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Wedding Update: Nightmares!
Chick Lit Plus

Wedding Update: Nightmares!

My wedding is just under three months away and I have started having dreams – more like nightmares – every night this past week about the wedding. I have dreamt about my dress not fitting, wearing the wrong dress, the DJ playing my music at the wrong time, lost veils and garters, the groom not finding a ride to the wedding, my bridal party not showing up. What is going on here? As I’m telling people this, a lot of married women are telling me they went through the same thing – and some brides even still have these nightmares, years after they said I Do! I’m glad I’m not alone, but man, these are not fun. I wake up every morning so stressed about another item I need to check off the list or my overactive mind finds a new scenario that can go wrong on the big day. I never imagined planning a wedding would become this stressful, but as we get closer, I can definitely see the toll it’s taken. Invites are going out next week (only three weeks behind according to my The Knot checklist!) and I can’t wait to see if I start dreaming about those next. Off to hunt down a cocktail – or maybe just a piece of chocolate 😉

June 24, 2013
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CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Meltdown by Tara Thompson
Chick Lit Review

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Meltdown by Tara Thompson

Tara Thompson is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Meltdown
Summary:
NYSSA, internationally renown supermodel, is accustomed to turning heads. As a young girl, her flawless face attracted the wrong kind of attention. She escaped an abusive father and successfully navigated life’s seedy underbelly to become a runway renegade, although not without leaving her share of enemies behind. Lately she’s caught the eye of….

STEVE, handsome hometown hero and soon-to-be Governor of Texas. Unfortunately he’s already married. As Steve publicly dumps his perfect, former Miss Texas wife for Hollywood’s latest ‘It’ girl, his state faces the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. Will he be able to turn things around, or is he too embroiled in his political sex scandal? His good friend and business partner….

DEMETRI, sexy hedge fund manager, is at the top of his professional game and tries to save his friend from near financial ruin. Yet he’s distracted by Steve’s new girlfriend, who just happens to be Demetri’s old flame. Years ago, Nyssa ran from him and he’s never forgotten her. But why is he still interested? Demetri’s dating….

AISLINN, a woman as brilliant as she is beautiful. Enjoying all the perks of having a billionaire boyfriend, she’s falling fast for Demetri and has no idea that she might be the one getting played. Although she bets big on Wall Street, the largest casino in the world, nothing is more risky than giving her heart away.

In this fun, juicy, glamorous novel, no one is exactly who they appear to be…
And all of them are heading for a MELTDOWN.

Who will rise from the ashes?
Review:
Smart chick lit is a favorite of mine, and I feel that Meltdown can be put into that category. While of course there is talk about romance and betrayal and fashion and love, there is also political situations and some deep discussions on the financial crisis that are weaved in throughout the pages. It was interesting to get into the lives of all the characters highlighted, as they are quite diverse and their worlds are unique and interesting. Sometimes it was a tad overwhelming how many people we get to know and keeping up with all of their storylines, but it still made for an interesting read. I hope there is more coming from Tara Thompson.
3.5 stars

June 24, 2013
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CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Meeting Miss Mollie by Di Jones
Chick Lit Review

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Meeting Miss Mollie by Di …

Di Jones is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Meeting Miss Mollie
Summary:
She’s the Agony Aunt who has it all. Except for one small problem – her life is a disaster.

Annabelle is a hard nosed writer with a good marriage, a nice flat, a thriving career at Adorn magazine and a busy social life. She has only one ambition – to be the best known Agony Aunt in the UK.

When her world is turned upside down by her husband’s infidelity she strikes out on her own and goes flatting with a jet setting businessman. But things in her new house aren’t quite what they seem and her problems mount.

Through her ups and downs, Annabelle forges a relationship with the strangest of friends and discovers the best things in life are those she always avoided.

Meeting Miss Mollie is a story about lies, loss, loyalty, love and laughter, and will appeal to anyone who loves chicklit or romantic comedy. You’ll laugh as you read this book, and perhaps even shed a tear.
Review:
I have also read Transplanting Holly Oakwood by Jones and thought it was a delightful chick lit read. I was looking forward to reading Meeting Miss Mollie, and once again, thought it was fun chick lit book. Jones writes with humor, wit, spark, and I loved that we got a POV from Mollie – a dog! I thought that was a little different, and her chapters were cracking me up. Sometimes I didn’t understand the romance angle, it was like it kept coming out of the blue, and Annabelle seemed to get over her fear of dogs a bit too suddenly. But I liked Annabelle as a character, she was easy to relate to especially when it came to her failed marriage, and I did enjoy reading. I would recommend Di Jones to chick lit fans!
4 stars

June 24, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of June 23
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of June 23

Title: Secrets of a Spiritual Guru

Author: Tamara Lee Dorris

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Meet Melissa Murphy: wine-drinking real estate agent who finds herself “accidentally” assuming the role of a spiritual blogger when her boyfriend leaves her for his yoga teacher. Can she keep her role secret while trying to win her man back? If the lying doesn’t kill her, the poses might!

