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I Couldn’t Love You More by Jillian Medoff

Honest and smart, I Couldn’t Love You More by Jillian Medoff, follows Eliot Gordon and her life as a 38-year old working mother of three (two of whom are from her husband’s previous marriage). Married to Grant Delaney, her life is simple yet fulfilling at the same time. The only hiccups she faces are everyday life kind of problems…that is until Finn Montgomery, Eliot’s first love from years before resurfaces and threatens the calm world that she has created for herself. A shocking chain of events happens and Eliot is left making split second decisions that will effect her life in ways she never imagined.

This story is truly one of a kind. I Couldn’t Love You More has it all …. an honest marriage, a family composed of non-traditional members, the resurfacing of a long lost love, truthful interactions amongst siblings, and heart-wrenching decisions. There are some major twists and turns that keep the reader enthralled in the material and often times, you will find yourself on the brink of tears. Yet, Jillian does a brilliant job of balancing her work and also incorporates hilarious and witty characters who are realistic in every sense of the word. Overall, this book is fantastic. I Couldn’t Love You More makes you think about the choices that you have made in your life, and whether or not you would make the same choices that Eliot must make. The book also makes you dive into the depths of your hearts as you examine Eliot’s portrayal as a step-mother and what all that means to her, and what it means to you. Overall, an absolute must read.

[Rating: 5/5]

Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson

Chelsea Ross, a former B-list actress whose acting career is pretty much at a standstill, knows she needs a new job. Mark Bressler is a former superstar hockey player, but a brutal car accident left this bad boy simply reliving his glory days. When Chelsea begins working as Mark’s personal assistant, all hell breaks loose. Mark is notorious for having his assistants quit within days, but Chelsea needs the money and is determined not to let Mark get to her. Through the fights, a sexual tension between the two starts to develop…and soon the two are in nothing but trouble.
I had a lot of fun reading Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson. It was fast-paced, fun, and hot! The romance between Chelsea and Mark was sizzling from day one, and it was interesting to see how the two always managed to push each other’s buttons. Both characters were special in their own ways, and even though Mark was this bad guy, I still really enjoyed reading about him. There was a deeper issue under the fights and sex, and that was Mark trying to recover from his accident, and how the love from Chelsea helped that process. A really fun read, and one for both chick lit and romance lovers!
[Rating: 4]

Prosper in Love by Deborah Michel

Prosper in Love is the debut novel by Deborah Michel, and I thought it was a sweet romantic gem. The story focuses on Lynn and Jamie Prosper, the perfect couple. They fell in love at first sight and are happily married, creating their new lives together. But cracks start to show when an old college friend of Lynn’s, FX, shows up and begins to stir up trouble. Before Lynn can get a handle on her fight with Jamie, she finds herself calling a divorce lawyer – only to learn Jamie has called first. The story follows the couple through their separation and impending divorce, and asks the question: is love really enough to make a marriage work?
While I thought Prosper in Love was an interesting book that explored a deep topic of marriage, love, family, there were a few flaws for me. The hardest part for me was never really understanding Jamie’s character, and how Lynn loved him so much. He seemed very controlling and it was like Lynn tried to do everything to make him happy, and seemed to forget about herself. That made it hard for me to connect with the book, but I was able to look past it because I found the story itself really fascinating. It made me talk to people about the characters and their situation, and I found myself having impromptu discussions about the book at work, home – even in the gym! That is what I love about a book. It was a little hard to understand why Lynn and Jamie were headed for a divorce without even saying really a word to each other about it, but that is something that I thought was really interesting. They were letting others – family, friends, mere acquaintances, take control of their lives. Overall, I was really intrigued by this novel, and definitely recommend this intelligent debut.
[Rating: 4]

The Stork Reality by Malena Lott

The Stork Reality by Malena Lott is the perfect cross between traditional chick lit and mom lit. Taylor Montgomery has the perfect life- she is happily married and a thriving creative director for an advertising firm. She seems to have it all figured out … that is, until she finds out that she is unexpectedly pregnant. Oops! Taylor and her husband never wanted to start a family together, but now she must figure out what to do. The Stork Reality follows Taylor as she navigates through the new world of pregnancy and motherhood, and the effects it has on her marriage, friendships, work and sanity. She must also face her best friend Hilarie, who has always wanted to be a mother, yet can’t conceive.

I found this book to be smart, humorous, and heartfelt. The journey that Taylor goes through is nothing short of heroic and it really makes you appreciate what all a pregnant woman (especially one who finds herself in that position unexpectedly) goes through. I laughed, I cried … but mostly, I cheered for Taylor as she tackled her fears and fought for what she wanted. I found the descriptions of her pregnancy journey to be spot on and often times hilarious.

Malena Lott is a phenomenal writer and she really shines with this one! I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a witty page turner, pregnant or not. Overall, I give it 5/5 stars. Such a wonderful read. Finally a funny and heartfelt book about pregnancy!

