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The Full Moon Bride by Shobhan Bantwal

Full Moon Bride by Shobhan Bantwal was the first Indian-culture book I have read, and I was fascinated by it. The heroine is Soorya Giri, a thirty-year old environmental lawyer who lives in New Jersey with her parents and grandmother––who desperately want her to be married. Arranged marriages are the norm in the Indian culture, but Soorya is appalled by them. Living in America, she has seen how other couples marry for love and not just tradition, and she wants the same for herself. When Soorya is introduced to Roger Vadepalli, she doesn’t want to like him. He is arrogant and egotistical, but at the same time quite charming and intelligent, with dreams outside his tradition as well. But there is also Lou, a colleague who her family will not approve of, but who seems to enjoy Soorya’s company as well. As Soorya faces these decisions, she realizes what it means to be independent from her family and how to finally find what is right for her.
First off, I think the cover is exquisite. Second, like I mentioned above, this was my first time trying out a book with an Indian heroine, and I would like to think I learned a lot from it. From the culture, traditions, food, roles of men and women, etc., there is a lot to take in. I thought Soorya was a fine heroine, someone who has obviously been very sheltered along her life by her family. Even though she was somewhat hesitant about certain topics, she was still a strong and smart character, and I enjoyed reading her story. Sometimes things did seem a bit old-school to me: Soorya being a thirty-year old virgin who absolutely cringes at the thought of sex, and the fact that she thought she couldn’t flirt with Lou because he was black––but those were smaller details to me. The story as a whole was a welcome one, and I would recommend this book, especially if you have an interest in the Indian culture.
[Rating: 4]

In My Mailbox: Week of December 4

In My Mailbox: Week of December 4

Title: Your Eight O’Clock is Dead
Author: Kat Jorgensen
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Becca Reynolds is having a bad day. Her grandfather’s lecture (#405: Eat a Healthy Diet or Die Not Trying) makes her late for her job at Daley and Palmer, the psychiatrists’ office where she works as the office manager–her title, not theirs. Then her sausage and egg breakfast biscuit creates an oil slick that takes out half her desk, along with that day’s patient files. But she knows the day has taken a really bad turn when she discovers the firm’s eight o’clock patient dead with Dr. Dick Daley’s letter opener opening the patient instead of the mail.

With the fledgling firm in danger of an early demise, Becca appoints herself the unofficial investigator since the police seem to be looking in all the wrong places and doing a half-assed job of solving the crime. She begins a journey to find the killer, keep the practice afloat and with it, her job. In the course of her interfere–er, investigation–she finds a virtual cast of characters who could have done it, including the fancy side piece of the murder victim, his wife, his business partner, and even his psychiatrist.

The case takes Becca from the sordid depths of the Russian mob, to the upscale West End of Richmond, Virginia (known locally as River City), and even to her own backyard. In the course of the story she finds herself in hot water, hot danger, and with dreams of hot men.

Title: Waitlisted
Author: Laurel Gans
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Kacey Barlow had no idea it would be this hard to get into grad school. Her well-to-do family has been attending UI for generations, and admissions had been recruiting her since high school! She was a shoo-in—that is, until they gave her the boot.

She can’t tell her parents, and can’t stand the thought of her friends going off to grad school without her. Her grades are slipping. Her professors can’t remember her name, and her tutor, Taylor, won’t stop hitting on her when they’re supposed to be studying.

Okay, maybe that last one isn’t so bad. But it’s not going to help get her a seat in another school…and applications are due in two weeks…

Title: Blank Slate Kate
Author: Heather Wardell
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Waking up with a strange man is scary. Realizing you lost fifteen years of your life overnight? That’s terrifying. With her memories from seventeen to thirty-two gone, Kate has no idea who she is and where she belongs. As she begins to fall for the man who found her, she wonders if she forgot those years for a reason. Should she keep trying to retrieve her original self, or start a new life?

