The Best is Yet to Come by Debbie Macomber - A Review

By Elisabeth Scherer 

If you had the chance to start over in a new community where no one knew your past, would you take it?  In The Best is Yet to Come by Debbie Macomber we hitchhike along to find out what happens with Hope and Cade. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Paris Is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

I'm a relatively new fan of Jenn McKinlay, but she has quickly become one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. So I was eager to try her new novel Paris Is Always a Good Idea, especially since it was not a cozy mystery.

Fun Chick Lit: A Sudden Gust of Gravity by Laurie Boris

Review by Donna Huber

One of the great things about having a backlog of review copies on my Nook is finding wonderful gems such as A Sudden Gust of Gravity by Laurie Boris. It was cute and fun and kept me up well past my bedtime.

4 Contemporary Chick Lit Novels

by Susan Roberts

Goodreads describes Chick Lit this way: "Chick lit is genre fiction which addresses issues of modern womanhood, often humorously and lightheartedly. Although it sometimes includes romantic elements, chick lit is generally not considered a direct subcategory of the romance novel genre, because the heroine's relationship with her family or friends is often just as important as her romantic relationships."

Some women feel that the term is demeaning to them and puts them into a category that is often overlooked by the publishing giants. How do you feel about the term chick lit? Is there another term that you prefer? Maybe women's fiction? I'd love to hear your opinions in the comments below. Whatever it's called, it's a genre of fiction that I love and I am happy to share a few books from that category with you today.

The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman

This is a fantastic book that will bring you to tears but will leave you with a feeling of hope and love. The characters are well done, the plot is terrific and the setting is fantastic. Before I tell you a little about the book, I want to say that the book had me hooked with the setting in Michigan on the Lake. I spent all of my summers at Lake Michigan about 100 miles north of the setting of this book and I think Lake Michigan is one of the most beautiful places in the world. The author described the area and Lake Michigan so well, that it brought back great memories of the time that I spent there (and still do).

Mattie and Don have been married almost 50 years when the book begins. Mattie is very independent and has been fighting her diagnosis of ALS but the disease is getting worse. Her husband is totally devoted to her and takes care of her by himself until her disease progresses and he needs help. They hire Rose, a young down-on-her-luck mother with a 6-year-old daughter, Jeri, to take care of Mattie. Rose (and Jeri) bring some joy into Mattie and Don's lives as Mattie begins to share her memories of items that are stored in the hope chest that her parents gave her as a child. Each chapter is devoted to a different memory - a vase, an apron, a snow globe and others - and we learn not only the history of the item but also how it affects them present day.

I will warn you that this is a sad book, Mattie's impending death hangs over every page and as you come to know her better throughout the book, it gets sadder. The important thing is that you are not left with a feeling of sadness but a feeling of love and family and the fact that family is not made up of who you are related to but it's made up of the people who love you.

Buy The Hope Chest from Amazon

The Forbidden Garden by Ellen Herrick

"Every garden is a story, waiting to be told..."

This is the belief of the main character, Sorrel Sparrow, who runs a nursery with her sisters. Sorrel has a remarkable reputation in Granite Point for being able to nurture and grow beautiful plants and flowers. She is still trying to find her way after a family tragedy (unknown to me because it's part of the story of The Sparrow Sisters) and when she is offered a chance to go to England to help restore a garden that appears to have a curse and hasn't bloomed in 200 years, she decides that she needs to go despite the closeness that she has with her sisters. The people at Kirkwood Hall in England are all pretty quirky but they are accepting of Sorrel and try to help her with the garden in their own ways despite their fear of the curse.

This is an interesting and compelling book to read. There is a little history, a little romance, a little magic and a lot of family history. If you are a gardener, you're going to love this book because the author goes into lots of details about flowers and plants. I enjoyed this book but think I will enjoy it even more after I read The Sparrow Sisters.

Buy The Forbidden Garden at Amazon

 A Thousand Butterfly Wishes by Susan Haught

This book has a little bit of everything - love, friendship, family relationship but most important to me was the caring for the people who cannot care for themselves. Rachel is a nurse at a senior living center. Even though she is a bit of a rebel and a rule bender, she truly cares about her patients and not only their physical well-being but also their happiness. When she breaks the rules, it's to bring happiness to their lives that are often near the end. She was a fantastic character and you can't help but laugh and cry with her throughout the book. Even though she isn't looking for love and has secrets about her past that she is hiding, she develops a relationship with Nico, a CNA at the nursing home. He is also passionate about the patients' happiness and is equally passionate about making Rachel happy. This is a fantastic book with some wonderful characters who will make you laugh and make you cry.

Buy A Thousand Butterfly Wishes at  Amazon

The Secret to Hummingbird Cake by Celeste Fletcher McHale

This novel is about friendship - the kind of friendship between women that anyone is lucky to find. Carri, Laine and Ella Rae have been friends since elementary school and now in their 30s they are faced with all kinds of adult problems. They live in a small town in the South where every knows all about what is going on in everyone else's life and there are all sorts of eccentric characters. The novel centers around their friendship - first whether or not Carri's husband is having an affair and then over the health of one of the members of the group. I loved all three of the main characters - I live in the South and I know people just like them. I laughed with them and I cried with them and I hated to see the book end. This is a fantastic book and I will definitely be on the lookout for future books from this author.

Buy The Secret to Hummingbird Cake at Amazon

Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina when she isn't traveling. She and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening and spending time with their grandson. Susan reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction and thrillers. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook.

