Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

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In My Mailbox: Week of December 16
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of December 16

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Work For Hire

Author: Margo Karasek

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Tekla’s law school career couldn’t be any better. She has top grades. She’s on Law Review. She’s a frontrunner in a mock oral argument with a sweet prize: a judicial clerkship. One problem, though: Tekla has no more money to pay for school. She needs a part-time job. Fast.

Luckily, her roommate has just the solution: help two uber-wealthy prep school teens, the twin son and daughter of a billionaire Wall Street short-seller and a world-renowned model turned fashion photographer, with their schoolwork, and earn $150 an hour. Plus, enjoy an additional perk on the job, in the form of a gorgeous photo assistant who happens to have his eye on Tekla.

Easy money.

Well, not so much. Within days, Tekla’s job begins to unravel. In a world of super-wealth and high fashion, Tekla finds herself surrounded by a peculiar cast of players: two teens whose self-destructive behavior becomes ever more erratic, a father whose ambitions for his son constantly test Tekla’s notions of what is fair and ethical and what is cheating, a mother whose emotional negligence borders on abuse, and a gorgeous man who may or may not be what he appears.

As Tekla struggles to hold onto a job that takes more time and energy than she ever anticipated, her own school life begins to suffer. She makes an enemy of a professor who seems to want nothing more than to bring her down. And he’s succeeding. Soon Tekla’s life is a paradox: without her high paying part-time job, she can’t afford law school; but with it, she’ll surely flunk out of school.

Title: Next Year I’ll Be Perfect

Author: Laura Kilmartin

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Sarah always thought her life was on track, that is until her 29th birthday party. The discovery of a list her younger self put together outlining what she wanted to achieve by the age of 30 turns Sarah’s world upside down. Suddenly her seemingly happy life and career look lackluster and Sarah sets off on a journey to transform her life. On her quest to achieve perfection one month at a time – a happy marriage, partnership in a law firm and being able to fit in a size six purple suede miniskirt – Sarah learns to challenge society’s ideals of achievement.

Filled with harsh reality, humor, and romance, Next Year I’ll Be Perfect explores what true happiness and success is all about.

Title: The Wisdom of Hair

Author: Kim Boykin

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: “The problem with cutting your own hair is that once you start, you just keep cutting, trying to fix it, and the truth is, some things can never be fixed. The day of my daddy’s funeral, I cut my bangs until they were the length of those little paintbrushes that come with dime-store watercolor sets. I was nine years old. People asked me why I did it, but I was too young then to know I was changing my hair because I wanted to change my life.”

In 1983, on her nineteenth birthday, Zora Adams finally says goodbye to her alcoholic mother and their tiny town in the mountains of South Carolina. Living with a woman who dresses like Judy Garland and brings home a different man each night is not a pretty existence, and Zora is ready for life to be beautiful.

With the help of a beloved teacher, she moves to a coastal town and enrolls in the Davenport School of Beauty. Under the tutelage of Mrs. Cathcart, she learns the art of fixing hair, and becomes fast friends with the lively Sara Jane Farquhar, a natural hair stylist. She also falls hard for handsome young widower Winston Sawyer, who is drowning his grief in bourbon. She couldn’t save Mama, but maybe she can save him.

As Zora practices finger waves, updos, and spit curls, she also comes to learn that few things are permanent in this life–except real love, lasting friendship, and, ultimately… forgiveness.

Title: The Pollyanna Plan

Author: Talli Roland

Received: From Talli Roland

Synopsis: Is finding true love as easy as an attitude change?

Thirty-something Emma Beckett has always looked down on ‘the glass is half full’ optimists, believing it’s better to be realistic than delusional. But when she loses her high-powered job and fiancé in the same week, even Emma has difficulty keeping calm and carrying on.

With her world spinning out of control and bolstered by a challenge from her best friend, Emma makes a radical decision. From here on in, she’ll behave like Pollyanna: attempting to always see the upside, no matter how dire the situation.

Can adopting a positive attitude give Emma the courage to build a new life, or is finding the good in everything a very bad idea?

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: My Bluegrass Baby

Author: Molly Harper

Received: Jillian @ Simon and Schuster

Synopsis: Sadie Hutchins loves her job at the Kentucky Tourism Commission. Not only could her co-workers double as the cast of Parks & Recreation, but she loves finding the unusual sites, hidden gems, and just-plain-odd tourist attractions of her home state. She’s a shoo-in for the director’s job when her boss retires at the end of the year…until hotshot Josh Vaughn shows up to challenge her for the position.

Josh is all sophisticated polish while Sadie’s country comfort, and the two have very different ideas of what makes a good campaign. So when their boss pits them against each other in a winner-takes-all contest, they’re both willing to fight dirty if it means getting what they want. But it turns out, what Josh and Sadie want could be each other—and Josh’s kisses are the best Kentucky attraction Sadie’s found yet!

December 16, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of December 2
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of December 2

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Mad World: Sanctuary

Author: Samaire Provost

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: The year is 2017, and the Black Plague infection has swept across most of the United States, leaving death and chaos in its wake. Martial law is the rule rather than the exception, with outbreaks cropping up when they’re least expected. Alyssa and her friends must not only battle outbreaks of the disease, but also find themselves pursued by government agents – men and women determined to track them down at any cost. Fleeing north to the fabled Sanctuary, Alyssa, Jacob, DeAndre, Caitlyn, Risa and Luke face disturbing ordeals and terrible tragedy as they encounter unbelievable situations in their struggle to reach safety. Using their skills and wits in their fight to survive against ever worsening odds, they weather hardship, betrayal, and the ever-present specter of death as they flee north, all the while vowing to protect one another – and most of all their precious 5-year-old Luke, from a world gone mad. Sanctuary, the second installment in the Mad World series, is a heart-rending adventure of astonishing revelations, tragic discoveries, agonizing separations and devastating losses that test these friends to their limits. With heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat suspense at every turn, this is a story you will not be able to put down. Find out what happens next.

Title: In Search of a Love Story

Author: Rachel Schurig

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Emily Donovan doesn’t have a romantic bone in her body.

