Synopsis

 

Once a best-selling romance novelist, 55-year-old Fran Carter is now dealing with a slow but steady drop in book sales and a major case of writer’s block, complicated by the knowledge that her lover, a professional photographer, has been on the wrong side of the camera (so to speak) with his models. (So much for her author brand, built on the premise that women in their fifties and beyond can still find love and happiness.) Her solution is to spend a week in isolation at a northern California bed-and-breakfast. There she hopes to resolve her professional and personal conflicts, and ultimately create a new and better future for herself by writing a new “story” for the Fran she wants to be!

 

 

 

 

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Excerpt

 

“Ms. Carter, I started reading romance novels when I was in my teens,” the woman began. “I bought into the whole ‘a white knight will come and sweep you off your feet’ myth. That’s what I was waiting for, and that’s what I thought I married. And I kept reading the books and doing everything they said to keep the romance alive. I served romantic dinners by candlelight—after feeding the kids, of course. I made sure my hair was done and my makeup was perfect, even after spending the whole day cleaning the house or running to pediatrician appointments or school meetings. And I never, not once,” she emphasized, “said ‘no’ regardless of how I felt physically or emotionally. Nope, I was the perfect little wife that romance books said I had to be. I did it all, but it didn’t make a bit of difference. The kids grew up and left home, and pretty soon, he left, too.”

She raised her hand to forestall any sympathetic outpouring. “Hey, don’t feel sorry for me! That was the best thing that could have happened. I don’t regret having my children, but looking back, I realize our marriage never gave me what I wanted. I’d been so caught up in the fantasy that books like yours create that I never asked myself what kind of life I really wanted. So, I hung on a lot longer than I should have. My whole life was focused first on finding a man and then on keeping him. These days I’m concentrating on me—and I’m a damned sight happier than I’ve ever been! There are no ‘white knights,’ Ms. Carter. So why do you keep writing about them? Why don’t you write about real life?”

I started to take another sip of water but saw the glass was empty. Unfortunately, so was my brain. I didn’t know how to answer or what to say. I was publicly forced to justify my books’ existence—my existence—at a time when I was wrestling with the very questions she had raised.

Surprisingly, another audience member came to my rescue. “Now, don’t be too hard on her,” she said. “I’m sure Ms. Carter knows that reading her books is our way of taking a break from our real lives, right?” looking up at me.

“Yes, of course,” I said, so grateful to have someone on my side that I didn’t stop to analyze my words. “I mean, these books,” waving at the shelves behind me stocked with novels featuring women with heaving bosoms and half-dressed muscular men on their covers, “they are fiction after all! No one really believes life is like that. It’s like in the movies when the lovers wake up in the morning and start kissing each other. Did the directors never hear of morning breath? It’s all make-believe, all of it! A fantasy! Escapist literature! And if you try to turn your life into a romance novel, you are bound to be disappointed.”

My words echoed in the sudden silence, and I realized too late what I had said. I had trashed not only my own books, but the entire genre. Worse, in so many words, I had told them that if they were looking for information on how to rejuvenate their lives, they were wasting their money buying my novels.

What had Vanessa said to me—that my readers wanted to believe that life and love hadn’t passed them by? And now I had told them that it was all a load of crap.

 

Reprinted with permission from Chapter 3 of Finding Fran

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Nancy Christie is the award-winning author of eight books—two novels: Reinventing Rita and Finding Fran; three short story collections: Mistletoe Magic and Other Holiday Tales, Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories and Peripheral Visions and Other Stories; two books for writers: Rut-Busting Book for Authors and Rut-Busting Book for Writers; and the inspirational book, The Gifts Of Change. Her short stories and essays have appeared in print and online publications, with several earning contest placement. The host of the Living the Writing Life podcast and the founder of the annual “Midlife Moxie” Day and “Celebrate Short Fiction” Day, Christie teaches writing workshops at conferences, libraries, and schools. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), the Florida Writers Association (FWA) and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA).

 

 

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Synopsis

 

A devastating diagnosis. A family with a broken past. Embark on an uplifting journey of love, hope, and the ultimate second chance.

 

When health-conscious Sarah gets diagnosed with breast cancer, her world spins out of control. She’s supposed to grow old with her husband and see her daughter graduate college. Her future is all planned out. Getting sick wasn’t part of her plan.

Friends and family rally around Sarah as she battles the disease. Her best friend offers inspirational advice while her mother takes her to treatment, her daughter makes green juice, and her older brother provides emotional support and makes her laugh with his ever-present potty mouth.

