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Book Review: The Rockin’ Chair by Steven Manchester
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Rockin’ Chair by Steven Manchester

I received a copy of The Rockin’ Chair by Steven Manchester in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

Memories are the ultimate contradiction. They can warm us on our coldest days – or they can freeze a loved one out of our lives forever. The McCarthy family has a trove of warm memories. Of innocent first kisses. Of sumptuous family meals. Of wondrous lessons learned at the foot of a rocking chair. But they also have had their share of icy ones. Of words that can never be unsaid. Of choices that can never be unmade. Of actions that can never be undone.

Following the death of his beloved wife, John McCarthy – Grandpa John – calls his family back home. It is time for them to face the memories they have made, both warm and cold. Only then can they move beyond them and into the future.

A rich portrait of a family at a crossroad, THE ROCKIN’ CHAIR is Steven Manchester’s most heartfelt and emotionally engaging novel to date. If family matters to you, it is a story you must read.

Review:

I have been a fan of Steven’s for quite sometime now and was so eager when he approached me to read and review his latest, The Rockin’ Chair. And let me tell you, this book does not disappoint. By far my favorite so far of his, this story is full of details and the characters are really well written. Steven has a gift of tugging at the heart strings and this book definitely does that. Heartfelt and real, this book rocked me to my core and really had me thinking about my family and about everything that we’ve been through. I highly recommend this book.

July 18, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of June 30
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of June 30

Title: The Longest Holiday

Author: Paige Toon

Received: From Paige Toon

Synopsis: ‘Don’t wait for the storm to pass; learn to dance in the rain…’ Laura has been married to the man of her dreams for seven months. But a week before the wedding, Matthew made a terrible mistake. Escaping the humiliation that is now her marriage, Laura is whisked off to Florida’s Key West by her best friend Marty. A carefree holiday full of cocktails and fun, surrounded by gorgeous, tanned men, is exactly what the doctor ordered. Distraction comes in the form of sexy Cuban scuba diver Leo. Laura’s instant attraction to him knocks her flying, and she falls hard. As the end of the holiday approaches, Laura doesn’t want to go home. Is it time to face the music? Or is there more to Key West than a holiday romance?

Title: Brooklyn Girls

Author: Gemma Burgess

Received: From Gemma Burgess

Synopsis: Fantastically funny, fresh and utterly relatable, Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess is the first novel in her brand new series about five twenty-something friends—Pia, Angie, Julia, Coco and Madeleine—sharing a brownstone in hip, downtown Brooklyn, and discovering the ups and downs and ins and outs of their “semi-adult” lives. The first story belongs to sophisticated, spoiled, and stylish Pia, who finds herself completely unemployed, unemployable, and broke. So what is a recent grad with an art history degree and an unfortunate history of Facebook topless photos to do? Start a food truck business of course! Pia takes on the surprisingly cutthroat Brooklyn world of hybrid lettuce growers, artisanal yogurt makers and homemade butter producers to start SkinnyWheels—all while dealing with hipster bees, one-night-stands, heartbreak, parental fury, wild parties, revenge, jail, loan sharks, playboys, karaoke, true love, and one adorable pink food truck. And that’s without counting her roommates’ problems, too. Gemma Burgess has captured the confusion, hilarity and excitement of the post-graduate years against a backdrop of the pressures and chaos of New York City life, with heartfelt empathy, fast humor and sharp honesty.

Title: Auf’d

Author: Amy Saunders

Received: From Amy Saunders

Synopsis: Lending a hand to a charity fashion show sounded like such fun. Now if only Belinda’s idea of a good time included a smothered designer and trouble with Bennett.

While Belinda balances opening a business and a house reno,
haute couture Portside-style lands her in one hot mess of runway intrigue and man drama.

It seems not everyone at this show is what they claim to be –
or even who.

