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Review: Hold Me by Susan Mallery

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Hold Me is released today!

Random Book Muses's avatarRandom Book Muses

Talk about character development! You’ve got Kipling Gilmore as a secondary character in previous Fool’s Gold books, and though he was always okay, I never felt the need to know him better. In Hold Me, Mallery highlights Kipling’s intuitiveness, protectiveness and good will toward his community.

Destiny Mills’ character drives forward the plot as she changes from living a superficial life with defensive walls up, to a woman who embraces and rejoices in the challenges and blessings that befall her. Destiny gets in touch with her inner musician, and subsequently thrives. 🙂

I loved Destiny’s relationship with her sister and the other women of Fool’s Gold. But I also had a lot of fun reading the male bonding scenes. Mallery put an authentic voice to husbands and brothers who want to appear macho while staying out of the proverbial doghouse.

Well done, as always, and I can’t wait for the…

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Review: The Beautiful Daughters by Nicole Baart

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51VTun6jFsL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_One of the very first books I read on my Kindle was After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart. It was such a beautiful, lyrical story that it sticks with me to this very day. As do the sequels as well as others written by Baart. So it was with great excitement that I began her newest book.

Adri and Harper were the best of friends. Along with a few select others, they did everything together. Their futures looked bright, and they had their whole lives ahead of them. But then tragedy struck, and their close-knit group of five was reduced to four. Driven apart by equal parts grief and guilt, they all went in separate directions.

Now they’ve been brought back together as Adri comes home to help settle the estate of a family friend. But it’s impossible to pick up where they’ve left off. Too many changes have happened, and too many secrets from the past remain just below the surface.

This is a book that was compelling and intriguing from the very beginning. You just know that there’s more to the story than what you’re getting, and you gladly go along for the ride. The author is such a skillful storyteller that you’re pulled into the story immediately. The characters are likable, and the story is entirely believable. A great read!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Beautiful Daughters: A Novel

Review: Take Another Look by Rosalind Noonan

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511PcSLyRdL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_This latest thriller from Rosalind Noonan had me hooked from the very first page. From the opening scenes until the conclusion, I simply could not tear myself away.

It starts off as sort of a “What would you do?” When Jane finds herself pregnant with twins and in an unhealthy relationship, she makes the heart-wrenching decision to give one of the babies up for adoption. After struggling with just which twin to keep, she makes peace with herself and her choice. She moves away and starts a new life with baby Harper.

Several years later, her past comes back to haunt her when she unwittingly comes face to face with her long-lost daughter, Isabel. Everything she’s struggled to build for both herself and Harper is threatened when she must ‘fess up to Harper.

As if that wasn’t a hard enough task, Isabel’s arrival coincides with some strange happenings. Accidents, missing items, illnesses, truths disguised as lies…Jane doesn’t know who or what to believe. Are these just more of Harper’s typical teenage dramatic outbursts? Or is something more disturbing at play?

This is one of those stories where you might think you know what’s going on. I thought the same thing. And I was right. Partially. It’s a book that leads you on and keeps you guessing. And even when you’ve got it figured out, it’s still one heck of a story!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Take Another Look

Review: The Unexpected Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell

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I have a paper back copy of this fresh, fun British chick lit… COMMENT ON THE BLOG for a chance to win it in a random drawing. CONTEST ENDS TODAY AT 5pm EDT. I’ll email the winner to request mailing address. Thank you, and Good Luck!

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Confident Sophie photographs like a boss. She’s professional, punctual, talented, and fun. But she won’t turn the lens on herself, figuratively speaking. She buried deeply past hurts and fears, and she has no desire to revisit them.

Josh is a good-hearted, wealthy young man who traded a fast LA life for the slower paced business of helping his grandmother run her inn. He meets Sophie, and together they travel the road of I Like You But I Don’t Want To Like You.

I love that Sophie didn’t play with Josh’s feelings, even though she had a difficult time having a man in her life. And Josh was such a sweetheart, gently persisting in loving and caring ways.

Mansell also rocked the subplot of Tula and Riley. The reader gets the benefit of seeing Tula and Sophie’s friendship, plus Tula’s chance at romance.

I really really really had fun seeing Riley’s…

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Review: The Inn at Ocean’s Edge by Colleen Coble

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  The wonderful thing about blogging is being able to share my love of reading, and hopefully inspire someone to pick up a book (or add one to an existing collection). 

And sometimes my job is to be real about the fact that some books didn’t end up quite as good as they could have been. 

The Inn at Ocean’s Edge has a terrific Maine setting and lovely characters – even impressive parallelism with the orca’s matriline discussions and the mystery surrounding Claire’s family. I adored the friendships, the hotel family, the budding romance, and the grandmother. 

