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Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom by Elsie Love
Chick Lit Review

Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom by Elsie Love

Elsie Love is on tour with CLP Blog Tours and her novel Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom. I never know why I’m wary to read a book where the main character is a mom, just because I’m not. I never love the characters any less, and usually feel like I learned a thing or two when it comes to parenting. So I’m not even going to say that I was wary to read Confessions, starring well, a mom, as the main character. Elaine Jackerson is having some issues. She practically walked in on her husband having sex with his young secretary, she overhears a phone conversation between her teenage daughter about experimenting sexually with boys in backseats, and her son is growing out of the I Love Mommy stage. Elaine feels a bit lost. She has been defined by being a wife and mother for so long, putting everything else aside, that she doesn’t know what to do know that her marriage is a sham and her children are growing up. On a whim, she decides to join the Herschel Grammar School PTA. All the moms look like grown-up Barbies, with their perfect hair, perfect outfits, swanky cars, and fancy houses. Elaine signs up, takes an oath….and the trouble begins.
Turns out, this is not just a regular PTA she now belongs to. It’s practically the mafia. Head honcho Suni Calverson leads the pack, and when Elaine lets it spill that her husband Bob is sleeping around, the PTA women promise to “take care” of Bob. Elaine doesn’t know what that means. Kill him? Kidnap him for awhile? Castrate him? When Suni sends Elaine off to Vegas so no fingers can point at her, Elaine gets a bad feeling she has stumbled into something very, very wrong. But before she can figure out how to get herself out of the jam, she’s laid up in Vegas, her children are kidnapped, and there’s a hunky young limo driver lying in her bed. Can Elaine take down the mafia of PTA moms, save her philandering husband, and her kidnapped children?
Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom is downright hysterical. Chick lit lovers, put this on your list. You will laugh until your sides hurt- I know I did. Elaine’s character is so likeable, vulnerable, scared, and lonely, and she thinks she is meeting a true friend in Suni. There are a few fantastic twist and turns along the way, and the fast paced plot will keep you seeking out the end. I’m so glad Love decided to come on tour with me, because her book kept me thoroughly entertained, and I can’t wait to read more from her. This is a welcome addition to my Favorites List!
[Rating: 5]

August 3, 2011
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She Makes it Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen
Chick Lit Review

She Makes it Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen

Ariel Baxter feels everything is falling into place. She and her husband have a new house in a beautiful, well to do neighborhood, and her photography business is on its way up. But with her husband constantly working, her kids driving her a little crazy, and the domestic life not all she thought it would be, Ariel starts to question if they made the right decision moving away from their friendly neighborhood. But when Justine Miller, all-star mother, housewife, and neighbor, befriends Ariel, she is immediately drawn into her world of perfect. Justine never seems flustered, has a hair out of place, makes her own healthy meals, and organizes neighborhood activities. Ariel decides she wants to be just like Justine, but no matter how hard she tries, she can’t seem to find the time or organization to follow the footsteps of her neighbor. But life isn’t always as it seems. Justine is hiding many secrets from her new friend, an affair being the biggest of them all, and Justine’s perfect world is slowly crumbling. Will Ariel figure out she is being deceived by her new friend? And will she be able to appreciate what she does, or constantly trying to be someone she is not?
I really enjoyed reading She Makes it Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen. The plot is pretty simple: have you ever looked at a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, and wanted their life? Thought they had it so much better than you? This is what Ariel does to Justine, puts her on a pedestal and tries to change so she is just like her. But with all the problems Justine is hiding from Ariel and the rest of her friends, Justine’s life is anything but perfect. Money problems, marital issues, the affair, are all threatening to disrupt the picture perfect image Justine has worked so hard to uphold. The story felt very real to me, especially when Ariel goes against her better judgment and starts to shun another fellow neighbor, simply because Justine said to. I thought the prologue to the story was very interesting, and I had to go back and re-read it one more time after I finished the story. I just wish there had been a little more at the end that explained what happened to Justine, but the prologue helps me draw my own conclusion. I guess this is noted as a Christian novel, and while there were a few sections that talked about church and faith, I really wasn’t overwhelmed or felt that Whalen was trying to force religion upon me, which I know can happen sometimes with religious-orientated books. I am giving this book five stars, for the intricate plot, phenomenal writing and character development, and for tackling a subject that so many woman can connect with. Get She Makes it Look Easy on your to-read list!
[Rating: 5]