“…Achingly funny and impossibly wise…” Jenna McCarthy, author of, If It Was Easy They’d Call the Whole Damn Thing a Honeymoon; Living with and Loving the TV-Addicted, Sex-Obsessed, Not-so-handy Man You Married

If you’re looking for a hilarious look at yoga, real estate and personal development, you’ll love this book

Profound insight on human nature delivered in what seems like a yoga book (it’s not), a real estate book (no way), but instead is a woman’s fiction, humor tale that will keep readers smiling and longing for more.

This is the first book of the Guru Series

Title: Exchange in Eichstatt

Author: Melanie Surani

Received: From Melanie Surani

Synopsis: When Kat Shergill travels to a small town in Germany for a college course, she has no idea she’ll run into Peter, an ex-boyfriend. Almost as soon as they realize they still have feelings for each other, Peter is kidnapped.

Though Kat does everything she can to understand the clues and ensure her friend’s safe return, she angers the kidnapper, whose taunting text messages and calls suddenly stop. Radio silence means no more information and possibly an abrupt end to the game.

Title: All My Restless Life to Live

Author: Dee DeTarsio

Received: From Dee DeTarsio

Synopsis: All My Restless Life to Live Life is a soap opera, especially for Elle Miller, who writes for one. (Ellen dropped the “n” in her name in hopes of finding a better ending for herself.) When her laptop crashes, she borrows her recently deceased dad’s computer and gets way more than she bargained for.

Elle unravels mysterious communications from his computer, while her mom decides to give Internet dating a try. As Elle tries to save her career at I’d Rather Be Loved with a storyline featuring a trip through Atlantis, she takes a trip to the Emmys, and finds herself in the middle of a romance between a real doctor and a hunk who just plays one on TV. Friends, family, and clues from “the other side” all help Elle figure out the difference between living the good life and living a good life.

Fans of Marian Keyes and Jennifer Weiner will delight in Dee DeTarsio’s sparkling prose and lively dialogue as she takes readers into the heart of women’s lives. Filled with friendship, love, loss, betrayal, and challenges that force her characters to find their place in the universe, Dee’s novels give us that hopefully-ever-after we’re searching for.

Title: The Candidate

Author: Josie Brown

Received: From Josie Brown

Synopsis: Democratic political campaign consultant Ben Brinker can’t remember the last time he was excited by a candidate’s vision. He feels he’s lost his way, both emotionally and professionally. Worst yet, his show-me-the-money policy seems to have finally caught up with him. Two of his recent clients have been disgraced in one way or another: a senator is caught in lurid sex scandal, and a congressman is indicted in a kickback scandal. In no time at all the political pundits are calling Ben a “candidate cooler.” Now Ben is desperate for any campaign gig he can get.

As luck would have it, Andrew Harris Mansfield, the charismatic junior senator from North Carolina and former Marine pilot, asks Ben if he wants to run his soon-to-be-announced campaign for president.

Little does Ben know what’s in store for Andrew, or their country–

Nor does he realize that the key to saving both have been placed in his hands.

Title: The Back Up List

Author: Amber Best & Miriam Brady

Received: From Amber Best & Miriam Brady

Synopsis: The Back-Up List has only ever been a joke- that’s it. Madison Grey has a celebrity crush list of possible replacement husbands ready with the off-chance her husband might inexplicably vanish. Clearly, Madison was not prepared for- A. her husband’s untimely death and B. Calvin Hunt, rock god and top man on her Back-Up List to begin crushing on her. Talk about your cruel cosmic ironies. It has only been six months since her entire family was killed in a tragic accident and he’s looking to her for a hook-up! Really?

Calvin Hunt, rock icon, is living the dream of any womanizing man-whore- that is until he spots the first unavailable woman he’s ever met. What the hell? Is she gay? He’s busily seducing her with concert tickets and exotic getaways, all while he’s touring. There are plenty of obstacles he’ll have to overcome to be with her and he’ll need all the help he can get from his stoic bodyguard, his nosy Oprah-channeling brother and even Madison’s bizarrely quirky friends who are all fighting to cross his name off of Madison’s Back-Up List.

June 23, 2013
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On Tour: Meltdown by Tara Thompson
CLP Blog Tours

On Tour: Meltdown by Tara Thompson

Tara will be on tour June 24-July 15 with her novel Meltdown NYSSA, internationally renown supermodel, is accustomed to turning heads. As a young girl,…

June 22, 2013
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Book Review: Being Me by Lisa Renee Jones
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Being Me by Lisa Renee Jones

I received a copy of Being Me in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:
I arch into him, drinking in his passion, instantly, willingly consumed by all that he is and could be to me. . . .

