Month: May 2014

The Glass Kitchen sweeps

Mary contest, Linda Francis Lee, St. Martin's Press

the glass kitchen (July)

This summer I’ll post a Spotlight/Giveaway of THE GLASS KITCHEN by Linda Francis Lee and then, a few weeks later, a review. Today I want to tell you about an exciting sweeps.  It’s for a KitchenAid Professional Mixer and 1 of 10 copies of THE GLASS KITCHEN!

For some reason I wasn’t able to get the cool widget to show in my post so please click this link to enter the sweeps. The link takes you to the widget. Good luck!

Eligibility:  “Only open to residents of 50 United States and D.C., age 18 and older at the time of entry. Void in Puerto Rico and where otherwise prohibited by law. Employees, and members of their families, of Sponsor, its parent, subsidiaries, and affiliates are not eligible to enter. This promotion is intended for viewing in the United States only and shall only be construed and evaluated according to United States law. You are not authorized to participate in the sweepstakes if you are not located within the United States.”

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About THE GLASS KITCHEN:

With The Glass Kitchen, Linda Francis Lee has served up a novel that is about the courage it takes to follow your heart and be yourself. A true recipe for life. 
Portia Cuthcart never intended to leave Texas. Her dream was to run the Glass Kitchen restaurant her grandmother built decades ago. But after a string of betrayals and the loss of her legacy, Portia is determined to start a new life with her sisters in Manhattan . . . and never cook again. But when she moves into a dilapidated brownstone on the Upper West Side, she meets twelve-year-old Ariel and her widowed father Gabriel, a man with his hands full trying to raise two daughters on his own. Soon, a promise made to her sisters forces Portia back into a world of magical food and swirling emotions, where she must confront everything she has been running from. What seems so simple on the surface is anything but when long-held secrets are revealed, rivalries exposed, and the promise of new love stirs to life like chocolate mixing with cream. 

The Glass Kitchen is a delicious novel, a tempestuous story of a woman washed up on the shores of Manhattan who discovers that a kitchen—like an island—can be a refuge, if only she has the courage to give in to the pull of love, the power of forgiveness, and accept the complications of what it means to be family.  (publisher)

Before We Kiss by Susan Mallery

Mary Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, HQN, NetGalley, Series, Susan Mallery

Before we Kiss

  • Title:  Before We Kis
  • Series:  Fool’s Gold #14
  • Author:  Susan Mallery
  • Published:  May 2014 – Harlequin
  • Source:  Publisher

Synopsis:  Former pro-football kicker Sam Ridge has notoriously bad luck with women—from cheaters to fame chasers. Still, the gorgeous brunette at the bar in Fool’s Gold looks harmless—until she takes him home and he discovers a room devoted to securing a man, for life. 
Dellina Hopkins never guessed that storing gowns from a friend’s bridal boutique would chase away her first and only fling. After her parents died, she skipped her “wild youth” to raise her sisters. She doesn’t want forever from Sam, but one night—all night—would’ve been nice. 
His clean getaway gets messy when his firm hires Dellina to plan an event. As long hours lead to late nights, the two succumb to temptation again. Has Sam’s luck finally changed? Or this time, will Dellina be the one to run?  (publisher)

My take:  This book was a lot of fun. Sure it had it’s emotional moments but, that aside, I also laughed a lot while reading it.  Sam and Dellina’s love story was a good one but even more entertaining were their family members. His uninhibited, inappropriate information sharing parents and her sister who had to find a way to make her boyfriend propose after asking him to wait – they added a lot of humor to the story.

Susan Mallery also set up future books in the Fool’s Gold series by having Mayor Marsha take a mysterious trip to New Zealand. I look forward to those books. I can see a never-ending source of books for this series and I’ll probably want to read them all.  Recommended to fans of the series and small town contemporary romance.

Spotlight/Giveaway (US): Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Giveaway, Mary Kay Andrews, St. Martin's Press, Tandem Literary

Save the Date

ABOUT THE BOOK
With her trademark wit and gift for storytelling, Andrews delivers the perfect bouquet of intrigue and romance when Savannah florist Cara Kryzik lands the wedding of the season. Brooke Trapnell and Harris Strayhorn, part of Savannah’s high society, hire Cara to be their wedding planner for their July wedding at Cabin Creek, the Strayhorn plantation in the South Carolina low country. Cara kicks into high gear, relieved she will finally be able to pay off the debt she owes her father. With only six weeks to plan the wedding, Cara, along with her dependable assistant Bert, is determined to solidify her career as the go-to-girl for society nuptials.