August 1, 2011
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Dancing on Glass by Pamela Binnings Ewen
Chick Lit Review

Dancing on Glass by Pamela Binnings Ewen

Amalise Catoir is a young law student living in New Orleans in 1974. Growing up in a close knit, religious family, Amalise is somewhat naïve and a bit too trusting for the big city. While away from home, she meets Phillip Sharp, an artist, and is immediately taken by him. He is confident, a bit quiet, and charming, and when he asks Amalise to pose for a portrait for him, she agrees. During their sessions together, Amalise starts to fall for Phillip, despite his possessiveness and sometimes odd behavior. Amalise starts missing classes, her grades begin to slip, but she is in love with Phillip. When he tells her about his awful childhood and distant parents, she believes she was meant to help him, to provide him with the love and comfort that he never had. But her once safe world turns suddenly dangerous, as Phillip turns abusive, destructive, and tears Amalise away from her work, friends, and family. Can Amalise somehow escape Phillip, or will her choice to love become fatal?
Dancing on Glass by Pamela Binnings Ewen is a story that will make you hold your breath while you flip the pages. The story surrounding Amalise and Phillip will suck you in, and the exquisite writing and detail of New Orleans will make you feel as though you are there with the characters. It was difficult to read about abuse, especially when Phillip was obviously bad news from the beginning. Even without reading the synopsis, you know he is a violent man. It was hard for me to see why Amalise was drawn to him in the first place. She is portrayed as a very naïve girl, who could walk in a dark alley at night and not think anyone would attack her, but it was still a little tough to believe. And the ending made me positively want to scream at this girl- no spoiler’s here- but possibly that is what the author wants us to take away from the story? She certainly made me feel and brought up a lot of emotions while reading. I did enjoy the side story regarding Amalise’s career as a lawyer- which was very different for women back in the 70’s. Overall, I did enjoy the book and thought it was beautifully written, but it was tough to swallow some of the main plot points. I would still recommend it if you are looking for a deeper read, and be sure you can handle tough scenes with physical abuse.
[Rating: 3.5]

July 29, 2011
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Risk it All by Stan Stamper
Chick Lit Review

Risk it All by Stan Stamper

Rookie CIA agent Carissa Johnson is beautiful, intelligent, and always ready to battle. Working a deal with billionaire terrorist thugs, Carissa lets her good looks and undercover acting skills help close the deal- bringing in money for her, and helping bring al Qaeda down. But when hunky Tanner Stone arrives on the scene, Carissa is sidetracked. Tanner, a Special Forces Commander who is on assignment from the President, doesn’t know the woman he is tracking is Carissa. He believes Carissa’s undercover story and career. While the two engage in a steamy love affair, neither of them realize how dangerous their love for one another could be.
I had a difficult time getting into Risk It All by Stan Stamper. I come from a military family, so I thought I would easily be immersed in the stories and characters, and I started reading this book shortly after Osama bin Laden was killed. But I struggled with this story. If you aren’t readily familiar with military and equipment definitions, you will probably be easily confused, as the jargon is spoken throughout much of the book. And a lot of the plot lost me- Carissa was so easily able to meet and dine with some of the top terrorists simply on the grounds she is so stunningly beautiful? Is that really all it takes? There were little instances throughout the book that had me scoffing, such as Carissa being able to take a highly dangerous mission and boss around military personal all because she loves Tanner. I’ve seen the military not let their soldiers come home for weddings, and give one day off for funerals. I don’t think just because you love someone they turn their backs on their strict policies. And I would hope the President of the United States doesn’t yell at a CIA agent that she makes more money than he does, and to fire people because of it. The story was just too unbelievable for me to buy into, and it made finishing this read a challenge. I did like reading about a powerful female, one with brains and beauty and who could hold her own. There were parts of the story that were exciting with danger and the unknown of what could happen. But overall, not a book I could enjoy and become invested in.
[Rating: 2]

