#BookReview Love, Reality Style by Judith Natelli McLaughlin

Love, Reality Style
by Judith Natelli McLaughlin

Genre: Romance, Chick Lit, Drama, Contemporary, Women Fiction
Publication: 7th 2016 by Blue Moon Publishers
Format: ebooks
Source: Netgalley, Author, Publisher
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

When cake-loving third-grade teacher Mary Grace Falcone receives a proposition of marriage from her germ-phobic boyfriend Ralph Ichy, her comfortable life is thrown into a tailspin. Should she marry Ralph? The man dubbed "the CEO of Antiseptic Hands"? Reluctantly, and despite the differing opinions of her best friends Jayde and Annie, Mary Grace accepts. Her decision gets her meddling mother off her back, but also lands her on a reality wedding show where handsome host, Nick Charmin, unexpectedly falls for her.

Will Mary Grace choose hot Nick or faithful Ralph? Is the decision really hers to make? And, is a slice of cake actually the answer to all of life's problems?

I'm such a sucker for books with a food theme. When I heard that the main character, Mary Grace love cake, I know that I need to read this book.

I love the idea of the book, with Mary Grace's hesitation to accept her germ-phobic boyfriend, Ralph Ichy, proposal. I’m sure that many could relate to Mary Grace’s situation. She just wasn’t sure if Ralph was the right man for her. And then, there was her meddlesome friends and mom.

I have to say that I wasn’t a big fan of Mary Grace. Especially after she accepted Ralph’s proposal and met Nick Charmin, the handsome TV host of the wedding show she joined. I thought that Mary Grace’s and Nick’s attraction towards each other came a bit forced and sudden. There are times when I thought that Mary Grace didn’t deserve Ralph. He’s a nice guy, despite being a germ-phobic. He lived with his mother, but only because he loved her, and she was in a situation.

The supporting characters made the book much interesting. Mary Grace’s friends, Jayde, and Annie were two interesting characters. I love how they both have different personalities and advice to Mary Grace. But Mary Grace’s mom definitely irritated me with her attitude to her daughter. 

Love, Reality Style is a quick romance read. The book was written in several point-of-views, but, mainly focusing on Mary Grace’s. I wish that the author concentrates on Mary Grace’s alone. I didn’t like how I get to see a glimpse of Jayde and Annie’s life, but, I didn’t get to learn what happen to the rest of their stories.

I received a copy of this book from the Netgalley & Blue Moon Publishers in exchange for my review.

On Tour: This One's For You by Brandy Jellum - Review + Excerpt

Brandy Jellum is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, This One's For You. Please visit her page for more blog stops.

This One's For You
by Brandy Jellum

Genre: Drama, New Adult, Romance
Publication: Published July 24th, 2015 by Booktrope
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All alone in a new state, Brennan Daniels has only the memories of her best friend, Reagan, to keep her company as she starts college.

Reagan is the reason for everything Brennan does—before she died, she made Brennan promise to stay good until she found a man worth keeping. No boys, no dating, and definitely no falling in love—those were the rules for college, and Brennan carved them into the brick walls guarding her heart…

But there’s a fire burning behind those walls, and when Brennan meets Owen Scott, the (mysterious) new guy across the hall, she can’t deny the pull between them. He is everything she should never want. Everyone warns her to stay away—even Owen himself—but the heart wants what the heart wants, even if it knows that it’s going to get hurt—even if it means throwing old promises to new flames…

I was intrigued with the blurbs when I saw This One's For You by Brandy Jellum, and decided to read it. I love the sound of Owen, the mysterious guy across the hall. Brennan was dealing with the loss of her best friend, Reagan. They made a promise for college—no boys, no dating and no falling in love. And Brennan intended to keep her promise until she met Owen Scott across the hall. 

I love how the story started. It was exciting to see how Brennan started college and how she was going to survive it with new friends, class and everything. The characters were fun. Owen was such a playboy. But he can be nice and quirky. I immediately fell in love with Brennan and her relationship with her brothers and her new roommate, Amelia. 

Brandy Jellum writing was easy to get into and it flows nicely. I enjoyed reading her style, but not so much with so many dramas between Brennan and Owen of the story. I wished Brennan talk a lot more about Reagan, since they are best friend. And I definitely wanted to see more of Brennan, Amelia and their friendship. Overall, This One's For You by Brandy Jellum is definitely an enjoyable read, if not for a few issues. But, I think, fans of the new adult's book would surely enjoy this.

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher/CLP Blog Tour in exchange for my review.

Excerpt

My body started to shake as the first tears streamed down my cheeks. I slid down to the floor, pulling my knees to my chest, and rocked back and forth. As more tears fell, my sobs became louder. Everything I had been holding in until that moment burst free from the dam I had carefully built.