Title: Hush Little Baby

Author: Suzanne Redfearn

Received: Grand Central Publishing

Synopsis: Jillian Kane appears to have it all—a thriving career, a gorgeous home, a loving husband, and two wonderful kids. The reality is something else entirely. For nine years she has hidden the bruises and the truths of her abusive marriage in order to protect her children, knowing, if she left, Gordon would destroy her—destroy them. In an act of desperation, she flees and finds herself on the run with two young children, no money, and no plan. Gordon is in hot pursuit and there is only one inescapable certainty: No matter where she goes, he will find her and kill her.

Suspenseful and unforgettably moving, HUSH LITTLE BABY exposes the shame and terror of domestic violence as well as the disturbing role sabotage can play in the high-stakes game of child custody. This compelling family drama will resonate with lovers of Jodi Picoult, Gillian Flynn, Lisa Scottoline, and Anna Quindlen.

Title: Sweet Nothings

Author: Janis Thomas

Received: Penguin Group

Synopsis: Ruby McMillan’s world is turned upside down when her husband announces one morning that he’s dumping her for another woman. Without a goodbye to their two teenaged children, Walter leaves Ruby to cope with her ruined dessert, an unpaid mortgage, and her failing bakery.

With only royal icing holding her together, Ruby still manages to pick herself up and move on, subsidizing her income with an extra job as a baking instructor, getting a “my-husband’s-gone” makeover, and even flirting with her gorgeous mortgage broker, Jacob Salt. Suddenly single again at the age of forty-four, she’s beginning to discover that life is the most delicious when you stop following a recipe and just live.

Title: Everybody Has Everything

Author: Katrina Onstad

Received: Grand Central Publishing

Synopsis: After years of unsuccessful attempts at conceiving a child, Ana and James become parents overnight, when a terrible accident makes them guardians to 2 ¿ year-old Finn. Suddenly, two people who were struggling to come to terms with childlessness are thrust into the opposite situation-responsible for a small toddler whose mother’s survival is in question.

Finn’s crash-landing in their tidy, urban lives throws into high relief some troubling truths about their deepest selves, both separately and as a couple. Several chaotic, poignant, and life-changing weeks as a most unusual family give rise to an often unasked question: Can everyone be a parent?

June 30, 2013
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Book Review: The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller

I received a copy of The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Breaking up is hard to do. At least the first few times.

Even though Molly Grant has only a handful of relationships behind her, she’s already been through more divorces than she can count.

At the premier Manhattan law firm where she’s a matrimonial attorney, the hours are long, the bosses tyrannical, and the bonuses stratospheric. Her clients are rich, famous, and used to getting their way. Molly’s job—and primary concern in life—is to work as hard as possible to make sure they do. Until she meets the client who changes everything….

Fern Walker is the desperate former wife of a ruthless media mogul. Her powerful ex is slowly pushing her out of her young children’s lives, and she fears losing them forever. Molly—haunted by an incident from her own past—finds herself unable to walk away from Fern and sets out to help her. She just needs to do it without her bosses finding out.

Now, as complications both professional and personal stack up, Molly can only hope that her own wits, heart, and instincts are enough—both in and out of court.
Review:
What an incredible book! I love a smart chick lit book, and I think that is just what The Love Wars is. Molly Grant is a strong heroine, and her story was a blast to follow. It was interesting how much I learned from the book, mainly about law and the processes that go on during a divorce and the dynamics of a law firm. There’s a bit of romance thrown in between the pages, but that is not the focal part of the story, and I really enjoyed that. I zipped through this book in just over a day, and had to keep tweeting the author to let her know how much I was loving it. Another favorite to add to the list!
5 stars

June 12, 2013
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Book Review: Ctrl Z by Danika Stone
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Ctrl Z by Danika Stone

I received a copy of Ctrl Z by Danika Stone in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Indigo Sykes has spent years trying to forget where she came from. She has a degree, a new life, and a quiet existence. Everything she ever wanted… But all of this comes to a screeching halt when an unexpected meeting with computer hacker, Jude Alden, changes her plans. Romance blooms between the mismatched duo, even while entanglements from Indigo’s past threaten to pull the two of them apart.

