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In My Mailbox: Week of June 16

Title: Thirty-Two Going on Spinster

Author: Becky Monson

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Julia Dorning is a spinster, or at least on the road to becoming one. She has no social life, hates her job, and lives in her parent’s basement with her cat, Charlie.

With the arrival of Jared Moody, the new hire at work, Julia’s mundane life is suddenly turned upside down. Her instant (and totally ridiculous) crush on the new guy causes Julia to finally make some long-overdue changes, in hopes to find a life that includes more than baking and hanging out with Charlie.

But when the biggest and most unexpected change comes, will the new and improved Julia be able to overcome it? Or will she go back to her spinster ways?

Title: Lake Como

Author: Anita Hughes

Received: From Anita Hughes

Synopsis: Hallie Elliot has a perfect life. She is an up-and-coming interior designer in one of San Francisco’s most sought after firms, and has just recently become engaged to Peter, a brilliant young journalist. But when she stumbles upon Peter and her boss in what seems to be a compromising position, her trust in her perfect life is shaken.

So Hallie escapes to Lake Como, Italy to spend time with her half-sister, Portia Tesoro, an Italian blueblood dealing with the scandal of a public estrangement from her cheating husband. While staying in the Tesoro villa, Hallie falls in love with the splendor and beauty of Lake Como, and finds work designing the lakeside estate of a reclusive American tech mogul. The caretaker of this beautiful estate is a handsome man named Angus, and Hallie finds herself drawn to his charm and kindness, despite hints of a dark secret in his past.

But just as Hallie is beginning to find her footing on Italian soil, she uncovers a family secret that upends all the truths she’s believed about herself, and calls into question the new life she’s built in Lake Como.

Sisterhood, family, career, and sumptuous descriptions of Italian life fill the pages of this newest offering by Anita Hughes. Lake Como is a heartbreaking and heartwarming story of love, self-discovery, and the quest for truth.

Title: Being Me

Author: Lisa Renee Jones

Received: BrookTrib

Synopsis: Fascinated by the dark fantasies in the journals she’s discovered, and the two men who have now found a place in her life, Sara McMillan finds herself torn between her new life and her past. Now, more than ever, Sara identifies with the lost journal writer, Rebecca, and is certain that something sinister has happened.

In the arms of the sexy, tormented artist Chris Merit, Sara seeks answers about Rebecca and ends up discovering things about herself she never knew existed. Chris forces Sara to reconsider who she is and what she truly wants from life, but not before his dark desires threaten to tear them apart. Her boss, Mark Compton, offers her the shelter to understand just what those needs mean to her, and what they might have meant to Rebecca, but can she trust him to lead her to a final conclusion to Rebecca’s story?

Title: Undeclared

Author: Jen Frederick

Received: From Jen Frederick

Synopsis: For four years, Grace Sullivan wrote to a Marine she never met, and fell in love. But when his deployment ended, so did the letters. Ever since that day, Grace has been coasting, academically and emotionally. The one thing she’s decided? No way is Noah Jackson — or any man — ever going to break her heart again.

Noah has always known exactly what he wants out of life. Success. Stability. Control. That’s why he joined the Marines and that’s why he’s fighting his way — literally — through college. Now that he’s got the rest of his life on track, he has one last conquest: Grace Sullivan. But since he was the one who stopped writing, he knows that winning her back will be his biggest battle yet.

Wedding Update: Three Months Away!

Well, I’m sad to report that my camera with the handy little video option has died. I haven’t been able to figure out how to prop my phone up long enough for me record a video on there, so I’m just going to have to resort to the old-fashioned way to talk about my wedding – writing! I am now just under 3 months away from becoming Mrs. Janning, and plans are starting to overtake my life. What am I working on now? We just picked up our invites the other day, so next on my list is buying a zillion stamps, stuffing the envelopes, printing our mailing labels, and getting to the post office. We are also trying to finalize our ceremony, and I’m very happy that I have finally picked out all the music. It was a lot harder than I thought finding songs for the wedding party to walk down the aisle to, myself walk down the aisle to, and then recessional, but I finally got that crossed off my list!
We are still working with our male wedding party to get them in and get fitted for their tuxes! Yes –we went with Vera Wang tuxes and I’m jealous of them! We have until August to get it done and I’m sure it will be just fine, but men are quite difficult to finagle I tell you! The guys are wearing grey tuxes and black bowties, and I can’t wait to see them 🙂
My dress fittings are going to start next month, so I’ve been on the hunt for shoes. My dress is the perfect length … for flats. No heels for me on my wedding day, and I’m actually okay with that. I’m afraid I would be so nervous I would trip or do something equally stupid, but it’s been quite the task trying to find cute flats that go with a wedding dress. My mother was so generous and purchased my bridal jewelry and veil so I’ll have those items with me for my fittings, but I need SHOES!!
Taking a deep breath. September 7 is going to be here in the blink of an eye, and I’ll be so excited to share as much as I can on the big day and then of course after 🙂 Thank you everyone for your kind words and emails that I am getting. I can’t wait to be a bride!

