Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

Chick Lit Plus

Celebrity gossip, articles on fashion, health, fitness, and beauty.

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In My Mailbox: Week of October 13
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 13

Title: Casey’s Quest
Author: Tamara Lee Dorris
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: At her father’s death, Casey Anderson discovers she was adopted at age four. Not able to remember anything, she sets out on a quest to discover why her birth mother gave her up and, and why her adopted parent kept it such a secret. She embarks on a dangerous and spiritually enlightening journey that proves to her, nothing is what it seems.

Title: A Medical Affair
Author: Anne McCarthy Strauss
Received: Booktrope Publishing
Synopsis: While under the care of her pulmonologist after a life-threatening asthma attack, Heather Morrison enters into an affair with her doctor. This affair violates the state’s code of conduct and his medical treatment violates the Hippocratic oath. Heather’s life is shattered as a result. After the doctor terminates the relationship, Heather begins research for her own healing, and armed with this information, she initiates a civil lawsuit. Although it is a work of fiction, A Medical Affair was extensively researched. A Medical Affair is a critical book for women who want to make educated decisions regarding their relationships with their doctors.
Title: Obitchuary
Author: Stephanie Hayes
Received: Stephanie Hayes
Synopsis: Penny Perkins, journalist, upstanding citizen, dutiful bridesmaid, just killed her date. Smashed him on the head with a bottle of Misty Mangoberry Merlot.

She is tipsy and panicked. She is wearing a heinous pink bridesmaid dress that makes her irrational. Penny knows she should call the cops and explain her date’s grabby hands, his crazy eyes. She should cry self-defense. She should do a lot of things she doesn’t do.

Things are about to get real complicated for Penny, as her dead date’s life unravels into a mystery the deeper she investigates. Death just happens to be her job.

She’s the newspaper’s obituary writer.
Title: Coming Home For Christmas
Author: Jenny Hale
Received: Bookouture
Synopsis: Coming Home for Christmas is a beautifully observed story about the importance of family, themagic of Christmas, and falling in love one snowflake at a time.
Fans of Trisha Ashley, Susan Wiggs, Carole Matthews and Susan Mallery – and anyone who loves the sound of carols and the twinkling of lights on the Christmas tree – will adore Jenny Hale’s feel-good debut.
Christmas is a time for family… isn’t it?
Allie Richfield loves Christmas, so when she lands a job as House Manager for the amazing Ashford Estate—which includes organizing the Marley family festivities—she is in her element. With a budget bigger than her life savings and a team of staff, how hard can it be?
As one-by-one she meets the Marleys, she’s about to find out…
Allie’s new boss, Robert, might be gorgeous, but he’s also colder than the snow outside and refuses to come home for Christmas. Robert’s playboy brother, Kip, flirts with her relentlessly; and his sister, Sloane, arrives home with baggage—both the divorce-kind and the Louis Vuitton kind. Their ninety-two year old grandmother, Pippa, spends her day grumbling at them all from her mobility scooter.
With Robert intending to sell Ashford, it’s the Marley’s last chance to create some happy memories in their family home—and Allie is determined to make it happen… even if it takes a little Christmas magic! With the festive spirit in full swing, she might even discover a little happiness of her own…
Title: Hunting With Lawn Darts
Author: Geoffrey McKeel
Received: Geoffrey McKeel
Synopsis: Chad Jordan is a nice guy. Just one day removed from a split with his longtime girlfriend, Stephanie, he now must venture back into the obscenely unforgiving world of modern dating. Having spent the last four years sequestered from the single life and with an outlook on courtship that expired about half a century ago, Chad soon finds out that being such a gentle soul, with a preternatural connection to his emotional side, does not necessarily supply him an advantage in finding compatibility. Only the most unlikely of refuges may be guiding his monumental struggle to find that special someone…
Title: The Drake Equation
Author: Heather Walsh
Received: Heather Walsh
Synopsis: She’s a Democrat, he’s a Republican. She spends her days fighting global warming at an environmental non-profit, he makes his living doing PR for Bell Motors and their fleet of SUVs. But as soon as they meet, Emily Crossley and Robert Drake realize they have encountered their intellectual match. You’re never challenged, he tells her.
You’ve surrounded yourself in a cocoon of people who think exactly the same way you do. She hurls the same accusation back at him, and the fiery debates begin.

Despite both of their attempts to derail it, there is no denying that they are falling in love. But their relationship is threatened by political differences, Robert’s excessive work hours, and Emily’s fear of losing her identity as she falls deeper in love.

Can their love survive? The Drake Equation is a tale of modern love and all its complexities.

October 13, 2013
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Book Giveaway: Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn
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Book Giveaway: Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn

If I stay, he will kill me. If I leave, he’ll destroy Addie and Drew.

