• Title:  Looking For Me
• Author:  Beth Hoffman
• Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
• Published:  May 28, 2013 – Pamela Dorman Books
• Source:  Review copy from the author

Synopsis (publisher):  Teddi Overman found her life’s passion for furniture in a broken-down chair left on the side of the road in rural Kentucky. She learns to turn other people’s castoffs into beautifully restored antiques, and eventually finds a way to open her own shop in Charleston. There, Teddi builds a life for herself as unexpected and quirky as the customers who visit her shop.  Though Teddi is surrounded by remarkable friends and finds love in the most surprising way, nothing can alleviate the haunting uncertainty she’s felt in the years since her brother Josh’s mysterious disappearance. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi is drawn home to Kentucky.  It’s a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family—and to find herself at last. But first she must decide what to let go of and what to keep.

My take:  Looking for Me is the story of Teddi Overman, a woman who found her talent for restoring furniture as a young teen and made it her life’s work. With love and great care she gives cast aside pieces a second chance.  That theme repeats in the lives of a few characters – most notably Teddi’s best friend, her brother Josh and a man who reminds her of Josh, Gabe. Whether furniture, old books, or animals, they repair the broken down for another chance at life. The novel is filled with great characters – Teddi’s coworkers, friends, and relatives. I enjoyed each one.

What I loved most about Teddi was her kindness and compassion for pretty much anything or anyone. She had such a pure heart and optimistic spirit and saw the good in everyone. And yet she was human – she had her limits when people pushed her. I’d want to be her friend. The goodness she sent out to people in her world came back to her time and again.

I had such a good feeling while reading Looking For Me that I didn’t want to say goodbye to Teddi and her world. It’s a story filled with heartbreak, friendship, love, mystery and so much more. It is one of those books I know I’ll read again and I rarely do that. I hope you’ll read it soon.

• Title:  Elizabeth The First Wife
• Author:  Lian Dolan
• Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
• Published:  May 2013 – Prospect Park Books

About Elizabeth the First Wife:  Elizabeth Lancaster, an English professor at Pasadena City College, finds her perfectly dull but perfectly orchestrated life upended one summer by three men: her movie-star ex-husband, a charming political operative, and William Shakespeare. Until now, she’d been content living in the shadow of her high-profile and highly accomplished family. Then her college boyfriend and one-time husband of seventeen months, A-list action star FX Fahey, shows up with a job offer that she can’t resist, and Elizabeth’s life suddenly gets a whole lot more interesting. She’s off to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for the summer to make sure FX doesn’t humiliate himself in an avant-garde production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s house sitter back in Pasadena is her Congressman brother-in-law’s dreamy chief of staff, whose calls regarding how to work the washing machine and stovetop slowly cross the line into much more personal territory.

About the author:  Lian Dolan is a writer, producer, talk show host, podcast pioneer and social media consultant. She writes the blog and produces the weekly podcast “The Chaos Chronicles,” a humorous look at modern motherhood. She writes for Oprah.com as a parenting expert. A decade ago, Lian created Satellite Sisters, an award-winning talk show, blog and website, with her four real sisters. Her writing has appeared in many national magazines, including regular columns in O, The Oprah Magazine and Working Mother and essays in such anthologies as Chicken Soup for the Sister’s Soul. TV appearances have included The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. She is a popular speaker for groups and corporations, always using humor as hook.  Her previous books include Helen of Pasadena and The Satellite Sisters’ Uncommon Senses.

• Can’t Stop Believing by Jodi Thomas
• The Widow Waltz by Sally Koslow

Last week on Bookfan:

• Blog tour: Lucky Bastard by Deborah Coonts
• Spotlight on:  Defiant Heart by Marty Steere

Books I read last week:

• Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman
• Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany

Happy reading!

Description of Defiant Heart by Marty Steere: 

•  Publisher: Penfield Press (April 15, 2013)
• Category: Historical Fiction, WWII, General Fiction, Literary Fiction, Love Story, Romance
• Tour Dates: April-Mid May, 2013
• Available in: eBook, 385

Set against the backdrop of small town America on the eve of World War II, Defiant Heart features two extraordinary characters and one unforgettable love story.