Then Sarah’s estranged father returns. She gave up on him long ago and doesn’t want to reconnect, but he won’t go away, so she’s stuck dealing with him at the worst possible time. His presence forces her to face a past she’d rather forget as she uses all her strength to fight for her life.

 

 

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Review

 

This novel about Sarah’s journey through breast cancer treatment might have hit fairly close to home. While it has been 20 years since I went through my diagnosis, most of what Sarah was thinking and feeling was close to my experience. It made me a little uncomfortable, but I think that was because it was like reliving that year of my life. I even had the same triple-negative cancer diagnosis. Some of my treatment varied, but that isn’t surprising since this character had a few other things on top of what I had.

Despite that feeling, this book was fraught with emotion. Sarah was definitely on a rollercoaster with how she felt during her treatments, her interactions with her family, her new friend Nancy, a fellow cancer fighter, and her wayward father reappearing in her life, wanting to be a part of it all. There are times when Sarah is hard on herself. Cancer doesn’t care that you have done your best to lead a healthy life; it just pops up out of the blue, and there is nothing you could have done to stop it from appearing. That is probably the hardest battle Sarah has to fight: blame. There is no one to blame for this situation, especially not herself.

I was glad to see that Sarah had a great support system from her husband, daughter, mom, and brother. Her father made an appearance after decades of little contact and not the best childhood for Sarah or her brother. There is some great advice given by Nancy later in the book: to accept him for what he can give if he is going to be a part of her life. Sarah knows what he didn’t do for her growing up, and she can’t really expect him to change. I think this is sage advice for most people.

This book addresses the reality of cancer treatments. While situations will vary, the treatments and emotions are real. I remember how I felt when I started losing my hair. It was hard to cut it off, so it didn’t come off in clumps in the shower or wherever. It isn’t all about vanity. Sure, part of it is feeling like a part of you is missing, but it is about announcing to the world that something is wrong. I will confirm that “chemo brain” is real. Trying to remember everything, the right word, or processes can be daunting.

While fictional, it is based on the author’s own fight with cancer, and any person who has fought cancer will be able to relate to this book.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Kim Cano is the author of six women’s fiction novels: A Widow Redefined, On the Inside, Eighty and Out, His Secret Life, When the Time Is Right, and The Healing Train. Readers say her books are about strong women who struggle but survive, hard-won second chances, family life, and friendship.

Kim lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and cat.

 

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Synopsis

 

Four friends, one city. Grace, Piper, Sydney and Rachel navigate life, careers, and love in Boston. Each woman is newly single and looking for a fresh start. As their work lives start to look up, they each meet a new man who may be “the one”—or may not. The bond the four women share helps them make better sense of their lives, but at times their friendship causes more issues than it solves. New couples form, and one of them is headed for the altar. But which of the women is about to be a bride?

All along the way, Grace, Piper, Sydney and Rachel are each other’s biggest fans and cheerleaders. The Wedding explores the bond women share and the love they seek.

 

 

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Review

 

Four friends. Four relationships. Love and loss, but friendship endures.

This novel follows four friends, their careers, and the relationships that they form. Some are good, some not so good, but at least these women know who they can count on at the end of the day. Some of the relationships are trainwrecks waiting to happen. You know something isn’t right, but you don’t know what until the truth is revealed.

There is a wedding being planned between the chapters, but you have no idea which friend or couple it is until the end. I had my thoughts on who it should be, but I was wrong. You’ll have to read the book to find out who the mystery couple is.

As the book progresses, we learn about each woman’s past relationships, why they failed, and where their life is going. We saw them enter the dating world, whether they were ready for a relationship or not. But sometimes, you just have to get out there and see what happens.

I appreciated that once the mystery couple was revealed, the last chapter and the wedding shared with us what happened to the other three women in the group. I had a few ideas but wasn’t 100% sure what happened to each couple. Also, the last chapter seems to be a few years into the future. This gave a satisfying conclusion to this story.

My only complaint has nothing to do with the story but the eBook. The font is TINY. All ebooks usually load just fine for me, but this one was unreadable on my e-reader, and I had to read it on a larger tablet.

Overall, this is a fun read, and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Kelly Smith, a three-time published author, first came on the scene with her debut novel, Signs in the Rearview Mirror Leaving a Toxic Relationship Behind. After healing from her toxic relationships, she soon realized dating after a toxic relationship was difficult, which then led her to write Out of the Darkness. Out of the Darkness, her sophomore book is about her experiences with healing after abuse, dating, and finding love again. Sunny Day Publishing published all of her books.

Smith, an award-winning writer, writes for Elephant Journal and HuffPost. Smith is a dating expert for the online relationship and dating magazine, GoDates.