Jillian Kane appears to have it all – a successful career, a gorgeous home, a loving husband, and two wonderful children. The reality behind closed doors is something else entirely. For nine years, she has hid the bruises and the truth of her abusive marriage in order to protect Addie and Drew, knowing, if she left, Gordon would destroy her-destroy them.

When, in an act of desperation, she flees, her worst nightmare is realized, and she finds herself on the run with her two young children, no money, and no plan. With Gordon in hot pursuit, there is only one inescapable certainty: No matter where she goes, he will find her. Kill her. And take her children.

A riveting page-turner, HUSH LITTLE BABY exposes the shame and terror of domestic violence as well as the disturbing role manipulation and sabotage can play in the high-stakes game of child custody. Suspenseful and unforgettably moving, it’s a novel about the unbreakable bonds of family and the astounding, terrifying devotion of a mother’s love.

October 9, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 6
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 6

Title: Diner Impossible
Author: Terri L Austin
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: After shunning her overbearing parents’ wealthy lifestyle, waitress and part-time college student, Rose Strickland, is drawn back into their world when she tries to prove the impossible: the innocence of the town’s crooked police chief. He’s suspected in the gruesome death of Delia Cummings, his secretary and mistress, and all the evidence points to him. While she tracks down clues with the aid of her anime-loving bestie, Rose’s pal, Axton, and his Klingon gang are feuding with their Starfleet rivals. Things get hairier than a pile of well-fed Tribbles, so Rose gets involved. In between interrogating Trekkies and quizzing socialites at high tea, she discovers the secrets Delia Cummings took to her grave. Suspects abound, but when Chief Mathers threatens to bring down Rose’s criminally mischievous and maybe boyfriend, Sullivan, she makes it her mission to find the real killer before Sullivan finds himself in prison. Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you’ll probably like them all! Diner Impossible is the third in the Rose Strickland humorous mystery series.

Title: Bitter Pill
Author: Stacey Kade
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: The truth is a bitter pill…

Rennie Harlow is having a bad year. She had a handsome husband, a good job, and a renovated condo in Chicago. Now, thanks to one “exotically beautiful” paralegal, she’s divorced, faking her way through a writing career, and living above her hypochondriac mother’s garage back in Morrisville, the small town she couldn’t leave fast enough at eighteen. On top of all of that, she just found Doc Hallacy, the local pharmacist, dead behind his counter. And the worst part is, he’s the third body she’s stumbled across this year.

Jake Bristol has lived in Morrisville his whole life. A former bad boy turned sheriff, he doesn’t believe it’s just Rennie’s luck or timing that’s the problem. He thinks she’s too nosy for her own good. The last thing he needs is her messing around with his murder investigation so that she can freelance for the Morrisville Gazette. But as they both delve deeper into Doc’s death, they find that things don’t add up. This isn’t a robbery gone wrong or the work of a desperate junkie. Someone has a secret they’re killing to keep. The only question is—who’s next?

Title: Won’t Last Long
Author: Heidi Joy Tretheway
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Can two people who are totally wrong for each other ever be right? She’s a feisty, sly marketing exec intent on hiding her small-town roots. He’s a laid-back engineer with a shaggy mutt and a pushy ex. When Joshua asks Melina out, she asks what kind of car he drives. She’ll do drinks, not dinner. She’s always in control. But with Joshua’s easy confidence and sharp wit, Melina is soon breaking the dating rules she made for herself. Opposites attract—but friends think Melina and Joshua can’t possibly last. When crisis throws their world off its axis, Melina must confront her childhood family, the people she’s come to care about, and the destruction of her pristine image.

Title: The Prostitute’s Daughter
Author: Juliet Philip
Received: Spark Point Studio
Synopsis: Kamada lives in a world of magic. A world of gremlins, fairies, and talking objects that shield her from a society where strange men act like they own the women walking down the street, and where her mother gives up her body in exchange for a life of luxury. The dirty streets of Bombay do not feel like home to Kamada. She knows she does not belong, and her mother’s house feels like a prison. To escape, Kamada wants to leave India and go study in America. Only her magical friends and a neighboring family know that her wish is getting closer to becoming a reality every day. Follow Kamada as she bucks tradition in her quest to pass the GRE and follow her dreams. Will she be able to leave the land of curries and rickshaws?

Title: The Paris Architect
Author: Charles Belfoure
Received: SourceBooks
Synopsis: In 1942 Paris, gifted architect Lucien Bernard accepts a commission that will bring him a great deal of money – and maybe get him killed. But if he’s clever enough, he’ll avoid any trouble. All he has to do is design a secret hiding place for a wealthy Jewish man, a space so invisible that even the most determined German officer won’t find it. He sorely needs the money, and outwitting the Nazis who have occupied his beloved city is a challenge he can’t resist.
But when one of his hiding spaces fails horribly, and the problem of where to hide a Jew becomes terribly personal, Lucien can no longer ignore what’s at stake. The Paris Architect asks us to consider what we owe each other, and just how far we’ll go to make things right.
Written by an architect whose knowledge imbues every page, this story becomes more gripping with every soul hidden and every life saved.

