Review - Rookie Mistake by L.A. Witt and Anna Zabo

Rookie Mistake is the latest book written by authors L.A. Witt and Anna Zabo. It's a terrific, action-packed, and definitely steamy romance between two professional hockey players.  

Anna Zabo is a new-to-me author. They're a rather prolific author much like L.A. Witt is whose books I've been reading since I discovered her last summer. I've read at least 25-30 of her books. So far!

Rookie Mistake is currently available at retailers as of this week and is well worth the read. 

From the back cover: 

Rookie forward Isaac Rivera is still finding his footing in the big leagues where he’s no longer the best player on the roster. It’s a whole new world, especially now that several of his hockey idols have become teammates. Friends, even.

There’s one who’s more than a hockey idol, though… and he might end up being more than a friend. 

Julien Landry is a powerhouse on the ice. In eight years, he’s become one of the league’s top defensemen and the heartthrob everyone wants to bed. But fallout from a painful mistake as a rookie, followed by years of rough-and-tumble hookups, have him itching for something more.

When a connection sparks between him and Isaac, he discovers what he’s been missing: someone he can trust with his body and his heart. As long as Isaac and Julien keep the heat between them off the ice, what could go wrong?

But Julien’s past is never far behind him, and when it comes crashing in, he might lose everything—his career, his friends, and the first person he’s ever really loved.

CW: discussions of past abuse and sexual assault 

From my review:

Rookie Mistake by L.A. Witt and Anna Zabo. I went into this book as a big fan of L.A. Witt's books, so I know from the start I'd like it. Steamy romance, hockey - what's not to like?

If I didn't already love it, I'd be an absolute hockey fan by the end of this book. It's #1 in the new On the Board series, so I can only assume there will be more. (Thank goodness!) In the meantime, I'm off to watch my CBJ!

If this is not your first ever L.A. Witt/Anna Zabo novel, you're probably already rubbing your hands together in eager anticipation. If this is your first book by these talented authors, you're in for a real treat!

Click here for my full Goodreads review.

Rookie Mistake by L.A. Witt and Anna Zabo - Goodreads - Amazon

Take care and happy reading!

 - Heather 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

My NetGalley ARCs

I read a lot of ARCs which are Advanced Reader Copies of books in order to help generate buzz for soon-to-be-released books. I get them from a couple of websites, but mostly via authors directly.

Sometimes, like an extra appetizer on the menu, my eyes get a little hungrier for titles to read than my time allows. Sometimes I also put my name in for books and then start writing my own. 

NetGalley is a great resource for generating buzz on new books. Used primarily by small and large publishers alike, it's a treasure trove of new books of all genres for readers to dive into. The only requirement is that you write a review of the books you take. I currently have 10 books out. According to the NetGalley group I'm in, that's not at all unusual. What's unusual is that I recently went into NetGalley to discover I hadn't read them all. (Don't look at the dates. Really. Don't look. Sigh. Fine. Look.)

I have 10 books out - 8 are cozy mysteries, 1 is a romance, and 1 is a biography on a Pakistani cleric credited with the internationalization of the global jihadist movement. It'll take me a while to get through, but it's quite good so far. It's actually not the first book on that topic that I've read. 

I had 12 books before and have just posted a couple of reviews in my efforts to whittle down my book list. 

Cozy mystery - To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott - Goodreads Review

Romance - Off the Grid by Kay Richard - Goodreads Review

I have high hopes for the balance of the books on my list. Yes - I'm way past due for a bunch since they're almost all already published, but I'm working on it. I take books that intrigue me or that are written by authors I already know I like. 

I hope you'll friend me or follow my reviews on Goodreads. 

I'm in there as H.M.S. Brown which will be my pen name when I start publishing. And yes - those are my real initials, with the addition of my mom's maiden name to add the S. I couldn't resist! And no - I don't use her maiden name of Scribner for passwords. But Yes - Scribner, like the publisher. We're distantly related. Think that'll give me an "in?" 

(Scratches chin) 

Hmm.

Hope you're all having a great weekend! Take care and happy reading!

 - Heather 

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

A Much-Needed Break

Ever need a break? Ever actually take one? What do you do? 

After about 5-6 hours of editing my book this past Saturday, my "Grant's Crossing brain"shut down. I probably started at my screen for about a half-hour before it really hit me, but it eventually did. I ended up shutting down all my software and taking a much-needed break - which lasted the rest of the weekend! 