Sara McMillan is still searching for Rebecca, the mysterious woman whose dark,erotic journal entries both enthralled and frightened her. Tormented by a strong desire to indulge the demands of her new boss while also drawn deeper into her passionate bond with the troubled artist, Chris Merit, Sara must face a past as deeply haunting as Rebecca’s written words. In one man’s arms, Sara will find the safe haven to reveal her most intimate secrets and explore her darkest fantasies. But is safety just an illusion, when the truth about Rebecca has yet to be discovered?

Review:
I usually read historical or contemporary romance with sex scenes but I have never read anything like what I read in Being Me! From the very first page I was consumed by the story, the characters and all of the secrets they seemed to have. The sex was HOT and Chris Merit made it even hotter!
Of course, I continued to wonder about the missing Rebecca and Ella’s lack of communication while on her honeymoon. We find out about Rebecca but Ella is still missing.
At times, I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster with Sara and Chris because they both have secrets they have yet to share; I got a sense that both of them were holding something back.
The book has a great story line and it is more than sex and secrets. The art gallery and the staff there intrigued me as did Chris’ philanthropy. I found that all of the characters were interesting. I am looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery, flawed characters, passion and erotic sex.

June 21, 2013
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Book Review: Laws of Migration by Suzanne Frank
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Laws of Migration by Suzanne Frank

I received a copy of Laws of Migration by Suzanne Frank in exchange for an honest review. Summary: Birds, especially the ibis, have always fascinated…

June 21, 2013
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Book Review: Stupid by Choice by Leighton Summers
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Stupid by Choice by Leighton Summers

I received a copy of Stupid by Choice by Leighton Summers in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
A novel about the adventures and regrets of a Texas Oil Princess’s quest for finding love…

Melanie St. John is a beautiful, smart, rich Texan daddy’s girl born to a bold, high-powered lawyer in the oil business who helps Melanie grow into someone who is both worldly and capable. But once she leaves college and enters the privileged world of dating highly sought-after “men of leisure,” she is catapulted in and out of the wealthiest places on the globe while hoping to get married and start a family with one of them. But these mostly destructive love affairs soon become a dynamic exploration of wealth and love, with all the highs and lows. And to complicate matters she is surrounded by her older, free-wheeling, wildcat sister (and her sister’s exotic but destructive best friend) as well as her own two completely opposite best friends, and each of them also hopes to find their own Prince Charming—which all only adds to the competition, adventures, and scandals. But throughout each relationship Melanie explores the deeper, more prevalent themes of family, friendship, love, intimacy, freedom, betrayal, motherhood, and most of all, inner strength.
Review:
My first thought about this book is that it’s really long. I wish there were parts that were cut out to make the story move along faster, because I think if it did it could have held my attention better. Sometimes I had to wonder why certain scenes were being shared, how they added to the story, and really – what was the overall point of the book. The prologue was intriguing, but it seemed to take way to long to get through Melanie’s whole life story until we finally catch up to where the book started us off. There were interesting parts and it was fun to follow along a Texas Oil Princess in her quest for love and trying to find true happiness. Some of the characters we meet are so over the top and out of control that it’s hard not talk to other people about them, saying “Can you believe he did this?” I felt emotions while reading this book, especially when it came to Melanie’s friend Emily, and I truly liked Melanie as a main character. There were so many times where she could have just thrown in the towel and taken the easy way out, and I’m glad she didn’t do that. I still wish the story was shorter, but it was a good book
3 stars

June 20, 2013
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Book Review: Let It Go by Brooklyn James
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Let It Go by Brooklyn James

I received a copy of Let It Go by Brooklyn James in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

Savannah Bondurant, a marriage and relationship columnist for the Savannah Sun Times, just signed her divorce papers. Brody McAlister, the elusive and smoking hot gym boy, has finally recovered from his divorce three years ago. Be it spurred by loneliness or sheer attraction, the two slip into the sheets for a memorable one-night stand. Savannah’s pesky ex-husband continues to try and worm his way back into her life, insisting they remain friends, even though he is living with his jealous new girlfriend. An up-and-coming woodworker artist, Brody has every socialite cougar in town promising him success and riches, for a price, of course. With two advice-giving older sisters, one fiercely single and one seemingly happily married, Savannah learns her parents’ long and successful relationship does not come without its own secrets. Why should she believe in happily ever after? Her constant overanalyzing and skepticism bodes well in her profession as a journalist, but proves counterproductive in her personal life. Divorce, guilt, suspicion, holding on to the past—can Savannah trust in Brody to help her Let It Go…

My Thoughts:

I was eager when Brooklyn contacted me to review her latest book, Let It Go, seeing as how I adored her debut novel. And let me tell you, she does not disappoint. This book is refreshing real and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not only are the characters realistic, you can feel their genuine emotion and feelings jump off the page. Now-a-days, everyone has either been through a divorce or been close enough to one to know that they are quite tricky to navigate, and Brooklyn does this with ease. Overall, this story flows with ease and is a quick read and very entertaining. I highly recommend it.
Rating: 4 stars

June 20, 2013
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