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Star Struck by Jane Lovering

Skye Threppel was in a horrific car accident that took the lives of her fiancé and best friend, and left Skye without all her memory. Skye has more than physical scars to remind her of the accident – she has the internal ones that haunt her as well. The memories that have been lost, the confidence that was stolen, and a new life that she is trying to adjust to. Felix, her best friend’s brother who is also still trying to deal with the accident and death of his sister, suggest the two of them head to Nevada where a TV convention is being held. Skye has the chance to meet her favorite actor, and possibly the trip could help the both of them move on. But once there, Skye meets sci-fi writer Jack Whitaker, and a possible romance blooms. But will Skye be able to overcome Jack’s past? And when Skye is suddenly filled in on her own past and the way she was before the accident, everything changes.
As I was reading Star Struck by Jane Lovering, I didn’t quite know what to think. I really liked Skye as a main character, I thought she was nice girl that went through something terrible and I thought she was brave and relatable on some level. Felix I wasn’t quite sure what to make of. A raging sexpot ready to jump in bed with either man or woman, and sometimes I wasn’t sure how good of a friend he was to Skye. The romance between Skye and Jack was pretty hot, but when the big plot twist came, I again just didn’t know what to think. When Felix confronts Skye about her past, it’s actually very dark and downright depressing. I was a little put off with Felix and the whole revelation, not sure which direction I was about to be taken in. But in the end, Lovering did a great job at pulling me back in, keeping the suspense up, and giving a proper resolution to all the characters. This book was a bit of a roller-coaster to me, but overall the story stuck with me and I would recommend.
[Rating: 4]

In My Mailbox: Week of July 24

In My Mailbox: Week of July 24, 2011

Title: Lucky Girl
Author: Cate Lord
Received: From Danielle @ Entagled Publishing
Synopsis: Jessica Devlin isn’t looking for love. Heartbroken after being dumped by her unfaithful ex-fiancé, she’s determined to have a fabulous time during her vacation in England where she’ll be maid-of-honor at her cousin’s wedding. After working overtime as beauty editor of Orlando’s O Tart magazine, avoiding dating, and putting on ten pounds, Jess is ready to toss her past like an empty lipstick tube and party like a single gal.
But when she steps into the church on her cousin’s wedding day, she sees the one man who could sabotage her plan—James-Bond-gorgeous Nick Mondinello. She’s never forgotten the London marketing exec who held her in his arms after her beloved grandfather’s funeral two years ago. Ambitious, and lusted after by women everywhere, Nick is completely wrong for guarded, Plain Jane Jess.
Could Spy Man Nick ever fall for her? Nope. Not unless Jess is one lucky girl.

Title: The American Heiress
Author: Daisy Goodwin
Received: From Ann-Marie @ Get Red PR
Synopsis: Be careful what you wish for. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts’, suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.

Witty, moving, and brilliantly entertaining, Cora’s story marks the debut of a glorious storyteller who brings a fresh new spirit to the world of Edith Wharton and Henry James.

Title: Off Leash
Author: Jenna Anderson
Received: From Jenna Anderson
Synopsis: Candice Gunderson and her purebred pooch, Phoebe, are driving through the Indiana countryside on their way to an appointment with a dog breeder. If all goes as planned, the “meeting” with Charles the Conqueror will result in a lovely litter of puppies.

Unfortunately, Candice is hopelessly lost, the GPS in her car has gone haywire, and she needs to find a bathroom in the worst way. The pair pulls up alongside a little house in hopes of finding some helpful inhabitants.

What she finds is Bull Ramsey, a cute farmer, and his mutt, Jack, who is more than happy to have a “meeting” of his own with Phoebe.

Candice is determined to maintain control of the situation and prove she is an independent woman. A few unexpected events and mischievous farm animals won’t interfere with her plans. She can handle this, right?

Title: Star Stuck
Author: Jane Lovering
Received: From Choc Lit
Synopsis: Our memories define us – don’t they?

And Skye Threppel lost most of hers in a car crash that stole the lives of her best friend and fiancé. It’s left scars, inside and out, which have destroyed her career and her confidence.