Leftovers by Arthur Wooten

The cleverly crafted Leftovers by Arthur Wooten begins with Vivian Lawson, the picturesque American housewife of the 1950’s and the envy of women everywhere. An unexpected event changes her life as she knows it and robs her of her husband, leaving her alone to fend for herself in a time when independent women was not common place. Struggling to find her footing, she takes the advice of her friend Babs and starts selling Tupperware. Little does she know that she is on her way to living a very satisfied and happy life, while also finding a sense of womanhood and a higher self-esteem along the way.

I absolutely loved, and devoured, every minute of Leftovers by Arthur Wooten. I found the writing and the imagery fabulous and felt as though I had been transported back into the 1950’s along with Vivian, during such an important time in history for women and I love that she was presented with many of those obstacles first hand. The setting and the historical tidbits here and there are very realistic and the characters are witty and charming….honestly a perfect combination. I loved watching Vivian make her way from the bottom to the top and loved watching her truly embrace her womanhood. This book is an absolute gem. Well done Arthur!

[Rating: 5/5]

Cappuccino is the Answer for Job Dissatisfaction by Hillary E. …

Cappuccino is the Answer for Job Dissatisfaction by Hillary Peak follows main character Jessica on her path to finding job satisfaction. Like many people, Jessica is unsure of her next steps in her path to career success. Upon graduation, she wanted a job that would allow her to change the world, but, many years later, she finds that her employment has gone stagnant and she wants something that will truly make a difference in her overall happiness and life. She takes job quizzes and does some soul searching …. but will she ever find the “one”? Only time will tell, and Jessica hopes that her answer lies in her next cappuccino.

Overall, I found Cappuccino is the Answer for Job Dissatisfaction to be a little stale. There were brief glimpses of greatness throughout the book, and I can tell that Hillary most definitely has the potential … but the book just never really reached that point for me. I wanted something a little more meaty, something with a little more pizazz- and this book just didn’t have it. Unfortunately, I am going to have to give this book a 3 stars. I wanted to like it so bad, but I just never could really get into it.

[Rating 3/5]

Devilishly Hot by Kathy Love

Annie Lou Riddle just wanted to move to New York and break into the fashion industry. When she got the job as personal assistant to Finola White, she thought she struck gold – but she ended up selling her soul to the devil. Her latest job for Finola is to hook her up with Nick Rossi, the hot detective that is investigating the magazine for suspicious disappearances of past employees. While Annie knows the consequences that can come with not following her bosses orders, she can’t help but be attracted to Nick. But what will happen if she crosses the she-devil diva herself?
I had a difficult time getting into Devilishly Hot by Kathy Love. It started off strong, but after a few chapters I just lost interest. I didn’t really understand the paranormal twist with the devils and all that. Clearly, that’s the plot, but nothing was really explained about the merging of mortals and devils, so I was confused most of the time along those lines. It got a bit steamy with the romance scenes which I don’t mind at all, but overall it was more of a fizzle for me.
[Rating: 2.5]

Love By Design by Liz Matis

While romance isn’t my most-read genre, every once in a while I like to open a steamy book. And Liz Matis sure gave that to me with her novel Love By Design when she signed up for CLP Blog Tours. I really liked this book because it seemed like a mixture of chick lit and romance – with reality TV, male strippers, and lots of hot and heavy scenes. The main characters are Victoria and Russ, who get thrown together when Victoria’s co-host on the reality show Design Intervention must take a leave of absence. Russ, the heartthrob aussie, takes his place, and sexual tension at work is at an all time high. Victoria and Russ try for some time to ignore their feelings for each other, but after falling into bed together, they know they can’t keep ignoring the chemistry. This was a fast read that kept me entertained from the first page to the last, and definitely one for romance lovers.
[Rating: 4]

In My Mailbox: Week of May 6

Title: The Cowboy Singer
Author: Paula Tiberius
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: April Connors figured her love life was on hold indefinitely now that she was about to have a baby while temporarily staying at her grandmother’s house (what a turn-on!). Meeting infamous country singer Jimmy Wick may have made her giant belly flip, but she was filing him under a big “as if.” No man in his right mind would fall for a gal this pregnant, and besides, she needed to focus on herself and the baby. James Warwick (a.k.a. Jimmy Wick) was not in his right mind. His ex-wife was petitioning for full custody of the only thing that made him happy besides playing music, his four-year-old princess, Summer, and the thought of losing her had him crazier than an outhouse rat. His saving grace was his new ‘friend’ April who he was falling head over heels for. The only problem was, April had just been knocked up, dumped and stranded by the last guy she was with and was in no mood to go down that road again. She was hellbent on getting her life back on track just as James was watching his fall apart, leaving them both caught off guard by the unstoppable romance that would sweep them off their feet.

Title: Brownie Fix
Author: Ellen Cardona
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Chocolate. Love. Sex. Really, what else could a woman want in life? For Persey, the heroine of Brownie Fix, her days are fun-filled until what is normally one of life’s most fulfilling experiences, the birth of her son, leads her straight into a dark state of postpartum depression. Wandering in her own postpartum hell, Persey meets people that are absurd, like the swinging neighbors who want a little more than a cup of sugar and a group of mothers who become whipped up in worship to a climactic furor. On top of the madness, she keeps seeing a yellow-toothed old man who acts like he wants to breastfeed from her. Or is it her imagination? Add the voices in her head that become louder and louder, and it’s little wonder that Persey reaches for brownie mix to soothe her insanity. Buckling under the pressure and lack of sleep from motherhood, Persey experiences the five stages of grief that lead her to uncover a buried secret, and gradually she begins to heal with the help of her family, friends, and, of course, brownies.

