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In My Mailbox: Week of September 15

Title: The Three Month Plan

Author: Kimberley Patterson

Received: CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Kelly Callahan had everything going for her. Everything that is, except for a relationship. It wasn’t for the lack of trying, it just seemed like she was a magnet for all the wrong ones. But all of that was about to change the minute she laid eyes on Jake.
On a dare from her close friend, Michelle, Kelly accepts a challenge to date and become Jake’s girlfriend within three months. The consequence of losing is global humiliation, and she refuses to lose.

Enlisting the help of her childhood friend and confidant, Brian, Kelly manages to catch Jakes attention. She also unknowingly hooks Brian who tries to sabotage the plan. Kelly finds herself with a dilemma; take the final step with Jake and win the plan or follow her heart and reveal her feelings for Brian.

The Vintage Teacup Club by Vanessa GreeneTitle: The Vintage Teacup Club

Author: Vanessa Greene

Received: Penguin Group

Synopsis: Three women’s lives are about to change because of a few delicate pieces of china…

When Jenny Davis comes across a beautiful vintage tea set at an outdoor market in the English countryside, she’s convinced it’s fate. A young bride on a budget, she has her heart set on a vintage tea-party theme for her wedding—and the gorgeous gold-rimmed china before her is perfect. There’s only one problem. Two other women have fallen in love with it, too. So they come up with a solution: They’ll share it.

They establish a sisterhood, sharing the ups and downs of their lives—from broken hearts and weddings, to family drama and career dreams. When a figure from Jenny’s past threatens to ruin her big day, Alison’s teenage daughter pushes her to the limit, and Maggie’s romantic life is thrown into turmoil, the members of the Vintage Teacup Club band together—proving their newfound friendship will last a lifetime.

Facebook Jeanie by Addison WestlakeTitle: Facebook Jeanie

Author: Addison Westlake

Received: Addison Westlake

Synopsis: It’s Bridget Jones meets Groundhog Day…

Ever wonder if you made the right choice? What if you could go back and find out?

31-year-old Clara is in a steady relationship—with Facebook. Every night after her depressing bureaucratic job (so much for saving the world), after coming home to her empty apartment Clara settles down with a pint of ice cream for some good, old-fashioned Facebook stalking. It’s her college boyfriend, The One Who Got Away. He now has a perfect marriage, perfect house, perfect life—everything she could have had if she hadn’t been so, so stupid.

But, wait. Jeanie from Facebook shows up at Clara’s job. There’s a new app they’re beta-testing and Clara’s perfect for it. That night she clicks on it and… nothing happens. But the next morning when Clara wakes up at noon, hung over, listening to her roommate blow-drying her hair and singing “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”, she realizes she’s back in college. With the chance to do it all over again.

Back in the world of frat parties, BFFs, and long-suffering, overlooked lab partners, join Clara as she discovers what it really means to hit the reset button on life. What could possibly go wrong? And, this time, can she get it right?

Kiss of Fire by Rebecca EthingtonTitle: Kiss of Fire

Author: Rebecca Ethington

Received: Mark My Works Book Publicity

Synopsis: Joclyn Despain has been marred by a brand on her skin. She doesn’t know why
the mark appeared on her neck, but she doesn’t want anyone to see it,
including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The
scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won’t let the
idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to.

The scar is the reason she is being hunted.

If only she knew that she was.

If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for
her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked
by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten
feet in the air.

Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart.
When Ryland finds her scar; only he knows what it means, and who will kill
her because of it.

Little Island by Katharine BrittonTitle: Little Island

Author: Katharine Britton

Received: Penguin Group

Synopsis: The Little family has a dark secret.

Joy Little’s grandmother left these last words: “Grace. Flowers. By the water. Have fun!” A note that Joy’s mother, Grace, has interpreted as instructions for her memorial service. And so, the far-flung clan will gather at their inn on Little Island, Maine, to honor her.

Joy can’t help dreading the weekend. Twenty years ago, a tragedy nearly destroyed the family—and still defines them. Joy, Grace, her father Gar, and twins Roger and Tamar all have their parts to play. And now Joy, facing an empty nest and a nebulous future, feels more vulnerable than ever to the dangerous currents running through her family.

What lies beneath the surface of this tragedy is the terrible secret that haunts them all. And it’s only when that secret is revealed that every member of the family can honestly reappraise the past and come to a deeper understanding of who they are and what they mean to each other.

For fans of Anita Shreve and Elin Hilderbrand, this richly evocative contemporary novel explores the family dynamic and ultimately examines what can break us apart and what can keep us together.

Hunka Hunka Nursing Love by Kathryn MaeglinTitle: A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love

Author: Kathryn Maeglin

Received: Kathryn Maeglin

Synopsis: Valerie Palka is a savvy businesswoman who is obsessed with keeping her elderly mom, Helen, safe from all the lethal disasters that can befall widows living alone. Helen thinks the workaholic Valerie should focus on having as much luck in the bedroom as she does in the boardroom. But when Helen takes a spill and is rushed to the ER, a handsome male nurse, Keith Nuber, strikes her fancy, and she tells her daughter, “If you could get a handsome devil like that to take care of me, I’d be willing to consider it.” So Valerie creates a care agency, Home Health Hunks, staffed by attractive younger men.

