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Book Review: Going Home Again by Abby Cavenaugh

Alyssa Jones has never forgotten her first high school crush. As a freshman, she was certain that senior Michael Day never knew she existed. But now that high school is twenty years behind her, she has the opportunity to interview Mike for a magazine she works for in Wilmington, NC. Mike hit it big after high school as a musician, and Alyssa has secretly followed his career since graduation. When she agrees to meet Mike at his rented ocean front home for the interview, she learns that he is on the brink of divorcing his wife. Flirty, fun, passionate and real, “Going Home Again” is a great story of two adults who find themselves falling for each other when they least expect it. Alyssa, knowing that Mike is still married, desperately wants to be with him – but doesn’t like being the “other woman.” Mike doesn’t want to jeopardize his relationship with his son by divorcing his wife, even though their marriage has been over for quite some time. He wants to be with Alyssa, but once his wife finds out that he’s ready to move forward with divorce and another woman, decides she wants to give their marriage a second chance. Will Mike follow his heart that remains with his son and stay in a loveless marriage, or does he decide to risk it all for a once-in-a-lifetime chance with a woman and love that he never thought even existed?
I enjoyed “Going Home Again” and liked the real emotions that all characters had. Even the secondary characters were good. Although I wanted Alyssa and Mike to end up together, I also felt the sting of how the wife felt – from anger to jealousy to rage. I read it in 2 days, and couldn’t wait to see how it would end. Good from page one to the final page!

Book Review: Christmas Carol by Michele Gorman

I received a copy of Christmas Carol by Michele Gorman in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
One winter wedding, two happy couples, three ex-boyfriends… And a very uncomfortable weekend.

Carol hates Christmas. Being recently dumped, she’s not crazy about weddings either. So her sister Marley’s nuptials, over the Christmas weekend, are making her positively Scrooge-like. When she arrives for the weekend at the stately home in rural Scotland to find her three ex-boyfriends in attendance, Carol has no choice but to face her ghosts to discover what really happened in those relationships, learning a lot about herself in the process. As the snow falls outside and the fire crackles in the hearth, might one of the wedding guests become the harbinger of Christmases to come?
Review:
I’m a big fan of Michele Gorman, and I’m happy to review her latest novel Christmas Carol. While I’m not always a huge fan of novellas, I felt fairly confident Gorman would make this an enjoyable read – and I was right! This was short and sweet, direct and to the point, and I finished it in one day. What a cute little story that breezed by. We got just enough of the characters lives to be interested, but nothing was too in-depth. I would have loved to see this as a full-length novel, though I am that way with all books. I love reading – I can’t help it! But if you are looking for a fun and quick read, check this one out!
4 stars
Available globally in paperback and eBook. Here are the sales links to use as you’d like.
• Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/15SFTd9
• Amazon US: http://amzn.to/17QLuPu
• Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/19OELVb
• Barnes and Noble in the US: http://bit.ly/1gm1rB3
• Barnes and Noble in the UK: http://bit.ly/1gQ6EBh
Michele on social media:
twitter: @expatdiaries
facebook: www.facebook.com/MicheleGormanBooks
website: www.michelegorman.co.uk

Book Review: Looking for La La by Ellie Campbell

Reviewer:  Allie I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Summary This British Chick Lit story is about Cathy,…

In My Mailbox: Week of October 20

Alone in an empty house, Lucy tries to imagine the lives of her two young children. They have been gone for seven years, and she is tormented by the role she played in that heartbreaking loss. You can hardly see a glimpse of the sexy, edgy woman she used to be. Back then, she was a magnet for men like Matt, who loved her beyond reason, and Griffin, who wouldn’t let go but always left her wanting more. Now the lies they told and the choices they made have come to haunt all three of them.

With shattering turns, Lies You Wanted to Hear explores the way good people talk themselves into doing terrible, unthinkable things. What happens when we come to believe our own lies? And what price must we pay for our mistakes?

A searing story that will leave you wondering what choices you would make, Lies You Wanted to Hear is a stunning debut.

Book Review: The Good Wife by Jane Porter

Reviewer: Samantha
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Is it possible to love someone too much?

Always considered the beauty of the family, the youngest Brennan sister, Sarah, remains deeply in love with her husband of ten years. Boone Walker, a professional baseball player, travels almost year-round while Sarah stays home and cares for their two children. Her love for her husband is bottomless—so much so that her sisters say it will end up hurting her.

Living apart most of the time makes life difficult, especially since Sarah often wonders whether Boone is sharing his bed with other women on the road, even though he swears he’s been true to her since his infidelity three years ago. While she wants to be happy and move forward in her life, Sarah constantly fears that Boone will break his promise. Now with Boone facing yet another career change, tension rises between the two, adding more stress to an already turbulent marriage. Emotionally exhausted, Sarah can’t cope with yet another storm. Now, she must either break free from the past and forgive Boone completely, or leave him behind and start anew . . .
Review:
I have been steadily reading all the novels in the Brennan Sister’s collection, and was eagerly waiting for the third. As a lover of sports, I was curious to get a peek in on Sarah’s life, the wife of a pro athlete. It was really just as interesting as I thought it would be – the travel, the unknown, the other women, the infidelity that she and Boone had to deal with. I really did like Sarah, but her issue was clear and the focus of the book – she loved her husband so much she stopped caring about herself. It was an intense journey to read through, watching as she sunk further and further until her breaking point, and then how her family rallied around her to help her get back to being herself. It’s always interesting to read about affairs and what becomes of the husband and wife because of it. I really didn’t know how Sarah and Boone’s marriage would survive but I wasn’t sure I could see it ending either. I thought the ending of the book was great, though.
There’s another story embedded through the book, that of Lauren Summer. At first I was really confused at to what her story was about and how it had any relevance to Sarah’s journey. But as the book continued on I saw how the women’s lives crossed paths, and really enjoyed reading about Lauren’s life as well. This book was hard to put down, and I really recommend this series.

