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CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Everybody’s Got a Story by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Everybody’s Got a Story …

Heather Wardell is on tour now with CLP Blog Tours and Everybody’s Got a Story
Summary:
Both personally and professionally, Alexa knows all too well the power of words. Two years after her boyfriend Christophe’s vicious attack, she’s still trying to see herself as more than simply ‘his victim’, still trying to figure out her own story.

After his trial, she moves from New York City to Toronto in an attempt to start over, but his words cling to her and even in a new country she can’t see how to move into relationships with the new people in her life while hiding the secret of Christophe’s worst offense.

She can’t hide that secret from her coworker Jake, though, because the news buff has recognized her from the coverage of the assault and trial and knows every word she can’t bring herself to say about her ordeal.

With Jake’s help, can Alexa reclaim her story and her life?
Review:
Heather Wardell is an author that tops my lists. Whenever she has a new book out (which is often, girl is good) I can’t wait to get it on my Kindle. I know her stories are going to be well-written, unique, and always leave me thinking about the characters. So I wasn’t shocked at all that my mind was made up at page 3 that this book would be going on my Favorites List. Everybody’s Got a Story is a deep story, one that you really almost need a strong stomach to read. There are only a few parts that deal with graphic abuse, but my mind kept wondering to Alexa and her story and how one moves on from what she had to endure – by a boyfriend no less. Her move to Toronto to essentially start her life over fascinated me, and it’s impossible not to cheer for her and want her to lead a happy life. This is such a good story with a good message, and I really hope women will take the time to read this story. Highly recommend.
5 stars
**Everyone who leaves a comment on the tour page will be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of Everybody’s Got a Story before November 4 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**
Author Bio:
Growing up, I was an avid (rabid?) reader. I am a natural speed reader, regularly clocked at about 1200 wpm (I read Harry Potter 5 in just under three hours), and always have several books on the go, nearly all in e-book form on my Kindle.
I have always made up stories in my head, but never considered becoming a writer. Instead, I intended to be a high school music teacher. I was sidetracked by my enjoyment of my psychology courses in university, and ended up with a psychology degree with a concentration in computer science.
This took me to a major Canadian bank as a software developer. I stayed there for just over four years, and then went back to school to become an elementary school teacher. After four years teaching elementary school computer science, I took up the National Novel Writing Month challenge and attempted to write a novel in a month.
I succeeded, and the first draft of “Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo” was the result. I realized I love writing. I left teaching, and I haven’t looked back since!

In my non-writing time, I read, run, swim, crochet, take care of my 55 gallon aquarium and my cat Trinity, and play drums and clarinet. Generally not all at once.

Connect with Heather!
http://www.facebook.com/heather.wardell.author
http://www.twitter.com/heatherwardell
http://www.heatherwardell.com/

Buy the Book!

Amazon.com (Kindle)
Apple’s iBookstore
Barnes and Noble (for their nook reader)
Google Play
Kobo (ePub format)
Smashwords.com (variety of formats)
Sony (for their ebook readers)
If you prefer print, you can get “Everybody’s Got a Story” at:
Amazon.com
Amazon.ca
Barnes and Noble
CreateSpace.com

November 4, 2013
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On Tour: Everybody’s Got a Story by Heather Wardell
CLP Blog Tours

On Tour: Everybody’s Got a Story by Heather Wardell

Heather will be on tour October 14-November 4 with her novel Everybody’s Got a Story Both personally and professionally, Alexa knows all too well the power…

October 7, 2013
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Future Tour: Everybody’s Got a Story by Heather Wardell
CLP Blog Tours

Future Tour: Everybody’s Got a Story by Heather Wardell

Heather will be on tour October 14-November 4 with her women’s fiction novel Everybody’s Got a Story Both personally and professionally, Alexa knows all too…

August 23, 2013
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Blog Tour Sign Up: Everybody’s Got a Story by Heather Wardell
CLP Blog Tours

Blog Tour Sign Up: Everybody’s Got a Story by …

Both personally and professionally, Alexa knows all too well the power of words. Two years after her boyfriend Christophe’s vicious attack, she’s still trying to see herself as more than simply ‘his victim’, still trying to figure out her own story.

After his trial, she moves from New York City to Toronto in an attempt to start over, but his words cling to her and even in a new country she can’t see how to move into relationships with the new people in her life while hiding the secret of Christophe’s worst offense.

She can’t hide that secret from her coworker Jake, though, because the news buff has recognized her from the coverage of the assault and trial and knows every word she can’t bring herself to say about her ordeal.

With Jake’s help, can Alexa reclaim her story and her life?

July 26, 2013
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All At Sea by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

