Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

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In My Mailbox: April 21
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In My Mailbox: April 21

In My Mailbox: April 21

Title: Dancing on Glass

Author: Pamela Binnings Ewen

Received: From Pamela Binnings Ewen

Synopsis: In the steamy city of New Orleans in 1974, Amalise Catoir sees Phillip Sharp as a charming, magnetic artist, unlike any man she has known. A young lawyer herself, raised in a small town and on the brink of a career with a large firm, she is strong and successful, yet sometimes too trusting and whimsical. Ama’s rash decision to marry Phillip proves to be a mistake as he becomes overly possessive, drawing his wife away from family, friends, and her faith. His insidious, dangerous behavior becomes her dark, inescapable secret.

Title: She Makes it Look Easy

Author: Marybeth Whalen

Received: From Marybeth Whalen

Synopsis: Ariel Baxter has just moved into the neighborhood of her dreams. The chaos of domestic life and the loneliness of motherhood, however, moved with her. Then she meets her neighbor, Justine Miller. Justine ushers Ariel into a world of clutter-free houses, fresh-baked bread, homemade crafts, neighborhood playdates, and organization techniques designed to make marriage better and parenting manageable.

Soon Ariel realizes there is hope for peace, friendship, and clean kitchen counters. But when rumors start to circulate about Justine’s real home life, Ariel must choose whether to believe the best about the friend she admires or consider the possibility that “perfection” isn’t always what it seems to be.

Title: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Author: Claudia Carroll

Received: From Charlotte @ Avon Books

Synopsis: Absence makes the heart grow fonder … doesn’t it? What happens when two people decide to give themselves the year off … from each other? Annie and Dan were the perfect couple. But now the not-so-newly weds feel more like flatmates than soul mates and wonder where all the fun and fireworks went. When Annie lands her big break in a smash-hit show that’s heading for the bright lights of Broadway, she’s over the moon. Goodbye remote Irish village of Stickens, hello fabulous Big Apple! But with their relationship already on the rocks, how will Annie and Dan survive the distance? They’re hitting the pause button on their marriage. One year off from each other – no strings attached, except a date to meet in 12 months at the Rockefeller Centre to decide their fate. Will they both turn up? Or is it too late for love?

April 21, 2011
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Author Profile: Sarah Mlynowski
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Sarah Mlynowski

Author Name: Sarah Mlynowski

Website: http://www.sarahm.com/sm1_home.htm
Bio: Sarah was born in Montreal, Canada. After graduating with an honors degree in English literature from McGill University, she moved to Toronto to work for Harlequin Enterprises. While she never met Fabio, she used her romance publishing experiences to fuel her first novel MILKRUN. Since then Sarah has written the teen novels BRAS & BROOMSTICKS, FROGS & FRENCH KISSES, SPELLS & SLEEPING BAGS and PARTIES & POTIONS—all in the ‘Magic in Manhattan’ series, as well the soon-to-be-released GIMME A CALL. Along with Lauren Myracle and E. Lockhart, she also wrote HOW TO BE BAD.

Sarah’s four additional novels for adults, FISHBOWL, AS SEEN ON TV, MONKEY BUSINESS and ME VS. ME, were published by Red Dress Ink. She also co-wrote a guide to writing chick lit (SEE JANE WRITE), co-edited two bestselling charity collections (GIRLS’ NIGHT IN and GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT), and contributed to various anthologies (AMERICAN GIRLS ABOUT TOWN, SIXTEEN: STORIES ABOUT THAT SWEET AND BITTER BIRTHDAY, 21 PROMS, FIRST KISS (THEN TELL), FIREWORKS and VACATIONS FROM HELL).

Sarah’s books have been translated into twenty-one languages. Originally from Montreal, she now lives and writes in New York City.

Adult Titles: Fishbowl, As Seen on TV, Monkey Business, Me VS Me.
See my review of her short story Know It All
Bio Retrieved from sarahm.com

April 19, 2011
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Future Tour: Breaking Even by Kathleen Kole
CLP Blog Tours

Future Tour: Breaking Even by Kathleen Kole

Meet Penelope Whittaker, an accountant. A sensible, do things the right way, soon-to-be-married accountant. Penelope is engaged to the wonderful, kind and caring Ben Miller … a man she has known forever.

Enter Single Dad.