Smith is a certified relationship and dating coach who works with clients who are trying to rebuild their lives after an abusive relationship ends, or after a long-term relationship ends.

Smith is a Boston native who moved to the Austin, TX, area in July 2003 with her three sons.

Media Expertise Kelly can speak on topics including domestic violence in teen dating, narcissism and toxic relationships, women as the abusers, recovering from an abusive relationship, dating again after an abusive relationship, narcissism in both men and women and living as an adult child with a narcissistic parent.

 

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Giveaway

 

Win $25 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of the author of THE WEDDING) (one winner / USA only) (ends April 26)

 

THE WEDDING Book Tour Giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

In this heartfelt story about how the places we run from hold the answers to our deepest challenges, the death of her grandmother brings a young woman home, where she must face the past in order to become the heir of not just the family restaurant, but her own destiny.

Violeta Sanoguera had always done what she was told. She left the man she loved in Colombia in pursuit of a better life for herself and because her mother and grandmother didn’t approve of him. Chasing dreams of education and art in New York City, and with a new love, twenty-eight-year-old Violeta establishes a new life for herself, on her terms. But when her grandmother suddenly dies, everything changes.

After years of being on her own in NYC, Violeta finds herself on a plane back to Colombia, accompanied at all times by the ghost of her grandmother who is sending her messages and signs, to find she is the heir of the failing family restaurant, the very one Abuela told her to run from in the first place. The journey leads her to rediscover her home, her grandmother, and even the flame of an old love.

 

 

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Praise

 

“From the moment Vi stepped off the plane in Barranquilla, I felt as if I had come along for the journey. The wonderful descriptions of the town, its people, and Caminito’s traditional Colombian dishes made me wish I was visiting for real. I especially enjoyed the supernatural element to this emotional story about going back home to discover who you were always meant to be.” ―Annette Chavez Macias, bestselling author of Big Chicas Don’t Cry

“The Waves Take You Home is a tender, generous novel that sings with the rhythms of family, food, and love. A warm and wise meditation on the ghosts of lives unlived that challenges familiar immigrant narratives and resounds with the voices of three unforgettable women. María Alejandra Barrios Vélez conjured a world I didn’t want to leave.” ―Katie Gutierrez, national bestselling author of More Than You’ll Ever Know

“It’s hard to put down an international love triangle, especially one featuring ghosts and a quest to save a family’s legacy set along the Caribbean coast! Every page in The Waves Take You Home sizzles with life and lush descriptions. I grew nostalgic as I read for the sights and smells of Colombian street food and culture. It’s a love story, deeply invested in all the ways love defines us―love for family, childhood crushes, tradition, and especially a well-cooked meal.” ―Adriana E. Ramírez, author of Dead Boys, winner of the PEN Fusion Award, and author of the forthcoming novel The Violence

 

 

Interview with Maria

 

 

What inspired you to write THE WAVES TAKE YOU HOME?

 

In 2020, my Abuela’s health declined, as she started to lose her battle with cancer. Due to the pandemic, I couldn’t visit Colombia and say goodbye. My worst fear had happened, and I was left with immense grief. My Abuela, and her stories, were central to my life and shaped my vision of the world. For me, she represented home and although I had left Colombia, it remained in my heart.

The idea for a novel started to take shape during that year as I reflected on how my relationship to my Abuela and her memory would live on. After she died, I was left with the idea of her as a ghost. Not in the classic sense, but she remained someone with whom I constantly spoke. I would wonder what she would do or how she would react to a situation, and sometimes I could sense her by my side. I wanted this book to embody that idea, that you always carry your ancestors with you, and even if you can’t see them, they’re still rooting for you.

I also knew in my bones I wanted this book to be inspired by the stories of the women in my family, and I wanted it to be centered around my interests and what I knew. Like Toni Morrison said, I wanted to write the book I wanted to read. So, I started writing about a family of women, food, cooking, Barranquilla and New York. This is what I knew. I also wanted to write about what scared me, and the feeling that my two lives were growing farther away from each other and the repercussions of this pull. There’s an immense amount of sacrifice with the decision of choosing one life instead of the other.

 

Doña Emilia, Vi’s Abuela, is central to the plot of the story. What do you think is the role of the matriarch in the book?

 

The matriarch in many Latin American cultures is everything. She is the center of the family, the decision maker, the voice of reason and warnings, and a representation of the past; how a particular family unit has lived until now. I think Doña Emilia is the key in acknowledging what has come before for these characters (a past of heartbreak, fear, and struggle), but she is also the one who ultimately leads Vi to examine her life and her choices, and to encourage Vi not repeat the mistakes she made.