At least, that’s what her friends Ryan and Ashley keep telling her. They’re convinced her bad luck with men is directly related to her life-long lack of interest in all things romantic. When Emily’s latest relationship crashes and burns, she decides to go along with her friends’ plans for a romance research project. Sure, the idea that she’ll have better luck if she learns about the great romances of literature and film seems a little silly, but Emily figures it can’t hurt.

In no time at all, Emily finds herself buried under a mountain of romance novels, chick flicks, and sappy love songs, hopeful that her hard work will pay off with true love. When she meets Greg, Ashley and Ryan are convinced she’s found prince charming—after all, he’s rich, handsome, and totally into Emily. What more could she want? And why does it seem that her friend Elliot isn’t exactly happy for her?

Faced with misunderstandings, miscommunications, and a seemingly endless string of missteps, she is nevertheless determined to give true love a try. In doing so, Emily will eventually find that true romance, the kind that lasts, has little to do with stereotypes or clichés, and everything to do with finding out what’s in her own heart.

This is book #1 of the Love Story series. Don’t miss the sequel, An Unexpected Love Story, out in December 2012!

Title: Totlandia, Book 1

Author: Josie Brown

Received: From Aimee @ Colioquy

Synopsis: The Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club is the most exclusive children’s playgroup in all of San Francisco. For the city’s ultra-competitive elite, the club’s ten annual spots are the ultimate parenting prize.

But not everyone is PHM&TC material. The club’s founder, Bettina Connaught Cross, adheres to strict membership rules: Moms only. No single parents or working mothers allowed. Membership is an arduous commitment. And there’s no room in the club for scandal, bad behavior, or imperfection…from tots or their moms.

In a world of power and prestige, no one has more than Bettina. And as every mom in Pacific Heights knows, you simply cannot cross her. But this year’s admissions process is more rigorous than ever, pitting prospective members against each other to prove their mettle.

But four of the six candidates vying for the remaining four slots have a secret that would knock them out of the running. Jade is a former stripper and porn actress, who has been absent for most of her son’s life. Jillian’s husband cleaned out their joint accounts and left her for his pregnant assistant. Ally never even had a husband—just a sperm donor—and she’s hiding a high-ranking corporate job. And Lorna fears that her son may have special needs… just the excuse her sister-in-law, Bettina, needs to deny her entry to the club.

Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition? Or will their chances—and their private lives—go up in flames?

This is the first of four books that follow our heroines during “the Onesies,” their inaugural year in the club. Upcoming books—to be released in four episodes each year—will follow subsequent years: the Twosies, Threesies, Foursies, and Fivesies.

Friendship. Lies. Seduction. Betrayal. Welcome to Totlandia.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: The Tragedy Paper

Author: Elizabeth Laban

Received: Emily @ Engel Man & Co

Synopsis: Perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why and Looking for Alaska, The Tragedy Paper has been called “a beguiling and beautifully written tale of first love and heartbreak,” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner.

It follows the story of Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim’s surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their secrets.

Title: Goodnight, Brian

Author: Steven Manchester

Received: Lou @ Story Plant

Synopsis: Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino – who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.

An emotional tale about the strength of family bonds, unconditional love, and the perseverance to do our best with the challenging gifts we receive, GOODNIGHT, BRIAN is an uplifting tribute to what happens when giving up is not an option.

December 2, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of November 4
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of November 4

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Battle-Born Love

Author: Lynda Bailey

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: LOVE BORN FROM BATTLE. . .

Spirited repo owner Rory Dawson agrees to be what she isn’t–the girlfriend of a handsome banker–in order to save her father from a prison sentence. Now Pop is safe, but is her heart?

Kane Williams has made a deal with a most provocative devil in hopes of securing a coveted promotion. All his life Kane has endeavored to be the best, to erase the failure of his father. Will years of work be forfeited for a woman, albeit the sexiest one he’s ever known?

From opposite sides of the tracks, Rory and Kane forge an unlikely friendship. Soon, that friendship becomes a steamy relationship. Through trial and pain, they battle to have the love of a lifetime.

Title: Becoming Mrs. Walsh

Author: Jessica Gordon

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Shoshana Thompson is 26 years old, miles from home, and engaged to be married into one of Washington D.C.’s wealthiest families. Andrew Walsh, her fiancé, is Shoshana’s vision of the perfect man. Throughout their engagement, she becomes enamored with his privileged lifestyle.

Rumor has it: when you marry a Walsh, you’re set for life. Her socialite sisters-in-law show her how to live in a Walsh-style world, but just as she is starting to get acclimated, this world introduces her to someone who may shake up her perfect wedding plans.

While Shoshana navigates the tricky world of in-laws and societal wedding planning, she desperately tries to ignore her growing feelings for another man. She knows that exploring this love will threaten her existence as a Walsh. But, when she discovers the feelings may not be one-sided, she knows things are about to get a lot more complicated, especially because this man is absolutely off-limits.

As Shoshana learns, the view from the top is not always the clearest.

Becoming Mrs. Walsh is a story of relationships and the richly layered complexity of family, in-laws, and love.

Title: You Tell Your Dog First

Author: Alison Pace

Received: From Penguin Group

Synopsis: You Tell Your Dog First…

About the date you just had…about the questionable results of a medical test…about the good and the bad…about everything.

For years, award-winning author Alison Pace was a dog person without a dog. And then, she got Carlie—a feisty and fluffy West Highland white terrier. She could weed out bad boyfriends with a sniff of her button-black nose and win the hearts of lifelong friends with an adoring gaze. Suddenly, Alison had a constant companion and confidante, who went with her on long morning rambles in Central Park, on trips to the country and the beach, and on her search for inner peace, love, and happiness. Through Carlie, Alison found herself connected to the world as never before.

With her trademark warmth, wit and humor, Alison shares her stories…the tales of a dog person who found her dog.

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Battle-Born Love

Author: Lynda Bailey

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: LOVE BORN FROM BATTLE. . .

Spirited repo owner Rory Dawson agrees to be what she isn’t–the girlfriend of a handsome banker–in order to save her father from a prison sentence. Now Pop is safe, but is her heart?

