From the Sideline, by Amy Avanzino {book review launch, giveaway}

I was really excited to be contacted by author Amy Avanzino back in April, asking if I could review her second novel “From the Sideline” (second in the Wake-Up Call series). Of course I said YES! because I enjoyed her first novel so much. You can read my  Wake-Up Call book review or order directly from Amazon
“From the Sideline” was released on July 19th and is published by Henery Press. While it’s part of a “series”, it’s not the type of series where you need to start with book #1 and continue through in chronological order. Instead, the “Wake-Up Call” series is more of a concept, featuring unique characters and storylines for each book. I love that idea!
“From the Sideline” features Autumn Kovac, a single mom to 10 year old Zachary. As much as she tries to shield Zachary from being hurt, emotionally and physically, there’s nothing she can do when Zachary decides to try out for a community football team “The Knights”. With all the aggressiveness of an NHL football team, ‘The Knights’ excel at making young footballers mentally and physically tough. Suddenly, Autumn is immersed into a world she had never experienced before, with tough-fighting moms, and take all the punches dads, parents who WANT their children to be fighting footballers. Autumn prefers to think of herself as a peace-loving mom, but soon she finds herself changing (in a good way).
Self-deprecating Autumn clearly doesn’t think much of herself and instead chooses to describe herself in negative ways for the reader. It’s hard not to feel badly for her, especially when she goes on date nights – as the fifth wheel – with her friends and their husbands (pretty funny though!). But early on in the novel I had high hopes that things would change for the better for her.
As a mom, I could definitely relate to Autumn’s dreams and concerns for her son, Zachary. I totally got her hesitation regarding her son playing football – it’s not as huge of a game here in Canada (thought we have a football league, the CFL) – and the rough exercises she witnesses during Zachary’s practices is enough to cause panic and anxiety attacks. However, it seems like the more seasoned parents are used to it and find her attachment to her son unnecessary. It also doesn’t help Zachary’s image as a mediocre player (though he has a ton of drive!).
With the help of friends Lainey and Sarah, Autumn is able to relax and participate more and more as the football practices wear on. As well, Autumn as the attention of both the President of the football league (Jamie) and an EMT who stays on site at the football field should a player get hurt.
It was fun to see if my theory about who Autumn ends up with worked out, or if there would be a romance in her future at all. I really liked that this book was about improving her life (and that of her son’s) and breaking free from her rocky relationship past. Autumn was a relatable character and could easily be your neighbour next door.

‘From the Sideline’ was the perfect follow-up to ‘Wake-Up Call’. It had similar elements but the story went in a completely different direction. Moving forward and growing as a person was the theme here, something that many of us are continuously striving to do.

GIVEAWAY: Amy Avanzino has generously offered prizes of her two ebook titles. Enter below for your chance to win! Good luck! (CAN/US)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author: Amy Avanzino received a Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and a Master’s from the University of Washington. She is a former special education teacher who has spent the last several years writing and doing extensive hands-on research for her Wake-Up Series, the first of which is Wake-Up Call. She’s a contributing writer of Hap Scotch, a play performed at the 2008 Frigid Festival in New York, which won two Audience Choice Awards. Amy currently lives in the stands above the football fields, basketball courts, and baseball diamonds around Folsom, California with her husband and four children. Visit her at http://www.AmyAvanzino.com.

Back from the….(reading update and more!)

Hi everyone!

I’m finally back to writing on my blog and it’s been a LONG time! I had high hopes for the New Year but then found myself in a reading drought. Have you ever had one of those? As a Librarian, it drives me batty when I can’t either find the time to read or I’m just not in the mood (usually that translates to tiredness). I ended up getting sick on Boxing Day (December 26th for those who don’t have that holiday) and that continued for five more months. With 3 kids and working full-time, you can imagine what that does to somebody. Even now, I’m fighting a two week chest cold. Ridiculous!
Anyway, when I finally did get around to reading again, I started slowly and with some tried and true reads, by focusing on my favourite cozy lit mystery series. Both Jenn McKinlay’s ‘Library Lovers’ and ‘Cupcake Bakery’ series came to the rescue and I believe I’m all caught up with both. I love those series so much!
During the last five months I also read ‘Where they Found Her’ by Kimberly McCreight and ‘The Widow’ by Fiona Barton. I really loved ‘Where They Found Her’ but found that ‘The Widow’ was a tough read being a mom to young children. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have read it if I had read a review or the synopsis more carefully. But, that’s not to say it was a bad novel – it’s received a lot of praise so check out Goodreads if you’re so inclined.
I also re-read (I never do that!) a book by Wendy Corsi Staub; while I know some of her books are part of trilogies, I didn’t realize that this particular book “Live to Tell” would be good to read again since I own the next book “Scared to Death”. So, I have that one in my pile of books to read this summer.
Right now, I’m currently reading the second book of ‘The Clifton Chronicles’ by Jeffrey Archer, as well as ‘How to be a Grown-up’ by Nicola Kraus and Emma McClaughlin. Talk about a difference in genres! I’m enjoying both and I love discovering new series to read.
Finally, I picked up quite a few books from garage sales this year (already!). So, those will travel with me to the beach and other weekend getaways this summer. However, I always have high hopes to read more on these getaways, but really, with 3 kids six and under you can imagine how much reading I actually accomplish.
I’m also going to be reviewing Amy Avanzino’s latest “Wake Up Call” books called ‘From the Sideline’ which will be published later this month (which is when my review will be posted, too). I have a few other books to review that I’ve been tardy in posting, so those will be forthcoming as well.
And that’s my update! I read more than just the books mentioned, but honestly I can’t remember them all. There are always books to read and I wish I had more time – so many great books…ahhh…how I love reading 🙂
Maybe this post will give you some new titles to check out!

