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Book Review: He’s the One by Katie Price
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: He’s the One by Katie Price

I received a copy of He’s the One by Katie Price in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
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?
Review:
The first thing I thought when I started reading this book was this is a thick book. Due to all my crazy wedding plans I haven’t been reading as fast as I usually can, so I worried about getting my review in on time. But, I’m happy to say that the book flew by for me! The first section in the book is from 1999, and is told from Liberty’s POV. We see her as a struggling waitress, a single mom who has dreams of becoming an actress and making a good life for her daughter Brooke. She falls in love with Cory, but their summer romance doesn’t last. Then we are fast-forwarded to 2013, and start getting POV’s from both Liberty and her daughter Brooke. Now Liberty is a celebrity living in LA, and while her life might seem glamorous from the outside, she is really in a horrible marriage and still pining after her first true love – Cory. After finally leaving her husband and fleeing back home to Brighton, readers get the final piece of Liberty and Brooke’s story. Away from LA, mother and daughter finally seem to forge a real relationship, love is found (for both women), and I loved the happy ending. The story is fast-paced, fun to get immersed in, and I highly enjoyed He’s the One!
4 stars

June 25, 2013
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CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Meltdown by Tara Thompson
Chick Lit Review

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Meltdown by Tara Thompson

Tara Thompson is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Meltdown
Summary:
NYSSA, internationally renown supermodel, is accustomed to turning heads. As a young girl, her flawless face attracted the wrong kind of attention. She escaped an abusive father and successfully navigated life’s seedy underbelly to become a runway renegade, although not without leaving her share of enemies behind. Lately she’s caught the eye of….

STEVE, handsome hometown hero and soon-to-be Governor of Texas. Unfortunately he’s already married. As Steve publicly dumps his perfect, former Miss Texas wife for Hollywood’s latest ‘It’ girl, his state faces the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. Will he be able to turn things around, or is he too embroiled in his political sex scandal? His good friend and business partner….

DEMETRI, sexy hedge fund manager, is at the top of his professional game and tries to save his friend from near financial ruin. Yet he’s distracted by Steve’s new girlfriend, who just happens to be Demetri’s old flame. Years ago, Nyssa ran from him and he’s never forgotten her. But why is he still interested? Demetri’s dating….

AISLINN, a woman as brilliant as she is beautiful. Enjoying all the perks of having a billionaire boyfriend, she’s falling fast for Demetri and has no idea that she might be the one getting played. Although she bets big on Wall Street, the largest casino in the world, nothing is more risky than giving her heart away.

In this fun, juicy, glamorous novel, no one is exactly who they appear to be…
And all of them are heading for a MELTDOWN.

Who will rise from the ashes?
Review:
Smart chick lit is a favorite of mine, and I feel that Meltdown can be put into that category. While of course there is talk about romance and betrayal and fashion and love, there is also political situations and some deep discussions on the financial crisis that are weaved in throughout the pages. It was interesting to get into the lives of all the characters highlighted, as they are quite diverse and their worlds are unique and interesting. Sometimes it was a tad overwhelming how many people we get to know and keeping up with all of their storylines, but it still made for an interesting read. I hope there is more coming from Tara Thompson.
3.5 stars

June 24, 2013
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CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Meeting Miss Mollie by Di Jones
Chick Lit Review

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Meeting Miss Mollie by Di …

Di Jones is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Meeting Miss Mollie
Summary:
She’s the Agony Aunt who has it all. Except for one small problem – her life is a disaster.

Annabelle is a hard nosed writer with a good marriage, a nice flat, a thriving career at Adorn magazine and a busy social life. She has only one ambition – to be the best known Agony Aunt in the UK.

When her world is turned upside down by her husband’s infidelity she strikes out on her own and goes flatting with a jet setting businessman. But things in her new house aren’t quite what they seem and her problems mount.

Through her ups and downs, Annabelle forges a relationship with the strangest of friends and discovers the best things in life are those she always avoided.

