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Surf Sea and a Sexy Stranger by Heidi Rice
Chick Lit Review

Surf Sea and a Sexy Stranger by Heidi Rice

Mills and Boon were so kind this year to send me a wonderful package with chocolates, face masks, and of course- two books! The first I read from M&B was Surf Sea and a Sexy Stranger by Heidi Rice. Maddy Westmore is on lifeguard duty when she has to rescue a man from drowning. The deliciously sexy man turns out to be millionaire entrepreneur Ryan King, though Maddy doesn’t know who he is. Rye has turned into a bit of recluse since a motorbike accident, which left him with a bad knee and inability to perform sexually. He is standoffish to Maddy after she pulls him from the water, mainly because he is embarrassed, but also because he is extremely turned on by her. Maddy insists on checking up on him after the surfing accident, which leads to a surprising night of passion. Maddy, who has a shoddy family background thanks to an affair by her father and has been used by several past boyfriends, can’t believe she gave in so easily to Rye’s charms. And Rye can’t believe he was able to get it up. The pair decide to give “just friends with benefits” a shot, but it is clearly not what they both want. But when their complicated backgrounds come to light, Maddy and Rye need to decide if they could make a relationship work, or if they are just not meant to be.
Surf Sea and a Sexy Stranger has a lot of romance and passion between the pages, but I kept finding myself a bit bored. I enjoyed Maddy’s character, she was jaded yet innocent and I was really rooting for her, but Rye didn’t connect with me so much. His womanizing and egotistical ways was a big turn off, so I didn’t quite understand the attraction to Maddy and vice versa. Trying to be just friends with no strings attached was clearly not working from the beginning, and Maddy’s outright resistance to date her boss (Rye) wasn’t too convincing, and I think that is where the story fell flat for me. And there are a lot of sex scenes, which isn’t really my cup of tea either. I did think the writing was very good though, this is my first read from Rice but it is evident she is very talented. The dialogue and description of the surroundings were both excellent, and I think I will try another by this author and see if I enjoy it more. Overall though, it was an interesting read and I would recommend this book. I would give it a try and see what you think of Maddy and Rye and their complicated romance.
[Rating: 3]

April 25, 2011
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In My Mailbox: Week of April 24
Updates

In My Mailbox: Week of April 24

In My Mailbox: Week of April 24, 2011

Title: The Perfect Hero
Author: Victoria Connelly
Received: From Charlotte @ Avon Books
Synopsis: The circus has come to town…

Die-hard romantic, Kay Ashton, uses her inheritance to open a B&B in the seaside town of Lyme Regis and is dumbstruck when the cast and crew of a new production of Persuasion descend, needing a place to stay. Kay can’t believe her luck – especially when she realises that heart throb actor Oli Wade Owen will be sleeping under her very own roof!

Meanwhile, co-star Gemma Reilly is worried that her acting isn’t up to scratch, despite landing a plum role. She finds a sympathetic ear in shy producer, Adam Craig, who is as baffled by the film world as she is. Kay thinks the two are meant for each other and can’t resist a spot of matchmaking.

Then, when Oli turns his trademark charm on Kay, it seems that she has found her real-life hero. But do heroes really exist?

Title: Maid of Honor
Author: Jillian Conley
Received: From Jillian Conley
Synopsis: Unemployed and single Josephine Vitale felt like her life couldn’t get any worse, or so she thought. On Valentine’s night her best friend Sandra called announcing her engagement. Since Sandra had been planning her perfect wedding since she was twelve, Josephine knew she was in for one hell of a ride, especially after she was assigned the “honor” to be Sandra’s Maid of Honor. Even though Josephine struggles with her duties and the Barbie pink bridesmaid dresses, butterflies flutter in her stomach when the wedding bliss reunites her with a past love interest.
Maid of Honor is a story that shares the bond between two women and the lengths one will go for the other when they get married. Josephine takes on everything from the bride’s mental breakdowns to wearing latex gloves when handling the wedding gown to driving across half the state for the perfect vases… all for her best friend.

Title: A Parfait Murder
Author: Wendy Lyn Watson
Received: From Wendy Lyn Watson
Synopsis: When Tally’s cousin Bree spots her deadbeat ex-husband strolling the Lantana County Fair with a fat wallet and a vixen on his arm, she immediately files for back child support. But when his lawyer is found dead, things get a little sticky. Did Bree serve up a dish of cold, sweet revenge? Or is she another hapless victim of a parfait crime?

April 25, 2011
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On Tour: A Scottish Ferry Tale by Nancy Volkers
CLP Blog Tours

On Tour: A Scottish Ferry Tale by Nancy Volkers

Nancy Volkers is on tour April 25-May 9 with her debut novel A Scottish Ferry Tale. Once upon a time, a young woman had her…

April 24, 2011
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In My Mailbox: April 21
Updates

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
4 Comments
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