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Cold Dawn by Carla Neggers
Chick Lit Review

Cold Dawn by Carla Neggers

When Rose Cameron finds a body, burnt nearly beyond recognition, the small town of Black Falls, Vermont fears a killer could be a on the loose-again. Smoke jumper Nick Martini joins the community from California after an arson investigator is killed, a hunch that the death may be connected to the recent Black Falls murder. Now, Rose and Nick must deal with the one night of passion they shared months ago, to figure out if it could be anything more. But with Nick best friends and business partners with one of Rose’s highly over protective brothers, neither are sure the relationship could work- or if they really want it to. But both need to push aside their feelings of lust and romance and catch the killer lurking in Black Falls.
I knew Cold Dawn by Carla Neggers would be on my Favorites List after the first chapter. Even though this mystery novel is part of a series, readers will easily be able to pick up with the characters and the plot even if they have not read the previous books. The suspense was enough to keep me up at night, frantically flipping the pages to figure out who the murderer was and how all the subplots would tie together. The romance between the lead couple was very well written, full of drama and cliff hangers at the end of chapters, that kept me hooked on this story. My only issue was the amount of characters that contributed to the story, I began to feel overwhelmed after trying to keep track of all of them! But besides that little fact, this is a great story that gets a definite recommendation from me. After reading Cold Dawn, Carla Neggers has shot to the top of my favorite authors list!
Rating: 4.5/5

November 17, 2010
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Chronicles of a Midlife Crisis by Robyn Harding
Chick Lit Review

Chronicles of a Midlife Crisis by Robyn Harding

Lucy is shocked when her husband of 16 years, Trent, announces he is leaving her. She knows that their relationship hasn’t been the best for a few years, but with careers and their fifteen-year old daughter Sam entering the teenage angst years, she never thought she would actually be heading for a divorce. Trent is tired of his boring marriage and wants his freedom- and the ability to get one his co-workers into bed. Trent has been eyeing the voluptuous Annika while on the job, but she wouldn’t give him the time of day unless he was separated from his wife. Finally on his own, Trent gets his singledom and Annika- but suddenly wonders if that is the life he truly wants. Lucy tries to pick up the pieces of her broken marriage, but when her job throws her together with a teen heartthrob actor (also her daughter’s biggest crush) Lucy’s life begins to spiral downwards.
Chronicles of a Midlife Crisis by Robyn Harding is heartfelt novel that draws readers into the lives of the characters by giving both Lucy and Trent a voice. The chapters are written in alternating point of views from both husband and wife, giving us a chance to really understand both sides and why this marriage failed. Deep emotions are revealed, self-doubt and guilt among others, and be prepared for this story to really make you think and feel for all the characters, not just Lucy and Trent. I really appreciated the ending of the novel as well, which is a rarity for me. I am usually left feeling unsatisfied in these types of relationship conflict stories, or feeling that the ending is too cliché, but I thought Harding did a fantastic job at tying all the loose ends together and giving the characters the ending they deserved. A definite recommendation from me!
Rating: 4.5/5

October 28, 2010
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She’s Gone Country by Jane Porter
Chick Lit Review

She’s Gone Country by Jane Porter

Shey Darcy is having a hard time adjusting being back home in Texas. After living in New York City, working as a supermodel with her photographer husband and three sons, Shey is shocked to learn that her husband is leaving her- for another man. Unsure of where else to recover from her heartache, Shey flees to Texas, back to her country roots. Life doesn’t get easier for Shey after the move though. Her teenage sons have trouble adjusting to their new lives as well, Shey’s Southern Baptist mom won’t stop hounding her about her broken life, and Shey’s love from her teenage years enters back into her life- and Shey realizes she may not have stopped loving him.
When I read that She’s Gone Country by Jane Porter focused on a mother struggling with issues within her family, I worried I wouldn’t be able to relate well to the main character- as I am without a husband or children. But Shey’s story wrapped me in and commanded my attention throughout. The love story may have been a bit too overpowering between Shey and her ex-crush, Dane, but I really enjoyed the ending for these characters. As for the motherhood aspect, even though I am not a mom, it was so easy for me to understand the struggles Shey was feeling and coping with. Porter’s writing feels straight from the heart, like Shey opened up her diary for all to read. It is because that emotion, that vulnerability from the main characters, that makes this story so fantastic. A definite recommendation from me for She’s Gone Country!
Rating: 4.5/5

October 15, 2010
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Georgia’s Kitchen by Jenny Nelson
Chick Lit Review

