{"id":5324,"date":"2015-06-03T12:34:02","date_gmt":"2015-06-03T19:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/allthethingsinbetween.net\/?p=5324"},"modified":"2015-06-03T12:34:02","modified_gmt":"2015-06-03T19:34:02","slug":"makin-the-love-monday-xaman-by-simone-beaudelaire-edwin-stark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2015\/06\/03\/makin-the-love-monday-xaman-by-simone-beaudelaire-edwin-stark\/","title":{"rendered":"Makin’ The Love Monday – Xaman by Simone Beaudelaire & Edwin Stark"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Xaman\"<\/p>\n

I tend to get in reading rut, like my choice in foods–I find something tasty and it’s all I eat for the next month. With reading I will be taken with a topic and read nothing but that for a while: YA, Science Fiction, stepbrothers, motorcycle clubs, Classics, shifters, urban fantasy, m\u00e9nage, vintage romances… Then I will read something off the menu and it will blow me the eff away. Since I buy a lot of books (upward of 150-200\/month) I sometimes flip through my e-reader and select a book by cover not knowing what in hell I’m getting into because Kindle doesn’t show me blurbs, and I’m stuck just pants-ing my novel choice. Some are winners, some are losers–this was a blue ribbon selection, and how I came to read Xaman. (And I don’t regret my cover loving in the least because the book was amazekitties.)<\/p>\n

Rachael Monroe is a biologist working on her Ph.D in The jungles of Belize. She is looking for an unknown\/undiscovered hummingbird in a region called Devil’s Vale. Throughout her life the historical Mayan area has interested her and she chose it inparticular because when she first saw the region on a map she felt a pull to it. With her on this exploration is her fianc\u00e9; Josh who is so many ways not right for her since Rachael has settled for the guy who was there as an escape from her family’s meddling. Josh isn’t all she had hoped to romance him up to be, her constant inner conscience actually has to remind her to be nicer to him. Total relationship fail. It’s like that saying that traveling with someone is the only way you can really know who the person is. Josh is a disappointment and irritation. Rachael keeps trying to justify being with him because he’s her fianc\u00e9. <\/i>Rachael, babe,\u00a0<\/i>If you have to rationalize your relationship you need a new one.<\/p>\n

San Rosario, the town she and Josh are staying, is small and mainly filled with locals; the outsiders are truck drivers and passer-bys. While it is almost nothing more that a pit stop, the locals are quite accepting of tourists: Rachael has had a really great experience with the denizens of San Rosario. While\u00a0she is alone, enjoying a drink at the local watering hole, she is preyed upon by a persistent truck driver who doesn’t know how to take a strongly stressed hint. She is rescued by a mysterious man, who beats the poop out of the persistent drunk dude and his fellow dudes, before taking her to the safety of her hotel. He seems to have quite a strange effect on everyone in San Rosario, and besides being drop dead magnetic Rachael is at a loss to why.<\/p>\n

The region of Belize that San Rosario is located in is of importance because it’s tie to Mayan Civilization, which Rachael has a fairly broad knowledge of, culturally speaking. Xaman is conundrum. Rachael’s dreams are connecting him to ritual sacrifices and lusty thoughts, but he has been nothing but protective and respectful. When she begins seeing more of him around San Rosario he starts tripping a familiarity that she can’t explain. As you can guess this is causing all the more distance with her and Josh. When the truth of Xaman’s importance to Rachael begins to surface she finds that her destiny has always been tied to him. The why of this connection she must uncover.<\/p>\n

The mystery and hints that lead you through the story make the plot chocolate cake compelling. Xaman is multidimensional and sweet tasting on your eyes, and\u00a0Rachael isn’t that bad either. Together their history and connection are almost inspirational, like the death by chocolate slices my guy and I built our first bits of happiness on. If I have any complaints it would be that there is a strange voice written into\u00a0the beginning that feels formal and clinical. Some of the regional information and introductions read like a Fromer’s Travel Guide to Belize. As the book’s pace picks up it becomes easier to read and impossible to put down. This novel is superior. AND you can get it from Kindle Unlimited for a free read. I did that and I’m going to buy it too, because I will want to read this again.<\/p>\n

If you like Xaman\u00a0you should pick up Kate Brallier’s The Boundless Deep<\/a> because they both have\u00a0that love to last a lifetime thingie going on!<\/p>\n

\"Blog-Separater-Rawr\"<\/p>\n

\"Xaman-Cover-RS\"Xaman Synopsis:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In the jungles of Belize, an ancient power lurks, and American grad student Rachael Monroe is about to come face to face with it. But is it a monster from a long-dead culture, or something far more dangerous? And who is Xaman, the mysterious local man Rachael finds so inexplicably fascinating?<\/span><\/p>\n

