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Fatty Patty by Kathleen Irene Paterka
Chick Lit Review

Fatty Patty by Kathleen Irene Paterka

Kathleen Irene Paterka is on tour with Fatty Patty and CLP Blog Tours. This is the first in a series of books that will take place in James Bay, Michigan, and the story follows Patty Perreault, an elementary school teacher who has battled with her weight her whole life. To make matters worse, her twin sister has always been slim, only making Patty’s battle with the bulge that much worse. But Patty is determined to slim down, and hope that her body makeover will give her a better chance at winning the Teacher of the Year award at her school. While attempting to swim laps at a local pool, she meets Sam Curtis, an accountant who also happens to be a few pounds too heavy. While a romance appears to be blooming, Patty holds back because Sam is overweight. She knows she is overweight but is trying to do something about it – work out, eat better (minus those binge-eating moments) but she feels Sam doesn’t care about his image. Will she let her own foolishness stand in the way of love?
Every once in a while I worry about not being able to connect with a book because of not being able to connect with the main character. Fatty Patty was one, because I have been underweight the majority of my life and have never struggled with weight or body image. (Though I did still get called nicknames in school, like Chicken Legs and Twiggy!) But it’s great when you find an author that can pull readers in no matter their situation and have them be able to relate to their characters in some way, and Paterka did that for me. I highly enjoyed Patty’s story and her journey for self-love and happiness, so even though we are so different, it didn’t matter to me as a reader. I found a way to connect with her and stay interested in her journey. There was a lot of drama, especially with the other teachers that I loved reading about, and Patty was an all-around fun character to get to know. The only thing that really stuck out to me was the points where she seemed not-so-nice, mainly when it came to Sam being overweight. I tried to understand her point of view, where she thought he didn’t care about his looks, but sometimes I still thought she was being a tad hypocritical in that sense. But overall, a very fun read, and one I [recommend!
Rating: 4]

August 22, 2012
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Fashioning A Romance by Libby Mercer
Chick Lit Review

Fashioning A Romance by Libby Mercer

Fashioning A Romance by Libby Mercer follows Caitlyn Taylor, fashionista who can’t stand players. Having successfully dodged them her entire life, she finally meets up with John Harrington, British CEO. At first she thinks that he is fun loving and not like the men that she has avoided like the plague, but he turns out to be exactly like them, and worse. And to make things even more interesting, he is exactly her type, to a T. Confused as to why she hasn’t fallen victim to his advances, he turns up the charm. Then it becomes a tug-of-war between the two of them to see what will happen next, because the more she resists, the more he turns on the charm.

I really enjoyed Fashioning A Romance and thought that Libby did a tremendous job at writing very fluidly and creating an interesting dynamic between Caitlyn and fashion. John is a wild character with great charisma and I really enjoyed being stuck in the middle between the two main characters. Overall, a very fun and light summer read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a light summer read.

August 21, 2012
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The L.A. Commandments by Gillian Duffy
Chick Lit Review

The L.A. Commandments by Gillian Duffy

I received a copy of The L.A. Commandments in exchange for an honest review. Joanne Kavanagh is excited to get away from dreary Dublin and head to the land of sun and fun – California. With best friend Suzie along for the ride, the girls are ready for a new chapter in their lives. They develop a list of LA Commandments – the top commandment being ‘Thou Shall Not Fall in Love.’ But of course, that is so much easier said than done. Quickly befriending some men, including musician Marc and player Chris, the girls break their number one commandment – and will their hearts get broken as well?
I have say, I didn’t really enjoy this book. The beginning had me excited – two Irish girls heading to LA for a new life. The first chapters were fun and had a chick lit feel to it, but then I stopped becoming invested in the story when not much was happening. Everyone was going about their lives, happy, getting along for the most part, and no real drama. By the time the surprise ending came along, I was too far removed from the plot to really be able to gasp. And I think the ‘s’ should have been dropped from the title, really they only had one commandment, but that’s just a minor thing. While not my cup of tea, others may enjoy if you have a bit more patience with a slow moving plot.
[Rating: 2.5]