In the midst of all the planning, Cara finds herself falling for Jack Finnerty, the “dognapper” who accidently steals her golden doodle Poppy when she runs out the door one hot summer morning. Recently divorced, Cara no longer believes in love and is focused on keeping her stressed-out clients happy. Until the chic new florist from Charleston, Cullen Kane, decides to open up shop in Savannah and do whatever it takes to destroy her business, and in the process, her relationship with Jack. And when the bride goes missing putting the wedding in jeopardy, Cara must find her and figure out whether love really does exist outside of fairy tales after all.

 PRE-ORDER: 

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books a Million
Indiebound

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mka-author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Kay Andrews is the New York Times bestselling author of 22 novels including Ladies’ Night, Christmas Bliss, Spring Fever, Summer Rental, The Fixer Upper, Deep Dish, Blue Christmas, Savannah Breeze, Hissy Fit, Little Bitty Lies, and Savannah Blues.

 

PRAISE FOR LADIES’ NIGHT (now out in paperback)
“Bestseller Andrews is at the top f her game, delivering a smart, funny, perfect-for-summer read with a hopeful heart.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Her newest novel offers another engaging and satisfying tale of life, loss, and love.” —Booklist

“Andrews presents a delightful novel…A wonderful blend of action, repartee and offbeat characters in a just-plain-fun story. Humorous and witty, and as entertaining as a good night out.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Mary Kay Andrews’ novels have become a summer staple like a new pair of sandals. The New York Times bestselling author returns with the perfectly mixed cocktail of romance, mystery and comedy…” —Raleigh News & Observer

“This is her best book yet, and it combines all of the strengths we have come to expect from this audacious and beguiling author.” —Huffington Post

“Mary Kay Andrews blends heartache and hilarity in a story line filled with surprises.” —Southern Living

“A court-ordered therapy session is the site of the action in Andrews’s zesty, amusing latest…” —People

“If there were a literary genre dedicated to great beach books, the novels of Mary Kay Andrews would set its standard for excellence.” —Cape Gazette

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GIVEAWAY

One copy of SAVE THE DATE to a US reader

Please click here and fill out the form

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

Good luck!

The Beekeeper’s Ball by Susan Wiggs

Mary Contemporary Romance, Harlequin/MIRA, NetGalley, Series, Susan Wiggs, Women's Fiction

the beekeeper's ball

  • Title:  The Beekeeper’s Ball
  • Series:  Bella Vista Chronicles, #2
  • Author:  Susan Wiggs
  • Genre:  Contemporary Romance; Women’s Fiction
  • Published:  June 24, 2014 – Harlequin MIRA
  • Source:  Publisher

Synopsis:  Isabel Johansen, a celebrated chef who grew up in the sleepy Sonoma town of Archangel, is transforming her childhood home into a destination cooking school—a unique place for other dreamers to come and learn the culinary arts. Bella Vista’s rambling mission-style hacienda, with its working apple orchards, bountiful gardens and beehives, is the idyllic venue for Isabel’s project…and the perfect place for her to forget the past. 
But Isabel’s carefully ordered plans begin to go awry when swaggering, war-torn journalist Cormac O’Neill arrives to dig up old history. He’s always been better at exposing the lives of others than showing his own closely guarded heart, but the pleasures of small-town life and the searing sensuality of Isabel’s kitchen coax him into revealing a few truths of his own. 
The dreamy sweetness of summer is the perfect time of year for a grand family wedding and the enchanting Beekeeper’s Ball, bringing emotions to a head in a story where the past and present collide to create an unexpected new future.  (publisher)

My take:  Susan Wigg’s lush descriptions drew me right into The Beekeeper’s Ball. Seriously, I’d love to enroll in Isabel’s cooking school and take in all Bella Vista has to offer!