CLP Blog Tours Excerpt: Geoducks Are for Lovers by Daisy …

Daisy Prescott is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Geoducks Are for Lovers. Please enjoy this excerpt from the book! After getting Quinn…

In My Mailbox: Week of June 9

Title: Is This All There Is?

Author: Patricia Mann

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: “Is this all there is?” It’s a question every wife and mother eventually finds herself asking and thirty-five year old Beth Thomas is no exception. On the surface, her life is perfect. She’s married to her college sweetheart, has two beautiful little boys, and enjoys her part-time teaching appointment at the local university. But when a friend persuades Beth to go dancing on a rare night out, a chance meeting with twenty-one year old Dave, one of her former students, changes the course of her life. Loud music, too much to drink, and the thrill of feeling young again lead to an unforgettable kiss that was never supposed to happen. Beth tries to leave the memory behind, but Dave convinces her that he fell in love with her while he was in her class. As he continues to pursue her, he forces her to look at everything in her life through a different lens and the temptation of what he’s offering becomes too strong.

Patricia Mann’s “Is This All There Is?” introduces readers to the seemingly perfect world of Beth Thomas, a 35-year-old mother and wife who takes a risqué detour from diapers and duty to chart a course into erotica, deception and deceit. As the part-time college professor yields to the overpowering push and pull that follow a magnetic encounter with a former student, Beth is held captive in the seductive space that lingers between desire and reason. Honest and moving, Mann’s work is a touching snapshot of middle-America today, a compelling story about one woman’s struggle to keep up appearances while coming undone.

Down and Out in Bugtussle by Stephanie McAfeeTitle: Down and Out in Bugtussle

Author: Stephanie McAfee

Received: Penguin

Synopsis: With her fiancé now her ex-fiancé, Ace has hightailed it back to Bugtussle, Mississippi, and back to her Gramma Jones’s house. Her best friends, Lilly and Chloe, are delighted she’s back, but Ace still has some challenges ahead of her.

For one thing, her replacement as Bugtussle High School’s art teacher, Cameron Becker, refuses to vacate the position. So Ace is stuck working as a substitute teacher while harboring fantasies of running Miss Becker out of town. On top of that, Lilly and Chloe are obsessed with setting her up on less-than-romantic blind dates—even though all she wants is a break from her pitiful love life.

To ease her troubled mind, Ace resolves to restore her grandmother’s gardens to their former glory. But in the well-worn gardening book she’s dug out of her grandmother’s attic there are a series of suspicious notes that indicate her grandmother may have had a special someone in her past. Now, with her faithful chiweenie, Buster Loo, by her side, Ace is determined to get to the bottom of her grandmother’s secret life, all the while hoping her own life isn’t about to implode….

Save the Date by Allie SpencerTitle: Save the Date!

Author: Allie Spencer

Received: Random House UK

Synopsis: The only thing worse than the family holiday from hell, is the family wedding from hell. So, when faced with being marooned in a Tuscan castle with her thoroughly dysfunctional family for the 1930s-themed wedding of her rich, over-spoilt cousin Jessica, who could blame Ailsa Stuart for being less than enthusiastic?

As her family’s exhausted peacemaker she will have her work cut out. Not only is there her own nearest and dearest to deal with, but the sudden appearance of her ex-husband, desperate to reconcile with her almost sends her over the edge. But Ailsa needs to pull herself together, because without her calm presence, the wedding could end badly for all of them.

He’s The One by Katie PriceTitle: He’s the One

Author: Katie Price

Received: Colbert Macalister PR

Synopsis: A passionate story of lost love and second chances, from the bestselling Katie Price.
Twenty-year-old Liberty is beautiful, ambitious and dreams of making it as an actress. She is also a single mother and has a three-year old daughter, Brooke. Living with her mother, she supports her daughter by modelling and working as a waitress.