All At Sea by Heather Wardell

I received a copy of All At Sea in exchange for an honest review. This is Heather Wardell’s tenth novel – what a feat! And I’ve read all ten – what a …feat? 🙂 But she is an author whose books I have highly enjoyed, and I hope she keeps them coming. All At Sea is part of the Toronto series, but these books can be read on their own, they just bring back past characters that you might get a kick out of revisiting if you’ve read the previous novels. The story focuses on Melissa and Owen, who met New Years Eve and were engaged by Valentine’s Day. The month is now March, and they are preparing to get married on a cruise ship. Melissa has her mom with her along with her best friend Wendy and Wendy’s boyfriend Mark. Not the big wedding party she once imagined, but she is fine with it. She also didn’t picture getting married in the chapel of a cruise ship, but she’s fine with it. A big thing she is not fine with – having dated both of Owen’s brothers. Melissa gets a shock when she meets Nicholas and Austin and realizes that she had a fling with Austin and something more serious with Nicolas – and then broke his heart. Owen doesn’t seem to have a problem with the awkwardness, as he’s too busy spending every waking hour in the casino. Melissa wasn’t aware of his love for gambling either, but she’s fine with it. As the cruise ship chugs along, Melissa realizes that she might be making a mistake – and that being “fine” in a marriage just might not be enough.
What a fun and unique read! Finding out you’ve dated both of your fiancé’s brothers – what a hoot! This is a book where I really liked the supporting cast- from the brothers to Wendy and Mark to Nicholas’s girlfriend and even some randoms Melissa met on the ship. The details were very spot-on throughout, and I was invested the whole way through. I have been known to be shocked at some of Wardell’s past endings, and that made me unsure what choice Melissa was going to make at the end, which I enjoyed. The suspense was killing me! All At Sea is a very cute read that also dives deep into relationships and what is takes to make a marriage work, and I highly recommend this book and more from Heather Wardell!
[Rating: 4.5]

September 28, 2012
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Finding My Happy Pace by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

Finding My Happy Pace by Heather Wardell

Ah, one my favorite indie authors, Heather Wardell, has done it again. I have been enthralled with her books since number one, and I’m super happy to say I’ve reviewed them all here on ChickLitPlus. Finding My Happy Pace features thirty year old Megan, a teacher with absolutely no backbone. Megan has been letting people such as her brother and “best friend” Amanda take advantage of her for years, thanks to her mother’s “don’t count beans” philosophy. Megan struggles to stand up for herself in any situation, but things begin to change when she meets Andrew, and MMA fighter and marathon runner. Megan begins training for a marathon herself, and during her time with Andrew and fellow runner Jeanine, Megan begins to understand that being assertive doesn’t automatically mean being selfish. Can Megan change her outlook on life for good after so many years of being a doormat?
Loved! One of my favorite things about Wardell’s books is that she brings back previous characters, or at least hints about some. While others were featured, the dominance was Andrew – the boyfriend from Planning to Live. I loved hearing his story and catching back up with him, and seeing a romance between him and Megan blossom. Sometimes it got difficult to read about Megan constantly being treated like nothing by her friend Amanda (and James –ugh – what a character!) and it could almost cross the line into her being too whiny. But this is where Wardell’s superb writing skills come in, and she helps readers understand why Megan lets herself be treated bad. I highly enjoyed watching Megan grow as a person, and this is another 5 star referral for Heather Wardell from me!
[Rating: 5]

June 14, 2012
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Live Out Loud by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

Live Out Loud by Heather Wardell

Ah, another Heather Wardell book on the blog. I’m happy to announce I have read and reviewed all of her books, and she is at the top of my Favorite Authors list. Live Out Loud captures the story of Amy, hobbyist songwriter with a heavy goal on her mind – honor the memory of her late childhood friend. Amy thinks the way to do this is to start a support center for teenage girls, but when Amy suddenly catapults to fame thanks to a video of her singings blows up the internet, Amy is faced to realize that maybe the center isn’t meant to be. Amy – now posing as Misty Will, hit pop star – has fame at her door and teenage girls following her every move. Can Amy really give up being Misty – or is the call of fame too strong for her to ignore?
Another book I highly enjoyed from Wardell. Amy is such a confused character, so sure that she knows what she wants just unsure how to reach it, but at the same time – she’s hopelessly lost. She knows she wants to honor her friend, but it’s fairly obvious that she has no idea how to go about the center. I loved the pop culture twist in the book – how to become an overnight sensation with just an uploaded video, the pressures celebrities have on them when their considered to be role models, and the great content that gets delivered in each book from Wardell. There are some hard hitting topics discussed – from teen death to abortions – but the story is very touching and I would definitely recommend Live Out Loud.
[Rating: 4]

February 3, 2012
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Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell

I have been a fan of Heather Wardell’s since her first book, and have happily read and reviewed each and every one on Chick Lit Plus. When she contacted me about doing a tour for Blank Slate Kate, I was thrilled. Mainly because I got to read another book. I was super curious about this one, where the main character wakes up in her thirties – but her last memories are from when she is seventeen. Kate – or is her real name Kate? – has lost all her memories from the past fifteen years. She has to try to figure out who she really is, and things really get complicated when her husband appears. Kate doesn’t have any recollection of this man, her wedding, her corporate life. How can she piece the puzzle together?
Again, another five star review for a Wardell book. Once I started this book, I just could not put it down. I loved figuring out Kate’s life with the little clues that would come to us throughout the chapters. It was such a mystery, and a very well thought-out and written one at that. Twists and turns surfaced at so many points, but instead of being overwhelming, it just kept making the book better and better. The aspect I think I loved the most was the ending. Wardell gives her books the best endings – they never end the way you think they will or is the “norm.” (Check out Planning to Live and you’ll see what I mean). I really enjoyed the ending to this book as well, and again – if you haven’t checked out Heather Wardell yet – do it! You’ll thank me!
[Rating: 5]

January 27, 2012
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On Tour: Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell
CLP Blog Tours

On Tour: Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell

Heather will be on tour January 23-27 with her novel Blank Slate Kate Waking up with a strange man is scary. Realizing you lost fifteen…

January 19, 2012
2 Comments