Title: Eat Your Heart Out
Author: Giulia Simolo
Received: Giulia Simolo
Synopsis: Why does death by spinning have to replace death by chocolate when the latter is so much more fun?

Last year Chloe Mackenzie was vibrant and skinny – and much to her chagrin, there’s a picture to prove it. This year she has put on weight and is desperate to lose it by the time she attends her boyfriend’s brother’s glamorous wedding where she’ll be meeting his parents for the first time.

No pressure. Bring on the cake!

But what’s really behind all that obsession with fitting into designer jeans and trying to be the woman she was last year?

October 6, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 29
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 29

Title: The Bitches of Brooklyn
Author: Rosemary Harris
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: No zombies. No serial killers. No threat of global nuclear warfare. Just life, love, friendships, marriages, work, children, parents, laughs, tears and a fair amount of wine.

Are they really bitches? That depends who you ask…Rachel, Clare, Tina and Jane are four friends awaiting the arrival of a fifth at a secluded Cape Cod bungalow where they spend an all-girls weekend every year since reconnecting at a reunion. But the fifth woman doesn’t show.
Instead she sends a note that reads –
“I’ve run off with one of your men.”

Has she? Is it a prank? Do they run for the phone or try to enjoy the weekend without her? Fast, funny and filled with Harris’ trademark snappy dialogue you’ll recognize friends and maybe a little of yourself as the women are forced to reevaluate their friendships, their marriages and their memories.

Inspired by a classic Hollywood film, The Bitches of Brooklyn is for every woman who’s ever had a best friend and wondered…is she really??

Title: Accused
Author: Lisa Scottoline
Received: Sarah Hall Productions
Synopsis: New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–winning author Lisa Scottoline revolutionized crime fiction when she introduced her all-female law firm of Rosato & Associates, thrilling readers with her twisty, fast-paced plots and capturing their hearts with her cast of strong and relatable female characters. Now Bennie Rosato, Mary DiNunzio, Judy Carrier, and Anne Murphy are back with all cylinders firing in Accused.
Mary Dinuzio has just been promoted to partner and is about to take on her most unusual case yet, brought to the firm by a thirteen-year-old genius with a penchant for beekeeping. Allegra Gardner’s sister Fiona was murdered six years ago, and it seemed like an open-and-shut case: the accused, Lonnie Stall, was seen fleeing the scene; his blood was on Fiona and her blood was on him; most damningly, Lonnie Stall pleaded guilty. But Allegra believes Lonnie is innocent and has been wrongly imprisoned. The Gardner family is one of the most powerful in the country and Allegra’s parents don’t believe in reopening the case, so taking it on is risky. But the Rosato & Associates firm can never resist an underdog. Was justice really served all those years ago? It will take a team of unstoppable female lawyers, plus one thirteen-year-old genius, to find out.
Title: Bargain Fever
Author: Mark Ellwood
Received: Engeleman & Co.
Synopsis: Bargain Fever is the book you need to survive the new world of shopping. Everything is on sale, all the time. Discounts aren’t the exception – they’re the norm, and everyone wants a steal, a deal, a hook-up or a way to cut costs.

Ten years ago, retailers sold just 15-20% of their inventory at some kind of promo price – today, that number is 40-45%. Put simply, sales of sales have more than doubled in a decade. Bargain Fever looks at the seismic changes in shopping over the last decade, and offers a survival guide full of tips to triumph in this new cut-price world.

Title: Render
Author: Stephanie Fleshman
Received: Stephanie Fleshman
Synopsis: Koldan Holdt knows what he wants. The problem is his future was decided the day he was born—a future void of everything he has ever known. Days before summer vacation, Koldan’s grandfather suddenly dies, leaving the consequences that have followed him since he fled his country to fall to Koldan. As Koldan learns about his new fate, he must accept the terms to which he is bound and live without the one person he wants, or remain true to who he is and risk both their lives repeating the choices his grandfather made. Seventeen-year-old Raya Whitney thought she knew Koldan…until a sudden turn of events threatens both their lives. While she is not willing to give up without a fight, she knows it is a deadly game to stay together.
Title: Looking For LaLa
Author: Ellie Campbell
Received: Ellie Campbell
Synopsis: Looking for La La follows the story of Cathy, a bored, unappreciated housewife and mother of two. Her world of school runs, ferrying children here and there, and the occasional nights out with friends is radically transformed by the arrival of a love postcard to her husband. What follows next takes Cathy on a wild ride of suspicion, temptations, marital breakdown and some very dangerous territory.
Title: Going Home Again
Author: Abby Cavenaugh
Received: Abby Cavenaugh
Synopsis: Alyssa Jones’s high school crush probably never knew she existed.

Twenty years later, when the now-famous pop star returns home to coastal North Carolina, Alyssa gets a second chance to make a first impression on Michael.