While on a school run, Penelope accidentally locks her keys in her car. A seemingly boring event, until she is offered aid by a very handsome (hubba, hubba) and personable Single Dad. Shaken by the encounter, or, more to the point, shaken by her reaction to the encounter, Penelope tries to put it where it belongs: on a shelf marked “Chance Encounters”.

Life has different plans.

Just when Penelope thinks she has blown the whole encounter out of proportion, and made much out of nothing, she is thrown together by chance (or fate?) with Single Dad. Suddenly, he’s a part of her life and, even though Penelope knows it can only cause trouble, she is helpless to stop it. Besides, she doesn’t want to. At least, not until she finds out the unsettling truth about Single Dad.

Penelope is confused. Her family, friends and, most importantly, her fiance, Ben, even more so. Will she be able to find her footing and go back to where she used to be, safe in her carefully structured world? Or, will she take the path of redefining herself, possibly leaving Ben behind?

April 19, 2011
2 Comments
Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst
Chick Lit Review

Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst

I was so super excited to read the first book from Cathleen Holst, someone who has become a friend and mentor of mine since launching Chick Lit Plus and making the plunge into writing. And she did not disappoint! Everleigh in NYC opens with southern belle Everleigh Carlisle visiting New Orleans with bestie Christina. Since Everleigh was just dumped for the other woman- in this case, one of her friends- she knows a vacation to the Big Easy is in order. While there, Everleigh and Christina visit a voodoo priestess, and Everleigh makes a wish. The next morning, unable to remember the past night events, Everleigh doesn’t realize that she made a life altering wish with the priestess.
Two years later, everything is falling in place for Everleigh. She got hired for her dream job- a columnist at the ultra glam premiere New York magazine- Trés Magnifique. Her dream of moving to the Big Apple from Georgia and making a name for herself are finally happening. She also meets a man, the gorgeous and funny and hard working Robert Cates, but there are a few problems. For one, she can hear his inner thoughts. For two, he is her new boss, taking over the small newspaper company that Everleigh works for. Tucker Tales also happens to be started by Everleigh’s father, and is in danger of going under. Can Everleigh really leave for NYC and leave behind the family business? And why can she Robert’s thoughts?
Everleigh in NYC is a hit for Cathleen Holst! The story was fast-paced, the writing was witty, and the characters were full of charisma. I loved the voodoo/hearing thoughts aspect, that mystery gave this chick lit novel a little something extra. But the pages are also filled with to die for fashions, loving friends, boyfriend dramas, and an extremely relatable heroine that faces very real decisions. I highly enjoyed this debut novel, though there were a few odd grammar and spelling mishaps towards the end that I noticed, but overall, really fantastic read. I definitely recommend!
[Rating:4]

April 18, 2011
3 Comments
Future Tour: Family Pieces by Misa Rush
CLP Blog Tours

Future Tour: Family Pieces by Misa Rush

Misa Rush is going on tour in June with her debut novel Family Pieces What do you do when your once charmed life falls to…

April 17, 2011
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Debut Authors & Novels- May
Chick Lit Authors

Debut Authors & Novels- May

Debut Authors & Novels-May

Title: The Better Half
Author: Sarah Harte
Available: May 2011
Synopsis: Anita is a wife on the edge.
Thanks to her husband Frank’s success in business she has lived a lavish lifestyle at the heart of the city’s elite. However, now that the economy is in freefall, it seems the days of boozy lunches with ‘the girls’, glittering charity balls and competitive designer shopping are over.
Still, though the banks are breathing down their necks, and their marriage is far from perfect, Anita had believed she and Frank would pull through. After all, they came from nothing. That was until she heard news that shook both her marriage, and the family she thought happy and secure, to its foundations.
As she faces meltdown, Anita is haunted. Why did she walk away from her one chance to prove herself on her own terms? What happened to the love that was once so overwhelming? And how did she let herself get lost in an empty high-rolling lifestyle?
Anita has to find herself again … but how do you do that when you’re just someone else’s better half?

Title: It Happened In Paris
Author: Mollie Hopkins
Available: May 2011
Synopsis: Evie Dexter, 26, is in pursuit of a career as a European tour guide. Heart set on success and buoyed on by booze, she begins ‘enhancing’ her CV and soon lands a job with Insignia Tours, guiding their Paris breaks. Bursting with professionalism, Evie quickly checks her copy of Vogue Paris to remind herself where France actually is. Task accomplished, she’s determined to become a cultured and respected chaperone. And she would be, if only the French wine weren’t so delicious and Rob, her sexy coach driver, so deliciously distracting …Join Evie on her maiden voyage as Tour Guide Extraordinaire. It’s going to be one hell of a ride.

