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Book Review: Outside the Men’s Room by Rose Gonsoulin

I received a copy of Outside the Men’s Room by Rose Gonsoulin in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Who hasn’t wanted to tell the boss he’s a jerk and quit on the spot? It’s the principle, right? Yet most people never do it. They swallow their pride and either suck it up or find another job. Except Sidney Sinclair, a hard-working but naïve young engineer entering the work place when college educated women were still a novelty item. It was a time when they were graduating in droves, like a bumper crop of ripe corn, flooding the market with their career aspirations. But can girls raised on Chatty Cathy and the Dating Game succeed in a man’s world?

After facing blatant discrimination, Sidney resorts to deception to break into the good ole boy’s club of engineering and construction. Once inside she’s thwarted at every turn—open hostility, intentional sabotage, and worse, an attraction to the man who holds the reins to her career. Was Sidney chasing a dream, or just running from her fears? Can she survive the traps and land mines waiting for her in a man’s world, or will she succumb to the goons who want her out of the way?

Set in the early 1980’s in Houston this retro chick lit novel has all the native nuances of living in the Bayou City at a time when many young women were caught between two worlds—Work and Love.
Review:
I was looking forward to reading this book because it was described as retro chick lit, and I thought that was pretty cool; something different. I struggled to get into the story though, and had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. I almost wonder if the story would have started with Sidney and focused more on her throughout the way if my reading experience would have been better, as I just could not identify with the men. Maybe it didn’t help that I’m not from the era either, even though I thought it would be interesting to read about. I’m bummed that I couldn’t make a connection to this book, but sometimes one is just not for you!
2.5 stars

Book Review: Speaking of Love by Ophelia London

I received a copy of Speaking of Love by Ophelia London in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Speech teacher and successful matchmaker Mackenzie Simms decides to find a woman for her friend, handsome newspaper tycoon Rick Duffy. Though they’ve been each other’s go-to dates for the past month, Mac and Rick couldn’t be more different: she is outspoken, sarcastic, and completely loathes his privileged lifestyle. He’s laid-back, unassuming, and seems comfortable at an upper-class charity function. So why can’t she stop thinking about him?
Rick knows he and the opinionated-though-adorable Mackenzie are better off as friends, so he agrees to the double-date getaway Mac plans at his family cabin. But seeing Mac cuddle up with her “friendly” date rankles Rick beyond reason, and Mac regrets her matchmaking scheme the minute she sees the way her beauty-queen cousin looks at Rick. Can Mac ‘fess up to what’s really in her heart, when speaking her mind puts everything at risk?
Review:
This book is a part of the Perfect Kisses series, which I have not read any previous books. If I had, I might have enjoyed this better. The story is basically of Mac and Rick knowing they belong together but all the hoops they must jump through. I know a lot of romance and chick lit books have an obvious couple, but so many are fun to read about their journey and some can even really leave readers guessing. This one wasn’t like that. I was bored easily and didn’t understand why Mac knows she has such intense feelings for Rick but tries to hook him up with her cousin, then feeling guilty towards the cousin because she wants to be with him. Again, maybe if I had read the previous books and already had a connection with the characters I would have liked this one more, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
3 stars

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Saving Saffron Sweeting by Pauline …

Pauline Wiles is on tour now with CLP Blog Tours and Saving Saffron Sweeting. I thought this was such a good book! Our main character…

Book Review: 12 Lessons by Kate Spencer

I received a copy of 12 Lessons by Kate Spencer in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:

Move over Bridget Jones, Stephanie Slater is in town and she doesn’t believe in psychics…yet! No one knows that beneath her groomed and successful persona Stephanie Slater is struggling to keep up the act. When an accidental psychic reading breaks open the cracks in her perfect life, it starts to unravel for all to see. Stephanie then starts the transformational journey to rebuild and reclaim her life lesson by lesson, month by month in a year like no other. Each of the 12 Lessons helps her to learn more about herself and gives this entertaining story a deeper and more profound meaning, as she works towards creating the life that she has always wanted… but will she make it in time? Can you really change your Destiny in one year?
Review:

I really, really enjoyed 12 Lessons by Kate Spencer and thought this book was like a breath of fresh air. This book inspires second chances and I absolutely loved the upbeat, optimistic and hilarious vibe that it produced. I loved Stephanie from the get go and loved watching her transformational journey and honestly, I think it is something that we should all do every once in a while. This book is heartfelt and author Kate Spencer does a great job at crafting amazing characters with great heart and charisma that they just hop off the screen. This book is an absolute gem and I highly recommend it.
Rating: 4.5 stars

Book Review: White Wind Blew by James Markert

I received a copy of White Wind Blew by James Markert in exchange for an honest review. The book takes place in the early 1920s…

Book Review: Sisters in the Mix by Joni Hilton

I received a copy of Sisters in the Mix by Joni Hilton in exchange for an honest review. Summary: Kate is an obsessive compulsive woman…

Book Review: When Summer Comes by Brenda Novak

I received a copy of When Summer Comes by Brenda Novak in exchange for an honest review. Summary: One day, Callie Vanetta receives devastating news……

Book Review: Always On My Mind by Bella Andre

I received a copy of Always On My Mind by Bella Andre in exchange for an honest review.

Always On My Mind begins after a tragic loss that takes place three years prior. Grayson Tyler left his life in New York City behind afterward and started over in the rolling hills of the California coast. He’s convinced himself that all he’ll ever need again is the blue sky, a thousand acres of pasture, and the crashing waves of the ocean. Until one day, the beautiful and mysterious, Lori Sullivan (also appropriately nicknamed “Naughty”) barges into his life and promptly blows his emotionless and solitary world to shreds. But will Lori be able to convince him that it’s safe to love her…and that forever isn’t actually out of reach?

I have been a big fan of Bella Andre for quite some time and Always On My Mind does not disappoint. As always, I thought that Bella did a fantastic job at creating such real emotions for her characters and my heart ached for Grayson after his loss but I absolutely loved the way that he and Lori met … and I must admit that I loved the way that she really shook up his world. That’s what they say about real love right? That it comes in and crashes down hard? Well, this is no exception and as skillful as ever, Bella Andre does an amazing job at crafting such chemistry and love between these two main characters. This one is definitely a must read.

Rating: 5 stars

Book Review: 33 Valentines by Stephanie Monahan

I received a copy of 33 Valentines by Stephanie Monahan in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
All Sophie wants for her thirty-third year is a calendar without a February–and without a Valentine’s Day. The unlucky month haunts her with regrets, loss, and missteps she can never take back. But this year, she’s determined to make a change– and she’s going to start with telling her best friend, Sam, how she feels about him.
But February isn’t making it easy for her. Sam’s got a date with his dream girl, and Sophie finds herself in the hospital. Then there’s her father, who has a surprise that’s about to turn her world upside-down, and her little brother, who doesn’t seem to have any room for her in his life. While everyone else seems to be living life, Sophie is stuck in neutral.
Now, Sophie must come to terms with everything that’s holding her back in order to fight for what she wants before she loses the chance to turn her luck around.
Review:
I adored this book! I liked that we didn’t get Sophie’s full story right away, but I didn’t find it annoying at all that we kept getting little hints and clues to her past, which unfortunately can happen sometimes with that type of writing. It kept my interest high and I was always cheering for Sophie. I can also sometimes get a bit annoyed when we it’s so obvious boy needs to be with girl, and can get uninterested in the way they go about it. Not the case here either! I am so impressed with Monahan’s writing and how it felt so fresh and original. I really enjoyed this book and would happily recommend.
4.5 stars