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Review: My (Not So) Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

by MK French

February 2017; The Dial Press; 978-0812998269;
ebook & print (448 page); humor
a free ARC was provided for this review

Though she grew up in the countryside of Somerset, Katie was determined to move to London, be successful and reestablish herself as Cat. Everyone around her seems to have a glamorous life, while she has a tiny room in an apartment in a dismal part of London. She can't tell her family about the reality of her life, so she's lost and devastated when she's abruptly fired. Returning home, she helps her father and stepmother begin a new business while "on sabbatical." The office politics soon catches up with her when her boss arrives for a vacation.

Katie is a fun character, even when bemoaning how difficult it is to live in London. She and her family are very easy to relate to and fun to read about. It's rather formulaic, because Katie is prettier than she thinks she is, the friends she thinks are so glamorous really aren't, her boss' life isn't as perfect as it seemed, and rumors are not facts. Because she was working in the branding business, of course she had the contacts and knowledge to get her parents' business off the ground and grow into a successful vacation spot within a few months' time. That she gets a measure of revenge against her boss is also very believable. While the ending itself was a bit of a reach, I thought it added to overall charm of My (Not So) Perfect Life.

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and golden retriever.

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Free Rom-Com: Some Like It Perfect by Megan Bryce

A woman who has nothing, Delia Woodson is desperate. That’s why she agrees to it. Because she’s a painter, no one is buying her paintings, and she’s desperate. She has bills to pay, food to buy. Someday she might actually want to live in her own apartment instead of on her friend's couch. And all she has to do is paint baby-faced angels on an indecently rich, corporate shill’s ceiling. Because he just can’t think of any other way to spend his money? And she just can’t think of any other way to make it.

A man who wants for nothing, Jack Cabot doesn’t want the mural his mother has commissioned for his office ceiling. He doesn’t want the distraction, he doesn’t want the silliness. He doesn’t want the artist now spending her days ten feet above his head. The artist with paint in her hair, distracting him. Bickering with him. Amusing him, until… Jack discovers he does want something after all.

Will cause you to Laugh Out Loud! ~ Debra Johnson

Good light reading ~ Maggie

It's a fun book ~ Deirdre Debrah

Start reading:

Buy Some Like It Perfect at Amazon

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N is for Nerd Alert Chicklit #AtoZChallenge

review by Elisa Hordon

I love a great mystery with a fantastic female lead character, who is a bit nerdy and geeky but she can also kick some butt.... Lexi Carmichael is some of those things and she grows into so much more throughout the series. Julie Moffett blends mystery, adventure and humour together so well in this series and shows us that it's ok to always be yourself even if you’re a geeky nerd and people laugh at you, hold you head up high and always be yourself.

Lexi is a code breaker and hacker extraordinaire with a photographic memory, Lexi loves gaming and she is so socially awkward at times it's hilarious. I highly recommend this series to everyone who loves a good mystery, a good laugh and great characters you'll never forget.

No Money Down 

No Money Down is the prequel to No One Lives Twice and even though it's not essential to start with this one it is a good one to read at some point as this is the story of how Lexi met the Zimmerman twins, plus it’s another funny read.

This story takes place before No One Lives Twice while Lexi is still working with the NSA.

Lexi and Basia are off on vacation. Yes that’s right Basia is forcing Lexi to go on a beach side holiday, I know, that in itself is hilarious when Lexi doesn't like to leave her couch unless she is going to work. Lexi also doesn't like the ocean, sand, sun or bathing suits but Basia being a good best friend knows Lexi needs some R&R, so she packs them up and off they head for some fun in the sun.

Lexi begins to enjoy her holiday more when she meets Elvis and Xavier Zimmerman and they all discover they have a lot in common including the fact they all work for the NSA but in different departments. The bond between Lexi and the twins was immediate as was the zing between Lexi and Elvis. I can see those two becoming best friends and.

When Lexi is walking through the hotel lobby she finds a man sobbing because his computer is not working so Lexi offers her help and not only does she fix his computer she also manages to break two of his fingers in the process. Funnier still, this all leads to a mystery were Lexi gets kidnapped and nearly killed but thank goodness she has friends like Basia, Elvis and Xavier to help her.

I love that even when writing a short prequel Julie Moffett can pack so much into the pages. A great little mystery, friendships forming with strong bonds and the main characters also have time to show some of their impressive skill set, these guys are going to be an amazing team as the books progress and it was great to read how it all began.

Buy No Money Down at Amazon

No One Lives Twice (Book 1)

Lexi Carmichael is gorgeous but she doesn’t see it. She is also uber smart; a total geeky nerd who prefers to loose herself in the world of computers and coding than talking to people, unless they are people she cares about. The thing with super nerdy geeks is they do love to talk but don't want to waste their words so they need to really know someone before you find out how awesome a person they truly are and then you also know you have a friend who will always have your back. This is Lexi. Once she makes a true friend she has their back for life. If you use her or break her trust, don't expect to ever get that back. And if you threaten one of her inner circle look out big time, it's really not smart to upset a person with a genius intellect.

No One Lives Twice is the first book in this series. Lexi is working for the NSA, stopping computer hackers at every turn. She thinks her job is a bit on the boring side but it's safe.... Or it was safe. When Lexi's best friend goes missing her job becomes anything but safe. So much so Lexie asks for help from her two other best friends the Zimmerman twins. Now these two guys are even smarter than Lexi: they are super geniuses and they have Lexi’s back.