Kane Williams has made a deal with a most provocative devil in hopes of securing a coveted promotion. All his life Kane has endeavored to be the best, to erase the failure of his father. Will years of work be forfeited for a woman, albeit the sexiest one he’s ever known?

From opposite sides of the tracks, Rory and Kane forge an unlikely friendship. Soon, that friendship becomes a steamy relationship. Through trial and pain, they battle to have the love of a lifetime.

Title: Becoming Mrs. Walsh

Author: Jessica Gordon

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Shoshana Thompson is 26 years old, miles from home, and engaged to be married into one of Washington D.C.’s wealthiest families. Andrew Walsh, her fiancé, is Shoshana’s vision of the perfect man. Throughout their engagement, she becomes enamored with his privileged lifestyle.

Rumor has it: when you marry a Walsh, you’re set for life. Her socialite sisters-in-law show her how to live in a Walsh-style world, but just as she is starting to get acclimated, this world introduces her to someone who may shake up her perfect wedding plans.

While Shoshana navigates the tricky world of in-laws and societal wedding planning, she desperately tries to ignore her growing feelings for another man. She knows that exploring this love will threaten her existence as a Walsh. But, when she discovers the feelings may not be one-sided, she knows things are about to get a lot more complicated, especially because this man is absolutely off-limits.

As Shoshana learns, the view from the top is not always the clearest.

Becoming Mrs. Walsh is a story of relationships and the richly layered complexity of family, in-laws, and love.

Title: You Tell Your Dog First

Author: Alison Pace

Received: From Penguin Group

Synopsis: You Tell Your Dog First…

About the date you just had…about the questionable results of a medical test…about the good and the bad…about everything.

For years, award-winning author Alison Pace was a dog person without a dog. And then, she got Carlie—a feisty and fluffy West Highland white terrier. She could weed out bad boyfriends with a sniff of her button-black nose and win the hearts of lifelong friends with an adoring gaze. Suddenly, Alison had a constant companion and confidante, who went with her on long morning rambles in Central Park, on trips to the country and the beach, and on her search for inner peace, love, and happiness. Through Carlie, Alison found herself connected to the world as never before.

With her trademark warmth, wit and humor, Alison shares her stories…the tales of a dog person who found her dog.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Pursuing the Times

Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Received: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Synopsis: All that popular Chick-Lit author Mercury Lauren wants is to have one of her books reviewed by the New York Times Book Review – just one – and she’ll do almost anything to get it. In this contemporary romantic comedy, with a nod toward Pride and Prejudice she crosses swords and hearts with the Editor-in-Chief of the NYTBR in a madcap adventure that takes her from her home in Westport to a yoga retreat to a golf course in Florida. Will she get what she wants and will she finally be happy if she does? Only one thing’s for certain: nothing will stop her from Pursuing the Times.

Title: Kismetology

Author: Jaimie Admans

Received: Jaimie Admans

Synopsis: Finding the perfect man isn’t easy. Especially when it’s for your mother…

Mothers. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them, can’t live three doors down the road without them interfering in every aspect of your life.

Mackenzie Atkinson’s mother has meddled in her love life once too often and something has to be done. Mackenzie decides to turn the tables and find love for her lonely mother. Her lonely and very fussy mother. Surely finding an older gentleman looking for love won’t be that hard, right? Wrong. If you’ve ever thought that boys grow up, here’s the problem: They don’t. Ever. And Mackenzie is about to learn that the hard way.

Faced with a useless boyfriend, dressed up dogs, men who wear welly boots on dates, men who shouldn’t be seen outside in daylight, and men who make reptiles seem like attractive company – will she ever find the perfect man for her neurotic mother?

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Battle-Born Love

Author: Lynda Bailey

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: LOVE BORN FROM BATTLE. . .

Spirited repo owner Rory Dawson agrees to be what she isn’t–the girlfriend of a handsome banker–in order to save her father from a prison sentence. Now Pop is safe, but is her heart?

Kane Williams has made a deal with a most provocative devil in hopes of securing a coveted promotion. All his life Kane has endeavored to be the best, to erase the failure of his father. Will years of work be forfeited for a woman, albeit the sexiest one he’s ever known?

From opposite sides of the tracks, Rory and Kane forge an unlikely friendship. Soon, that friendship becomes a steamy relationship. Through trial and pain, they battle to have the love of a lifetime.

Title: Becoming Mrs. Walsh

Author: Jessica Gordon

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Shoshana Thompson is 26 years old, miles from home, and engaged to be married into one of Washington D.C.’s wealthiest families. Andrew Walsh, her fiancé, is Shoshana’s vision of the perfect man. Throughout their engagement, she becomes enamored with his privileged lifestyle.

Rumor has it: when you marry a Walsh, you’re set for life. Her socialite sisters-in-law show her how to live in a Walsh-style world, but just as she is starting to get acclimated, this world introduces her to someone who may shake up her perfect wedding plans.

While Shoshana navigates the tricky world of in-laws and societal wedding planning, she desperately tries to ignore her growing feelings for another man. She knows that exploring this love will threaten her existence as a Walsh. But, when she discovers the feelings may not be one-sided, she knows things are about to get a lot more complicated, especially because this man is absolutely off-limits.

As Shoshana learns, the view from the top is not always the clearest.

Becoming Mrs. Walsh is a story of relationships and the richly layered complexity of family, in-laws, and love.

Title: You Tell Your Dog First

Author: Alison Pace

Received: From Penguin Group

Synopsis: You Tell Your Dog First…

About the date you just had…about the questionable results of a medical test…about the good and the bad…about everything.

For years, award-winning author Alison Pace was a dog person without a dog. And then, she got Carlie—a feisty and fluffy West Highland white terrier. She could weed out bad boyfriends with a sniff of her button-black nose and win the hearts of lifelong friends with an adoring gaze. Suddenly, Alison had a constant companion and confidante, who went with her on long morning rambles in Central Park, on trips to the country and the beach, and on her search for inner peace, love, and happiness. Through Carlie, Alison found herself connected to the world as never before.

