Showing posts with label Nichole Van. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nichole Van. Show all posts

Monday, April 9, 2018

Review: Lovers and Madmen by Nichole Van


Heidi Reads... Lovers and Madmen by Nichole Van

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Florence, Italy. Summer, 1982.

Judith Campbell prides herself on her level head. She’s a scientist with a ten-year plan, a well-managed bank account, and clear understanding of what she wants out of life. Currently, that means a summer of fun touring Europe with her friends. She intends to see some amazing scenery, flirt with a cute guy or two, and return home ready to settle down for good.
 

Falling madly in love with an Italian playboy is definitely not on her life goals to-do list.
But then her eyes meet those of Cesare D’Angelo across a crowded piazza.
 

Cesare is everything Judith never knew she wanted. Handsome and charismatic, he challenges her assumptions and forces her rethink her logical approach to everything. Case in point—Judith finds herself falling for him, hard and fast. Definitely not her most carefully thought-out decision.
 

But Cesare keeps devastating secrets that will challenge Judith’s very understanding of reality. And soon Judith finds herself facing the most difficult decision of all—
 

Would you still chose to love someone even if your time together would be brief? Would you accept a relationship, knowing that only heartbreak and grief awaited you in the end?

Lovers and Madmen is a prequel novella for the Brothers Maledetti series. Lose yourself in Judith and Cesare’s story and understand where it all began.


My Review

This is an amazing prequel novella!!! I love that it gives us special insight into the personalities of the parents of the D'Angelo siblings since they aren't delved into in the books, but are becoming increasingly significant as the series progresses. The third book especially explored Chiara's relationship with her father and the trauma she suffers from his death. This novella brought Cesare to life and made me ache for him and his family, knowing what is in store for them. I loved that Judith is introduced as so practical and unromantic, yet she is swept away almost against her will by her feelings for Cesare. The romantic tension is drawn out as she extends her stay in Italy and spends more time with Cesare, and the conflicts that hold them back make it that much more poignant when Judith makes her decision. The details about the landscape and historical sites made the setting roll like a movie in my head, and I can't wait to visit there myself someday!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)



Check out the books in the Brothers Maledetti series . . .

Book One
Heidi Reads... Gladly Beyond by Nichole Van


http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://www.bookdepository.com/Gladly-Beyond-Nichole-Van/9780996893602http://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

An ancient curse, fractured at the birth of three brothers.
Two strangers helplessly drawn to each other.
A love story two hundred years in the making.


Claire Raythorn arrives in Florence, Italy, shattered, alone, and anxious to rebuild her life--preferably one without men. But she soon finds herself hunted and haunted-- literally--when a mysterious stalker dressed like Mr. Darcy from BBC central casting appears in her photos. And only her photos. Who is this man? And what does his ghostly presence mean?

Dante D'Angelo simply wants to safeguard his brothers, despite the family curse that hounds his vision. But then Claire Raythorn walks into his life, untouched somehow by his curse. Soon, everything Dante thought he knew about himself starts to unravel, dragging Claire down with him.

Set against the lush backdrop of Florence, Italy--both past and present--Claire and Dante fight for a future together. But, first, they must uncover their shared past . . .

Book Two
Heidi Reads... Love's Shadow by Nichole Van


http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://www.bookdepository.com/Gladly-Beyond-Nichole-Van/9780996893602http://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Branwell D'Angelo . . .
Six years ago, I fell in love with Lucy--my brother's girlfriend. Stupid of me, I know, but sometimes the heart doesn't listen to reason.
Six years, I've lived on the sidelines. Seeing him love her, be with her, bask in her sunshine . . .
I watched her break his heart and then cleaned up the shattered pieces of him she left behind.
She's the one woman I can't have but still the only one my soul wants.
Now she's back in our lives and needs the unique help only us D'Angelos can give.
He's not emotionally strong enough to face her. So he's sending me instead . . .


For her part, when tragedy strikes Lucy Snow on a visit to Italy, she can't bring herself to call any of the D'Angelo brothers for help. There are consequences for falling in love with your ex-boyfriend's brother. But Lucy desperately needs Branwell's paranormal skills and his gift of Sight. And if seeing him will negate at least three years of therapy? Well, it's a price she is willing to pay.

Thrown together in a desperate bid to save an innocent life, Branwell and Lucy struggle against their shared past, only to realize that something even more dangerous is reaching through the weight of time to stalk their every move . . .