Then, over one perfect summer, Liberty meets and falls in love with Cory, a young American taking time off from university. But Liberty never feels good enough for him, and when she meets his university friends, she feels it’s only fair to let him go. Heartbroken, Cory leaves to go back to the States.

Liberty, meanwhile, suddenly gets the break she’s been praying for. Zac, a TV director has seen her picture and wants her to audition for a role in LA. And so, Liberty and Brooke begin a new phase of their lives. Suddenly, she is successful, but she can’t forget Cory. Until news of his engagement reaches her, and she finally agrees to marry Zac.

Years later, everything has changed. Liberty has fled LA, taking a reluctant teenage Brooke with her. But returning to her home town of Brighton reawakens painful memories. Especially as she meets Cory again. She still loves him, but he seems to hate her. Can she ever convince him to trust her again?

CLP Blog Tours Excerpt: Catching the Bad Guy by Marie …

Marie Astor is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Catching the Bad Guy, and I am excited to share an excerpt from the…

Author Profile: Karen Stivali

Author Name: Karen Stivali
Website: http://karenstivali.com/
Bio:
Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies and fictional British men. When she’s not writing, she can be found cooking extravagant meals and serving them to family and friends. Prior to deciding to write full time Karen worked as a hand drawn animator, a clinical therapist, and held various food-related jobs ranging from waitress to specialty cake maker. Planning elaborate parties and fundraisers takes up what’s left of her time and sanity.
Karen has always been fascinated by the way people relate to one another so she favors books and movies that feature richly detailed characters and their relationships. In her own writing she likes to explore the dynamics between characters and has a tendency to craft romantic love stories filled with sarcasm and sexy details.
Karen has published three erotic romances with Ellora’s Cave: Marry Me (June 2012), Long-Distance Lovers (co-written with Karen Booth, March 2012) and Always You (Passionate Plume First Place Novella Winner, RWA 2012).
Karen’s women’s fiction stories, published with Turquoise Morning Press, include Meant To Be (August 2012) and its sequel Holding On (November 2012). Both full length novels are currently available in e-book and paperback. A prequel to these novels, the short story All I Need, appears in the Foreign Affairs Anthology (August 2012). Another short story, White Wedding, which takes place between Meant To Be and Holding On, will be in an anthology due out in June 2013.
Also coming in 2013 Karen will have two contemporary romances releasing from Samhain Publishing. The first of these, THEN, AGAIN is due out on May 23, 2013. LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON will be out in November/December 2013. A new erotic romance novella will release from Ellora’s Cave in Spring 2013 and JUST IN TIME, a follow-up to Meant To Be and Holding On that will focus on Justine, will release from Turquoise Morning in January 2014.
Connect with Karen!

http://karenstivali.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenstivali
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karenstivali
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5170527.Karen_Stivali
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005KWSFGO
Bio retrieved from CLP Blog Tours

Author Profile: Trisha Leigh

Author Name: Trisha Leigh
Website: http://trishaleigh.com/
Bio: Raised by a family of ex-farmers and/or almost rock stars from Northeastern Iowa, I’ve always loved to tell stories. After graduating from Texas Christian University with a degree in Film, I began to search for a way to release the voices in my head. IWhen I attempted my first YA novel, which would become Whispers in Autumn, I was hooked. I knew then my heart lay with telling stories about and for young adults, and for anyone who loves to read and recapture those fleeting “first” moments.
My spare time is spent reviewing television and movies, spending time with my large, loud, loving family, reading any book that falls into my hands, and being dragged into the fresh air by my dogs Yoda and Jilly.
Visit Trisha’s tour page!
See my 4 star review for Whispers in Autumn!
Connect with Trisha!

http://www.trishaleigh.com
@trishaleighkc
trishaleighkc.tumblr.com
http://pinterest.com/trishaleighkc/
Facebook
The Last Year – Facebook
Buy the Book!
Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, and paperback!

In My Mailbox: Week of June 2

le: Between Friends

Author: Amanda Cowen

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: The only way to have a friend is to be one…especially between the sheets…

When neurotically challenged and unlucky in love Megan Daniels is propositioned by her life-long friend Ben Romano with a coin toss (heads, they sleep together, tails, they don’t) the night before they are about to attend a destination wedding, she drunkenly accepts his challenge. But when Megan wakes up the next morning with a bad hang-over and Ben in her bed, she is more than mortified. It isn’t until the tropical heat begins to ignite emotions Megan never believed or thought she could possibly have, when she starts to question if risking their friendship is the answer to finding true love.