August 20, 2012
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Cutting Ties by Francine Pascal
Chick Lit Review

Cutting Ties by Francine Pascal

I am nearly done with The Sweet Life eSeries from Francine Pascal, and just finished the fifth installment. Cutting Ties brings the drama to more of an edge, almost letting readers get the true story on Robin Platt and her accusations against Bruce Patman. The cliffhanger made me very anxious to get the final puzzle piece. I’m still hoping Jessica and Todd can make it work, though I’m really unsure Elizabeth and Bruce will get another shot at love, with the Annie obstacle now. And Lila wasn’t brought up a whole lot in this book, but I’m curious where she will finish out the series with her drama. The one part I really disliked and stood out to me was when the POV turned to Jake – Jessica and Todd’s son. I thought that was really unnecessary, and going from always being in the adult’s minds to suddenly a toddler’s was confusing – and abrupt. But if you loved the Wakefield twins and the rest of the Sweet Valley, you’ll want to read this eSeries!
[Rating: 4]

August 18, 2012
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The Sixes by Kate White
Chick Lit Review

The Sixes by Kate White

I was thrilled when I won a copy of The Sixes by Kate White in a giveaway. White is the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, and is a New York Times bestselling author, and I had yet to read a novel from her. So I tore into The Sixes with enthusiasm, and was engrossed in the story from the first page. Phoebe Hall finds herself in a sleepy college Pennsylvania job after her fabulous life crashes to pieces seemingly overnight. With her long-term boyfriend breaking up with her and being accused of plagiarizing her celebrity biography book, Phoebe needs a place to try to catch her breath. But she gets swept up in the mystery of a secret society on campus, one made of girls that would possibly go as far as murder. When the body of college female washes up from the river, the town’s facade is looking less and less rosy. Phoebe starts to distrust everyone in town – including the man she starts seeing, psychology professor Duncan Shaw. While she tries valiantly to find the real murderer, she doesn’t realize how close to them she may be – or how dangerous her path is.
I can’t even count how many times I got chills while reading this book. A true thriller, I was gasping and shrieking, and one time even found myself covering my eyes – something I do when watching scary movies (not as good when trying to read a book)! There is a lot going on in the story – to Phoebe’s current personal life, her past secrets, all the key players in the town, and plenty of suspense throughout the entire novel. I was thoroughly confused as to who the real killer was, and was shocked at the ending. I loved this mystery novel, suggest you read it, and can’t wait for more Kate White to land on my bookshelf!

August 17, 2012
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Rum Punch Regrets by Anne Kemp
Chick Lit Review

Rum Punch Regrets by Anne Kemp

I was very excited when Anne Kemp requested to go on tour with CLP Blog Tours. I was crushing on her Abby George series, and couldn’t wait to dive into Rum Punch Regrets. As a travel lover, I was ecstatic to find out the novel was based in the Caribbean. The MC is thirty year old Abby George, who has been having some pretty rough weeks. Her mother passed away, she lost her job, and she was dumped by her fiancé. Whew! Her luck seems to be turning around when her sister offers to send her to the Caribbean to help clear up some mysterious baggage that she seemed to leave behind. Abby jumps at the chance to clear her head – but everything gets foggy upon arrival. Seems her sister forgot to mention she owned and was in the process of selling a bed and breakfast….and a few other major family secrets. What a fun read! I loved the setting especially, and the details and pictures painted in my mind were amazing – and really makes me want to plan a vacation! (What’s that – a honeymoon calling my name?!) There was a lot of drama, some hilarious characters, and the mystery was my favorite part. Abby stumbles upon a huge secret while at the B&B, one that is life-changing for her and others. The third book in the series is a must-read, because not everything is tied up neatly at the end. Be sure to also check out the first book, which is a novella titled All Fruits Ripe. I will be anxiously awaiting that release!
[Rating: 4]