Dogged by a history of running, Indigo’s hard-won security is shattered when Jude’s illegal activity drags both of them into a dangerous game. As the net of hacking and underworld crime tightens around Jude and Indigo’s dark history is exposed, the two of them must find a way out or risk bringing the consequences down on them both.
Review:
I was a little worried when I first started this book because I didn’t seem to be following the plot in the beginning. There’s a lot going on, a lot of lingo, and honestly…a lot of odd names to learn. But I’m so glad I stuck with it, because after about the fourth chapter I wasn’t able to put it down! It becomes extremely fast-paced, the mob plot-line had me chatting to my fiancé like I was a part of the organized crime, and the ending was awesome. There’s romance and mystery and intrigue and murder, and Ctrl Z was just so much fun to read. I definitely recommend to those who enjoy romantic suspense novels!
4.5 stars

June 11, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of June 9
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of June 9

Title: Is This All There Is?

Author: Patricia Mann

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: “Is this all there is?” It’s a question every wife and mother eventually finds herself asking and thirty-five year old Beth Thomas is no exception. On the surface, her life is perfect. She’s married to her college sweetheart, has two beautiful little boys, and enjoys her part-time teaching appointment at the local university. But when a friend persuades Beth to go dancing on a rare night out, a chance meeting with twenty-one year old Dave, one of her former students, changes the course of her life. Loud music, too much to drink, and the thrill of feeling young again lead to an unforgettable kiss that was never supposed to happen. Beth tries to leave the memory behind, but Dave convinces her that he fell in love with her while he was in her class. As he continues to pursue her, he forces her to look at everything in her life through a different lens and the temptation of what he’s offering becomes too strong.

Patricia Mann’s “Is This All There Is?” introduces readers to the seemingly perfect world of Beth Thomas, a 35-year-old mother and wife who takes a risqué detour from diapers and duty to chart a course into erotica, deception and deceit. As the part-time college professor yields to the overpowering push and pull that follow a magnetic encounter with a former student, Beth is held captive in the seductive space that lingers between desire and reason. Honest and moving, Mann’s work is a touching snapshot of middle-America today, a compelling story about one woman’s struggle to keep up appearances while coming undone.

Down and Out in Bugtussle by Stephanie McAfeeTitle: Down and Out in Bugtussle

Author: Stephanie McAfee

Received: Penguin

Synopsis: With her fiancé now her ex-fiancé, Ace has hightailed it back to Bugtussle, Mississippi, and back to her Gramma Jones’s house. Her best friends, Lilly and Chloe, are delighted she’s back, but Ace still has some challenges ahead of her.

For one thing, her replacement as Bugtussle High School’s art teacher, Cameron Becker, refuses to vacate the position. So Ace is stuck working as a substitute teacher while harboring fantasies of running Miss Becker out of town. On top of that, Lilly and Chloe are obsessed with setting her up on less-than-romantic blind dates—even though all she wants is a break from her pitiful love life.

To ease her troubled mind, Ace resolves to restore her grandmother’s gardens to their former glory. But in the well-worn gardening book she’s dug out of her grandmother’s attic there are a series of suspicious notes that indicate her grandmother may have had a special someone in her past. Now, with her faithful chiweenie, Buster Loo, by her side, Ace is determined to get to the bottom of her grandmother’s secret life, all the while hoping her own life isn’t about to implode….

Save the Date by Allie SpencerTitle: Save the Date!

Author: Allie Spencer

Received: Random House UK

Synopsis: The only thing worse than the family holiday from hell, is the family wedding from hell. So, when faced with being marooned in a Tuscan castle with her thoroughly dysfunctional family for the 1930s-themed wedding of her rich, over-spoilt cousin Jessica, who could blame Ailsa Stuart for being less than enthusiastic?

As her family’s exhausted peacemaker she will have her work cut out. Not only is there her own nearest and dearest to deal with, but the sudden appearance of her ex-husband, desperate to reconcile with her almost sends her over the edge. But Ailsa needs to pull herself together, because without her calm presence, the wedding could end badly for all of them.

