever Pinterest
    board within a few days after it goes live. http://www.pinterest.com/kayelleallen/romance-lives-forever-rlfblog/

    Share your book cover on Romance Lives Forever

    Limited spots to share book covers are available. Cost is $5
    per month, with a 20% discount for one quarter and up to one year. Covers can be
    changed monthly.

    RLFblog Admin – Nicole Morgan

    Author Nicole Morgan assists me with scheduling for Romance Lives
    Forever. She is the blog admin. Look for emails from her. Nicole and I want to ensure
    everyone who requests a spot on the blog gets a personal response. Please use this
    email if you have questions or need help: rlfblog-owner@yahoogroups.com We
    both receive email sent here. You don’t have to join a group or do anything special.
    This group simply provides a joint email for us and streamlines things for you.
    The email address is included in all downloadable interviews on the FAQ page.

    Sign Up for a Future Post

    Guest calendar http://bit.ly/rlf-guests
    My thanks to all who took part this month. You made Romance Lives
    Forever a great place to discover new books and authors. 
    Other participants this month
    in alphabetical order by first name are:

    Amanda Mackey, Brita Addams, Claire Gem, Dena Hankins, Houston Havens, Jessica
    Cale, Kathy Kulig, Kayelle Allen, Kristina Knight, Laurel Richards, Lisa
    Detweiler, Livia Quinn, Marian Lanouette, Nicole Morgan, Olivia Night, Sarah
    Marsh, Vicki Batman
  • Contemporary

    Meet Abby Bentley from Puffy and Precious #romance @AuthorMET #RLFblog

    Meet Abby Bentley from Puffy andPrecious by Mary E. Thompson.

    Author Bio

    Mary E. Thompson grew up loving to read, like a good little girl. Many nights she would fall asleep with the flashlight still turned on as she hid under the covers trying to finish the last few pages of a book. As an adult, the light from her ereader means she doesn’t need a flashlight, but she still stays up way too late to finish a book. 
    When Mary’s not reading she’s playing with her two kids or living out her own romance novel with her hubby. She has a weakness for chocolate, especially when it’s paired with peanut butter, and has been known to have a bad day just because there’s no chocolate in the house. 
    Mary grew up in Buffalo, New York and swears she’s the only local to never ski or snowboard. Soccer was always her sport, with a couple adventures white water rafting and skydiving to keep things interesting. Mary moved to South Carolina for college but missed Buffalo every day. Yeah she thinks she’s crazy, too. She somehow convinced her South Carolina born and bred hubby to return to Buffalo to raise the kids and live out their lives. He’s still not sure what he was thinking.

    About the Book

    Title Puffy and Precious
    Genre Contemporary Romance
    Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
    He came for the puffy treats and stayed for the precious woman.
    Abby is moving on with her life. After she caught her husband cheating, live and in person, she divorces him and starts living for herself instead of doing everything for him. Abby opens her own bakery, changes her look, and moves out on her own for the first time ever. The only thing she isn’t ready to do is date.
    Graham helped Abby get her bakery up and running. As a carpenter he loved the challenge of turning the blank space into a bakery. Even more than that, he loved getting to know the beautiful new tenant.
    When Abby’s ex learns she’s moving on with her life and doesn’t need him, he isn’t happy. Abby always did everything for him, and he’s not willing to let go of that dedication.
    Now Abby is stuck between the man who made her feel needed, but never wanted, and a man who makes her feel wanted but doesn’t need her. Abby needs to figure out what she wants – the man from her past, the one who promises her a future, or the present she’s fallen in love with, alone.

    Introducing Abby Bentley

    Welcome to Romance Lives Forever! We’re happy to have you here today.
    Name: Abby
    Age: 27
    Gender: Female
    Birthplace: Winterville, NY
    Profession: Baker
    Ethnicity/Species (if not human): Caucasian
    Describe your body and build, skin tone, height and weight. Include any unique features such as dimples, freckles, or scars.
    I carry more than a little extra weight for someone who’s only 5’4” tall. My friends say I’m not that big, but size 16 feels huge, especially since I wear a 38DD bra. My green eyes are nice though, and I think I have an okay smile. I’m in love with my hair now. I just dyed it blonde and am growing it out. It really is true. Blondes do have more fun. Or maybe that’s just because I’m divorced now!
    Who is the significant other in your life?
    Ha! Next question. Seriously, one ex-husband is one too many. I’m not looking to make that mistake again. I’ll keep the others insignificant… maybe one day.
    Please tell us a little about yourself.
    I’ve found a new freedom since I got divorced. Of course, being divorced at 27 kind of sucks, almost as much as catching my ex cheating, but at least I found out what was going on before we had kids. I’m still young enough that I can adopt one day because I’m definitely not getting married ever again.
    Since I can do whatever I want now, I’ve opened my own bakery. It’s been fun, but more stressful than I expected. I never could have done it without my brother, Max, and Graham. Graham was amazing. He took my dream and made it a reality. I owe him. He’s so talented. Sexy too.
    Are you book-smart, self-taught, widely-experienced?
    Definitely self-taught. Or maybe Grams-taught would be more accurate. Yeah, I have a degree, but it doesn’t do much good for me. Learning to bake is something I’ve had to do over time with lots of practice.
    On what special skills do you rely?
    My creativity. I have to say I’ve become a very crafty baker. I’m not afraid to try different things and see if they’re any good. If something sucks, I lose a few hours. If it’s awesome though, I could easily gain some new customers. It’s also helped make my bakery into exactly what I hoped it would be.
    Are you close to family?
    I am. My brother was always my support growing up. Even now he’s there for me. Heck, I’m living in his apartment even though he’s married and moved out. My mom and grandmother are amazing, too. Without the three of them I don’t know where I’d be. I only wish my dad were still alive.
    How do others perceive you based upon looks, and is this assumption accurate?
    When people come into SkinnyCakes, my bakery, I know they’re shocked to find me behind the counter. A lot of them give me a nasty once over that makes me feel like I’m not good enough. I’ve thought about changing the name of my bakery, but I’m not going to. Just because I’m not skinny doesn’t mean what I bake isn’t. And just because I’m not skinny doesn’t mean I can’t bake healthy and make something people will love.
    Do you care about what others assume about you?
    That’s a tough question. It’s hard to say I can ignore it even though I’d love to be able to. Being vulnerable is part of what makes us human, right? I guess I care the most what my friends and family think of me. If strangers who’ve never taken the time to get to know me are going to judge me, I’ll do my best to ignore it.
    Can you keep a secret? Why or why not?
    Yes, but I’d rather not. Secrets destroyed my marriage. I don’t think secrets are a good thing. Unless there’s a surprise party at the end of the secret. Then it’s okay.
    What are your biggest hopes and dreams?
    I’d love to have kids one day, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I pretty much gave up that dream when I walked away from my marriage. Of course having kids in that situation wouldn’t have been good either. I’m just trying to convince myself I’m okay with it.
    If you could make any one thing happen, what would it be?
    I’d give babies to all my friends who want to get pregnant. Maybe one for me too, but my happily married friends who are trying for kids… They should have them first.