I'm a knitter and a crocheter and have posted a lot of things about both on my Itinerant Knitter blog. I haven't touched it in ages, but if you're a fellow fiber enthusiast, you might find some fun things there. 

Aimee, the owner of No Strings Attached yarn shop in my fictional small town of Grant’s Crossing, Ohio, would love this. Maybe she’ll make one for Emerson someday! Foreshadowing? Why yes! I do believe so! (You'll meet Aimee and Emerson in Tara & Steve's book which will be published later this year.)

Over the weekend, I worked on a crochet project, something I call a Blanket of Insanity. Yes - I'm crocheting a blanket using fingering weight yarn. Don't know what that is? It's super thin yarn. I'm using a super small crochet hook to make super small stitches. For an entire super awesome blanket. It'll be gorgeous and the drape will be incredible. I'd even go so far as to say super gorgeous and super incredible, but I don't want to super overdo it!

I have more pictures and a video on instagram.

For my fellow fiber enthusiasts, this uses mostly hand-dyed fingering weight yarns and a US Size G - 4mm crochet hook. I’m making up the pattern as I go along and have even made changes already since one row of single crochets took forever. Now I’m solely using rows of crisscrossed doubles. Maybe when I’m done, I’ll write up the pattern and put it in the back of one of my books.

I love that my first skein used / gorgeous color was dyed in honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Urban Girl Yarns.

The last skein is One First Street NE in honor of our newest Justice, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson - beautifully dyed by Neighborhood Fiber Co.

1. Urban Girl Yarns
2. Faerie Girl Yarns
3. Cornbread and Honey
4. Groovy Hues Fibers
5. Manos Alegria
6. Blue mystery yarn - received in a swap!
7. Lolodidit
8. Neighborhood Fiber Co

I have an extra skein of the Cornbread and Honey so I’ll probably use it as a border. I love these yarns!!

In between stitches, I've started a new mystery by one of my favorite authors, Julie Anne Lindsey. It's the latest Bonnie and Clyde cozy mystery. These are wonderfully addictive, so please take a look if you haven't already. Book one is called Burden of Poof and is a terrific whodunnit!

Naturally taking a break from writing and editing my books must involve more books, but at least they're already written. I can just sit back and enjoy them and that is so nice to do.

What did you do over the weekend? How did you relax? Leave a comment below telling me how you spend your downtime!

Take care and happy reading!

 - Heather 

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

What I'm reading - May 2022

 What books are you reading right now? Do you have a preferred genre? What is it? Romance? Historical fiction? Science fiction or fantasy? Literary fiction?

I'm reading a handful of books right now in a variety of genres. While I'm writing my own book, I'm also reading books by other authors because it's a treat to read something that's already written and edited. For some, I'm just reading them for pleasure, but for others, I'm reading them in exchange for a review. When you're as voracious a reader as I am, you need to save some pennies. There are a handful of sites out there that allow you to hook up with authors or publishers to receive a free eBook in exchange for writing a review. It helps generate buzz around a book ahead of publication or just to help boost its public profile. 

These are a few I've used to expand my literary horizon (or feed my addiction, however you want to look at it.)

NetGalley - BookSprout - Wolf Pack Reads - Hidden Gems 

A lot of authors call for ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) readers as well. 

While I've read a variety of genres in exchange for reviews, sometimes it's just fun to read something just for fun. 

These are a few books I'm currently working on - some for fun, some for reviews. The fun thing about reading for reviews though, is I can pick the books I want, so all of these are fun. 

Flared Stiff - Cozy Mystery - Julie Anne Lindsey - one of my absolute favorite authors whom I've gotten to know in real life (Fellow Buckeye!). This is book 5 in her latest cozy mystery series - the Bonnie & Clyde Mysteries. (Clyde is the cat on the cover!) I'm just starting this book. Her books are always terrific whodunnits that are filled with likable and quirky characters that keep me guessing until the end. 

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby - OMG - this is raw and gritty and violent and emotionally taxing and it's so beautifully written. I could just cry at some of the descriptions. S.A. Cosby is an incredibly talented writer. Please check out his books. This is the first one I've read and I've already picked up Blacktop Wasteland (thriller). So good. I'm on chapter 26-27 - a little past halfway through.

This is another cozy mystery I just picked up. I'm only about a chapter in and it seems fun so far. It's set in an equine rescue center. The book is by a new-to-me author, Amber Camp. I love a good mystery and despite being light, I love a good cozy! The book is expected to hit the shelves in November and is already getting excellent reviews. 