When Lexi is accosted by two gun toting thugs on the way to her parents’ house, it's just the start of her day turning from safe to bad to worse. Along the way to finding her best friend Basia, Lexi meets two very charming men. Finn a lawyer with secrets. Yes, it turns out Finn is so much more than a lawyer and seriously what lawyer doesn’t have secrets? Then there is Slash: a mysterious government agent who always happens to be there when Lexi needs help.

I love a good mystery series with a great female lead with a strong sense of self, but still has many vulnerable moments that keep her real, good friends to back her up and a couple of hot guys to pick from....lol then add in spies, espionage plus kidnapping  and the adventure is always going to be entertaining.

No One Lives Twice was a brilliant first book in the Lexi Carmichael series.

Buy No One Lives Twice at Amazon

No One To Trust (Book 2) 

In book 2 we find Lexi has left the NSA to work for Finn Shaunessy full time at his new cyber security firm. If Lexi was looking for more of a challenge this job is perfect for her. When their first client Darren Green goes missing and Lexi is suspected of being a part of it, things can only get better right??

There are a lot of laugh out loud moments in this book, more so than the first. Lexi finds herself in new territory when Slash and Finn both show interest in her of a more personal nature and then there is Elvis, sweet, shy Elvis, the male version of Lexi...lol. So what does Lexi do when things start heating up on different fronts in both her work and personal life? She turns to her best friend Basia who as always is itching to help Lexi break out of her nerdy, geeky shell.

Lexi's best friend Basia shines in this book even though she only has a small part it's still a very significant one. Basia is spunky, sassy and she challenges Lexi out of her comfort zone which Lexi needs, they complement each other well as true best friends do.

I love the group Lexi is forming around her without even realising it. You have Lexi herself sweet, shy, sensitive and super smart. I love how she is willing to try new things without too much of a fuss...lol. Then we have Basia the best friend who is the total opposite to Lexi in every way. It's why they work so well together. Basia knows how far to push Lexi out of her comfort zone without pushing her away. The Zimmerman twins, Elvis and Xavier, have both become very good friends of Lexi. The three work well together and love gaming together. Both boys are just as socially awkward as Lexi is and not as happy about moving out of their comfort zones, but they both see they need to.

The character growth from the first to the second book was great and makes a great building block for future books. Finn Shaunessy is now Lexi's boss but he would love to be more, Finn is good looking, has money and seems to be a nice guy and a good boss, but office romances are not always a good idea especially if you toss in Lexi's social awkwardness. This could spell disaster, which is why Lexi is happy having the hots for her boss but from a distance. She loves her job too much to jeopardize it. And then there is Slash the mysterious man who loves to break into Lexi's apartment. Slash really sees Lexi; he sees beneath the mask she tends to hide behind.

Buy No One to Trust at Amazon

No Place Like Rome (Book 3)

Book 3 has Lexi hiding from the world after another disastrous date with her super sexy boss Finn and Rome is hopefully far enough away or is it considering she is going to Rome with Slash and he will take any opportunity to show Lexi he is the guy she should be with. I really love Slash's confidence: he really drips with it...lol in a totally sexy way.

When Slash asks Lexi for help she had no idea she would end up in Rome, Italy with him. Evading being kidnapped and finding a dead body is just some of the trouble Lexi finds herself in again.

Lexi is trying her hardest to step out more into the real world. She tries dating with hilariously funny results and she pushes herself out of her comfort zone more and more to do her job. I really love how her character is growing throughout these first three books and yes I do cringe and laugh at the situations she gets herself into in her work and personal life but in the end Lexi gets the job done and as for her personal life, well, that is an interesting work in progress.

Visiting Italy is exciting and mystifying for Lexi. Trying to navigate a language barrier and the touchy feely nuances of the culture make for a really fun story with a great mystery, lots of adventure and even a visit with Slash's grandmother. For Lexi that alone was worth the trip as she got more insight into this mystery man of hers, well he could be hers if she wants him.

Slash opens Lexi up to more of the world in this book both good parts and dangerous parts but he knows she can handle both and she does. There is great intrigue within this mystery, some steamy romance and some very funny moments as well and yes Lexi brings Basia and the Zimmerman twins in to help solve this case too.

Buy No Place Like Rome at Amazon

No Biz Like Showbiz Book 4

No Biz Like Showbiz is one of the funniest Lexi stories so far, seriously hilarious but still with a great mystery to solve and lots of death defying feats, well for Lexi anyway.

So we have a reality dating show 'Geeks Who Get Some' and all is not what it seems on the show, but really that is so not surprising when you have a bunch of geeks in a house and gorgeous women around. There is going to be some disasters, even more so when a hacker starts screwing with the voting results. Is it someone on the inside or an outside force and what is their end game? Well that is for Lexi to find out.

Lexi's character is getting there with overcoming her social awkwardness and in this story we see her step out more by becoming a contestant on the realty TV show she is sent to investigate. I really do love how Lexi is blossoming more and more in each book. When Lexi accepts this job even though she was reluctant to do it because the thought of a dating show was enough to break her out in hives...lol. Lexi decides it's ok because she will be working from behind the scenes. When things take a turn for the worse once Lexi gets there, all of a sudden she finds herself a contestant on the show and Lexi wonders if her Mother had anything to do with it ...lol ok maybe not but Lexi wouldn't put it past her Mother...lol.