In the spring of 1941, young Jon Meyer’s family dies in a tragic accident, and he is sent to live in a small Indiana town.  He arrives to find himself unwanted and shunned.

Mary Dahlgren is the daughter of the town’s mayor.  A pretty girl, she could have the pick of the boys in town, including Vernon King, the star of the vaunted high school basketball team.  To the chagrin of her friends, though, Mary has always been more interested in books than boys.  That is, until she meets Jon.

But Jon and Mary are kept apart by an insidious campaign orchestrated by Mary’s father, who perceives their relationship a threat to his political aspirations, and Vernon, to whom Jon is a rival for Mary’s affections.  For months Jon is subjected to a painful ostracism.  Then, just when the young man’s earnestness and perseverance begin to win over many of the townsfolk and it appears that love may conquer all, tragedy strikes.

As the country is caught up in war, so too are the young lovers swept up in events beyond their control, leaving both fighting for their very lives.  If, against the odds, they are to be together, each will need to find the strength, the courage and the resourcefulness that beat only in a defiant heart.

Praise for Marty Steere’s Award Winning Book, Sea of Crises:

“Steere’s high-octane suspense tale takes off with all the intrigue and honor of the best space-age Westerns and political thrillers.”-Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Steere’s assured prose is compelling, and the book’s intriguing plot will keep readers turning pages until the very end.”-Publisher’s Weekly

“Author Marty Steere is brilliant!… The action is non-stop and fast-paced and is mixed with just the right amount of mystery to make a perfect thriller…. [The] plot is plausible, the characters are realistic, and the writing is superb…so stunning a read that you will be unable to stop reading until the very end.“-Readers Favorite

“Sea of Crises is a mystery set amongst exploration, very highly recommended.”-The Midwest Book Review

“Marty Steere’s Sea of Crises drew me in, held me at the edge, and gave my hand a comforting squeeze when I couldn’t stand to see what happened next. This is a thriller with heart that will leave its readers satisfied they followed the Cartwright boys into a dangerous adventure.“-BookIdeas.com

“[P]ulse-pounding…. I highly recommend you check out Marty Steere’s novel Sea of Crises!”-BestsellersWorld.com

About Marty Steere:

The son of a career air force officer, Marty Steere grew up on or near military installations across the country and overseas before settling in Southern California, where, when he’s not writing, he practices law.  His debut novel, Sea of Crises, was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012.

Follow the Tour:

So Many Precious Books April 5 Review & Giveaway
Books, Books & More Books April 8 Review
Books, Books & More Books April 9 Guest Post
Dr Bill’s Book Bazaar April 10 Review
Cuzinlogic April 12 Review
Literary Addicts April 12 Interview
Raging Bibliomania April 15 Review
Joy Story April 17 Review
Bookworm Brandee April  23 Review
Bookworm Brandee April  24 Guest Post
Green Mountain Couple April 25 Review
Broken Teepee April 26  Excerpt
Every Free Chance May  2 Review & Giveaway
Book Lover’s Library May 3 Review
Book Lover’s Library May 3 Interview
My Devotional Thoughts May 6 Review & Giveaway
Bookalicious  May 7 Review
Recent Reads May 8 Review
No Wasted Ink May 8  Interview
Bass Giraffe May 9 Review & Giveaway
Romance & Inspriation May 10 Review
Book Mark Blog May 13 Review
The Self Taught Cook May 14 Review & Giveaway
Teena in Toronto May 15 Review
BookFan May 17 Spotlight
Books Complete Me May 20 Review

Buy Defiant Heat on Amazon

• Title:  Lucky Bastard
• Author:  Deborah Coonts
• Genre:  Mystery series
• Published:  May 2013 – Forge Books
• Source:   Review copy from publisher via NetGalley

Synopsis (publisher): Lucky O’Toole may have been promoted to Vice President of Customer Relations for the Babylon, Las Vegas’ primo Strip property, but nothing has changed. When Paxton Dane, a former member of the Babylon’s Security detail turned Private Investigator, discovers a young woman dead, sprawled across the hood of a new, bright red Ferrari California in the Babylon’s dealership, a Jimmy Choo stiletto stuck in her carotid, he calls Lucky to handle the problem.

