Book Blast & Giveaway: Love Letters to Me, Myself and Him by Rayan Khamis

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Rayan Khamis will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

"No two souls meet by accident"

Have you ever felt like you've missed someone you've never met? Like your soul is yearning to meet another soul that fate has destined for you to meet? As I tackle the challenges of everyday life I come to realization that there's a higher power guiding me to my soulmate. These love letters have become my anchor and devotion towards my soulmate though we've never locked eyes. Come on a journey of self- discovery, self- reflection, faith, destiny and hope. Unwind to my truth of what love, guidance and faithfulness means to me.

Read an Excerpt

Dear Rayan

You're going to inspire so many people soon. You will be surprised when you find out how many people want to hear you talk. You’re an artist in so many ways. You’ll be remembered by the things you left behind. You’re going to do so many wonderful things, my love. First and foremost, don’t ever be afraid of crying. No matter where you are, if you need to cry a river, do so. If you don’t like crying alone, make sure you have a trusted friend by your side for comfort; and say, for example, you’re at dinner and something you saw or heard triggers you, go to a quiet area and let it rain. Don’t mix up fear with crying because then you’ll always be afraid. Crying can be therapeutic as well, especially if it’s tears held back from a young age. I have a lot of love for a lot of people and things. I had to grow up and, unfortunately, realize that not everything you love loves you back. I have love for the risk-takers and the hopeless romantic. Sacrifice and love is so beautiful.

About the Author: Rayan, a talented 27-year-old author, hails from Sudan, North Africa. She moved to Canada at the tender age of four, where she has cultivated a unique voice in the literary world. Though she discovered her passion for writing later in life, it was in 2019 that she first picked up a pen to craft love letters, a genre that has since become her signature.

Known for her wit and quiet demeanor around most people, Rayan's true personality shines brightly when she is among her loved ones, where her loud and vibrant nature comes to life. Her writing reflects this duality, blending sharp humour with heartfelt emotion to create deeply resonant works that captivate her readers.

Rayan's journey from Sudan to Canada and her experiences growing up between two cultures provide a rich backdrop for her writing, infusing her love letters with a depth and authenticity that set her apart in the literary scene. As she continues to write and share her stories, Rayan remains a dynamic and compelling voice, one that speaks to the complexities of love, identity, and connection.

Instagram : http://www.instagram.com/rayanroseay
TikTok : http://www.tiktok.com/@aboutusletters

Rayan Khamis will be awarding a

$10 Amazon/BN gift card to a

randomly drawn winner. 

First Chapter Review & Giveaway: Between Today and Someday by Ann M. Trader

 

I received the first chapter of this contemporary romance from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions.

BLURB: Prim Vreeland is an emergency department nurse, and after a string of disappointing relationships, her own heart needs life support. On a leap of faith, she moves home and is surprised when her brother’s best friend—and her secret childhood crush—has the same idea. As attraction sparks, she finds her usual steady footsteps treading on quicksand. 

Sportfishing media influencer Chase Bova realizes it’s time to swap life on the road for hometown roots. When he crosses paths with Prim, she tangles his line, tying it in knots. Her charm reminds him why he’d steered clear of her years ago…and should probably do the same now. 

As their irresistible connection turns into romance, questions of honesty and commitment linger. Will Prim and Chase dig deep for the courage to face their past and together, discover what really lies between today and someday?

COVER: Love the pink color, the treehouse ties into the plot, and the two main characters appear on the front. Not the fanciest design I've ever seen, but it works well. 

FIRST CHAPTER: Prim is roped into singing at a friend's wedding. She soon learns that Chase Bova, one of her brother's childhood friends, will also be in attendance. Having been disappointed in love before, she's not eager to run into Chase, whom she has been crushing on for decades. 

KEEP READING: Definitely! Though there is a healthy dash of backstory in this opening chapter, the author spreads it out between lightly emotional and occasionally deep banter amongst Prim, her friend Tiffany, and her siblings. Prim seems to be someone you can easily root for, and since the reader gets Chase's point of view in the next chapter, the tension is bound to ramp up soon. 

EXCERPT:

Prim 

“Prim!” 

I stopped and turned around…and sucked in a breath. As good as Chase looked in his videos, the camera fell short of capturing his simmering, rugged good looks. He was even taller than I remembered, and his chest and shoulders still qualified for their own zip code. His hair was thick and sandy blond, a little mussed, but smoothed back with the ends brushing his neck. His biceps looked as though they could bench press a cow without so much as a flinch. 

