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Perfect Bait by Michael Fowlkes

Perfect Bait by Michael Fowlkes is a romantic thriller that begins with Corey Phillips in love with his high school sweetheart Karyn. He believes that he has finally found his happily ever after but that all changes when he walks into their house boat one day and sees his wife with his best friend. Devastated and heart broken, he decides to leave that life behind in an attempt to heal his broken heart. He travels along the coasts until he finds new love Jennifer. Ready for a new beginning, he risks it all and dives in head first. He settles in and begins running yacht charters but during one trip out into the open water, something happens that will change his life forever.

When I was first contacted about reviewing this book, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It sounded different than something I would normally pick up but I decided to give it a try and boy, let me tell you, this book is gritty. While I appreciated the romantic/love scenes, I had a hard time making my way through everything else. Now, granted, Michael is a talented writer and he definitely went above in his descriptions but I just had a hard time stomaching a lot of it. Overall, this book is a great read for someone looking for something a little darker and although I hard time with the material, I can still tell that Michael did a great job in creating a suspenseful world and great characters.

[Rating: 4/5]

Future Tour: The Green Ticket by Samantha March

I am so excited to go on tour in December with my second women’s fiction novel The Green Ticket! My tour dates are December 17-January…

Cleaning My Yoga Mat

I have been practicing Yoga for many years, and about two years ago my fiancé bought me my own pink Yoga mat. It was going great – until I was in downward facing dog and got a whiff of my mat – holy feet stench! I had never thought about cleaning my mat – duh! I researched around for a while on the best way to get rid of the stinky feet smell on Yoga mats, and this is what I have been using: dish soap and water. Pretty darn simple! I use about a tablespoon of whatever dish soap I have in the house, and mix that in with full spray bottle of tap water. I spray the mat and then wipe it down with a sponge and it’s as good as new! Does anyone else have a different remedy for their Yoga mat?

Interview with Jennifer Brown Thomas

When did you know writing was for you? I’ve been writing seriously since the fifth grade. I love it. The first piece I ever wrote…

Future Tour: Baby! Baby? Baby?! by Holly Kerr

Holly will be on tour January 14- February 4 with her chick lit novel Baby! Baby? Baby?! Thirty-five-year old kindergarten teacher Casey Samms has always…

Diners, Dives & Dead Ends by Terri L. Austin

I am very excited to be kicking off Terri’s tour for CLP Blog Tours with the first mystery novel in the Rose Strickland series, Diners, Dives & Dead Ends. I love mystery, and adding mystery to a fun chick lit novel makes me one happy reader. The MC is Rose Strickland, a struggling waitress and part-time college student, who gets tangled up in a mystery when her best friend Axton goes missing. Rose puts herself on the case, and the next thing she knows she is being watched by one sexy bad guy and finding out a lot of secrets on her once boring town.
I loved this book! I was having a great time with Rose and her friends (loved Roxy’s outfits!) but the ending really put it over the top for me. I was wide-eyed while reading a plot twist that really through me (in a good way) and I was frantically flipping the pages. What an ending – seriously! Now I’m just going to have to be anxious while awaiting the next book! Rose was a fabulous heroine – independent and a bit quirky, but full of love for those who were close to her. I was very intrigued by the obvious attraction between her and the bad guy, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes in the sequel. If you enjoy a bit of mystery in your reading, I highly recommend Diners, Dives & Dead Ends!
[Rating: 5]

Thirty Day Shred Challenge: Level Two

I am typing this on Sunday, so I am on Day 11 of the 30 Day Shred Challenge. How am I doing so far? I would say not too bad! I actually have not completed today’s workout ( I just got home from traveling out of town) but I plan on doing that once the Eagles/Cowboys game is over. I will moving up to Level 2 starting today, as I did 10 days at Level 1 and I feel okay to move on. I’m nervous; I won’t lie. A few of the moves were difficult for me in level 1 – I hate pushups, and the side lunge with a shoulder raise really did me in. So I’m curious what will be in store for me next! I will be taking my measurements again tomorrow, but in the first five days I had lost a half inch on my waist and an inch on my hips, so I think that is pretty good! It hasn’t been too hard for me yet to complete the workout every day, I think it goes by really fast with the 3-2-1 system…and I work from home Monday-Thursday 😉 Today is the first day where I feel it is a bit difficult to get it done, simply because we got home late and I’m exhausted from all that driving (in rain and sleet!) the past two days. But maybe it’s a good thing I’m starting Level 2, because I am actually excited to see what the moves are and that is helping motivate me – much needed today!

In My Mailbox: Week of November 11

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Love At 11

Author: Mari Mancusi

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: When Maddy graduated from Columbia University, she was ready to change the world. She’d get a job at Newsline, meet a nice guy, and live happily ever after with a real designer handbag on her arm. Five years later, she’s stuck producing puff pieces for the local News 9 San Diego–where “if it bleeds, it leads.” She’s still single, her family’s falling apart, and so is her knock-off Kate Spade.

Even a promotion–complete with hot camera guy–can’t seem to turn her luck around. After all, the promotion means working with the most narcissistic anchor on the planet and hot camera guy Jamie? Well, he’d be perfect…except for that pesky model/actress fiancee of his.