    Buy This Book

    Publisher BluEyed Press
    Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/puffy-precious-mary-e-thompson/1123908803?ean=2940153069036

    Author Social Media

    Blog http://maryethompson.com/blog
  • RLF Gems

    #Romance Lives Forever Top Bloggers @tinadonahue @sabrina_york #RLFblog

    The Top Blogger for this month is Tina Donahue, who wins a month of free advertising on the blog. Our
    Top Blogger of the Year in 2015 was Sabrina York, who won a year of free advertising
    for 2016.

    About Tina Donahue

    Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/1ChWFkO
    Triberr: http://bit.ly/1CE2ec7
    Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas: http://bit.ly/1ChWN3K
    Romance Books 4 US: http://bit.ly/1JPtfeS

    Top Five Bloggers for the Month

    Each month, the RLF Gems post ranks in the top ten, but is not
    counted, in order to focus on guests. The winners are judged by page views. Congratulations
    to each one!
    1 Tina Donahue
    2 Susan Vaughn
    3 Diane Saxon
    4 Kryssie Fortune
    5 Carmen Stefanescu
    Honorable mention: Kris
    Bock, Jose Riviera

    Top Chatters for the Month

    Because the person who gets the most comments in a month is not always the
    person who

    gets the most page views per month, I instituted the Top Chatter Award.
    This is the award for the person who receives the most comments. To win, a guest
    must have five or more comments (not counting the guest author’s). There can be
    up to three winners.

    This month’s winner’s are:
    1 Sabrina York
    2 Carmen Stefanescu
    3 Susan Vaughn
    Romance Lives Forever features authors and new books. It has
    a blogger’s FAQ page with a downloadable guide and six optional interviews. Readers
    can follow via Google+, Networked Blogs, Linky Followers, email, an RSS feed, and
    there’s a blog button readers and authors can grab. Authors can share previous books.
    The blog uses author or publisher names as tags on posts, and author Twitter handles
    in the titles. The site is broadcast over Triberr with a potential reach of over
    3.5M readers via its Twitter-linked network. Twitter mentions are also gathered
    in several Paper.li ezines, giving the author additional opportunities for promotion.
    The Romance Lives
    Forever Paper.li ezine
    features only guest authors, and the day’s guest is on
    its front page every day.
    Each post is featured on the Romance Lives Forever Pinterest
    board within a few days after it goes live. http://www.pinterest.com/kayelleallen/romance-lives-forever-rlfblog/

    Share your book cover on Romance Lives Forever

    Limited spots to share book covers are available. Cost is $5
    per month, with a 20% discount for one quarter and up to one year. Covers can be
    changed monthly.

    RLFblog Admin – Nicole Morgan

    Author Nicole Morgan assists me with scheduling for Romance Lives
    Forever. She is the blog admin. Look for emails from her. Nicole and I want to ensure
    everyone who requests a spot on the blog gets a personal response. Please use this
    email if you have questions or need help: rlfblog-owner@yahoogroups.com We
    both receive email sent here. You don’t have to join a group or do anything special.
    This group simply provides a joint email for us and streamlines things for you.
    The email address is included in all downloadable interviews on the FAQ page.

    Sign Up for a Future Post

    Sign up form http://bit.ly/rlf-date 
    Guest calendar http://bit.ly/rlf-guests
    My thanks to all who took part this month. You made Romance Lives
    Forever a great place to discover new books and authors.
    Other participants this month
    in alphabetical order by first name are:
    Ally Bishop, Alyse Raines, Anne Kane, Brita Addams, Cherry Wild and
    Sophia Soror, Houston Havens, Iris Blobel, Jon Michaelsen, Kayelle Allen, Laurel
    Richards, Leslie Ann Sartor, Livia Quinn, Liz Flaherty, Lynette Sofras, Mary J.
    McCoy-Dressel, MJ Greenway, Nicole Evelina, Nicole Morgan, Olivia Night, Taylor
    Brooks