Aloha to Beach Blanket Bingo, Christi Barth, and TRYING IT ALL (Naked Men Series)

It's a gloomy day in Baltimore ... so let's escape to the beach! We are counting down to the RT Booklovers Convention (link), May 2 - 7, 2017, in HotLanta!  Kim Rocha and I are hosting Beach Blanket Bingo (link)

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!

Christi Barth is joining us to celebrate the May release of TRYING IT ALL, Book 4 in her Naked Men Series: 

Order. Attention to detail. Never leaving anything to chance. These are the qualities that make Riley Ness such a terrific federal agent . . . and a pain in the ass to everyone else. The only time Riley lets loose is when he’s hanging out with his closest pals. So when he’s thrown together with gorgeous, flighty Summer Sheridan, Riley’s brain tells him she’s a ticking time bomb—but his body doesn’t want to play by the rules.

Riley has to be the most irritating man Summer has ever met. The brooding hunk thinks he needs to teach her a few lessons about real life, while she’d rather show him how to enjoy it. But her BFF’s all but engaged to Riley’s best friend, and besides, their intense physical chemistry is all too real. Summer just needs Riley to try to meet her halfway and take a chance with the one thing that matters: his heart.

Christi is an author local to me ... from her bio (link):

Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series. Christi can always be found whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.

Christi's favorite beach is .... Ocean City!  For the month of April, I am giving away a box of books from authors attending RT, including Christi!  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about gourmet meals ... do you whip them up like Christi?  Or do you prefer the role as taster?  Do you have a favorite "gourmet" meal to make or taste?

I prefer to be the taster ... I'm open to almost any "flavor" - Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Indian - as long as it doesn't have unusual ingredients.

2. Comments are open through Sunday, April 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I will be offline from Monday, May 1 - Sunday, May 7.

4. I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 8.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

More books in the Naked Men series ...

Aloha to Weekly Winners, Jessica James, and MEANT TO BE

We have winners at SOS Aloha - Artemis and Catslady win a book choice from my convention stash.

I recently enjoyed an episode of Beachfront Bargain on HGTV - the Baltimore couple wanted to buy a beachfront condo in Ocean City, MD.  It reminded me of Jessica James (link).  She will be joining us for Beach Blanket Bingo at the RT Booklovers Convention (link):

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!

Jessica will feature Ocean City at her table. From its website (link),

The sun and surf of Ocean City, Maryland, have been attracting visitors since Algonquian tribes first came to our beaches to fish and sun themselves.

Europeans first arrived in 1524 when Giovanni da Verrazano surveyed the east coast of North America. By the 17th century, British colonists had moved north from Virginia and settled in the area.

Due to Ocean City's isolation as a barrier island, the town remained a sleepy fishing village until 1875, when the Atlantic Hotel began welcoming visitors. The following year, the railroad bridged Sinepuxent Bay, and a resort was born.

Today, Ocean City stretches along 10 miles of beautiful beach from the Inlet to the Delaware state line. Our classic wooden boardwalk offers nearly 3 miles of food, games and shopping. 

Jessica features Ocean City in MEANT TO BE .... 

It started as a chance encounter on the beach, and ended 24 hours later when they parted to go their separate ways. Or so they thought.

Actually it was just the beginning.

WHEN LAUREN CANTRELL said goodbye to the guy she had just met on the beach, she had no way of knowing their paths would ever cross again. But fate had another unexpected meeting in store for them—this time in a place where danger was part of the culture and the stakes were life and death.

THE LAST PERSON in the world Rad expected to see at a special ops briefing in Afghanistan is the girl he met at the beach two weeks ago—the one he can’t stop thinking about.

From the sundrenched beaches of Ocean City, Md., to the snowcapped mountains of Afghanistan, this thrilling tale of espionage and intrigue takes readers on a spellbinding journey into the secret lives of our nation’s quiet heroes—and answers the question:

What do you do when the person you most want to protect is the one risking everything to make sure you survive?

MEANT TO BE recounts the dedication of our military, the honor and sacrifice of our soldiers, and a relationship that is tested and sustained by the powerful forces of love, courage and resolve.

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. What do you love to eat at the beach?  Ocean Cit is famous for Thrasher's French Fries.  Other favorites include soft service ice cream, saltwater taffy, and hot dogs!