FIRST & GOAL, by Laura Chapman {review and excerpt “Book Blitz”}

Today I bring to you the latest book by Laura Chapman as part of CLP Blog Tour’s Book Blitz for First & Goal.

First & Goal features Harper Duquaine, a responsible employee in a Nebraska car dealership who decides to loosen up and join her colleagues in a fantasy football league. With only a smattering of football knowledge, Harper joins the guys in an attempt to show them she’s not just the no-nonsense worker who’s only about her job.

Right away, I thought the premise of this novel was pretty inventive. It automatically sets up our protagonist to hang with the guys, and our hopes are lifted even more when she shares a closeness with Brook, one of the leagues players. And if that’s not enough, the delightful cover will draw you in even further.

A major bonus in reading this book is that I learned about fantasy football through a another woman. I had no idea how it was played, but heard about these fantasy leagues for various sports. I know they’re taken seriously and it’s anyone’s game.
Take it from me, as I live in Canada, football just isn’t much of a “thing” here as it is in the States. It’s really a foreign subject to my ears, but I listened when it was written into this charming chick lit novel. To further my education, the author includes recaps throughout the novel for “Team Harper” from a fellow league player. That was added entertainment to the novel!
It was realistic that Harper threw herself into learning about fantasy football, watching the games, getting tips from her brothers and so on. She wanted to succeed with it as she does in the workplace.
I really liked Harper’s tenacity for winning! Automatically, she knows she’s the outsider in this league, just by virtue of being a woman.
It was also fun joining her in a new relationship with a “good” guy and navigating the waters of how to present that to her friends and co-workers.

FIRST & GOAL is an entertaining novel by Laura Chapman, with breezy writing and likable characters. Of course, it’s also more exciting that this is book #1 and sneak peek for the second book is included in the novel. I’m curious to see how this theme will be carried throughout the rest of the novels and what it means for Harper and friends.

Excerpt of FIRST & GOAL:

While I dig through piles of green and yellow shirts, I call my younger brother, Christopher. I need advice before the draft. I may not be in this for the glory of victory or the money, but I don’t want to embarrass myself by coming off as an idiot.
His sleepy voice answers a second before it goes to voicemail. “What’s going on?”
Not wasting any time, I explain the situation. After giving him a minute to get the laughter out of his system, I tell him what I need from him. “I need a crash course in drafting a team.”
“Why do you care if it isn’t about winning?”
“Pride?”
He snorts. “Fair enough. Do you have a pen and paper?”
My hands freeze on a long-sleeved green and yellow rugby style shirt. “Not on me. Should I grab some?”
He busts out laughing again. This time I struggle to stay patient while he pulls himself together. “Can we get through this?” I ask. “Today if possible?”
“Calm down, BK.”
I glare at the pile of shirts. “I told you not to call me . . . that.”
“Technically, you told me not to call you—”
“Don’t even say it. And don’t pretend saying BK is any different.” I walk over to a rack of jerseys. “Tell me your ‘rules.’”
Christopher clears his throat and begins. “Rule number one: Don’t draft a kicker or defense until the last few rounds.”
“Why not?”
“It doesn’t matter if they show up as the highest-rated available player or if someone else makes a grab for kickers and defenses early. It’s a wasted pick. The guys in your league will make fun of you for the rest of the season if you do something so amateurish.”
Noted. Saving myself humiliation is the primary objective.
“Number two,” Christopher continues. “Don’t try to draft every player from your favorite team.”
“Why not? The Packers are good.”
“Yeah, but what happens if they have a bad week?”
I feign mock outrage. “Are you actually suggesting our beloved Packers would have anything less than a perfect season? What would Dad say?”
“Trust me on this one, Harper. Your Sunday . . . or Thursday or Monday will be a million times worse if you’re dealing with a Packers and fantasy loss.”
“Okay, avoid drafting the entire Packers starting lineup. Got it.” I’m going to have to do some fast research to find out who else I might want on my team. Basically, all the players I know are in Green Bay. “What’s next?”
“Have you found out what pick you have?”
My eyebrows furrow in confusion. “Pick?”
“Where are you in the draft order?”
Oh. “Fourth.”
“The first three people have selected the top three running backs in my mock drafts.” I want to ask what he means by ‘mock draft,’ but there’s no time. “You can have a little fun with being fourth, but I say you should take the Pope. You’ll impress the guys in your league.”
“Who’s ‘the Pope?’”
“John-Paul Massa. An underrated but totally badass running back.”
“Massa it is.” I stare at the Chad Baker jersey in front of me. “When can I draft Baker?”
“No sooner than the second round, but try to hold off until the third. You want to make sure you get a solid wide receiver, and they tend to go fast after the top six running backs are off of the board.”
“But I want Baker.”
“He’ll be around,” Christopher assures me. “And if things get hairy during your draft, you can always text me.”
“Is there a fourth rule?”
“Yes.” He clears his throat again and hesitates. Content with my clothing selections, I walk toward the checkout line. “My fast and final rule: Don’t let the guys seduce you into giving them the best players.”
My gasp of outrage draws attention from the person standing in front of me. I dart an apologetic grin, before hissing at my brother. “Why would you even go there?”
“Harper, you’re smart and driven.”
“But . . .”
“You’re an idiot when it comes to men.” He releases a heavy sigh. “Maybe it’s because deep down you’re a sweet person or maybe you’re too trusting, but you have a talent for giving it up to douchebags.”
I want to argue back on principle. I am a strong, independent woman, who doesn’t need a man to succeed. But, a glance back at my dating track record gives Christopher’s commandment some weight. Maybe I should tell him I’m a new woman after what happened with the last guy. Instead, I thank him for his advice and pay for the new football gear.