 

Generational trauma is another theme discussed in THE WAVES TAKE YOU HOME. Why is this theme important to address?

 

It’s interesting because as I get ready for the book launch, I’ve been reflecting on my writing path. I didn’t grow up writing consistently like many other writers do, and I wasn’t a good reader until I was fourteen or so. But I was always a good listener.

My Abuela would tell me stories about her life, and the life of women in our family. And these stories were always so complete in my head, like the classic tragedies: they were stories with a beginning, a middle, and an end and with one single message: that’s what you get for trusting, for being a pendeja. There are stories about us and our families that we are always listening to, and that lead us to believe things about who we are, and who we could become. It makes it seem like we’re trapped in these ideas and concepts that sometimes aren’t the right fit.

I wanted to show the stories in the Sanoguera family that they tell each other, and I wanted Vi to confront them in order to finally ask a question that we sometimes never ask: What do I think? And what do I believe to be true? And now that I know that, how will I respond?

 

How did you approach the magical realism in the story? What was it like creating a ghost as a character?

 

I grew up surrounded by ghost stories. My Abuela was my best friend, and my caretaker during the day when I was a child. She would tell me all kinds of stories, but my favorite kind would involve ghosts. She had a very matter-of-fact way of talking about ghosts, as if they existed and were just another fact of life.

The greats of magical realism Allende, Marquez, Esquivel, always approach the magical elements in the story as they are, not as something to explain or dissect. Staying true to my Abuela, and my own family history, I also didn’t want to explain it. I was more interested in the readers feeling alongside Vi. I should add that this is the way of my culture. We tell ghost stories with interest and curiosity, without worrying about convincing the audience if they are real or not.

 

There are so many delicious dishes featured in the book! Are these family recipes? What made you decide to include them in your debut novel?

 

Yes! My Abuela’s side of the family is from Spain, and one of the things that was passed down from that heritage was the food. I grew up at my Bisabuela and Abuela’s side watching them cook sopa de bolli (a velvety broth with tender rib and a side of potatoes and green beans you bathe in olive oil), coca bread (a delicious thick pizza with onions, bell peppers, paprika and plenty of spices that give it a great kick!), the classic tortilla española with french bread, and more. We also had the succulent Colombian dishes at home, and since my Bisabuela had a very prominent sweet-tooth and was an incredible baker, she also made sure we had plenty of sweet treats: poundcake, pineapple-rum upside-down cake, black cake, hot flaky dough sprinkled with sugar, a homemade flan bathed in caramel!

The love language of the women in my family was food. I wanted to incorporate that rich and proud heritage of food in the novel because I think you can tell a lot about someone’s culture and background in the spices they eat, how they approach food and cooking (do they do it in a relaxed manner? Is there pressure around it?), and the legacy that this food carries. I wanted Vi to explore the complicated relationship she had with her family through food and cooking—I also wanted to feature the delicious food I grew up eating!

 

A lot of the novel takes place in Barranquilla, Colombia. What is something you wish readers will take away from visiting this place?

 

This book is centered in a real neighborhood, “Barrio Prado,” which is an epicenter of culture and art deco architecture in Barranquilla. Walking there, you can see the beautiful big roble trees and the flowers that the florón trees spread in the streets, that smell like vanilla. Every house in that neighborhood is different and unique. I wanted to share the magic of this neighborhood, both in how it looks and through the wonderful community of people who live there.  Everyone is in everyone’s business, but at the same time, everyone cares so deeply about Caminito and the Sanoguera Family. I wanted to show that side of us, while also showing the beautiful beaches and delicious food.

And the heat! I want people to feel the scorching heat that we get all year round.

 

 

About the Author

 

María Alejandra Barrios Vélez is a writer born in Barranquilla, Colombia. She has an MA in creative writing from the University of Manchester and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and scruffy dog, Gus.

She was the 2020 SmokeLong Flash Fiction Fellow, and her stories have been published in Shenandoah Literary, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, El Malpensante, Fractured Lit, SmokeLong Quarterly, The Offing, and more. Her work has been supported by organizations such as Vermont Studio Center, Caldera Arts, and the New Orleans Writers’ Residency.

 

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Synopsis

 

Recent college graduate Holly Schlivnik dreams of being a writer, but fate has other plans. A family crisis throws her into an improbable situation, and her life will never be the same. Determined to make her own luck when things don’t happen the way she plans, the irrepressible young woman takes a sledgehammer to the glass ceiling and shatters it to smithereens. The wise-cracking, irreverent transplanted Californian takes you on a raucous, rollicking rollercoaster ride of her hysterical adventures as a ladies’ apparel sales rep traveling in the deep South as she ends up finding herself along the way.

