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Pickin’ Tomatoes by J.W. Bull
Chick Lit Review

Pickin’ Tomatoes by J.W. Bull

J.W. Bull is currently on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Pickin’ Tomatoes. This is book after my own heart. The heroine, Maggie Malone, is soon-to-be-divorced and now a single mom. Okay, that’s not me but she also cannot cook (not even a smidge) but bluffed her way through a contest and is now the Chef of Hearts – dating and food columnist for Cooking and Women magazine. Yes! I loved the plot line for this book, and it was not a disappointment!
Maggie is thirty-five (cough,forty,cough) an ex-chef of Lavande Restaurant in Paris (cough,nevercookedbefore,cough) and single (cough,stillmarriednotdivorcedyetwithadaughter,cough). And she had a new job as a columnist for a real magazine! Maggie is thrilled with her good fortunes, and excited to start this new chapter in her life. But will pretending to be someone she’s not really work out in the end for her? And how long can keep she keep up the charade that she is a real chef that has served the Pitt-Jolie clan in Paris?
I loved Pickin’ Tomatoes! So many of Maggie’s kitchen woes have actually happened to me! If you follow my tweets – you understand it’s best that I stay far, far away from the kitchen. Nothing good ever seems to come from it. I absolutely loved the part where Maggie washed the chicken with Palmolive. Why? Because the first time I washed chicken on my own – I literally questioned if I should use soap – no joke! I was rolling on the floor laughing when I read that part. (And no – I skipped the soap that fateful first time!) This was a very-well written novel, humorous and very delightful to read. Sometimes I did wonder how Maggie avoided all the disasters when she was in public versus in her kitchen, but I’m letting that slide because I really loved the book. 5 stars from me!
[Rating: 5]

July 13, 2012
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Died on the Vine by Joyce Harmon
Chick Lit Review

Died on the Vine by Joyce Harmon

Died on the Vine by Joyce Harmon follows Cissy Rayborn, tech writer and ammateur mystery sleuth, and her retired husband Jack. The two cross paths with Obadiah Winslow, and he informs Cissy that Jimmy, her first husband who was supposedly shot down and killed in Vietnam, actually survived the crash and is still alive and is currently being held prisoner in a Vietnamese prison. Cissy begins to wonder if he is telling the truth, but before she really even has a chance to question him further, she finds him dead on their property, stabbed by pruning shears. Who could of possibly done it? Could it be her current husband Jack in hopes of silencing the truth? Or, was it someone else? What will Cissy do and what will she believe?

I haven’t read a ton of mystery novels over the years, but I was pretty excited when I read the synopsis for Joyce Harmon’s book. The book was light and fun, and the mystery added a fun suspenseful twist to the plot. I really enjoyed the characters and really enjoyed the dynamic between Cissy, Julie, and Mary and thought they added a lot of spunk to the novel. Overall, very enjoyable. I was entertained throughout and surprised by the suspenseful ending. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light hearted mystery with some heart.

[Rating: 4/5]

July 12, 2012
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One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf
Chick Lit Review

One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf

Heather Gudenkauf leaped onto my list of Favorite Authors when I read These Things Hidden. I was thrilled when I was offered an ARC of her latest novel, One Breath Away, and was not disappointed. Once I started reading there was no stopping. A fast-moving, gripping tale that literally had me holding my breath, this is worthy of five full stars.
The novel follows the perspectives from five key players – Meg Barrett, Will Thwaite, Evelyn Oliver, Holly and her daughter Augie. Meg is on the police force in the small town of Broken Branch, Iowa, and is shocked when reports go out that a gunman is in the only school in town – housing essentially all of Broken Branch’s youth. Will Thwaite receives word of the gunmen and instantly worries about his two grandchildren who are in the school – Augie and her little brother P.J. Mrs. Oliver, a long-standing teacher, is trying to keep calm for her students with the gunman in her room. Can she – and her students- make it alive? And Holly, mother to Augie and P.J. lies in a hospital room miles away in Revelation, Arizona, recovering from a serious burn accident. Her mother, Will’s wife, is by her side, and the women are terrified when the national news shows their small town of Broken Branch being paralyzed by a man with a gun. Who is the crazed gunman – and how many will escape his murderous plan?
Loved this book! It was so fascinating to watch all the characters come together, and I seriously had no clue until the very end who was in the school with a gun. I could feel my eyes get wide when the identity was revealed. I also really enjoy that Gudenkauf is actually from my hometown – Dubuque, Iowa – and the book mentions a few towns that I know. Broken Branch is fictional, but there’s just something about reading the towns of Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Waterloo, that I find really intriguing. Also bits and pieces of landmarks that make me thing – yeah, I know that! – are interesting too. But back to the book – there was always just enough information to keep the plot moving and keep me wondering how it would all come together. A fabulous read, and one not to miss!
[Rating: 5]