GIVEAWAY from CLP Blog Tours – Good luck!
Giveaway Info:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9d17395a202/?

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2015/10/book-blitz-first-goal-by-laura-chapman.html

Buy the Book
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B0151ZBL0G
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/first-goal-laura-chapman/1122624183?ean=2940151152693
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/first-goal-1

About the Author
Laura Chapman is the author of First & Goal, The Marrying Type, and Hard Hats and Doormats. Her work also appears in Merry & Bright, A Kind of Mad Courage, and All I Want For Christmas. A native Nebraskan, she loves Huskers and Packers football, Netflix marathons, and her cats, Jane and Bingley. Laura is currently in pursuit of a fantasy football championship while penning her next novel.

Connect with Laura
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/laurachapmanbooks
Twitter – https://twitter.com/lmchap
Instagram – https://instagram.com/lmchap614/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/lmchap
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7374940.Laura_Chapman
Blog – http://www.change-the-word.com/
Website – http://laurachapmanbooks.com/

Newsletter – http://laurachapmanbooks.com/about/e-newsletter/

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ecopy of FIRST & GOAL from CLP Blog Tours. The book review and all other opinions are my own.

clutch: a novel, by Lisa Becker {release day blitz + giveaway}

Today I’m participating in the Release Day Blitz for CLP Blog Tours in honour of Lisa Becker’s clutch: a novel. What a fun concept for a book! This chicklit novel pairs men and handbags in a hilarious look at modern dating.
Follow the links below for more about the author, giveaway details and how to purchase your own copy of clutch today!

About clutch: a novel

clutch: a novel is the laugh-out-loud, chick lit romance chronicling the dating misadventures of Caroline Johnson, a single purse designer who compares her unsuccessful romantic relationships to styles of handbags – the “Hobo” starving artist, the “Diaper Bag” single dad, the “Briefcase” intense businessman, etc. With her best friend, bar owner Mike by her side, the overly-accommodating Caroline drinks a lot of Chardonnay, puts her heart on the line, endures her share of unworthy suitors and finds the courage to discover the “Clutch” or someone she wants to hold onto.

Author Bio

In addition to clutch: a novel, Lisa Becker is the author of the Click Trilogy, a contemporary romance series comprised of Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click and Right Click. She’s written bylined articles about dating and relationships for “Cupid’s Pulse,” “The Perfect Soulmate,” “GalTime,” “Single Edition,” “Healthy B Daily” and “Chick Lit Central” among others. She lives in Manhattan Beach, California with her husband and two daughters. To learn more, visit http://www.lisawbecker.com.

Social Media Links for Lisa Becker

Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Web

Get Your Copy!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/clutch-novel-Lisa-Becker-ebook/dp/B015P09CBW/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Be sure to enter the giveaway below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Wish in Manhattan – Mandy Baggot {feature} #bookoutureXmas

Today’s #BookoutureXmas feature is an excerpt of Mandy Baggot’s One Wish in Manhattan.
Do you have a certain type of book that always draws you in? Usually, a Christmas-themed novel is enough to draw me in, but I also love books where the heroine transplants herself into a new city. In this case, it’s Hayley and her daughter, Angel. Together they navigate the New York waters after travelling from the UK. Told in alternate voices of Hayley and Oliver, readers are suspended into this delightful holiday romance.
Look at that cover – SWOON!

The Book:
The temperature is dropping, snow is on its way and Hayley Walker is heading for New York with one wish … to start over.

With her daughter Angel, Hayley is ready for adventure. But there’s more to New York than twinkly lights and breathtaking skyscrapers. Angel has her own Christmas wish – to find her real dad.

While Hayley tries to fulfil her daughter’s wish, she crosses paths with billionaire Oliver Drummond. Restless and bored with fast living, there’s something intriguing about him that has Hayley hooked.

Can Hayley dare to think her own dreams might come true – could A New York Christmas turn into a New York Forever?

Travel to the Big Apple this Christmas and join Hayley and Oliver as they realise life isn’t just about filling the minutes … it’s about making every moment count.

To buy:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Indigo Canada/Kobo

About Mandy Baggot:
Mandy Baggot is an award-winning romantic fiction author, writing hot heroes and emotional reads. A contributor to writing blogs and short story anthologies, Mandy is also a regular speaker at literary festivals, events and women’s networking groups.
Mandy loves mashed potato, white wine, country music, and handbags. She has appeared on ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and auditioned for The X-Factor and lives in Wiltshire, UK with her husband, two children and cats, Kravitz and Springsteen.

Snowflakes on Silver Cove – Holly Martin {book review} #bookoutureXmas

I have another book to feature on today’s #BookoutureXmas – be sure to follow along with that hashtag on Twitter to be up to date on all the bloggers’ features for the event.

Today, I’m showcasing “Snowflakes on Silver Cove” by Holly Martin. I adored this book and to me, it was the epitome of a feel-good Christmas read. I’ve included an excerpt (extract) for your reading pleasure, as well as my review.

Enjoy 🙂

Snowflakes on Silver Cove – Excerpt

Come and spend a picture perfect romantic Christmas at White Cliff Bay Libby Joseph is famous for her romantic Christmas stories. Every December, readers devour her books of falling in love against the magical backdrop of the Christmas season. If only Libby believed in the magic herself…
Struggling to finish her current novel, Libby turns to her best friend and neighbour George Donaldson to cheer her up. But George also needs a bit of support himself. Nervous about getting back into the dating saddle after splitting from his wife, he and Libby strike a deal. She will teach George how to win over the ladies, and Libby will in turn be inspired to inject her novel with a good dose of romance. As Libby and George explore the beautiful White Cliff Bay on a series of romantic Christmas-themed dates, Libby finds herself having more fun than she’s had in ages and…discovers feelings that she never knew she had for George.
But is it too late? Will George win someone else’s heart or can Libby act like the heroine in one of her stories and reach for her own love under the mistletoe this Christmas? Snuggle up with a piece of Christmas cake and mulled wine, and spend the festive season at White Cliff Bay.

