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Rita Hayworth’s Shoes by Francine LaSala
Chick Lit Review

Rita Hayworth’s Shoes by Francine LaSala

Witty and charming, Rita Hayworth’s Shoes by Francine LaSala follows Amy Miller who has just been dumped on her wedding day. Apparently it’s for the best … or that is how everyone feels except for Amy. Sad and alone, Amy’s best friend Jane tries to cheer her up, and it seems like nothing will do the trick, that is until she convinces Amy to buy a pair of overly priced heels that supposedly belonged to Rita Hayworth during her hay day. As if like magic, the shoes instantly give Amy the extra va-va-voom that she has been missing and begins to turn her life around.

Rita Hayworth’s Shoes is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. The characters are quirky and charming, yet utterly realistic. I absolutely fell in love with Jane and eventually with Deck and found myself ripping through the pages toward the end to find out what happened between the two of them. This book is heart felt and I absolutely loved the idea of purchasing a pair of Rita’s shoes (who wouldn’t?) and having them turn Amy’s life around. At first the book seems to be stereotypical chick-lit, but then it knocks you on your toes and you realize that it is part comedy and part mystery. Overall, a delicious page turner that will leave you wanting more.

[Rating: 4.5/5]

September 11, 2012
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Free Gift With Purchase by Jackie Pilossoph
Chick Lit Review

Free Gift With Purchase by Jackie Pilossoph

In a clever twist in regards to a free gift with purchase, Jackie Pilossoph tells the story of two sisters, who happen to be polar opposites. Emma is the stereotypical party girl and Laura is the hardworking doctor. Although they couldn’t be more different in most references, they do have one BIG thing in common- dating post marriage. Emma is a widow and single mother and Laura was dumped by her cheating husband. A financial dispute between Laura and her ex leaves her homeless and on the doorstep of Emma’s house….and that is when the fun truly begins.

I really enjoyed reading Free Gift With Purchase by Jackie Pilossoph. The two sisters are cleverly told and hilarious in my opinion. I loved watching the gals scouring the city for men and a hopeful chance at love. The slew of men that come into the picture leaves one cringing yet hopeful at the same time. This book is captivating and realistic and I know that several of my single gal friends could definitely relate to the bad apples that come crashing into the scene. Overall, a really fun read that will make you think twice about the way you view your sister/mother/girlfriend and the lives you think they may lead.

[Rating: 4/5]

September 11, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 9
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of September 9

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: The Bloody Mary Club

Author: Debbie Dyke

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis:

Stock market meltdown. United States housing bubble. Global financial crisis. Chief executives cooking the books. Who can you trust for financial advice? Gina Van Story, a savvy 40ish investment advisor to the rescue. She can spot a trend on the market and jump on it like a cat. She dreams of grabbing the bull by the horns and is on the hunt for one final big score. Gina and her three best friends form the Bloody Mary Investment Club and come face-to-face with corruption in a David and Goliath struggle when their stock portfolio turns deadly…literally.

Over made-to-order Bloody Mary cocktails at historic Gadsby’s Tavern, Gina takes her friends under her wing and teaches them the ins and outs of the stock market. Trouble begins when, following Gina’s bullish advice, they become majority owners in the local bank and then stubbornly turn down a lucrative buyout offer. Not only will money and greed challenge their friendship, they will have to get smart fast and figure out how to turn the tables on the charmingly seductive, yet evil, banker who wants control of their stock by any means necessary – including murder!

Title: The Seven Steps to Closure

Author: Donna Joy Usher

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Tara Babcock awakes the morning after her 30th birthday with a hangover that could kill an elephant – and the knowledge she is still no closer to achieving closure on her marriage breakup. Things go from bad to worse when she discovers that, not only is her ex-husband engaged to her cousin – Tash, the woman he left her for – but that Jake is also running for Lord Mayor of Sydney. Desperate to leave the destructive relationship behind and with nothing to lose, she decides- with encouragement from her three best friends – to follow the dubious advice from a magazine article, Closure in Seven Easy Steps.
The Seven Steps to Closure follows Tara on her sometimes disastrous- always hilarious – path to achieve the seemingly impossible. A credible and amazingly touching debut novel from Donna Joy Usher, this is a solid, light-hearted and honest read with plenty of laughs.

Title: Magnolia

Author: Caroline Garcia-Aguilera

Received: From Jessica Jonap PR

Synopsis: MAGNOLIA (B&B Press; November 2012), the new book by award-winning author, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, is a clever, witty and engaging story where two American pastimes — sports and sex — come together. In this book, readers will follow the story of Magnolia Larson, a beautiful, twenty-two year old woman from a conservative, Catholic Minneapolis family, as she transforms herself into a kind of “sports geisha,” a high priced hooker for elite athletes.
In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Twelve Months

Author: Steven Manchester

Received: Lou @ The Story Plant

Synopsis: Don DiMarco has a very good life – a family he loves, a comfortable lifestyle, passions and interests that keep him amused. He also thought he had time, but that turned out not to be the case. Faced with news that might have immediately felled most, Don now wonders if he has time enough. Time enough to show his wife the romance he didn’t always lavish on her. Time enough to live out his most ambitious fantasies. Time enough to close the circle on some of his most aching unresolved relationships. Summoning an inner strength he barely realized he possessed, Don sets off to prove that twelve months is time enough to live a life in full.