July 11, 2012
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The Last Resort by Malena Lott
Chick Lit Review

The Last Resort by Malena Lott

The Last Resort by Malena Lott brings together the cast of characters from her previous novels. Ramona and Rachel (Dating da Vinci), Taylor (The Stork Reality), Macy (Fixer Upper), Georgia (Life’s a Beach) and get introduced to Kelly (Something New- Fall 2012) to a beautiful beach side paradise in Maui. At a mojo conference, we catch up with all of the women and see what has happened since we last saw them in their previousbooks. Rachel’s is now famous with a New York Times bestseller with her her fitness books, TV show and as a host of these “mojo” conferences. Ramona finally gets a break from her two boys and hopes to get spend some time with her sister, but really is secretly working out the kinks of her heart and wondering if she is ready to make the commitment to her boyfriend. Taylor’s ad agency in Texas is flourishing, and with a two year old and a booming business, she can’t seem to catch a moment for herself, so she is in dire need of a break whilst secretly hoping to learn from the other attendees the secret to managing it all and not going crazy. Kelly feels like her biological clock is closing in on her since her boyfriend John moved out, crushing her hopes for a marriage and a baby. Macy’s life is a lot slower since her days in the middle of a political scandal back in Atlanta, now living in Oklahoma and owner of a remodeling businesses, she is on the brink of national attention and is hesitant to be in the spotlight again. And finally, Georgia still dealing with her broken heart and hoping to be able to pick up the pieces. With all six women on the verge of a personal or professional crossroads, things get interesting and they get honest and real. But the real question is, will they all be able to find their “mojo” before heading back to their respective lives?

Heartfelt and moving, the quick paced novella by Malena Lott, is exactly what one hopes for in a beach read. I absolutely adored catching up with all of the previous characters from Lott’s previous novels and although I had only read one book by her before, you are quickly caught up on what you may have previously missed. All of the women are each dealing with a crisis of their own, and with each of them being so varied, I think all women will find that they can relate to at least one … if not all of their problems. I read The Last Resort in one sitting and was moved at the end of the book. Lott uses her signature writing style to make you feel right at with all of the ladies. I highly recommend this book for any gals looking for a quick, fun time. I was sad to see it come and go so quickly.

[Rating: 5/5]

July 11, 2012
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Chances by Jackie Collins
Chick Lit Review

Chances by Jackie Collins

Oh, Jackie Collins. I have read countless titles from her, the majority from the Santangelo series, with good ole Gino and Lucky. I was excited when I was offered a review copy of Chances, where readers will see how it all began. This is the first Lucky book to be released as an eBook, and if you haven’t gotten a chance to read it yet – do it! I’ve never quite figured out how to describe a Jackie Collins book, but while I was reading through her bio I saw that she has been called a “raunchy moralist” by Vanity Fair, and I feel like that’s pretty fair. I was trying to describe this particular book to a girlfriend who just got done with the Fifty Shades of Grey series, and the word “filthy” kept being brought up. For sure – if you do not like very explicit sex scenes, foul language, murder, etc., I would keep away.
For those who don’t – wow, this is quite a book! I loved learning the beginning of the Santangelo’s, and I mean the very beginning. The book starts off in the 1920’s and switches quickly between characters and time. We learn how Gino got started in the streets, his family life, how he made “business acquaintances,” to when he fell in love with Maria and had his two children – Lucky and Dario. They both get to tell their POV’s as well, and I had blast reading about Lucky getting kicked out of boarding school and learning where her Santangelo smarts (and balls) came from. The story also follows Carrie and her son Steven. Carrie was forced into prostitution at the age of thirteen by her own grandmother and uncle, and then sold off to a whorehouse where she fell heavily into drugs. It was fascinating to know that Carrie in the present had money, prestige, even fame, and to see glimpses into the past of how she was able to overcome all the horrors of her life. I never minded the switching back and forth so many times, it’s the Jackie Collins style that I have learned to love, and I feel it almost made this (fairly lengthy) novel go by even quicker. The ending was so crazy! I was frantically pressing the “next page” button on my Kindle to see how the story would end, how the lives of all these characters were intertwine – and who would make it out alive. If you can handle these types of book, I would recommend not only Chances but many others from the intriguing Santangelo series.
[Rating: 4.5]
More Jackie Collin’s reviews!
Goddess of Vengeance
Drop Dead Beautiful
Poor Little Bitch Girl
Read my interview with Jackie Collins!