He’s The One by Katie PriceTitle: He’s the One

Author: Katie Price

Received: Colbert Macalister PR

Synopsis: A passionate story of lost love and second chances, from the bestselling Katie Price.
Twenty-year-old Liberty is beautiful, ambitious and dreams of making it as an actress. She is also a single mother and has a three-year old daughter, Brooke. Living with her mother, she supports her daughter by modelling and working as a waitress.

Then, over one perfect summer, Liberty meets and falls in love with Cory, a young American taking time off from university. But Liberty never feels good enough for him, and when she meets his university friends, she feels it’s only fair to let him go. Heartbroken, Cory leaves to go back to the States.

Liberty, meanwhile, suddenly gets the break she’s been praying for. Zac, a TV director has seen her picture and wants her to audition for a role in LA. And so, Liberty and Brooke begin a new phase of their lives. Suddenly, she is successful, but she can’t forget Cory. Until news of his engagement reaches her, and she finally agrees to marry Zac.

Years later, everything has changed. Liberty has fled LA, taking a reluctant teenage Brooke with her. But returning to her home town of Brighton reawakens painful memories. Especially as she meets Cory again. She still loves him, but he seems to hate her. Can she ever convince him to trust her again?

June 9, 2013
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Book Review: Seven Night Stand by Nicole Helm
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Seven Night Stand by Nicole Helm

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Seven Night stand by Nicole Helm in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

Reality TV scout Vivvy Marsh loves her job, but she’ll lose it if she doesn’t find a hit. When she’s sent to Demo, Kansas to scout a show, it looks like a bust. It’s flat, boring, and she’s not inspired…until she meets sexy pilot, Nate Harrington.

Nate can’t deny his feelings for Vivvy. She’s beautiful, and doesn’t blink an eye at his crazy family. He could get used to her…but her Hollywood lifestyle doesn’t fly in his small town.

Their feelings deepen, but they’re going to have to part ways at the end of seven days, or one of them is going to have to make a sacrifice that’ll change their lives forever.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. The story is quick and easy to read and flowed very well. I am not a fan of reality TV but this book doesn’t really rub it in your face and I think Nicole did a really good job at tying it into the overall story. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Vivvy and Nate and thought that they were really cute together. There are a couple of characters that came and went throughout the story that I didn’t really care very much for but I think Vivvy and Nate really made up for that. Overall, this a quick read and fairly entertaining.
Rating: 4 stars

June 7, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of June 2
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of June 2

le: Between Friends

Author: Amanda Cowen

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: The only way to have a friend is to be one…especially between the sheets…

When neurotically challenged and unlucky in love Megan Daniels is propositioned by her life-long friend Ben Romano with a coin toss (heads, they sleep together, tails, they don’t) the night before they are about to attend a destination wedding, she drunkenly accepts his challenge. But when Megan wakes up the next morning with a bad hang-over and Ben in her bed, she is more than mortified. It isn’t until the tropical heat begins to ignite emotions Megan never believed or thought she could possibly have, when she starts to question if risking their friendship is the answer to finding true love.

A cute and contemporary debut novel, BETWEEN FRIENDS faces one girl’s struggle between the fine lines of friendship and love and the risk of opening up her heart to the possibility of forever.

pastors wivesTitle: Pastors’ Wives

Author: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen

Received: Penguin Group

Synopsis: Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel Pastors’ Wives follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at a megachurch called Greenleaf. Reeling from the death of her mother, Ruthie suffers a crisis of faith—in God, in her marriage, and in herself. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who’ll stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. All their roads collide in one chaotic event that exposes their true selves. Inspired by Cullen’s reporting as a staff writer for Time magazine, Pastors’ Wives is a dramatic portrayal of the private lives of pastors’ wives, caught between the demands of faith, marriage, duty, and love.

love storyTitle: The Hypnotist’s Love Story

Author: Liane Moriarty

Received: Penguin Group

Synopsis: Ellen O’Farrell has grown tired of the lack of respect her profession is afforded by others—especially her critical physician mother. She is proud to be a hypnotherapist and has found her niche. Unfortunately, she has not been as lucky in love. That is, until she meets Patrick Scott. A handsome young widower she met through an online dating service, Patrick seems too good to be true. So when he one day announces that he has something to tell her, Ellen braces for the worst. His confession: he is being stalked by a former girlfriend. That’s okay, Ellen assures him, and inwardly she has to admit that she finds the situation kind of intriguing. Thrilling, even.