A glorious celebration of each and every moment that we’re given here on Earth, as well as the eternal bonds that we all share, TWELVE MONTHS is a stirring testament to the power of the human spirit.

Title: The Boots My Mother Gave Me

Author: Brooklyn James

Received: Brooklyn James

Synopsis: AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARD QUARTER FINALIST 2011 Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk through life in someone else’s shoes? Strong-willed tomboy Harley LeBeau puts you in the boots her mother gave her, as she takes you along her journey of escape from an abusive childhood and the desire to find herself as she comes of age. Made to feel a burden to her father simply by her gender, Harley is determined to prove her worth and independence, leaving the small town she grew up in and the one boy who gave her a soft place to fall, Jeremiah Johnson. Torn between saving herself and abandoning her mother and younger sister, Harley chooses her own life in hopes they will choose theirs, too. A mature, candid read for everyone. A must for women. The Boots My Mother Gave Me explores the dynamics of abuse and dysfunction, the courage to overcome, the strength in sisterhood, and the ongoing conflict and unconditional love between mothers and daughters. Climb into Charlene the Chevelle for a fast-paced story about a girl who is tough enough to survive and tender enough to learn to trust in love.

September 9, 2012
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Rosy George’s Convention Conundrum Book Excerpt by Polly Young
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Rosy George’s Convention Conundrum Book Excerpt by Polly Young

The next fortnight was a whirlwind of drinks, meals and house visits as Rosy said goodbye to friends and colleagues. It was fun but as she drew breath on the bus between engagements, the revelry made it harder to leave her beloved life. Sod it, she thought, on the day of departure. It’s probably the last chance to shop properly so I may as well splurge. And she did – on a pair of strappy vertiginous heels that made her look like a celebrity hippy.
It was these she was wearing in Lytton Farm Shop as the bell ‘ding’ed behind her on her first Tuesday in the village. Looking up from the wheat-free pasta, she reddened. Angus Hart stood before her in corduroys and a faded polo shirt, holding a baby’s head.
She screamed. Not just a scream; a screech a banshee would have been proud of. On the far side of the shop, a bottle smashed. People stared. Angus blinked.
“My God! What the …?”
“It’s not real.”
She looked again and saw it was true. It was incredibly life-like … but plastic.
She’d been less disturbed by David’s Speedos. “What on earth are you doing?”
Smirking, he raised an eyebrow. “Shopping with a friend.”
He was too weird for words. She picked up a basket and made to go, but he fell into step beside her and the aisles were too narrow to run.
He cornered her by the soft fruit. “I’m sorry I scared you.” He gestured towards the doll’s head, which sat like a curious pineapple, gazing up through the bars of his trolley. “It’s just a prop. I use it with the children in drama. It prompts interesting discussion.”
God help the children; who knew what sort of conversation he was into. She hurried on, but he followed.
“I thought you’d be in the beauty section.” She steeled herself for the inevitable. “Buying nail varnish.”
She threw him a withering look. “I have enough left, thank you. It was only a very small scratch.”
“The tree wasn’t quite so lucky.”
Boy, was he hard work. She turned to face him. “I’m sorry. Again. But it’s a tree. It’ll live.”
He explored her with his eyes. “Why are we arguing?”
She was temporarily thrown. Because you scared me. Because of your arrogance. Because you like to fuck people in the bushes. “I don’t know.”
“I’m sorry if I scared you.” His hair curled into his neck at the back, she noticed. Just at the back. Otherwise it was quite straight.
She exhaled slowly. “That’s ok.”

September 7, 2012
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Finding Out by Sheryn MacMunn
Chick Lit Review

Finding Out by Sheryn MacMunn

Finding Out by Sheryn MacMunn follows Sheila Davenport who in the beginning of the book, believes that her life is on track. Then … she gets dumped by her boyfriend of seven years and shortly afterward, realizes that he nearly emptied their joint savings account. Weighed down by reality, the financial woes of the bills that she can no longer afford to pay, and a psychotic boss, Sheila loses grip and realizes that life is no longer what she once imagined it to be. Stuck with no immediate solutions to her problems, her friends urge her to date but she realizes that dating only causes more woes but she wonders what to do next. An unexpected twist brings in an elderly neighbor who shares some insight on love, loss, and most importantly, a solid perspective on living life. What will happen to Sheila? Will she be able to move on and forward with her life? Or will she continue to dwell on all that has gone wrong? You must turn the pages to find out.