Mac, an accomplished author, has arrived to write Isabel’s grandfather’s story. He was part of the Danish Resistance during WWII and, along with a few other people in Isabel’s life, came to the US when the liberation began. Magnus (the grandfather) has quite a story to tell Mac. He wants to get that story out because the truth needs to be told. That theme winds through the novel. Mac encourages Isabel to tell her truth – to herself and her loved ones. That takes extraordinary courage and she’s not sure she has it in her.

Another storyline is one that involves Isabel’s father. He died in a tragic crash on the day she was born. Isabel never had reason to doubt this truth she’d been told by her grandparents. They raised her because her mother died after giving birth to Isabel. Mystery begins to swirl around this storyline and I expect it to continue in the next book of The Bella Vista Chronicles.

I enjoyed the message of the dual stories in the book:  Magnus and his friends rising to help in the Danish Resistance before moving to a new homeland and Isabel and Mac rising to help the people in their lives. The past is the past. Embrace the future.

Note:  Although I haven’t yet read the first book in the series (The Apple Orchard) I didn’t feel lost. Wiggs did a good job explaining references to events and people from that book.

Mimi Malloy, At Last: A Novel by Julia MacDonnell

Mary Fiction, Julia MacDonnell, NetGalley, Picador

Mimi Malloy, At Last!_COVER

  • Title:  Mimi Malloy, At Last
  • Author:  Julia MacDonnell
  • Genre:  Fiction
  • Published:  April 2014 – Picador
  • Source:  Publisher

Synopsis:  Meet Mimi Malloy: A daughter of the Great Depression, Mimi was born into an Irish-Catholic brood of seven, and she has done her best to raise six beautiful daughters of her own. Now they’re grown, and Mimi, a divorcée, is unexpectedly retired. But she takes solace in the comforts of her new life: her apartment in the heart of Quincy, the occasional True Blue cigarette, and evenings with Frank Sinatra on the stereo and a highball in her hand.
Yet her phone is arguably the busiest in greater Boston—it rings “Day In, Day Out,” as Ol’ Blue Eyes would say. Her surviving sisters love to gab about their girlhood, while her eldest, Cassandra, calls every morning to preach the gospel of assisted living. And when an MRI reveals that Mimi’s brain is filled with black spots—areas of atrophy, her doctor says—it looks like that’s exactly where she’s headed, to spend her days in “a storage facility for unwanted antiques.”
Mimi knows her mind is (more or less) as sharp as ever, and she won’t go down without a fight. As she prepares to take her stand, she stumbles upon an old pendant of her mother’s and, slowly, her memory starts to return—specifically, recollections of a shocking and painful childhood, a sister who was sent away to Ireland, and the wicked stepmother she swore to forget.

My take:  Mimi Malloy’s daughters are so annoyed that she refuses to take care of herself despite her doctor’s warnings of stroke and certain death. She also will not leave her low-income apartment for a beautiful new senior home. She likes her independence and familiar surroundings, thank you very much.

When Mimi’s sister’s young grandson works on a genealogy project for school Mimi is asked to fill out a family history. She’s not one to live in the past so this is about the last thing she wants to do. After a little pestering she does as asked and that’s when she starts being visited by sisters and others who’ve passed. It’s as if they are leading her to discover details of their early lives that she remembers quite differently from the others.

Julia MacDonnell’s characters seemed so familiar to me. It was like watching and listening to my mother and her sisters gab at reunions when I was a young girl. Were the details the same? No. But the characteristics and era were. They grew up in tough times and had responsibilities way beyond their years. When someone “fell” she tried her best to get back up and move on. As Mimi’s daughters listen to their aunts and mother they realize they didn’t know them as well as they thought.

There’s so much more to the novel. The decisions made during tough times changed lives and are remembered quite differently by Mimi, her sisters, and her daughters. Their acceptance of the various perspectives lead to understanding on a new level.

I really liked this novel of family dynamics and perseverance and will recommend it to family and friends next time we’re together – there’s a reunion this summer!

How About Never – Is Never Good For You? By Bob Mankoff

Mary Bob Mankoff, Henry Holt, Humor, Memoir

how about never - is never good for you?