Book Three
Heidi Reads... Lightning Struck by Nichole Van


http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Chiara doesn’t like Jack. Jack doesn’t like Chiara.
The story should end there.
Except . . . maybe Chiara finds herself daydreaming far too often about Jack. And maybe Jack finds Chiara aggravating in an adorable sorta way.
Maybe Jack and Chiara find themselves falling in love.
The problem, of course, remains.
Jack is a ghost.
And Chiara is not.


Jack Knight-Snow has had a bad year for losing things. So far he has lost a ship full of ancient treasure, his family, his friends, his title, his lands and money, his fiancĂ©, the century into which he was born . . . oh, and his physical body. Worse, feisty Chiara D’Angelo might just finish the job and make him lose his mind.

For her part, Chiara simply wants to help Jack get his body back and move on with his life. She doesn’t want to like his snarky humor or his gorgeous eyes or the way he accepts her exactly as she is. She’s a hot mess when it comes to romantic relationships. Case in point . . . she’s developing feelings for a ghost.

But tackling the problem of Jack’s ghostliness is not straightforward. Soon, Jack and Chiara find themselves embroiled in a mystery which creates more questions about the D’Angelo brothers’ gifts of Second Sight. Set against the backdrop of Tuscany, Italy, Jack and Chiara race to uncover answers about the past before becoming history themselves.

Book Four
https://amzn.to/2qktY4S

Releases April 19, 2018! 
Available for pre-order at Amazon

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Tennyson D'Angelo . . .

Darkness lives within each of us. Shadows. We are each capable of great goodness and unbelievable evil. It is the duality of being human.
I want to live in the light. I don't enjoy the shadows. But I'm not sure I've been given a choice in the matter.The shadows own me. They dance at my edges and tangle in my light. They torment my days and make my nights an anguished hell.
I simply want to be free. One way . . . or another.


They call him the Prophet.
Tennyson D'Angelo, the man who can foretell the future. A modern-day oracle. And Olivia Hawking desperately needs his help. She tracks him down in Italy, begging for his assistance. She has a life-or-death problem that only a bonafide psychic can solve. But Tennyson is slowly fracturing from within, the weight of the D'Angelo curse destroying him. 

Olivia and Tennyson join forces, each searching for answers. But their understanding of the D'Angelo curse keeps changing, and Time is not on their side. Even as they fall in love, Tennyson and Olivia realize they are in a race against the clock. Will they find answers in time to save themselves?

Review: Lightning Struck by Nichole Van


Book Three in the Brothers Maledetti series 

Heidi Reads... Lightning Struck by Nichole Van

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Chiara doesn’t like Jack. Jack doesn’t like Chiara.
The story should end there.
Except . . . maybe Chiara finds herself daydreaming far too often about Jack. And maybe Jack finds Chiara aggravating in an adorable sorta way.
Maybe Jack and Chiara find themselves falling in love.
The problem, of course, remains.
Jack is a ghost.
And Chiara is not.

Jack Knight-Snow has had a bad year for losing things. So far he has lost a ship full of ancient treasure, his family, his friends, his title, his lands and money, his fiancĂ©, the century into which he was born . . . oh, and his physical body. Worse, feisty Chiara D’Angelo might just finish the job and make him lose his mind.

For her part, Chiara simply wants to help Jack get his body back and move on with his life. She doesn’t want to like his snarky humor or his gorgeous eyes or the way he accepts her exactly as she is. She’s a hot mess when it comes to romantic relationships. Case in point . . . she’s developing feelings for a ghost.

But tackling the problem of Jack’s ghostliness is not straightforward. Soon, Jack and Chiara find themselves embroiled in a mystery which creates more questions about the D’Angelo brothers’ gifts of Second Sight. Set against the backdrop of Tuscany, Italy, Jack and Chiara race to uncover answers about the past before becoming history themselves.

Though the third book in the Brothers Maledetti series, Lightning Struck is a full-length, standalone novel.