Finding Out is a true eye opener and I loved every second of it. Early on in the novel, Sheila loses everything and is so lost that she doesn’t know which way is up and which is down. But, that all changes once she meets Ruth and gets a fresh perspective on life. This is a story of second chances, love found and lost, and the strength of redemption. A page-turner until the very last second, I enjoyed this debut from Sheryn immensely. Overall, a fantastic read.

[Rating: 5/5]

September 6, 2012
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All The Truth by Laura Brodie
Chick Lit Review

All The Truth by Laura Brodie

All The Truth by Laura Brodie follows Emma and Maggie Greene. The story starts off with Maggie away on break from teaching, living in rural solitude with her husband and Maggie, who is then only five years old. Late one night, an intruder trespasses and Maggie witnesses her mother do something that changes her life forever. The story then resumes nine years later, finding Maggie living with her now divorced father in the same rural town, entering her first year of high school and some things make her confront that lone night in her past once she has an odd encounter with a math teacher.

When I first started reading All The Truth by Laura Brodie, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The book starts off slow … but boy does it pick up about 30-40 pages in. Laura does a wonderful job at capturing every emotion that the characters feel and she describes things in vivid detail so that it feels like you are experiencing everything first hand with the characters. My only complaint is that the big moment that I was waiting for toward the end of the book kind of left me hanging. Maybe I was expecting more of a confrontation? Either way, this book is incredibly sad but a great read. It was difficult reading about Maggie and her struggles but I couldn’t put the book down. Overall, a very memorable and captivating book.

[Rating: 4/5-5]

September 4, 2012
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Challenge 2012:Post Reviews:September
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Challenge 2012:Post Reviews:September

September Reviews

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Please note this is not the sign up page. To sign up, click here

To see what challengers are reading, click here

Only signed up challengers are eligible to win

Prize for September: Three (3) winners will receive a print copy of Loving David by Gina Hummer. This will be open to US/Canada residents only. In order to qualify, 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.

September 3, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of September 2
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of September 2

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: The Twelve Days to Christmas

Author: Michele Gorman

Received: From Michele Gorman

Synopsis: Hannah’s in a bit of a pickle. In twelve days she flies from Hong Kong to the US with Sam, where he’s finally going to meet her parents… and ask to marry her.

Since overcoming a rather rocky patch in their relationship (which was totally his fault), he really is a new man, and they’re completely in love. The problem is, she feels panicky every time she contemplates matrimony. Which is perfectly normal, isn’t it? Isn’t it?! She has no idea but she’s got to find out before he pops the question… because she’s not 100% sure she’s going to say yes. Which will make for a very uncomfortable family holiday. He’s got to ask her before they go. So Operation Proposal begins.

As time ticks down to their flight, Hannah realizes that her own secrets are threatening their future. Before she can be happy with Sam, she’s got a lot to learn about herself in the twelve days to Christmas.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns

Author: Margaret Dilloway

Received: unsolicited

Synopsis: Thirty-six-year-old Gal Garner lives a regimented life. Her job teaching biology and her struggle with kidney disease keep her toggling between the high school, the hospital, and her home on a strict schedule.

Only at home, in her garden, does Gal come alive. It’s here that she experiments with Hulthemia roses, painstakingly cross-pollinating various specimens in the hopes of creating a brand-new variation of spectacular beauty. But even her passion has a highly structured goal: Gal wants to win Queen of Show in a major competition and bring that rose to market.

Then one afternoon Gal’s teenaged niece Riley, the daughter of her estranged sister, arrives. Unannounced. Neither one of them will ever be the same.

Filled with gorgeous details of the art of rose breeding, The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns is a testament to the redemptive power of love.

September 2, 2012
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Midnight Promises by Sherryl Woods
Chick Lit Review

Midnight Promises by Sherryl Woods

Midnight Promises by Sherryl Woods is the first in the Sweet Magnolia’s triology. This book follows Elliott Cruz, who first courted struggling single mom, Karen Amex, years ago. Now a few years into their marriage, their colliding dreams threaten to tear them apart. Elliott wants to pursue a business opportunity using their “baby money” and that causes issues with Karen due to her financial insecurities. Lack of communication, tension, personal issues, and secrets make things difficult, and unsure how to handle conflicting interests, things become tense quickly between the two … but it isn’t until they find out about an affair close to home that their issues are put into perspective and don’t seem so damning after all. Will they be able to work through their differences?

Sherryl beautiful conveys what life is like inside most marriages: life gets busy, spouses lose touch with one another, and things get in the way …. and I love how she handled their conflict and the resolution. I feel like most of the time in books, marriages are made out to be either completely disastrous or similar to a fairy tale, when for most people, they are right in between. I also really liked the secondary plot line (well, as much as one can when it deals with an extramarital affair) and how Elliott and Karen use her marriage crisis to really see what they have right in front of them. Midnight Promises is a wonderful read and Sherryl does a fantastic job at creating very in depth characters and a very believable story line. Overall, a really great read.

[Rating:4.5/5]

August 31, 2012
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