Georgia’s Kitchen by Jenny Nelson

Georgia Gray is set- employed as head chef at one of Manhattan’s best restaurants, fabulous rock on her left finger from Glenn, and the best friends a girl could hope for. But when a less than stellar review is published about her restaurant, Georgia’s outlook is suddenly looks bleak. Jobless with a black mark next to her name in the food industry, though the review came from the extracurricular activities between her boss and the reviewer’s young daughter, Georgia thinks she can at least rely on Glenn, her entertainment lawyer fiancée, to turn to. But when she finds out Glenn has been dabbling in with cocaine while out with “clients” the engagement is broken off. Not knowing where else to turn, Georgia calls up an old friend in Italy and begs for a chef job.
Claudia comes through for Georgia, and soon enough Georgia is happily settling into her Italian countryside trattoria. But when she learns she is not the head chef of the new kitchen, along with feelings of jealousy for Claudia for having the life she so badly covets, Georgia begins to doubt her spontaneous move to Italy. But when she meets Gianni- the perfect Italian man who is ready to sweep her off her feet and offers her a career too delectable Georgia couldn’t possibly pass it up- she just can’t say yes. But can she find the courage to follow her own dreams back in New York?
Georgia’s Kitchen, the debut novel from Jenny Nelson, is five stars! One page was all it took me to be completely hooked on Georgia and her story. One page. I may not know my way around the kitchen, but reading about Georgia and her career as a chef made me feel I was right beside her chopping and dicing and mincing. Then the travel aspect comes in. I love traveling and learning about different countries and cultures, so once Georgia is in Italy, I couldn’t put this book down. I loved that the ending was a bit different than what I expected. There is a happy ending, don’t get me wrong, but I enjoy that Nelson gives Georgia the power to control her life, and not have her crying and pining over her failed relationship at all times. What an exceptional debut from Jenny Nelson, and I look forward to many more from her.
Rating: 5/5

October 9, 2010
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Go Small or Go Home by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

Go Small or Go Home by Heather Wardell

Tess is a struggling artist, working as a therapeutic massage therapist to keep the bills paid. When the massage clinic she works at suddenly closes and she is nowhere near getting paid for her art pieces, Tess goes on an interview for the Toronto Hogs- the professional hockey team. She didn’t know that she would only be working for one of the players instead of the entire team, and quickly runs into a mess of problems with Forrest. Forrest, once a star hockey player who has a multi-million dollar contract with the Hogs after being traded, suffered through a devastating car accident earlier and a groin injury on top of that, and his hockey game isn’t up to par. Tess didn’t realize when she signed on that she would not only being massaging Forrest, but also helping him overcome his inner demons that keep him distracted from hockey. Or that she would fall in love with him. But can Forrest move on from his past so he and Tess can attempt a future together?
Go Small or Go Home by Heather Wardell kept me tearing through the pages, marveling at the love story being played out. There are some deep circumstances surrounding Forrest and Tess, and the emotions are quite intense and heavy throughout. Both characters are highly damaged, but instead of that quality dragging them down, it made it that much better reading about how they could make each other better. Not only is Go Small or Go Home a fantastic love story, but there is another layer about self-discovery. When Tess finally gets her dream career of being an artist to come true, she realizes that maybe working for a gallery owner isn’t all she thought it would be. She is forced to examine her career and future goals to figure out what path she really needs to take to be satisfied in both her personal and professional life. Another gem from Heather Wardell!
Rating: 4.5/5

October 5, 2010
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Vivian Rising by Daniella Brodsky
Chick Lit Review

Vivian Rising by Daniella Brodsky

Vivian Sklar is devastated when she loses her grandmother. Since Vivian’s mother left her years ago, her grandmother became her mother and best friend. Once she passes, Vivian feels utterly alone and terrified of the world, unsure which way to turn, where to go for help. When she finds herself staring at a sign for an astrologer, reader of the stars, she goes for it. What could it hurt?
After talking with Kavia, Vivian thinks she made a silly choice. She’s nothing but a cooky lady wearing odd clothes and warning of the future. But when Kavia urges Vivian not to take the train home, Vivian decides to give her a chance. After learning the same train she would have boarded crashed, Vivian hands the reigns of her life over to Kavia. Following each piece of advice her astrologer dishes out, Vivian bases her life choices on what her readings tell her. When they lead her to Len, the handsome yet guarded grandson of her neighbors, she accepts his attention. When they tell her to ignore her mother for once in her life, Vivian refuses to answer the phone. But can Vivian rely only on the astrologer’s advice her whole life? Will she ever find the strength to write her own future without her grandmother by her side?
Vivian Rising by Daniella Brodsky is an intricate story laced with love, perseverance, and a lot of self doubt. The main character is easy to relate to, a lost soul, scared little girl, afraid to face the future, wanting to know the answers now. The conflict between Vivian and her mother frustrated me at times, and I found myself wishing I could be there to yell at Vivian. I loved how Brodsky’s writing could make me feel like I could just jump into the story alongside the characters. The scenes were vivid, the characters relatable, and the emotions raw. Vivian Rising has many layers to peel back, and readers will be left thinking about their own futures and how self-perseverance will get them there. Seeing the transformation between Vivian at the beginning of the story to where she is at the end is very empowering, adding this novel to my Favorites List.
Rating: 4.5/5

