Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

Chick Lit Plus

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In My Mailbox: Week of October 9
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of October 9

In My Mailbox: Week of October 9

Title: Yours, Unexpectedly
Author: Susan Fox
Received: From Kensington Publishing
Synopsis: Merilee has planned her wedding to Matt since they were seven. Yet with the big day drawing near, she has serious cold feet. Her three sisters have found sexy new loves and she envies them the passion that has been lacking with Matt. Though Matt is shocked when she calls off the wedding, he has to admit that he, too, has a craving for something more. But there’s no sense letting their Mexican Riviera honeymoon cruise go to waste. So they go: as friends, not as lovers. On a cruise where anything goes, they’ll have a chance to be adventurous and test their limits – including their sexual ones. And they may discover all the excitement they will need to sustain a lifetime together…

Title: Breaking Down
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Received: From a friend
Synopsis: The astonishing conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions. Now that Bella has made her decision to join the dark but seductive world of immortals, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella’s life-first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse-seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed… forever?

Title: The Gilder
Author: Kathryn Kay
Received: From Kensington Publishing
Synopsis: Set against the exquisite backdrop of Florence, Italy, The Gilder is a compelling and beautifully wrought novel of secrets, friendship, betrayal, and the simple choices that change us forever. . .
In Marina Nesmith’s skilled hands, even the most tarnished picture frame or objet d’art can be made perfect once again. Her life, too, seems flawless, at least on the surface. But more and more, Marina is conscious of what she lacks–someone to share her joys and sorrows with, confidence in the decisions she’s made, and the courage to tell her teenage daughter, Zoe, the truth about her father.
Then Marina is invited to return to Florence, where she lived years before while learning her trade as a gilder. In those heady days, she wandered the city’s picturesque streets, marveling at the masterpieces in the Duomo and the Pitti Palace. In the church of Santa Croce, she met Thomas, an American photographer who, along with his wife Sarah, introduced Marina to a thrilling, bohemian world of art and beauty. Through them, she also learned about love, lies, and the way one mistake can multiply into many. Now, as her past and present collide, Marina will finally have to move beyond the intricate veneer she’s crafted around herself, and find the life that she–and Zoe–have been looking for.

Title: Anything
Author: Michael Baron
Received: From Lou Aronica/The Story Plant
Synopsis: With Anything, Michael Baron again draws readers into a world of deep emotion, compelling relationships, and heartfelt humor, and this time he adds a touch of fantasy. Ken and Melissa are at the dawn of a magnificent life together. A passionate romance has led them to the doorstep of marriage. While searching for the perfect wedding present for Melissa, Ken stumbles into a mysterious shop. There, he is given an extraordinary opportunity – to look in on Melissa when she was a girl. Ken has always wished he could have known Melissa from the day she was born and this seems like an incredible blessing.
Until he discovers a terrible secret in Melissa’s past, one so awful she has found it impossible to mention to him.

Now Ken has another extraordinary opportunity. He can go back in time and change the horrible event that has left an indelible mark on Melissa. He can free her of this burden – but doing so could change things so completely that they might never meet.

Ken has repeatedly told Melissa that he would do anything for her. But would he truly do anything?

At once a wildly romantic tale and a compelling human adventure, Anything brings Michael Baron’s storytelling to a dramatic new level.

October 9, 2011
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Penguin Group- Read Pink Press Release
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Penguin Group- Read Pink Press Release

PENGUIN GROUP (USA) IS IN THE PINK FOR
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
It’s time to think pink to shrink cancer

What’s black and white and pink all over? The initiative by the Penguin Group (USA) called Read Pink™ in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This literary embrace of a life-saving cause last year resulted in nearly 400,000 best-selling romances shipped with Read Pink seals and information about the charity it supports – the Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. In 2010 and 2011, some 12,000 floor displays also carried the Read Pink message. The result raised awareness for BCRF, the only cancer organization to receive A+ from the Institute for Philanthropy.

“We are delighted to be able to continue this initiative in support of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation for a second time. We hope that awareness for the Foundation’s work will only grow by bringing more attention to this important cause,” said Leslie Gelbman, President of Mass Market Publishing, Penguin Group (USA). To mark the occasion, Penguin Group (USA) is again making a $25,000 donation to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

“The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is very grateful to be part of Penguin’s Read Pink program again this year,” said Myra J. Biblowit, President, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. “This visible initiative will certainly raise awareness about BCRF.”

