Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes by Denise Grover Swank
Denise Grover Swank is on tour with CLP Blog Tours, and I am sure glad she is! I could not put down Twenty-Eight and a…
Just Friends With Benefits by Meredith Schorr
We all have that someone who got away. But when Stephanie Cohen’s college crush, Craig Hille, seems to take an interest in her, she is determined not to let him get away again. She puts all the effort into segueing their friendship into a real relationship, not letting anything get in the way. This means her job, her friend’s advice, and another great guy. Stephanie is convinced Craig is the one for her, and ignores all the warning signs that Craig just may not be that into her.
Just Friends With Benefits by Meredith Schorr is an extremely relatable story to all women. Stephanie is a great main character, a fun loving girl who works hard but enjoys a beer and baseball game, who is just trying to find that special someone to settle down with. I loved that I wasn’t quite sure what was up with Craig. I was confused by his behavior right along with Stephanie, and tried to figure him out along the way. My absolute favorite part of this book though had to be the group of friends. Made up of different characters, guys and girls, couples and singles with a variety of different jobs, they reminded me exactly of my friends. They were witty and loud and loving and they gave a perfect oomph to a romance story. I will definitely look forward to reading more from Meredith Schorr.
[Rating: 4.5]
One Flight Up by Susan-Fales Hill
One Flight Up by Susan Fales-Hill circles around four married friends, each at a different stage in their life, each unhappy in their own ways. India Chumley, our main gal, is a biracial, high powered divorce lawyer, whose clients and her own mother’s marriage keeps her from saying “yes” to all the proposals her hunky French boyfriend keeps bestowing on her. That, and the fact that she is still in love with Keith, her ex-fiancée who cheated on her weeks before their wedding date. Abby Rosenfeld Adams discovers her husband Nathaniel is having an affair, quite possibly multiple affairs, and is devastated that her high school sweetheart would throw away their years of marriage for a younger protocol. Esme Sarmiento Talbot is a spicy Colombian that has become bored of her suburban ways and too sweet husband Tim. She finds excitement with the waiter, and the bartender, and the doorman, etc. Monique Dawkins-Dubois is a successful gynecologist who married her husband mostly for his checkbook, and now is finding comfort in the arms of another employee. All friends have dived into affairs, but when their adulterous actions come back to haunt them, they must ask themselves- was it all worth it in the end?
I had a fabulous time reading One Flight Up. All the characters were similar with their unhappiness about where their life was, but all had different approaches on how to make it better. While I don’t typically like reading about affairs and cheating (I’m still a young gun that believes marriage is forever) I couldn’t help but get sucked into their world. The writing was flawless, and once I hit the middle of the novel, I really couldn’t put it down. I had to see what would happen to each woman, how she would come out of her particular situation. There really wasn’t a character I disliked, though I didn’t approve their choices, but as a reader, I could easily understand how they were feeling and why they were making their mistakes. I realized towards the end that maybe this is a little too much like my beloved Sex and the City. I saw Carrie and her Big issues with India and ex-fiancée Keith, Abby has the art loving, WASPy-like Charlotte, and Esme as a married Samantha. But that didn’t necessarily detract from my liking the book, because I’m still giving it five stars. A great book that I think chick lit fans will enjoy as well.
[Rating: 5]
Riversong by Tess Hardwick
Lee Tucker is in disbelief after her husband commits suicide. The disbelief doesn’t just come from his death, but also what comes after the funeral. Turns out her husband had made a few deals, worth one million dollars in loans, and now the loan shark is after Lee to pay that money back. After Lee discovers she is pregnant, and in no way able to repay her husband’s debts right away, she flees to her mother’s house in a small Oregon town. Her hometown is filled with ugly memories, including an alcoholic mother who never seemed to care for Lee. Since her mother succumbed to the alcoholism, and her house was left Lee, she decides to fix it up and sell it to pay the remaining debt. After a wonderful neighbor helps Lee get settled back into her childhood home, she finds a job as a business consultant at a struggling restaurant. While there, she is met with cold shoulders and hostility by the owner’s son, but pushes on with determination to make the restaurant succeed- and hoping her life will finally turn around.