This is a biography of Abdallah Azzam, a global jihadist. It's a well-written, albeit densely packed book when it comes to details. There's a lot to take in, but it's super interesting. The length and subject matter factor into the fact that this one will take me a while to finish, but that's ok. I look forward to working my way through this one. 

So this is what I'm up to. How about you? Have you read any of these? What are you reading these days? 

Take care and happy reading!

 - Heather 

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

Memorial Day - Veteran's Memorial and Museum 5K

Below are pictures of my grandfather, Harvey E Scribner, Jr, who served with the Flying Tigers in WWII and his brother, Harold Addison Scribner, who served in the Navy. 

Uncle Harold didn’t make it back from WWII - Pacific theater. I never got the chance to meet him. 

Within the next couple of weeks, I’ll be participating in my first 5K since lockdown. I really want to get back into these every month. It’s a slow start up since I haven’t been running. Eventually I want to get back up to another half marathon (Cap City Half would be awesome! Such a fun race.)

This is a virtual 5K that I’ll be walking/jogging between now and the end of the month in support of veterans. It’s being put on by the National Veterans Memorial and Museum - their Virtual Memorial Day Race.

My thanks go out to all who have served our nation and my heart goes out to all those who face their losses firsthand. 

Take care, 

 - Heather 

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

Popular Professions for Romance Novel Heroes

 I wont lie - I would love to be picked up by Harlequin!

Nice to know I’m bucking the system?

The majority of the heroes in my Grant’s Crossing novels are firefighters / paramedics. Some are ex-military (Army and Marines, though I have secondary characters who serve in the Navy). 

My heroines tend to be savvy business owners. 

Many of my secondary characters are hard working folks like you and me, all doing our best to take care of ourselves and our families. 

They all do their best to support the community in which they live. 

Happy reading everyone! 

- Heather


Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - HMS Brown

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

I Did It!

 I DID IT!!! 

I finished Tara & Steve’s story in my Grant’s Crossing series of romance novels. Theirs is one of the first stories to tell, but holy cow did it feel fabulous to type the words “THE END” at the end of my epilogue. 

Don’t get me wrong, it is far from ready. I haven’t even run a spell check on it yet, but I’m going to take a few days off then delve into the editing process. 

Yes - starting with a spell check!

I’ll be doing a few rounds of self-edits this month and then running things by my beta readers starting the end of May. Once I make it through that, it’ll go to the editor. 

In the meantime - I FINISHED MY FIRST BOOK!

Happy reading everyone! 

- Heather


Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - HMS Brown

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Review - The Right to Remain

I’ve really come to love every book I’ve read by L.A. Witt and this book is no exception. Seriously - I’m closing in on about 30 books at this stage - all since last summer. 

I discovered her books after seeing a list of books recommended during Pride month. She writes Male/Male romance novels, many of which are set within the military. 

They all contain realistically-portrayed, complex characters who are tackling real life issues and somehow find a way to work through them. And like all true romance novels, they have a happy ending. 

My first book of hers was Conduct Unbecoming where the two main characters were both serving in the Navy out in Okinawa, Japan. Witt is a self-proclaimed Navy brat turned Navy wife so the depictions of life in the military comes across as genuine from someone who has the inside scoop on what she's talking about. 

Book Blurb

Levi Harris has never had a reason to stay on the straight and narrow. Nothing he does is ever good enough for his family, his teachers, his bosses, his drill instructors. He can’t do anything right, so why bother trying?

Then he gets caught breaking and entering, and now he’s bound for prison. Or is he?

Austin Caldwell isn’t thrilled about being burglarized, but when he finds himself face to face with the intruder, he sees himself in those terrified eyes. He knows more than most how much prison chews people up and spits them out. Maybe, just maybe, he can save Levi from that fate.

It starts as an arrangement for Levi to work off his debt to Austin. As trust grows between them, so does an undeniable attraction. Especially as Austin begins to see untapped desires in Levi, and he begins to unlock a whole new world of sensuality for his submissive protégé.

Levi’s in heaven. He’s finally wanted. He finally belongs. For the first time in his life, he has something to lose. All he has to do is stay out of trouble.

And hope trouble doesn’t find him.

The Right to Remain is a 150,000+ word standalone contemporary gay romance with a guaranteed happy ending.

CW: criminal activity, brief mentions of past death of a child, brief mention of past suicide, incarceration.