On sabbatical from his failing marriage, Michael agrees to an interview with Alyssa, a journalist for the local tourist magazine.

When the chemistry between them ignites, Alyssa and Michael are hit with the harsh reality that he isn’t yet free to love her.

With Michael’s wife and son still very much in the picture, can Alyssa hold out until he ends his marriage for good?

Or will she risk it all for a second chance with the one who got away?

GOING HOME AGAIN is contemporary romance novel set in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

September 29, 2013
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TV Watch: Returning Favorites Fall 2013
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TV Watch: Returning Favorites Fall 2013

At the beginning of every new television season, there’s always plenty of buzz and excitement for the new shows, and sometimes we forget to pay tribute to our old faithfuls. In my opinion, we live in the second golden age of television, because there are just so many good shows. After a long summer hiatus, we often forget what our friends were up to when we last saw them. Don’t fret, I’ve done the homework on a handful of favorites.
Blue Bloods – September 26th. Only people who like to stay home on Friday nights love this show, which I do – I’ll own it! Plus I love Donnie Wahlberg. When we left the Ryans last year, they were still reeling from the murder of Jamie’s partner. Jamie’s new partner is a rookie fresh out of the academy, and a woman. Big brother Danny finally has a new partner, also a woman, so the Ryan brothers are both challenged by their new work environments. They’re also none too pleased with their sister Erin, who’s had to let a cop killer go due to Danny’s lack of evidence. Daddy Frank (the ageless Tom Selleck) has problems of his own, dealing with the aftermath of the events at the Bitterman Projects.
Castle – September 23rd. Last season Beckett looked to be heading to Washington DC for a big new job, when Castle surprisingly popped the question! Everyone thought that these two getting together would be the kiss of death, ala Moonlighting, but they were wrong. However, marriage is a whole other ballgame. Will she say yes? Will she stay? Will she go? The season opens months after the proposal, so we should have our answers.
Glee – September 26th. Sadly, this is probably the season’s most anticipated return, primarily due to curiosity about how the show handles the loss of Finn. Fans will have to wait three weeks to find out. The first two episodes are homages to the Beatles. This had apparently been in the works for quite some time. In the third episode, the audience and the Glee gang learn of Finn’s passing, although the cause of death won’t be revealed. I think this is a good move, since the actor’s real life situation was so different from that of the character. The episode will be about grief. I’ve also read that Lea Michele (Rachel) will not appear in the episode until the last scene, performing a song that I’m sure will break our hearts all over again.
The Good Wife – September 29th. One of my favorites!!! This show has it all: sex, politics, legal drama, corporate backstabbing and humor! After Peter won the Governor’s election, Alicia became the First Lady of Illinois, so she knew she’d have to stay away from Will. What’s a lady, who’s torn between duty and lust, to do? Jump ship, of course! Alicia decided to join Cary in forming a new law firm and taking a handful of very profitable clients with her. Can Lockhart Gardner, finally in the black, survive? Can Will’s heart withstand Alicia’s betrayal? How will this affect Diane’s decision regarding the judgeship and her proposal to the Marlboro Man? And Kalinda? She ain’t gonna be happy about being left behind! I’m eager to see how Peter handles his victory. Is he really a changed man? Or will he be drunk with power and go looking for sex in all the wrong places? I cannot wait! FYI, rumored returning guest stars this season are: Nathan Lane, Gary Cole, Mathew Perry, America Ferrera and Michael J. Fox.
Grey’s Anatomy – September 26th. This is bad, I know, but I bailed on Grey’s last year. I was upset when they killed Lexie, because I was waiting for a big romantic reunion with Mark. Then they killed off Mark. Done. The first episode of the season picks up right where the show left off last spring. I will probably watch the first show, because I want to see McDreamy introducing their new son to Meredith. Goosebumps as I type this! Apparently Dr. Webber’s life was in question at season’s end, and this will be settled rather quickly (and I’m not hearing happy things). The Callie and Arizona drama will continue (loudly), as too will the Owen and Christina break-up repercussions.
Homeland – September 29th. I don’t watch this one, but after catching up on Scandal, I’m going try. Last season, Brody’s car blew up at Langley, resulting in mass casualties. Believing he’d been set up, Carrie helped him flee the country. Carrie is left explaining the situation to a Senate committee, but she’s off her meds (and apparently crazy). Brody does return after a few shows, but he’s drastically different – altered. The focus this season is going to be on the personal cost these agents have to pay to do what they do.
Modern Family – September 25th. For me, the funniest show on TV. This year Cam and Mitchell ponder whether or not they should get married, since gay marriage is now legal in California. Claire is adjusting to working for her father, while Phil takes on more of the responsibly for running the household (which will be hilarious). Cam has a new job teaching at the high school, where Manny and Luke now attend with Alex. To add to the fun, Cam is also the school’s new football coach! Bring it on.
Nashville – September 25th. I adore Deacon, but was disappointed by what the writers did to him last season. Getting back together with Rayna seemed like a mistake (I would’ve made the audience suffer a little longer). Then to have him fall off the wagon after fifteen years? No. Both Deacon and Rayna survive the accident, but their relationship doesn’t. Rayna turns to a music executive while Deacon tries to get his act together. In the wake of her mother’s death, Juliette begins yet another romance. I’m looking forward to finding out what’s up with Rayna’s sister and Lamar’s company and how it’ll all affect Teddy as Mayor. Perhaps Rayna should have stuck it out with Teddy after all?
Parenthood –September 26th. This show kills me, it really does, and even the previews make me cry. Thank you NBC for believing in this show and ordering a full season! Gratefully, Kristina is in remission and reentering politics, this time as a candidate. Plot twist – she’ll be running against Bob Little, her former boss and the politician Amber was once involved with. This proves to be a wrinkle in Amber’s new engagement to Ryan. Jasmine and Crosby will welcome a daughter. Joel and Julia’s marriage hits a major rocky patch. Finally, we have Sarah, who has yet another new job (as a building super?), focusing on work, instead of her love life. That won’t last for long, because guess who shows up on her doorstep? Hank (Ray Romano)! Oh Yeah. What would this show be without Sarah drama?
Revenge – September 29th. Producers are promising that this season will be more like season one. The Initiative is gone. Last season ended with Emily’s admission to Jack that she was really Amanda. Jack is not a happy boy and spoilers are very evasive about the status of Jack and Emily’s relationship. Episode one opens with a flash forward to Emily’s wedding (to whom?), where she’s shot. Then it’s back to the present (which is five months after the last episode). Aidan is still in the picture, but not involved with Emily. Ashley’s gone after episode one. We’ll find out if Charlotte’s still pregnant with Declan’s baby, and how Declan’s death has changed her. Victoria’s long-lost son Patrick is a part of the Grayson family, seemingly without any resentment toward the mother who gave him up. That can’t last for long. How does this affect Daniel? We’ll also see a newer and freer Nolan, after his false imprisonment ends. Seems to me that everyone has just cause for revenge.
Scandal – October 3rd. Scandal is so talked and written about that I really feel left out. I’m committed to watching this season. Olivia Pope, who supposedly can save anyone from a scandal, was having an affair with the married President of the United States, Fitzgerald Grant. Are you kidding me? How was I not watching this? Well, they were outed as a couple at season’s end and the immediate fallout is dealt with in episode one. Then in episode two, show creator Shonda Rhimes drops a hell of a bombshell that will shock everyone. That’s pretty much all I got, because Ms. Rhimes is notorious for keeping her secrets. But there is this – the romance between Olivia and Fitz is not over!
Which shows are you excited about returning? What do you hope happens? Have you ever gotten so mad at a show that you quit watching? Do you ever feel like you’ve missed the boat on a show that everyone’s talking about?