On Tour: Recession Proof by Kimberly Lin

Kimberly will be on tour December 5- 26 with her novel Recession Proof Sometimes going after what you want is the hardest thing you will…

Challenge:Post Reviews:December

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Sign up for 2012 Chick Lit Reading Challenge!
Prize for November: Three (3) winners will win an eBook copy of Rock Star’s Girl by JF Kristin. You must post the link to your review in the Mister Linky below. This can be to your blog, GoodReads page, or other sources such as Amazon.

Blog Tour Sign Up: Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx

Elizabeth will be on tour in March with her her novel Binding Arbitration, which took third place in the 19th Annual Duel on the Delta…

Future Tour: Thank You For Flying Air Zoe by Erik …

Erik will be on tour January 30- February 20 with his novel Thank You For Flying Air Zoe Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fasten Seat Belt…

The Bollywood Breakup Agency by Naina Gupta

When I first started The Bollywood Breakup Agency by Naina Gupta, I thought I could tell what would happen. Neela Solanki, in her twenties, loves to party and have a good time, shop, and is fortunate enough to come from a wealthy family and doesn’t have to work, is getting pressured from her traditional Indian parents to find a suitable husband. Neela is against arranged marriages, and sees what her best friend V is going through with her disastrous soon to be husband. But when her parents tell her to either find a husband or they will cut her off financially, Neela starts a secretive new business- breaking up arranged marriages. Her first customer is bestie V, who can’t imagine spending the rest of her life with her repulsive fiancée. As word spreads, Neela’s services become more popular. At the same time, she is possibly finding love herself––but will he be accepting of her business? And will his family be accepting of her?
Like I said, I thought I knew what was coming. The first few chapters I was completely turned off from Neela. Egotistical (constantly talking about how she beautiful is), self-centered, selfish, and completely relies on Dad to fund her way through life. She even makes jokes about getting a “real” job––clearly so beneath her. As the story continued on, I kept waiting for the lightning bolt moment to strike––for Neela to realize her repulsive attitude was one that needed to be changed. But it didn’t happen. So I kept reading, thinking for sure this girl has to turn her life around at some point. Well––spoiler alert––it doesn’t. The self-centered, lazy, spoiled, selfish attitude reeks throughout the entire book. I’m confused. Why was this book written? All I took away from it was that the bad girl gets everything in the end. No lesson learned, all the way to the last page. And I figured out who Mr. Trivedi’s son was within the first two chapters. The suspense was not there if it was going to be mentioned every other page. And I’m sorry, but Neela doesn’t even love Navin as a person––she loves that he was a big TV star. She talks horribly to his dad, but he stands up for her? Baffling. I have no interest in reading the sequel and am really disappointed in this book. The idea behind The Bollywood Breakup Agency is a good one, but Neela needs a major life adjustment for me to be able to recommend this book.

[Rating: 2]

Guest Post by Tony Timbol

Why Single Mom’s are my heroes

Many authors write fiction because they want to entertain and not lecture when telling truths they believe in. The story below is fiction but based on some hard truths I and others have learned…

Walking up to the checkout lanes I could see I was in a race to get to the cashier ahead of my competition. The floor manager had just opened Lane 5. The smiling clerk said, “Over here! I’ll take you,” and waved me over even before she switched the lane light on. I picked up my pace. Holding on to the bulky paper towels saver pack and sweaty milk carton I looked again at my competitor and could see her closing fast. But I had a lead on her. I knew if I kept focused, I would win the day and get there first. Then I saw that she had stopped, dropped her Walmart reusable bag to the floor and started to kneel. I heard her say, “It’ll be fine sweetheart.”

I slid to a stop. The cashier waved again. But inside my head a voice said is that *Allyson? Turning I faced the woman and looking closer saw it was the single mom my wife and I had counseled four years ago. The tall, pretty blonde had bent down on one knee and soon had her arm around a sad faced girl child. I could not recall the little girl’s name. She was just a toddler then. I remembered Allyson, though, the woman whose lost smile eventually returned. Her story began to change my attitude about single moms.