 

 

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Review

 

There is a cozy series featuring Holly Schlivnik (Swimsuit), and this book is a great introduction to her, including how she came to work for Ditzy Swimsuits, her background, etc. This book is the prequel and is not a cozy, so don’t expect murders she has to solve.

This is based on the author’s experiences in the garment industry, and I found it fascinating how reps for different clothing lines would travel across the country to meet with buyers to sell those lines for the stores. There is a diverse character list, scenes that might make you cringe, and friendships and love found on the road.

This story is also a great reminder that your path in life might divert from what you expect after college. However, there are so many stories for Holly to tell about her travels with her job, the people she meets, the lessons she learns, and even family life.

I appreciated that Holly was not a person who would roll over just because she was a woman. There are still chauvinistic men in this world, in all industries, and she is not afraid to stand her ground and let them know she is not going to be taken advantage of or be told how to do her job.

This can be read as a standalone or before you start the Holly Swimsuit cozy series.

We give this book 4 paws up and encourage all women to take note of Holly’s endeavors and stand their own ground!

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now, she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries.

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

 

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Synopsis

 

Sometimes you have to run away to find yourself.

Reeling from the sudden loss of her older sister―her only family―Addie May flees Los Angeles without a plan or a destination, and ends up in Georgetown, Texas. Lost and alone, she’s taken in by some kind local ranchers, and there she meets farm hand Zac Ryan, who starts to cut through the grief and pain and show Addie that she has something to live for.

But the small town holds more than just a fresh start for Addie. Fate has brought her face-to-face with a piece of her past, and she can no longer ignore the parts of herself she thought she’d left behind. Without knowing what’s on the horizon, Addie must find the strength to move towards her dreams. Because healing happens when you let love in, and life happens when you start living it.

 

 

 

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Review

 

This book blends romance, friendship, and family strife. The author hits just the right note on all three, which will draw you into the lives of the characters and potentially take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride.

Addie is grieving for the loss of her sister. We don’t know how she died until much later in the book, and once certain details are revealed, her attempt to disappear makes sense. Addie runs from her home in California to Texas and Georgetown at that. Knowing that the author lives in another country, I always wonder how well they will portray a smaller town in Texas and how closely the town resembles fact. While I think it might be off just a little bit, since Georgetown is a little larger than portrayed in the book, it isn’t too far off.

The friendship between Addie and Zac grows over time. There is an attraction between the two, but it takes time to grow into a full-blown relationship. But I like that because many times, relationships are rushed. This one meanders, much like Texas folks.

There are several twists and turns, and fate has stepped in to give Addie more than she ever bargained for. To share any of that would spoil the book, so you will have to pick it up and read it for yourself.

This is the first book by this author that I have read, and I can say that it truly did delight. We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Tay Marley wears many hats: bibliophile, entrepreneur, wife, mother, and featured Wattpad author. Her whirlwind journey on Wattpad began in 2017 and led to one hundred thousand dedicated followers, a five-part series, and three stand-alone books, including her breakout story, The QB Bad Boy and Me, which have amassed over forty-one million reads. She resides in New Zealand with her husband. When she isn’t writing about confident women and their love interests, she’s teaching her three small children how to be the leads in their own epic tales.

 

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Synopsis

 

Gina Marie Cototi is a feisty Sicilian sparkplug, a Brooklyn-based PI with a fondness for family, friends, and one roguishly handsome Casanova named Rocco Benelli. Hey, nobody’s perfect.

This headstrong sleuth drives a split-window ’63 Corvette coupe and never, I mean never, misses Sunday dinner with Ma, Dad, and her sister Theresa.

Broke, brooding, and breathtaking, Benelli, an out-of-work parole officer is cursed with more charm than any man deserves. Deep down, Gina knows she shouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole, but she’s got more cases than she can handle, and Benelli’s ready, willing, and able-bodied, the perfect partner to help her get the goods on Vlad “The Scud” Rzhevsky, a disreputable boxer running point on dirty deeds for Luca Mura, a mobster as evil as he is dangerous.

Gina must somehow close the case without losing her life to Mura or her virtue to Benelli, but a moth working alongside a flame is always in danger of catching fire.

For fans of Janet Evanovich. Think of Man-Killer as Stephanie Plum meets Moonstruck.

 

 

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Review

 

This book was quite a surprise. It was action-packed, funny, and had some over-the-top characters. I might admit that I read this book with a New York accent in my head. I think that made it more authentic.