September 24, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 22
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 22

Title: Christmas Carol
Author: Michele Gorman
Received: Michele Gorman
Synopsis: One winter wedding, two happy couples, three ex-boyfriends… And a very uncomfortable weekend.

Carol hates Christmas. Being recently dumped, she’s not crazy about weddings either. So her sister Marley’s nuptials, over the Christmas weekend, are making her positively Scrooge-like. When she arrives for the weekend at the stately home in rural Scotland to find her three ex-boyfriends in attendance, Carol has no choice but to face her ghosts to discover what really happened in those relationships, learning a lot about herself in the process. As the snow falls outside and the fire crackles in the hearth, might one of the wedding guests become the harbinger of Christmases to come?

Title: Spirits of Christmas
Author: Nicky Wells
Received: Nicky Wells
Synopsis: At one time, up-and-coming rock singer Jude had it all: a great band, a platinum record, a loving girlfriend. This Christmas, however, he is well down the road towards spontaneous self-destruction.

Unwitting at first, Jude has progressively alienated his band and driven away the love of his life. Tonight, the night before Christmas Eve, he has broken the final taboo during a disastrous gig. Yet Jude doesn’t see how badly his life has derailed, not until a ghostly procession of legends passes through his bedroom with a series of vivid and powerful wake-up calls.

Will the Spirits help Jude put the friendship, love, and rock music back into his Christmas?

Spirits of Christmas is a modern-day rock’n’roll adaption of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. This novella will enchant romance readers, rock lovers, fans of ghost stories, and everybody who adores the festive season.