  • Title:  How About Never – Is Never Good For You? My Life in Cartoons
  • Author:  Bob Mankoff
  • Genre:  Memoir
  • Published:  March 2014 – Henry Holt and Co.
  • Dimensions:  10.3 x 8.3 x 1.2 inches
  • Source:  Publisher

My take:  If you read The New Yorker then you’re familiar with the cartoons in each issue. They are subtle reflections of daily life that are mostly relatable to the majority of readers (I would guess). I’m a fan.

Bob Mankoff is the “longtime cartoon editor” of The New Yorker. How About Never is his story of turning a love of drawing into becoming a contributor to the magazine and finally its cartoon editor. Sprinkled with anecdotes and more than 250 cartoons, How About Never is an enjoyable memoir that also includes tips on how to get your cartoon accepted for the magazine and how to win the cartoon caption contest – neither are easy to do.

Mankoff has a playful, self-deprecating style that had me chuckling as I turned the pages. If you enjoy cartoons (especially those in The New Yorker) and amusing stories about the cartoon biz you’ll want to read this memoir.

Recommended. It’s on my gift list this year. My thanks to the publisher for sending a review copy.

 

Blog tour/Giveaway: The Idea of Him by Holly Peterson

Mary Blog Tour, Giveaway, Holly Peterson, Virtual Author Book Tours, Wm. Morrow

Idea-of-Him-199x300

Publisher: William Morrow  (April 1, 2014)
Category: Contemporary Fiction/ Women’s Fiction
ISBN: 978-0062283108
Tour Dates: April/May, 2014
Available in: Print & ebook, 384 Pages

Book description:  In the fabulous and intrigue-packed new novel from Holly Peterson, the New York Times bestselling author of THE MANNY, THE IDEA OF HIM explores the dangers of falling for the idea of a person, and why facing reality is more liberating than we ever dreamed it could be. For anyone who’s let the fear of being alone keep them from seeing who someone really is, THE IDEA OF HIM is an inspiring, action-packed story of what happens when we embrace our own power and allow the truth to finally set us free.

Allie Crawford has the life she always dreamed of—she’s number two at a high-profile P.R. firm; she has two kids she adores; and her husband is a blend of handsome and heroic. Wade is everything she thought a man was supposed to be—he’s running a successful newsmagazine and, best of all, he provides the stable yet exciting New York City life Allie believes she needs in order to feel secure and happy.

But when Allie finds Wade locked in their laundry room with a stunning blonde in snakeskin sandals, a scandal ensues that flips her life on its head. And when the woman wants to befriend Allie, an old flame calls, and a new guy gets a little too close for comfort, she starts to think her marriage is more of a facade than something real. Maybe she’s fallen in love not with Wade—but with the idea of him.

Captivating and seductive, told in the whip-smart voice of a woman who is working hard to keep her parenting and career on track, The Idea of Him is a novel of conspiracy, intrigue, and intense passion—and discovering your greatest strength through your deepest fears.

My take:  Since the tragic loss of her father Allie had been trying to find a replacement – maybe she wasn’t aware of that but the reader can see it. She thought Wade was the guy to love her, keep her safe, and create a family. When she slowly realizes all is not what it seemed Allie starts figuring out what Wade is involved in and considering her own options.

I was slow to warm to this story but when I did the pages almost turned themselves. Like Allie, I wasn’t sure who to trust most of the time. One thing I knew for sure early on – she needed to get herself and her children out of her marriage. On the surface it seemed Wade was a family man and loved Allie but, in reality, the only one Wade loved was Wade. She now finds herself on shaky ground at best and the future is not looking good. Will Allie be able to create a new future? Will she figure out that she doesn’t have to rely on the likes of Wade for her own happiness – that she’s responsible for it herself? I’m telling you, I wanted to give her a good shake and yell “Snap out of it!” more than once!

I ended up liking  The Idea of Him. It is filled with interesting characters (some larger than life) and has an intriguing plot that grew on me. I look forward to seeing what Holly Peterson comes up with in her next book. Keep reading – there’s a giveaway!

You can see what others are saying about THE IDEA OF HIM here.

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Holly Peterson is the author of the New York Timesand international best seller, The Manny. She was a Contributing EditorHolly-Peterson-213x300 for Newsweek and editor-at-large for Tina Brown’s Talk magazine. She was also an Emmy Award–winning producer for ABC News for more than a decade, where she cov­ered global politics. Her writing has been published in the New York Times, Newsweek, Talk, the Daily Beast, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and other publications.