October 1, 2010
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Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell

Candice and Ian’s marriage has been strained for the last eight months, ever since Ian’s parents were killed in a car accident. When Ian decides to leave for a month to do overseas work, Candice is relived she has some time alone to reflect on her marriage and whether she should stay with her husband. But when a blast from the past enters the picture, Candice can’t fight the feelings and emotions that come with her ex, Keagan. As the four weeks away from Ian stretches on, Candice gets swept away in the comfort, familiarity, and excitement that Keagan brings to her life. But is she letting Keagan distract her so she doesn’t need to address the painful reason her and Ian have grown apart? Is leaving her husband the right decision, or is there more to life and love that Candice will discover?
Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo, the debut novel from Heather Wardell, was so beautifully written, so touching and relatable that I could feel the characters jump out of the pages while reading, and skyrocketed Wardell to the top of my Favorite Authors list. Her writing flowed so effortlessly between scenes, and the emotions and vulnerability the heroine projected left me reading for hours at a time, unable to tear myself away from the characters. There is no question Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo deserves five stars, and I look forward to many more from Heather Wardell.
Rating: 5/5

September 29, 2010
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Waxed by Robert Rave
Chick Lit Review

Waxed by Robert Rave

I don’t usually get many chick lit books sent my way by male authors, but the few I have, I really enjoyed them. When I read the synopsis for Waxed by Robert Rave and saw that a male author was taking on three sisters who run their own waxing salon and specialize in waxing “lady bits” I couldn’t help but be surprised. A male discussing failed relationships, cheating scandals- and bikini waxes?
From just a few pages in, I was sold. Carolina Impresario, the oldest of the three sisters and owner of Impresarios, seems to have everything under control. But her no nonsense attitude and how she unapologetically runs her salon and personal life is only a façade. When she has to choose between her boyfriend and previous lover, readers can connect with Carolina on a more personal journey, beyond money, success, and glamour. The middle sister, Anna, is the domestic one, trying to raise her three children by herself after her husband left the family. Anna struggles to get back to work at Impresarios, and takes on a job with an older client who teaches Anna more about experiencing life that she ever knew was possible. With one of her children choosing to lead an unconventional lifestyle, Anna finds in increasingly difficult to be a single parent to her three children, but doesn’t know how to act when her ex appears back in her life. And Sophia is the youngest, recently married and faithfully in love with her husband. When a gay client befriends Sophia, she learns more about love, marriage, and commitment than she bargained for.
The three sisters struggle through their personal issues, and I sped quickly through the pages trying to soak it all in. Rave does an excellent job at giving each sister her own unique voice, and though their situations are definitely out there, I felt I could relate in some way to each sister. I was invested in each one and wanted to see them succeed, and I just love novels that can make me feel a personal connection with the characters. Rave managed to do this with not only one heroine, but three. I can’t sing enough praises about Waxed, the characters were flawless, the writing smooth, and the setting of an upscale New York waxing salon brought in the comedy. Five stars!
Rating: 5/5

September 24, 2010
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Fragile by Lisa Unger
Chick Lit Review

Fragile by Lisa Unger

The Hollows, a small, secluded town just outside of New York, is a charming town where everyone knows one another and all their family business. A relatively safe and quiet area, the Hollows only holds one dreadful secret, rarely mentioned by the town’s community. When Maggie and Jones Cooper were in high school, Sarah Meyers, another high school student with a bright future, was found dead in the woods. Her body had been badly mutilated, and the town was disturbed that a callous killer could be living among them. Though someone eventually admitted to the murder of Sarah and died in prison, people were still uneasy and dissatisfied with the horrific situation.
Twenty years after Sarah’s death, another high school girl suddenly vanishes after a fight with her mother. Maggie and Jones Cooper’s son, Rick, is astonished when his girlfriend, Charlene Murray, is the one who disappears. No one knows if she ran off to New York to follow her dream of being in band, or if something terrible has happened- something like what happened to Sarah Meyers. The town bands together to try to solve the disappearance of Charlene, and while doing so, opens up all the unanswered questions of Sarah’s murder. Was the man who admitted to killing her actually not have committed the crime? Is the murderer of Sarah still in the town, and could he be responsible for Charlene?
Fragile, the contemporary thriller from Lisa Unger, is an excellent mystery that left me guessing until the end. The secrets the town holds pulls a dark cloud over everyone as they fear another murder case will come to light. The point of view switches between key players in the story, and readers will enjoy getting a small taste of different characters thoughts and ideas. Slowly and methodically, pieces of the puzzle can be put together, but my favorite part of this story was that there was no obvious killer. I don’t like when I read a mystery and the guilty is so obvious to figure out, so that aspect made me really enjoy Fragile. The way that outside characters and events are woven into the heart of the story brings this thriller full circle, and I highly recommend this latest from best-selling author Lisa Unger.
Rating: 4/5

September 23, 2010
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