Title: Someone Else’s Love Story
Author: Joshilyn Jackson
Received: SheReads
Synopsis: Someone Else’s Love Story is beloved and highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson’s funny, charming, and poignant novel about science and miracles, secrets and truths, faith and forgiveness; about falling in love, and learning that things aren’t always what they seem—or what we hope they will be.
Shandi Pierce is juggling finishing college, raising her delightful three-year-old genius son Nathan, aka Natty Bumppo, and keeping the peace between her eternally warring, long-divorced parents. She’s got enough complications without getting caught in the middle of a stick-up and falling in love with William Ashe, who willingly steps between the robber and her son.
Shandi doesn’t know that her blond god Thor has his own complications. When he looked down the barrel of that gun he believed it was destiny: It’s been one year to the day since a tragic act of physics shattered his world. But William doesn’t define destiny the way others do. A brilliant geneticist who believes in facts and numbers, destiny to him is about choice. Now, he and Shandi are about to meet their so-called destinies head on, making choices that will reveal unexpected truths about love, life, and the world they think they know.
Title: The Youth Corridor
Author: Gerald Imber, MD
Received: FSB Associates
Synopsis: Dr. Gerald Imber shows women and men how to keep the signs of aging at bay with a prescriptive, common sense plan of skin care, exercise, vitamins & diet, stalling & often eliminating the need for surgery. By following the earliest & most basic treatment for skin care & maintenance, you can maintain a youthful appearance for a lifetime. You can return your skin to the exuberance of the youth corridor — the years between 30 & 55 during which the most drastic physical changes occur. Imber’s easy-to-follow regimes & helpful illustrations make timeless beauty a reality. This book also catalogs beauty products that give women the best results & describes successful procedures in plastic surgery.

Title: The Bump List
Author: Amber Best & Miriam Brady
Received: Amber Best & Miriam Brady
Synopsis: Murder of Crows, greatest band of all time, are used to living in the limelight. They know what comes with the territory, however, their families have always been off-limits, until now. Super-stardom has come at a high price. Madison Hunt is finding her past exposed for all the world to see. Her best friend and sister-in-law, Kinley is being dragged through the mud as well. Things they thought were secret are now on display, thanks to a tell-all reporter and her show- Celebrity Dirt. Their private joke- the back-up list- has now been made public, while Cal and Rory’s names have been ‘bumped’ from the list. Madison and Kinley appear to be gold diggers who schemed to marry rock star brothers, and don’t mind disposing of them if someone better comes along; at least that is becoming the popular point of view. Will their marriages survive the mistrust, and can their friendships survive the media firestorm from hell?

Title: The Debt and the Doormat
Author: Laura Barnard
Received: Laura Barnard
Synopsis: Poppy and Jazz have been best friends from the first week of uni. Whenever these two get together trouble isn’t far away and things haven’t changed much. When Jazz gets herself into financial trouble Poppy, being a good friend, offers to help. She instead ends up being talked into swapping lives, with Jazz insisting it will be good and help her get over her broken heart.

Poppy is thrown into a new life, full of crazy housemates; there’s fitness freak Izzy, horrendously beautiful bitch Grace and the slightly gorgeous, if not incredibly grumpy Ryan. Quickly, with the help of Jazz, her life is thrown upside down. Madness ensues and her need to please everyone gets her in more trouble than she could ever imagine.

Before she knows it she’s got a fake boyfriend and is hiding so many secrets she’s scared they’ll spill out any minute. With a bullying boss, a sex crazed colleague, a mental mother and three brothers each with their own dramas, life has gotten pretty difficult for Poppy. And all of this would be much easier, if she could just stop falling over.

Will she get her life back to normal before her brother’s upcoming wedding? And will she want to?

September 22, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 15
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 15

Title: The Three Month Plan

Author: Kimberley Patterson

Received: CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Kelly Callahan had everything going for her. Everything that is, except for a relationship. It wasn’t for the lack of trying, it just seemed like she was a magnet for all the wrong ones. But all of that was about to change the minute she laid eyes on Jake.
On a dare from her close friend, Michelle, Kelly accepts a challenge to date and become Jake’s girlfriend within three months. The consequence of losing is global humiliation, and she refuses to lose.

Enlisting the help of her childhood friend and confidant, Brian, Kelly manages to catch Jakes attention. She also unknowingly hooks Brian who tries to sabotage the plan. Kelly finds herself with a dilemma; take the final step with Jake and win the plan or follow her heart and reveal her feelings for Brian.

The Vintage Teacup Club by Vanessa GreeneTitle: The Vintage Teacup Club

Author: Vanessa Greene

Received: Penguin Group

Synopsis: Three women’s lives are about to change because of a few delicate pieces of china…

When Jenny Davis comes across a beautiful vintage tea set at an outdoor market in the English countryside, she’s convinced it’s fate. A young bride on a budget, she has her heart set on a vintage tea-party theme for her wedding—and the gorgeous gold-rimmed china before her is perfect. There’s only one problem. Two other women have fallen in love with it, too. So they come up with a solution: They’ll share it.

They establish a sisterhood, sharing the ups and downs of their lives—from broken hearts and weddings, to family drama and career dreams. When a figure from Jenny’s past threatens to ruin her big day, Alison’s teenage daughter pushes her to the limit, and Maggie’s romantic life is thrown into turmoil, the members of the Vintage Teacup Club band together—proving their newfound friendship will last a lifetime.