I really liked Gina’s character. She is smart, modest, and tries to stay above the law, especially since her father is a retired police detective. Rocco was (and still is) a lady’s man with many conquests to his name. I think he has something for Gina, but she isn’t giving in to him despite wanting him. These two pair up to help her clear some of the insurance fraud investigations she has on her plate. Rocco is out of work and agrees to give her a hand for a hefty fee…in advance. Despite the plan to work on different cases, they cross paths when the family classic Corvette is stolen from the front yard. This event sends the pair down some shady and questionable paths.

I haven’t even mentioned Gina’s sister, Theresa. She is an over-the-top character. She is probably my least favorite character because I couldn’t relate to her at all, and she lacked some redeeming qualities other than being a devoted older sister. She is a good woman, just a bit too much for my tastes. But despite that, she isn’t afraid to jump in and help Gina out whenever possible.

I am unsure if this will be a series, but I think it should be. There are so many possibilities for Gina, Rocco, and the rest of the gang.

Overall, I give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Sitting at the café table with my back to the door I could feel my excitement building. Rocco’s scent sailed in on a breeze as he walked through the door, the unmistakable fragrance of his aftershave, his shampoo, and his musk, a perfect storm of sensory eroticism as evocative as hickory burning in the fireplace on a bitter and snowy night. He was well behind me and out of sight but I was sure it was him. The back of my neck tingled with the dance of a thousand rising hairs as his image took shape in my mind. I could picture his swagger as he came toward me—the slapping of his leather boots on the café’s oak floor, the rising and settling of his broad chest. Heart thumping, I reached for my coffee and knocked over the paper cup. A pool of rich brown awkwardness spread across the table before me. I caught my reflection in the liquid and thought, klutz!

I jumped out of my chair and right into his brawny arms. Somehow, I managed to suppress one hell of a telltale gasp, an I’m-swept-away gasp.

“Hey, Gina Marie, are you all right?” he asked in his throaty baritone, a voice that made me vibrate like a pitchfork all the way down to the tips of my toes.

His breath carried the mystery of every woman he’d ever been with, titillating and taunting me. “Hey, biyatch, we kissed Rocco,” they trilled, “mouth-to-mouth, tongue-to-tongue. Suck it!”

I couldn’t think of a thing to say to him while I stood there, dumbstruck, gawking at the iron of his stubble-clad chin and the fathomless depth of his brown eyes that matched the hue of his wavy ringlets. Time stood still while I was in his arms. I felt safe and protected. I kid you not, the man’s embrace was as enveloping as a fucking womb.

Hey, Gina Marie Cototi, snap out of it!  Get your head out of your ass. Slamming my open palm into the center of his chest, I shoved him away. “Getting a little handsy this morning, Rocco?”

Palms out, he backed away. “Whoa, easy, Gina. I was just trying to help.”

I felt my armor shoring up, the interlocking of a trillion nanobots erecting an impenetrable shield around me. “Yeah, right—you mean helping yourself to an early morning grope is more like it.” Meanwhile, coffee was dripping off the edge of the table, running down my leg, and puddling at the bottom of my left boot. The sticky liquid squished between my toes. Yuck.

 

 

About the Author

 

Lawrence Kelter hails from New York but now calls North Carolina his home. He is the bestselling author of more than twenty-five mystery and thriller novels including the Stephanie Chalice Mystery Series that has topped bestseller lists in the US, UK, and Australia. In 2017 he penned BACK TO BROOKLYN, the studio-authorized sequel to the cult comedy classic “My Cousin Vinny.”

Early in his writing career, he received direction from literary icon, Nelson DeMille, who edited portions of his early work. Well before he said, “Lawrence Kelter is an exciting new novelist, who reminds me of an early Robert Ludlum,” he said, “Kid, your work needs editing, but that’s a hell of a lot better than not having talent. Keep it up!”

His novels are quickly paced and crammed full of twists, turns, and laughs.

 

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Synopsis

 

On paper, Zoe Zeng has made it in New York’s fashion world as a fashion columnist at Chic. But life in New York City isn’t as chic as Zoe imagined. Then one day, Zoe receives a job offer at FitPick, an app startup based in Silicon Valley. With her current career at a dead end, Zoe accepts the offer and swaps high fashion for high tech, haute couture for HTML. She soon realizes that in an industry claiming to change the world for the better, not everyone’s intentions are pure. With an eight-figure investment on the line, Zoe must find a way to revamp FitPick’s image despite Silicon Valley’s elitism and her icy colleagues. Or the company’s future will go up in smoke—and hers with it.

 

 

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Review

 

I stayed up way too late trying to finish this book! I didn’t make it and had to finish up the next day. Yes, it was that good!