July 10, 2012
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Sign of the Times by Susan Buchanan
Chick Lit Review

Sign of the Times by Susan Buchanan

Unique in a very creative way, Sign of the Times by Susan Buchanan, brings twelve people together, all of them different signs of the zodiac, each with their own personalities and differing opinions. Holly, a Sagittarius, is a travel writer who begins our book with a journey to Italy to do research for her new book. During her trip she finds a love interest … but that makes things complicated considering she has Tom, her fiance, back home. Tom, a Capricorn, isn’t so innocent either while she is away, and embarks into the world of internet chatrooms. Lucy, a Gemini, is Holly’s sister and she has her own relationship woes to deal with once she finally meets her match and risks losing her job. Her uncle Jack, a Libra, has issues taking managing his son and his high profile career as a prosecutor. We also meet Maggie, an Aquarius, and Jennifer, a Pisces, who are two best friends. Maggie is learning to live life post divorce and Jennifer is taking care of an ill family member. Obviously with one character per each zodiac sign, we end up with quite a slew of interesting stories being interwoven together. I found some characters more interesting than others, but most importantly, they were all unique in their own right. Some of them were cheaters, some faithful, some liars, some honest, some good, some bad, and a few sprinkled in between those lines … but overall completely unique. Ultimately they are all just searching for their own happiness, but while reading, I wondered how relevant their zodiac signs were, and how all of the characters would end up connected.

Overall, this story was quite fun. I found the ending interesting but honestly was expecting more of a bang than what I got. Other than that, I really enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the places visited as well as the personal interactions that each of the characters faced. The writing was well done and the flow was steady throughout, overall the author did a good job of creating a very realistic story and found a unique way to tie in the zodiac signs to the story.

[Rating: 4/5]

July 9, 2012
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The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner
Chick Lit Review

The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner

Ah, a new Jennifer Weiner book. Who wouldn’t be excited to get that in the mail? This is the tenth book from the best-selling author, and one of my many favorites from her. The title is The Next Best Thing, which is also the title of a television series that Ruth Saunders wrote and is about to see on the air. Ruth moved from Massachusetts to LA at age twenty-three with her grandmother, a spit-fire lady with a killer fashion sense and who only wants to see Ruth happy. After six years of mundane jobs and pouring her heart and soul into her vision, she gets The Call. Her sitcom has been green-lighted; her dream is coming true.
Ruth quickly learns that her idyllic vision of a down-to-earth show about a young woman and her grandmother is not what TV execs want. Where Ruth wants a “normal” looking girl (not a twig, not a flawless beauty) the big-wigs want “TV-pretty” (rail thing and flawless beauty). The clashes don’t stop there, and Ruth wonders if she can survive in the cutthroat world of Hollywood and TV sitcoms.
I really enjoyed this book, and had it read in just over a day. What I thought was so interesting was that Weiner recently had her own stint with a TV sitcom; she was the co-creator and co-executive producer on the ABC sitcom State of Georgia, which aired in 2011 (and was later cancelled). So it was great for me as the reader to understand that I was truly getting a behind-the-scenes glance at how a sitcom is made. And wow – I’ve never had an urge to write a TV show, but now I really don’t! All kidding aside, the work, sweat, tears, frustrations, etc, that go into it is just mind-boggling. I found myself being mad as hell alongside Ruth, wanting to cry when she was sad, and tapping my fingers anxiously while awaiting to hear whether the show was going to continue or be axed. Beyond all that, there was also a fabulous love story both with Ruth and her grandmother, and the happy endings were well-deserved. And then there was the story of Ruth’s disfigurement from a car accident when she was a toddler. The tears dripped down my face when Ruth wrote the words I’ll never be beautiful after enduring multiple facial surgeries. There is a lot happening in this book, but the sub-plots click into place with an ease readers have come to expect from Weiner, and this book is on my Favorites List with a 5 star review!
[Rating: 5]