The donation provides vital funds to support the mission of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. As Dr. Laura J. Esserman, director of the Carole Franc Buck Breast Cancer Center at the University of California at San Francisco said,. “[BCRF] awards support leaders in translational science and assume that they will be able to best dispense the funds. This is invaluable. Most grants require a year’s lead time before ideas can be funded. The BCRF funds allow you to plan ideas a few months ahead, and are flexible in support. The awards also come with the promise of continuity to explore new ideas as they arise. I also really appreciate the annual awards ceremony and the expression of thanks to the scientists. We don’t often get that and it really is rewarding and inspiring to see that people appreciate us, even if we don’t come up with all of the answers. It is an expression of thanks for the efforts we put forward to try to find answers.”

The novels chosen for Read Pink 2011 are eight bestselling mass market titles by some of Penguin Group (USA)’s most beloved female authors. Included this year are Nora Roberts, Catherine Anderson, Christina Dodd, Jillian Hunter, Lynn Kurland, Amanda Quick, Bertrice Small and Lauren Willig. More than 300,000 copies of the special editions will be printed featuring Read Pink seals on the covers. In addition, Penguin Group (USA) is including information in the back of each book in an effort to make readers aware of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and encourage them to become actively involved in supporting the organization.

For more details about the Read Pink initiative and to view a complete list of the participating retail outlets, please visit www.penguin.com/readpink.
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About The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® was founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder as an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to funding innovative clinical and translational research. In October 2011, BCRF will award $36.5 million to 186 scientists across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and China. Currently, more than 90 cents of every dollar donated is directed to breast cancer research and awareness programs. With exceptionally low administrative costs, BCRF continues to be one of the most efficient organizations in the country. BCRF has received an“A+” from The American Institute of Philanthropy. For more information about BCRF, visit www.bcrfcure.org.

About Penguin Group (USA)
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Viking, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, The Penguin Press, Riverhead Books, Dutton, Penguin Books, Berkley Books, Gotham Books, Portfolio, New American Library, Plume, Tarcher, Philomel, Grosset & Dunlap, Puffin, and Frederick Warne, among others. The Penguin Group (www.penguin.com) is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.
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October 9, 2011
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Breast Cancer Awareness: My Donations
Chick Lit Plus

Breast Cancer Awareness: My Donations

So, we all know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and I’m sure plenty of you have seen what I am doing this month to support the cause. Donations through my Chick Lit Challenge, through a donate button on this blog, and with running a contest featuring your stories. I will be walking in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in my city of Des Moines on October 22nd. I am all signed up and waiting to get my shirt in the mail. I received an email from Susan G Komen that I am to distribute to family and friends, and I figured I would post it directly to CLP. This shows how I am working to bring in donations. Thank you to everyone who has already contributed, and to the stories that are coming. Have a great October, and think PINK!
Dear Friends and Family,
I recently registered for the Komen Iowa Race for the Cure on October 22, 2011. As part of this registration, I accepted the challenge to raise funds to support the Iowa Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure in its efforts to end breast cancer forever.
Please help support me in this important project by contributing generously to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Iowa Affiliate. Your tax-deductible contribution will fund breast cancer education, screening, and research programs in the Affiliate’s 81-Iowa-county service area.
It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause – you can make your donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. If you would prefer, you can also send your tax-deductible contribution to the address listed below. More information on Komen Iowa and its programs can be found at www.komeniowa.org.
Whatever you can give will help it all adds up! I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.
Sincerely,
Samantha Robey
To donate online, click here.
To send a donation:
Make all checks payable to: Susan G. Komen for the Cure Iowa Affiliate
Mail to: Samantha Robey
1770 92nd St
Unit 8106West Des Moines, IA, 50266-3219

October 8, 2011
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Hair Review: John Frieda Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight
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Hair Review: John Frieda Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight

I have taken to my blog to complain about my frizzy hair many times and all the products that I have tried to tame it. From different shampoos, top of the line straighteners, gels, mousse, hair spray, etc, I have tried many, many products. My latest shot was given to John Frieda Frizz Ease 3-Day Straight Styling Spray. I had started to see the commercials on TV with the models with the gorgeous straight and shiny locks flouncing about, and then I saw the product for only $10 at my local Walgreens. Why not, right? So I bought it, eagerly went home and showered, then sprayed the product throughout my hair 15 times. The directions say to apply to damp or wet hair, with 7-15 sprays. My hair is always super frizzy, so I thought the 15 would really help. I also have long hair (halfway down my back) and it is very fine and thin, and the wavy kind of curly. Back to the spraying. Got the 15 sprays in, then blow-dried my hair, also according to the directions. After a thorough blow-dry came the straightening. I have an expensive Chi straightener, one that gets super hot super fast. When I got done straightening my hair looked….worse than it usually does! It was hard and clumpy and even though I had just showered, it looked oily and dirty. And was on frizz-overload. Fail.
Take two. I assumed that using 15 sprays was too much. I tried again the following week. Shampoo, condition, rinse, spray (10 sprays this time), blow-dry, straighten. Results…same. Gross looking hair, even frizzier than when I did my normal routine of just using a straightening gel. Fail.
Take three. This was going to be my final attempts with the spray. Tried only 7 sprays this time, thinking it was simply my fault for using too much product and that was causing my hair to look icky. But the results were once again the same. My hair looked even more frizzy (which I truly thought was impossible with the amount of frizz my hair showcases), it looked dirty, and it felt gross to touch.
My results were not at all pleasant. This spray has been chucked to the back of my linen closet in disgust. I won’t lie- I have heard some good things about John Frieda, and really held out hope that this was going to work for me. I have read the other reviews on Amazon saying it worked like a charm and I am dumbfounded. Not sure if you need a certain hair type to achieve the results. I know this spray is supposed to turn your curls to straight, but also reduce the amount of frizz. While it may have helped straighten the kinks a little bit, they straightness didn’t last for three days, and there is no way I could keep me hair unwashed for that amount of time looking as dirty as it did. I will not be recommending this product, and my quest to tame the frizz continues.
[Rating: 1.5]

October 6, 2011
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Reebok Women’s EasyTone Reeinspire Toning Shoe
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Reebok Women’s EasyTone Reeinspire Toning Shoe

I’m not a big fan of tennis shoes, I prefer heels or wedges, flip-flops in the summer, but with all these new toning shoes coming out, I decided to give them a try. I walk all over the hospital during the day at my full-time job, so I knew I could get some use on the shoes. The pair I decided on was the Reebok Women’s EasyTone Reeinspire Toning Shoe. There are balance pods on the shoes that will make you feel off balance when you walk. It has been compared to feel like you are walking in sand. Since you are off balance, you will tone your calves, hamstrings, and gluteus- even when just standing still. With the Reeinspire line, there is also foam cushioning that will reduce the pounding your feet endure on a daily basis, even if you are just walking. I will say these shoes are extremely comfortable. I haven’t had any problems with rubbing or blisters. I don’t know if I have seen any real toning results. I have been wearing my shoes at least five days a week for the past four weeks now, and I haven’t seen or felt any real differences in my lower body. But they are good shoes, they feel good and there is a wide variety of colors and style to choose from. Reebok has made toning shoes for both walking and running, so you can choose your shoe by which lifestyle you lead, and I think that is nice. The balance pods really threw me off balance the first day I wore them, but after that I barely noticed that my shoes felt different from regular tennis shoes. But I haven’t had any problems yet with the pods wearing down or popping, which some reviews had said. Overall, I am little disappointed that I haven’t seen any results, but I will continue wearing the shoes in hopes that maybe I just need some more time.
[Rating: 3.5]

October 3, 2011
5 Comments
In My Mailbox: Week of October 2
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 2

In My Mailbox: Week of October 2

Title: What’s Your Number?
Author: Karyn Bosnak
Received: From Transworld Publishers
Synopsis: Bosnak, the woman behind the popular “Save Karyn” Web site (she also penned a book by the same title), makes her fiction debut with the tepid tale of Delilah Darling, a woman on the cusp of 30 who loses her job and sleeps with her heinous former boss in an entanglement that’s the 20th notch on her headboard. It’s a painful realization, as she’d just read in the New York Post, that the average person has 10.5 partners in their lifetime. Fearing she has more than reached her quota, Delilah takes off on a cross-country trip, determined to find “the one” among the 20 of her former lovers. But she soon discovers that the men of her romantic past “an inmate, a rehab patient, a dog-obsessed Amway salesman and a Muppeteer among them” aren’t exactly life-partner material. Clever chapter breaks that feature maps and voice-mail transcripts are fun additions, but the story” hobbled by limp humor, razor-thin characters and phoned-in prose” takes too long to find its inevitably happy ending.

