On Tour: Fatty Patty by Kathleen Irene Paterka

Kathleen will be on tour August 6-27 with her novel Fatty Patty

Small towns, long memories. Everyone in the exclusive summer resort of James Bay, Michigan remembers FATTY PATTY, the chubby little girl with the round face and wild red curls. All grown up now, Patty Perreault teaches at the same elementary school where the painful playground memories still taunt her. She hasn’t forgotten the cruel nickname—plus she still hasn’t lost those extra pounds. Convinced her weight is the biggest reason why she’s a four time loser in the semi-finals for Teacher of the Year, Patty resolves to make some changes in her body and her life.

Sam Curtis, an overweight accountant she meets at the community pool, swims into Patty’s life with romance on his mind. But as their friendship grows, Patty finds it hard to see beyond his extra pounds. She’s torn as Sam refuses to deal with his own overweight issues. Her heart tells her one thing, but her eyes see another. She’s not interested in an overweight boyfriend. When it comes to winning the Grand Prize in life and love, Patty has some hard lessons to learn. Will she be able to confront her fears about the kind of woman she yearns to be? Will she be able to put down the fork and give her heart a try?

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for all the tour stops!

 

Kathleen Irene Paterka fell in love with writing (and food) at a very young age. By the time she graduated high school, she’d completed her first manuscript and she weighed 300 lbs. Though the extra pounds have long since disappeared, Kathleen still carries the emotional scars of being a former fatty. FATTY PATTY was born from the cruel teasing she endured on the school playground. Kathleen is the author of numerous novels which embrace universal themes of home, family life and love, including the Women’s Fiction series, “The James Bay Novels”. Kathleen is the resident staff writer for Castle Farms, a world renowned castle listed on the National Historic Register, and co-author of the non-fiction book FOR THE LOVE OF A CASTLE, published in 2012. Having lived and studied abroad, Kathleen’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central Michigan University. She and her husband live in the beautiful north country of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Kathleen loves hearing from readers. You can contact her via her website at http://www.kathleenirenepaterka.com or follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KathleenIrenePaterka.

Happily Ever After by Maggie Greene

Happily Ever After

Thanks so much for having me here today!

I hear from a lot of people that they don’t like reading romances because the ending is implied. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that these books end with a happily-ever-after. That’s actually what I love about it. When I pick up a romance, I know that no matter what the characters go through, they are going to wind up together in the end.

To be fair, romance isn’t the only genre this happens in. When you read a mystery, you expect the detective to solve the crime, right? Otherwise it wouldn’t make it a very good story. We like to see good win out over evil.

We also like to see love conquer the world. I strongly believe in the power of love to heal wounds created by the rest of the world. Of course, I also believe that it is important to make the characters work to get there. So you know what you’re getting with my book. Two characters who each have a host of personal problems, who want to be together but are pulled apart by circumstances, but who find a way to overcome those issues and end up together in the end.

Alright, time for the fun part. I’m having a large giveaway as part of my blog tour. Comments on each of the stops will count as an entry in the contest. Winners will be drawn on August 1st andwill receive a gift basket from me complete with some book swag, bath products,and honey. For more details (and chances to enter), you can visit my blog (http://www.authormaggiegreene.com).Please make sure you leave an email address.

 

Nursing Second Chances

A Honey Creek Sweet Romance

Kiersten Hart left Honey Creek the minute she graduated high school and never looked back. When her sister Jeanine is widowed and left to raise two children alone, Kiersten moves back on a temporary basis.When Charles steps in and sweeps her off her feet, she has to decide if the wounds from her childhood can be mended.

After his wife died, Charles Webber swore he’d never love anyone again. He buried himself in his work and didn’t look up until he found out his son was sick. Moving to Honey Creek was supposed to make things easier. Kiersten does little to help keep things simple. Though he is taken with her, he soon realizes the casual relationship they agreed on is turning serious. As their expiration date approaches, Charles must decide if Kiersten is worth the risk.