Seeking answers to these questions will lead Rachael deeper into the heart of a centuries-old mystery that might reveal to her a love that can surpass even death… or her own gruesome end.<\/p>\n

\"add-to-goodreads\"<\/a>Purchase Xaman:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amazon<\/a> | B&N<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Blog-Separater-Rawr\"<\/p>\n

Simone Beaudelaire Books:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"Blog-Separater-Rawr\"<\/p>\n

Xaman Excerpt:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The room beyond that door was a cramped little office with a large metal desk dominating most of the available space. In addition to this metallic behemoth, there were also a couple of antique file cabinets, a smaller wood desk against a side wall and a few chairs peppered all over the place. As soon as the door closed behind her, Rachael noticed that two of the chairs were occupied. Sitting beside the massive desk was Captain Alirio Montoya, who was distantly related to Alphonso, Josh and Rachael’s guide for their jungle rambles. In fact, the couple had met him on their first day in San Rosario, when they went directly to the only person in town with a semblance of reliable authority for a referral that would lead them to a local guide they could trust.<\/p>\n

Captain Montoya had the incredible misfortune of resembling the Hollywood caricature of a Latino Bad Guy right out of a B- movie; he was overweight, with a bushy, luxuriant moustache framing the corners of his mouth. Badly shaven jowls complemented this Bad Man image. When Alirio Montoya decided to put on a frown, he managed to look quite menacing (which probably helped him a lot in his daily police work), but he was the sweetest person Rachael had met so far in this corner of the world.<\/p>\n

A man she had seen the other night was occupying the other chair. He was the bear- like trucker, the one who had tried to intervene in the altercation she’d had with that rude guy\u2014 what was his name?\u2014 Matt\u2026 no Mark, that was it. Mark DeWitt. The bulky trucker was glaring at her. Captain Montoya looked up at Rachael and smiled. \u201cWelcome, Miss Monroe,\u201d he addressed her. \u201cGood afternoon. I regret that we must meet again under these awkward circumstances, but a serious affair has arisen and it seems to concern you.\u201d The sergeant had drawn a chair closer, offering it to Rachael, who accepted gracefully and slid onto the worn surface. \u201cWhat’s this all about, captain?\u201d she asked. \u201cWhy did you bring Josh in for interrogation?\u201d<\/p>\n

The captain’s eyes shifted meaningfully in the trucker’s general direction. \u201cPlease, Miss Monroe,\u201d he said slightly irritated. \u201cIt will all go quicker if we follow strict standard procedures. But to ease your mind, you were absent when we arrived at your room to ask you some questions, so we brought him instead, to find out your whereabouts all morning long. As you can see, he didn’t know. And here you are. May we proceed?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachael nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat,\u201d the captain said, his eyes returning to focus on her. \u201cAccording to this man, it appears you were involved last night in a scuffle of some sort with one of his friends\u2014 is that true?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rachael had no qualms about telling the truth. \u201cYes, that is so,\u201d she said. \u201cMark DeWitt. He was very drunk and\u2014 \u201d<\/p>\n

The captain shook his head furiously, interrupting Rachael’s declaration. \u201cIrrelevant at this moment. We’ll see if it concerns the case later,\u201d he said while grabbing a pencil. Then he scribbled something down in a legal pad. Crazily, Rachael took notice that he was left- handed. Geez! This was getting more and more surreal with every passing second. Why should she care about such a minute, unimportant detail? \u201cThis gentleman claims that another man got involved in your discussion. Who was he?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCaptain, I fail to see the importance of such a minor difficulty,\u201d Rachael protested, which was met with another of Montoya’s furious headshakes. She relapsed into silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cMiss Monroe, the importance is that this man’s friend is missing,\u201d the captain explained, slamming the pencil against the surface of the desk. It made a loud bang! sound that seemed to infuse with its power into every molecule of air present in the room. \u201cHe was last seen by Mr. Forrester, exiting the cabin of his truck to \u2013\u201d Here, Captain Alirio Montoya hesitated, perhaps trying to find better words than the ones he probably had in mind. \u201c\u2014 take care of a call of nature,\u201d he finished saying. \u201cDeWitt’s truck and current cargo are still parked in the lot next to La Burriquita . We traced some tracks into the near bushes, but that didn’t take us too far, so I’m just following all the leads. I understand, by Mr. Forrester statement, that this yet unnamed man knocked DeWitt unconscious and then you two walked away from the bar. Who was this guy?\u201d Captain Montoya lowered his eyes toward the notepad, ready to continue his notes.<\/p>\n