With her trademark warmth, wit and humor, Alison shares her stories…the tales of a dog person who found her dog.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Pursuing the Times

Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Received: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Synopsis: All that popular Chick-Lit author Mercury Lauren wants is to have one of her books reviewed by the New York Times Book Review – just one – and she’ll do almost anything to get it. In this contemporary romantic comedy, with a nod toward Pride and Prejudice she crosses swords and hearts with the Editor-in-Chief of the NYTBR in a madcap adventure that takes her from her home in Westport to a yoga retreat to a golf course in Florida. Will she get what she wants and will she finally be happy if she does? Only one thing’s for certain: nothing will stop her from Pursuing the Times.

Title: Kismetology

Author: Jaimie Admans

Received: Jaimie Admans

Synopsis: Finding the perfect man isn’t easy. Especially when it’s for your mother…

Mothers. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them, can’t live three doors down the road without them interfering in every aspect of your life.

Mackenzie Atkinson’s mother has meddled in her love life once too often and something has to be done. Mackenzie decides to turn the tables and find love for her lonely mother. Her lonely and very fussy mother. Surely finding an older gentleman looking for love won’t be that hard, right? Wrong. If you’ve ever thought that boys grow up, here’s the problem: They don’t. Ever. And Mackenzie is about to learn that the hard way.

Faced with a useless boyfriend, dressed up dogs, men who wear welly boots on dates, men who shouldn’t be seen outside in daylight, and men who make reptiles seem like attractive company – will she ever find the perfect man for her neurotic mother?

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Battle-Born Love

Author: Lynda Bailey

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: LOVE BORN FROM BATTLE. . .

Spirited repo owner Rory Dawson agrees to be what she isn’t–the girlfriend of a handsome banker–in order to save her father from a prison sentence. Now Pop is safe, but is her heart?

Kane Williams has made a deal with a most provocative devil in hopes of securing a coveted promotion. All his life Kane has endeavored to be the best, to erase the failure of his father. Will years of work be forfeited for a woman, albeit the sexiest one he’s ever known?

From opposite sides of the tracks, Rory and Kane forge an unlikely friendship. Soon, that friendship becomes a steamy relationship. Through trial and pain, they battle to have the love of a lifetime.

Title: Becoming Mrs. Walsh

Author: Jessica Gordon

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Shoshana Thompson is 26 years old, miles from home, and engaged to be married into one of Washington D.C.’s wealthiest families. Andrew Walsh, her fiancé, is Shoshana’s vision of the perfect man. Throughout their engagement, she becomes enamored with his privileged lifestyle.

Rumor has it: when you marry a Walsh, you’re set for life. Her socialite sisters-in-law show her how to live in a Walsh-style world, but just as she is starting to get acclimated, this world introduces her to someone who may shake up her perfect wedding plans.

While Shoshana navigates the tricky world of in-laws and societal wedding planning, she desperately tries to ignore her growing feelings for another man. She knows that exploring this love will threaten her existence as a Walsh. But, when she discovers the feelings may not be one-sided, she knows things are about to get a lot more complicated, especially because this man is absolutely off-limits.

As Shoshana learns, the view from the top is not always the clearest.

Becoming Mrs. Walsh is a story of relationships and the richly layered complexity of family, in-laws, and love.

Title: You Tell Your Dog First

Author: Alison Pace

Received: From Penguin Group

Synopsis: You Tell Your Dog First…

About the date you just had…about the questionable results of a medical test…about the good and the bad…about everything.

For years, award-winning author Alison Pace was a dog person without a dog. And then, she got Carlie—a feisty and fluffy West Highland white terrier. She could weed out bad boyfriends with a sniff of her button-black nose and win the hearts of lifelong friends with an adoring gaze. Suddenly, Alison had a constant companion and confidante, who went with her on long morning rambles in Central Park, on trips to the country and the beach, and on her search for inner peace, love, and happiness. Through Carlie, Alison found herself connected to the world as never before.

With her trademark warmth, wit and humor, Alison shares her stories…the tales of a dog person who found her dog.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Pursuing the Times

Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Received: Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Synopsis: All that popular Chick-Lit author Mercury Lauren wants is to have one of her books reviewed by the New York Times Book Review – just one – and she’ll do almost anything to get it. In this contemporary romantic comedy, with a nod toward Pride and Prejudice she crosses swords and hearts with the Editor-in-Chief of the NYTBR in a madcap adventure that takes her from her home in Westport to a yoga retreat to a golf course in Florida. Will she get what she wants and will she finally be happy if she does? Only one thing’s for certain: nothing will stop her from Pursuing the Times.

Title: Kismetology

Author: Jaimie Admans

Received: Jaimie Admans

Synopsis: Finding the perfect man isn’t easy. Especially when it’s for your mother…

Mothers. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them, can’t live three doors down the road without them interfering in every aspect of your life.

Mackenzie Atkinson’s mother has meddled in her love life once too often and something has to be done. Mackenzie decides to turn the tables and find love for her lonely mother. Her lonely and very fussy mother. Surely finding an older gentleman looking for love won’t be that hard, right? Wrong. If you’ve ever thought that boys grow up, here’s the problem: They don’t. Ever. And Mackenzie is about to learn that the hard way.

Faced with a useless boyfriend, dressed up dogs, men who wear welly boots on dates, men who shouldn’t be seen outside in daylight, and men who make reptiles seem like attractive company – will she ever find the perfect man for her neurotic mother?

November 4, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 28
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of October 28

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Baby! Baby? Baby?!

Author: Holly Kerr

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Thirty-five-year old kindergarten teacher Casey Samms has always dreamed about having her own baby. With her copy of A Young Woman’s Guide to the Joy of Impending Motherhood on her bedside
table, Casey has been steadily wading through the pool of eligible bachelors for years—with absolutely no luck. Now as she bids farewell to a cheating boyfriend and to dating in general, Casey just needs to figure out how to get pregnant without having a man in her life.