Facebook Jeanie by Addison WestlakeTitle: Facebook Jeanie

Author: Addison Westlake

Received: Addison Westlake

Synopsis: It’s Bridget Jones meets Groundhog Day…

Ever wonder if you made the right choice? What if you could go back and find out?

31-year-old Clara is in a steady relationship—with Facebook. Every night after her depressing bureaucratic job (so much for saving the world), after coming home to her empty apartment Clara settles down with a pint of ice cream for some good, old-fashioned Facebook stalking. It’s her college boyfriend, The One Who Got Away. He now has a perfect marriage, perfect house, perfect life—everything she could have had if she hadn’t been so, so stupid.

But, wait. Jeanie from Facebook shows up at Clara’s job. There’s a new app they’re beta-testing and Clara’s perfect for it. That night she clicks on it and… nothing happens. But the next morning when Clara wakes up at noon, hung over, listening to her roommate blow-drying her hair and singing “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”, she realizes she’s back in college. With the chance to do it all over again.

Back in the world of frat parties, BFFs, and long-suffering, overlooked lab partners, join Clara as she discovers what it really means to hit the reset button on life. What could possibly go wrong? And, this time, can she get it right?

Kiss of Fire by Rebecca EthingtonTitle: Kiss of Fire

Author: Rebecca Ethington

Received: Mark My Works Book Publicity

Synopsis: Joclyn Despain has been marred by a brand on her skin. She doesn’t know why
the mark appeared on her neck, but she doesn’t want anyone to see it,
including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The
scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won’t let the
idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to.

The scar is the reason she is being hunted.

If only she knew that she was.

If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for
her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked
by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten
feet in the air.

Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart.
When Ryland finds her scar; only he knows what it means, and who will kill
her because of it.

Little Island by Katharine BrittonTitle: Little Island

Author: Katharine Britton

Received: Penguin Group

Synopsis: The Little family has a dark secret.

Joy Little’s grandmother left these last words: “Grace. Flowers. By the water. Have fun!” A note that Joy’s mother, Grace, has interpreted as instructions for her memorial service. And so, the far-flung clan will gather at their inn on Little Island, Maine, to honor her.

Joy can’t help dreading the weekend. Twenty years ago, a tragedy nearly destroyed the family—and still defines them. Joy, Grace, her father Gar, and twins Roger and Tamar all have their parts to play. And now Joy, facing an empty nest and a nebulous future, feels more vulnerable than ever to the dangerous currents running through her family.

What lies beneath the surface of this tragedy is the terrible secret that haunts them all. And it’s only when that secret is revealed that every member of the family can honestly reappraise the past and come to a deeper understanding of who they are and what they mean to each other.

For fans of Anita Shreve and Elin Hilderbrand, this richly evocative contemporary novel explores the family dynamic and ultimately examines what can break us apart and what can keep us together.

Hunka Hunka Nursing Love by Kathryn MaeglinTitle: A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love

Author: Kathryn Maeglin

Received: Kathryn Maeglin

Synopsis: Valerie Palka is a savvy businesswoman who is obsessed with keeping her elderly mom, Helen, safe from all the lethal disasters that can befall widows living alone. Helen thinks the workaholic Valerie should focus on having as much luck in the bedroom as she does in the boardroom. But when Helen takes a spill and is rushed to the ER, a handsome male nurse, Keith Nuber, strikes her fancy, and she tells her daughter, “If you could get a handsome devil like that to take care of me, I’d be willing to consider it.” So Valerie creates a care agency, Home Health Hunks, staffed by attractive younger men.

Valerie’s idea is filled with potential . . . and potholes. As she navigates the tricky road to satisfying her mom as well as her own ambition, she finds herself falling for one of her employees—Keith—and is forced to examine her beliefs about the true meaning of success.

September 15, 2013
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New Fall TV Shows
Chick Lit Plus

New Fall TV Shows

New Shows for the 20-13-2014 Television Season Contributor: Allie I have a confession to make.  I’m a TV junkie.  I know it’s not cool to…

September 12, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 8
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of September 8

Title: The Mountain’s Shadow

Author: Cecilia Dominic

Received: CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: First it was ADD. Then pediatric bipolar. Now the hot behavioral disorder in children is CLS, or Chronic Lycanthropy Syndrome. Public health researcher Joanie Fisher was closing in on the cause in hopes of finding a treatment until a lab fire and an affair with her boss left her without a job.

When her grandfather leaves her his multimillion-dollar estate in the Ozarks, though, she figures her luck is turning around. Except her inheritance comes with complications: town children who disappear during full moons, an irresistible butler, and a pack of werewolves who can’t seem to decide whether to frighten her or flirt with her.

Joanie’s research is the key to unraveling the mysteries of Wolfsbane Manor. However, resuming her work means facing painful truths about her childhood, which could result in the loss of love, friendship, and the only true family she has left.