Lexi may not be in her element being a contestant on the show but she is in her element when it comes to finding the Hacker trying to ruin the show but can she find the mysterious hacker before he kills her? Becoming a contestant on this show maybe a bit more dangerous than Lexi expected.

This mystery has some hilarious moments, a few romantic moments and as for Lexi's love life some more confusing moments for her as she learns to navigate feelings she has never dealt with before. I really love how Julie Moffett fits so much into her books. There is always a great mystery to solve and we return to good friendships with each book, Lexi's character grows more and more with each new story and I love how Julie adds so much of her love life into the story without it taking over.

Buy No Biz Like Show Biz at Amazon

No Test For The Wicked Book 5

Oh my if you thought Lexi's worse nightmare was a reality dating show then you were dead wrong. In No Test For The Wicked Lexi is going back to high school and undercover to boot.

Lexi has a new job for the agency and she is the only one who can do it.

What I really love about this series is how Lexi is open to bettering herself even though she finds it uncomfortable she does push herself to try new things and overcome her phobias. I also love how Lexi thinks her love life is totally confusing but it's really not. She has already picked a guy and that guy is Slash. And now Slash has Lexi, he will not be letting her go. He is going to show her what love is all about and how good it is. I have read some series where there were multiple prospective partners the main character could choose from and I must say I get bored when they don't choose book after book. The timing of Lexi and Slash getting together was perfect and I am looking forward to how they grow as a couple and manage their work and personal lives.

Lexi's personal strength has improved with each story and even more so in this story Lexi really shone and showed the world what she is made of, yes she is still a geeky nerd but she can also handle herself in most situations and yes she can also get the gorgeous guy to I can't wait to read Lexi's next adventure.

The mystery was awesome. Lexi meeting new friends even better and I love how she eventually takes them under her wing and they help Lexi solve the mystery. So when Lexi doesn't  have her own team to help her she makes a new one and that is awesome and what makes her character more lovable.

This story also covered a bullying side story which was a powerful message; one that had a real impact on me personally that bullying should never be tolerated, I really appreciate Julie Moffett more as an author for hitting on what is seen as a sometimes touchy subject but should be out there more as it effects so many.

Buy No Test for the Wicked at Amazon

No Woman Left Behind (Book 6)

Lexi really knows how to impress, no seriously who doesn't love it when their daughter brings her new boyfriend home and bullets start flying through the window ..... would you like wine with those bullets or maybe something stronger?

All of a sudden Lexi finds herself embroiled in another life threatening mystery with everyone wanting her help to find the man behind it all: Johannes Broodryk. And he wants Lexi.

Broodryk wants revenge on Lexi after she foiled his plans in No Test For The Wicked and he has taken something very precious to Lexi to ensure her cooperation in his new twisted game.

This story is full of intrigue, mystery, mayhem and turmoil. Lexi finds more inner strength to focus on the task and save everyone. Even when Slash is not on board with her plans, she knows she is right and takes a stand and I love it, If you read these books from the start you know what I'm talking about. Lexi's character Rocks in so many ways. Gone is the naive, shy, socially inept geeky nerd and now Lexi is more confident, strong, sometimes a bit sassy, she can still work on that one, and most of all she is loyal to a fault. Oh and still as geeky and nerdy as ever but seriously she wouldn't be Lexi if she lost her inner Geek that’s what I love about her the most.

Lexi is assigned to a SEAL team to help her bring Broodryk down. This is just another new challenge for Lexi that takes her further out of her comfort zone and I really love how she handles it and shows she really can do anything she sets her mind to.

This story was awesome on so many levels for me. Lexi and Slash came up against their first relationship problems and worked through it in a more mature way than I expected, There was a lot more action involved which I really enjoyed and it goes with the evolution of this series that each new job will be a greater challenge than the one before. That’s what makes a great series and I really love the development of all of the main circle of characters that make up Lexi's inner circle.

Buy No Woman Left Behind at Amazon

No Room For Error (Book 7)

Just when you think Lexi has been given an easy assignment...lol. I know there really is no such thing in her world but yet it sounded so simple. Do a favour for her best friends the Zimmerman twins that’s all hmmm why does it always get complicated on Lexi? All Lexi had to do was deliver a microchip to a manufacturing plant in Indonesia, easy right? I guess not when you factor in because this microchip was invented by the Zimmerman twins it's a pretty major deal in the technology world and a lot of people would love to get their hands on it, maybe even kill to get it. So maybe not such an easy job after all.

Basia and Finn are along for this adventure with Lexi, Slash is working on meeting Lexi in Indonesia but things go all wrong when someone tries to hijack the plane. It crashes and all of a sudden Lexi, Finn and Basia are lost in the jungle and they are all out of their depth and out of their element. It is actually very funny. You have Lexi a geeky nerd who likes her comforts without creatures...lol and loves her technology, then you toss in her best friend Basia who can speak a lot of languages but is not really known for her survival skills outside of a 5 star resort and lastly Finn who maybe all things wonderful but he is injured and not much help at the moment, but again what I love most about these books is the bond between the main character Lexi and her closest friends plus the lengths she will go to in order to keep everyone safe no matter how out of her comfort zone she is.

I really loved this story in the series so much and yes it is my favourite Lexi book so far. We have all of our main characters back once again and they are all evolving more and more. Lexi and Slash grow in their relationship. It is a lot more settled by the end of the book which I love, they really work well together in a relationship. Lexi's character grows in self-confidence throughout this book more than any other. Basia shows what she is really made of and people should never underestimate her, ever. Finn displays his strength under pressure. Slash goes to extraordinary lengths to save Lexi even if she doesn't need saving, but that just proves how much he loves her. The twins work hard behind the scenes to help while still getting over their injuries after being kidnapped in the previous book.