Title: The Arrivals
Author: Meg Mitchell Moore
Received: From SheKnows Book Club
Synopsis: An empty nest fills back up with alarming speed in Moore’s promising debut. Five years have passed since the last of their kids have left home, and Ginny and William Owens have settled into a comfortable rhythm at home in Burlington, Vt., that’s unexpectedly disrupted. Their exhausted and defeated daughter, Lillian, shows up with three-year-old Olivia, three-month-old Philip, and without her husband. Within days, Lillian’s brother, Stephen, and his pregnant wife, Jane, arrive for an unannounced visit that will turn into a summer-long stay. Daughter Rachel, still working in New York, is teetering on the edge of financial and emotional disaster, and will also end up in Burlington in short order. Moore finds a crisp narrative in the morass of an overpacked household, and she keeps the proceedings moving with an assurance and outlook reminiscent of Laurie Colwin, evoking emotional universals with the simplest of observations, as in “the peace you feel when you are awake in a house where children are sleeping.”

Title: Don’t Let Me Go
Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde
Received: From Transworld Publishers
Synopsis: Sometimes a child knows better…

GRACE
Ten-year-old Grace knows that her mum loves her, but her mum loves drugs too. And there’s only so long Grace can fend off the ‘woman from the county’ who is threatening to put her into care. Her only hope is…

BILLY
Grown-man Billy Shine hasn’t been out of his apartment for years. People scare him, and the outside world scares him even more. Day in, day out, he lives a perfectly orchestrated silent life within his four walls. Until now. . .

THE PLAN
Grace bursts into Billy’s life with a loud voice and a brave plan to get her mum clean. And it won’t be easy, because they will have to confiscate the one thing her mum holds most dear . . . they will have to kidnap Grace.

Title: Better Off Without Him
Author: Dee Ernst
Received: From Dee Ernst
Synopsis: Mona Berman is an expert at Happily Ever After – after all, she’s a best-selling Romance writer and happy endings are what she does best. So when her husband of twenty years leaves her for somebody 15 years younger, 20 pounds lighter, and French, she’s got a lot of adjusting to do, both personally and professionally. Lucky for her she’s got three savvy teen daughters, a few good friends, and Ben, the world’s sexiest plumber, to help her along the way.

First she decides that her next book will be the anti-romance – her heroine finds the best part of her life AFTER getting dumped. Next her daughters tell her she needs to start practice dating, and summer at the Jersey shore is the perfect place for that. She’s also juggling her soon-to-be-ex, a loony aunt, and a match-making neighbor, while Ben is sending her romance-driven imagination into overdrive. Can Mona’s life imitate art? Can she write her own happy ending?

October 2, 2011
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CLP for Breast Cancer Awareness
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CLP for Breast Cancer Awareness

A few weeks ago, I posted an article outlining a few ideas I had for October- which is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I had some great feedback from that original article, so I am going to move forward with my plans. Big thanks to everyone who emailed me with their ideas and support!
First, I have posted a donate button on Chick Lit Plus through PayPal. I will be taking donations all throughout October that will go towards the Susan G. Komen organization. Second, I will personally be donating $1 for every review that is posted during the month of October for the Chick Lit Reading Challenge. And third, I am going to be running a month long contest that will feature your stories. I am looking for submissions that talk about your experiences with breast cancer. This is pretty open topic that can range from if you had breast cancer, a family member or a friend had cancer, what you do to support and find a cause, how you raise awareness, etc. This will be based on how many submissions I get, but I would like to choose a winning story each week. That story will be published on Chick Lit Plus, the weekly winners will be able to choose a book from my personal bookshelf that I will send to them, and each winner will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card. At the end of the month, I will write an article that will feature snippets from each story that was submitted.
So that is my plan for October! Please help spread the word about the submissions to your friends, families, and followers. I’m hoping we can get some inspiring stories that come in and I’m looking forward to October and doing my part. I will be posting a Call for Submissions post shortly with more information on the articles. Thanks again to everyone who gave their ideas and feedbacks!

September 29, 2011
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 25
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 25

In My Mailbox: Week of September 25

Title: Recession Proof
Author: Kimberly Lin
Received: From Kimberly Lin via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Sometimes going after what you want is the hardest thing you will ever do… Meet Helen. Smart, successful and obliviously trapped. For the past six years, Helen has given her life and her heart to her cushy corporate finance job and to Mark without question. However as the Recession sweeps the Nation, she is one of many left unemployed and with the burning question of what does she really want in life. RECESSION PROOF is a debut novel for anyone that has settled in their career and relationship but has discovered that what really matters in life is living it…

Title: Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes
Author: Sue Watson
Received: From Sue Watson
Synopsis: TV Producer Stella Weston is over worked, over weight and under fire. Having battled uphill for years to balance her career with her family life, she is repaid by being put out to pasture on a religious gardening programme complete with a nervous vicar, his nymphomaniac wife, and 22 stone Britney wannabe gardener, Gerald. Miles away from her husband and daughter she somehow turns the show into a comedic triumph, only to once more fall foul of her evil and twisted boss, stick thin MJ. Stella decides enough is enough but soon finding herself husbandless and penniless, she realises discovering the courage to quit is sometimes the easy part. Desperate, Stella throws herself into her one true love, cakes, and asks the question: can you really turn a passion into a profession? What follows is a series of comical disasters, hilarious holidays, failed dates, super cakes, accidents, injuries and near death experiences. Full of spirit, heart and girl power, this is a high quality chick lit novel that will have readers everywhere laughing, crying, and reaching for the mixing bowl.

