On Tour: When Girlfriends Let Go by Savannah Page
Savannah Page will be on tour July 28-September 1 with When Girlfriends Let Go A novel about love, self-discovery, and realizing sometimes you have to let…
Marching Ink #SunNFun Summer Giveaway!
Summer is officially here, and Marching Ink wants to celebrate with you! For a limited time, get the following titles for just 99 cents: Zoey…
Release Day: A Questionable Friendship by Samantha March
I’m so thrilled that today is the release day for my third novel A Questionable Friendship – eek! I’m chatting about it on my author blog today,…
Novel Spotlight: Merry Chick Lit Celebrate the Season with Six …
BOOK BLURB: Merry Chick Lit Celebrate the Season with Six Sassy Shorts In the spirit of giving, six chick-lit authors “present” a charming collection…
In My Mailbox: Week of September 1
Title: Arcadia’s Curse
Author: Jesi Lea Ryan
Received: Jesi Lea Ryan
Synopsis: Think high school sucks? Try being an empath who has to experience everyone else’s suckage on top of your own. (Literally.)
In the months since her family life imploded and her psychic gifts began to arise, Cady has struggled to figure out how she can fit into her normal life without going crazy from the constant presence of emotional energy. Her grades have tanked. Her best friend is afraid of her. And she begins to have doubts about why her boyfriend, Bryan, is really keeping her around. But a chance meeting with another gifted girl online opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Unfortunately, this new world comes at an awful price.
The Bridesmaid’s Best Man by Susanna CarrTitle: The Bridesmaid’s Best Man
Author: Susanna Carr
Received: Harlequin
Synopsis: Every bachelorette party has a surprise…
Angie Lawson is in Bridesmaid Hell—if Hell was a strip club filled with screaming women in stilettos. But her night’s about to get a whole lot worse. Now her ex-boyfriend is standing right in front of her—every sexy, delicious inch of him—and Cole Foster isn’t the kind of guy that any woman can just ignore….
Cole’s working undercover, but he certainly wasn’t expecting the intimate reminder of the wicked heat that he and Angie always shared. But when the maid of honor—silver stilettos and all—is knocked unconscious, Cole realizes he needs Angie’s help to get into the bridal party. And if getting there means getting her in bed, too, then he’s definitely the best man for the job!
It’s All In Your Mind by Ann HerrickTitle: It’s All in Your Mind
Author: Ann Herrick
Received: Ann Herrick
Synopsis: “I looked deep into his eyes, and thought I saw my future there.”
17-year-old Vija Skalbe wants to be an all-American girl—no matter how hard her parents try to impose their strict Latvian standards on her. She feels unsure of herself with one foot in each country.
Then Nolan, a folksinger, steals her heart at a coffeehouse. When Nolan stops at their table, it’s Vija’s friend, Caprice, who does all the talking. But it is Vija who gets his phone number—and later the back seat of his motorcycle. Soon she is cruising from one adventure to another, dizzy with joy, her new-found freedom and the excitement of being with the kind of guy who is a challenge.
However, when Vija’s father has a heart attack, she must take over running the family lawn-care business. She feels overwhelmed until sweet brainiac Joel volunteers to help. He shares the workload and lifts her spirits with his humor. But it is Nolan who fills her heart.
It doesn’t matter that Nolan wants everything his way. Or that he’s constantly eyeing other girls. Or that he can be pouty and punitive. Or that he says she’s seeing things all wrong. Until it does matter. But Vija’s in so deep. Will she deal with Nolan’s controlling tactics, or is she too far under his spell?
Double Mayhem by Sam BerrettiTitle: Double Mayhem
Author: Sam Berretti
Received: Sam Berretti
Synopsis: Action, mystery, intriguing subplots, humor, heartwarming moments and a cast of highly memorable characters combine to introduce this unlikely and believable female heroine to a genre dominated by male-centric stereotypes. She is not a super spy, she is not a trained assassin, she is someone real and much more dangerous, a smart woman pushed into a corner.
Doris, a reclusive engineer, goes on a blind date, kills a syndicate hit man, acquires a psychic child, and gets recruited as a spy. Some days you just shouldn’t leave the house.
Partner TrackTitle: The Partner Track
Author: Helen Wan
Received: Wunderkind PR
Synopsis: A young attorney must choose between the prestige of partnership and the American Dream that she—and her immigrant parents—have come so close to achieving in The Partner Track, a riveting debut from Helen Wan.
In the eyes of her corporate law firm, Ingrid Yung is a “two-fer.” As a Chinese-American woman about to be ushered into the elite rank of partner, she’s the face of Parsons Valentine & Hunt LLP’s recruiting brochures–their treasured “Golden Girl.” But behind the firm’s welcoming façade lies the scotch-sipping, cigar-smoking old-boy network that shuts out lawyers like Ingrid. To compensate, Ingrid gamely plays in the softball league, schmoozes in the corporate cafeteria, and puts in the billable hours—until a horrifically offensive performance at the law firm’s annual summer outing throws the carefully constructed image way out of equilibrium.
Scrambling to do damage control, Parsons Valentine announces a new “Diversity Initiative” and commands a reluctant Ingrid to spearhead the effort, taking her priority away from the enormous deal that was to be the final step in securing partnership. For the first time, Ingrid finds herself at odds with her colleagues—including her handsome, golden-boy boyfriend—in a clash of class, race, and sexual politics.
