Future Tour: With Just One Click by Amanda Strong
Amanda Strong is going on tour July 11-25 with her novel With Just One Click “Reluctance was matched with a pit in my stomach; once…
Author Profile: Amanda Brobyn
Author Name: Amanda Brobyn
Website: http://amandabrobyn.com/
Bio: Amanda Brobyn has recently graduated from the University of Ulster, with an MA in Film and Television Production, Management and Policy. In the same year (2010) Amanda also managed to secure a triple book publishing deal with Poolbeg Press, Dublin – the same publishers who launched the careers of Marian Keyes, Sheila Flanaghan and Melissa Hill.
Titles: Crystal Balls, The Curry Club
See my review of Crystal Balls
Visit Amanda’s Blog!
Bio Retrieved from amandabrobyn.com
One Night Scandal by Christie Kelley
Sophie Reynard is a matchmaker born into an unfortunate set of circumstances. Her father will not claim her as his child, since she was a…
Author Profile: Kaira Rouda
Author Name: Kaira Rouda
Website: http://www.kairarouda.com/
Bio: Due to the career ladder of her professor father, Kaira was born in Chicago (Northwestern), moved to L.A. (USC), then to Austin (University of Texas), Boston (Harvard University) and finally Columbus (The Ohio State University) where Kaira, her mom and her siblings put their collective feet down and grew roots. Kaira spent the remainder her childhood in Columbus, and following graduation from Vanderbilt University, returned to spend another 20-plus years in Central Ohio in the marketing and publishing fields. She believes she has written just about everything: for public relations and advertising clients, including copy for electronics manuals (yawn), press releases for dog ice cream and hamburgers, carpet cleaning television and radio spots, to real estate websites and more; for business newspapers, regional and national magazines and blogs; for countless charities near and dear to her heart; a business book for women entrepreneurs; and now, finally, she is writing what she dreamed of writing since fourth grade: novels of her own. Here, Home, Hope is the first of several novels, all set in the fictional suburb of Grandville, that will be published. Kaira is ecstatic her dreams are coming true.
Kaira is a philanthropist who started Central Ohio’s first homeless shelter for families in the early 1990s, served two terms on the board of the MidOhio Food Bank, the YWCA, The Wexner Center for the Arts and numerous other charities, with a particular interest in empowering women and girls. The creator of the Real Living Real Estate brand — one of the fastest growing in the country — Kaira has earned numerous awards in business. For more on her career, please visit RealYouIncorporated.com.
Two years ago — of course not following her oldest child who had picked a college there — Kaira and her husband and four kids moved to Southern California where she is busy writing, volunteering, and growing new roots
Titles: Here, Home, Hope
See my review of Here, Home, Hope
Visit Kaira’s Blog!
Bio Retrieved from kairarouda.com
Author Name: Kaira Rouda
Website: http://www.kairarouda.com/
Bio: Due to the career ladder of her professor father, Kaira was born in Chicago (Northwestern), moved to L.A. (USC), then to Austin (University of Texas), Boston (Harvard University) and finally Columbus (The Ohio State University) where Kaira, her mom and her siblings put their collective feet down and grew roots. Kaira spent the remainder her childhood in Columbus, and following graduation from Vanderbilt University, returned to spend another 20-plus years in Central Ohio in the marketing and publishing fields. She believes she has written just about everything: for public relations and advertising clients, including copy for electronics manuals (yawn), press releases for dog ice cream and hamburgers, carpet cleaning television and radio spots, to real estate websites and more; for business newspapers, regional and national magazines and blogs; for countless charities near and dear to her heart; a business book for women entrepreneurs; and now, finally, she is writing what she dreamed of writing since fourth grade: novels of her own. Here, Home, Hope is the first of several novels, all set in the fictional suburb of Grandville, that will be published. Kaira is ecstatic her dreams are coming true.
Kaira is a philanthropist who started Central Ohio’s first homeless shelter for families in the early 1990s, served two terms on the board of the MidOhio Food Bank, the YWCA, The Wexner Center for the Arts and numerous other charities, with a particular interest in empowering women and girls. The creator of the Real Living Real Estate brand — one of the fastest growing in the country — Kaira has earned numerous awards in business. For more on her career, please visit RealYouIncorporated.com.
Two years ago — of course not following her oldest child who had picked a college there — Kaira and her husband and four kids moved to Southern California where she is busy writing, volunteering, and growing new roots
Titles: Here, Home, Hope
See my review of Here, Home, Hope
Visit Kaira’s Blog!
Bio Retrieved from kairarouda.com
Bodyguards in Bed by Lucy Monroe, Jamie Denton, Elisabeth Naughton
Bodyguards in Bed is a book made up of three different novellas from three separate authors, all with the same theme: hot bodyguards doing more than just protecting their clients. The first, “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Brother’s Bed” by Lucy Monroe, covers a brilliant Ph.D. student whose home has been burglarized. Danusia hightails to her brother’s apartment, which thought would be empty, but instead finds hottie black-ops agent Maxwell Baker has set up his own temporary home there. Her eye has been on her brother’s friend Max for some time now, and being alone in an apartment proves their chemistry is hot as ever. The second novella, “Hot Mess” by Jamie Denton, follows office worker Alyssa who gets in an identity mix-up. While at LAX to pick-up whistle blower Charles Rolston, she accidently reels in FBI special agent Noah Temple. Noah skips telling her she has the wrong man, but knows he made a mistake after they end up sleeping together. And the last is “Acapulco Heat” by Elisabeth Naughton, where supermodel Lauren needs the protection of former army ranger Finn Tierney while on location. When Lauren’s co-worker turns out to be from a family of drug lords, murder ensues. It’s up to Finn to protect Lauren from getting murdered herself, but of course he finds time for some passion as well.