Valerie’s idea is filled with potential . . . and potholes. As she navigates the tricky road to satisfying her mom as well as her own ambition, she finds herself falling for one of her employees—Keith—and is forced to examine her beliefs about the true meaning of success.

Blog Tour Sign Up: Won’t Last Long by Heidi …

Can two people who are totally wrong for each other ever be right?
She’s a feisty, sly marketing exec intent on hiding her small-town roots. He’s a laid-back engineer with a shaggy mutt and a pushy ex.
When Joshua asks Melina out, she asks what kind of car he drives. She’ll do drinks, not dinner. She’s always in control. But with Joshua’s easy confidence and sharp wit, Melina is soon breaking the dating rules she made for herself.
Opposites attract—but friends think Melina and Joshua can’t possibly last. When crisis throws their world off its axis, Melina must confront her childhood family, the people she’s come to care about, and the destruction of her pristine image.

Future Tour: Hijack in Abstract by Larissa Reinhart

Larissa will be on tour November 4-25 with her mystery novel Hijack in Abstract With a classical series sold and a portrait commissioned, Cherry Tucker’s art…

Book Review: Love and Happiness by Galt Niederhoffer

Summary:
Jean Banks won’t give up on love. It’s the prism through which she sees the world, the stuff of the independent movies she produces in New York City, and it created the son and daughter she shares with her director husband, Sam. But the course of love doesn’t run smooth for a harried woman in her mid-thirties who feel her choices and responsibilities solidifying around her, becoming permanent. And what’s wrong with keeping alive a private connection to love by remembering the paths not taken, the men not engaged with?
Love and Happiness tackles the eternal, essential subjects of love and commitment through one woman’s struggle to sort out her romantic life. How will Jean resolve the emotional chaos raised in her heart by her attractions to her husband, a former flame and a mysterious but tantalizing stranger? Is it possible to love more than one man fully? Set partly in the illogical world of independent movies—a world author Galt Niederhoffer knows well—and in New York City and Los Angeles, Love and Happiness is a rich, intense story of love and attraction, choice and consequence.
Review:
Let me start by saying that I enjoy light romances where I can escape the real world for a while. Due to my desire to escape and enjoy light and happy stories, this was a difficult read for me. The story never really grabbed me and I did not connect with the main character, Jean, at all. Although, I understood that she was confused and dissatisfied with her life, I did not like to reading about her dating another man and drafting emails to an exboyfriend.
A side from the infidelity and betrayal, I did like the way the book was written. There were witty remarks and great metaphors. It also provoked some deep thoughts about relationships and marriage.
I thought the book was realistic and I could see someone actually behaving like Jean. The lengths she went through to find out Benjamin Kraft’s past were like that of a stalker and again, realistic.
There were a lot of descriptions about the making of an independent film that didn’t particularly interest me.
Overall, Love and Happiness touched on many questions, decisions, and consequences that people face in life and was full of drama.
I’d recommend this book to the people that want to read gritty, realistic dramas.
3 stars

New Fall TV Shows

New Shows for the 20-13-2014 Television Season Contributor: Allie I have a confession to make.  I’m a TV junkie.  I know it’s not cool to…

Book Review and Giveaway: Sophie’s Encore by Nicky Wells

Its’ time to Rock And Roll in earnest! Yes, Nicky Wells is here to celebrate the launch of Sophie’s Encore. Three cheers for the third book in her Rock Star Romance Trilogy!!!

Says Nicky,
“I’m so excited to share with you, finally, this third installment in Sophie and Dan’s epic romance! Thank you for coming to celebrate with me. Read on for:
The blurb!
Samantha’s Review
The fantabulous giveaway!

But most of all, enjoy yourself and party hard! Are you ready?”

Sophie’s Encore — The Blurb

Her rock star is waiting in the wings, but will he get a second chance?

It’s all change for Sophie Jones—only this time, there is more at stake than just her happiness.

Rock star extraordinaire, Dan Hunter, has been her patient and caring friend through the highs and lows since her wedding day, but now he figures it is time for her to start over. By stealth, the rock singer draws Sophie into the behind-the-scenes work for his band’s latest album. Through the days and weeks spent together at the mixing desk, Sophie discovers whole new horizons for her life, yet before she can even begin to explore them, she faces the very real threat of losing her rock star for good.

