My First 5K: Week 14: What Comes Next
In just three weeks, I will be running in my first 5K. I’m excited, I’m a bit nervous, but if anything – I feel prepared.…
In My Mailbox: Week of September 16
In Samantha’s Mailbox:
Title: Diners, Dives and Dead Ends
Author: Terri L Austin
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: As a struggling waitress and part-time college student, Rose Strickland’s life is stalled in the slow lane. But when her close friend, Axton, disappears, Rose suddenly finds herself serving up more than hot coffee and flapjacks. Now she’s hashing it out with sexy bad guys and scrambling to find clues in a race to save Axton before his time runs out.
With her anime-loving bestie, her septuagenarian boss, and a pair of IT wise men along for the ride, Rose discovers political corruption, illegal gambling, and shady corporations. She’s gone from zero to sixty and quickly learns when you’re speeding down the fast lane, it’s easy to crash and burn.
Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you’ll probably like them all! Diners, Dives & Dead Ends is the first book in the Rose Strickland humorous mystery series. Bonus: Includes book club discussion questions.
Title: Death Turns a Trick
Author: Julie Smith
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis:
Rebecca Schwartz, nice Jewish lawyer with a few too many fantasies, is happily playing the piano in a whorehouse when she suddenly finds herself assigned to make sure a near-naked state senator escapes a police raid. That dirty job done, a lovely evening turns even more delightful when she’s picked up by the cops and spends the next two hours at the Hall of Justice. Could this day get any worse? Of Course! Guess who arrives home to find a dead hooker on her living room floor?
Handsome Parker Phillips, Rebecca’s new beau and the most attractive man she’s met in ages, is arrested for the murder. (Worse, she suspects he might actually have done it.)
On the plus side, another very attractive man is following the case–reporter Rob Burns of the San Francisco Chronicle, a possible ally. And there are other possibilities.
Fans of Janet Evanovich, Joan Hess, and Elizabeth Peters will get a kick out of this one.
Title: The Saint’s Devilish Deal
Author: Kristina Knight
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Esmerelda Quinn has been looking for a place to belong since her parents were killed in a car crash when she was young. The closest thing to home has always been Aunt Constance’s villa in Puerto Vallarta, so after a string of hotellier jobs, she’s coming home to run the villa.
Santiago Cruz has called the villa home for as long as he can remember. In between surfing events, Constance has always had a room for him. Color him surprised when Constance leaves him with a joint interest in the villa – along with her niece Esmerelda.
Esme isn’t thrilled to share ownership of the villa with the the youngest Cruz brother – especially as the Cruz family has been after the villa for years. But Santiago has grown up while she’s been away and soon she finds herself falling for the rich boy down the hall – all over again.
In Sara’s Mailbox:
Title: The Midwife of Hope River: A Novel of an American Midwife
Author: Patricia Harman
Received By: Heidi @ Harper Collins
Synopsis: Midwife Patience Murphy has a gift: a talent for escorting mothers through the challenges of bringing children into the world. Working in the hardscrabble conditions of Appalachia during the Depression, Patience takes the jobs that no one else wants, helping those most in need—and least likely to pay. She knows a successful midwifery practice must be built on a foundation of openness and trust—but the secrets Patience is keeping are far too intimate and fragile for her to ever let anyone in.
Honest, moving, and beautifully detailed, Patricia Harman’s The Midwife of Hope River rings with authenticity as Patience faces nearly insurmountable difficulties. From the dangerous mines of West Virginia to the terrifying attentions of the Ku Klux Klan, Patience must strive to bring new light and life into an otherwise hard world.
Title: What the Heart Remembers
Author: Debra Ginsberg
Received By: Erin @ Penguin Group
Synopsis: Whispers of the past…
When young Eden Harrison receives a heart transplant from an unknown donor, her seemingly charmed life falls apart. Haunted by dreams of people and places she doesn’t recognize, Eden is convinced that her new heart carries the memories of its original owner. Eden leaves her old life behind as she is mysteriously drawn to the city of San Diego.
Whispers of the mind…
There, Eden becomes fast friends with Darcy, a young woman recently widowed by Peter, her wealthy, much older husband. But Darcy is unsettled by her inability to mourn, and more unsettled by recurring thoughts of Adam, a young musician she was having an affair with–who has suddenly vanished.