2. Comments are open through Sunday, February 12, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, February 13.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Jessica James and MEANT TO BE - Book Review

It started as a chance encounter on the beach, and ended 24 hours later when they parted to go their separate ways.

Or so they thought.

Actually it was just the beginning.

WHEN LAUREN CANTRELL said goodbye to the guy she had just met on the beach, she had no way of knowing their paths would ever cross again. But fate had another unexpected meeting in store for them—this time in a place where danger was part of the culture and the stakes were life and death.

THE LAST PERSON in the world Rad expected to see at a special ops briefing in Afghanistan is the girl he met at the beach two weeks ago—the one he can’t stop thinking about.

From the sundrenched beaches of Ocean City, Md., to the snowcapped mountains of Afghanistan, this thrilling tale of espionage and intrigue takes readers on a spellbinding journey into the secret lives of our nation’s quiet heroes—and answers the question:

What do you do when the person you most want to protect is the one risking everything to make sure you survive?

MEANT TO BE recounts the dedication of our military, the honor and sacrifice of our soldiers, and a relationship that is tested and sustained by the powerful forces of love, courage and resolve.

MEANT TO BE opens in Ocean City with Lauren sitting quietly on the beach, lost to her thoughts.  The winds blows her hat down the beach ... and it is rescued by a passing jogger, Rad.   This chance encounter leads to 24 hours of frolicking in the seaside resort.  James paints an all American picture of a lonely woman, orphaned by 9/11, and the vivacious man who sees something special in her.   It is a foreshadowing of their reunion when both Lauren and Rad meet again in Afghanistan to employ their talents to neutralize a very real threat.

James captures the innocent bliss of Ocean City only to jar my emotions with the dangerous mission in Afghanistan.  MEANT TO BE is a love letter to the men and women who serve and sacrifice for the freedom we enjoy.

I received an ARC from the author for an honest review.

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash, plus military swag, to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about your favorite "junk food" found on the boardwalk - saltwater taffy?  corn dogs?  popcorn?

During their time in Ocean City, Lauren and Rad indulge in the local favorite Thrasher's Fries.  

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, July 13, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, July 14.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Jessica James and MEANT TO BE - Video Trailer

It started as a chance encounter on the beach, and ended 24 hours later when they parted to go their separate ways.  Or so they thought.

Actually it was just the beginning.

WHEN LAUREN CANTRELL said goodbye to the guy she had just met on the beach, she had no way of knowing their paths would ever cross again. But fate had another unexpected meeting in store for them—this time in a place where danger was part of the culture and the stakes were life and death.

THE LAST PERSON in the world Rad expected to see at a special ops briefing in Afghanistan is the girl he met at the beach two weeks ago—the one he can’t stop thinking about.

From the sundrenched beaches of Ocean City, Md., to the snowcapped mountains of Afghanistan, this thrilling tale of espionage and intrigue takes readers on a spellbinding journey into the secret lives of our nation’s quiet heroes—and answers the question:

What do you do when the person you most want to protect is the one risking everything to make sure you survive?

MEANT TO BE recounts the dedication of our military, the honor and sacrifice of our soldiers, and a relationship that is tested and sustained by the powerful forces of love, courage and resolve.

Check out the Video Trailer at this link.

Gettysburg National Military Park
Public Domain (link)

MEANT TO BE (June 2015) is award-winning author Jessica James’ first contemporary novel, but not her first foray into dealing with the emotions and turbulence of the battlefield. Her past novels have been set during the Revolutionary War and the American Civil War, and have been compared to some of the greatest literary novels of that era. She is the only two-time winner of the coveted John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, and was featured in the book 50 Great Authors You Should Be Reading, published in 2010.

James stays active working part-time as a stagehand where she assists with shows ranging from country bands and stage plays, to operas, symphonies and ballets. She resides in Gettysburg, Pa., and has a passion for old dwellings and first edition books.

Learn more about Jessica and her books at jessicajamesbooks.com.

Come back to SOS Aloha on June 6 - D Day - for my review of MEANT TO BE.  Have you visited Gettysburg or any other historic battlefield? One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Sunday, May 31.  I'll post the winner on Monday, June 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City 

Lincoln visits the troops at Antietam
Public Domain (link)