But the suspense part was poorly executed. An attacker clandestinely beating up the same woman over and over without any witnesses or clues… The sheriff’s office refusal to investigate… I just don’t think that would happen to a high profile, wealthy family.  No one recognizing the painting of her attacker? Not even the police of the town where he lived?! Totally unbelievable. 

So. Loved the family. Loved the saga. Hated the execution of the mystery. 

I’ll consider reading Book 2 because this series is set in New England (fave!) and it’s Christian, and I’m a sucker for romance (I really want to find out which couples will have HEAs). But Ms. Coble, please ask your editor to help you tighten up the suspense aspect! 

-calliope

Buy THE INN AT OCEAN’S EDGE

Review and Giveaway: Deep, by Kylie Scott

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01deep I have enjoyed all these Stage Dive stories so much, this was bittersweet for me. I knew the end was coming, but it still doesn’t make it easier.

SYNOPSIS
Positive. With two little lines on a pregnancy test, everything in Lizzy Rollins’ ordinary life is about to change forever. And all because of one big mistake in Vegas with Ben Nicholson, the irresistibly sexy bass player for Stage Dive. So what if Ben’s the only man she’s ever met who can make her feel completely safe, cherished, and out of control with desire at the same time? Lizzy knows the gorgeous rock star isn’t looking for anything more permanent than a good time, no matter how much she wishes differently.

Ben knows Lizzy is off limits. Completely and utterly. She’s his best friend’s little sister now, and no matter how hot the chemistry is between them, no matter how sweet and sexy she is, he’s not going to go there. But when Ben is forced to keep the one girl he’s always had a weakness for out of trouble in Sin City, he quickly learns that what happens in Vegas, doesn’t always stay there. Now he and Lizzie are connected in the deepest way possible…but will it lead to a connection of the heart?

Ben, Ben, Ben….. You’d think he’d remember, from watching the other guys, that you can’t run away from love. It finds you and catches you and never lets you go. No matter how much you fight it, love is it’s own master and commander.

When Ben is handed the new of the century, to say he’s shocked is an understatement. This boy was not prepared for this. In fact, neither was Lizzy, but she had no choice but to get prepared whether or not he was with her.

Ben doesn’t do love. He does lust. But there’s something about Lizzy that he can’t seem to let go, and yet, he doesn’t want to hold on. Lizzy would love for him to love her, but she’s trying not to maintain a sense of independence, just in case. I just loved her. She was smart and had enough sass to make me giggle. Her witt and sarcasm made her one of the best characters. She was so believable, which is why my heart broke when hers did.

Now, I love Ben. I really do. But I wanted to smack that boy upside his head, for the way he treated Liz. My heart was crumbling as I watched her fall apart and be alone. I also loved the way the other characters had a part in his transformation. Even his sister made an untimely appearance, which set things off, and not in a good way.

Kylie had a way of twisting my heart and making me sad and mad in the blink of an eye and then 10 seconds later had me smiling and swooning. Perfect ending to this rocking series. They will be missed.

~Melpomene

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!!
SIGNED SET OF ALL FOUR STAGE DIVE BOOKS

Buy Deep (Stage Dive Series Book 4)

Get caught up with the other Stage Dive guys in:
Lick (Stage Dive Series Book 1)
Play (Stage Dive Series Book 2)
Lead (Stage Dive Series Book 3)

EXCERPT
C’mon. How have you been, really? What’s been going on with you?” he pushed. I frowned at him and he frowned right back. “Liz, please.”
I groaned in defeat. “All right, I suck.”
“Why do you suck?”
“So very many reasons.” I pushed my hair back from my face—no more hiding. “Pregnancy sucks. It’s natural, my ass. I finally stop throwing up, but I’m tired all the time. Giving up coffee was horrendous. None of my clothes fit right because of these stupid breasts, and they ache constantly. I have to pee like every thirty seconds, and then to top it off, I cry every time the Healthy Hound ad comes on. It’s ridiculous”
Little wrinkles appeared either side of his nose. “You cry at a dog food ad?”
“Yes. The puppies jump all over each other to get to their mother and it’s just so beautiful, with their cute little tails wagging and everything.”
He just stared at me.
“I know its psycho, Ben. Believe me, I’m well aware of this.”
“Hey, it’s fine.” He covered a smile with his hand. Too late, the bastard.
“You try dealing with all these hormones going apeshit. Crap. Apeshoot.”
“Apeshoot?”
“I’m trying not to swear,” I explained. “You want the first word our child comes out with to be something bad?”
“No. Gotcha.” The man was incredibly bad at hiding a grin. “No swearing.”

Review: On a Ring and a Prayer by Sandra Bricker

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I adored Bricker’s Always the Baker series, and so I jumped in wholeheartedly to this new series. The first book is enjoyable, but maybe not quite impressive as I had hoped. 