Whispers of the heart…
Yet, the more Eden learns about Darcy, the more she realizes that all is not as it seems, and she begins to suspect foul play behind Peter’s and Adam’s fates. As the tension around them escalates, Eden’s mysterious dreams become more and more frequent. Can Eden listen to what her heart is trying to tell her before it is silenced forever?
On Tour: Picture Perfect by Lucie Simone
Lucie will be on tour September 17- October 15 with her chick lit novel Picture Perfect For Lauren Tate, a high-powered TV producer, sex, lies,…
Baby Talk: Starting Daycare
seems like the summer has just flown by. On May 26th, my son was born and I was amazed at all things shiny and new that my new life presented. The first two weeks were a blur but we eventually moved past it all and me and the little man finally got into a routine. The days were filled with naps and feedings and fun time together, but I always knew in the back of my mind that our constant time together would eventually come to a hault once I started back to work full time.
One of the things that fellow moms will tell you when you get pregnant is that one of the most important things you can do is start looking for a daycare- and they couldn’t be more right. My husband and I sat down and went over financials to see where we stood and how much we could (and were willing) to spend on daycare for Ethan. We also went over some values and criteria that we deemed important in considering our daycare, and with those few tools in my pocket, I started my search when I was about four months pregnant.
No one ever told me how hard it would be to find a good fit. It seemed like most of the places that I loved were completely out of our price range (seriously, who KNEW daycare would cost so much?) and the ones that fit our budget just didn’t seem like a perfect fit. So, the search continued until finally we found a great fit at a Baptist Church that is literally a few blocks away from where I work. Relieved that I finally found THE ONE, I submitted the paper work and paid our deposit.
I continued on through the rest of my pregnancy feeling completely comfortable with my decision and never once though that I would have an issue with Ethan starting daycare, and that feeling continued right up to August, when our days spent together full time were coming to a close. I cried, I prayed and I thought long and hard about just becoming a stay at home mom, but I knew that it wasn’t really an option for us financially. I mean, technically we could have made it work, but I decided to give it a shot and if I still hated sending Ethan off to daycare and working full time, then I would revisit my decision then. But I had to try first to see how I felt.
The first day crept up on us faster than I care to acknowledge and before I knew it, I was dropping my baby off for his first day at daycare. Oh man, I’ve never been more a mess. I’m sure his teacher was used to seeing mom’s react this way, but I was literally choking back tears the entire time we were there. The husband and I said our good bye’s and walked out of the classroom. I silently watched from the window, wondering how I could possibly do this to my baby, the little guy that I carried in my womb for 9 months. I wept as soon as we got inside the car and was seconds away from running back inside and grabbing Ethan from his teacher’s arms, but the husband reassured me that we were making the right decision and that he would be OK. But, would he be? My mind filled with every worst case scenario that you can imagine but I agreed and embarked on my first day without Ethan.
The day went by so slow and every thought was filled with Ethan. I stared at pictures of him on my phone and wondered how he was doing. Around lunch time I caved and went to check on him. When I arrived, I was quite surprised with what I saw- he was completely content and wasn’t even crying. Sure, his teacher said that the morning had been difficult, but she reassured me that it always is with a new baby for the first few days. I stayed by his side for a few moments then left, fearing that I would do more damage than good if I stuck around too long. So, I headed back to work.
Each day got easier and so far, he seems to be enjoying it. We have officially survived one full week of daycare and although I miss Ethan like crazy, I know that it is for the best. He can make friends, gain some independence, but most importantly, always know and trust that his parents will be there at the end of the day to take him home and shower him with love. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile more than when he sees our faces at the end of the day.
A few tips that I’ve discovered that have helped me along the way:
– Always start your search early. Finding a good fit is much harder than you think.
– Help baby make the adjustment slowly. I had my mom take care of Ethan my first week back at work, that way he could get used to not being around mommy 24/7 and also learn to take the bottle. This also helped make the transition easier for me.
– Work on developing and implementing a schedule before starting. It helps tremendously.
– Leave blankets, toys, and other things that “feel” like home. I feel like it helps soothe him.
– Develop a relationship with their teacher. This has been crucial. Please remember that no one knows your child better than you and I think it is unfair to send the baby off without letting his caregiver know more about him. I filled her in on feeding schedule, typical behaviors, preferences, napping, etc, etc. I figured the more the better.