Casey immediately discounts her male friends as potential fathers and decides to pursue having a baby the artificial way, even though her sister and friends do their best to try to talk her out of it. But Casey is determined to see her dream come to fruition and begins looking at every male as a potential donor. Just when she is beginning to give the word desperate an entirely new meaning, an old ex-boyfriend, David Mason, saunters back into her life. All Casey has to do now is try to convince him that he is the one who can help her become a mother.

As Casey prepares to realize her lifelong dream, she is about to get the surprise of her life—a surprise that changes everything.

Title: Market Street

Author: Anita Hughes

Received: From St. Martins

Synopsis: Set in San Francisco this book is about the young wife of a UC Berkeley Ethics professor who must choose between her crumbling marriage and the opportunity to open a fabulous food emporium in her mother’s Union Square department store.

Title: Love, Lust & Faking It

Author: Jenny McCarthy

Received: BookSparks PR, Giveaway

Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Jenny McCarthy gave you the unfiltered ups and downs of pregnancy, motherhood, and marriage in Belly Laughs, Baby Laughs, and Life Laughs. Now the inveterate truth teller gets to the down-and-(sometimes) dirty essence of every man/woman relationship: love and sex.

Meet Tony, Jenny’s first love, the boy of her teenage dreams, and Tubby, her dirty, sexy stuffed teddy bear. Follow Jenny on a whirlwind tour of the world of aphrodisiacs and fetishes, as she explains the importance of playing doctor and other nice and naughty fantasies. Jenny is at her hilarious, no-holds-barred best in Love, Lust & Faking It, sharing stories of her outrageous true exploits—from Playboy centerfold to nightmarish bargain boob job to meeting Brad Pitt—all the while reminding us to always aim higher, be kind to ourselves, believe in true love…and to have lots of fun and sex, without faking it.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: I Kill Me: Tales of A Jilted Hypochondriac

Author: Tracy Tucker

Received: Tracy Tucker

Synopsis: Christine Bacon has a fatal attraction. To all things fatal. A veteran hypochondriac, her near-death experiences are exacerbated when her husband proposes they have a menage a trois with Eleanor, his busty British massage therapist, to “shake things up.” Christine reluctantly agrees (although she is more wholesome than threesome), never expecting just how much she’d be rattled. As her marriage to Richard, a/k/a “Dick,” falls apart, so, too, does Christine, whose fear of her own demise causes her to research every freckle, blemish, cough, bump, lump, tingle and hiccup. She isn’t a doctor, but she plays one on the internet.

There is solace for Christine: in raising daughters Lily and Carli, leaning on her friends, and wearing out the shower massager. In order to heal, she struggles to become her own person and to view her symptoms (and ex-husband) as less malignant, while searching for that special someone who will love her–despite her grave condition.

October 28, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 14
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of October 14

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Sparkle

Author: Cara Leyba

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: As women, we have become professional self-critics. We’ve become so convinced by society that we need to attain a level of perfection that just isn’t real. Whether it’s trying to get skinnier, look younger, get that promotion, please our parents, get fuller lips or rid ourselves of cellulite — we’re on a never-ending mission to change and it always winds up making us feel like crap. Instead, why not focus on all the fabulous qualities we already possess? There is so much to celebrate when we look at all our accomplishments. In this straight-up girlfriend’s guide, lifestylist and wellness coach Cara Alwill Leyba encourages women to discover what makes them sparkle so that they can design the lives they desire and deserve. So raise your glass and toast yourself. You’re about to start shimmering, shining and dazzling every day! Because isn’t everything better when it sparkles?

Title: Sad Desk Salad

Author: Jessica Grose

Received: From HarperCollins

Synopsis: As a writer for Chick Habit, an increasingly popular women’s website, Alex Lyons gets paid to be a bitch. She’s churning out several posts a day, and she saves her juiciest ones for blog prime time, when working women eat their sad desk salads in their offices. Alex tells herself she’s fulfilling her dream of being a professional writer; so what if it means being glued to her couch and her laptop from six a.m. to six p.m., scouring the web in search of the next big celebrity scandal? Since Chick Habit’s parent company keeps close tabs on page views, Alex knows her job is always at risk.

So when an anonymous tipster sends her the year’s most salacious story—a politico’s squeaky-clean Ivy League daughter caught in a very R-rated activity—it’s a no-brainer. But is Alex really willing to ruin the girl’s life by igniting the next Internet feeding frenzy? And what she doesn’t yet realize is how this big scoop is about to send her own life spiraling out of control.

Title: A Very Accidental Love Story

Author: Claudia Carroll

Received: From Avon Books, Unsolicited

Synopsis: Eloise Elliot is one of the youngest newspaper editors in the country. Respected and revered by her peers, she’s at the top of her game.

But, on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, finding herself surrounded by some pathetic looking balloons and mangy sandwiches in The Daily Post’s conference room, Eloise is hit but a long sharp pang of loneliness.

Suddenly, and with dazzling clarity, she realises what she wants to make her life more complete. A baby.

One successful trip to the sperm bank and almost three years later and she is the adoring mother of a gorgeous little girl, Lily. Juggling a high-powered job with motherhood is not easy and when she finds herself without childcare she sends an SOS to her sister Helen. Yet it’s when Lily starts asking about her ‘daddy’ that Eloise really starts to panic. What will she tell her?

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: The Girl, the Gold Tooth and Everything

Author: Francine LaSala

Received: Francine LaSala

Synopsis: Mina Clark is losing her mind—or maybe it’s already gone. She isn’t quite sure. Feeling displaced in her over-priced McMansion-dotted suburban world, she is grappling not only with deep debt, a mostly absent husband, and her playground-terrorizer 3-year old Emma, but also with a significant amnesia she can’t shake—a “temporary” condition now going on several years, brought on by a traumatic event she cannot remember, and which everyone around her feels is best forgotten. A routine trip to the dentist changes everything for Mina, and suddenly she’s not sure if what’s happening is real, of if she’s just now fully losing her mind… especially when she realizes the only person she thought she could trust is the one she fears the most.

This latest novel by Francine LaSala (Rita Hayworth’s Shoes) is a fast-paced, richly layered, and darkly humorous satire filled with quirky characters and unforgettable moments of humanity.