Website: www.HollyPeterson.com

Facebook:https://m.facebook.com/HollyPetersonny?id=275564372549939&_rdr
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/hollypetersonny
Instagram-http://instagram.com/hollypetersonny
Pinterest-http://www.pinterest.com/hollypetersonny/pins/

Buy The Idea of Him:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Book Depository

Tour schedule is here.

GIVEAWAY

Idea-of-Him-199x300

One copy to a reader from the US or Canada

Please click here and fill out the form

GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

vabt-highresolution

Down By the River by Lin Stepp

Mary Christian fiction, Kensington, Lin Stepp, NetGalley, Women's Fiction

down by the river by L. Stepp (May27)

  • Title:  Down By the River
  • Author:  Lin Stepp
  • Genre:  Women’s Fiction; Christian Fiction
  • Published:  May 27, 2014 – Kensington
  • Source:  Publisher

Synopsis:  While on a visit to the Smokies, Grace Conley makes a stunning decision: she’s going to walk away from her busy life in Nashville to move to tiny Townsend and open a bed-and-breakfast. There’s a beautiful old inn for sale along the Little River that will do perfectly. Of course, Grace’s family is scandalized. After all, she’s a middle-aged widow! And as a career homemaker, she’s always been available for babysitting, chauffeuring, and generally being the peacemaker among her grown children. Has Grace lost her mind? She begins to wonder the same thing once she finds herself attracted to the local ladies’ man. But the surprises don’t stop there…

To further complicate her move, Grace’s daughter, Margaret, has grudgingly come to live with her. Having just graduated from college, remote Townsend is not where she envisions her future. Yet the handsome young minister next door is convinced he and Margaret are meant for each other. As life choices abound, soon both women will discover that the biggest decisions require confidence, a sense of humor—and a deep, abiding faith.  (publisher)

My take:  The serene cover and then the synopsis are what first drew my attention to this novel. I’m pleased to tell you I enjoyed Lin Stepp’s story as well. I like a book with main characters in my age demographic (50s) who are smart, strong and fairly confident in themselves – not ditzy comic relief or overbearing parents.

After making the move to Townsend both Grace and her daughter Margaret begin to find themselves on the road to love and deeper faith – Grace with the local ladies’ man Jack Teague and Margaret with the young minister Vincent. I found their stories quite entertaining. There’s also a storyline involving a stalker that, while it added mystery, I’m not sure was necessary. Maybe that’s because I don’t enjoy the mystery genre all that much. Other readers may like this aspect.

Overall, I enjoyed Stepp’s characters and their romantic and faith journeys. This is Christian fiction and is heavier on the Christian than other books of the genre I’ve previously read. I enjoyed it very much. I would definitely read more by this new-to-me author. My thanks to the publisher for sharing a review galley.

Note:  There is a readers’ guide included.

Sunday Post

Mary Book arrivals, Sunday Post

Book arrivals:  (linked to Mailbox Monday)

the possibilities (May13)  the house on mermaid point

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Currently reading:

  • The Never Never Sisters by L. Alison Heller

Happy reading!

and

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there 🙂

Spotlight/US Giveaway: The Widow’s Guide To Sex And Dating: A Novel by Carole Radziwill

Mary Carole Radziwill, Contemporary Fiction, Giveaway, Henry Holt, Spotlight

Image

Synopsis: Claire Byrne is a quirky and glamorous 34-year-old Manhattanite who is nicely married to the renowned sexologist, Charles Byrne. He’s a man of contradictions: equal parts Alfred Kinsey and Warren Beatty; pompous yet charming; loyal yet unfaithful, and a firm believer that sex and love can’t coexist. Even though Charlie does little to hide his affairs, Claire can’t deny that her life with him is interesting. In a bizarre and comedic twist of fate, on an unassuming Monday, Charlie—fresh from a lover’s bed—is struck dead on a city sidewalk by a falling Giacometti statue.

With this deliciously irreverent opening, Claire sets out to reinvent herself and find the answer to a vexing question – Are widows the new virgins? The Widow’s Guide to Sex & Dating: A Novel is a wry take on death, sex and love, in that order, by New York Times best-selling author Carole Radziwill.