Lucky’s life is already in precarious balance. Her mother, Mona, is pregnant, hormonal, bored, and looking for ways to fill her days. Teddie, Lucky’s former lover, has hit the road on his quest to find international stardom. But, realizing he’s made a mistake, he writes a song for Lucky, then hits the talk shows, pleading his case. Lucky is less than amused with the national spotlight on her personal life. She’s having enough trouble as it is fending off the amorous attentions of Chef Jean-Charles Bouclet, the Babylon’s tasty new dish. Lucky feels mixing business and pleasure with the chef is a sure-fire recipe for disaster.

And the timing could not be worse. The Smack-Down Poker tournament with all the media attention the second-largest poker tournament in the world attracts is holding it’s final table at the Babylon. Hookers, thieves, players, cheaters, media, and hangers-on all descend looking to win or to score.

When one of the major players turns up dead, Lucky starts putting the pieces together with the help of Cole Weston, a hearing-impaired professional poker player. They chase clues and suspects through Vegas to the storm drains underneath the city—where the runoff from a summer monsoonal shower turns deadly.

After a revelation by someone close to her sends her world reeling even further, Lucky struggles to keep her life in balance, and a murderer from killing again as bodies pile up.

Then, just when she’s losing control… life deals another major complication to her personal life….and it’s not going to be pretty.

My take:  Lucky O’Toole is the new VP of Customer Relations at The Babylon resort in Las Vegas. She’s a trouble shooter who seems to be constantly stalked by trouble. This time it finds her in the form of a dead body sprawled on top of a Ferrari in the dealership housed within the resort. You’d think one dead body would be enough but a few more are discovered within hours of each other. To make matters worse it seems someone close to Lucky is a prime suspect.

While trying to figure out why a friend is under suspicion of murder she also has to balance her love life. Things are heating up with the resort’s French chef and her ex continues to beg for forgiveness. When does this girl sleep?

I’ve never been to Las Vegas but I love my visits via the Lucky O’Toole series. On the surface its fun and glamorous but we also glimpse the seedy underside of the city. Lucky is a lovable character who has a knack for attracting trouble and then finds a way to help the LVPD solve the crime.

I find this series thoroughly entertaining and can’t wait to see what happens to Lucky next – in life and love.

For More Information, Please Visit DeborahCoonts.com

• Far From Perfect by Barbara Longley
• Now You See Her by Linda Howard
• Down By the River (audio) by Robyn Carr
• Eventide by Kent Haruf

Last week on Bookfan:

• The Lost Husband by Katherine Center
• Conversations With the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer

Books I read last week:

• From Notting Hill With Love…Actually by Ali McNamara
• The Mad Earl’s Bride by Loretta Chase

Happy reading!

Synopsis (Goodreads):  Everyone seems to be getting on with their lives except Maggie. At 27, she’s still working at the local coffee house while her friends are getting married, having babies, and building careers. Even Olivia, Maggie’s best friend from childhood, is getting married to her doctor boyfriend. Maggie, on the other hand, lives with her dog Solo and has no romantic prospects save for the torch she carries for Domenic, the busboy. Though Maggie and Olivia have been best friends since their fattie grade school years, Olivia’s since gone the gastric-bypass surgery route in hopes of obtaining the elusive size two, the holy grail for fat girls everywhere. So now Olivia’s thin, blond, and betrothed, and Maggie’s the fat bridesmaid. Ain’t life grand? In this inspiring debut novel, Maggie speaks to women everywhere who wish for just once that they could forget about their weight.

My take:   Maggie is every young woman who ever fought the weight battle – every young woman who has never felt comfortable with her body. I understood Maggie and I cheered for her as she started to figure things out with her best friend, her love life, and her job situation.