From my Goodreads review: 

In this story, their paths aren’t always legal and yes, they pay the price, but finding someone who accepts you, and offers up a second chance in a world where they’re often hard to come by, makes everything that much better. And if you’re with someone who understands the value of leaving a toxic relationship behind, then that’s the icing on the cake.

Levi and Austin meet in unusual circumstances. Austin gives Levi a pathway out of a crime-ridden life where everyone has given up on him and assumed the worst. Levi accepts the offer and learns that Austin has already been down the path he wants to help Levi avoid.

In opening up, Austin helps welcome Levi into an affectionate relationship that includes kink/BDSM, but also with very open discussions and rules with regard to boundaries and trust. For my part, and I’ve not read but a few romance novels with this, I don’t think this has gone as hard core as other books I’ve read. Everything is consensual (for the record, the others were, too) and limits are established without question or coercion.

Like all Witt’s books, the steamy scenes are incredibly steamy and the story as a whole was really good. Had I not needed sleep I would have read this all in one sitting.

Definitely a must read if you’re looking to read some fantastic stories!

Learn more about L.A. Witt at her official website and be sure to follow her on Goodreads. The Right to Remain is available wherever you find your books. Goodreads - Amazon

- Heather



Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

Read on my Kindle Paperwhite.

Yes! Write!

Two years ago this June my mom challenged me to write my own book. (teaches me to complain about a couple of cheap romance novels - and no, they are not on my Goodreads shelves!)

I’m not yet published, but my first book - which is going through rewrites and revisions - I just started writing without any sort of plan at all. I had no idea what I was doing. Was it a mess? Oh yeah. Definitely, but there are a lot of great parts that I plan to use in the rewrite. My spinoffs? I have two that are nearing completion of my first draft and two more that are in the planning stages. 

My subsequent novels are a lot cleaner and much better planned. My vision for the stories is a lot better plus my writing is a lot smoother. Amazing what happens when you practice your craft.

I just turned 52 and I started writing in June 2020. June 11, 2020, to be exact.

My initial idea started when I literally sketched out a town square. Then, I created a list of all sorts of characters I thought would be fun. I started giving a handful names, histories, etc, and from that my first story developed. It’s a weird process, but it’s working for me for that is the basis of all my stories set in Grant's Crossing, Ohio, a small town conveniently founded during the Grant administration. And after nearly two years of writing, asking questions, learning, rewriting, asking more questions, learning more… I’ve found my groove

I’m hoping to have at least two books ready for publication by the end of 2022. I have no specific timeline beyond that but I've discovered I absolutely love writing!

Looking to write? This is my suggestion that may or may not work for you, but it's what I did. 

• Jot down some ideas as bullet points. Then keep adding bullet points. 
• Done with bullet points? Add some details. Bulk them up. When you can’t think of any more details with one, go to another. 
• Then, create your outline - move stuff around and see what works. 
• Go from there and start creating a story. 

You can do this. I’ve never dreamed of writing which is crazy considering how much I now love it. By all means - have at it and never worry about how you have to write or even how much. Just start writing and see where it goes. You can always revise and reorganize as you go along. There’s no right or wrong way. 

Good luck to you! 

Happy Reading! 

        - Heather

P.S. I love bullet points. Can you tell? HMB

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing 

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown - for this and all my book reviews

Review - The Dating Dilemma

I am all over books with a fake dating trope. I don't know why I love these, but I do!

OK fine - probably because it gives the characters to really get to know each other and then find out that yeah - there is more than just the person's good looks - even if they aren't a strip-o-gram!!

Nobody's perfect, I suppose.

Enter The Dating Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman. It's book 2 in her Mile High Firefighters series of romantic comedies. The Wedding Dilemma is book 1 and while I only just today bought it, not having read it in no way took away from The Dating Dilemma. The story made for a fantastic stand-alone book that I nearly read in one sitting. I really shouldn't have started it so late last night, but hey. That's on me.

This had me laughing throughout and unable to turn the pages fast enough to get to the end.

From the back cover:

Lexi’s Reminders

* Work.

* Don’t think about your birthday tomorrow. Or debt, your crappy apartment, and nonexistent social life.

* Re-stock wine and ice cream because that’s coming.

* Die in a raging blaze of humiliation when the super-hot and very delicious fireman waiting in your office is not in fact the strip-o-gram birthday present you suspected.

* Reschedule the fire safety inspection you 100 percent failed because of said humiliation.

* Figure out how you, in fact, agreed to fake dating Mr. Not a Strip-O-Gram Fireman to help him with a bet.

