MARIAH's THOUGHTS on: Star Mother by Charlie N. Holmberg

Genre:

Adult

Fantasy/Mythology Romance

Series:

Star Mother, #1

Publish Date:

November 1, 2021

Publisher:

47North

(Imprint of Amazon Publishing)

Synopsis:

A woman’s heart proves as infinite as the night sky in a breathtaking fantasy by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

When a star dies, a new one must be born.

The Sun God chooses the village of Endwever to provide a mortal womb. The birthing of a star is always fatal for the mother, and Ceris Wenden, who considers herself an outsider, sacrifices herself to secure her family’s honor and take control of her legacy. But after her star child is born, Ceris does what no other star mother has: she survives. When Ceris returns to Endwever, however, it’s not nine months later—it’s seven hundred years later. Inexplicably displaced in time, Ceris is determined to seek out her descendants.

Being a woman traveling alone brings its own challenges, until Ceris encounters a mysterious—and desperate—godling. Ristriel is incorporeal, a fugitive, a trickster, and the only being who can guide Ceris safely to her destination. Now, as Ceris traverses realms both mortal and beyond, her journey truly begins.

Together, pursued across the Earth and trespassing the heavens, Ceris and Ristriel are on a path to illuminate the mysteries that bind them and discover the secrets of the celestial world.

       

    

*FREE on Kindle Unlimited*

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Praise for Star Mother

“Readers will find entertainment and hope in this sweeping, mythic tale.” —Publishers Weekly

“In this stunning example of amazing worldbuilding, Holmberg (Spellbreaker) features incredible creatures, a love story, and twists no one could see coming. This beautiful novel will be enjoyed by fantasy and romance readers alike.” —Library Journal

“Gods and men mingle in this fantasy tale of celestial beings, battling gods, and time travel. Fans of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust (2008) will appreciate the unique characters in this fantasy adventure.” —Booklist

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Star Mother series:

 

(covers link to Goodreads)

         

  

**Pre-order Star Father (book 2)!**

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**About the Author**

Photo Content from Charlie N. Holmberg

Charlie N. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of fantasy and romance fiction. She is published in 20 languages, has been a finalist for a RITA award and multiple Whitney awards, and won the 2020 Whitney for Novel of the Year for Adult Fiction. Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. She is a proud BYU alumna, plays the ukulele, and owns too many pairs of glasses. She currently lives with her family in Utah.

Stay connected with Charlie N. Holmberg

      

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*My Thoughts*

Star Mother is a tale of love and sacrifice written in the view of Ceris Wenden. Ceris is a loving sister, daughter, and friend, but one day, her carefree life comes to an end. When a star dies, the Sun God chooses a town on Earth Mother, a place where a sacrifice must be made to give birth to a new star. She becomes the lover of the most revered being. Fun-loving, caring, kind, and brave, all these traits describe Ceris from beginning to end, but when she starts her journey and leaves Endwever, she does not stay the same carefree girl from before she left. Ceris faces a new world after seven hundred years of slumber, after what she thought would kill her, and comes into conflict with other godlings that she meets after becoming acquainted with Ristriel a mysterious young godling on his own. Holmberg writes every sentence thoughtfully and Ceris evolves into a fierce and stubborn woman who is more perceptive than she gives herself credit for.

 

It does feel like relationships between characters are a slow burn, with no pun intended, as Ceris deals with her feelings for the Sun God, Ristriel, and this new world where her bloodline may dwell. Are they trustworthy? Can the celestial beings love like a human can? Will Ceris’s bloodline accept her despite the huge gap between them? The imagery throughout produces a mystical atmosphere due to how each detail is embedded into the story and each of Ceris’s perceptions are expressed in detail. From the shiver in her spine on a cold night to the sight of glimmering stars, Star Mother is satisfying to read.

 

The love Ceris has for those she cares for is unconditional and no matter how much she has pain she has persevered, it doesn’t die.

My rating:

BLOG TOUR: A Chef's Kiss by Nina Crespo

Welcome to the Official Blog Tour for Award-winning Author Nina Crespo's A Chef's Kiss, the first book in the Small Town Secrets series! Today, on our tour stop, we have an exclusive excerpt, teaser, and an author-hosted giveaway to share. So... Be sure to check it out and grab your copy now!