Jessie comes home one day to find her life closed up – no furniture, no car, no husband. She cries on best friend Piper’s shoulder, then hires Danny to investigate. She gets back on her feet stronger than ever… And a new Jessie is in the making. 

I loved Danny. He lives his faith but doesn’t preach it, has a cool best friend to surf with, and is adamant about doing the decent thing when he can. 

Jessie is a great character for a series because she has flaws that make for good comic relief. And what fun to see her untapped talent at solving mysteries! I love the partner-in-crime aspect and can’t wait to read more. 

Bricker is a pro at setting the scene for not only many more mysteries to come, but for a love story, new friendships, and professional success.

-calliope

Buy ON A RING AND A PRAYER

Review: The Forever Bridge by T. Greenwood

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22544408All writers tell a story. Some simply narrate events, and some add a little bit more. And then there’s the all too rare author who takes those words and infuses them with a mystical, musical rhythm that’s as beautiful as the actual story. T. Greenwood is one of those authors.

Sylvie was once a happily married mother of two. But after one tragic night, a horrific accident, she’s suddenly no longer married. And she’s now the mother of one lost little girl who she no longer knows how to connect with. But Sylvie is not the only one who is suffering. Young Ruby misses her brother. She misses her dad as he was before the accident. And she misses her mom. When Sylvie and Ruby are forced to spend time together, the question becomes can they find their way back to each other?

I read my first T. Greenwood story a few years ago, and I was immediately struck by how eloquently the author tells her stories. She doesn’t just write the words. Instead she makes you feel them. It’s not hard to feel their pain, their struggles, their hopes as you read. This is contemporary fiction at its finest, a story that will tug on your heart strings and keep you reading with your heart and soul from beginning to end.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Forever Bridge

Review: Since You’ve Been Gone by Mary Jennifer Payne

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21445463Young adult novels are all the rage these days for readers of all ages. Almost every topic has been covered, from the inevitable end of the world to bullying to love gone wrong. This first novel by Mary Jennifer Payne is both similar but different enough from others to make it worth reading.

Just as fifteen-year-old Edie is beginning to settle into a somewhat “normal” life, she and her mom, Sydney, must leave their home once again. Almost everything gets left behind, even Edie’s beloved cat, Peaches. She understands the reason they must flee yet another home, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Still, she’s a strong girl who goes along with her mom’s new plans willingly. However, when Sydney doesn’t come home after working her first shift at a new job, Edie fears the worst. Has their past caught up with them? Should Edie trust the authorities to help find her mom or is she utterly, completely on her own?

This was a quick, engaging book that had me sitting down to finish it in one evening. The author pulls you in from the moment Edie and her mom go on the run and holds you captive until the very end. It’s easy enough to guess that they’ve been victims of domestic abuse, most likely at the hands of Edie’s father. But there’s still enough of the unknown to make it an intriguing story. The characters are both likable and entirely believable, which is not very common in young adult literature these days. It’s also a fairly safe read for teens with just the hint of past and future violence. Add this one to your list of debut releases from promising new authors!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Since You’ve Been Gone

Review: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

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21853621Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and many of my most memorable reads fall into this category. That being said, it’s a genre that’s been hit or miss for me. A book is either at the top of my charts, such as The Book Thief, or it’s at the bottom. I’ll refrain from naming some of those bottom lurkers. This newest book from Kristin Hannah, however, suffers no such fate.

Vianne is living a happy, simple life with her husband and daughter in a small French village. And then the war becomes all too real as her husband is called to fight and her village is taken over by the Nazis. Vianne’s primary focus now becomes survival and escaping the attention of the occupying enemy. This is made more difficult when Nazi soldiers take over her home. And then there’s her strong-willed sister, Isabelle. Isabelle has always had a strong sense of right and wrong, and even the threat of imprisonment or even death isn’t enough to stop her. While Vianne tries to simply fly under the radar, Isabelle finds herself in the thick of it as a covert French Resistance fighter. Vianne constantly struggles with keeping herself and her daughter safe while at the same time doing what is right.

The story alternates between war-torn France and present-day America as the narrator relives this dark period in her past. Along the way we find out that nobody is who they seem, and you never really know everything about a person, even if they are a family member. An especially appealing part of this story is that the identity of the narrator isn’t revealed until the very end, leaving you guessing as to just whose story you’re hearing.

This book was a drastic departure from other stories I’ve read by this author. While all of her stories have been outstanding, previous ones I’ve read have had more of a romantic, women’s lit type feel to them. The Nightingale encompasses that as well as so much more. It’s a love story, but also a story of survival as well as family dynamics. It’s not just a book for women, but also a book for anybody interested in World War II and especially the role played by females. I look forward to hearing what others think about this outstanding story!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Nightingale