My Review

I am so hooked on this series!!! I love the details that are revealed with each book, and even though I'm not normally into paranormal, the characters and their relationships are so well grounded in reality that I find the unusual and super creative aspects of the plot fascinating. I had assumed that this third book would be Tennyson's story, the third brother, so it was a surprise to find that Chiara, their younger sister was the main character. She is a hoot. Strong, confident, headstrong, and intimidating, so it was fun to see her internal thought process and learn about her vulnerabilities. The perspective is also from Jack's point of view, and it was interesting to see how he adapts to the differences of modern day life. There is great chemistry between Chiara and Jack, and even though they drive each other crazy... they secretly love it :) I loved that we got to know more details about Cesare, their father, and some more of Tennyson's struggles and experiences. Even though this book wrapped up nicely, it also introduced more questions and I can't wait to read the next book! Highly recommend this series, and be sure to read them in order for max understanding and enjoyment.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)



Don't miss the previous books in the Brothers Maledetti series . . .

Book One
Heidi Reads... Gladly Beyond by Nichole Van


http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://www.bookdepository.com/Gladly-Beyond-Nichole-Van/9780996893602http://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

An ancient curse, fractured at the birth of three brothers.
Two strangers helplessly drawn to each other.
A love story two hundred years in the making.


Claire Raythorn arrives in Florence, Italy, shattered, alone, and anxious to rebuild her life--preferably one without men. But she soon finds herself hunted and haunted-- literally--when a mysterious stalker dressed like Mr. Darcy from BBC central casting appears in her photos. And only her photos. Who is this man? And what does his ghostly presence mean?

Dante D'Angelo simply wants to safeguard his brothers, despite the family curse that hounds his vision. But then Claire Raythorn walks into his life, untouched somehow by his curse. Soon, everything Dante thought he knew about himself starts to unravel, dragging Claire down with him.

Set against the lush backdrop of Florence, Italy--both past and present--Claire and Dante fight for a future together. But, first, they must uncover their shared past . . .

Book Two
Heidi Reads... Love's Shadow by Nichole Van


http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttps://www.bookdepository.com/Gladly-Beyond-Nichole-Van/9780996893602http://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Branwell D'Angelo . . .
Six years ago, I fell in love with Lucy--my brother's girlfriend. Stupid of me, I know, but sometimes the heart doesn't listen to reason.
Six years, I've lived on the sidelines. Seeing him love her, be with her, bask in her sunshine . . .
I watched her break his heart and then cleaned up the shattered pieces of him she left behind.
She's the one woman I can't have but still the only one my soul wants.
Now she's back in our lives and needs the unique help only us D'Angelos can give.
He's not emotionally strong enough to face her. So he's sending me instead . . .


For her part, when tragedy strikes Lucy Snow on a visit to Italy, she can't bring herself to call any of the D'Angelo brothers for help. There are consequences for falling in love with your ex-boyfriend's brother. But Lucy desperately needs Branwell's paranormal skills and his gift of Sight. And if seeing him will negate at least three years of therapy? Well, it's a price she is willing to pay.

Thrown together in a desperate bid to save an innocent life, Branwell and Lucy struggle against their shared past, only to realize that something even more dangerous is reaching through the weight of time to stalk their every move . . .


Friday, February 16, 2018

Romance is in the Air: Author Nichole Van & Giveaway!

   





Gladly Beyond by Nichole Van 

An ancient curse, fractured at the birth of three brothers. Two strangers helplessly drawn to each other. A love story two hundred years in the making. Claire Raythorn arrives in Florence, Italy, shattered, alone, and anxious to rebuild her life—preferably one without men. But she soon finds herself hunted and haunted— literally—when a mysterious stalker dressed like Mr. Darcy from BBC central casting appears in her photos. And only her photos. Who is this man? And what does his ghostly presence mean? Dante D’Angelo simply wants to safeguard his brothers, despite the family curse that hounds his vision. But then Claire Raythorn walks into his life, untouched somehow by his curse. Soon, everything Dante thought he knew about himself starts to unravel, dragging Claire down with him. Set against the lush backdrop of Florence, Italy—both past and present—Claire and Dante fight for a future together. But, first, they must uncover their shared past . . .

  

The thing I like about Van's writing is that she builds up the love between hero and heroine in plausible increments. I think that's why I always end up reading her novels in one sitting until the early morning hours; I know that in the NEXT scene the characters are going to finally realize their love. But then you get to the next scene and you simply want more and more. And I mean that in the best possible way.   