Title: Nothing But Trouble
Author: Rachel Gibson
Received: From Transworld Publishers
Synopsis: Trouble . . .
Chelsea Ross’s acting career has been a total bust. The closest she ever came to stardom was her brilliant performance as “Pretty Dead Girl #1.” But leaving Hollywood to become the personal assistant to a famous hockey player could be her stupidest career move ever.
More trouble . . .
Injured superstar Mark Bressler’s glory days are over. The bad-boy ex-jock could at least be civil to the pint-sized, pink-haired bombshell who the Seattle Chinooks hired to be his P.A. If Chelsea didn’t need the money, she’d be running from the world’s biggest jerk as fast as her feet could carry her.
Big trouble!
Chelsea can deal with Mark’s rotten attitude and dark moods. The problem is those biceps and that red-hot bod! And when the bad boy starts to put the moves on her, Chelsea knows it’s time she banished him to the penalty box . . . if only she could resist the kind of trouble he has in mind!

September 25, 2011
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 18
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of September 18

In My Mailbox: Week of September 18

Title: High Heels and Slippers
Author: Ella Slayne
Received: From Ella Slayne via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Meet Josie Jenkins, a Brit living in Texas, fan of indulgent body-scrubs and the odd glass of wine. She’s currently Customer Service Manager at Harpers & Green Co, home of high-end shirts and also, rather unhelpfully, Bob Green: her ex-boyfriend (who also happens to be married). She is thousands of miles away from home and her job appears to be in jeopardy – safe to say, Josie’s going through a wobbly patch. So when the rather handsome Callum Doherty, (just picture blue eyes and Irish good looks) begins flirting with Josie, she is thrilled…until she realizes she’s not the only girl at work with her eye on the office heart-throb. How can she compete against her pert-bottomed rival from the accounts department? Josie’s love-life takes another complicated and unexpected turn when out of the blue Josie receives a mysterious Facebook friend request from her high-school sweetheart, Tom Barker. Tom is keeping something from her, drawing her in and causing her to question if it’s time to reconnect the past with the present. It’s time for some soul searching. Will Josie take the emotional trip back to the UK or try her luck with the handsome Mr. Doherty? Is there heartbreak ahead in Josie’s future?

Title: Three Daves
Author: Nicki Elson
Received: From Nicki Elson
Synopsis: Jennifer Whitney was the last American virgin. At least that s what she felt like in 1986 as she began her sophomore year at Central Illinois University. She was proud of her decision to wait for the right guy, and yet she was getting restless. It seemed like everyone around her was doing it… and having fun doing it, too. She didn t want to become the campus slut or anything, but surely there was a difference between a trashy skank and a nice girl with a little experience. Perhaps it was time to stop relying on fate to guide her and instead take matters into her own hands. And with that realization, Jen decided to find the one and lose her virginity, although not necessarily in that order…
Nicki Elson has created a heroine that everyone will cheer for as she comes of age in the mid-1980s. Whether you lived through the decade and survived the bad hair and acid-wash jeans, or just heard the wild stories, readers of all ages will identify with Jen Whitney as she searches for the one, enjoying her romantic ups and downs, made even more entertaining by Nicki Elson s amusingly wry sense of humor.

Title: The Kingdom of Childhood
Author: Rebecca Coleman
Received: From Meryl L Moss Media Relations
Synopsis: THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD is the story of a boy and a woman: sixteen-year-old Zach Patterson, uprooted and struggling to reconcile his knowledge of his mother’s extramarital affair, and Judy McFarland, a kindergarten teacher watching her family unravel before her eyes. Thrown together to organize a fundraiser for their failing private school and bonded by loneliness, they begin an affair that at first thrills, then corrupts, each of them. Judy sees in Zach the elements of a young man she loved when she was only a child. But what Zach does not realize is that– for Judy– their relationship is only the latest in a lifetime of disturbing secrets.

September 18, 2011
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