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Blog Tour Sign Up: When I See You by Katherine …

She believes that love can never last, promises are usually broken, and true happiness is extremely elusive in the long run. He believes most risks are worth taking, the promises he makes can be kept, and love doesn’t factor in his relationships any longer. They’re both wrong.

Jordan Holloway has never fully recovered from the unexpected deaths of her famous Hollywood parents. At 27, she is still slow to trust and remains uncertain about the true duration of love and happiness. Yet, it’s been four years since she fell in love with Ethan when he rocked her world even as he marched off to war leaving her alone with their young son Max. Now, Ethan tells her this will be his last tour in Afghanistan and that soon the three of them will be together. Still anxious at his leaving again, Jordan extracts a promise for Ethan’s safe return from Brock Wainwright, her husband’s sniper partner and best friend. But, can she put all her trust in Brock and can he keep such a promise?

At 29, Brock Wainwright fully embraces the dangerous life of a Navy Seal. He enjoys his freedom and not being committed to anyone; and, there’s been a long line of women who can attest to that. Everything changes for Brock after he meets Jordan. When the two men return to Afghanistan, Brock’s intent on keeping his promise to Jordan about keeping Ethan safe for a variety of reasons, including the most disturbing one of all, he is more than just attracted to his best friend’s wife. This revelation plagues Brock on the battlefield and in a violent moment changes everything.

PRAISE for WHEN I SEE YOU ★★★★★
Owen’s latest novel When I See You is intensely heartbreaking, at times achingly romantic, and will keep you turning the pages long into the dead of night.

Owen’s writing is beautiful; captivating…the story line is compelling and emotionally driven. I dare you to put it down.

“This book is not a fast pace ‘on the edge of your seat’ mystery, not an erotica, no vampires or make believe animals this book. It’s simply an emotional roller coaster that I highly recommend to everyone…” JerseyGirl

If you enjoy Nicholas Sparks’ The Lucky One or Dear John and the twists and turns of story lines like those of Jodi Picoult, you’ve got to read When I See You.

Author Spotlight: Jenn Flynn-Shon

Author Name: Jenn Flynn-Shon
Website: http://randomnessandlunacy.blogspot.com/
Bio: Jenn Flynn-Shon is an Author, born and raised in the Boston, Massachusetts area but currently living and working in Phoenix, Arizona. She quite happily lives, child-free, with her husband in the Valley of the Sun. She is an avid recycler, upcycler, and refuser of superfluous things. Love of sports is a cultural experience, an almost mandated way of life for most Bostonians, and Jenn is no exception to that rule. Jenn loves to travel, read, spend time with family and friends, and blog. “Ripple the Twine” is her first fiction novel.
See my review for Ripple the Twine!
Visit Jenn’s tour page!
Connect with Jenn!

Writesy – http://writesy.blogspot.com/
Ripple the Twine – http://www.lulu.com/shop/jenn-flynn-shon/ripple-the-twine/paperback/product-20117696.html
Amazon – http://amazon.com/author/jennshon
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/jennshon
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/JennFlynnShon
Twitter – http://twitter.com/jennshon

Dogs Have Angels Too by Sarah Cavallaro

I received a copy of Dogs Have Angels Too in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
A heart-warming comedy of errors for dog lovers of the twenty-first century. . . .

In the dog-eat-dog world of recessionary New York City, the irrepressible Miss Pink leads a pack of down-on-their-luck women, who ultimately find hope in the most unlikely of places: an over-crowded animal shelter, where unwanted pets are routinely abandoned to their grim fates. Miss Pink, a former marketing executive and divorcée who’s intermittently homeless herself, makes it her mission to find homes for a growing bevy of cuddly canines. Her “adoption walks” bring her to meet a series of fellow New Yorkers, all of whom are struggling with their own personal and financial crises. In other words, they are all uniquely right for recruitment in Miss Pink’s master plan-which she’s devising on-the-fly, by the seat of her favorite pink pants!
My Review:
I enjoyed this book because I think a lot of people can relate to it – hurt by the economy, feeling down on yourself, and trying to find a way to still be inspired and upbeat. Miss Pink was a nice character that manages to still have drive after all she goes through, and that was nice to read about. I am a dog lover, so that aspect always made me smile. With all that said, something just seemed lacking in the book to me. Sometimes I couldn’t connect with the writing, and I found myself drifting away at a few different points while reading. Still an enjoyable read though, and one I especially think animal lovers would enjoy.
[Rating: 3]