* Oh yeah, and do not fall for this guy. Seriously, they call him One Night O’Neil. Red flags all over the place.

* Remember, this is fake dating, even though his very talented, very real lips are doing some sexy things you definitely like.

* Realize bending one tiny rule can’t be that bad, can it?

* Except bend too far, and something breaks. Something you can’t get back.

From my review on Goodreads:

The Dating Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman - my first book by this author I discovered on instagram. It's a fun read with likable characters who work to figure themselves out all while fake dating each other thanks to a couple of bets and bad experiences with previous boyfriends and girlfriends. I enjoyed the characters of Lexi, who puts her heart and soul into a community center for kids, and Dyson, who is a local firefighter who goes out of his way to help Lexi getting her center up to code so it passes the fire inspection. When their paths crossed there are instant sparks for an attraction that only grows as the story goes on.

The story was a pleasure to read, had a great happy ending, but didn't have to deal with a lot of angst that would stress me out. I read the first few chapters last night before bed and finished the rest in one sitting today.

If you're looking for a fun read that'll make you laugh, but not cry, pick up The Dating Dilemma!

Learn more about Mariah Ankenman at her official website and be sure to follow her on Goodreads. The Dating Dilemma is available wherever you find your books. Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon

Happy Reading! 

        - Heather

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing 

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown - for this and all my book reviews

Read on my nook.

Review - The Wedding Ringer

I love surprises! OK fine. Not always, but...with this gem of a romance novel, I was happily surprised to learn this delightful story was set right here in Columbus, Ohio!

Enter The Wedding Ringer by Kerry Rea, a local, Columbus, Ohio romance author. 

From the back cover: 

Once upon a time, Willa Callister was a successful blogger with a good credit score, actual hobbies, and legs that she shaved more than once a month. But after finding her fiancé in bed with her best friend, she now spends her days performing at children's birthday parties in a ball gown that makes her look like a walking bottle of Pepto Bismol. Willa dreams of starting fresh, where no one knows who she used to be, but first she needs to save up enough money to make it happen.

Maisie Mitchell needs something too: another bridesmaid for her wedding. After a chance encounter at a coffee shop, Maisie offers to pay Willa to be in her bridal party. Willa wants nothing to do with weddings--or Maisie--but the money will give her the freedom to start the new life she so badly desires.

Willa's bridesmaid duties thrust her into Maisie's high-energy world and into the path of hotshot doctor Liam Rafferty. But as Willa and Maisie form a real friendship, and Liam's annoyingly irresistible smile makes her reconsider her mantra that all men are trash, Willa's exit strategy becomes way more complicated. And when a secret from Maisie's past threatens to derail the wedding, Willa must consider whether friendship--and romance--are worth sticking around for.

From my Goodreads review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and until I started reading it, didn't realize it was set in my town! GAHHH! 

The bulk of the story was set here in Columbus - where I live - and a lot was also in Dublin - where I work. OMG! The story starts with the main character working a pathetic job as a fairy princess for a totally spoiled brat. 

Enter abject humiliation. 

The story continues with her meeting someone who, on the spot, needs her to pretend she's the friend she's meeting for coffee. 

Enter a great start to a wonderful friendship.

Maisie asks Willa to be her bridesmaid for her upcoming wedding. As the story progresses, we learn more about Maisie and why she needs friends here in Columbus. We also start getting away from all the self-sabotaging that goes on with Willa who is understandably devastated after finding her best friend and her fiancé together. (Yes, they make an appearance later) but eventually, Maisie's upbeat and positive attitude rub off on Willa. 

The story about Willa and Maisie's developing friendship is just lovely to read. The romance between Willa and Liam...enter Dr. Dreamboat, is really nice, but didn't seem to be the main focus of the book itself. I liked it though. 

The story itself was set in and mentioned lots of (real) places in and around Columbus such as the drive up Riverside Drive - i.e. the way I go to and from work every day, and the Candle Lab and the bridal shop and Condados and other various places that are absolutely wonderful and terrific and awesome in the fantastic city of Columbus, Ohio! 

I listened to this on Audible over the course of a day and a half at the office and absolutely enjoyed it. Can't wait to read the next book by (local to me) author, Kerry Rea!

Learn more about Kerry Rea at her official website and be sure to follow her on Goodreads. The Wedding Ringer is available wherever you find your books. Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon

Happy Reading! 

        - Heather

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing 

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown - for this and all my book reviews