Join Sophie and Dan in Sophie’s Encore to find out how their journey will end…
Review:
I received a copy of Sophie’s Encore in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been having a blast with the series, and I was so anxious to get to the third and final book. What an emotional roller coaster we go through right at the beginning! I don’t like giving away too much in my reviews, so I have a feeling this might be difficult to write. What I will say – fabulous conclusion to Sophie’s journey. It was terrific to see her get a happy ending. Dan is such a blast to read about, especially this version of a more mature Dan. It’s impossible not to root for Sophie and if you haven’t read any of her books yet – get on it! Such a wonderful trilogy.
4.5 stars

Amazon.co.uk Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sophies-Encore-Rock-Romance-ebook/dp/B00EXXDVF6/

Amazon.com Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Sophies-Encore-Rock-Romance-ebook/dp/B00EXXDVF6/

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sophies-encore-nicky-wells/1116668869?ean=2940148368359&itm=1&usri=sophie%27s+encore

Amazon.co.uk Paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sophies-Encore-Nicky-Wells/dp/1938404653/

Amazon.com Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Sophies-Encore-Nicky-Wells/dp/1938404653/

Barnes & Noble Paperback: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sophies-encore-nicky-wells/1116668869?ean=9781938404658

Party Time — The GIVEAWAY!!!

1 x signed Sophie’s Encore Poster
2 x Sophie’s Encore Mugs
1 x Sophie’s Run Mug
1 x $10 Amazon Gift Voucher (or equivalent currency)
2 x Sophie’s Encore Key Ring
1 x Sophie’s Run Key Ring
2 x “Swag Pack” featuring 2 postcards (1 signed) each for all three Rock Star Romance books, and 2 bookmarks each for Sophie’s Turn and Sophie’s Run

ENTER HERE: a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway closes 30 September at 12 midnight BST.
Entrants must be 18 or over. Giveaway is open internationally

About Nicky Wells

Nicky Wells is your ultimate rock chick author. Signed to US Publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing, Nicky writes Romance That Rocks Your World, featuring the rock star and the girl next door.

Nicky’s books offer glitzy, glamorous contemporary romance with a rock theme ~ imagine Bridget Jones ROCKS Notting Hill!

Born in Germany, Nicky moved to the United Kingdom in 1993 and currently lives in Lincoln. In a previous professional life, Nicky worked as a researcher and project manager for an international Human Resources research firm based in London and Washington, D.C. Like her leading lady, Sophie, Nicky loves listening to rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters. When she’s not writing, she’s a wife, mother, occasional knitter, and regular contributor to The Midweek Drive show on Lincoln’s Siren 107.3 FM. Rock on!

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Romantic Novelists’ Association | Sapphire Star Publishing | Amazon | Goodreads| Pinterest

*Nicky waves*
Whoa! What a party! I hope you enjoyed yourself. Thank you again for stopping by Chick Lit Plus today to help me celebrate. Happy reading and rock on! And don’t forget to say ‘hi’, I’d love to hear from you and I will come back to chat later!

On Tour: Lowcountry Bombshell by Susan M. Boyer

**Everyone who leaves a comment below will be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Lowcountry Bombshell before October 7 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**

Blog Tour Sign Up: Zoey and the Moment of Zen …

Cat will be on tour in November with her chick lit novel Zoey and the Moment of Zen. I am looking for book bloggers to…

Book Review: Maybe I Will by Laurie Gray

I received a copy of this book for an honest opinion.
As the story opens up, Sandy is a well adjusted teen with two great friends, Cassie and Troy, friends from preschool days. Family life is good, school is good and Sandy is happy. One night while hanging out at Cassie’s house things gets out of hand and Cassie’s boyfriend Aaron gets physical with Sandy. Sandy is talking up a new sport and Aaron wants to show Sandy just what he knows. Aaron rapes Sandy. Sandy is thrown into a whirlwind of emotions and the immediate escape is alcohol. It’s a downward spiral, spinning Sandy further down into depression and hatred. Sandy tries to climb out but life gets to be too hard and despair seems to be the easier way out. Facing reality and finding out exactly who are Sandy’s real friends are just part of the challenges ahead for Sandy on the road to recovery. The power of poetry and Shakespeare are significant skills that Sandy’s possesses that can help Sandy move ahead if and when Sandy wants to take the steps.
Its 10:30 pm, I was just finishing up the Author’s Notes at the end of the novel regarding Maybe I Will and I was left speechless. Sure, I remembered that the book was about rape and its effect on a young teen but the other twist I had completely, I mean totally completely forgotten about that. So that is why I woke up my husband spilling out the entire book’s storyline to him while he was barely able to hold open his eyes the other night. This twist had to do with gender identity. The main character is Sandy and I guess since my name is also Sandy, I assumed this character was a girl but there is no reference to that in the whole book. The author clarifies that in the Author’s Notes which totally threw me for a loop and a shocker. As I was reading this book, the author uses the word “I” a lot referring to Sandy which really bothered me as I was reading. I wondered why there were no other pronouns used and I understand that now. I have to applaud the author for such great writing skills as she left the gender open for the reader. Looking back at the story now, it’s like you choose your own main character, is it a girl or a boy? For what is rape? For every state, rape is defined differently but a broad definition of rape is a form of unwanted sexual behavior that is imposed on someone. Rape is about power but gender identity, it is not immune to.

4 Stars.