Ellen would love to learn everything she can about the woman—Saskia—but she refrains from pumping Patrick for details because it clearly upsets him. Indeed, Ellen would love to get inside this woman’s head. What she doesn’t realize is that she already knows her. The obsessed Saskia, under an assumed name, has become one of Ellen’s hypnotherapy clients intent on getting as close as possible to her perceived rival.

As Ellen and Patrick grow deeper in love, Saskia grows even more fixated on her former lover. What Patrick failed to see is Saskia’s deep attachment to his young son, Jack, whom she nurtured in the wake of his mother’s death. Meanwhile, Ellen gets some news that could forever change her life and could either solidify or jeopardize her relationship with Patrick. Could Saskia exploit this new development to further her own calculated motives?

June 2, 2013
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Book Review: Playing the Maestro by Aubrie Dionne
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Playing the Maestro by Aubrie Dionne

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Playing the Maestro by Aubrie Dionne in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Melody Mires who has sworn off dating musicians. But, she is tempted when sexy European conductor Wolf Braun takes over her struggling symphony. He is very easy on the eyes, but not so much on the ears. Wolf is arrogant and stubborn and seems to be out to get Melody. And, to make things more complicated, he is her boss. But, with her job on the line, she needs to impress him whilst keeping her undeniable attraction on the sidelines. Turns out though that Wolf is attracted to Melody as well, but he has quite a few skeletons in the closet and is dealing with many issues of his own. Will they be able to turn off the spark? Or will they risk their careers at a chance of love?

This book is very, very sweet. I thought Aubrie did an amazing job at crafting such believable characters and I really loved the chemistry between the two main characters. Melody is sweet and charismatic and Wolf is … kind of a jerk. But, throughout the book we begin to see the facade crumble and realize that it is all mostly an act, and that deep down, he is a kinder, more gentile person. Overall, this book is really enjoyable and is such a quick read. If you have ever played a musical instrument or have a flare for that sort of thing, this is up your alley.
Rating: 4/5 stars

May 30, 2013
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Book Review: Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke

I received a copy of Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
April is a busy time for Hannah Swensen and her bakery; the warm weather makes folks in Lake Eden, Minnesota, go wild for something sweet. When Hannah hears that the Cinnamon Roll Six jazz band will be playing at the town’s Weekend Jazz Festival, she’s more than happy to bake up a generous supply of their namesake confections to welcome the band to town.
Before the festival even begins, tragedy strikes when the tour bus overturns. Among those injured is Buddy Neiman, the band’s beloved keyboard player. Buddy’s injuries appear minor, until his condition suddenly takes a turn for the worse–as in dead. Hannah’s no doctor, but she suspects that the surgical scissors someone plunged into Buddy’s chest may have something to do with it. Hannah isn’t sure just how she’ll unravel the mystery, but one thing’s for sure: nothing’s sweeter than bringing a killer to justice. . .
Review:
While I normally enjoy a mystery novel (and baked goods!) I had trouble getting into this book. I think a large part might have been because this book is a part of a series, and I haven’t read anything else in it. I always felt like I was one step behind everyone else, or the person sitting outside the gossip circle looking in. It was also a bit predictable, which almost feels weird to say knowing that I wasn’t familiar with the characters or the previous storylines, but even then I knew what was going to happen before it did. There were some humorous parts and sections that piqued my interest, but in the end, it fell a bit flat for me.
2.5 stars

May 27, 2013
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