     


I’ve always thought Italian cities are like guys I knew in college:
Rome—the hot frat boy I was dying to go out with (and I did, and it was awesome). But, turns out, everyone dated Rome.
Naples—Rome’s frat house roommate. The guy on no sleep and his tenth can of Red Bull. No one messed with him cause he knew people who knew people . . . catch my drift . . .
Venice—the dreamily gorgeous philosophy major. Brilliantly eccentric but exotic enough that no one quite knew what to make of him.
Milan—the second-year MBA student who was big on power-ties and power-lunches. Basically, the organized guy who held everyone else together.
And then there was Florence.
Firenze, to those who knew him.
Quiet and unassuming. When we first met, I wondered what all the fuss was about.
But Firenze . . . he was a subtle seducer. If I asked, he could talk for hours about art and history. But, generally, Firenze simply listened. Peaceful. Steady. Ready to shoulder my sorrows.
Firenze is the guy I never got out of my system.

I hit the ground floor and took two steps toward the large wooden front door.
How would the next few weeks play out? Like being a contestant on Survivor? The Great Race?
A male voice stopped me. “Just the person I was waiting for.”
I closed my eyes.
Nope. Things were shaping up to be The Bachelorette.
Honestly.
Pasting on my polite grin, which truthfully was more of a grimace by this point, I turned around.
“Mr. D’Angelo.”
“Dante, please.” He stepped out of the shadows at the base of the stairs. A window in the stairwell illuminated half of him. Even that half was huge.
Whereas I looked down on Pierce and was eye-level with the Colonel, I had to look up, up at Dante. At five ten myself, it takes a lot to make me feel short. But he somehow managed it. He had to be at least six four and linebacker-wide. Did he play football in high school?
His dark, wavy hair had been smoothly slicked back when he arrived earlier. But I had watched it creep forward as the morning went along until a section of it came loose, swinging down to kiss his jaw. My fingers itched to brush it back.
Dante was the type of man I had always had a sweet tooth for. Until I learned, oh-so-painfully, how bad for my health they could be.
  
 




Love's Shadow by Nichole Van 

Branwell D’Angelo . . . Six years ago, I fell in love with Lucy—my brother’s girlfriend. Stupid of me, I know, but sometimes the heart doesn’t listen to reason. Six years, I’ve lived on the sidelines. Seeing him love her, be with her, bask in her sunshine . . . I watched her break his heart and then cleaned up the shattered pieces of him she left behind. She’s the one woman I can’t have but still the only one my soul wants. Now she’s back in our lives and needs the unique help only us D’Angelos can give. He’s not emotionally strong enough to face her. So he’s sending me instead . . . When tragedy strikes Lucy Snow on a visit to Italy, she can’t bring herself to call any of the D’Angelo brothers for help. There are consequences for falling in love with your ex-boyfriend’s brother. But Lucy desperately needs Branwell’s paranormal skills and his gift of Sight. And if seeing him will negate at least three years of therapy? Well, it’s a price she is willing to pay. Thrown together in a desperate bid to save an innocent life, Branwell and Lucy struggle against their shared past, only to realize that something even more dangerous is reaching through the weight of time to stalk their every move . . . 
   
 

Oh. My. Gosh! The feels! The feels are real my fellow bookworms! My emotions were all over the place while reading this book! I laughed, I yelled, I got teary eyed, I growled in frustration, I let out little dreamy sighs and fell in love right along with Branwell and Lucy. I can't even begin to describe the amazingness of this book! One of my favorite parts of this book are the sour "punny" bears! *giggles* Oh! I can't forget about that epilogue! Love... love... LOVE! And talk about swoony! *dreamy sigh* I had the hardest time putting this book down! I have discovered a love/hate relationship with real life. Haha. 

      