Revealing Us by Lisa Renee JonesTitle: Revealing Us
Author: Lisa Renee Jones
Received: Lisa Renee Jones
Synopsis: You’ve discovered Rebecca’s secrets. You’ve discovered Sara’s secrets. Now Sara will discover “his” deepest, darkest secrets…but will those secrets bind them together–or tear them apart?
Happy Any Day Now by Toby DevensTitle: Happy Any Day Now
Author: Toby Devens
Received: Penguin
Synopsis: Chaos in Judith’s life begins with the return of her first love, the judge who originally dropped her because her blood wasn’t blue enough, the sudden arrival of her Jewish father, who left when she was a young child, and her beloved mentor at the Maryland Philharmonic Orchestra is dying of cancer. With all of the turmoil in her life, it’s no wonder Judith develops a paralyzing case of stage fright.
With the help of Jeff and her mother, Judith just might figure out what the fortune teller meant when she advised Judith to work for her successes in time to make her 50th birthday the best one yet. Funny and heartfelt, this engaging novel will speak to every woman in midlife who has faced a major shake-up, whether she was ready or not.
Book Review: How I Exiled My Inner Bitch by Miv …
I received a copy of How I Exiled My Inner Bitch by Miv Evans in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
The Story…Dionne is 36, and still hooked on the imaginary twin she invented to get you through her desolate childhood. With such an odd companion, long-term relationships are impossible and she is doomed to live her life as a serial monogamist, until the Go Along Guy shows up. Greg has denial on intravenous, so Dionne’s quirks simply pass him by and, pretty soon, shallow love blossoms. Unfortunately, however, what are also blossoming are Greg’s teenage daughters. They don’t like Dionne and their hormones are raging.
Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and thought Evans did such an amazing job at crafting such a fun story. At first, I was a little hesitant given the name and the cover, but once I flipped open the book, I was instantly taken aback by the fresh writing and the overall feel of the story. The characters are charming and I enjoyed most of them and I think that definitely added to my enjoyment. Often times authors will write characters but give them no depth, Evans definitely gives the characters depth. Overall, this story is refreshing and funny and the writing is crisp. I would highly recommend it.
Rating: 4 stars
Cover Reveal: Bird of Prey by Danielle Claude Ngontang
This was supposed to be an easy case… Sémya Slotin had spent the last three years living in London with her best friend Polliannah Koch…
Book Review: Believe In Me by Mishael Witty
received a copy of Believe In Me by Mishael Witty in exchange for an honest opinion.
Summary:
For the past year, twenty-something radio producer Trina Gray has been focusing
on her career and trying to forget that her once idyllic marriage is soon
coming to a heartbreaking end. Almost a year ago to the day, Trina caught her
husband, Walt, kissing her sister in her mother’s kitchen under the mistletoe.
But it’s Christmas time again, and Trina feels the familial pressure to
return to the nest for the annual holiday celebrations. It’s only for a week.
Surely she can tolerate being in the same house with her sister for that long.
What she doesn’t bargain for, though, is that her mother has invited Walt to
stay with the family for the holiday season, as well.
Walt’s presence sends Trina running to her old friend, Mim’s, bed and
breakfast, where she runs into her high school boyfriend, Kurt. Trina quickly
realizes the attraction is still strong between them, and the temptation to be
with him is stronger still, even if he is only looking for a one-night stand.
But, as Trina discovers, Walt’s not willing to give up without a fight this
time.
Will Trina and Kurt rekindle their juvenile romance? Or will she repair her
relationship with Walt? Who can she believe in?
Review:
I really liked this story and thought that unlike most contemporary stories, this one was written really well and definitely warmed my heart. I really enjoyed Mishael’s writing style and thought she did a good job creating wonderful and endearing characters, full of real feelings and emotions. Believe In Me is quick paced and well written and Mishael did a great job at keeping with the flow of the story. Overall, this book is very enjoyable and I would highly recommend it.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Book Review: Sunspots by Karen Bell
I received a copy of Sunspots by Karen Bell in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Sunspots follows the healing journey of a young woman thrown into the horror of losing a spouse. It is a love story of loss and redemption and the ghosts that haunt our lives and our houses. Skirting the genres of magical realism and romance, Sunspots, explores the existence of the afterlife and the paranormal. The story takes the reader on a path of high emotion as the narrator, Aurora, uncovers her husband Jake’s secret life and her own internal conflicts as she matures to self-awareness. The novel’s tone vacillates from irreverent humor to solemnity as Aurora relates her previous life with Jake and her present challenges. The title refers to the solar maximum which became the backdrop for Aurora’s conception when her hippy parents went to Canada to observe the Aurora Borealis. In name and in spirit, Aurora is connected to the observable and unobservable energy around us. With the help of friends, family, and the ghost of Viola Parker (her home’s original owner), Aurora accepts her fate and the secrets revealed about Jake’s true character. She realizes that in this life she will finally break the cycle of pain caused by her love for this man, Jake Stein, through the centuries.
Synopsis:
Sunspots by Karen Bell is beautifully written and very moving. The kind of book that is intriguing from the get go, this book will grab a hold of you from the beginning, especially if you’ve ever dealt with loss. I loved the magical realism and most especially the romance aspect of this book. The characters were written with much care and their emotions are felt on the page. I also loved the beautiful scenery and the way Karen so beautifully describes everything on the page. Overall, this book really is a great read, although sometimes sad, it is also very heartfelt and moving.
Rating: 4 stars