Rachael glanced in Lou Forrester’s direction. The huge man looked quite smug right now, with both his meaty arms crossed in front of his chest, seeming to enjoy all this.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, I only know this other man as Xaman,\u201d Rachael finally said, surrendering the information.<\/p>\n

Captain Alirio Montoya looked up sharply from his notes. He twisted his neck, looking at his underling. Sergeant Garcia, who had been standing directly on Rachael’s left during the entire interview, looked rather pale. Montoya and he exchanged glances. Both men looked somewhat crestfallen by this new revelation. Rachael frowned a bit.<\/p>\n

What’s going on?<\/em> She thought. What’s the deal with Xaman that the mere mention of his name or his presence seems capable of silencing a roomful of people?<\/em><\/p>\n

Captain Montoya tore off the top sheet of the legal pad and began to fold it into quarters. Then he proceeded to rip it into several strips, right before crumpling them into a ball that he tossed into the wastebasket sitting next to his gigantic desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy sincerest apologies, Miss Monroe,\u201d Montoya said in a voice full of sincere regret. \u201cI guess there has been a terrible misunderstanding. You’re free to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

At hearing this, Lou Forrester straightened in his seat, uncrossing his arms. \u201cWhat’s this?\u201d he asked in a disgruntled tone of voice. He had lost his entire self- righteous demeanor in the blink of an eye, and his big, round face showed hectic red circles of rage at the cheeks. He rose to his feet, closing his hands into fists that were ready to strike. \u201cMy buddy’s missing and you’re letting the bitch go? I know she’s involved. What sort of shitty Third World craphole justice is this?\u201d<\/p>\n

Captain Montoya frowned mightily. \u201cYou stay quiet, Mr. Forrester, and you better retract that\u2026 or I’ll have Sergeant Garcia throw you into the drunk’s cell we have at the back,\u201d he admonished the irate trucker.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike fuck I will!\u201d<\/p>\n

Lou roared. \u201cCaptain,\u201d Montoya addressed his underling as he rose from his desk, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. Rachael was astounded by the spectacle of a man of such mass who finally decides it’s time to start moving it around. If she had ever thought Lou Forrester was a huge, bear- like creature, here was a man who could surpass him in strength pound for pound, muscle for muscle\u2026 and he wore a police uniform, which meant he could do pretty much as he wanted in his sunny little tropical country. \u201cPlease escort the lady out of the station. Meanwhile, I think I’ll have a few extra words with our disrespectful guest.\u201d Then, to Rachael he said, \u201cI hope this entire odious incident hasn’t soured your opinion about San Rosario and its inhabitants, Miss Monroe, and that you’re still willing to come to our town’s founding festival, next weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRest assured, captain,\u201d Rachael said wanly. \u201cI wouldn’t miss it for all the tea in China.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a92015 Simone Beaudelaire & Edwin Stark<\/p>\n

\"Blog-Separater-Rawr\"<\/p>\n

Meet Simone Beaudelaire:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Simone Beaudelaire is the pseudonym for a single mom and graduate student from Texas.\u00a0In her spare time, Mme Beaudelaire reads romances as fast as she can get her hands on them, and when she isn’t reading them, she’s writing them!<\/p>\n

Published works include Watching Over the Watcher, Keeping Katerina, High Plains Holiday, Hihg Plains promise, When the Music Ends, When the Words are Spoken, When the Heart Heals, The Naphil’s Kiss, Baylee Breaking and several others, but more are in the works.<\/p>\n

Meet Edwin Stark:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello, my name’s Edwin Stark, and I was born in Caracas, Venezuela. That’s South America for the few geographically-challenged ones out there. I suppose that somehow the stork had just stumbled out from a pub while it was delivering me, (it was confused to say the least) and mishandled my humble persona, leaving me stranded in this unlikely place.<\/p>\n

So far, I wrote four books: AI Rebellion, a rather preachy cyberpunk thriller that still shows the struggle of switching languages (and I only recommend people to read it if they’re on an archeological mood, as in if they’re interested in seeing my progress as a writer), Eco Station One, a very bizarre and funny satire, the aforementioned Cuentos, and The Clayton Chronicles, a rather cookie-cut vampire tale. All these are available for the Kindle reader on Amazon, in paperbacks and all e-book formats in Smashwords.<\/p>\n

\"Blog-Separater-Rawr\"<\/p>\n

Simone Beaudelaire’s Web Tracks:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Website<\/a> | Blog<\/a> |\u00a0Facebook<\/a> |\u00a0Goodreads<\/a> | Amazon Author Page<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Blog-Separater-Rawr\"<\/p>\n