Available from Turquoise Morning Press: http://www.turquoisemorningpressbookstore.com/products/nursing-second-chances-honey-creek-sweet-romance

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nursing-Second-Chances-Honey-ebook/dp/B0082X3IHO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336989882&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nursing-second-chances-maggie-greene/1110797875?ean=2940014421508

Author Bio:

Maggie Greene has often been described as having an overactive imagination. She’s not convinced this is true, but does seem tospend a lot of her time daydreaming up ways to make her characters fall inlove. When she’s not buried in a pile of books or typing away on her computer,she’s living out her very own happily-ever-after with a very patient husbandand a demanding cat.Maggie loves to hear from readers. You can contact her at authormaggiegreene@gmail.com, throughher website www.authormaggiegreene.comor on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/AuthorMaggieGreene

This Tangled Thing Called Love by Marie Astor

I received a copy of This Tangled Thing Called Love in exchange for an honest review. Claire Chatfield has the best life. She is successful, has great girlfriends, and has just received a massive rock from her now fiancé, David Lawson. David is one of the most sought-after bachelors in New York City thanks to his elite status and sizeable bank account. But Claire’s world is rocked when photos appear in a tabloid magazine of David locking lips with an aging Hollywood actress. Claire calls off the engagement, and is forced to face her true feelings – she didn’t have the overwhelming in love feeling with David. He was reliable, solid, and safe….but Claire knows she wants more. When she starts spending more time with her sex on a stick neighbor, Alec, Claire thinks she has the found the man she could spend forever with. A tango dance instructor, Alec sweeps Claire off her feet and also makes a startling connection with her career. Will Claire finally have the courage to go after what she really wants in life?

I thought This Tangled Thing Called Love was a cute and sweet romance novel. Claire is a great heroine, someone who was duped by the one she loved, but it turned out to be for the best. Claire had been ignoring her feelings about her relationship with David for too long. The POV gives readers insight on a slew of characters – Claire being the lead, but also Alec, David and even David’s fling – Claudia. I liked that we got just enough of glimpse into their thoughts – nothing too overwhelming where it was confusing. One flaw I thought was that I didn’t think there was enough on Claire and Alec’s relationship. It really didn’t come into play until the second half of the book, and I thought that was too long. The majority of the book focused on Claire and David’s relationship, but I would have liked to see more Alec in there. There were some enjoyable subplots as well, including Claire’s work and friendships, and overall I thought this was a very quick and pleasant read that I would recommend.

[Rating: 4]

Great-Aunt Sophia’s Lessons for Bombshells by Lisa Cach

Great Aunt Sophia’s Lessons for Bombshells by Lisa Cach follows Grace Cavanaugh, who is bound and determined to prove that beauty only leads to misery through research for her thesis. She is knee deep in research when she receives a call that her great aunt Sophia is havnig surgery, and that she would love it if Grace could accompany her during her recovery. Despite her misgivings, Grace caves once she realizes that this would be a perfect opportunity to do some much needed research. She arrives in Pebble Beach completely expecting to find a old, lonely and ragged old woman … but instead finds a well aged diva, still ozzing of va-va-voom. Grace realizes that she is the perfect specimen for her thesis but soon may change her train of thought once her great aunt takes her under her wing and completely transforms her into a bombshell, delivering her to test her new skills on two men who are only inches away from becoming her prey. Newly unleashed power threatens everything that Grace has ever stood for and leaves her wondering if she should trust her heart and look for beauty in unexpected places, instead of what is obvious.

I absolutely loved this book! Great- Aunt Sophia’s Lessons for Bombshells is a fabulous and hilarious read filled with lots of wonderful tips and insight on how to keep (or get back) what you’ve been missing in your life. Full of surprises and laughs, I was highly entertained throughout, and especially loved it when naive Grace is pitted against sexy Declan and the always handsome Dr. Andrew. I had a really hard time putting this one down and it was perfect for lounging by the pool. Overall, a really fun read and definitely something different. Loved every second of it.

[Rating: 5/5]

Future Tour: Sex, Lies & Hot Tubs by Elissa Ambrose

Elissa will be on tour October 15-22 with her women’s fiction novel Sex, Lies & Hot Tubs

If a woman tries to preserve a marriage that has been damaged by infidelity, is she heroic or is she delusional? How many times does her husband have to cheat before she calls it quits? How many times does he have to get caught?

