Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

Latest Youtube Videos

Breaking The Rules by Cat Lavoie
Chick Lit Review

Breaking The Rules by Cat Lavoie

Breaking The Rules by Cat Lavoie follows twenty-seven year old Roxy Rule. When her best friend and roommate, Ollie, accepts an exciting new job overseas designing green architecture, she expects their relationship to continue as it’s always been, but that all changes when they share a heart-stopping kiss moments before his departure. Overcome with mixed emotions, she fights the urge to over analyze the situation and resumes back to her normal life in New York City, working a dead end job, and creeping further and further away from her own dreams of becoming a professional chef. Whilst things are definitely more complicated between her and Ollie (and her fiancé) since their shared kiss, Roxy is determined to forget all about it … although it is ALL she can think about. But, that isn’t the only drama that Roxy is in for as she hosts an unexpected family reunion at her tiny two-bedroom apartment and is surprised when her baby sister turns up pregnant. An unexpected twist and a surprising revelation lead to Roxy finally recognizing that she is in love with her best friend and that their kiss was more than just a kiss. Does he feel the same way? Or is she too late? Only time will tell.

Truly one of a kind…Lavoie masters the classic tale of love between the oldest of friends. Endearingly heartfelt and charming, Breaking the Rules is an absolute delight. I haven’t had this much fun reading a book in quite sometime and was completely blown away by the complexity of the tale of Roxy Rule. The cast of characters are charming and surprisingly honest and I loved the dynamic between Roxy and Ollie and found myself rooting for them to be together since the kiss. This book kept me on my toes and I wondered the whole time what was going to end up happening … and Cat ties up all the ends nicely in a way that truly defines happily ever after. Overall, a fantastic book that I recommend to anyone looking for a great time, a fun adventure, and a hilarious cast of characters that are truly heartwarming. I guarantee that this one will not disappoint. A beautiful tale of love and friendship from a debut author. I can’t wait to see what Cat Lavoie comes out with next.

August 22, 2012
2 Comments
Fatty Patty by Kathleen Irene Paterka
Chick Lit Review

Fatty Patty by Kathleen Irene Paterka

Kathleen Irene Paterka is on tour with Fatty Patty and CLP Blog Tours. This is the first in a series of books that will take place in James Bay, Michigan, and the story follows Patty Perreault, an elementary school teacher who has battled with her weight her whole life. To make matters worse, her twin sister has always been slim, only making Patty’s battle with the bulge that much worse. But Patty is determined to slim down, and hope that her body makeover will give her a better chance at winning the Teacher of the Year award at her school. While attempting to swim laps at a local pool, she meets Sam Curtis, an accountant who also happens to be a few pounds too heavy. While a romance appears to be blooming, Patty holds back because Sam is overweight. She knows she is overweight but is trying to do something about it – work out, eat better (minus those binge-eating moments) but she feels Sam doesn’t care about his image. Will she let her own foolishness stand in the way of love?
Every once in a while I worry about not being able to connect with a book because of not being able to connect with the main character. Fatty Patty was one, because I have been underweight the majority of my life and have never struggled with weight or body image. (Though I did still get called nicknames in school, like Chicken Legs and Twiggy!) But it’s great when you find an author that can pull readers in no matter their situation and have them be able to relate to their characters in some way, and Paterka did that for me. I highly enjoyed Patty’s story and her journey for self-love and happiness, so even though we are so different, it didn’t matter to me as a reader. I found a way to connect with her and stay interested in her journey. There was a lot of drama, especially with the other teachers that I loved reading about, and Patty was an all-around fun character to get to know. The only thing that really stuck out to me was the points where she seemed not-so-nice, mainly when it came to Sam being overweight. I tried to understand her point of view, where she thought he didn’t care about his looks, but sometimes I still thought she was being a tad hypocritical in that sense. But overall, a very fun read, and one I [recommend!
Rating: 4]

August 22, 2012
7 Comments
Author Profile: Erik Atwell
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Erik Atwell

Author Name: Erik Atwell
Website: http://www.erikatwell.com/
Bio: Erik Atwell started his writing career in grammar school, when a one page history class assignment ballooned into a forty page fictional account of a politically controversial silversmith in Boston circa 1776. From there, he wrote short stories while living in New Hampshire, screenplays upon moving to Los Angeles, then finally novels when he ultimately landed in Seattle. He now lives in Seattle with his rock star wife and his six-month-old son, whose only musical claim to fame thus far is sleeping through an entire Go-Go’s concert. But in his defense, he was three weeks old, and the stage was a quarter-mile away. “Thank You For Flying Air Zoe” is his first novel, and he hopes to write a second novel before the little guy treks off to college.
Title: Thank You For Flying Air Zoe
See my 4 star review for Thank you For Flying Air Zoe!
Visit Erik’s tour page at CLP Blog Tours
Bio retrieved from Erik Atwell

August 21, 2012
Leave a comment
Fashioning A Romance by Libby Mercer
Chick Lit Review

Fashioning A Romance by Libby Mercer

Fashioning A Romance by Libby Mercer follows Caitlyn Taylor, fashionista who can’t stand players. Having successfully dodged them her entire life, she finally meets up with John Harrington, British CEO. At first she thinks that he is fun loving and not like the men that she has avoided like the plague, but he turns out to be exactly like them, and worse. And to make things even more interesting, he is exactly her type, to a T. Confused as to why she hasn’t fallen victim to his advances, he turns up the charm. Then it becomes a tug-of-war between the two of them to see what will happen next, because the more she resists, the more he turns on the charm.

I really enjoyed Fashioning A Romance and thought that Libby did a tremendous job at writing very fluidly and creating an interesting dynamic between Caitlyn and fashion. John is a wild character with great charisma and I really enjoyed being stuck in the middle between the two main characters. Overall, a very fun and light summer read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a light summer read.