August 17, 2012
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What The Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard
Chick Lit Review

What The Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard

What The Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard starts off at the vet’s office, where after hours of bewilderment as to what could have possibly gone wrong with her dog, Maggie Baxter is handed a tiny pair of lavender thong panties that Kona, her dog, accidentally digested. The only problem is, the panties aren’t hers. Much to her surprise, they belong to a “friend” of her husband of the last seventeen years, and this is how she finds out that he has been cheating on her. When he leaves her, Maggie and Kona must learn to fend for themselves and piece their life back together. She takes on a new strategy for living her life and stops analyzing everything and just goes for it, similar to the way her dog Kona thinks. Will this new strategy help her solve her woes and move on from a broken heart?

I absolutely adored What The Dog Ate! Being a dog lover, I found the relationship between Maggie and Kona to be authentic and heartwarming, and it made me think about my two boys and how much I adore them. What The Dog Ate is tender story about following your heart (or your nose) and how sometimes, the perfect companion is mans best friend. Overall, a truly heartwarming story that I would highly recommend to any dog lovers or to anyone looking for a heartwarming story.

[Rating: 4.5/5]

August 16, 2012
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India’s Summer by Therese
Chick Lit Review

India’s Summer by Therese

I received a copy of India’s Summer in exchange for an honest review. I was fairly curious about this book, mainly for two reasons – one, the author only goes by one name, and two, a slew of celebrities were endorsing it. I was also interested in trying to get a better feel for Therese, as her bio only said she is best friends with people with connections, so put this all together and I wanted to read the book! The MC is India Butler, who lives in London but takes a trip to the US to visit her twin sister, Annie. While a teacher in London, India is soon rubbing elbows with some of LA’s elite, and decides to invent a better life for herself. Soon, she gets wrapped up in her own hype – only to have the fall from grace hurt that much worse. Shuffling home to London with her tail between her legs, India still can’t quite believe the unforgettable summer she had in LA – and she wonders if she had finally found the place where she truly belonged.
I found myself interested in the novel throughout. It got a bit wordy in a few places, but I liked the story and thought the plot was a lot of fun. It was definitely a different perspective than books usually give on Hollywood and the people that fill the town – these characters were friendly, helpful, seemed to have real feelings, and many were good people. I really liked the dynamic between India and Annie especially. I think if you are interested in celebrities and that world, you would enjoy this book. Like I said – a different take than most “Hollywood” books, and I think I started to understand the author’s bio a bit more as well after reading. An enjoyable book though, and one I would recommend!
[Rating: 4]

August 15, 2012
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Play Him Again by Jeffrey Stone
Chick Lit Review

Play Him Again by Jeffrey Stone

Play Him Again by Jeffrey Stone takes us back to the Roaring Twenties, a time when the world is growing by leaps and bounds, yet the film industry keeps things quiet and without sound. Movie moguls say that it is too expensive and only two studios have sound equipment, and up until now, there has only been one picture with sound. But, that all changes when Matt Hudson, a movie industry bootlegger, decides that he wants to produce a talking picture. He has the will and the desire, but does he have what it really takes to get it done? Things go wrong quickly when he brings in his long time pal and regular mob gangster, Danny, who ends up mysteriously dead. Without any leads, Hudson is on the verge to find out who the killer was, but will he find himself in trouble too?

I was a little hesitant to agree to read this book when I first received the request because I thought it would be crowded with gangsters and blood and shootings. But, I was pleasantly surprised with what the story held. I loved the back story and history regarding the film industry and bootlegging and found that it added a very nice touch of appeal to the overall story. I found all of the characters very well developed and authentic and I loved the “lingo” that they all seem to use so well. I absolutely loved the narrative and all of the suspense. I read this book in a day … and that is saying a lot considering I was apprehensive about reading it in the first place.

[Rating: 4.5/5]

August 14, 2012
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