Meet Ellen Dunwell, doting wife, loving mother, high school teacher extaordinaire. She’s worried that her husband, the respected Dr. Jeffrey Dunwell, wonderful father, great lover, is having another affair. As if that’s not bad enough, her friends don’t understand her, her neighbor’s son is a Peeping Tom, and her angst-ridden teenage daughter is stashing pot in her room and dating a control freak. When Jeffrey suddenly disappears, Ellen nearly slips over the edge. Instead, she pulls herself together and sets out on a mission to find him—only to get caught up in a web of intrigue and danger, where nothing is as it seems and the stakes are her life.

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for the full tour schedule!

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin

Ah, the latest Emily Giffin novel. Who hasn’t been waiting anxiously for Where We Belong to land in our hands? Fans of the much-loved author will not be disappointed with her latest offering – a tale of family, loyalty, and love and must-read for the summer season.

Marian Caldwell is living her dream life in New York City. As thirty-six she is a successful TV producer, dating an even more successful man, and has everything that she has worked so hard for. Her life is fairy tale – to outsiders. Marian has been keeping a secret from everyone for half of her life – and that secret is about to catch up with her. Kirby Rose, an eighteen year old girl searching for her birth mother, brings that secret to light when she knocks on Marian’s door. Marian’s past is now coming back to her – the lies, the shame, the guilt of giving up her daughter for adoption and then never trying to find her or contact her throughout the years. Kirby is just trying to find a way to fit in. She doesn’t connect with her mom and dad the way her sister does – their biological daughter. She hopes finding Marian and her birth father will help that unsettling feeling. But now another secret is about to be spilled – regarding Kirby’s birth father and Marian’s ex-boyfriend from high school. Can Marian and Kirby both find the answers and closure they so desperately seek?

Where We Belong is a page –turner. The novel goes back and forth from Marian to Kirby’s POV, and Giffin does so with ease, letting readers side with both leads. I thought this was interesting, because honestly – Marian doesn’t seem to be that great of a person. She has told a lot of lies, and seemingly done so to not upset her master plan of being successful. It actually wasn’t until the end of the book where I thought to myself: huh. She can be kinda unlikeable. This book hit home in a few places to me – dealing with adoptions and not knowing birth parents, trying to find where you really do belong. I got emotional in a few spots, and I will say that I really enjoyed the ending. I thought it was going to be the opposite (no spoilers here!) but was very pleased with the way Marian’s romantic future outcome was ended on. Another must-read from Emily Giffin.

[Rating: 5]

Viewer Discretion Advised by Cindy Roesel

Cindy Roesel is currently on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Viewer Discretion Advised. This might be a strange reading taste – but I absolutely love books that talk about TV shows, journalism, broadcasting, etc. Just an odd little niche, but I cannot pass up books with those topics being mentioned in the plot. This novel didn’t disappoint on that end – a lot of juicy stories being covered, a behind the scenes peek at the hustle and bustle of a newsroom – and of course – gossip, romance and plenty of cocktails!

Charley Thomas doesn’t mind being fired from her job in LA – that just means she is officially in the biz now. Quickly seizing a Miami opportunity, Charley soon finds herself in the Sunshine State, finally in the same city as her bff, and working for one of the toughest men in the industry – Jonathan Lefton. Between catty news anchors, firing staff left and right, an alcoholic best friend and a stalker cop after her, Charley has enough going on in her life – but she has ratings and possible Emmys to think about!

This book was fast-paced and very interesting. Roesel is an Emmy Award-Winning anchor, reporter and producer, so you know what she is dishing out is based on the real thing. I find these types of books fascinating. I liked Charley’s character a lot, how she really wanted to stay true to herself and not buy into all the ratings hype – even though she did slip now and again! There were a few editing errors that kept popping up, and I’m not sure I quite understood Charley’s relationship with Oz – they are super casual yet he visits her in Miami from LA? Those were two things that stuck out to me, but overall I thought this was a fun chick lit read!

[Rating: 4]

**Everyone who leaves a comment on Cindy’s tour page will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Viewer Discretion Advised before August 20 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**

Connect with Cindy!

www.cindyroesel.com

Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell

Enchanting and mysterious, Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell, follows young Betty, freshly out of university as she embarks on following her dreams and landing a great job, meeting new friends …. and possibly falling in love. Calm, cool, and collected, young Betty is ready for anything that life throws her direction, well that is until she stumbles upon a mysterious love letter after her grandmother’s death from a man that she has never heard of. Although she tries to move past the contents of the letter, it becomes difficult for her because she is completely captivated by the letter and wonders if it will help her find her own happiness.