No Room for Error was a fantastic, fast paced, adventure with great characters you will love, lots of humour and a great mystery to solve.

Buy No Room for Error at Amazon

No Strings Attached Book 8 (coming soon, expected publication date is 4/7/16)

I am seriously hanging out for this one to land in my kindle, I love pre-ordering the next book in a series I love and then counting down the days until it is released.

No Strings Attached is the 8th book in the Lexi Carmichael series and it sounds like it's going to be a wild adventure yet again.

It looks like Lexi has found trouble again but luckily she has Slash, Basia, Finn, Elvis and Xavier to help her solve the mystery and keep everyone safe.

Buy No Strings Attached at Amazon

Elisa Hordon, reviewer. Elisa lives on the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia were she spends her days reading, journaling, painting, cooking and home schooling her daughter. She has always been an avid reader, Elisa loves reading many genres of books except horror; her favourite genres would be mystery, romance and paranormal. Elisa also loves pursuing many creative outlets if she is not relaxing with a book she can be found writing, sketching, painting or cooking. Elisa loves to share her obsession with books especially with her family and friends. Reading and reviewing books is a favourite pastime of Elisa’s.

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"Sweet and Funny" ~ Clutch by Lisa Becker

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.





Purses, Cute Boys and a Sweet Southern Girl ~ ArcadiaLynn

A funny, light, easy read ~ Sharon

I loved Clutch! This was such a fun read ~ Christine Larson

Start reading...

Buy Clutch at Amazon

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Fun, Fluffy Read ~ Flirting with Fame by Samantha Joyce #MondayBlogs

review by Donna Huber

If the Queen of England booked a gig at Fernbrooke's only theater to do a lyrical jazz routine with a unicorn, I might've had an easier time finding parking that I did that night.
I dashed down Main Street, stumbling over my own feet as I texted Jin that I'd be there soon. Conveniently, I left out the part where I'd sat in the driveway for twenty minutes, covered in seat, visualizing either a mob scene or an empty building. Neither possibility stopped the hum vibrating through my skin or made it easier to start the car. That took a few deep breaths,and the knowledge that if I backed out, Jin would show up and drag me there anyway.

Flirting with Fame by Samantha Joyce was an enjoyable, though predictable, new adult chicklit novel. I was drawn to it because it was a light story, but also because it reminded me of some teen movie or something from my youth. I'm still recovering from reading dark thriller Feathered Bone by Julie Cantrell and this seemed the perfect book.

Main character Elise was left deaf and scarred after a traumatic accident wherein her best friend's sister died. The only place sound exists for her now is within her imagination. An imagination that she uses to create a bestselling novel at the age of 16. However, Elise is almost debilitating shy. Whether she was already this shy before the accident or is as a result of it is unknown.

When her publisher requests a photo for the back cover, Elise does what any shy teenager would do - she turns to Google and grabs an image. Now her books are being turned into a television show and she is required on the set.

From the opening chapter I had two main thoughts that plagued me throughout the story. One, it reminded me so much of Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl - the characters, the college setting. Which led me to two, was this originally fan fiction?

I'm not sure if it was just the similarities to Fangirl or if it was also the employment of fan fiction tropes (or at least story elements that I associate with fan fiction), especially the "creative license" Joyce took to advance the plot. In fan fiction, "creative license" is usually code for "I didn't want to take the time to learn about how something works in the real world". When writing fantasy, creative licensing is called world building and is totally acceptable. I find it a tough pill to swallow in realistic fiction, and particularly in published books.

I understand that the story wouldn't have worked if Elise had ever had a face to face meeting with her agent or publisher or if her parents had been involved in the sending of the picture. In real life, do literary agents and publishers sign authors without ever meeting them? Elise can still speak and she has excellent lip reading abilities, so a Skype meeting wouldn't have been out of the questions, particularly if travel wasn't possible.

Even with these thoughts, I enjoyed the Flirting with Fame. I loved that Joyce didn't just use a shy nerdy girl as her main character, but instead gave her a disability and physical scars that would make anyone a bit more self-conscious.

I usually shy away from "new adult", particularly in romances because it seems to be code word for "erotica with barely adult characters". While there are adult scenes, they are pretty mild. I still could have done without them all together, as I found the scenes boring.

As for fluffy reads, Flirting with Fame is a good one. Even with the things that bugged me about the book, I loved the characters that I was able to overlook it and keep reading. I'm also happy to see that this was book 1 in a series and I hope we get to delve back into the lives of Elise, Gavin, Reggie, and Clint and perhaps even see more of Veronica.

Buy Flirting with Fame at Amazon

Book info:
available formats: ebook (352 pages)
published: February 2016 by Pocket Star/Simon & Schuster
ISBN13: 9781501126833
genre: chicklit, romance
target audience: new adult
source: publisher via Netgalley


Get even more book news in your inbox by signing up for our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mHTVL. A free ebook was provided for this review. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.