His warm, lazy smile lent a hint of mischief to his face. His approach was interrupted by a couple of guys wanting to shake his hand, and when he turned his head toward them, I glimpsed the hard line of his jaw and smooth neck. 

When he got to me, his expression softened like he was looking at someone familiar yet seeing her altogether differently. Or maybe it’s just my wishful thinking. 

“Hey.” 

I steadied my breath before speaking. “Hi.” 

He tipped his head toward the stage. “Wow, that right there? That was nothing like how you sang when you were a kid.” I must have pulled a puzzled look because he quickly added, “You know, your tire swing serenades?” 

I bit my lower lip, fighting a smile. “Oh, God. You remember that…?” 

“I do. I heard you loud and clear in The Hideout. Kind of drove Thorne a little crazy sometimes, but I dunno,” he said, shrugging. “It never bothered me so much.” 

I took a step forward and threw my arms around him. Not at all what I’d planned in anticipation of seeing him again, but it felt right. Being so close to him made me feel like I was a kid again. Only brushing against his chest reminded me, well…he was no kid. 

Chase whispered over my ear. “It’s good to see you.” 

I nodded, knowing I should let him go, but he smelled too good—like mint and clean soap. When I finally released him, I said quietly, “It’s good to see you, too.”

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wild Rose Press (April 21, 2025)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 236 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509260900
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509260904

Social media and purchase links:

Bluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/anntrader5.bsky.social

Amazon Author:https://www.amazon.com/author/annmtrader

BookBub:https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ann-m-trader

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/annmtraderbooks

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21925238.Ann_M_Trader

X:https://x.com/anntrader5

Ann M. Trader will be awarding

 a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. 

This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - May 5

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.   

Welcome to the first Monday in May! It is the season of graduations, finals, and First Communions around here. This weekend, we also had our first microburst of the year. Lots of trees were down, and thousands were without power. It was quite a freaky storm. Not the usual weather event, but we see them more lately. 

On a personal note, the last two weeks were an emotional roller coaster that I am happy to finally see come to a stop. I'm into week three of no day off. The spring season is crazy this year. Glad to be busy, but I am exhausted. I'm taking off Mother's Day even if I lose business over it. My life coach and I are working on the process of setting boundaries, not something I am great at... clearly. 

Our annual Rick's Place Walk, Run, Remember fundraiser took place on April 26th to support Rick's Place in Wilbraham, MA. We offer free grief support to children, teens, and families. I was flying out to see the Lil' Princess that day, but I stopped by to help set up and grab a few photos. 

We only stayed for the weekend, but got to see the Lil' Princess in her dance show. She is at the end of the front line. 

Then we came back home in time for some of my colleagues and me to celebrate the Wilbraham Clean Up Day a few days early. You can't imagine how much trash there can be around the soccer fields. 

Then things took an unexpected turn. We had to put Giggles down. I called the Lil' Princess, and she flew home from North Carolina this Friday after finals so she could say goodbye to her beloved kitty. Our cat quartet is now a trio, which seems very odd right now. We are so sad about this unexpected loss. 

The Lil' Diva had a small dance recital on Saturday, which helped to distract us from our loss. She is in the middle with her arms out, wearing black leggings. 

To say I am emotionally drained is an understatement. The husband's birthday is coming up on Wednesday, and I haven't figured out a single thing to do for him, and I have a meeting that night. 

That's enough whining for a Monday. Let's talk about better things. 

Loved this book so much. You can read my review here. 

This giveaway is still open. You can enter for your chance to win here. 

I would also love it if you would answer this short survey for bloggers. You can find it here.

Didn't touch this one this week. I probably won't read this until we leave for vacation in July. Too much going on these days. 

These are next, along with a few First Chapter Reviews coming up. You can see upcoming events below. 

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

In addition to this new e-book for review, I have a manuscript I'm reading and one I am editing. 