30 Day Shred Challenge: One Week Left

I am just about finished with Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred Challenge! Friday will mark Day 30, as I have yet to miss a day since November 1. As I write this, I am sitting at my fiancé’s parent’s house, where we have been staying the past three days for the Thanksgiving holiday. I was worried that I would have to miss a day (or two or three) because of our schedule, but I lugged home the DVD and weights with me and have completed the workout in the mornings. It makes me proud to say that I am so dedicated to something, and my body really is seeing changes. I have lost another half inch on my hips, and my abs have some serious definition. I have also noticed stronger-looking arms and shoulders. I don’t think I will make it to Level 3 in this 30 days, but hopefully the second time I give this challenge a go I will be able to. I’m looking forward to seeing my measurements at Day 30, and can definitely appreciate the sculpted body that has come from all the hard work. I am so super happy I purchased this DVD!

In My Mailbox: Week of November 25

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Skinnytinis

Author: Teresa Marie Howes

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: More than 70 ways to enjoy cocktail hour–without worrying about the calories

For people watching their weight, enjoying the occasional cocktail can be a problem, since the average mixed drink contains over 300 calories. Now Teresa Howes comes to the rescue with scores of cocktail recipes that average only 142 calories each–but have the same great flavor and alcohol content as their full-calorie counterparts. From a Skinny Appletini and a Skinny Cosmopolitan to a Skinny Mojito and a Skinny Margarita, these guilt-free drinks feature low-sugar or sugar-free mixers, fresh fruit, and other clever ways to cut the calories. With 39 beautiful color photographs plus a section on diet-friendly drinks people can order at a bar or restaurant, SkinnyTinis is a must-have guide for weight-conscious social drinkers everywhere.

Title: A Girls Guide to Fairytales

Author: Laurey Buckland

Received: From Laurey Buckland

Synopsis: For daydreamer Maddie, obsessive compulsive Clare, over dramatic Isobel and happy-go-lucky Sophie, life is more a world of tragic than magic. For Maddie it’s a constant battle against the monotony of a job she hates while her heart aches to be somewhere else, for Clare it’s a perpetual struggle to vanquish her teenage insecurities and to see herself for the woman she really is, for Isobel it’s a refusal to reveal her true self for fear it’s not what everyone imagined her to be and for Sophie it’s a willingness to believe in a rumour that threatens to poison her perfect relationship.

But with the love and support of their friends and a little bit of luck, the girls soon realise that happy ever afters are not just reserved for fairy tale fiction – as long as they start believing in them.

Title: Married by Christmas

Author: Scarlett Bailey

Received: Unsolicited

Synopsis: All she wants is a perfect Christmas Eve wedding…

It’s been on Anna’s wish-list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she’d ever experienced.

But now – only two weeks before her big day – her perfect husband-to-be drops a bombshell…

Only nothing’s going to stop Anna’s plans – not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife!