This book reminded me that while women have come a long way in this world, there are plenty of men out there who still try to hold us back. This book may hit some trigger points for people, but everything that happened is what you see in this world today. It is a shame that we haven’t moved past the point where people do not treat each other respectfully and only look out for their own interests.

Zoe is young and has a lot to learn, but that doesn’t stop her from jumping into a new career across the country. I appreciated her zeal for the job and also for championing the underdog in the influencer world. She may have been naive at various times, but I think her inexperience was actually a plus in this situation. She could think outside the box. Plus, fashion is her world and she knew what would or wouldn’t work.

There are friendships that are formed along the way for Zoe, and even some interoffice romance. Zoe is true to herself, or at least does her best, and seeks out the same in those around her. She has to navigate a few sticky situations but does it gracefully and without too many blunders. She is a character that I really admire, even when she is having a pity party.

While I have had a bit of a reading slump so far this year, this book engaged my soul and reenergized my love for reading.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Born and raised in Singapore, Kyla Zhao graduated in 2021 from Stanford University with an MA in Communications (Media Studies) and a BA in Psychology. Right now, she works in marketing at a tech company in Silicon Valley, California.

Besides novel writing, Kyla has an extensive magazine editorial portfolio. Previously, she was a fashion and lifestyle writer at Vogue Singapore. She has also written for the Singapore editions of Harper’s Bazaar and Tatler, covered the Asian Television Awards, and interviewed personalities such as singer Nathan Sykes.

Above all else, Kyla hopes to champion Asian representation in her works and write the characters of color that she rarely got to read about when she was young.

 

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Synopsis

 

The Russell family members all seem to have–gifts. Eldest sister Penelope naturally infuses strength or joy or love into the fabric of the dresses she designs as a seamstress. Her younger sister, Lilith, is never without whatever she needs—there’s always a person nearby who just happens to have an apartment available to rent, or a part-time job open, or a car to borrow just when they need it. And Lilith’s adult daughter, Mattie, always seems to trigger the perfect song to mysteriously start playing. And at the heart of the family is their old Victorian home that sometimes seems to have a personality in and of itself. When independent, artistic Mattie Russell finds herself back in the family home after her mother’s unexpected death, she has no intention of sticking around the small town. But during the reading of the will, the family is shocked to learn Lilith included a testamentary trust that requires Mattie to stay in Ivy Ridge long enough to complete a series of seemingly absurd tasks in order to claim her inheritance. While completing the tasks, Mattie discovers that her mother had a well-thought-out plan for her daughter that would lead Mattie to finding her birth father, learn to keep her heart open for love, and discover that staying still long enough to sow seeds can produce a stunning garden and vibrant life.

 

 

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Review

 

This was such a fun book to read. It is about family, dreams, destiny, truth, and love.

The Russell women could be considered enchanted, as they have the ability to make life better for themselves and others around them through their talents. While decisions made by some kept the family apart, her death brings them back together. It is also about looking past the choices made in your younger years to discover your destiny for today.

This story is told from several points of view – Mattie, Penelope, and Jonathan. Mattie is dealing with the death of her mother and what this means for her going forward. Her life was following her mother from town to town and living a nomadic lifestyle. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when the person dies that you had those experiences with, it changes your life forever. Penelope has been locked into her world in Ivy Ridge for a few decades based on some decisions she made in the past. But life is about second chances and the strength to change the trajectory your life is on. The same could be said for Jonathan. He might not think that he would be happy in Ivy Ridge, but a medical scare with his father gives him the opportunity to rethink what life might be like in this little town.

I really liked how the story came together, weaving in the past with the present. The three main characters all learn something about themselves and what they believe to be true when it might not be the truth. The characters all get happily ever afters, but it is a journey to get to that point.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the house and its enchantment in helping guide Penelope and Mattie in the right direction.

We give this book 5 paws up and suggest adding it to your TBR list.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Born and raised in southern Georgia, where honeysuckle grows wild, and the whippoorwills sing, Jennifer Moorman is the bestselling author of the magical realism Mystic Water series. Jennifer started writing in elementary school, crafting epic tales of adventure, love, and magic. She wrote stories in Mead notebooks, on printer paper, on napkins, and on the soles of her shoes. Her blog is full of dishes inspired by fiction, and she hosts baking classes showcasing these recipes. Jennifer considers herself a traveler, a baker, and a dreamer. She can always be won over with chocolate, unicorns, or rainbows. She believes in love—everlasting and forever.

 

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Synopsis

 

Sunny, Arianna and Molly are having three very different but equally terrible Christmases. Sunny is a newlywed with two new stepkids who want nothing to do with her; Arianna is newly divorced and hates having to send her daughter off to spend the holiday with her dad; for Molly, nothing is new, but her job at the post office is getting very, very old. The whole Christmas season has been a bust all around.