My Review:

Well, what can I say? ‘Snowflakes’ was the perfect book for me to review for this #BookoutureXmas event! I was caught up within the first few pages and adored George and Libby from the start. The Christmas coziness of the novel shone through, and all I wanted was to curl up with this book in front of my fireplace drinking some hot chocolate with a candy cane floating on top. But alas, I have three children and they don’t allow me such luxuries. But, I was able to escape reading this book! Boy did I ever! I fell in love with Libby and George from the very first pages, encouraging them with my reading to “get together for goodness sake!” The cutest couple for sure.
Holly Martin’s writing is engaging from the start and it draws you in to the Christmas spirit.
The love that Libby and George surely have for each other (and hopefully will discover soon) is contagious and I wanted them to fall into each other’s arms for real; not just for the sake of these make-believe dates they’re on. In typical starcrossed lovers fashion, Libby and George need an extra push to see that they are smitten with each other. The setting of this novel was perfect for this romance with its small village bedazzled in Christmasey, twinkling lights…ahhh…magic!
The back story with Amy and Seb was also enchanting and I couldn’t help but root them on.
All of the villagers were a great addition to the story, and it was so much fun getting caught up with their antics against the backdrop of this charming village.
This is definitely a heartwarming book to devour this Christmas season!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Snowflakes-Silver-Cove-feel-good-Christmas-ebook/dp/B014T4W7BM

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley – thank you Bookouture!

About Holly Martin – Holly Martin emerged onto the chicklit scene by winning the Belinda Jones Travel Club short story competition – and has not looked back since.
Her adult fiction debut The Guesthouse, hit number 5 on Amazon chart and she has now written three books with Bookouture: Fairytale Beginnings, Christmas at Lilac Cottage, and Snowflakes at Silver Cove.

#bookoutureXmas Kickoff! Difficult husbands – Mary de Laszlo {excerpt}

Here in Canada we’ve just had a stunning election, Thanksgiving is over and now we’re in limbo leading up to Halloween. What a great time to celebrate…Christmas! Ditch the pumpkin spice lattes and heat up some mulled apple cider to get in the mood for #BookoutureXmas week! How awesome is that?!? This feature is hosted by ThisChickReads and Bookouture Publishing. I am so excited to be a part of this event – Christmas and Britlit – two of my favourite things!
When I first started reading chicklit books SO long ago, I started with British chicklit. This was before the ‘Shopaholic’ series was published and Chapters employees would say “chickWHAT” when I was looking for said reading material. As a Librarian in a public library, I was excited when they started ordering more chicklit books upon my recommendation, after noticing other young women my age were looking for the same type of reads.
So this week I am here to share Christmas-themed titles from Bookouture – a fabulous British publishing press – and they have the most scrumptious book covers out there! I absolutely love them! What’s even better…13 more book bloggers are also part of this blog tour, so you’ll have many more reviews and excerpts and blog pages to visit! Are you ready for it?!? Simply follow #BookoutureXmas on Twitter from Oct 22-27 for all the updates!

Today, I am happy to bring an excerpt to the post – called ‘extract’ in Brit language 😉 of Difficult Husbands by Mary de Laszlo “A Christmas tale of family, friends and new beginnings”
Look at the gorgeous cover!

Find out more about Bookouture Publishing

Now onto the EXTRACT for Difficult Husbands:
PROLOGUE

Christmas in Summer

‘Reset.’ The director, his hair tied carelessly back in a ponytail, called out, and for the umpteenth time Lorna knocked on the fake front door, complete with Christmas wreath, while an underling, with the rosy face of a mischievous cherub, scattered fake snow at her from above. This tickled her nose and made her sneeze and the director sigh, call ‘cut’ and the whole take started again.
Christmas, anxiety gripped her, Christmas in summer. If only it was over when this
shoot was. Even though it was months away she was dreading the real thing; her first Christmas without Stephen, without even her parents to escape to.
‘Reset.’ This time it went better. She opened the door and the camera focused on the
‘room’ conjured up in this stark warehouse. She counted to five while she pretended to be amazed by the magic she saw before her; blazing logs in the fake fireplace, cards hung in streamers among sparkling decorations. There was a show of Christmas fare laid out before her – at least she hadn’t had to cook it, the thought scudded through her mind – then the camera wheeled away to groups of happy, happy people toasting each other with pretend champagne. There were some spotless, tidy children behaving so nicely and quietly – a dream Christmas, when in reality it was often hell.
A small girl – pretty in pink – ruined this cheerful scene by tearing the paper off a
‘present’ only to find a block of polystyrene concealed under the glitzy paper. She howled in disappointment.
Poor little thing, Lorna thought, as her mother scuttled onto the set to retrieve her
sobbing child, that is life though, disappointment often lurks under the glitz. She caught the eye of one of the ‘happy’ people, a woman whose face held remnants of beauty, who’d confided in her before they started shooting that she hated Christmas, her memories of a houseful of cheerful, noisy family celebrations taunting her, now she was alone.
At last it was over, ‘a wrap’. Thankfully, Lorna took off her winter clothes, handing them back to the wardrobe girl. She signed her chit, waved goodbye to the others and left, going back into the sunny day, probably the best one of the summer and she’d missed it while she acted out Christmas inside. Being an extra or ‘supporting cast’ as it was now called, was just another, rather predictable way – a fun way, if you didn’t count the early starts – of earning money.
It was a strange world of unreality; the commercial she’d just worked on portrayed
only the pleasure of Christmas. There was no sign of it being a religious feast, or of unhappiness from a fractured family. It peddled dreams and perhaps spawned resentment in people, most people she’d have thought, especially in these hard times, who’d never achieve such a spectacle.
What would her Christmas be like this year? She could hardly bear to think of it. All those years of special, magical times with her parents and siblings, and continuing with it all with her own children. Even when her parents died she had never confronted the fact that there could come a time when she could be alone for Christmas.
Lorna got into her car, hoping she wouldn’t get lost going home. These studios were usually stuck out somewhere on an industrial estate and were difficult to find, even sometimes for the Sat Nav. She always set off hours early for if you were late on set you were sacked – that was it. ‘End of,’ as her children would say.
Her children, the thought of their pain when Stephen left them brought tears. Marcus said he’d probably go away for Christmas, not able to bear it without his father there, the father as he used to be. Flora slammed a few doors, muttering the same threats. This Christmas she could easily be alone, for the first time in her life, and it terrified her.