4 stars

Book Review: Grounded by Angela Correll

Reviewer: Sara

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Grounded by Angela Correll in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

New York City flight attendant Annie Taylor is grounded. Turbulence in the airline industry leads to her job loss—putting a halt to her weekends in Rome and independent city life. Just when she needs him the most, she loses her boyfriend and her apartment. Annie flees the city for the family farm in Kentucky. Her arrival is met by a shotgun-wielding grandmother, a suspicious stranger moving into the old stone house, and her attractive childhood friend Jake about to make the biggest mistake of his life. Struggling against her grandmother’s stubborn ways, Annie disagrees with her on the fate of the family farm but stays on to help her grandmother through a knee surgery by tending the garden and learning how to can the vegetables. Through the summer’s trials, Annie is forced to face her own past mistakes and the consequences. When the phone call comes from New York earlier than expected, Annie must choose between coming to terms with her deep roots or leaving it all behind for a return to the city.

Review:

When I was first contacted to review this book, I wasn’t sure what to think. I am a big fan of “going back home” types of books, but this one sounded a little different and I was unsure what to think. But, I am pleased to say that I absolutely loved it. Grounded is warm and cozy, like a cup of warm tea. I found Annie’s tale heartwarming and charming and couldn’t really get enough of it. I found parts humorous but mostly, this book just warms the soul. The characters are great and the writing is even better. Overall, Grounded is sure to charm the pants off you as well as teach you a thing or two about good ole’ country living.
Rating: 5/5 stars

Book Review: The Debt and the Doormat by Laura Barnard

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I started reading this, I wasn’t sure I would like it. The book begins with the main character Poggy getting upset with her friend over a pillow…..seemed a bit shallow to me and I was thinking, boy I am not going to like this one….
Well let me tell you this book was amazing! I loved it so much I read it all in one sitting! The story is about 2 single women who decide to “switch” lives in order to get the other to see that they could do better. Pog’s and Jazz are the best of friends even though they are as different as 2 people could be! Pog’s sees herself as this klutzy accident prone average looking push over. Jazz is your typical blonde bimbo that parties too much and spends more than her monthly allowance from her rich Mum allows her…This is where the switch comes in, Pog’s wants her friend to be more responsible and Jazz wants Pog’s to loosen up and enjoy life! So they switch homes and agree to let the other tell them what they can do.
This is where the story gets good…Pop’s meet’s the housemates, people who most assuredly change her life. Jazz appears to buckle down and take it easy and even gets a job!
The story continues and you find that Pop’s is a disaster waiting to happen! From a sprained ankle to gash on her head to getting a housemate shot, she truly finds trouble everywhere she goes! You honestly feel bad for her and her bad luck throughout the book!
The dynamic relationships in this story are just fun! I love them all…some I love to hate, but others are seriously just so much fun! Pop’s seems to really question her relationship status with everyone in her life. Growing up with a drunken demanding Mum is probably a large reason why. She really seems to come into her real self as the story continues and even learns to stand up to many people in her life.
The love story part of this book is probably my favorite! These two are generally cute! They seem to really struggle with the feelings they have for each other but just can’t seem to stay apart. I love how strong their friendship develops long before the love drops into play. There’s no chance Pop’s won’t keep him on his toes for years to come!
Based on the way the book ends, I will not lie in saying that I am looking forward to reading book 2 and cannot wait to see what trouble these two ladies get into next! Great read and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a fun romantic comedy!

Book Review: Render (A Recompense Novel) by Stephanie Fleshman

Reviewer: Andrea I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.  Summary: A betrayal born of blood A curse for a…

Book Review: A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love by Kathryn Maeglin

Don’t judge a book by its cover, no pun intended. This book is and is not what you think. Valerie is the main character. Businesswoman. Divorcee. Caregiver to her mother. Best friends and business partner with Pam. She spends all her time and energy focused on work and loses her husband. She ventures into a second business of home health aides = health hunks. During her journey she reassesses her life and her priorities. She cares for her elderly mother and finds a new love interest Keith. In the end, Valerie realizes she is not really living her life to the fullest and may be missing out on what she truly wants. When she finally takes control and sells her second company, focuses on her mother’s needs and really pays attention to Keith, things start to turn around. This book is humorous and dramatic with a surprising ending.
Some of my favorite lines:
-“don’t dip your pen in the company ink.”
-“you’re a barracuda in the business world. But when it comes to matters of the heart, you’re chicken little.”
-“so do I get to dip my breadstick in the olive oil?”
-“my favorite was the time this man came in and wanted to buy a brassiere for his wife. Helen asked him what size she wore, and he said he didn’t know. So she said, ‘would you say they’re plums, apples or cantaloupes?’ and the man said, ‘I don’t know, I’ve never tasted them!’”