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Torn Together

Author: Emlyn Chand

Received: Emlyn @ Evolved Publishing

Synopsis: Evolved Publishing presents “Torn Together” by Emlyn Chand, a story about one woman’s search for love and acceptance, her troubled relationship with her mother, and her desperate desire to find the happiness for which she’s always yearned. LITERARY/WOMEN’S FICTION. ~~~~~ From her cheating boyfriend to her dead father and cold, judgmental mother, Daly knows she can’t trust others to be there when it counts. This cynicism begins to melt away when she meets Kashi, a light-hearted charmer from India, who decides he cares too much to let her fade into the background of her own life. After a series of false starts, their quirky romance carries them to India, where Daly must win the approval of Kashi’s family in order to seal their “forever.” Meanwhile, Laine struggles to cope with the pain of early widowhood, fleeing into the pages of her well-worn library and emerging only to perform her duties as a social worker at the crisis pregnancy center. Although her daughter wants nothing more than to work as an artist, Laine doesn’t know how to redirect Daly to a more suitable profession without further damaging their tenuous relationship. Can Laine look past her pain to learn from an unlikely mentor? Has Daly finally found someone whom she can trust? Will the women recognize their common bonds before the relationship is broken beyond repair? “Torn Together,” Emlyn Chand’s first sojourn into Literary/Women’s Fiction, illustrates how our similarities often drive us apart.

Title: Grace Unexpected

Author: Gale Martin

Received: Susan Ethridge @ Booktrope

Synopsis: This contemporary romantic comedy features thirty-something Grace Savage, who has slogged through crummy jobs and dead-end relationships with men who would rather go bald than say “I do”. In search of respite from her job, her mother, her humdrum life, she visits Shaker Village in New Hampshire. Instead of renewal, she’s unnerved to learn that Shaker men and women lived and worked side by side in complete celibacy.

When her longtime boyfriend dumps her instead of proposing, Grace avows the sexless Shaker ways. Resolved to stick to her new plan – dubbed the Shaker Plan – despite ovaries ticking like time bombs, she returns to her life in Pennsylvania. Almost immediately, she’s juggling two eligible bachelors: Addison, a young beat reporter; and True, a venerable anthropology professor. Both men have ample charms and soul mate potential to test her newfound Shaker-style self-control, and Grace appears to be on the fast track to a marriage proposal… until secrets revealed deliver a death rattle to the Shaker Plan.

Title: Married by Christmas

Author: Scarlett Bailey

Received: Unsolicited

Synopsis: All she wants is a perfect Christmas Eve wedding…

It’s been on Anna’s wish-list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she’d ever experienced.

But now – only two weeks before her big day – her perfect husband-to-be drops a bombshell…

Only nothing’s going to stop Anna’s plans – not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife!

The Bracelet by Roberta Gately

I received a copy of The Bracelet in exchange for an honest review.

The Bracelet by Roberta Gately tells the tale of Abby Monroe, a newly heartbroken UN worker searching for her purpose in life. After witnessing a brutal murder in her new home in Pakistan, she is haunted by the terrible crime and the image of the victim’s bracelet has made its permanent mark on her memory. She attempts to move past it but struggles. Turns out, this crime was her first introduction into the world of human trafficking. Once she realizes that, she begins working at a local women’s shelter and hopes to help change lives. There, she meets some amazing women with some atrocious stories about their experiences in human trafficking. As she gains their trust, she dives deeper into their stories and then joins forces with a NYT reporter. Together, they attempt to track down the leader of the ring. Will they be able to find out who is responsible for these terrible crimes? And will Abby be able to make her impact on the world?

The Bracelet is not typically the type of book that I would normally read but I am so glad I did. This book will reel you and keep you enthralled for the entire ride. I loved every second and could literally picture each page being turned into a movie on the big screen. Gripping doesn’t even begin to describe it. I am very unfamiliar with the world of human trafficking but this book has made me research a few things already, and I just finished it. Overall, a gripping novel about a sad world that exists … but that many ignore because it doesn’t touch them directly. I would highly recommend this book. A must read.

[Rating: 5/5]

The Bloody Mary Club by Debbie Dyke

Debbie Dyke is on tour now with CLP Blog Tours and her financial thriller The Bloody Mary Club.

The Bloody Mary Club by Debbie Dyke takes place during the stock market meltdown and our main character, Gina Van Story is caught right in the middle of it all in her role as a savvy investment adviser. Over the years, she has been rather successful in tracking the market and taking advantage of incoming trends … and she is eager for one last hoorah. Gina and her three best friends form the Bloody Mary Investment Club and run into corruption and a suspenseful mystery while they try to up their stock portfolios. Will it be worth it? Or will things get more dangerous then they already are?