Conversations With the Fat Girl is filled with interesting characters. From Maggie’s family to her co-workers it was easy to find comparable characters in my own life. I liked most and understood the reason for them all. This is a novel begging to be on the small or large screen. Thank you Liza Palmer for writing Maggie’s story. Once upon a time I was in her shoes.

There’s a reader’s guide included and you can find more information about the author here. I’m looking forward to reading Ms. Palmer’s other books.

• Title:  Conversations With the Fat Girl
• Author:  Liza Palmer
• Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
• Published:  September 2005 – 5 Spot
• Source:  I bought it

• Title:  The Lost Husband
• Author:  Katherine Center
• Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
• Published:  May 2013 – Ballantine Books
• Source:  Publisher via Edelweiss

Synopsis (publisher):  After the sudden loss of her husband in a car crash, Libby Moran falls on hard times – so hard, in fact, that she’s forced to move in with her hyper-critical mother. There, sleeping on the pull-out sofa so her two children can share the guest room, she can’t stop longing for the life she had. So when a letter arrives from Libby’s estranged aunt offering her a job and a place to live on her goat farm, Libby jumps at the opportunity. But starting over is never easy. With an aunt who is nothing like she imagined, a shaggy farm manager with a tragic past, a psychic at the feed store who claims to be able to contact the dead, and a bully at her daughter’s school, country life isn’t at all what Libby expected. But it also offers her what no other place can: A chance to define the good life for herself. A chance to piece together the mysteries of her own past. A chance, even, at love. And, finally, a chance to bring herself, and her family, back to life.

My take:  I love Katherine Center’s novels. They are wonderfully relatable, funny and heartstring tuggers. Her latest, The Lost Husband, is no exception. When it comes down to it, Libby is every woman. Like I said, relatable. Life hasn’t turned out the way she expected yet, despite that fact, she keeps trying her darnedest to keep her family moving forward.

The offer to move to her aunt’s goat farm comes at the right time. She knows she can’t keep living with her domineering mother if she has any hope of a life. A fresh start in new surroundings is just what she and her two young children need. And a new life is exactly what they get.

From her eccentric and loving aunt, to the nice yet mysterious farm manager, to the interesting young woman at the feed store, Libby’s new life is populated with strange but caring people. And they’re all doing their best to move forward as well.

Center is a gifted storyteller and I loved this one. It’s a story of hope and never giving up – trying your hardest even in the darkest moments. Because when all is said and done – it’s worth it. Loved it. Highly recommended.

• More Than You Know by Nan Rossiter (review)
• The Newcomer by Robyn Carr (review)

Last week on Bookfan:

• Starting Now by Debbie Macomber
• Changing Lanes by Kathleen Long

Books I read last week:

• Another Year at 32 September Way by Mary Ylisela
• Conversations With the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer

Our magnolia tree “jiffy popped” on a warm day last week.

(closeup)

Happy reading!

• Title:  Changing Lanes
• Author:  Kathleen Long
• Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
• Published:  May 2013 – Amazon Publishing
• Source:  Publisher

My take:  Abby’s life is rolling along as planned. She writes a nice column for a newspaper, her wedding to Fred is scheduled in a few months time, and they just bought a cute little fixer-upper Victorian house in her home town. Yes, life is rolling along until things skid to a complete stop. In the blink of an eye the newspaper cuts her column, Fred decides he needs some space, and Abby gets the news that the cute little Victorian is really a termite hotel.

It’s a good thing Abby planned to move back to her home town. Instead of moving into the fixer-upper with Fred she moves back to her parents’ home. That’s where the story really takes off. I loved Abby’s family. Her parents, two sisters, and grandmother are unique and sparkling characters who moved the plot and kept the story interesting. She also reconnects with the man next door – formerly the boy next door – who happens to be living with his mother (for good reason).  They all help Abby figure out that life is best lived in the moments, the here and now.

I enjoyed Changing Lanes. Its a sweet, light novel about appreciating what’s truly important in life. I look forward to reading Kathleen Long’s next book.