October 14, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 7
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of October 7

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Enchanted by Starlight
Author: Tina L. Hook
Received: From BookSparks PR
Synopsis: Be careful what you wish for…Grace, Skylar and Alina are connected by destiny when an enchanted comet crosses the night sky. As their most secret ambitions ignite, their ordinary lives take a magical detour down a powerful but dangerous path.

Grace, emerging from her dejected childhood, develops the power to make men fall in love with her. Skylar leaves her impoverished past behind and pursues the social status she has always longed for. Without dreams of her own, Alina covets the power to unravel other lives and seeks revenge. As they crash into and slip away from each other in a cycle of envy, deception and love lost, these three women are forced to look deeper into their own hearts for the true meaning of enchantment.

Title: From Notting Hill With Love…Actually
Author: Ali McNamara
Received: From Sourcebooks
Synopsis: She was just a girl, standing in front of a boy …wishing he looked more like Hugh Grant. Scarlett loves the movies. But does she love sensible fiance David just as much? With a big white wedding on the horizon, Scarlett really should have decided by now …When she has the chance to house-sit in Notting Hill – the setting of one of her favourite movies – Scarlett jumps at the chance. But living life like a movie is trickier than it seems, especially when her new neighbour Sean is so irritating. And so irritatingly handsome, too. Scarlett soon finds herself starring in a romantic comedy of her very own: but who will end up as the leading man?

Title: Meant To Be
Author : Karen Stivali
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Sometimes you’re already committed to the wrong person when fate finally brings you the right one.
When NYU professor Daniel Gardner’s career-obsessed wife convinces him to move to the suburbs, he hopes it’s a first step toward starting the family he longs to have. Instead of domestic bliss he finds his neighbor, Marienne Valeti. She loves her freelance design job, but must contend with a growing sense of isolation created by her husband’s indifference. A penchant for good books, bad movies, and Marienne’s to-die-for brownies sparks a powerful bond between them. Passion simmers, but they resist its lure, surrendering only in the seclusion of their minds. Their friendship helps them weather every hardship, from divorce to widowhood, leaving them both secretly wondering if it can survive a first kiss.
Author’s Note: Meant To Be is listed as Women’s Fiction with Strong Romantic Elements. It strongly crosses genres with contemporary romance and will appeal to many fans of romance novel—it is an atypical friends to lovers story with a strong romantic arc and a happily ever after ending. This book deals with adult issues and contains graphic/mature language and explicit sex scenes. If it were a movie, it would be rated R. Although I am also a published erotic romance writer, this book does not contain erotic content.
Title: Happily Ever Before
Authors: Aimee Pitta & Melissa Peterman
Received: From Aimee Pitta & Melissa Peterman
Synopsis: Two sisters, one drunken pact and a choice that changes their lives forever.

HAPPILY EVER BEFORE is best described as the comedic literary love child of the hit film’s Bridesmaids and Baby Mama. It is the story of two sisters, who while watching a Lifetime movie marathon (of course!) make a drunken pact that has more unconventional consequences than anything Lifetime could program.

HAPPILY EVER BEFORE, a fractured fairytale, tells the story of Grace, the free spirit older sister, who promises Clair, her wound-too-tight younger sister, that she’d have her baby, should the need ever arise. But she certainly never thought she’d have to “deliver”.

Now everyone, from Clair’s WASP-y in-laws to Diane, Grace and Clair’s mom, who has put her own life on hold, to Clair’s husband, Henry, who has a compulsive need to give Grace bizarre and overly personal pregnancy gifts, to George, Grace’s best friend who now needs to find a new drinking buddy, are dealing with situations they never dreamed of.

As the sisters are faced with hormonal surges, new romances, and a calcium enriched diet, they are forced to navigate this new family dynamic and test their sisterly love in ways that keep the reader laughing out loud.

October 7, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of May 20
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of May 20

Title: Southern Charm

Author: Tinsley Mortimer

Received: Amanda @ Simon and Schuster

Synopsis: A modern Manhattan fairy tale with the sparkle of a champagne cocktail, Tinsley Mortimer’s debut novel provides a delicious peek into her world of society, fashion, and big-city fame.

SOUTHERN GIRL Minty Davenport has always dreamed of skyscrapers, yellow cabs, and a life like Eloise’s in New York City. So upon graduation from college, she bids adieu to Charleston and makes a beeline for the Big Apple. Almost instantly, she finds herself at an event being photographed for Women’s Wear Daily, and her career as a New York society “It Girl” is launched. As Minty navigates the ironclad customs of New York society, a blossoming love life, and a job working for a ruthless and powerful publicist, she finds that the rules a southern belle lives by—being nice to everyone, accentuating her femininity, and minding her manners—don’t necessarily guarantee success in Manhattan. She may indeed be accumulating new friends and opportunities along with boldfaced mentions and a very eligible bachelor boyfriend, but someone is plotting her very public downfall. When Minty gets to the top of the social ladder, she must decide if the glamorous life she thought she wanted is really everything she hoped it would be.

Tinsley Mortimer’s insider observations about New York’s elite are deliciously witty, and the heart of her book is that of an irresistibly lovable young woman who is on the brink of finding her dream.

Title: The Perfect Location

Author: Kate Forster

Received: Unsolicited, Avon Books

Synopsis: Three glamorous actresses gliding through a life lived on the silver screen. One Hollywood Blockbuster.

An intricate web of passionate pasts, addictions, lovers and secrets, perfect for fans of Lesley Lokko and Adriana Trigiani.

Rose Nightingale is an Australian actress still recovering
from a bad marriage.

Sapphira De Mont is the world’s most beautiful movie star,
but hides a secret addiction and a broken heart.

Calypso Gable is a young star on the rise trying to escape
her mum-manager’s clutches.

As they come together on set in the Italian hills, they find
out more about one another – and about themselves –
than they ever thought possible.

An intricate web of passionate pasts, addictions, lovers and secrets, perfect for fans of Lesley Locko and Adriana Trigiani.