Review: Emma vs. the Tech Guy by Lia Fairchild

by Donna Huber

"Check out that curly hair." Jayne sat and stared through the glass window of my corner office, drool dripping from her chin like a barbecue sauce at an all-you-can-eat wings night. "It remind me of --"
"Bozo the clown?" I interrupted, without looking up from my computer. Normally, I'd be up for Jayne's amusing way of finding "hot" in every guy, but today I was too preoccupied to indulge her. In addition to everything else I had going on, the magazine redesign launch was a little more than a month away. Was I feeling the pressure since it was my idea to revamp the publication? Do supermodels eat salad? I had to stay on top of things to make sure everything turned out the way I'd envisioned it. The way I'd planned it from day one here at New You magazine.

The Review

I forgot I had Emma vs. the Tech Guy on my Nook and funny enough I had been thinking that I really wanted to read it. I like Lia Fairchild's writing and since I'm all about the rom coms this time of year I was happy to unearth this gem of a story.

I didn't immediately fall in love with Emma. She had too many of the personality traits that I don't like in myself. Emma is a bit anti-social or maybe socially awkward is a better term. She has her best friend from college and recently became friends with her co-worker Jayne. She's very driven work-wise and heaps a ton of responsibility on herself. You can see from the opening paragraphs above that she has the weight of the magazine on her shoulders.

Even if I didn't totally like her I still wanted her to have a happily ever after. And in the beginning I wasn't sure if that was going to happen.

The tech guy - Guy Walker - is a great guy. He seems to balance out Emma. And you can totally see them together. However, there is a minor problem - Emma is married. Or is she?

This was a fun, quick read that you should pick up for when you need an escape from real life.

Buy Emma vs. the Tech Guy at Amazon

Book info:
available format: ebook
published: May 2015
genres: chick lit
source: author
read: November 2015



Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.

Review: Fooling Around with Cinderella by Stacy Juba #MondayBlogs

by Donna Huber

The holidays always make me want to read chicklit and sweet romances. What can I say? I'm a romantic at heart. Fooling Around with Cinderella by Stacy Juba was the perfect book to satisfy my reading crave. I LOVED IT!

I couldn't put it down. It would be a great book to curl up with on a Sunday afternoon.

I really identified with Jaine. She's the youngest of 3 sisters and she is the one always called on to take care of things. Though her sisters are successful in their careers they rely on Jaine for personal life needs. From taking care of her niece, even going as far as picking out the after school program for her, to planning every detail of her sister's wedding, even though she is not the maid of honor. Meanwhile she is struggling with her own career and personal life.

But the family stuff isn't the only way I identified with Jaine. She is a marketer; she basically pitched the position at the place she wanted to work and they created the position for her. I did something similar.

I got Jaine and I really wanted her to have a happy ending. Thankfully there isn't much in the way of angst and only a bit of frustration. I might have silently screamed at Dylan for not seeing what was happening, but he's a guy. And, again, thankfully, the frustration was short lived.

If you are looking for a sweet romance where dreams come true, then definitely pick up Fooling Around with Cinderella. I can't wait until the next book in Stacy Juba's Storybook Valley series.

Buy Fooling Around with Cinderella at Amazon

Book info:
available formats: ebook and print (224 pages)
published: November 2015 by Thunder Horse Press
ISBN13: 9781515390756
genres: chicklit
source: author
read: November 2015


A free ebook was provided for this review. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.

"So freaking funny" ~ Finding Fraser by kc dyer

I met Jamie Fraser when I was nineteen years old. He was tall, red-headed, and at our first meeting at least, a virgin. I fell in love hard, fast and completely. He knew how to ride a horse, wield a sword and stitch a wound. He was, in fact, the perfect man.

That he was fictional hardly entered into it.

At 29, Emma Sheridan’s life is a disaster and she’s tired of waiting for the perfect boyfriend to step from the pages of her favorite book. There’s only one place to look, and it means selling everything and leaving her world behind. With an unexpected collection of allies along the way, can Emma face down a naked fishmonger, a randy gnome, a perfidious thief, and even her own abdominal muscles on the journey to find her Fraser?

"quirky, witty, laugh out loud hilarious" ~ deb

"Quick-paced read and great story" ~ Mercedes

"captivated then charmed" ~ Sonya A. Caldwell

Buy Finding Fraser at Amazon

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.

Review: Love by the Book by Melissa Pimentel

by Donna Huber

This project was born, like so many things, from an egg. Two, to be exact.
Adrian walked in just in time to see me crack two eggs on the side of the pan and pour them into the sizzling butter. I leaned into him when he wrapped his arms around me and peered over my shoulder at the stove.

The Review

This review is a bit over due, but I find it a bit difficult to write. I was really looking forward to Love by the Book by Melissa Pimentel. It has a fun sounding premise. A single girl living in London has decided to try different dating books in order to find more dating partners. Well "dating" isn't really what she is looking for; she is looking for casual sex.

As one who has struggled with finding guys to date, I have always wondered if a dating book would help. However, unlike Lauren, I'm not wanting casual relationships. The book is based on a blog by the author who actually did this experiment. Which is what makes this review difficult. I didn't really like the main character Lauren.

She drank and smoked way too much. The continual references to having to go outside for a cigarette really grated on my nerves. And then there was the complaints she was extending adolescence while her friends were getting married and having babies. But she didn't want marriage and commitment. And I just wanted to yell at her that she can't have it both ways and marriage isn't the only way to be a grown-up. I did slightly envy her ability to reinvent her life, though she had secured a job before flying across the pond. However, the reason for her flight dampened that envy.