But just as Maddy’s ready to give up on her dreams, a secret scoop from her favorite knock-off purse guy has her suddenly chasing a huge lead. And Jamie is right by her side–in all the right ways. Can she bag the bad guy in an exclusive expose, put her family back together again, and win Jamie’s heart? Stay tuned…it’s the story of a lifetime.

Title: A Good Kind of Knowing

Author: Kathy Lynn Harris

Received: From Kathy Lynn Harris

Synopsis: Imagine if Maeve Binchy grew up in Texas and wrote an old-school Larry McMurtry novel. Think Hope Floats meets High Fidelity.

That’s how critics are describing A Good Kind of Knowing—from the author of the highly acclaimed and number-one Amazon bestseller, Blue Straggler.

A Good Kind of Knowing is a novel about the power of music and friendship, the relationship two-steps that go on in old Texas dancehalls, and the secret to finding just a little bit of common ground in a world full of distrust.

Title: The Best of Us

Author: Sarah Pekkanen

Received: From Atria Books

Synopsis: Paradise isn’t quite what it seems as four college friends meet for an island vacation in this captivating new novel from the acclaimed author of These Girls. Following a once-in-a-lifetime invitation, a group of old college friends leap at the chance to bring their husbands for a week’s vacation at a private villa in Jamaica to celebrate a former classmates’ thirty-fifth birthday. All four women are desperate for a break and this seems like a perfect opportunity. Tina is drowning under the demands of mothering four young children. Allie needs to escape from the shattering news about an illness that runs in her family. Savannah is carrying the secret of her husband’s infidelity. And, finally, there’s Pauline, who spares no expense to throw her husband an unforgettable birthday celebration, hoping it will gloss over the cracks that have already formed in their new marriage. The week begins idyllically, filled with languorous days and late nights of drinking and laughter. But as a hurricane approaches the island, turmoil builds, forcing each woman to re-evaluate everything she’s known about the others—and herself.

Title: 77 Ways to Find New Readers for Your Self-Published Book!

Author: Laura Pepper Wu

Received: From Laura Pepper Wu

Synopsis: The biggest challenge for any writer is to let people know their book exists. In this concise guide co-founder of the 30 Day Books studio Laura Pepper Wu shares actionable tips and secrets that you can use to skyrocket the sales of your book and find new readers in places far outside of your current network.

This short but sweet eBook was inspired by an author desperate for help.

Author Laura Pepper Wu poured onto paper the strategies and ideas she uses to coach self-published authors for over three years, along with actionable tips on how to use them. 77 Ways is designed to inform, inspire and entertain.

Try one new idea each day for 2-3 months, and you have a creative marketing plan that is both manageable and effective. You’ll break beyond your current network and find ways of connecting with new readers that feels comfortable and enjoyable.

Written by Laura Pepper Wu of the award-winning 30 Day Books book studio, self-published author and head of promotions for several Amazon best-sellers. Get your hands on a copy and discover a NEW approach – and several new ways – to promoting your book now!

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Finding Rachel Davenport

Author: Michael Harling

Received By: Michael Harling

Synopsis: Rachel Davenport—former child prodigy, world-class gymnast and Miss Teen England—has retired from public life and lives anonymously in a small town, working as a clerk for a travel agency.

By night, however, Rachel is a self-styled crime-fighter, seeking to right the wrongs inflicted on people who cannot help themselves.

But when her first mission goes horribly awry she finds herself pursued, not merely by the media, but by the police and an assortment of criminals who want her silenced. To preserve her anonymity, as well as her life,

Rachel must prove to the police that she is one of the good guys and keep one step ahead of the bad guys, all while avoiding nosey neighbours, holding onto her job and juggling two would-be suitors.

Finding Rachel Davenport is a fun read, with a quirky plot and an explosive ending.

Workout Review: Jillian Michael’s Yoga Meltdown

I started practicing Yoga a few years ago, and I have slowly been progressing. It was not easy at first to catch on to the moves, but I kept at it and really felt and saw the benefits from practicing regularly. I had a handful of DVD’s, as I really enjoy working out in the comfort of my own home, and I’ve upgraded them often. I had one Yoga DVD that I had gotten so used to and the moves were all fairly beginner that I found myself nearly falling asleep while working out. I knew it was time for an upgrade, and I wanted to find something that gave me a challenge. Who better than Jillian Michael’s to look for? I grabbed her Yoga Meltdown DVD and got to it.
And then I cried. Well, not really, but I came pretty close. This was one hard workout. There are two levels to choose from, and I have not yet advanced to the second. This is coming from someone who works out regularly and has been practicing Yoga for many years. In the beginning I was a bit frustrated, confused as to why I was struggling so. Then a girlfriend of mine told me she wasn’t past level one either, and she is a workout guru and Yoga lover as well. If you are looking for a challenging Yoga DVD, pick this one up! I am currently taking Jillian’s 30 Day Shred Challenge, and that is a breeze compared to this workout. I did see in the reviews some people use the 30 Day Shred DVD as a warm-up, then complete this Yoga workout. That sounds pretty challenging, and I might tackle that someday in the future! I really like this DVD though, it’s hard, it’s tough, it makes me sweat, and I really feel like I give it my all when I complete it. Jillian Michael’s has quickly become my new favorite trainer!
[Rating: 5]