Bodyguards in Bed was a quick read, and I thought all three stories were interesting. Short stories and novellas aren’t my forte, but it was a fun book filled with some hot scenes. I think my favorite novella was the third, probably because I thought it was the longest and I could get more into the story and characters. I thought I was going to really like the first, but it seemed to end as soon as it began. If you like short stories and are looking for a hot summer read, I would recommend Bodyguards in Bed to you.
[Rating: 3.5]
In My Mailbox: Week of June 5
In My Mailbox: Week of June 5
Title: Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom
Author: Elsie Love
Received: From Elise Love/CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Elaine Jackerson has found herself in quite a predicament. Her husband, Bob, is sleeping with his secretary, her daughter is experimenting in the backseat with random boys, and her eight year old wants nothing to do with her.
In an attempt to get herself out of her midlife rut, Elaine joins the Herschel Grammar School PTA. Little does she know, Suni Calverson, the current president has handpicked her to be the newest member of the group. As soon as the ink is dry on the signup sheet, Elaine is thrust into a world that she never knew existed. A world where the PTA gets things done with blackmail, bribes, threats and quite possibly guns.
After stumbling across her husband and his secretary humping in his office, Elaine turns to the only friends she has: Suni and her henchmen. They convince her to let them “take care” of Bob. Elaine agrees to the plan, as long as no one dies. Unfortunately for Elaine, Suni has other plans. Before Elaine can sleep off her Mojitos, her children have been kidnapped and Bob has disappeared. Afraid that Elaine will go back on her word, Suni forces her onto a plane to hide out in a posh suite in Las Vegas that belongs to the famous French landscape photographer Gerard Ilg.
Determined to get her children back and avoid jail, Elaine spends her time in Sin City vacillating between planning her escape and trying to stay out of the arms of the much younger, very hot, very Hawaiian limo driver Benjamin Oliana. Does he care for Elaine, or is she just another notch on his Billabong belt? What about her famous host who keeps encouraging her to “find her passion”? Gerard is a man of the world—a man that knows Suni. Can he be trusted? More importantly, can she sort out her feelings, take down the PTA Mafia, and go home to her children?
Title: Clothesline
Author: Kate Supino
Received: From Kate Supino
Synopsis: When Kelly, Ana and Sera decide to take charge of their financial futures and go into business for themselves, anything and everything is possible.
From door-to-door sales to bathing fancy pets, it’s a no holds barred adventure when the three best friends combine their talents and taste for success.
But when secrets are exposed and friendship is on the line, it’s time to get serious. Will Kelly commit to doing what she is truly passionate about? Will Sera push past her pride when they need help? And is Ian “the one”?
Title: Take It Like a Mom
Author: Stephanie Stiles
Received: From Stephanie Stiles
Synopsis: Annie Fingardt Forster used to be a lawyer who wore dry-clean only and shaved both legs. But things have changed. Now a stay-at-home mom, she wears cargo pants and ponytails and harbors a nearly pathological hatred towards hipster parents.
With a three-year-old and a baby on the way, Annie knows what to expect…at least, she thought she did. Faced with her husband’s job loss, pre-school politics, and a playground throwdown with her arch nemesis, Annie realizes that even with her husband and friends by her side, what she really needs is to learn to suck it up-and take it like a mom.
Title: A Life That Fits
Author: Heather Wardell
Received: From Heather Wardell
Synopsis: Twenty-eight-year-old Andrea returns home from a business trip to find Alex, her boyfriend of fourteen years, nervously waiting for her. Assuming he’s finally going to propose, Andrea’s instead horrified to learn he’s been cheating on her and is leaving to be with the other woman, who he calls Andrea’s opposite.
At first Andrea’s paralyzed by shock and sadness, but the business analyst soon forms a plan: change every last detail of her life and become her opposite so Alex will come back to her.
It’s a challenge at first, but soon Andrea’s loving the changes she’s making, the new activities she’s doing, and the new people in her life. But will she change enough to get Alex back? And if she does, will he fit into the wonderful new life she’s creating for herself?
On Tour: Family Pieces by Misa Rush
Misa Rush is on tour June 6-20 with her novel Family Pieces. What do you do when your once charmed life falls to pieces? Karsen…
On Tour: Hollywood Ending by Lucie Simone
Lucie Simone is on tour June 6-20 with her novel Hollywood Ending. Trina Stewart needs cash. Fast. She’s barely got enough dough to keep her…
Pink Welcomes Baby Girl
Pink is thinking pink! The singer and her husband, Corey Hart, welcomed a baby girl on Thursday in Los Angeles. Pink posted this to her Twitter account: “We are ecstatic to welcome our new beautiful healthy happy baby girl, Willow Sage Hart. She’s gorgeous, just like her daddy. #beyondblessed.” This is the first child for Pink, 31, who confirmed her pregnancy in November.