Suzanne Nicole: Unravelled in New York {book tour and review}

I’m pleased to be part of another CLP Blog tours book tour today! This time we’re featuring Suzanne Nicole’s Unravelled in New York. It features the enigmatic Charli Cooper, an Australian transplant working as an intern at a New York daily paper. In charge of writing “about town”-type columns, Charli is drawn to the charming Jack Manning. But soon, she has to wonder if there’s more to him than just good looks and family success. What is hiding? Why’s he so mysterious?
Charli is such a likable character! You can’t help but like her from the start. She’s the perfect friend and real to herself, with no hidden motives. She’s eager to make a new start after a failed relationship, and with the help of her friends Mia and Clark, Charli is soon immersed into New York and her new job.
Early on in the book, Charli questions Jack’s motives and ways – what’s his secret? What’s behind his family fortune? Definitely out of the ordinary for a “chicklit” novel, I loved that this novel veered off the typical path and followed the path of investigative journalism, via our protagonist Charli.
She’s not out looking for love, but rather uses her position to investigate. As for the relationship between Charli and Jack, at times I was rooting for Charli and Jack to get together, and at other times I was hoping she would discover a major secret about him.
I did find that the New York dialogue sometimes took on some Australian phrases. It didn’t ring true that New Yorkers would use Australian slang.
In the end, ‘Unravelled’ is a modern story made up of friendship, intrigue, and love. It occurred to me early on that it would make a perfect travel/airplane read.

Book Link **99 Cents During Tour!**

CLP Blog Tours is offering a giveaway along with this tour. For a chance to win $25 Amazon gift card, enter below!

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Excerpt from “Unravelled in New York” (S.Nicole, 2015):
“Mr. Manning, Charli Cooper, New York Herald. I would like to ask you a few questions.” I hold out my hand confidently to shake his, hoping he doesn’t notice my slightly shallow breathing and trembling hands.

“So,” he says, taking my hand and slowly raking his gaze obnoxiously down my body. He seems so much taller and broader than I remember and I suddenly feel small and out of place. “Marla sends the international office junior to ask me a ‘few questions’ after the allotted time for interviews is over. An unusual move by Marla, I must say.” His voice is rich and strong. I’m momentarily paralysed by his statement and have to quickly gather myself. Set times for interviews? I mentally search for something that I’ve missed. I shuffle my papers nervously and watch in horror as they lazily flutter to the ground between us.

“Excuse me?” I say. I bend down quickly to retrieve my papers and take a moment to gather myself.

He pointedly looks at his big, ridiculously expensive watch, then at his phone, and finally lifts his eyes back to mine with a maddening smirk. “I’m sorry, Miss…Cooper, was it?” I give a small nod. “I’m sorry but had you read your brief properly you would have seen that interview times are finished for the evening.” He points to a tiny line at the end of the programme I’m holding. “Why don’t you call during business hours and see if a more appropriate time can be arranged.” And with that, he turns his back on me and saunters over to a tall flaxen-haired beauty. I’m left standing alone with my papers, mouth agape, mortified. I turn when I realise Pete has stepped in behind me.

“Pete, did that just happen?” I feel the familiar tightening around my ribcage. “It would have only taken him a few minutes. What’s his problem?”

“Yeah, sorry, I only caught the end of it.”

I want the floor to open up and swallow me. Embarrassment crawls its ugly red stain up my chest and onto my face. I fumble through my notes again, peeved when I see other guests still giving interviews.

“What’d I tell you, asshole, right? Don’t worry kid, leave it with me, we’ll get something before the night is out.”

I quietly slink back to the press corner to lick my wounds and pull myself together. Tears threaten but I will not cry. Arrogant bastard. I busy myself checking through the notes I’ve already made. I’m grateful to Pete who introduces me to associates from other papers before he moves away to take more shots. Wrapped up in my foggy brain, I excuse myself and drift across the gallery looking for the restroom and a chance to escape when his resonant voice accosts me from behind.

“You gave up very easily, Miss Cooper. I was led to believe you would be more tenacious.”

“Pardon?” I turn and see his ocean-blue eyes staring at me through his dark thick lashes. Why does his mere presence rattle me? My mouth loses all moisture and I swallow nervously. The worst thing is, I sense he knows the effect he has on me and he’s enjoying it.

“Well, Miss International Roving Reporter, you can’t work in this city if you can’t secure a story. If you don’t mind me saying so, you seem a bit out of your depth, sweetheart. Next time, I suggest you get your priorities right.” He puts his hands into his pockets.

Okay, so this guy is a patronising jerk. Did he really just say ‘sweetheart’? Who the hell does he think he is?

“I have to say that in the time you’ve stood there reprimanding me, I could have completed the whole interview and we could’ve moved on. But I’m guessing this is some sort of revenge for the other night, am I right, Mr. Manning? It’s not very professional.”