Meeting Miss Mollie is a story about lies, loss, loyalty, love and laughter, and will appeal to anyone who loves chicklit or romantic comedy. You’ll laugh as you read this book, and perhaps even shed a tear.
Review:
I have also read Transplanting Holly Oakwood by Jones and thought it was a delightful chick lit read. I was looking forward to reading Meeting Miss Mollie, and once again, thought it was fun chick lit book. Jones writes with humor, wit, spark, and I loved that we got a POV from Mollie – a dog! I thought that was a little different, and her chapters were cracking me up. Sometimes I didn’t understand the romance angle, it was like it kept coming out of the blue, and Annabelle seemed to get over her fear of dogs a bit too suddenly. But I liked Annabelle as a character, she was easy to relate to especially when it came to her failed marriage, and I did enjoy reading. I would recommend Di Jones to chick lit fans!
4 stars

June 24, 2013
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On Tour: Meltdown by Tara Thompson
CLP Blog Tours

On Tour: Meltdown by Tara Thompson

Tara will be on tour June 24-July 15 with her novel Meltdown NYSSA, internationally renown supermodel, is accustomed to turning heads. As a young girl,…

June 22, 2013
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Book Review: Stupid by Choice by Leighton Summers
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Stupid by Choice by Leighton Summers

I received a copy of Stupid by Choice by Leighton Summers in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
A novel about the adventures and regrets of a Texas Oil Princess’s quest for finding love…

Melanie St. John is a beautiful, smart, rich Texan daddy’s girl born to a bold, high-powered lawyer in the oil business who helps Melanie grow into someone who is both worldly and capable. But once she leaves college and enters the privileged world of dating highly sought-after “men of leisure,” she is catapulted in and out of the wealthiest places on the globe while hoping to get married and start a family with one of them. But these mostly destructive love affairs soon become a dynamic exploration of wealth and love, with all the highs and lows. And to complicate matters she is surrounded by her older, free-wheeling, wildcat sister (and her sister’s exotic but destructive best friend) as well as her own two completely opposite best friends, and each of them also hopes to find their own Prince Charming—which all only adds to the competition, adventures, and scandals. But throughout each relationship Melanie explores the deeper, more prevalent themes of family, friendship, love, intimacy, freedom, betrayal, motherhood, and most of all, inner strength.
Review:
My first thought about this book is that it’s really long. I wish there were parts that were cut out to make the story move along faster, because I think if it did it could have held my attention better. Sometimes I had to wonder why certain scenes were being shared, how they added to the story, and really – what was the overall point of the book. The prologue was intriguing, but it seemed to take way to long to get through Melanie’s whole life story until we finally catch up to where the book started us off. There were interesting parts and it was fun to follow along a Texas Oil Princess in her quest for love and trying to find true happiness. Some of the characters we meet are so over the top and out of control that it’s hard not talk to other people about them, saying “Can you believe he did this?” I felt emotions while reading this book, especially when it came to Melanie’s friend Emily, and I truly liked Melanie as a main character. There were so many times where she could have just thrown in the towel and taken the easy way out, and I’m glad she didn’t do that. I still wish the story was shorter, but it was a good book
3 stars

June 20, 2013
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Book Review: The Unexpected List by Chrissy Anderson
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Unexpected List by Chrissy Anderson

I received a copy of The Unexpected List by Chrissy Anderson in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Chrissy Anderson’s The Unexpected List delivers another charismatic combination of romance and anguish, peppered with large doses of wit. In this second novel from THE LIST TRILOGY, Chrissy, who is now divorced from her husband, Kurt, is finally free to pursue a “truly, madly, deeply” relationship with the man of her dreams, Leo.

And it looks like Chrissy is finally going to be able to have her wedding cake and eat it too as Leo valiantly tries to make all of her dreams come true. But once again, Chrissy’s world, and her relationships, are turned upside-down as someone else close to her dies. And, an unexpected gift forces her to grow up– fast. For a second time, Chrissy is pushed to make a choice between love and obligation. What will she choose this time?

Your favorite characters from The Life List are back. Dr. Maria, Slutty Co-worker, and Chrissy’s best friends from high school, Courtney and Nicole, continue to laugh and cry with Chrissy as she learns how to pick herself up and move on to achieve the life she’s always wanted, and now knows she deserves.

