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The Art Of My Life by Ann Lee Miller
Chick Lit Review

The Art Of My Life by Ann Lee Miller

I received a copy of The Art Of My Life in exchange for an honest review.

The Art Of My Life by Ann Lee Miller begins as main character Cal is released from jail after being arrested for possession of marijuana. His ultimate goal in life is to become a better man and to have Aly, his life long love, return the feeling. Throughout the course of the book, Cal is faced with many obstacles and he must learn to overcome them if he ever wants to move on and make something of himself. He jumps through hoops to restart his life but nothing compares to what he does for Aly. In an attempt to finally win her over, he uses his grandmother’s old sailing boat to try to lure her in. Will his attempt at starting over be enough to win her over? Or will he never be enough to measure up to the man that she wants?

I really enjoyed reading this story about love, friendship, families, and the path for redemption. I truly believe that everyone deserves a second chance and I was so glad to see Cal trying for his. My heart ached for him throughout most of the story because he definitely paid the price (and then some) for his past mistakes, but it was good to see his determination to succeed and his will to make it all happen. I really enjoyed the characters and I especially appreciated the back story that the author allowed us to visit. Overall, Ann Lee Miller did a great job at creating a solid story about redemption and the power to succeed. It definitely made me think and evaluate my own decisions. A really solid read.

[Rating: 4/5]

November 20, 2012
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Daughters-in-Law by Joanna Trollope
Chick Lit Review

Daughters-in-Law by Joanna Trollope

I received a copy of Daughters-in-Law in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
As Anthony and Rachel Brinkley welcome their third daughter-in-law to the family, they don’t quite realize the profound shift that is about to take place. For different reasons, the Brinkleys’ two previous daughters-in-law hadn’t been able to resist Rachel’s maternal control and Anthony’s gentle charm and had settled into their husbands’ family without rocking the boat. But Charlotte—very young, very beautiful, and spoiled—has no intention of falling into step with the Brinkleys and wants to establish her own household. Soon Rachel’s sons begin to think of their own houses as home and of their mother’s house as simply the place where their parents live—a necessary and inevitable shift of loyalties that threatens Rachel’s sense of herself, breaks Anthony’s heart, and causes unexpected consequences in all the marriages. Then a crisis brings these changes to the surface, and everyone has to learn what family love means all over again.
My Review:
I was looking forward to reading Joanna Trollope, as this was my first book from her. Unfortunately, my experience was not a good one. I was not able to connect on any level with the book or the characters. There are a lot of characters, but quite a few were unlikeable or unrelatable. I also thought the plot was predictable overall, and some of the dialogue didn’t seem to match the characters, so that was throwing me off. Very difficult one for me to finish.
[Rating: 1]

November 19, 2012
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The Look of Love by Judy Astley
Chick Lit Review

The Look of Love by Judy Astley

I received a copy of The Look of Love in exchange for an honest review. Summary: Bella has given up on men. Happily divorced, her…

November 16, 2012
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The Bloody Mary Club by Debbie Dyke
Chick Lit Review

The Bloody Mary Club by Debbie Dyke

Debbie Dyke is on tour now with CLP Blog Tours and her financial thriller The Bloody Mary Club. I was looking forward to reading this book because I love smart, crafty writing, and that is just what I got! The setting is Historic Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. The time is during the stock market meltdown. Our MC is Gina Van Story, a smart and ambitious investment advisor. She is on the prowl for the last big score before she retires, but she doesn’t expect to run into corruption – and death – while searching. Along with her crew of friends – deemed The Bloody Mary Club – Gina tries to broaden their stock portfolio while dodging threats and still come out on top.
I had a really fun time reading this novel. I loved Gina and her friends – all hilarious in their own ways. They were jut a blast to get to know. I actually even took a few notes while I read the book, because if it is one thing I wish I was more educated in, it’s the stock market! I really enjoyed the dynamic of the friendship between those in The Bloody Mary Club. They had a lot of challenges thrown their way – and money is obviously a huge factor – but they were able to stand united through it all, which I found very satisfying. I loved the mystery aspect – and Gina’s belly-dancing! (Minor plot point, but I thought it was great!) A well-written novel from Debbie Dyke that I would recommend!
[Rating: 4]

November 16, 2012
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Under Her Spell by Eliza Daly
Chick Lit Review

Under Her Spell by Eliza Daly

Under Her Spell by Eliza Daly begins with Monica Jackson questioning her self worth after a series of failed romantic relationships and business ventures. When everything she touches goes sour, she begins to question her energy and wonders if it’s her fault that things are the way that they are. She turns to spell casting and hopes that things will change. But when her new event planning company welcomes a new neighbor, things begin to get interesting. Will her spells work? Or will she find that she has had what she’s needed inside of her all along?

I had so much fun reading Under Her Spell by Eliza Daly. Monica is such a hoot and I love the steamy interactions between her and sexy divorce attorney Reed! Such a fun read and it is full of laughs. This book is definitely light and I actually enjoyed that for a change. I also really loved the magic twist. I feel like there have been quite a few books in the past attempt to dabble in magic but fail. This book succeeds in my opinion. I couldn’t wait to get to the end to see what would happen between Monica and Reed and whether or not they would be able to see what had been right in front of them. Overall, a great read.