Title: First Ladies
Author: Kay Burley
Available: May 12 2011
Synopsis: What happens when the power of love challenges the love of power?
‘So, have you met the Prime Minister before?’
Suave PM Julian Jenson has just been re-elected. The nation’s darling, he has an elegance and natural charm in public. But in private the cracks are starting to show.
At his side is his wife, Valerie. Trim, tall, well educated but deeply unhappy – with her son and daughter away at school, alcohol is becoming a trusted friend.
Sally Simpson is at the peak of her game. Powerful editor of the bestselling magazine Celeb, she can’t wait to take her rightful place by Julian’s side.
Sexy TV reporter Isla McGovern has caught Julian’s eye, and she will do anything (or anyone) to get to the top.
When the three women meet, so begins a perfect storm, and only one can emerge as the First Lady.

April 16, 2011
2 Comments
GIVEAWAY: Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal
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GIVEAWAY: Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal

It’s been ten years since the Wakefield twins graduated from Sweet Valley High, and a lot has happened. For a start, Elizabeth and Jessica have had a falling out of epic proportions, after Jessica committed the ultimate betrayal, and this time it looks like Elizabeth will never be able to forgive her. Suddenly Sweet Valley isn’t big enough for the two of them, so Elizabeth has fled to New York to immerse herself in her lifelong dream of becoming a serious reporter, leaving a guilt-stricken Jessica contemplating the unthinkable: life without her sister. Despite the distance between them, the sisters are never far from each other’s thoughts. Jessica longs for forgiveness, but Elizabeth can’t forget her twin’s duplicity. Uncharacteristically, she decides the only way to heal her broken heart is to get revenge. Always the ‘good’ twin, the one getting her headstrong sister out of trouble, Elizabeth is now about to turn the tables…

I have one paperback and one audio version of Sweet Valley Confidential to give away! To enter, please leave a comment below answering the two questions:
Are you a Jessica or an Elizabeth?
If this were made into a movie, who would you like to see cast?
For extra entries, please comment on Facebook or RT the contest on Twitter. Please note, this is for US/Canada resident only.

April 15, 2011
19 Comments
Tales From the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell
Chick Lit Review

Tales From the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell

Tales From the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell is a charismatic novel about a group woman struggling in different aspects of their lives. Lee, the owner and instructor of a yoga studio, is having money and marriage troubles. Her husband Alan recently moved out of their home, but Lee is determined to make it worth with him. Katherine, who works as a masseuse at Lee’s studio, is a recovering addict who stumbles into what may be love, but she doesn’t feel worthy of receiving it. Graciela is a dancer who was recently injured, and is turning to yoga to try to help recover. Imani, though a successful actor and wife to an adoring husband, suffered a miscarriage and is feeling lost after her devastating experience. And Stephanie is determined to be the best screenwriter, but her namedropping and egotistical manner turns everyone away from her. The girls all meet at Lee’s studio, and form odd friendships to help each other through their journeys.
This novel seems to be getting plenty of mixed reviews, but I liked it, I really did. I love yoga, so it was fun for me to know the poses they were performing and to learn new ideas. There is a big “corporate yoga” scandal in the book, which I thought was really interesting to read about. There are essentially five main characters, and each has their own small sections to discuss their lives. I think five may be too many. Or else Mitchell needed to give more time to each character. Just when I thought I was getting to connect with one, I would be yanked into another’s world. But I thought each woman brought an interesting characteristic and authentic problem to their group, and I enjoyed watching how they would interact with one another. I really never did understand where Graciela’s injury came from though. Or why Lee was so blind to her husband’s obvious wandering eye. But overall, I thought this was a good story and I am hoping for some sort of spin-off with a few of the characters.
[Rating: 4]

April 15, 2011
4 Comments
Future Tour: Little Miss Teacher by Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar
CLP Blog Tours

Future Tour: Little Miss Teacher by Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar

Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar is going on tour June 13-27 with her debut novel Little Miss Teacher Told through the eyes of Candace Turner, a high…

April 15, 2011
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