July 27, 2011
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Along Came a Stork by Marisa Mackle
Chick Lit Review

Along Came a Stork by Marisa Mackle

Diana Kay has landed her dream job- being an on-air dating guru. At thirty years old and still living with her parents, Diana thinks it is her time to finally shine. Instead, she finds out she is pregnant. Her boyfriend, Roger, lets her know that he is leaving her for another woman, and Diana is convinced she will be fired from her posh new job. Who wants to get dating advice from an un-wed pregnant lady? Too embarrassed to face her family, Diana hightails to West of Ireland to try to sort out her thoughts. She never meant to uncover a dark family secret, but that is exactly what she does. Keeping up with her pregnancy, trying to win Roger back, and now trying to solve the case on a family mystery keeps Diana entertained while she tries not to focus on losing her job and her sanity. But what will happen when she finally gets back to the real world?
Along Came a Stork by Marisa Mackle has a super cute cover, and the synopsis immediately caught my attention. It actually states that Diana is a glamorous socialite, but I didn’t think either of those descriptions matched her. She is thirty, living at home, and not rolling in dough. So that was a bit confusing from the start. When I hear socialite, I think Paris Hilton and red carpets. The story is written in journal entries from Diana, and very easy to get to know her and all her thoughts. The problem I had with this was that I didn’t really get to know any of the other characters. There was some dialogue that Diana wrote every now and then, but it was tough to form a connection with anyone else. The family secret she uncovered really helped the story for me, I became more invested in my reading once that was revealed, and I’m glad it was there. I did like this book and it kept my attention, but every once in a while I would become frustrated with Diana. She wouldn’t tell her family that she was pregnant, instead she wanted them to realize it, and then got mad when they didn’t. It was a little confusing. Also confusing why she still lived at home when she didn’t really get along with her mother or sister. The tension in the house made me uncomfortable while I was reading. But I think Diana redeems herself in the end, and helps bring her family closer together while doing so. This wasn’t my favorite book, but I would recommend to chick lit fans, especially if you enjoy the topic of mommyhood and all the goes with it.
[Rating: 3.5]

July 25, 2011
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Savor the Danger by Lori Foster
Chick Lit Review

Savor the Danger by Lori Foster

The drooling continues on with Savor the Danger, the next in line from Lori Foster and her hunky mercenaries. This story focuses on Jackson and Alani, Trace’s younger sister. The two wake up in bed together after a night of passion, but Jackson can’t remember a thing. He knows he’s been drugged, but he doesn’t know by who or why. Alani is devastated that Jackson doesn’t remember being with her, or the words he said to her in the middle of the passion. Jackson and Alani tiptoe around their true feelings, afraid of what the other is truly thinking. I really loved Savor the Danger, and I was a bit worried after Trace of Fever fell flat for me. I loved that the action started right away, and not just the sexual stuff. Since the story opens with Jackson waking up not remembering anything, I was immediately intrigued by what was going on and who was after him. I was gripped throughout the story, and loved learning about Dare, Trace, and their wives. This is such a fun and intense series and I definitely recommend. Will be looking forward to the next book!
[Rating: 4.5]

July 21, 2011
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Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier by Lisa Dale
Chick Lit Review

Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier by Lisa Dale

Thea Celik couldn’t help but to fall head over heels for Garret Sorensen when she was in high school. The Sorenson family took her in when her family left the country, and she thought she had it all- a second family, a boyfriend, and a best friend- Garret’s brother Jonathan. But when she and Garret break up, Thea is left heartbroken and confused. When Thea finds herself in a tough position, Jonathan steps up and asks Thea to marry him. Still confused and bewildered over Garret, Thea accepts the proposal, splitting the once close Sorenson family. Now, fifteen years later, Thea and Jonathan are divorcing, and Garret is back on the scene. After becoming a successful lobbyist with always a woman to choose from, he and Thea are suddenly thrust back together. Will Thea realize what a mistake she made to let Garret go? And can Garret forgive Thea, and himself, for those choices made so many years ago?
Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier is an intricate novel from Lisa Dale full of passion and confusion. I was often swept up in the emotion of the characters, all of the characters. The story often switches from past to present, which took me a second to get used to, but I loved the style once I caught on. The plot will definitely touch your heart, and there were times where I really wasn’t sure who I was rooting for. Did I want Thea to be with Jonathan or Garret? Did I want Thea to be with anyone? Readers will learn about Thea’s past decisions further along in the story, and she wasn’t always extremely likable, but very relatable, which I thought was excellent. Overall, a great story about the complications of love and family, and I would recommend this book.
[Rating: 4.5]

July 18, 2011
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Hotel No Tell by Daphne Uviller
Chick Lit Review

Hotel No Tell by Daphne Uviller

Hotel No Tell is the second book from Daphne Uviller that features Zephyr Zuckerman, after Super in the City. I always worry when I don’t read the first book, as in this case, but it was fairly easy to pick up on the story. Zephyr is working as a junior detective with the New York City Special Investigations Commission, and finally has a great case handed to her- where she gets to go undercover. Working as a hotel concierge at the Greenwich Village Hotel, trying to crack a money laundering investigation, Zephyr finds herself a mystery inside the mystery- why was the guest in room 502 found near death? Was it suicide, or an attempted murder? What does the sweet older guest have to do with it, and could her friend Lucy be involved? Zephyr sets out to solve all the mysteries, but the toughest mystery of all is her love life. Though she is madly in love with her boyfriend, she doesn’t want kids-ever- and he does. Should she compromise for love? And how will she solve her work mysteries and finally be taken seriously as a detective?
Like I said, it was easy to fall into the character’s lives. I really enjoyed Zephyr’s friends and their problems. I thought Lucy was hilarious with her suburban mom crisis, and though Macy was a bit out there, her stories were intriguing to read about. This book is very fast-paced, almost a bit too fast for me in the beginning. I couldn’t really keep up with who was who and where they came into the story and where this plot point was taking me, etc. Maybe that has a bit to do with me not reading the first book? It through me off for awhile, but as I kept at it, I thought the book slowed to a pace that could keep my interest. Uviller has some great comedic moments throughout the story, and the descriptions of New York were a lot of fun to read about. Once the actual mystery stuff got underway, I was really into the story and trying to figure out who did what and how everyone was connected. Overall, funny and interesting read that I would recommend to chick lit fans, but not a favorite of mine.
[Rating: 3.5]

July 15, 2011
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Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker
Chick Lit Review

Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker

Lisa Becker is on tour with CLP Blog Tours and her novel Click: An Online Love Story. This book is written through a series of emails among Renee Greene and friends, as Renee tries to find love through the online world. Approaching thirty, not happy that she isn’t married or doesn’t even have a fling, Renee decides to try her luck on dating sites. Renee CC’s and BCC’s her friends on during each message she gets from the guys, and responses range since her two closest pals are Ashley- too judgmental over Renee’s relationships yet is in a dysfunctional one of her own, and Shelley- who always seems to have a new one-night stand story to share with Renee. But through the dating mishaps, hilarious emails, and shocking revelations with some of the men, Renee finally clicks with Ethan- but can the relationship make it past emails when an unexpected road block jumps in the way?
I absolutely loved Click. Once I started reading, it was too hard to put down. The email format made the book fly by, and some of the dating stories from Renee were hysterical. I really enjoyed Ashley and Shelley and hearing about their lives, which sometimes can be a difficult feat when readers are learning about them only through email. But I thought Becker did an excellent job at bringing in their lives and troubles, and it really added more to the story, especially with the twist to the ending. I have to say, I’m usually pretty good at sniffing out where the troubles will lie with the characters, but this one shocked me! Once the trouble with Renee and Ethan was brought to life, I had to keep reading to know how it all ended. Get this on your to-read lists, you will not be disappointed!
[Rating: 5]

July 14, 2011
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