July 6, 2012
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Construct A Couple by Talli Roland
Chick Lit Review

Construct A Couple by Talli Roland

Talli Roland quickly became one of my favorite chick lit writers with her novels such as The Hating Game, Build A Man, and Watching Willow Watts that kept me thoroughly entertained and waiting impatiently for more. Her latest, Construct A Couple, follows Serenity and Jeremy from Build A Man, as the couple tries to get on solid ground after a shaky start to a romance and Jeremy suffering a stroke. Serenity is stoked about her new job at a reputable London magazine…until she finds out that fact-checker doesn’t mean “reporter-in-the-making” it means, well, fact-checker. But when she stumbles upon a lead that could get her out of Death Row (or Fact Check Row, whichever) she can just imagine herself climbing the ranks. But when Serenity discovers that the business she is about to take down is helping fund Jeremy’s charity for stroke victims, her brilliant plan is about to blow up in her face. Can she really run a story that will ruin Jeremy’s chance at running a successful charity? Maybe it would be easier if she could just talk to her boyfriend about what was happening, but after finding out that his ex-girlfriend is the CEO of the company doing the donating, Serenity starts to doubt more than just her story. Is her relationship with Jeremy as stable as she thought, or will that backfire on her as well?
Again – loved the book! It was so fun to catch back up with Serenity, who is just a blast to read about. I also really enjoyed the new character – Lizzie – who worked with Serenity as a fact checker. I thought she really added depth to the plot. It was also nice to get some more insight on Serenity’s best friend Kirsty and her family. Kirsty was having a hard time with husband Tim in the previous book, and a pregnancy shocker had her all sorts of rattled. I was really pleased with how their story turned out. And of course, Jeremy and Serenity’s relationship had me all filled with happiness when I got to the end of the book. Such a cute couple, and hopefully now they will learn to communicate! I believe there is another book in this series, and I will wait (impatiently yet again) for that to be released. If you have yet to read something from Talli Roland – quit reading my review and get on it!
[Rating: 4.5]

July 6, 2012
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Confessions of a Cake Addict by Emma Kaufmann
Chick Lit Review

Confessions of a Cake Addict by Emma Kaufmann

The hilariously written Confessions of a Cake Addict follows Kate Pickles, hilarious and charming Londoner, as she hits rock bottom. She is completely unaware of what she is doing in life and can do nothing but complain to her bit sister Laurie in Australia. Kate is miserable at work and has a boss that takes advantage of her day in and day out, and a best friend who has the dating life that she would kill for … yet Kate does nothing but sit back and eat cake. She sits down and writes out all of her complaints in a series of “confessions” via letter and emails to her sister but it isn’t until her best friend convinces her to take a trip to Vienna where her life gets turned upside down. Kate falls in love and may have just stumbled upon the job of a lifetime.

Confessions of a Cake Addict brings the laughs and kicks traditional romance in the butt. This book will make you laugh out loud (which a lot of books promise but under deliver) and root for Kate to finally find happiness. Emma Kaufmann is one hell of a comedic author and she does a fabulous job at creating honest characters that you are able to laugh along with. And heck, who can go wrong with a cake addict? I’m pretty sure that I may have become addicted to cake after going on some of the dates that Kate goes on….some of those men sure were doozies! Overall, a fun read for anyone looking for a laugh.

[Rating: 4.5/5]

July 5, 2012
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