“Professional? A professional would know what order to run the interviews in, Miss Cooper. A professional would have read all the details about the evening. And the other night?” He raises his eyebrow and arrogantly leans against the wall. “Do tell? Sounds like a good story.”

“The other night when you…when you…ran into me.” I glare up at him and he purses his lips, deep in thought, then lets out a hearty laugh.

“Ah that. I remember it very differently, Miss Cooper. I remember it as a young lady too busy flirting with a barman to notice where she was going,” he says with a wink, enjoying antagonising me. “You are amusing, Charlotte, I will give you that.”

I search my brain for a witty retort, which I’m usually so good at, but come up empty. The silence spills out between us, before I finally find my voice. “Charli, it’s Charli Cooper, Mr. err…” I fidget with my notes on the pretence of searching for his name, scanning the list slowly. “Mr. Grainger-Smythe?” I blame jet-lag or a long day for my momentary lack of judgement.

“Very amusing,” he says, “I am looking forward to seeing what you can salvage from tonight’s debacle.” He looks down at his watch again, making ready to move on.

“Please don’t concern yourself over my story, I have plenty of quotes. Some more interesting than others.” I smile sweetly up at him, while inside my blood is boiling. He walks away in his big shiny shoes with his hands in his pockets, and I can see his shoulders moving. Is he laughing at me? He turns around and looks back at me over his shoulder, then saunters back towards me. I crane my neck to look up at him.

“It’s Manning, as you know full well. And I assume you do know I am the major sponsor tonight, Miss Cooper? So write what you will, I’ll look forward to reading it.” He lifts his eyebrows, daring me to challenge him before walking away again.

Suzanne Nicole links:

https://www.facebook.com/Suzanne-Nicole-Author-1698891897005531/timeline/

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25863173-unravelled-in-new-york

Disclaimer: I was provided an ebook copy by ChicklitPlus Blog Tours in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

The Truth About Caroline ~ by Randi Sherman {book tour, review and excerpt}

I have another great book review and excerpt from CLP Blog Tours (Chick Lit Plus) to bring to you today: The Truth About Caroline, by Randi Sherman (FriesenPress, 2015)

Randi Sherman’s The Truth About Caroline is a laugh-out-loud, coming-of-age, whodunit novel that focuses on the newly widowed, Caroline Matthews.
With a cast of off-the-wall characters, the first part of the novel focuses on Caroline’s trial for “supposedly” offing her cheating husband, in a murder-for-hire style. I loved the caricature-like characters presented during the trial, from the witnesses to the buffoon-like opposing lawyer.
For me, this was the highlight of the book and I would definitely look forward to sitting through a another fictional trial like the one portrayed here. I could really picture how everyone looked and acted; it made for great entertainment!
Throughout the novel, we heard about many different versions of Caroline: a mother who did everything for her children, but not a perfect mother, long-suffering wife turned murderer, a bubblehead who was disorganized, and so on. A lot of contradictions! And since I hadn’t read the first novel, I wasn’t sure if a reader would already know the “real” Caroline had they already read Caroline Starts Over (FriesenPress, 2014). However, this made for a fun read. I couldn’t wait to find out “the truth about Caroline” and enjoyed all the predicaments and antics along the way.
As Caroline reinvents herself, we are drawn in to her new lifestyle and attempts at rediscovering herself and living a truthful life (a toughie, as she’s been lying her whole life, so we’re told). An offbeat, but likeable character, Caroline’s fate is eventually revealed to us all in a surprising turn and end to the novel.

EXCERPT from The Truth About Caroline

Sitting in the Human Resource reception area at Morgan’s appliances reminded Caroline of a dentist’s office. The receptionist or as her name placard read, “Executive Assistant,” occasionally looked up, gave Caroline a half-hearted smile and then turned her attention back to her magazine. Pictures of her boyfriend festooned her work area, along with a nearly deflated, Happy Birthday Mylar balloon as it sadly hung in the air, just two feet above the ground. And there was a bowl of hard candy positioned on the corner of the desk, next to the Sign-in Please clip board with its pen attached to it by a piece of yard. Caroline’s stomach was growling, she had skipped breakfast and sat there wondering if the candy was an innocent offering or a test of some sort.

If she got up and took a piece of the candy would it be considered too presumptuous? Would the action reveal some character trait that would result in a pass or a fail, rendering the applicant ineligible. The candy, Caroline thought, had probably been sitting there for months, maybe years. Like every grandmother’s coffee table candy dish, the candy in it was probably decades old. Would it be delicious and worth the effort to free it from the cellophane wrapper? Would it be worth the risk? Caroline wondered if other applicants obsessed about that sad, dusty little bowl of candy too.

Caroline looked down at her “interview” outfit, hoping that the scotch tape that she had used to hem her pants would hold until the meeting was over. Without much money or time to shop, Caroline grabbed the first affordable interview-type suit she saw at the Women At Work Shoppe in the strip mall near the Super Cuts hair salon where she had her hair dyed and cut in preparation for today’s meeting. She hadn’t bothered to try on the suit in the store. It was navy blue. The suit included a companion blouse and, more importantly, it was on sale. Unfortunately the pants were tailored for a giant. Without a sewing kit or a stapler, Caroline had improvised with transparent tape.

When a quiet ring came from the receptionist’s phone, she picked it up, whispered something and glanced at Caroline. “Ms. Pratt,” she announced quietly, “I’ll take you back to see Ms. Herrera now.” As Caroline passed her desk, she took a candy, unwrapped it and popped it in her mouth. “Oh, my mouth is so dry.” She smiled.

“Tell me a little about yourself.” Ms. Herrera poised her fingers above the keyboard of her computer, ready to take notes.