What the Heart Remembers by Debra Ginsberg
Deeply engaging and haunting, What the Heart Remembers by Debra Ginsberg follows young Eden Harrison fresh off receiving a heart transplant from an unknown donor. At first things are fine, but things begin to change when Eden begins to have dreams of people and places that she doesn’t recognize. Convinced that her new heart has a memory of its own, she leaves her old life behind and moves to San Diego, where she meets and befriends Darcy, a recent widow. Adding more mystery to the story, Darcy was having an affair with a young musician named Adam, who has also suddenly vanished out of her life. Eden begins to suspect that there is more to the story than what meets the eye and tension escalates between the two girls. Will Eden be able to get to the bottom of the mystery? And will we ever find out how the two of them are linked? You must read the story to find out….
I have had this book scheduled for review but wasn’t sure if I would have it read in time in order to post a review due to a mailing mix-up … but I started reading What the Heart Remembers last night and couldn’t put it down. This book is amazing. Debra does such a fantastic job at creating a seamless mystery surrounding a donated heart that leaves you fully engaged and mesmerized. I loved the tension between the two gals and was absolutely blown away by the ending. Wow! I may be a little sleep deprived today but it was well worth it. It’s been a while since I’ve had my pulse quicken while reading, but this book was that good. Overall, a great read with a suspenseful plot!
[Rating: 5-5]
To Catch a Bad Guy by Marie Astor
I received a copy of To Catch a Bad Guy in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Janet Maple’s stellar career ended with a layoff and her boyfriend of almost five years told her that he wants to be just friends. When she lands a job at one of New York’s premier boutique investment firms, Janet begins to hope that her luck is finally turning for the better. Not only is she happy with her new paycheck, but things also seem to be looking up on the personal front, as the company’s handsome attorney expresses keen interest in Janet. However, her euphoria is short-lived, as Janet soon discovers alarming facts about her new employer’s business tactics. When her boss dismisses her suspicions as groundless, Janet finds herself confiding to a cute IT engineer, Dean Snider. The closer she gets to Dean, the more Janet is tempted to break her rule of not dating co-workers, but what she doesn’t realize is that everything she knows about Dean, including his occupation and even his name, is a lie.
Dennis Walker is a top-notch white collar crime investigator who will stop at nothing to put culprits away. When an opportunity for an undercover assignment at one of New York’s premier boutique broker dealers comes up, Dennis jumps at the chance, adopting a persona of geeky IT engineer, Dean Snider. While he may be an ace at his job, years of experience fail him when Dennis meets Janet Maple and finds himself torn between his professional obligations and his personal desires. Will he have to choose between his feelings and duty, or will he find a way to satisfy both?
My Review:
If it’s one thing I love, it’s a good mystery novel. I thought To Catch a Bad Guy had all the elements of intrigue, and it was hard for me to put this down! I loved Janet Maple. Sometimes she could seem to be a bit of a pushover, especially when it came to Lisa, but she was smart and determined, and made for a great MC. I liked that readers got an insight on multiple characters, but there weren’t too many and too much of their inner thoughts to become overwhelming, a major kudo to Marie Astor. There was a lot of jargon with Janet’s work, like stocks and trades at that sort of thing, which sometimes I got puzzled on, but most of the time I just felt like I was in the story with the characters and it barely tripped me up. A very solid mystery yet romance novel, and I can’t wait for the second one in the series!
[Rating: 4.5]
The Brenda Diaries by Margo Candela
I received a copy of The Brenda Diaries in exchange for an honest review. Summary: Meet Brenda…A temp with a bad attitude, but an excellent…
Nick and Vanessa Lachey Welcome Son
Baby Lachey has arrived! Nick and Vanessa welcomed their son on Wednesday evening, and gave this statement to People.com: “We are incredibly proud to announce the birth of our beautiful baby boy, Camden John Lachey. Born today at 6:54 p.m., he came into this world at 8 lbs., 9 oz. and 21 inches. Love has truly been redefined for both of us.” This is the first child for Vanessa, 31, and Nick, 38. The couple was married in July 2011.
Author Profile: Sarah Pinneo
Author Name: Sarah Pinneo Website: http://www.sarahpinneo.com/ Bio: Sarah Pinneo worked in finance for more than a decade before making the transition from breadwinner to bread…