As in The Life List, not everyone will agree with Chrissy Anderson’s decisions, but all will pause as they follow along on her journey to ask, “What would I do if I were her?”
Review:
I was super excited times ten to read this book, as I just loved the first in this trilogy, The Life List. I found myself thinking about the characters and if Chrissy ended up Leo, as we are left with a cliffhanger. Now, this is going to be an interesting review. Why? Because I didn’t love all the aspects of this book. I struggled with some of the editing. For example, I don’t like sentences like this: Smiling from ear to ear, “So what?” Taking my hands, “I see very beautiful things.” My editor self was cringing when I read these types of sentences. Also, the beginning threw me off a bit. I thought the prologue was a bit too long, and too much of trying to keep an air of mystery. I just wanted the story to start all right, and stop with all the mysteriousness of it. Now, even after that being said…I’m giving this book a 5 star review. If I ever find something wrong with the editing it’s an automatic no 5 star, a 4.5 at best. So why would I have two things about the book that I dislike and still rate it 5 stars? Because I absolutely loved this story, and did not want to put it down (after I got through the prologue). The ending had me practically panting, and I actually felt crushed – crushed! – when the book ended at yet another cliffhanger. I felt even more crushed when I saw the third and final installment won’t be here until winter. These books are having a profound effect on me, and I’m talking to everyone I know about them. I think the about the characters, wonder about their lives, and find myself continuing the stories in my mind how I hope they will end. Very rarely, and I mean VERY rarely, does this happen. So yes, while I might find aspects that I didn’t totally like, in all I loved this book as a whole. I highly recommend this trilogy!
5 stars

June 18, 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: Summer’s Song by Lindi Peterson
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Summer’s Song by Lindi Peterson

Reviewed by Kate E. Stephenson
I received a copy of Summer’s Song by Lindi Peterson in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
All she has to do is prove that she’s changed . . . completely. Pop-star princess Summer Sinclair doesn’t know what to do with herself now that she’s cleaned-up and sober. She knows God’s been nudging her, but since God is unfamiliar territory, she feels scared and alone. Everything changes when she meets Levi Preston, a Christian musician who’s falling for Summer and wants her to be who God created her to be. But when the reality of her life takes Levi to places he’s vowed to stay clear of, will Summer’s newfound freedom be what breaks her heart as she does what is best for Levi?
Review:
Summer’s Song was a challenge for me, but in some ways a good one that allowed me to question what I believe as the norm. The novel is successfully written in alternating first person between the male and female protagonists. The reader spends most of the time in the head of the developing heroine Summer Sinclair, viewing the world through her disenchanted pop star eyes. No longer impressed by the glitz and glamour of stardom, Summer is an addict who has reached rock bottom and is slowly climbing her way precariously out of a deep ditch.
Through her self-examination of her life the reader encounters interesting commentary on the morals of the pop life and what it means to be a healthy individual. Summer tries to find her balance in life and is aided by her discovery of Christianity and a Jesus-centered life. As an individual born into a Christian family, for me parts of Summer’s journey seem impossible. Is it possible in the United States of America for anyone to avoid religion, Jesus and prayer? I grew up in a diverse atmosphere in which my friends were Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and non-religious. We all seemed to accept the presence of a higher power and to be aware of (at least on a superficial basis) the traditions and holy days we observe. Summer’s total isolation seems unreasonable, but I accept that may be part of Lindi Peterson’s theme, and it is absolutely part of what drives Summer’s character.
The love story that unfolds is beautiful, though at times predictable. The juxtaposition between pop and country seems a bit contrived at times. And some of the relationships in the narrative are less developed than they could be. But there is a comforting level of reality in conflicts that are not easily overcome and character flaws that are not changed overnight. All in all, Summer’s Song is a solid, easy read that makes for a good beach book. Queue up a playlist of your country pop favorites and you’re ready to go.

3.5 Stars

May 30, 2013
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On Tour: Meeting Miss Mollie by Di Jones
CLP Blog Tours

On Tour: Meeting Miss Mollie by Di Jones

Di will be on tour June 3-24 with her novel Meeting Miss Mollie She’s the Agony Aunt who has it all. Except for one small…

May 29, 2013
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