As far as a chick-lit novel, it wasn't one of the funnier novels I've read. I did have a few laughs, particularly with the online dating. The boating date was probably the funniest scene in the entire book. The ending was a bit predictable. After just a couple of encounters with a certain character I knew that he was the one and had to wonder when Lauren would figure it out. Actually, I wondered how clueless she was about others around her. I figured out the kind of relationship her roommate was having with her older beau early on.

When I did my Goodreads review, I did give Love by the Book 4 stars. Why? Because I think the book wasn't a good match for me and not that there was really anything wrong with the book itself. I liked Pimentel's writing style. It was straight-forward, conversational. I think it was this writing style that had me knowing that I probably wouldn't have been Lauren's friend in real life. However, it did make the story flow well and easy to read.

If you liked Bridget Jones, then you will enjoy Love by the Book by Melissa Pimental. Be sure to read the interview with Melissa here.

Buy Love by the Book at Amazon

Book info:
available formats: ebook and paperback (315 pages)
published: February 2015 by Penguin Books
ISBN13: 9780143127284
genres: chick-lit, romance, humor
source: publisher
read: February 2015


Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the above link. A free book was provided for this review.

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• Excerpt: Love by the Book by Melissa Pimentel (girl-who-reads.com)
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Review: A Match Made in Mystery by @JB_Lynn_author

by Donna Huber

Prologue"I need to talk to you."
Brady barely heard the woman over the music being spun by the wedding DJ. He bent closer to the vivacious Latina. "Sorry, didn't quite catch that."
"I said I need to talk to you. It's important."
Although they'd never spoken, Brady knew who the woman was. Everyone attending the wedding knew she was Armani Vasquez, the matchmaker who'd put his friend Tom together with his new bride, Jane.
As a rule, Brady scoffed at the idea of a matchmaker, but even he had to admit that Tom and Jane were a perfect match. he's never seen his friend so happy.
"It's important," Armani told him. "Life-changing important."

The Review

It's no secret that I love JB Lynn's books. Just a few weeks ago, I was telling you about The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple. Well, A Match Made in Mystery is part of her spinoff series with Maggie's psychic friend Armani, though she barely makes an appearance in this installment. And this series is even more hilarious, or maybe it is because the laughs don't stop.

I just finished this book as part of my Year End Read-a-thon, but I had to tell you about it in case there was a plane, train, or automobile in your holiday plans and you needed entertainment. I read this book in just under 3 hours and it was entertaining from start to finish.

I loved the characters. Brady is absolutely delish. Smart, good looking, and most important good hearted. And Amy, what a funny girl and the best part is most the time she doesn't mean to be. Like when she started rambling about being thankful that she didn't kill the mugger, but not that he was dead and not that she thought she did kill him and Brady puts a hand on her knee to tells her to be quiet now and let the police officer talk. I could just picture it all (and if you aren't laughing from my paraphrasing then you just need to experience it for yourself).

A Match Made in Mystery was an absolute perfect read for not only my Year End Read-a-thon (because it was a quick read), but also for the holidays when everyone believes in at least a little magic.

Buy A Match Made in Mystery at Amazon

Book info
Available format: ebook (146 pages)
Published: October 2014 
Genres: cozy mystery, chicklit
Source: author
Read: December 2014



Girl Who Read is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the above. A free ebook was provided for this review.

Review: The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple by @JB_Lynn_Author

by Donna Huber

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice. Share a teaser from the 56th page or 56% of your book.

The 56

He cut a mouthful of food and tasted it. "I told you. I was looking for you."
Under other circumstances, that kind of answer would have been flattering, but my life wasn't normal , so I found it evasive.
"I meant at the hospital."
"I've been visiting an old friend." His tone remained even, but a sudden flatness came into his eyes.
Thinking of his visit with Mrs. Mulligan, I frowned.

The Review

You know the holidays can be stressful and I will tell you right now that reading The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple by JB Lynn is a wonderful stress relief read. How do I know? Because a few weeks ago when I was waiting for the computer tech to make a backup of my laptop's data after being told they couldn't fix it I sat giggling over Maggie, God, DeeDee and poor pitiful Piss. So before you pull your hair out over all the holiday busyness, grab a copy of this book and give yourself a quiet few minutes of pure indulgence.

Not quite convinced?

While this is book 8 in The Hitwoman series, it isn't necessary to read them in order. There is enough recapping of past events to get any reader up to speed with the who, what, when, and where of this zany cast of characters. I'm also quite happy DeeDee got a lot of page time in this installment. I do love that dog.

And I believe Maggie needed the unconditional love that only a dog can provide as she uncovers a lot of truths in The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple. She discovers some truths about Patrick, her murder mentor/possible love interest, but more importantly she discovers truth about herself. Our little Maggie is growing up. But that doesn't mean her animals still don't put her in some precariously hilarious situations.

Now I must warn you that Lynn can be an evil author. She loves to tease her readers. To keep them guessing up to the very end, but she goes even further this time. *Spoiler Alert* highlight the text to read it: She leaves our heroine and her "psychic" sidekick best friend in probably peril. (Do I sound a little like the narrator at the end of a Batman episode?).If that frustrates you, then pick up one of the other books in the series and wait a bit until The Hitwoman #9 comes out.

Buy The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple at Amazon

Book info
Available format: ebook
Published: November 2014
Genres: cozy mystery, humor, chicklit
Target audience: Adults
Source: Purchased at B&N
Read: November 2014


Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate;  a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the above link.

Related articles

• Teaser: The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple by @JB_Lynn_author (girl-who-reads.com)

Teaser: The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple by @JB_Lynn_author

First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros is a weekly meme hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. Today's intro comes from my current read, The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple by JB Lynn.