The heroine in Riversong by Tess Hardwick can be described as resilient and determined. You learn right away about her horrible childhood with a sad excuse for a mother, and understand why she sometimes carries a chip on her shoulder. I was rooting for Lee the entire way throughout the book, and she is someone you want to see catch a break in life. This is Hardwick’s debut novel, and I feel she is an author to watch for. I enjoyed all the restaurant scenes and how hard Lee worked to make it a success, and the stories of other residents among the small town will make you smile while pulling at your heart. There were a few grammatical errors in there that I caught, and sometimes I wondered why the loan shark didn’t think to first look at her hometown for her, but overall, I really enjoyed a beautiful story with a smart heroine to connect with.
[Rating: 4]
The Kitchen Shrink by Dee DeTarsio
I was excited when Dee DeTarsio asked me to review her second novel, The Kitchen Shrink, after I had such a fun read with her debut The Scent of Jade. I gladly dove in to this contemporary, laugh out loud novel about the evils of reality TV, the stress of Do It Yourself (DIY) projects, and the struggle of finding oneself after a divorce. And did I mention this was all going to be a on a reality show? The heroine, Lisby Shaw, gets suckered in to appearing on “The Kitchen Shrink,” a new reality show that focuses on giving your kitchen a makeover while trying to also change your life. Lisby needs help in both areas- not only is her kitchen an outdated underwhelming mess, but her life has turned upside down since her divorce, and her kids are slipping further from her grasp. She dives headfirst into the reality world, letting the cameras invade her home and once private life.
I really had a good time reading The Kitchen Shrink. It was funny and current, with snappy dialogue and unique characters. Lisby was really sweet and likeable, and readers are meeting her at such a vulnerable stage in her life that you can’t not root for her to win. The characters that come with the reality show are all a hoot, and the men that Lisby tries to hook up with make for some great scenarios. I liked the relationship between Lisby and her BFF, and what strains their friendship half way through turned out to be pretty funny as well. The ending left me a little like “what happens next” and I like the endings to be a little more tidy, but overall I enjoyed this book and look forward to more from Dee DeTarsio. I would recommend The Kitchen Shrink to chick lit fans, and be ready to wonder how your life would change if you went on a reality show!
[Rating: 4]
The What If Guy by Brooke Moss
I received The “What If” Guy by Brooke Moss through Danielle at Entangled Publishing for Brooke’s blog tour. The story follows Autumn Cole, a single mother who has lost her posh job at a Seattle art gallery and is forced to move back to her hometown of Fairfield to help herself recover financially, and to help her ailing father. Billy Cole, also known as the town drunk, as several medical problems thanks to his years of alcoholism, so Autumn moves her and Elliott- her twelve year old son, into her childhood home. Autumn gets the shock of her life after the move- her own son’s history teacher is none other than Henry Tobler- the love of Autumn’s life that she had to leave behind once she found out she was pregnant from a short-lived fling. Now faced with Henry again after all these years, Autumn realizes her deep love from him never faded. How can Autumn carry on with him so close? Could she possibly get a second chance with her “what if” guy?
I absolutely adored The “What If” Guy. The prologue drew me in right away, and the writing was so beautiful throughout. I was enamored with the love story that was full of missteps, bad timing, and assumptions. Autumn and Henry just dance around each other, both so clearly wanting to give their love a second chance, but with so many obstacles now facing them- Autumn’s son, Henry’s still to be finalized divorce, they just never seem to find a chance to really open their hearts to one another. There were plenty of great sub plots as well- the heartbreaking demise of Autumn’s alcoholic father, Autumn’s friend Holly and her expanding family, and the charming town of Fairfield and the characters that fill the streets. The ending completely sold me on giving this five stars. I loved that the epilogue was written in Henry’s point of view, and everything was tied up so neatly that I just felt satisfied when I closed the book. Another favorite in 2011!