But Sunny and Arianna have a wild idea: What if they had a Christmas do-over in January? February? On Saint Patrick’s Day? Christmas all year long—what could that look like?

As these three determined women chase the perfect holiday through twelve months of cooking disasters, over-the-top festivity, and lots of laughter and tears, they’ll discover perfection is way overrated.

 

 

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Review

 

Sigh, this novel has all the feels – from joy to anger to sadness and love. This band of friends is there through thick and thin, the ups and downs, which is what all true friends do. That isn’t to say they don’t have their disagreements or misunderstandings, but this trio represents what friendship should look like.

Arianna, Ava, and Sunny are fast friends. They have been dealt with their own share of problems, but I like how they help one another through those times. Whether it is ex-husbands that are the scourge of the earth or stepchildren that make life crazy. There are also mothers who bring a fresh perspective to their world.

After a rotten Christmas, they decide to celebrate Christmas each month. There is a theme for the month, but they still bring in the joy of Christmas, from giving gifts to wearing stocking hats and more. As the year went on, I enjoyed seeing the ups and downs of each woman and their families. Not every day or celebration was perfect, but they made it balanced and stepped up to support one another during some dark and sad times. There are many moments where I shed a tear or two, but that is the sign of good writing when it tugs on the emotions.

I don’t know if I had a favorite character or not, but I think Molly might top the list. She is Ava’s mother and has worked as a postal worker for many years. She has her eyes set on retirement when she hits 60. Will she make it? There are many unhappy customers at the post office, which we may have all experienced in our own towns, but this monthly Christmas project puts a new spin on how she addresses these people. Perhaps there is more to them than just a transaction. I think I connected to her because of her age, and while I haven’t gone through what she has gone through, I can appreciate her struggles and successes.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention there is a dog in here, too, Buster. He is adorable, and how could anyone not love him?

I was sad to see the book end but happy knowing there were so many positives that came out of this book. Be kind to one another; you never know what someone else is going through.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

Sunny Hollowell had planned a perfect day for her first Christ- mas as a wife and stepmom and it was a fail. Who was it that said something about the best-laid plans getting screwed up? Whoever it was, her mom liked to quote him a lot.

“The best-laid plans of mice and men,” her mom had begun when Sunny told her about the latest development as she and Dad walked in the door, presents in tow.

“And women,” Sunny had added before Mom could fin- ish. Women who were trying their best to be a good wife and mother, women who only wanted to bring two families to- gether for a memorable day.

The day was memorable all right, but not in the way Sunny had intended.

It all began at eight in the morning. Sunny had found a recipe online for a crescent roll breakfast pastry with a cherry filling shaped like a candy cane and, to her surprise and glee, it had actually turned out like the picture, ready for the kids to be dropped off by their mom at nine o’clock. She was laying it out on the family room coffee table for everyone to enjoy while they opened presents when the Weed called Travis to let him know that she wasn’t going to bring the kids over for the big day.

“What do you mean you’re still stuck in Spokane?” Travis had growled into his cell phone.

Sunny had watched the anger roll over his features like a breaking storm. Scratch two kids from the guest list. Tansy strikes again.

“You did this on purpose,” he’d accused.

Of course, Tansy would deny it. That was how she rolled. Mess with the ex and his new wife as much as possible but never let it look like you meant to. Was Tansy’s mother psychic when she named her daughter after a noxious weed?

“Well, thanks a lot,” Travis had growled. “Way to screw up Christmas for the kids.”

“Okay, what happened?” Sunny had asked after he ended the call and dumped his phone on the coffee table.

“She did it again, managed to screw us over,” he’d said, and slumped on the sofa. “She and Jared accidentally—” he held up exaggerated air quotes “—missed their flight home last night and are stuck at his parents’ place.”

“Can’t they get another flight out? There has to be something going out today.” Of course, by the time they got to Bremer- ton, Washington, breakfast and Christmas dinner would long be over.

“Not until tomorrow.”

Sunny had made a superhuman effort to blink back tears. Poor Travis was already upset about not getting to be with his kids. She didn’t need to make things worse by having a holi- day meltdown. But darn, she’d sure wanted to.

 

 

About the Author

 

USA Today and Publishers Weekly best-selling author Sheila Roberts has written over fifty books under various names, ranging from romance to self-improvement. Over three million books have been sold to date. Her humor and heart have won her a legion of fans, and her novels have been turned into movies for both the Lifetime and Hallmark channels. When she’s not out dancing with her husband or hanging out with her girlfriends, she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends, and chocolate.

 

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