This is only the second book that I have read from Lisa Jewell but she has quickly emerged as one of my favorite authors. Featuring a historical perspective, I loved this novel because of the strong, believable characters and their relationships, as well as the prose and intrigue that the novel presented. I loved the dynamic between Arlette and Betty and the dual writing that Jewell did fabulously well. I also thought Jewell created a very beautiful world for the reader … starting first in the 20′s with the stereotypical flapper dresses, transporting the reader through the early 90′s with all of it’s pop references as well. Overall, a truly heartwarming read and a great new addition to my book shelf. I think this book is for any reader who loves a little bit of mystery and intrigue in a read.

[Rating: 4.5/5]

 

Future Tour: Dewitched by EL Sarnoff

EL Sarnoff will be on tour August 27- September 3 with her chick lit/fairytale novel Dewitched

After serving time for Snow White’s attempted murder, the Evil Queen is about to get a makeover. Just not the kind she expected. Thinking she’s being sent to a luxurious spa that will enable her to restore her beauty and recapture her title, Fairest of All, Jane Yvel instead finds herself at Faraway, a rehab center that caters to fairy-talelanders addicted to evil.

Upon confronting her love-hate relationship with her magic mirror, she is sent back to the world of happily-ever-after. Her goal: to discover the true meaning of beauty. Her assignment: to work for Marcella, a demanding Princess-In-Waiting. Jane finds herself irresistibly drawn to Marcella’s dashing fiancé, Prince Gallant, and his exquisite seven-year old daughter, Calla Rose. Will the Evil Queen who had no heart end up with a heart that’s broken?

Wickedly funny, darkly shocking, and deeply moving, DEWITCHED unravels the Snow White story as we know it and will make you see the evil legend in a new light as she rewrites her life.

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for the full tour schedule!

My First 5K: Week 7: Health

My seventh week of training for my first 5K is in the books. With this post, I wanted to get a bit more serious, and talk about some of the benefits that exercise can have on the body. I’ll get a bit personal here as well, talking about some health issues I’ve run in to, and how great I think keeping a regular workout schedule can be. While I’ve always been pretty motivated to keep an exercise routine, I struggle with my diet. I don’t like a lot of vegetables, I eat on the run a lot, and I am a sucker for ice cream. The first time I remember having chest pains was in 2008. I was standing in my kitchen with my roommate at the time, and I felt like someone had literally reached into my chest and was squeezing my heart. I dropped my plate of food and fell to my knees. It passed within seconds, but really shook me up. I hadn’t even turned 21 yet – why would my heart be doing that?

Over the years, the same chest pain has occurred. They are not regular, often or seem to come from a certain activity – such as working out, drinking, or putting a strain on my body. For a while I would just ignore them, mainly because they weren’t often. I’m talking maybe 3-4 times a year. But recently, as of just last year, they were getting more consistent, and my boyfriend (excuse me – fiancé now!) was getting worried. I started seeing doctors, and everyone was pretty baffled – why would a healthy 25 year old be having heart problems? Unfortunately, heart trouble does run in my family, on my mother’s side. And I also do not know my birth father, my mom decided to have me on her own and used an anonymous sperm donor to conceive me. I’ve started the search for him, but that’s another story.  So I very possibly could have heart disease on both sides of my family line – scary. I’m currently still in the process of getting tests ran, I’ve been to a handful of doctors and specialists so far, but with no real results. Everyone seems confused, which is only making me more nervous.

So in the meantime while I wait for my next appointment, I am watching what I eat and keeping up with my regular workout schedule. While training for the 5K, my schedule called for intervals – going from a fast run to a slower walk – and intervals are great for your heart. I’m happy to say that over the past few months, I haven’t had any chest pains. While I’m not in any way considering myself scott-free and will cease my appointments, but I really feel like some of the issues are improving. This just reminds me that even though I might not like going to gym 5+ a week, having achy thighs in the morning or getting my ass kicked in boot camp workouts, I know that it’s worth it. Health is everything.

Next Page »