[Rating: 5]
Do Not Lick the Phones by Britney Bronte
Britney Bronte is on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Do Not Lick the Phones. The book follows Britney and her experiences working as a media psychic. Britney has always been spiritual, but lacked any sort of ambition to hold down a “real” job. When a friend refers her to DayStar TV to work as a TV psychic, Britney gathers up her tarot cards and skyrockets to psychic stardom. She knows some weirdness will come with the territory, but nothing prepares her for the bizarre world that is DayStar TV. The other psychics are slightly loopy, the producer grinds on her nerves, and phone sex operators take calls just down the hall from where Britney is reading her cards. Along the way, Britney learns lessons about friendship and love, psychics and media psychics, and staying true to herself. Britney Bronte is a pseudonym, and much of the book is based on true events. It was fun to read it and try to figure out what was real and what was fiction. Britney’s character is a little clueless, and she really takes readers on an interesting ride. While I did think the book was really funny, there were a few times that it was a little slow, but seemed to skip around a lot. Sometimes I didn’t get that connection to some of the supporting characters, but I really enjoyed the ending. I thought Britney was finally able to find herself, learn to stand up for herself, and everything was tied up nicely. I liked the behind the scenes look at a different world, one that we don’t hear a lot about. Thanks to Britney for going on tour with CLP Blog Tours!
[Rating: 3.5]
Stay by Allie Larkin
Seriously, who can resist this cover? Better than the cover- the actual story and the characters that filled the pages. Stay is an impressive debut from Allie Larkin that belongs on your to-read list. The story follows Van Leone and her baggage of emotional problems- from losing her mother to cancer to losing the love of her life to her best friend. Van succumbs to loneliness one night, and impulsively buys a German shepherd puppy over the internet. When Joe (the outrageously large puppy) finally arrives, Van isn’t sure what she got herself into. On an emergency trip to the vet one night, Van meets Alex the veterinarian, and the sparks fly. But their budding relationship turns complicated when Van’s other emotional baggage comes to town- her best friend and her new husband.
It was so easy to fall in love with Van. She was a good person with a big heart, but always a little unsure about where to step. Her mother was the housekeeper for her best friend’s family, which always left Van feeling not as worthy. Because of this, Van seems to give in just a little too easily sometimes, like she doesn’t feel she is good enough to finally get the long end of the stick. Her journey reads as authentic, and the addition of Joe the puppy was like magic. Not only did Joe lead her to Alex, but he brought joy to life like only a dog can, and helped her jump through the hoops and hurdles life brought her. You have no idea how badly I wanted to finally go out and by that golden lab I have been eyeing after reading Stay. But the story is so much more than about a girl and her dog, or a girl looking for love. It’s about a girl finding her footing in life, how to cope with the loss of a parent, how to triumph when circumstances can bring you down. And, it’s all down with humor. I am giving this book the five stars that I think it deserves, and a place on my Favorites List!
[Rating: 5]
Blow Me by Lennie Ross
Lennie Ross is currently on tour with CLP Blog Tours and her novel Blow Me. This story follows three “friends” living in the very different world we call LA. Skylar works lazily as an executive assistant, not taking her job seriously until she is fired, burns down her apartment in the middle of foreplay, and is now living out of her car. Dawn is more practical, but doesn’t enjoy her job working as a matchmaker, setting up wealthy older men with young beautiful woman. She also feels her biological clock ticking, and decides to go through the process to freeze her eggs- right when she possibly meets Mr. Right. And Chloe is a wannabee actress, also working as a real estate agent, but has never sold a house nor gotten a role, and is on the verge of being detained if she can’t get her Green Card. All three women are in close to forty, lying about their ages, hoping for a better life, and waiting for a man to help them fix it. But can they figure out what they really want before it’s too late? And how do friendships survive in the land of frenemies and backstabbers, where jealousy reigns supreme?
I live in Iowa, and let me tell you- Blow Me really opened my eyes to what LA can be like for some people. Each character had a unique story and personality, and Ross writes with engaging humor that kept me focused on the plot. Skylar and Dawn take over in the middle, with Chloe kind of fading away, but Chloe’s reappearance at the end of the novel is hilarious and a nice way to tie up her story. Between Skylar and Dawn, I enjoyed reading about Dawn more because she seemed more down to earth and prepared about handling her own life. Skylar seemed to be just waiting for a hand out, but in the end she learns how to find her passion and that made for a great ending. The suspense lagged a little in the middle, but the humorous scenes made up for that and kept me entertained. I would warn readers that this is a pretty provocative novel, so keep that in mind if you enjoy more cookie-cutter reads. I hope Lennie Ross has another book for us soon, because I really enjoyed her writing style and I’m sure all the stories she has from living in Los Angeles will make more great characters!
[Rating: 4]