Title: Come Fly With Me

Author: Sandi Perry

Received: From Sandy Perry

Synopsis: Haven’t we all experienced a moment when we’ve said something we wish we could take back? What if you were an eleven-year old girl and thought that moment caused the death of someone you cherished? Allison Ross, now a twenty-nine year old art gallery owner in Chelsea, was that young girl. The sudden death of her father in a suspicious car crash begins the unraveling of the tightly-wound world she has built around herself. This present day tragedy raises the unresolved issue of her Uncle Joey’s untimely demise, for which she feels responsible. Adding to her turmoil, she is shocked to learn that she’s been named interim CEO of her father’s luxury jet company. Past and present blur as she fights to maintain control of a company she wants no involvement in while she struggles to keep her gallery afloat.

Allison’s neighbor and good friend, Kenyon James, bakes butter-filled goodies culled from her Bubby’s recipe files, and teases her that one day someone is going to come along who will be able to break through the armor she wears over her heart. Enter Alexander Coventry, a brilliant barracuda who is the prime candidate to take her father’s place as CEO of RossAir Industries. Alex is the charmingly handsome son of a wealthy Atlanta family whose father taught him defeat is not an option. Allison and Alexander have two things in common—they both feel the need to prove to themselves to their fathers, and they’re both incredibly stubborn. His motives toward her and the company get muddier by the day as these two opinionated forces dance around one another as they jockey for power, fall in love, and search for her father’s killer. The story reaches its climax with a return to the cliffs of Frenchman’s Bay in Bar Harbor, the scene of her early childhood trauma.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: The Rock Star in Seat 3A

Author: Jill Kargman

Received by: Unsolicited

Synopsis: It’s Hazel’s thirtieth birthday and she has everything she’s ever wanted: a kickass job, a dream apartment in New York City, and the perfect boyfriend—who’s just days away from proposing. Hazel thinks she’s happy but isn’t quite ready to settle down. So when her most far-fetched fantasy enters the realm of the possible, shouldn’t she drop everything to see it through?

The morning after her birthday, Hazel boards a flight to L.A. only to get the surprise of her life. When she’s bumped up to first class, extra legroom and free drinks are absolutely the last things on her mind when she catches sight of her seatmate: her all-time biggest celebrity crush, rock star Finn Schiller! Only the night before she’d confessed her infatuation with the gorgeous musician, and her boyfriend joked that she had a free pass if she ever met him. Hazel can’t believe fate has actually thrown them together.

Even more unbelievable is that during the flight they genuinely connect. Finn likes her uncensored cursing and wicked sense of humor, and that she’s unlike all of his groupies; Hazel likes his killer looks, ripped physique, and soulful music. But what started as a fantasy quickly becomes a real attraction, and after a dream date and taste of the rock-star life with Finn in L.A., Hazel is forced to examine the track her life is on. Indulging in a passionate affair with a rock star seems crazy—but could she ever forgive herself if she walked away from her wildest dream coming true? And is her wildest dream the stuff that happiness is made of?

A lively novel about a down-to-earth New York City girl who suddenly finds herself in a rock ‘n’ roll Cinderella fantasy, The Rock Star in Seat 3A is seasoned with Jill Kargman’s signature wit and hilarious dialogue. This is a fairy-tale romance with a twist.

Title: South Hills Sidekicks: Uninvited

Author: Leah Spiegel & Megan Summers

Received By: Leah Spiegel

Synopsis: When Alley started her senior year at Upper St. Clair in the South Hills area, it was supposed to be the usual drag of hanging out with people who spent more on one outfit than Alley did on her entire wardrobe. That was until Kirsten, a girl in their clique, suddenly goes missing and the only people who seem to care are her friends. All evidence leads to the new comer Shane, a cocky and self-pretentious person in Alley’s opinion, but the police seem uninterested so she and the rest of the girls start a little investigation of their own. But they are nowhere closer to finding Kirsten than when they started and now they had the police’s attention; just not in the way they expected. The girls have to start over and discover that maybe it wasn’t an outsider who took Kirsten, but someone within their own clique who has something to hide; a secret that just might have gotten Kirsten killed.

Title: Secrets, Lies & PG Tips

Author: Leanne Rose

Received by: Leanne Rose

Synopsis: ‘Secrets, Lies & PG Tips’ is a chick-lit novel written in first person, narrated by British 25 year old Nina Parker. Nina is a self-confessed hopeless romantic and recently moved to San Francisco to pursue a glamorous (as seen on TV) life of cocktail parties, designer shoes, a high flying career and of course, the perfect man to share it all with.

In reality, Nina’s biggest work challenge is remembering the soy milk in her boss, Eddie’s overcomplicated coffee. And the cocktail parties are more ‘swigging wine from the bottle while watching sitcom reruns’ kind of evenings. And as for the perfect man…..

May 20, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of May 13
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of May 13

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Fatty Patty

Author: Kathleen Paterka

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Small towns, long memories. Everyone in the exclusive summer resort of James Bay, Michigan remembers FATTY PATTY, the chubby little girl with the round face and wild red curls. All grown up now, Patty Perreault teaches at the same elementary school where the painful playground memories still taunt her. She has not forgotten the cruel nickname; plus she still has not lost those extra pounds. Convinced her weight is the biggest reason why she is a four time loser in the semi-finals for Teacher of the Year, Patty resolves to make some changes in her body and her life.

Sam Curtis, an overweight accountant she meets at the community pool, swims into Patty’s life with romance on his mind. But as their friendship grows, Patty finds it hard to see beyond his extra pounds. She is torn as Sam refuses to deal with his own overweight issues. Her heart tells her one thing, but her eyes see another. She is not interested in an overweight boyfriend. When it comes to winning the Grand Prize in life and love, Patty has some hard lessons to learn. Will she be able to confront her fears about the kind of woman she yearns to be? Will she be able to put down the fork and give her heart a try?

Title: Kat Fight

Author: Dina Silver

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: The seriously funny, fabulously flawed Kat Porter has arrived, and she may just steal your heart—not to mention your boyfriend. Readers everywhere will revel in this sharp-witted, well-meaning whirlwind in author Dina Silver’s hilarious new novel, Kat Fight. In her quest for love, Kat makes every wrong turn, juggling two men, one best friend, and her own deeply confused heart’s desires.