You know it's going to be a bad day when your To Do list contains: Go to the Cemetery.
And when you get out of bed with your bare feet and step into a pile of puke your drugged out cat regurgitated in the middle of the night, and you dry heave, your hopes for the day fall even further.

Buy The Hitwoman and the Poisoned Apple at Amazon 

I love JB Lynn's Hitwoman series. Though this is book 8 in the series, you don't really have to have read the series to enjoy this one. They are quick funny reads that usually also have me shedding a poignant tear or two. I was reading this the other day while waiting for the computer tech to back up my data from my busted laptop and I couldn't help giggling out loud. The series is a cross between a cozy mystery and a chicklit novel. It would definitely make for great holiday reading.

Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the above link. 

Review: Anabel Divided by Amanda Romine Lynch

by Claire Rees

I was so excited to get Anabel Divided by Amanda Romine Lynch that as soon as it downloaded to my Kindle I opened it up straight away and started reading.  I was glued to my seat by the end of the second page and have now become slightly obsessed with the lives of Anabel and Jared.  

This book starts a few years after Anabel Unraveled ends, Anabel, Matt and Jared have moved to Florida where Anabel has chosen to go to college and try to live a normal college life. But Anabel being Anabel will never have a normal life. Her feelings for Jared once again leave her feeling confused and come between Anabel and Matt causing a lot of heart break in their relationship.  Anabel seems quite happy at college and seems to be doing well in her classes and with Jared living so close and able to see Emma on a regular basis things seem to be going well, until we learn that Matt was unable to get a job close to home and had to move away for work and his jealousy starts to cause problems.

With Anabel trying to juggle college, her daughter Emma, Jared and her failing relationship with Matt, this is once again a highly emotional story that kept me captivated from the first chapter.

We see some old characters making appearances, Meghan and Kevin’s wedding was lovely,  but we also get to meet some new characters, friends of Anabel’s from college, and her new professors and I felt it was nice for Anabel to lead somewhat of a normal life and have people other than Jared and Matt to talk to.

Again Anabel Divided is full to the brim with emotion.  Plus with Anabel getting into all sorts of trouble, this story will definitely keep you entertained and begging for more in the life of Anabel and Jared. This is one of those books that I would love to see get turned into a tv series. I feel that Lynch writes the characters and storylines so well that by the end of the book you can’t help but feel invested in the characters and you will love them, good or bad.  

I would recommend this to all who love a good love story, with its ups and downs and life lessons included. It will make you laugh, cry and scream out loud in frustration at the characters but at the end it will turn into a series you will love.

Buy Anabel Divided at Amazon

Book Info
Available formats: ebook and print (276 pages)
Published: October 2014 by eLectio Publishing
ISBN13: 978-1632130563
Genres: chicklit, romance
Audience: New adult
Source: Author
Read: October 2014

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Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made at Amazon through the above link. A free ebook was provided for this review.

Official Tour: Anabel Divided by Amanda Romine Lynch

The highly anticipated sequel to Anabel Unraveled by Amanda Romine Lynch is now available. For the next two weeks you can learn more about Amanda, Anabel, and the book Anabel Divided by following the tour. PLUS you get a chance to win a signed paperback of Anabel Unraveled or $25 Amazon gift card.

Tour Schedule:

October 13 Tour Kick off  - Girl Who Reads
October 14 My Devotional Thoughts Top 10 Songs
October 15 Girl Who Reads Claire Reviews
October 16 What Shall We Blog About? Book Promo
October 17 Lindsay and Jane's Views and Reviews Anabel's Top 10 Favorite Books
October 18 Renaissance Woman Review and Guest Post
October 19 Karen Pokras Top 10 Things Amanda Loves that Influenced Anabel Divided
October 20 Library Girl Reads & Reviews Review
October 21 Rayborn Rambles Review
October 22 Rise of the Slush Character Interview
October 23 Ali's Bookshelf Finding a critique partner
October 24 Fresh Pot of Tea Excerpt
October 25 BookHeathens Review and Excerpt
October 26 Tyrneathem Review and Excerpt
October 27 Get to know the author

About the Book

Anabel Martin thought that the resolution of her father's murder would bring a resolution to her problems. After all, she was starting life over in a new place, with new friends, and new adventures, focusing on attending college and raising her daughter free from the distractions of Washington, DC. She was ready to move on.
But a trip back to the District for Meghan's wedding stirs up old feelings and brings new life to old relationships. Matt is cold and distant, while Jared is caring and attentive. A woman from Matt's past, a bold public flirtation, and Anabel's desire to be truly loved lead her to a crossroads...and her final decision leaves her with more questions than answers.

Learn more about Anabel Unraveled at Goodreads.

Buy Anabel Divided at Amazon

About the Author

Amanda Romine Lynch is a writer, editor, and blogger who grew up in Florida knowing she belonged somewhere else. She now lives in the DC Metro Area with her husband and three amazing little boys. She is the Eco-Friendly/Green Living Contributor over at the Prime Parents’ Club and strives to live earth friendly in a world of disposable diapers. When not writing about Anabel and Jared or chasing around a curly-haired boy, she cheers for the Gators (in all kinds of weather) and occasionally remembers to sleep.

Facebook  *  Twitter  *  website


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Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small fee is earned when purchases are made through Amazon through the above link. The Anabel Divided Tour is a GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by the author.