Taking place over the course of a year, Radzwill’s protagonist Claire sees two shrinks and an oracle, hires a “botanomanist,” follows a griot, eats too little, drinks too much, dates a hockey player and a billionaire, and has a heady affair with the movie star Jack Huxley. As she grieves for Charlie and begins to find her footing, Claire comes to realize that she has an opportunity to find something bigger and better than she had before: real, authentic, passionate love.

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REVIEWS

“One of the richest, most deeply satisfying stories I’ve read in a long time…[Radziwill’s] spare writing and wry voice make The Widow’s Guide an exhilarating, insightful and moving story about loss and identity.”
—BookPage

“Witty and charming, Carole Radziwill’s first novel is a delight. I fell in love with the character of Claire—a modern-day Holly Golightly.”
—Candace Bushnell, author of Sex and the City and The Carrie Diaries

“Carole Radziwill writes like a cross between Sophie Kinsella and Christopher Buckley. Widow’s Guide is a sharp, flamboyant New York novel that revels in the tragicomic absurdities of the city. It’s a smart take on Hollywood, too, with gorgeous movie stars and a quirky cast. Cautiously romantic, unexpectedly moving, and funny!”
—Susan Sarandon

“Glib, comic… [a] novel about a young Manhattan widow looking for love in all the wrong places… This may be a grief and recovery story for the privileged, but sharp-fanged Radziwill can be pretty funny…. Think Sex and the City in black.”
—Kirkus

“Claire never thought about the odds of losing her husband. But after a freak accident abruptly ends her husband’s life, she is forced to wrestle with the question, “What next?” For the next year, Claire’s life takes a wild turn… and somewhere in the middle of the madness, she begins to realize that her old life wasn’t so perfect and perhaps this is all a blessing in disguise—a second chance at life and love. Verdict: Fans of authors such as Jane Green and Madeleine Wickham will enjoy this.”
—Library Journal

“Radziwill’s delicious debut novel… is a poignant tale of love and loss.”
—Publishers Weekly

“The book’s witty humor and Didion-esque raw language provide for a gripping read that triumphantly announces a profound new voice in literary fiction.”
—Popbytes.com

“A hilarious account of a young widow’s journey to find herself and re-establish her identity.”
—PW Show Daily

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carole Radziwill grew up in upstate New York and earned a BA at Hunter College and an MBA at New York University. She spent more than a decade at ABC News, reporting from around the world, and earned three Emmys. Her first book, What Remains, a memoir, spent over twenty weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. She has written for many magazines, including Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Town & Country and Porter. She currently is a star of and “the voice of reason” on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York. – See more at: The Widow’s Guide to Sex & Dating.

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US Giveaway

One copy for a US reader

Please click here to fill out the form

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

 

Finding Perfect by Susan Mallery

Mary 2014 FTSRC, audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Series, Susan Mallery, Tanya Eby

finding perfect audio

  • Title:  Finding Perfect
  • Series:  Fool’s Gold, #3
  • Author:  Susan Mallery
  • Narrator:  Tanya Eby
  • Published:  August 2010 – Brilliance
  • Source:  purchased

Synopsis: When Pia O’Brian’s best friend dies, Pia expects to inherit her cherished cat. Instead, the woman leaves Pia three frozen embryos. With a disastrous track record in the romance department and the parenting skills of a hamster, Pia doesn’t think she’s meant for motherhood. But determined to do the right thing, Pia decides to become a single mother – only to meet a gorgeous, sexy hunk the very same day. A former foster-care kid now rich beyond his wildest dreams, Raoul Moreno runs a camp for needy children in Fool’s Gold, California. After his last relationship, Raoul thought he was done with women and commitment. Still, he can’t get sweet, sexy Pia out of his mind — and proposes a crazy plan. But can such an unconventional beginning really result in the perfect ending?  (publisher)

My take:  So the only reading challenge I joined this year is the 2014 Finish the Series challenge and the Fool’s Gold series is first on my list to finish. Trouble is Susan Mallery keeps adding to the series! Good thing I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read so far – I don’t mind knowing there are a lot to be read. This is the third book but I don’t think you’d miss much by not reading the previous books. That said, the first book introduces the reader to the town and that’s worth reading!