Kat Porter is a consummate romantic, eager for her chance to find love and commitment. But after her boyfriend of four years, Marc, begins to grow apathetic and sends her calls straight to voicemail one too many times, Kat finally musters the courage to confront her so-called sweetheart, who seems more interested in dodging her than courting her. Though she’s no fan of ultimatums, Kat is at the end of her considerable wits, and lobs a massive one his way, completely confident that he’ll make the right decision when faced with losing her. He doesn’t.

With radio silence from Marc, Kat’s lifelong dream of finding a husband and forging a family is decidedly on the skids. That’s when her childhood friend Julie steps in, forcing Kat on a blind date to help her move beyond the break-up. Not only does Kat botch the setup, she instead finds herself in hot pursuit of Julie’s love interest, Ryan Sullivan. A man who, in addition to literally taking her breath away, is the living, breathing personification of everything Kat wants in a husband.

Can Kat connect with the man of her dreams without hurting two of the people she cares most about? At the same time, she must also contend with the quips of her beloved catty coworker Adam, her bi-polar boss Brooke, and a string of comic, unpredictable plot twists. All the while, Kat’s cheeky perspective and generous heart will leave readers adoring every moment of her journey while chuckling and cheering for the ever cute, razor-sharp Kat as she fights to land the love of a lifetime.

Title: Viewer Discretion Advised

Author: Cindy Roesel

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: LIVE FROM MIAMI! The sensationalism shown on television can only be topped by the drama that happens behind the camera! After being fired from her job in Los Angeles, Charlene “Charley” Thomas moves to sizzling Miami and begins working as news director at a local television station. While getting used to her new gig, Charley wakes up to the fact that her station manager, Jonathan Lefton, is the boss from hell who will do anything for a story no matter who gets hurt in the process. When nude pictures of noon anchor, Miranda Andrews, are discovered in the men’s room of a Key West bar, all hell breaks loose. They end up on Lefton’s desk and he promotes her over the main anchor, sparking off a firestorm. Miranda’s quickly thrown into the mix and assigned special reports. Charley finds herself overseeing an investigation that could shine light on the guilt of a dirty cop. Real life begins to mimic the drama of broadcast news when station personalities face life and death all for rating and Emmys! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED is a modern day “Sex and the City” meets “Broadcast News.”
In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Between You and Me

Author: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Received: Angela @Engelman & Co.

Synopsis: What happens when you are followed by millions . . . and loved by none?

Twenty-seven-year-old Logan Wade is trying to build a life for herself far from her unhappy childhood in Oklahoma. Until she gets the call that her famous cousin needs a new assistant— an offer she can’t refuse.

Logan hasn’t seen Kelsey in person since their parents separated them as kids; in the meantime, Kelsey Wade has grown into Fortune Magazine’s most powerful celebrity. But their reunion is quickly overshadowed by the toxic dynamic between Kelsey and her parents as Logan discovers that, beneath the glossy façade, the wounds that caused them to be wrenched apart so many years ago have insidiously warped into a show-stopping family business.

As Kelsey tries desperately to break away and grasp at a “real” life, beyond the influence of her parents and managers, she makes one catastrophic misstep after another, and Logan must question if their childhood has left them both too broken to succeed. Logan risks everything to hold on, but when Kelsey unravels in the most horribly public way, Logan finds that she will ultimately have to choose between rescuing the girl she has always protected . . . and saving herself.

May 13, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of November 21
Updates

In My Mailbox: Week of November 21

In My Mailbox: Week of November 21st

Title: Goodnight Tweetheart
Author: Teresa Medeiros
Received: From Ayelet Gruenspecht/Gallery Books
Synopsis: Abigail Donovan has a lot of stuff she should be doing. Namely writing her next novel. A bestselling author who is still recovering from a near Pulitzer Prize win and the heady success that follows Oprah’s stamp of approval, she is stuck at Chapter Five and losing confidence daily. But when her publicist signs her up for a Twitter account, she’s intrigued. What’s all the fuss? Taken under the wing of one of her Twitter followers, “MarkBaynard”—a quick witted, quick-typing professor on sabbatical—Abby finds it easy to put words out into the world 140 characters at a time. And once she gets a handle on tweets, retweets, direct messages, hashtags, and trends, she starts to feel unblocked in writing and in life. After all, why should she be spending hours in her apartment staring at her TweetDeck and fretting about her stalled career when Mark is out there traveling the world and living? Or is he? Told almost entirely in tweets and DMs, Goodnight Tweetheart is a truly modern take on a classic tale of love and loss—a Griffin and Sabine for the Twitter generation.

Title: The Hating Game
Author: Talli Roland
Received: From Talli Roland
Synopsis: When man-eater Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her ailing recruitment business, she’s confident she’ll sail through to the end without letting down the perma-guard she’s perfected from years of her love ’em and leave ’em dating strategy. After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out long enough to pick up a juicy £200,000 prize? Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it’s revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes. Can Mattie confront her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose career depends on stopping her from making it to the end?

Title: How I Learned to Love the Walrus
Author: Beth Orsoff
Received: From Beth Orsoff
Synopsis: When Los Angeles publicist Sydney Green convinces her boss to let her produce a documentary for the Save the Walrus Foundation, the only one Sydney Green is interested in saving is herself. The walruses are merely a means to improving her career and her love life, and not necessarily in that order. Sydney would’ve killed the project the second she learned she’d be the one having to spend a month in rural Alaska if it had been for any other client. But for rising star and sometimes boyfriend Blake McKinley, no sacrifice is ever too great. Yet a funny thing happens on the way to the Arctic. A gregarious walrus pup, a cantankerous scientist, an Australian sex goddess, a Star Wars obsessed six-year-old, and friends and nemeses both past and present rock Sydney Green’s well-ordered world. Soon Sydney must choose between doing what’s easy and doing what’s right.

November 22, 2010
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