Upcoming Events

• Love Letters to Me, Myself and Him by Rayan Khamis - May 5 (Book Blast)
• Between Today and  Sunday by Ann M. Trader - May 5 (First Chapter Review)
• Interview with Judy Serrano, Author of Unorganized Crime and Unorganized Secrets - May 7
• Surviving the United Nations by Robert Bruce Adolph - May 9 (First Chapter Review)
• Cayman Conundrum by Stacy Wilder - June 11 (First Chapter Review)
• Freedom Drop & Calypso Blue by Brian Silverman - June 18 (Showcase)
• Freedom Drop by Brian Silverman - June 21 (First Chapter Review)
• Calypso Blue by Brian Silverman - June 22 (First Chapter Review)
• To Murder a Marquis by Arabella Sheraton - June 27 - (Review)

At Christmas Year Round, I am helping to spread the word about a store closing in Alabama and a Christmas miracle in April. Check it out here. 

At the Children's and Teens' Book Connection, I shared what I was blogging about for the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge. If you missed it, you can check it out here. 

Working on my next post for Laura's Little Houses, which will discuss On the Banks of Plum Creek versus some of the earlier seasons of the Little House on the Prairie television show. 

Plan to check out your blogs this afternoon before I head to a networking event. Enjoy your day!

Questions for My Blogging Friends

 

Because inquiring minds are always curious about things, I wondered if my blogging friends would give me some insight into their motivations for blogging. I will share my own thoughts as well.

• Why did you start blogging?

My answer: In 2005, I became a stay-at-home mom. This gave me time to pursue writing for publication. Though writing took me in an unplanned direction, I knew before my first children's book came out that I would need an online presence. A full-blown, professionally done website was out of the question, so I started my first blog. By 2007, I was hosting other authors to drive traffic to my blog. That's when I decided that my blog no longer served its original purpose. I created The Book Connection, which also led to starting The Children's and Teens' Book Connection a couple of years later. I've had other blogs since then, but these are the two that are active and dedicated to books. Laura's Little Houses--dedicated to Laura Ingalls Wilder, her famous children's books & the shows based on them--opened in 2008, and Christmas Year Round started in 2023.

• Did you or do you monetize your blog?

My answer: The Book Connection is part of the Amazon Influencers & Associates Program. If a reader clicks on a link that goes to Amazon and purchases that item, I may earn a commission on that sale. When The Busy Mom's Daily was online, I intended for that to be a monetized blog, but I've never had the time or the technological know-how to make real money off a blog. At this point, I blog for fun and because I enjoy jotting down my thoughts. 

• What is your favorite part of blogging?

My answer: Connecting with other authors and bloggers around the world. I've made so many online friends that I never would have met without this blog.

• Are you interested in or do you already vlog or podcast? 

My answer: I feel like podcasting is in my future, I'm just not quite sure how to effectively put it together with my limited time and knowledge. Then there is that crazy thing about defining what the podcast should be about and finding your target audience. It could be about real estate, books, or writing. 

I look forward to reading what you have to say. Thanks for participating. 

Blurb Blitz & Giveaway: Cowboy Watch by Petie McCarty

 

 

The Watchers Series—Fallen angels cast out of heaven by the archangel Michael for coercing with Satan to gain control. Some of these conspirators—duped late in the game by Satan’s lies—doubled back to seek redemption for their unwitting betrayal. Offered parole in exchange for penance, these Watchers are given the toughest bodyguard missions with little leeway for success. 

One last chance.

These are their stories . . . 

Cowboy Watch: 

Someone—or something—wants Kellen out of town . . . 

Kellen Brand’s inheritance comes as a monumental shock—a rundown farm she doesn’t want and one paroled Watcher all her own. Kellen’s eccentric mother believed Watchers to be fallen angels seeking penance by guarding individuals who had lost their way. Seriously? A Watcher? Only her mother . . . 

Since Kellen vows no sane woman would choose to live in Riverside, she’s on a mission to dump the old farm fast and to the first buyer who comes along. Unfortunately for her, the only buyer is a resort developer, spurned by a townful of objectors and one handsome cowboy—her neighbor, Luke Thornton. Luke must block Kellen’s farm sale or risk exposure of his own family’s secrets. He can ill afford his immediate and compelling attraction to his new neighbor. 

Someone is watching Kellen, but not who she thinks. Someone deadly and intent on scaring her out of town. Or worse. Luke has a hellish choice to make—step in and rescue Kellen from her threats, or to protect his family, stand by and watch . . .