A cute and contemporary debut novel, BETWEEN FRIENDS faces one girl’s struggle between the fine lines of friendship and love and the risk of opening up her heart to the possibility of forever.

pastors wivesTitle: Pastors’ Wives

Author: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen

Received: Penguin Group

Synopsis: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.

love storyTitle: The Hypnotist’s Love Story

Author: Liane Moriarty

Received: Penguin Group

Synopsis: Ellen O’Farrell has grown tired of the lack of respect her profession is afforded by others—especially her critical physician mother. She is proud to be a hypnotherapist and has found her niche. Unfortunately, she has not been as lucky in love. That is, until she meets Patrick Scott. A handsome young widower she met through an online dating service, Patrick seems too good to be true. So when he one day announces that he has something to tell her, Ellen braces for the worst. His confession: he is being stalked by a former girlfriend. That’s okay, Ellen assures him, and inwardly she has to admit that she finds the situation kind of intriguing. Thrilling, even.

Ellen would love to learn everything she can about the woman—Saskia—but she refrains from pumping Patrick for details because it clearly upsets him. Indeed, Ellen would love to get inside this woman’s head. What she doesn’t realize is that she already knows her. The obsessed Saskia, under an assumed name, has become one of Ellen’s hypnotherapy clients intent on getting as close as possible to her perceived rival.

As Ellen and Patrick grow deeper in love, Saskia grows even more fixated on her former lover. What Patrick failed to see is Saskia’s deep attachment to his young son, Jack, whom she nurtured in the wake of his mother’s death. Meanwhile, Ellen gets some news that could forever change her life and could either solidify or jeopardize her relationship with Patrick. Could Saskia exploit this new development to further her own calculated motives?

Q&A with Felicia Rogers

When did you know writing was for you?
I’ve always been an avid reader. One summer I read over two hundred and ten romance novels! Then a couple of years ago I read a pirate story and I got the bright idea that I could write one. Sure, why not? Couldn’t be that hard, right? Wrong. I wrote a story, sent it to a friend, and she destroyed it with red ink. So I buried the book and waited.

Later I read this great historical series, again I thought, I can do this. So I asked my cousin, who is great with the English language, if she would like to write a book together. The plan was for me to write a chapter send it to her, she would polish it and then we would just keep going but she grew busy and wasn’t able to help and before I knew it I’d written a full novel on my own.

While seeking publication for my first novel, and becoming more and more discouraged, I wrote a short story called The Holiday Truce. It won Solstice Publishing’s Celebrate the Season Contest. The rush, the excitement, of realizing I’d won felt so good that I wanted to write forever. In that moment I knew writing was for me.

How would you describe your book?
Love Octagon is a clean, humorous book about family life. Honestly I started this book as a way to vent about issues going on in my life but in the end it was riddled with actual stories from my family and friends.

What was the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Trying to keep all the characters straight! I had two lists beside me at all times: the character list and the “what in the world do this people look like and act like” list. The main characters in the book encompass eight different women, eleven children, and several men.

Love Octagon by Felicia RogersWhat is the one thing that you want readers to know about you as an author?
I would like readers to understand how much I enjoy writing about real life situations within different genres. I don’t want to be stuck just in historical, or contemporary, I want to be able to write about anything that pops into my head.

What does your daily schedule look like?
My daily schedule has changed drastically since I started writing. At first I got up early, read my Bible, and then wrote for a couple of hours, after which my normal activities of taking care of the kids and running my household kicked in. But now, I get up early and read my Bible, take care of the children, and write at night or whenever I can get a chance.

What would be your advice to aspiring writers?
The best advice I have is what I’ve heard from others, success as an author is not like a race but a marathon. You have to be in it for the long haul. Few authors get rich overnight but even without the money writing has its own rewards.
What is your favorite book?
I honestly don’t have one favorite book. I like lots of different authors that write in a myriad of styles.

Favorite movie?

Would have to be the Star Wars trilogy. I’m crazy about action movies.

Who is your favorite literary character?

To be honest, I don’t have one.

Who is your writing inspiration?

My children offer a plethora of writing inspiration. I’m also inspired by nature and everyday occurrences.

What is your must have beauty product?

This is tough because I personally hate wearing make-up, I prefer the natural look. I guess I would have to say lotion.

What advice would you give yourself ten years ago? Any words of wisdom?
I would tell myself not to wait so late in life to write. Not to push myself so hard and to try and relax and have more fun.