Allyson’s divorce hit hard. The partnership she thought she had was one-sided. Her husband’s words of commitment spoken in passion and financial plenty faded as his gambling debts piled up. His addiction strained the relationship. 18 months of fruitless 12-step meetings became too much for her, his heart never seemed invested. Finally get help or get out was her demand, fair enough he said. Out he went with his truck leaving dark tread marks of a high speed exit from their lives.

During the first few counseling sessions, Allyson’s sunny view darkened and she worked hard work to see any light, let alone credit God for any of it. Church and religious people were the first, not to help, but to blame. The now available young mother, still thin and attractive, was soon isolated in the family values world of suburban religion. I was among those to cast the first stone, even as a trained counselor, whose was supposed to see brokenness and not simply behavior. She talked much about the poor cards God had dealt her until she began to recognize the game she had been playing and the men she had been drawing. It took time and many tears for her to find some peace. Eventually she accepted her history remarking in one session, “the past does not have to determine your future, but it sure pushes you hard in some directions.” I began to see my own past and judgmental eye. She vowed to break the pattern committing to a more spiritual course even though she was not sure what exactly that meant.

Her warm smile and kiss on her daughter’s cheek began melting the child’s frown. Picking up a few pieces of the wrapped mini-Kit Kat bars off the floor, the child’s bag had torn; Allyson placed them into the reusable bag. Glancing at the other pieces on the floor, she said, “Honey, it will be fine. The bag you had only took you this far, let’s put them into the sack and let’s get home. They’re not ruined, just a little dented.” The girl looked at her and smiled.

Standing up, Allyson saw me and beamed a grin. Taller than me, she approached and leaned over giving me a warm hug then looked around the store, “Is Serena here? It’s been so long since I’ve seen you and her.” I told her that she was home. She introduced to me Gabby, still smiling. We went through the checkout lane together. I offered to buy the small items she had.

“No, it’s okay, we doing fine. The first few jobs after the divorce sucked but I have a great job now with a good boss, two years last month. Even have a little savings, maybe for a house soon!” she said as she looked down and patted Gabby on shoulder. Exiting the store, I walked them to their car and caught up on news as much as we could before we said our goodbyes. Watching her and Gabby drive away, both smiling and waving, my spirit lifted.

Standing there waving, I nodded my head. Allyson was typical of the single mom’s we had counseled. Most had a lioness’s heart and a willingness to change. Despite wandering males strutting through their lives, they cared and protected their young and did what they had to do. Yes, Allyson and her sisters changed my attitude about single moms, now hero’s in my book.

Tony Timbol
Author, Cybil Raven Chronicles
www.cybilraven.com
www.tonytimbol.com

*Allyson is a composite of multiple single mothers and is a fictitious name so as to respect confidentiality.

Faking It by Elisa Lorella

Taking lessons from a male escort might not be normal for a thirty-something, serious, straight laced writing professor, but that is just what Andi Cutrone signs herself up for after meeting Devin, a true male escort that has worked with many of Andi’s colleagues. Andi offers Devin a proposition: he teaches her how to be a better lover, she teaches him how to be a better writer. Through their lessons together, Andi and Devin become closer, learn about themselves and each other, and dive into deeper emotional levels that will surprise them both.
I received Faking It by Elisa Lorello from a friend, and wasn’t quite sure what to expect from it. The synopsis really drew me in though––a professor, usually so professorial and in control taking lessons from a male escort? Spicy! Of course, I expected to map out how it would go––lessons would be taught, sexual tension would occur, and Andi and Devin would fall madly in love. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I will say that it was not all cut and dry like I expected it, which made me happy and on my toes while reading. Through the lessons that Andi goes through, I felt that I learned a lot from Devin the instructor as well, and think female readers will be able to connect on some level with what Andi is going through. Devin’s character came off the pages as a hot, sexy piece of man meat, but who is also troubled underneath it all and works through his own set of problems after working with Andi. Overall, I thought this book was deeper than the typical chick-lit read, and filled with well-written characters, a juicy plot, and great writing. I would recommend!
[Rating: 4]