“Wait, wait. Don’t move,” a woman’s voice said.
I froze, fork hovered over a particularly decadent piece of strawberry laden gooey-ness.
I lifted my head and encountered the most amazing eyes. Blue-green and wide-set. The smell of lemon-verbena and sunshine drifted over me. That fiery red hair tumbled around the gentle curve of her jaw. Window-light sculpted the arch of her rosebud lips.
Freckles. Freckles everywhere. Stars dotting her skin.
She was . . . stunning. Magnificent. Breathtaking in an unconventional way.
Maybe it was the jet lag, or the sugar and caffeine hitting my system in a knockout one-two punch.
But . . . it jolted me hard. That bolt of lightning.
This girl . . . woman . . .
Something about her tugged at me. A siren call of wedding bells and growing old hand-in-hand.
Then I noticed her t-shirt—The Empurr Strikes Back scrawled underneath Star Wars-themed, anime kittens.
Yep. That sealed the deal.
I was going to fall in love with her. So hard. So fast. 
“So what’s your brand of crazy?” she asked.
After a pause, I went with, “I won’t eat anything green unless it’s a vegetable.”
She cocked her head, processing.
A beat.
“Green M&M’s? Skittles? Gummy bears?” she asked.
“Nope. Leave ‘em all in the bag.”
“Green frosting? Sprinkles? Mold?”
“Nope. Nada. And please, no.”
“So why no green?” she asked, genuine, sincere.
I pondered options and then went with, “Non-vegetal green things are the charlatans of the food world.”
“That’s about the best sentence I’ve heard all week.” She gave that giggly, wispy laugh of hers. “What about avocados? I mean, they act like a vegetable, but they’re really a fruit.”
“Masquerading vegetables get a pass. So do herbs.”
“What about kiwi?”
“The jury is still out on kiwi. They’re something of a Franken-fruit, to be honest . . . all that fuzzy hair and the tiny, crunchy seeds.”
She laughed again. “Please tell me you have no Irish heritage. You would destroy any St. Patty’s Day celebration.”
“None.” I smiled, shaking my head. “Though, I did have an Irish roommate once. He thought I was, and I quote, ‘A wee bit mad.’”

  
 




Lightning Struck by Nichole Van 

Chiara doesn’t like Jack. Jack doesn’t like Chiara. The story should end there. Except . . . maybe Chiara finds herself daydreaming far too often about Jack. And maybe Jack finds Chiara aggravating in an adorable sorta way. Maybe Jack and Chiara find themselves falling in love. The problem, of course, remains. Jack is a ghost. And Chiara is not. Jack Knight-Snow has had a bad year for losing things. So far he has lost a ship full of ancient treasure, his family, his friends, his title, his lands and money, his fiancĂ©, the century into which he was born . . . oh, and his physical body. Worse, feisty Chiara D’Angelo might just finish the job and make him lose his mind. For her part, Chiara simply wants to help Jack get his body back and move on with his life. She doesn’t want to like his snarky humor or his gorgeous eyes or the way he accepts her exactly as she is. She’s a hot mess when it comes to romantic relationships. Case in point . . . she’s developing feelings for a ghost. But tackling the problem of Jack’s ghostliness is not straightforward. Soon, Jack and Chiara find themselves embroiled in a mystery which creates more questions about the D’Angelo brothers’ gifts of Second Sight. Set against the backdrop of Tuscany, Italy, Jack and Chiara race to uncover answers about the past before becoming history themselves.  


Nichole Van has hit paydirt yet again with this latest Brothers Maledetti book! Chiara's story has swoonworthy romance that is 100% clean, as well as laugh out loud humor and superb storytelling to make up this amazing, unputdownable book! Although you don't have to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one, I'd highly recommend reading them to get further backstory on the D'Angelo family and their talents. Nichole Van is one of the few authors on my "instant-buy" list and this latest installment is another reminder why. Five stars just don't seem enough.
 


“Jack, we’re all concerned about you,” I said the words carefully, keeping my tone flat and not screechy like I felt. “We’ve been concentrating on trying to find answers for your ghost-like state, but I think the constant focus is hurting more than it’s helping. It’s like picking at a scab over and over, never allowing it to heal. Maybe it’s time to take a step back from our research.”
Jack paused, giving me his best Regency-era, Lord Knight stare.
I had a love/hate relationship with that stare—I hated that I kinda loved it. It was snooty with an edge of dry sardonic humor, and it challenged every womanly impulse in my body to kiss it off his face.
Not that I would do that, of course, even if it were possible. But the urge was there.
“Would you prefer me to continue my exploration of modern names?” he asked.
I bit my lip, unsure how to reply. It was a decent threat.
Jack had gone through this whole phase where he mocked contemporary celebrity names.
Example: Brittany Spears.
It had been days of, ‘Pardon Siri, but who are the Spears of Brittany?’ and ‘Are Brittany Spears similar to Celtic weaponry from northern France?’
“I have yet to understand why Ryan cares so much about goslings,” Jack continued. “Does he have a fetish for young poultry?”
See?!
Honestly.
   
 
   





Author Nichole Van 

Nichole Van is a writer, photographer, designer and generally disorganized crazy person. Though originally from Utah, she currently lives on the coast of Scotland with three similarly crazy children and one sane, very patient husband who puts up with all of them. In her free time, she enjoys long walks along the Scottish lochs and braes. She does not, however, enjoy haggis. 
 
      
      










Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 3/9/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.