EXCERPT

A familiar aroma wafted up from the river, a combination of humus, plant material, microscopic plankton, and a touch of fish. Unable to stop the smile slowly stretching across her face, she untied her sneakers, rolled up her jeans, and slipped into the icy water. She immediately gasped and felt her smile deepen to a grin. Remaining in the soothing current for a long time, she absorbed her surroundings as trout darted in and around the submerged rocks to grab their plankton lunch. 

A horse suddenly whickered behind her, followed by the telltale creak of a saddle. Too close for comfort. The back of her neck prickled. Ankle deep in the water, she couldn’t make a decent sprint for the car, and Kellen regretted her impulse to visit this deserted stretch of riverbank. 

Easing around, she spied the towering silhouette of a powerfully built man astride a huge black stallion no more than ten yards away. The rider’s face lay shadowed beneath a wide-brimmed Stetson. The cowboy made an impressive and, at this moment, intimidating sight—a throwback from the frontier days of the Wild West. 

The horse whickered again and sidestepped away from the edge of the embankment, forcing the cowboy to twist around to keep her in sight. She could feel his dark eyes scanning every inch of her. The intensity in his gaze raised goose bumps on her arms, and a tiny shiver edged up her spine. Trapped here along the edge of the river, she felt vulnerable yet strangely unafraid. Would he come any closer? 

A horn blared up on the highway, and she jumped with a yelp. The big horse reared at the sound of her cry, and Kellen caught a brief glimpse of the cowboy’s dark eyes, eyes that could stare right through to a girl’s soul. She scrunched her own eyes shut and forced herself to breathe. When she opened them, the rider was gone. Had she imagined him? Another mild shiver rifled up her spine. No, the fearsome rider was definitely real.

PURCHASE FROM:

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/petie-mccarty

http://www.amazon.com/author/petiemccarty

Petie spent a large part of her career working at Walt Disney World—"The  Most Magical Place on Earth"—where she enjoyed working in the land of fairy tales by day and creating her own romantic fairy tales by night, including her new series, The Cinderella Romances. She eventually said good-bye to her "day" job to write her stories full-time.

These days Petie spends her time writing new Cinderella series tales, her new The Watchers series, sequels to her regency time-travel series, Lords in Time, and more contemporary romance standalones to go along with her two previous releases—Any Fin For Love and Ambush in the Everglades.

Petie shares her home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee with her horticulturist husband and an opinionated Nanday conure named Sassy who will make a cameo appearance in the upcoming Book 2 of The Watchers, Christmas Watch. 

Visit Petie's website online at http://www.petiemccarty.com or her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/petie.mccarty. 

Other Links:

https://x.com/authorpetie

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094579.Petie_McCarty

Petie McCarty will be awarding

a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to 

a randomly drawn winner. 

 

Wednesday Weekly Challenge: Books I Want Youth to Discover

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews asks that you share your link on their weekly post on their website (it will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they are talking about that week. Comments are appreciated. 

Another fabulous topic for a Wednesday. I'm pretty sure I could write a novel with this one, so I will limit myself to five books.

Though this is a book for children, Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss is sometimes quoted at graduation ceremonies as young people leave childhood behind and embark upon their adult endeavors. I truly believe we could stay in touch with the hope of our inner child much better if we read this book regularly and at any age.

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White teaches children about meaningful friendships. In a world that can sometimes be unkind, we should all have at least one friend who is as wonderful as Charlotte.

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder teaches the importance of family and community. Readers watch a family and an entire town pull together to survive a hard winter that cuts them off from supplies. This book shows how ingenuity, compassion, and cooperation make a difference.

Still There, Clare and the two other books in the series by Yvonne Prinz make imaginary friends not only okay but cool. As Clare navigates the world of junior high school, she always has her oldest friend to help her through.

I didn't read The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster as a child. I did, however, get the joy of reading it with at least one of my children. I'm sure I appreciated the author's play on words much more as an adult than I would have as a child. There are great life lessons inside this fantastical adventure story. 

Do we share any of the same choices this week? I look forward to finding out. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books with History in the Title (or subtitle)

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.    

Here we are on the last Tuesday of April. What a fun and crazy month this has been. As you are visiting blogs today, you will find a nice variety because we are all selecting books with a certain word in the title. I selected the word "history." I love history, especially in America, from when settlers first arrived through the Reconstruction Era in the mid-1800s. I am also taking some of these books from my TBR pile to give them extra love. Here are the...

Top Ten Books with History in the Title (or subtitle)

Have you read any of these books? What word are you sharing this week?