Simone Baudelaire on All The Things Inbetween:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Blog-Separater-Rawr\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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Follow all the updates for this blog by visiting and liking The All The Things Inbetween Facebook page. Click the button to enter the ring!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n

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I’m looking for authors and victims willing to write guest blogs, reviews and interviews for All The Things Inbetween. If you would be interested in taking part please drop me an email and I will send you a thank you picture of a kitten!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I tend to get in reading rut, like my choice in foods–I find something tasty and it’s all I eat for the next month. With reading I will be taken with a topic and read nothing but that for a while: YA, Science Fiction, stepbrothers, motorcycle clubs, Classics, shifters, urban fantasy, m\u00e9nage, vintage romances… Then […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[339,797,1240,1525,1626,2208],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Xaman.jpg?fit=600%2C600&ssl=1","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6132,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2016\/03\/14\/mug-shots-two-more-sutherlands-griffin-and-jaxson\/","url_meta":{"origin":5324,"position":0},"title":"Mug Shots: Two more Sutherlands; Griffin and Jaxson","date":"2016-03-14","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm slowly making my way through the anthology because I've had a crazy few weeks. I have had a chance to read a couple of these stories and Abby Niles' Stripped is one of them. OMG you are going to love the hot and insatiable Jaxson Sutherland. Mmmmm... total babe.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book It"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Hottest.jpg?fit=700%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12680,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2021\/06\/07\/book-blitz-a-shifters-sin-by-debbie-cassidy\/","url_meta":{"origin":5324,"position":1},"title":"Book Blitz: A Shifter's Sin by Debbie Cassidy","date":"2021-06-07","format":false,"excerpt":"Book Blitz: A Shifter's Sin by Debbie Cassidy Title: A Shifter's Sin (Wolves of Hawthorne Cove #1) Author: Debbie Cassidy Genre: Adult, Reverse Harem, Romance, Urban Fantasy Release Date: 03 June 2021","rel":"","context":"In "Adult Fiction"","img":{"alt_text":"A Shifter's Sin by Debbie Cassidy","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Screen-Shot-2021-04-02-at-1.20.32-PM.png?fit=1200%2C443&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10187,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2020\/09\/05\/book-review-faust-university-by-layne-bynum\/","url_meta":{"origin":5324,"position":2},"title":"Book Review: Faust University by M. Dalto Layne Bynum","date":"2020-09-05","format":false,"excerpt":"Faust University by M Dalto and Laynie Bynum Title: Faust UniversityAuthor: M. Dalto and Laynie BynumGenre: Fantasy, Paranormal RomanceMy rating: 3 of 5 stars Faust University is an assemblage of so many Academy Reads; I don't know where to start comparing. The book, tongue firmly in cheek, compares it's invite\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book It"","img":{"alt_text":"Faust University by M Dalto and Laynie Bynum","src":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Faust-University-by-M-Dalto-and-Laynie-Bynum-2.png?fit=851%2C315&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":35,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2012\/12\/27\/book-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":5324,"position":3},"title":"Book it!","date":"2012-12-27","format":false,"excerpt":"Good Morning! Today is a glorious Thursday and tomorrow D and I leave to fly out to Manassas, VA for a week with his parents. I'm really excited to be going back to the DC area because there is just so much history there. I love seeing the old houses,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"A Note of Madness\"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6955,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2019\/07\/30\/cambria-hebert-about-writing\/","url_meta":{"origin":5324,"position":4},"title":"Interviews: Cambria Hebert at ApollyCon 2019 - About Writing","date":"2019-07-30","format":false,"excerpt":"OMG! Do you know who Cambria Hebert is? Cambria Hebert is the author of seventy titles spanning nine series including bestselling novels in the series: Hashtag, Gearsharks, Take It Off, and BearPaw Resort. She has also authored many short stories such as Blank, and Whiteout. Her newest novel Mr. Fantasy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book It"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/C-Heb-Thumbnail-Tubes.png?fit=1024%2C708&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12263,"url":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/2021\/04\/13\/interview-giveaway-debbie-mcqueen-author-of-dragon-king-series\/","url_meta":{"origin":5324,"position":5},"title":"Interview & Giveaway: Debbie McQueen Author of Dragon King Series","date":"2021-04-13","format":false,"excerpt":"Interview: Debbie McQueen Author of Dragon King Series","rel":"","context":"In "Book It"","img":{"alt_text":"Talons of Love by Debbie McQueen","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Talons-of-Love-Book-3-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5324"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5324"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5324\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/havecoffeeneedbooks.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}