The frozen embryo inheritance aside (I mean, really?!), I liked this book a lot. I found Pia and Raoul to be both charming and sympathetic characters. If Pia wasn’t so nice and good-hearted she’d come off kind of flaky but we find out she has grown through her experiences in life up to this point. The same could be said for Raoul. Both have been deeply affected by people disappointing them and/or leaving them. So they need to get past the inclination to not commit. Enter one sweet little boy who makes them reconsider everything including their definition of home and a perfect family.

I enjoyed Tanya Eby’s narration. Her rather staccato performance of Pia added to the kind of flaky impression I had of the character. She also did a nice job with Raoul’s voice and young Peter’s as well as those of the supporting characters.

Sunday Post

Mary Book arrivals, Sunday Post

Book arrivals (linked to Mailbox Monday)

An Unwilling Accomplice  Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00071]  a sweet life boxed set

  • An Unwilling Accomplice by Charles Todd  (for review)
  • Stolen Grace by Arianne Richmonde  (purchased)
  • A Sweet Life – boxed set of Fourteen Contemporary Romances by Bestselling Authors to Benefit Diabetes Research (purchased).  The sale of this set coincides with the Brenda Novak Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research. This is a cause near and dear to my heart because our youngest child was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was six years old – she’s now twenty-seven. I hope you’ll check out the auction – lots of items for booklovers!

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Currently reading:

  •  Save the Date by Mary Kay Andrews
  • The Great Escape by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Spotlight/Giveaway (US): Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman

Mary Beth Hoffman, Giveaway, Penguin, Tandem Literary

One of my favorite books of 2013 was LOOKING FOR ME by Beth Hoffman. You can read my review here. The trade paperback edition was released on Tuesday, April 29.  If you haven’t read it yet you can enter the giveaway at the end of this post.  Note:  It’s a US only giveaway.

looking for me (trade)

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Teddi Overman loves her family and the simple life they share on their Kentucky farm, but when high school graduation nears and her mother pushes her towards secretarial school, Teddi knows it’s time to strike out on her own and pursue her dream of working with antiques. Gifted at refurbishing furniture and possessing an uncanny knack for uncovering the beauty and history in what other people discard, Teddi leaves Kentucky in the middle of the night and makes her way to Charleston, South Carolina. There, Teddi builds a new life for herself, and makes her dream come true in a small antiques shop frequented by a cast of quirky customers and friends. But each time Teddi, now thirty-six years old, leaves Charleston and visits the farm of her youth, she’s drawn to the mysterious beauty of Red River Gorge, where her brother went missing at the age of seventeen. Though everyone believes that her beloved brother is dead, Teddi never gives up hope of finding him. When circumstances lead her to clean out the old barn, Teddi makes a discovery that challenges her in ways she never could have imagined. And while trying to fit together the pieces of her family’s shattered past, Teddi unwittingly finds herself among the ruins. 

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PRAISE FOR LOOKING FOR ME:
“Hoffman’s novel of a woman putting the pieces of her family’s secrets together combines a deep dramatic impact with Southern charm.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Hoffman has a good ear for dialogue, and Teddie and her friends are realistic, appealing characters. Perfect for fans of family-centered women’s fiction, this book will have special appeal to readers interested in antiques and ‘shabby chic’ style.”
—Booklist

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beth hoffman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Beth Hoffman was the president and co-owner of an interior design studio before becoming a full-time writer. Looking For Me is her second novel. She lives with her husband and two cats in Kentucky.

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Available from your local bookseller and all online book retailers:

Hardcover, Audio CD, Large Print, and E-Books

ISBN: 9780670025831  Pamela Dorman Books – Viking/Penguin

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Beth Hoffman’s Spring/Summer 2014 Tour:
NAPERVILLE, IL, Anderson’s Bookshop, May 1
WICHITA, KS, Watermark Books, May 6
KANSAS CITY, MO, Unity Temple (with Rainy Day Books), May 8
WOODSTOCK, GA, Foxtale Book Shoppe, May 13
FAIRHOPE, AL, Page & Palette, May 15
EVANSVILLE, IN, Vanderburgh Public Library, June 15

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