Title: Then Came You
Author: Jennifer Weiner
Received: Via SheKnows Book Lounge
Synopsis: Jules Strauss is a Princeton senior with a full scholarship, acquaintances instead of friends, and a family she’s ashamed to invite to Parents’ Weekend. With the income she’ll receive from donating her “pedigree” eggs, she believes she can save her father from addiction.
Annie Barrow married her high school sweetheart and became the mother to two boys. After years of staying at home and struggling to support four people on her husband’s salary, she thinks she’s found a way to recover a sense of purpose and bring in some extra cash.
India Bishop, thirty-eight (really forty-three), has changed everything about herself: her name, her face, her past. In New York City, she falls for a wealthy older man, Marcus Croft, and decides a baby will ensure a happy ending. When her attempts at pregnancy fail, she turns to technology, and Annie and Jules, to help make her dreams come true.
But each of their plans is thrown into disarray when Marcus’ daughter Bettina, intent on protecting her father, becomes convinced that his new wife is not what she seems…
With startling tenderness and laugh-out-loud humor, Jennifer Weiner once again takes readers into the heart of women’s lives in an unforgettable, timely tale that interweaves themes of class and entitlement, surrogacy and donorship, the rights of a parent and the measure of motherhood.
Title: In the Bag
Author: Kate Klise
Received: Unsolicited, HarperCollins
Synopsis: A European vacation. A luggage mix-up. A note from a secret admirer.
Meet two single parents who think they’re too busy to date.
And two teenagers who can’t stop writing flirty emails.
This is a tale of connections—missed and made—in a universe that seems to have its heart set on reuniting Ms. 6B and Mr. 13C.
Webb
I can’t believe I picked up the wrong bag at the airport. My dad is never going to let me hear the end of it.
Coco
I don’t understand why Mom told me to pack my worst underwear. And now I’ve lost my bag? Ack!
Andrew
I cannot stop thinking about that woman in seat 6B on the flight to Paris.
Daisy
I don’t have time to worry about the creep sitting in 13C who slipped a note in my purse. I have to find my daughter’s missing bag before this ruins our vacation.
In the Bag is a smart and stylish story that explores the old-fashioned art of romance in a modern world, where falling in love can be as risky as checking a bag on an international flight. Buckle your seat belt—it’s going to be a bumpy vacation!
Title: The Making of Us
Author: Lisa Jewell
Received: Najma @Cornerstone Publicity
Synopsis: Lydia, Robyn and Dean don’t know each other – yet. They live very different lives but each of them, independently, has always felt that something is missing. What they don’t know is that a letter is about to arrive that will turn their lives upside down. It is a letter containing a secret – one that will bind them together, and shows them what love and familyand friendship really mean…
Title: Wishful Thinking
Author: Gabi Stevens
Received:
Synopsis: Free-spirited artist Stormy Jones-Smythe was raised by two talented Wizard fathers but never showed the slightest hint of magical abilities. Which is why she’s totally surprised when three famous fairy godmothers show up at her door to tell her she’s one of them. Surprised, and none too happy. The godmothers are fugitives, framed for treason, and the last thing the magical Council wants is another fairy godmother going rogue. Hence Stormy’s new full-time Guard, Hunter Merrick. Stormy quickly realizes she’s not going to escape Hunter’s watch…and before long, she’s not sure she wants to. But her freedom depends on her ability to expose the plot against the godmothers, and that means getting control of her magic. Despite the growing chemistry between them, Hunter is fiercely loyal to the Council—and duty-bound to keep Stormy from doing either of those things. But he didn’t count on Stormy’s irrepressible exuberance and passion for life. Before long, even Hunter isn’t sure which side he’s on, and he can’t contain Stormy either way.

Title: The Lovers of Pound Hill
Author: Mavis Cheek
Received: Unsolicited
Synopsis: When city girl Molly Bonner arrives in the village of Lufferton Boney, she creates quite a stir. With her non-country-style boots, determined manner and alluring looks, she sets off a wave of intrigue that ripples through the lives of everyone there, from Julie the barmaid at the Holly Bush to antiques dealer Dryden Fellows and Montmorency the cat. Nobody knows exactly what she’s up to, but one thing seems certain: her presence will alter the lives and loves of the village and its people for good.

For Molly is a girl on a mission: to discover the truth behind Lufferton Boney’s sinister and most notorious resident, the giant (and slightly obscene) Gnome, a fertility symbol etched into the face of Pound Hill. As she works her way into the villagers’ hearts and lives, Molly needs to keep one step ahead. She has a few demons of her own to settle, as she pursues the wonderful secret that only the Gnome can reveal.