I had a lot of fun reading this book. I thought all of the characters were very believable and I absolutely adored Gina. She and I are so very different but I was definitely able to put myself in her shoes throughout the book. I loved the stock market aspect and actually found it to be quite exciting (which is one thing I never thought I would say). Overall, this book was not at all what I expected but that is a good thing. This book is suspenseful and I had such a fun time as I flipped through the pages to see what would happen next. I loved the mystery and intrigue and would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun time with a little twist added in there. This book is definitely a fun ride.

[Rating: 4/5]

On Tour: Falling For You by Heather Thurmeier

Heather will be on tour November 26-December 17 with her novel Falling For You Newly single Cassidy Quinn is thrilled to be a contestant on…

Review & Guest Post : From Notting Hill with Love…Actually by …

I received a copy of From Knotting Hill with Love…Actually in exchange for an honest review.
This was the first I have read from Ali McNamara, and I was really excited for it. Everything about it just screamed classic chick lit, and it left me with a smile at the end. Main character and movie fanatic Scarlett O’Brien has an obsession with movies. She loves dreaming about the glamorous and romantic lives some of her favorite leading ladies have had. There is a tiny problem though – her life is quite unexciting and unglamorous. When Scarlett gets the opportunity to house-sit in none other than Knotting Hill, she jumps at the chance. Finally, a way to show her father and boring fiancé that life really can imitate art. But her romantic comedy plans turn out decidedly more complicated than Scarlett ever expected. Will she get her happy ending?
This is a really fun chick lit book, and I immensely enjoyed it. Scarlett is such a fab heroine, a bit mixed-up and clueless but such an optimist you have no choice but to love her. I enjoyed her quite complicated love life, and was really on the end of chair when I was reading the last few chapters. The supporting cast mixed in seamlessly and the minor plot points were interesting and kept the story moving along. One for chick lit lovers to check out!
[Rating: 4]

Big thanks to Ali McNamara for sharing this guest post!

I think one of the most commonly asked questions of novelists is “Where do you get your ideas from?’
And it’s one of the hardest to answer, because usually they spring out of nowhere. What sometimes seems like a great idea when you first think of it, might never actually lead anywhere. Sometimes you don’t even know you’ve had an idea until it keeps banging away in your mind trying to tell you it needs to escape and become something else. And sometimes an idea hits you so hard in the face you feel like you’ve been hit by a clown throwing ‘idea’ shaped custard pies.

‘From Notting Hill with Love…Actually’ was the second of those three. It came to me when I was watching one of those countdowns on one of the music channels on TV – ‘50 greatest movie theme tunes.’
As each of the songs came on to the screen I realised the movies were so well known I knew exactly what was going on in each plot even without dialogue, and I thought wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could get all those great movies into one story, and that’s how the idea began to slowly take shape.
‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’ my second novel was the latter of three. One year I was on holiday with my husband. In a momentary fit of insanity I’d agreed it would be a good idea to take a touring holiday around Ireland in a motorhome, I have no idea why now to this day, I’m much more your luxury hotel sort of holiday-maker. The ‘luxury’ motorhome we hired was not quite the home-from-home we were promised over the Internet, I actually christened it the ‘dustbin on wheels’ it was so bad. But however as we trundled about Ireland, one night when we parked up amongst spectacular scenery in County Kerry, directly opposite the island of Great Blasket, a casual chat about the beauty and remoteness of the island led to one of those random conversations about how you might go about trying to live on an island as isolated as that, and the seed of an idea was immediately planted in my brain for a new novel based around such an island.
So you could say the idea for ‘Breakfast at Darcy’s’ pretty much came from the trashcan!
My third novel is a sequel to my first; it just felt like I had more to tell about the characters and their lives. And my fourth, which I’m writing now, is a story I’ve wanted to write for sometime. It has a music theme this time – with a twist!

Ali McNamara
www.alimcnamara.co.uk
Twitter @AliMcNamara