The truthful answer would be: “I just got out of jail after spending six months awaiting trial for planning a hit on my husband. Fortunately I was acquitted. I have no prospects or work experience to speak of. I’m lazy and get bored easily. I’m terribly disorganized and have a problem with honesty. I desperately need a job because the insurance money will not last forever. When do I start?” But instead Caroline answered, “Oh heavens, where do I begin?”

“Well,” Ms. Herrera smiled. “Why don’t you tell me why you left your last job?”

Realizing that she was enjoying the hard candy a little too much, Caroline discretely spat it into her hand and began her answer. “Well,” glancing at the resume she had on her lap, “as you know I have been self-employed for a while and to tell you the truth,” she was thinking on her feet. “Freelancing is drying up and I am interested in working for a growing corporation where I can apply my skills and experience.” Aced it! She silently congratulated herself.

“Well, Caroline, this is an impressive resume.” She reached up and touched the crucifix that was hanging around her neck. “I see you were a missionary in Mexico. My family is from Mexico, where were you assigned?”

Oh crap! “Oh, um, truthfully Miss Herrera, it seemed like I was never in one place very long. I went where I was needed most.” She was hoping that the answer would be sufficient. “You know missionary work. Move, move, move. I wish I spent more time in the capital.” Caroline’s palms were sweating, the candy started melting.

***************************

Randi Sherman – Links

http://www.randimshermanbooks.com
@RandiMSherman
http://amzn.to/1jckt2v
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26036274-the-truth-about-caroline

Up To I Do ~ Samantha March {book review & excerpt – book tour}

Today, I’m am pleased to be showcasing a book excerpt and review as part of Chick Lit Plus (CLP) Blog Tours! ‘Up To I Do’ Samantha March is a wedding tale about what happens when a wealthy girl plans her wedding.

Hotel heiress Emerson Sinclair is all set to marry her childhood friend, Logan Worthington. Bringing two prominent families together obviously means that a seamless and perfect wedding has to be pulled off. Both sides of the family are counting on Emerson, but as details become more and more complicated, Emerson can’t help but wonder whether a big affair is all worth it. After all, isn’t it about being in love and being happy on your wedding day, instead of trying to fit an ideal that is expected of you?

I fell into this book so fast! Truly, I can’t remember the last time I read a chicklit book that revolved around a wedding. I used to read them all the time, WAY back in the day, but since I was married many years ago and all of that was behind me, I just hadn’t ventured into wedding lit genre as of late. But, before I knew it, I was checking back in with Emerson and her friends and family, to see how the wedding details were progressing. With an interesting cast of characters – my faves were Grams (Emerson’s maternal grandmother, Pearl) and Emerson’s intellectual sister, Milly. I really liked how the characters in this novel had faults, including Emerson, and they lived up to them. First and foremost, family was paramount and everyone wanted to make Emerson and Logan’s day special for them.

I enjoyed the writing style of this book, a lot! I think that’s why I kept gravitating toward the book. I knew I could read and read and then put it down for a while, and get right back into it. The entire book flowed with ease and I picked this up from the start. Just when I thought a detail might be forgotten, it was mentioned again and all was well. I can really appreciate a conscientious writer. But most of all, the book was fun! It was a blast to be emersed in wedding details, read about stylish dresses of today – I could envision them – what rings the bride and groom should choose, and all the other aspects that are important to a wedding. I loved how Emerson included her Grams a lot in the sentiment of the wedding, culminating in one final surprise that made you cheer on the entire family.

As a name fanatic over here, I adored so many of the names used in this book. I especially liked that Grams’ name was Pearl – a name and a gem – which was used as a symbol for many items in Emerson’s wedding plans.

If you’re looking for current wedding lit (or chicklit) to indulge in, then Up To I Do would be a perfect pick for you!

Check out the amusing excerpt below – one of the best scenes in the book and definitely a time where I thought “I’m glad that isn’t me!”

Up To I Do (Marching Ink, 2015)
Chapter Nine

MyWeddingPlans.com Status Update: Nearly lost a bridesmaid today. #needaredo #redhotmess

The day of the bridesmaid dress appointment felt similar to picking out my wedding dress. Once again, Mom, Grams, Milly, Sienna, and the rest of the bridesmaids gathered at the house for breakfast. Delilah had even made the trip down once again, and we were going to have a sleepover at Milly’s that night with the three of us. I couldn’t wait.

Once we were finished eating, we were off in the limo once again to the bridal shop where I had purchased my dress. I had to put my foot down on this. Evie (and also Honor and a tad bit of Tatiana if I’m honest) pushed for a New York trip to find the bridesmaid dress, throwing out all these top-notch shops filled with designer dresses. But . . . if I couldn’t have a designer dress, why would my maids wear one? I had finally come to terms that I had my dream dress and it just happened not to be a big name designer. I couldn’t handle if the other girls had one. The men were wearing Vera Wang for God’s sake. Cut me a little slack here.

Once we arrived at the store and were greeted warmly by Sandra, the owner, she ushered us to the back and I sat on the throne—a big fluffy red chair reserved for brides. Milly handed me scorecards that she had made so I could rate each dress from 1-10, and Sandra explained what would happen. We had fifteen minutes to walk around the store and grab dresses, then the fun would begin. Pretty simple.

On her mark, the lot of us scattered like marbles on a wood floor, on the hunt for the perfect bridesmaid dress. I managed to pull two, getting overwhelmed quickly by all the choices. How would I ever find one? Maybe each girl could wear a different dress in the same color. Would that be too busy? Did I care? Why was I here? Couldn’t I have made Katrina handle this on her own? But no, she probably would have been sucked into going to New York as well. It was better I was here and in control.