Genre:

Adult

Contemporary Romance

Series:

Small Town Secrets, #1

Publish Date:

December 28, 2021

Publisher:

Harlequin

Synopsis:

A satisfying, sexy romantic story from Harlequin’s Special Edition Imprint 

A welcome second chance…Or a recipe for disaster?

After their ill-fated fling quashed her dreams, small-town chef Philippa Gayle’s onetime rival-turned-lover Dominic Crawford upended her life. But when Philippa’s forced together with the celebrity cook on a project that could change her life, there's no denying that the flames that were lit years ago were only banked, not extinguished. Can Philippa trust Dominic enough to let him in…or are they just cooking up another heartbreak?

              

*Excerpt*

Philippa fastened the last black button on her crisp new lime-green kitchen jacket. So much for a simple staff presentation. Not only was she expected to introduce Dominic, per Zurie’s request, she now had to stay for his entire cooking demonstration. 

She snatched the empty packaging for the jacket from her desk. Underneath it was the bio for Dominic that his publicist had dropped off not too long ago.

Chef extraordinaire. Bestselling author. Star of an acclaimed cooking show. A pampered chef focused on his public persona. Was that who she was dealing with for the next few weeks?

As she stepped out of her office into the kitchen, a few of the staff walked by.

“I don’t care what he makes,” one of the servers said. “I just want to hear his voice as he describes it. He could make mud pies sound irresistible.”

Philippa kept her face neutral as she followed behind them, but inside, she gave an inner eye roll”

“I’m just glad he’s not like some celebrities,” a kitchen helper responded. “The way he stood up for us about where we could sit in the dining room proves he actually cares about people who work in the kitchen.”

Stood up for them? Was there not enough seats?

Philippa flagged down Quinn. “I heard something about there being a problem with seating for the demo. Is everything okay?”

“Oh, yes, it’s fine now. There was just some mix-up with the publicity person. She said all the Pasture Lane employees would have to sit in the back and let everyone else sit up front. But Dominic set her straight.”

As Quinn rushed into the dining room, Philippa hung back and peered through the window near the top of the right-hand door.

“How does it look out there?”

The resonant tone of Dominic’s voice coming from behind ignited a frisson of awareness that moved along Philippa’s spine and tingled across her nape.

“It’s a full house.” She calmed an unsteady breath and faced him.

Up close, he looked even better than he had in the lobby. But hints of fatigue were in his eyes. She hadn’t taken his present work schedule into consideration when she’d asked him to do the cooking demo.

“Thank you...”

“I’m sorry...”

They both spoke at the same time.

Dominic gestured for her to speak first.

“I appreciate you adding this to your full schedule. And for making sure my staff have front-row seats. If they weren’t already fans of chef extraordinaire, Dominic Crawford, they are now.”

“Chef extraordinaire?”

She’d meant to tease him, but from his slight wince, her attempt had fallen flat. “That didn’t come out right. I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I was just referring to the intro Amber gave me.”

“I should have guessed.” He smiled, but as he glanced at the paper in her hand a shadow of discomfort moved across his face. “You don’t have to say all that. Owner of Frost & Flame is fine.”

“And have Amber come after me? No, thank you.”

Dominic gave a low chuckle. “Yeah, she’s insistent.” He took a step forward and the subtle notes of his cologne wafted into the space between them. “About the changes with the demo. I—”

The door opened behind Philippa, pitching her forward, and her hand with the paper landed on his solid chest.

Dominic took hold of her arms. “You okay?”

As she looked into his eyes, familiarity washed over her. The automatic desire to lean into him almost overwhelmed her.

Amber peeked past the door. “Chef Gayle, good. You’re right where you’re supposed to be.”

~~~~~

**About the Author**

Nina Crespo lives in Florida where she indulges in her favorite passions — the beach, a good glass of wine, date night with her own real-life hero and dancing.

 

Her lifelong addiction to romance began in her teens while on a “borrowing spree” in her older sister’s bedroom where she discovered her first romance novel.

Let Nina’s sensual contemporary stories and steamy paranormal tales feed your own addiction for love, romance, and happily ever after.

Stay connected with Nina on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or through her newsletter.

Stay connected with Nina Crespo

     

  

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***The Giveaway***

Giveaway Open to the U.S. Only

- ends January 6, 2022

Note: Not Responsible for Lost & Damaged Prizes in Your Mail Box

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