August 21, 2012
Leave a comment
GIVEAWAY: Viewer Discretion Advised by Cindy Roesel
Updates

GIVEAWAY: Viewer Discretion Advised by Cindy Roesel

LIVE FROM MIAMI! The sensationalism shown on television can only be topped by the drama that happens behind the camera! After being fired from her job in Los Angeles, Charlene “Charley” Thomas moves to sizzling Miami and begins working as news director at a local television station. While getting used to her new gig, Charley wakes up to the fact that her station manager, Jonathan Lefton, is the boss from hell who will do anything for a story no matter who gets hurt in the process. When nude pictures of noon anchor, Miranda Andrews, are discovered in the men’s room of a Key West bar, all hell breaks loose. They end up on Lefton’s desk and he promotes her over the main anchor, sparking off a firestorm. Miranda’s quickly thrown into the mix and assigned special reports. Charley finds herself overseeing an investigation that could shine light on the guilt of a dirty cop. Real life begins to mimic the drama of broadcast news when station personalities face life and death all for rating and Emmys! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED is a modern day “Sex and the City” meets “Broadcast News.”
I have one paperback copy of Viewer Discretion Advised up for grabs! To enter, please leave a comment below. The winner will be chosen Thursday, September 23. Please note this is open to US/Canada residents only. Thank you to Cindy Roesel for sponsoring this giveaway!

August 20, 2012
5 Comments
Author Profile: Bethany Ramos
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Bethany Ramos

Author Name: Bethany Ramos
Website: http://chicklit-books.com/
Bio: Bethany Ramos is a chick lit author that is passionate about the fun, witty, and clever dynamic that can be found in a good chick lit novel. Her chick lit novel 5 Stages of Grief was published by Black Opal Books in 2011. She has also written a children’s book called Lions Can’t Eat Spaghetti that is under contract to be published through 4RV Publishing in 2015.

Bethany works full time as a freelance ghostwriter through Elance.com, specializing in Internet marketing, social media marketing, and SEO. She also co-owns her own website with her husband at The Coffee Bump. Bethany can be reached for further information about her writing services at bethany_ramos83[at]yahoo[dot]com or follow her on Twitter.

Visit Bethany’s tour page at CLP Blog Tours!
See my 4 star review for 5 Stages of Grief
Bio retrieved from Bethany Ramos

August 20, 2012
Leave a comment
The L.A. Commandments by Gillian Duffy
Chick Lit Review

The L.A. Commandments by Gillian Duffy

I received a copy of The L.A. Commandments in exchange for an honest review. Joanne Kavanagh is excited to get away from dreary Dublin and head to the land of sun and fun – California. With best friend Suzie along for the ride, the girls are ready for a new chapter in their lives. They develop a list of LA Commandments – the top commandment being ‘Thou Shall Not Fall in Love.’ But of course, that is so much easier said than done. Quickly befriending some men, including musician Marc and player Chris, the girls break their number one commandment – and will their hearts get broken as well?
I have say, I didn’t really enjoy this book. The beginning had me excited – two Irish girls heading to LA for a new life. The first chapters were fun and had a chick lit feel to it, but then I stopped becoming invested in the story when not much was happening. Everyone was going about their lives, happy, getting along for the most part, and no real drama. By the time the surprise ending came along, I was too far removed from the plot to really be able to gasp. And I think the ‘s’ should have been dropped from the title, really they only had one commandment, but that’s just a minor thing. While not my cup of tea, others may enjoy if you have a bit more patience with a slow moving plot.
[Rating: 2.5]

August 20, 2012
Leave a comment
My First 5K: Week 10
Chick Lit Plus

My First 5K: Week 10

Week 10 of my 5K training is in the books. I’m getting pretty anxious to run this race, but I still have 7 weeks to go! I can notice that my body has become used to running, which is obviously great. When I first started training, I could barely make it 5 minutes running without wanting to quit. This week, I ran close to 40 minutes without needing a break, which is a big accomplishment for me. I’m very curious to see how I’ll fare come race time, but I’m not worried now about being able to keep up or worse – not finish! Below is my workout schedule for the week – non-bold is my 5K training schedule, bold is my regular workout schedule.
Monday: Run 8 minutes walk 1 x 2
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute treadmill run – intervals
Wednesday: Run 8 minutes walk 1 x 3, 15 minute Pilates DVD with resistance band
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 60 minute treadmill walk – incline
Friday: 30 minute treadmill run – intervals
Saturday: Run 8 minutes walk 1 x 5
Sunday: Day Off

August 19, 2012
1 Comment
In My Mailbox: Week of August 19
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of August 19

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Arcadia’s Gift

Author: Jesi Lea Ryan

Received: From Jesi Lea Ryan

Synopsis: Most people who experience death don’t live to tell about it.

When sixteen year old Arcadia “Cady” Day wakes in a hospital after experiencing what can only be called a psychic episode, she finds her family in tatters. With her twin sister gone, her dad moved out, her mom’s spiraling depression and her sister’s boyfriend, Cane, barely able to look at her, the only bright spot in her life is Bryan Sullivan, the new guy in school. When Bryan’s around, Cady can almost pretend she’s a regular girl, living a regular life; when he’s not, she’s wracked with wild, inexplicable mood swings. As her home life crumbles and her emotional control slips away, Cady begins to suspect that her first psychic episode was just the beginning…

Title: To Catch a Bad Guy

Author: Marie Astor

Received: From Marie Astor

Synopsis: Janet Maple is convinced that her life could not get any worse: her stellar career at the DA’s office ended with a lay off and her boyfriend of 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.

August 19, 2012
1 Comment