Unscripted by Jayne DenkerTitle: Unscripted

Author: Jayne Denker

Received: CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: One of Hollywood’s hardest working women is about to discover there’s a lot more drama behind the camera than in front of it. . .

Faith “Freakin'” Sinclair probably shouldn’t have called her boss a perv. . .or grabbed his “privates.” But as creator of the hit dramedy Modern Women, she’d had enough of his sexist insults. Now she’s untouchable in the industry–not in a good way. The only way to redeem herself is to convince Alex, the wildly popular, wildly demanding former star of her show, to come back. But there’s one obstacle in her way–one very handsome, broad-shouldered obstacle. . .

Professor Mason Mitchell is head of the theater department where Alex is studying “real” acting. The only way he’ll let Faith anywhere near Alex is if she agrees to co-teach a class. It’s an offer she can’t refuse–and as it turns out, the professor just might end up teaching Faith that there’s more to life than work–and that real-life love scenes are way more fun than fake ones. . .

Dandy Day by Annie WoodTitle: Dandy Day

Author: Annie Wood

Received: CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Dandy Day is a thirty-five year old free-spirited, commitment-phobic, Venice Boardwalk roller skating waitress.

When Dandy is suddenly dumped by her therapist, right when they were on the brink of figuring out why her relationships last only a whopping three months, Dandy decides to take her relationship issues into her own hands.

With the reluctant help of her lifelong best friend, Simon, Dandy tracks down her exes one by one and does a relationship autopsy on each of them in order to get to the bottom of her relationship challenged life.

Swimming Pool Summer by Rebecca FarnworthTitle: Swimming Pool Summer

Author: Rebecca Farnworth

Received: Unsolicited

Synopsis: Three women, three secrets, one holiday… a lot of baggage.

Tamsin, Tor and Leila have been friends since University. Now in their mid thirties they are finding that life can be very complicated indeed.

Tamsin is single and has never had a relationship lasting longer than a year, the reason being that she has been secretly in love with someone her friends would disapprove of for years.

Tor doesn’t think she will ever have children after a doctor told her that she had more chance of winning the lottery than conceiving naturally. For the last six months she has been seeing Ed, who is ten years younger than her. But on the morning they are about to go on holiday she discovers she is pregnant.

On the outside Leila seems to have it all — a happy family and a successful career. She is married to Tom and mother of three-year-old Gracie. But one night she slept with a colleague from work. Crippled with guilt, she wonders if she should she tell her husband before he finds out.

Over the course of two weeks, emotions run high as the three women try to work out where on earth their lives are going. But secrets are hard to keep when you’re living together, and it’s only a matter of time before the men find out.

Happy Any Day Now by Toby DevensTitle: Happy Any Day Now

Author: Toby Devens

Received: Penguin

Synopsis: Every five years my mother had her fortune read by Lulu Cho, owner of the Golden Lotus Massage Club for Men. Now it was my turn. And Lulu predicted one hurricane of a future for me!

Judith Soo Jin Raphael’s childhood was shaped by her hardworking immigrant mother, her father who left them, and her struggles to fit in as a half-Korean, half-Jewish kid in a tough urban neighborhood. But music lessons gave her a purpose and passion. Now, as Judith’s fiftieth birthday nears, she has rewarding work as a cellist with the Maryland Philharmonic, an enthusiastic if uncommitted lover, and a quirky but close relationship with her mother.

Then chaos strikes: Judith’s first love, who dumped her decades ago, returns to dazzle her with his golden pedigree and brilliant career. Her long-absent father arrives out of the blue with a snazzy car and a con man’s patter, turning her mother into a love-struck flirt whom Judith barely recognizes. All this while her mentor at the orchestra falls seriously ill. No wonder Judith develops a paralyzing case of stage fright.

Judith finds herself feeling—and sometimes acting—slightly unhinged, but she’s convinced that happiness will arrive any day now. She’s just got to hold on tight during this midlife shake-up…and claim the prize that life surely has in store for her.

Life in Plan B by Jennifer VessellsTitle: Life in Plan B

Author: Jennifer Vessells

Received: Jennifer Vessells

Synopsis: When twenty-eight year old Haley Simpson, a sales associate for her best friend’s clothing boutique in Columbus, Ohio, begins a secret affair with the boutique’s potential New York City business partner, she digs a cavernous hole of deception that not only threatens to end her blossoming career, but to destroy a life-long friendship.

Jennifer Vessells’s debut novel, LIFE IN PLAN B, encompasses everything classic chick lit should: the dynamics of friendship, the nuances of high-reaching career aspirations, and the struggles – both usual and unique – presented by romantic and familial relationships. An entertaining story at every turn, LIFE IN PLAN B is identifiable for readers of any age. In short, Ms. Vessells hits her debut novel out of the park!

September 8, 2013
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