[Rating: 4/5]

November 15, 2012
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Enchanted by Starlight by Tina L Hook
Chick Lit Review

Enchanted by Starlight by Tina L Hook

I received a copy of Enchanted by Starlight in exchange for an honest review.
Three women, Grace, Skylar, and Alina, get a magical detour in life when they are enchanted by a comet in the night sky. Each woman receives a power, a special gift, which feeds off their secret ambitions. Grace is able to make men fall in love with her, Skylar finally achieves peak social status, and Alina always gets her revenge. But are their gifts used for good, or is the power too much to handle?
I was really interested in Enchanted by Starlight. I am always up for a good magical twist, and I thought this one was unique and fun to read about. The POV switches every few chapters between the three women, which I enjoyed. Sometimes though I seemed to get a bit lost. There is a lot going on – a lot of women, a lot of men, a lot plot points and twists – and sometimes I got confused and had to re-read portions of what was going on. Even with that being said, I still found the novel very intriguing and had difficulty putting it down!
[Rating: 4]

November 14, 2012
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Perfect Bait by Michael Fowlkes
Chick Lit Review

Perfect Bait by Michael Fowlkes

Perfect Bait by Michael Fowlkes is a romantic thriller that begins with Corey Phillips in love with his high school sweetheart Karyn. He believes that he has finally found his happily ever after but that all changes when he walks into their house boat one day and sees his wife with his best friend. Devastated and heart broken, he decides to leave that life behind in an attempt to heal his broken heart. He travels along the coasts until he finds new love Jennifer. Ready for a new beginning, he risks it all and dives in head first. He settles in and begins running yacht charters but during one trip out into the open water, something happens that will change his life forever.

When I was first contacted about reviewing this book, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It sounded different than something I would normally pick up but I decided to give it a try and boy, let me tell you, this book is gritty. While I appreciated the romantic/love scenes, I had a hard time making my way through everything else. Now, granted, Michael is a talented writer and he definitely went above in his descriptions but I just had a hard time stomaching a lot of it. Overall, this book is a great read for someone looking for something a little darker and although I hard time with the material, I can still tell that Michael did a great job in creating a suspenseful world and great characters.

[Rating: 4/5]

November 14, 2012
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Diners, Dives & Dead Ends by Terri L. Austin
Chick Lit Review

Diners, Dives & Dead Ends by Terri L. Austin

I am very excited to be kicking off Terri’s tour for CLP Blog Tours with the first mystery novel in the Rose Strickland series, Diners, Dives & Dead Ends. I love mystery, and adding mystery to a fun chick lit novel makes me one happy reader. The MC is Rose Strickland, a struggling waitress and part-time college student, who gets tangled up in a mystery when her best friend Axton goes missing. Rose puts herself on the case, and the next thing she knows she is being watched by one sexy bad guy and finding out a lot of secrets on her once boring town.
I loved this book! I was having a great time with Rose and her friends (loved Roxy’s outfits!) but the ending really put it over the top for me. I was wide-eyed while reading a plot twist that really through me (in a good way) and I was frantically flipping the pages. What an ending – seriously! Now I’m just going to have to be anxious while awaiting the next book! Rose was a fabulous heroine – independent and a bit quirky, but full of love for those who were close to her. I was very intrigued by the obvious attraction between her and the bad guy, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes in the sequel. If you enjoy a bit of mystery in your reading, I highly recommend Diners, Dives & Dead Ends!
[Rating: 5]

November 12, 2012
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Sophie’s Turn by Nicky Wells
Chick Lit Review

Sophie’s Turn by Nicky Wells

Sophie Penhalligan isn’t a slapper. Or at least she wasn’t before. Before Dan came back in her life. Dan, the hunky rock star of the band Tusk, the man that made her teenage self go weak in the knees. Who knew he would still have the same power over her as a grown adult? A woman engaged to be married to another man? Sophie can’t believe she lets herself carry on an affair with Dan. But maybe if she were happier with Tim. If Tim wasn’t always so uptight. If Tim let Sophie have her wild side back. But can Sophie really blame everything on Tim? Is she a slapper, an adulteress- or just a woman confused and looking for love?
I adored Sophie’s Turn by Nicky Wells. While Sophie could have came off a lot worse- an uncaring bitch that cheats on her fiancée- she didn’t. Wells spins her story with a delicate hand that will have readers cheering Sophie on throughout the entire book. I felt Sophie’s confusion, her hesitance to spark up anything with Dan, her dismay at her betrayal to Tim. This was such a real book, with a real woman in a very confusing situation. On one hand, she has a rock star willing to sweep her off her feet, make all her dreams come true. On the other hand, she has Tim- the stable guy who will make her happy enough throughout life. How can she choose? I was pleasantly surprised when she did make her decision at the end- but no spoilers here! I will say that I thought it suited Sophie perfectly, and made for a great –and again, real- story. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book. A definite must read for chick lit fans!
[Rating: 4.5]

November 9, 2012
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