“Time!” Sandra stood in the middle of the floor, and I realized then that we were the only people in the store, which I had to think was unusual for a Saturday morning. I wondered if Mom had reserved the space solely for us. That was sweet and a necessity I hadn’t even thought of because I wasn’t sure I could concentrate if a bunch of other bridesmaids were traipsing along the aisles.

After handing my choices over to Sandra and taking a seat at the throne, I waited anxiously for the girls to come out. Each was coming out first in a pick of their own, and I was curious to see what each girl’s style was going to be. Milly was the exception. Since she was my maid of honor, I was going to let her off the hook for trying dresses on. I figured we had enough girls around. She had thanked me profusely that morning for the favor.

“Got your scorecards at the ready?” Sienna asked me, her eyes bright. As the countdown to the big day got closer, Sienna seemed to be more and more in her element. I think Mom was relieved she was taking some of the pressure off her, especially with the pageant taking up more time than she expected it to.

I held up the thick cards that Milly had clearly put a lot of time into. “Ready to roll!”

Sandra cleared her throat and started listing off the designer names and the dress features. Honor was in a strapless dress that fell to the knee, with a belted waist and crumb catcher top. Delilah’s dress also featured a crumb catcher top (these two were so alike it could be scary) but hers had no belt and was less structured than Honor’s. Tatiana had a long strapless dress with a keyhole in the chest area—a little too risqué in my opinion. Evie . . . Evie. Evie was in a short hot pink dress that dipped low in the back, nearly to her crack, and her boobs were pushed up so high I was sure a nip slip was going to happen in the store. How in the world that was a suitable bridesmaid dress for anyone was beyond me. I couldn’t even look at her.

“Gabby’s dress is my favorite out of this group,” I said, my eyes immediately going to her soft chiffon dress with delicate straps and a ruched bodice. It fit her well and looked so pretty and feminine. And to be honest—a crumb catcher scared me. Even the name was just plain weird.

“You have a little diversity here with styles and even lengths,” Sandra said, standing by me. “Let’s focus on Honor and Delilah first, since they are similar. Do you like the crumb catcher top?”

I held up a scorecard with a 4 on it. “Sorry, ladies. I think those tops are weird.”

“Emerson!” They both screeched, looking at one another and laughing. Milly joined in from her perch on the chair next to me.

“I bet this would look great in your wedding,” Delilah said, patting Honor on the arm, who I think turned a little pale at that. “Or yours, Milly. And I can’t wait to hear all about this Miles tonight!”

Milly blushed as we all—even Grams and Sienna—hooted at her. “Yeah, yeah, let’s get back to the task at hand. So nothing fashion forward for the bride. No crumb catcher. Got it.”

“How about Tatiana’s? What do you think of a long dress?” Sandra asked.

I flipped through my stack and held up a 7. “I like this one more, but I’m not sure about long. Most of the pictures I’ve been pinning are short.”

“Long tends to work better for more formal weddings,” Mom said as her cell phone started to ring, piercing through the quiet store. “My gracious, my apologies. I thought I turned the ringer off.” She fumbled in her Prada for her phone, looking at the screen and frowning. “It’s the pageant. Again. Third call this morning. I’m sorry, let me just step outside quick and I’ll be back in a shake.” She rushed outside without even grabbing her coat, and I stared at her retreating back, frowning. For someone who was donating her time and efforts to the pageant cause, she sure was pretty invested in that event.

Shaking my head, I focused again at the task at hand. “Let’s keep it long then,” I said. “I like the idea of a more formal wedding, so if that will help with the pictures, let’s do it. And it’ll be September, so not like the girls will be overheated or anything.”

“Long it is,” Grams confirmed.

“Let’s move to Gabby’s,” Sandra suggested.

“I thought you didn’t want chiffon,” Milly said, remembering a conversation we had in the past about bridesmaid dresses.

“I didn’t think I did, but seeing it on her, it looks really good. I especially like how it’s tight in the middle. I think it would be really flattering on everyone.” I eyed the dress, liking it more with each passing second. I held up a 9. “This is a serious contender.”

Sandra cleared her throat. “And how about . . . Evie’s?”

Everyone was silent. “No,” I said simply.

Evie stomped a foot. “But, Emerson, this color is gorgeous! And not to diss any of these other top-notch dresses, but this one really is the best.” Her tone dripped in sarcasm.

I raised a brow. “No,” I said again. “I’m not even going to touch on how hideous that dress is—no offense, Sandra—or how inappropriate it would be for not only my wedding, but the majority of weddings that take place. Now go back, pick a dress that is actually suitable, and come back. Or leave. I honestly don’t care which.” I folded my arms and stared at her.

She wavered under my glare—I saw it. “Fine.” She flounced away and everyone stood frozen to their spots, not sure of what to say.

Sandra cleared her throat. “Well, um, a successful first round. Let’s head back into the dressing room and I’ll do one of your picks, Emerson, along with picks from the others in the group.” Sandra ushered my maids away and I leaned back in the chair, replacing all the score cards and gearing up for round two.

______________

NOTE: Thank you to CLP Blog Tours for the complimentary ebook of “UP TO I DO” in order to participate in this book tour (review).

CLP Tours has a giveaway going on now, so be sure to enter below:
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http://www.clpblogtours.com/2015/09/book-blitz-up-to-i-do-by-samantha-march.html

About Samantha March

Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and celebrity related. In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and has three published novels – Destined to Fail, The Green Ticket and A Questionable Friendship. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers. Samantha lives in Iowa with her husband and Vizsla puppy.

Keep In Touch with Samantha March:

https://instagram.com/marchbooksbeauty/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDnb5YAcjk7pnu25YckVL6g
https://www.facebook.com/samanthamarchauthor

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Book Links

http://amzn.to/1QECZvH
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/up-to-i-do-samantha-march/1122377630?ean=2940150767386
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/up-to-i-do

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26007111-up-to-i-do