Skye hopes a trip to the wide dusty landscapes of Nevada – and a TV convention offering the chance to meet the actor she idolises – will help her heal. But she bumps into mysterious Sci-fi writer Jack Whitaker first. He’s a handsome contradiction – cool and intense, with a wild past.

Jack has enough problems already. He isn’t looking for a woman with self-esteem issues and a crush on one of his leading actors. Yet he’s drawn to Skye.

An instant rapport soon becomes intense attraction, but Jack fears they can’t have a future if Skye ever finds out about his past …

Will their memories tear them apart, or can they build new ones together?

Please Don’t Stop the Music by Jane Lovering

Jemima Hutton needs to keep her past a secret. She knows if it gets out, her new friends wouldn’t want anything to do with her. She is determined to build a successful life, and is having good luck with her jewelry making business, until her lucky streak ends. When she meets the reclusive Ben Davies at his guitar shop, she begs him to stock her jewelry, and he agrees. As Jemima and Ben’s friendship grows, Jemima knows Ben is hiding a secret. He used to be a rock star, front man of a popular band and touring all over the world. Why is he now hiding out in a guitar shop, using a different name and pretending to not care about his past? But Ben also knows Jemima is hiding something, and as their friendship grows, the more Jemima becomes terrified her past will come out.
Please Don’t Stop the Music by Jane Lovering was an eye-opening book. My favorite part of this novel is that the main character is so different from what I usually read. Her background is dirty, messy, heart-breaking. I love reading about strong woman, and Jemima captured my attention from the first chapter. The villain in the story plays a large part throughout, and Lovering effectively made me hate her then love her all within a very short amount of time. There was just one scenario in the book that I just could not give credit too, when the mystery father of Jemima’s friend and roommate is announced. I won’t give any spoilers here, but I couldn’t really buy into that story. Other than that, the ending had me crying over the hard lessons the characters learned and the emotional turmoil they were going through, and I could feel the passion in the writing. A definite recommendation from me.
[Rating: 4]

In My Mailbox: Week of January 23

In My Mailbox: Week of January 23, 2011

Title: The Boyfriend of the Month Club
Author: Maria Geraci
Received: From Maria Geraci
Synopsis: This sexy, funny new novel asks: Can a woman find a modern-day Mr. Darcy in Daytona Beach?
At thirty, Grace O’Bryan has dated every loser in Daytona Beach. After the ultimate date-from-hell, Grace decides to turn her dwindling book club into a Boyfriend of the Month Club, where women can discuss the eligible men in their community. Where are the real life twenty-first century versions of literary heroes such as Heathcliff and Mr. Darcy?
Could it be successful and handsome Brandon Farrell, who is willing to overlook his disastrous first date with Grace and offers financial help for her parents’ failing Florida gift shop? Or maybe sexy dentist Joe Rosenblum, who’s great with a smile but not so great at commitment? Unfortunately, like books, men cannot always be judged by their covers…

Title: Please Don’t Stop the Music
Author: Jane Lovering
Received: From Caroline @ Choc Lit Team
Synopsis: Jemima Hutton is determined to build a successful new life and keep her past a dark secret. Trouble is, her jewellery business looks set to fail – until enigmatic Ben Davies offers to stock her handmade belt buckles in his guitar shop and things start looking up, on all fronts.
But Ben has secrets too. When Jemima finds out he used to be the front man of hugely successful Indie rock band Willow Down, she wants to know more. Why did he desert the band on their US tour? Why is he now a semi-recluse?
And the curiosity is mutual – which means that her own secret is no longer safe …

Title: Mrs. MisMarriage
Author: Noelle Chua
Received: From Noelle Chua
Synopsis: Harvard literature scholar Audrey Lee’s perfect life loses the plot when her brand new boyfriend, the dapper MBA Paul Chang, gets down on one knee and of all the silly and ridiculous things, proposes marriage! Suddenly Audrey is fairy-tale trapped and wed-locked into a life she never wanted, that of an expat wife and home-maker in her hometown Singapore. And that’s when a number of attractive men pop up all interested in her, enough to make Audrey feel she may indeed be the Singaporean Madame Bovary or Lady Chatterley. With Paul too absorbed in his career to care plus a few mishaps making marital mayhem, Mrs Mis-Marriage is starting to feel that perhaps she is destined to live unhappily ever after.