Every emotion: anger, sadness, guilt, desperation, fear, anxiety, remorse, and rage overcame me in that single second. Everything I was afraid to let myself feel, I was feeling all at once. My body shook violently as the tears continued to stream down my face, and my throat was hoarse from crying.

It happened—I finally broke.

For the first time in almost a year, I let myself feel something—really feel something. The tears I had shed in the past were nothing compared to the ones I was crying now. The pain was unbearable. I wanted it to all go away. I wanted to rewind the clock just a little bit. I’d rather deal with my brothers acting like fools than to feel this.

This was the moment everyone close to me was waiting for, the moment when I finally let everything sink in. They were waiting for me to break. I was surprised it wasn’t sooner.

My sobs echoed the breaking of my heart. Speaking for the things I couldn’t say—the one thing I wanted to shout loud enough for everyone to hear; it wasn’t fair! Why was the most beautiful person I’d ever known stripped from this earth before it was her time?

Seeing Ronnie, hearing his plan, brought everything to the surface. Why couldn’t he stay away? Everyone was constantly pushing me, and this time they pushed me too far. I went right over the cliff, and there was no end in sight.

I barely heard the soft knock against the bathroom door over the sound of my own sobs. I held my breath, waiting to see if it was just my imagination, when there was another rap against the wooden door.

I heard a loud sigh and a soft thump against the sturdy wood. My chest heaved as I kept as quiet as I could, my face soaked with tears. I wiped at them furiously, trying to get them to stop. The more I fought against it, the faster they seemed to fall.

My mouth was dry. I licked my lips, tasting the saltiness of my broken heart.

“Brennan . . .” Owen said.

“I’ll be out in a moment.”

I bit my bottom lip. I had to get myself together. I needed to get up off the floor, put a smile on my face, and go on like nothing happened. There was a reason why it had taken so long for me to break—I kept pretending I was fine. It wasn’t healthy, but staying on the cold bathroom floor bawling wasn’t either.

I had to go back to the way I was prior to this. I had to grin it and bear it. Like nothing in the world could get me down. It was the only way I was going to survive.

Author Bio

Brandy’s passion for writing began long before she actually sat down to write. As a child, she has had an obsession with reading, everything from the classic stories by Jane Austen to YA Fiction by Richelle Mead. Finally, in 2012, she decided to create her own stories for people to fall in love with. Brandy bounces back and forth writing both Romance and Young Adult Fiction (which is mainly just for fun). At the beginning of 2014, Brandy signed a contract with publishing company Booktrope. She is very excited about the next chapter of her life and cannot wait to share her books and passion with readers. When she isn’t writing, she can be found chasing after her husband, her four children and her black lab, Diesel. Or curled up on her favorite corner of the couch with her newest book.

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Review: Blackmail Boyfriend by Chris Cannon

Blackmail Boyfriend
by Chris Cannon

Genre: Drama, Romance, Young Adult
Publication: August 11th, 2015 by Entangled Publishing: Crush
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, NetGalley
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Sometimes, blackmail is the only weapon a girl has…

Haley Patterson has had a crush on golden boy Bryce Colton for ages. But when she hears a rumor that he hooked up with her she gives him a choice: be her boyfriend for a month to show other guys that she’s dateable—despite her overprotective and very intimidating brothers—or deal with the angry, cage-fighting boyfriend of the girl he actually did hook up with.

Bryce didn’t know the other Haley even had a boyfriend. He was just trying to get his ex off his back. And now, not only is he being blackmailed, he's being blackmailed by an honor student. His new “girlfriend” has two three-legged dogs, her father mows grass at the country club, and she's…well, difficult. And different.

Can something so fake turn into something real?

Haley Patterson heard a rumor that she hooked up with Bryce Colton. Turns out that Bryce hooked up with a different Haley, and the other Haley had a boyfriend, Danny. So Haley gave him a choice: to pretend to be her boyfriend for a month, so that she can show the guys that she's dateable, and for her brothers to stop being overprotective, and Bryce can avoid beating from Danny.

I didn't expect much when I start reading this one. I mean, judging from the blurbs, I know that the story was going to be predictable. Even so, I love reading stories like this. Why? Because I enjoyed reading a light and fun romance after a hectic week. It's relaxing.

I love Haley. She's sweet, she loves animals, and she made me laugh out loud the most. Although, I do think that Haley kinda took the fake relationship way seriously, even though it was all pretend. She can be a bit immature sometimes, which can be a bit annoying. 

The story was written in both Haley's and Bryce's POV, but I think the story would be better if it was written in Haley's POV alone. I do enjoy reading on Bryce's POV, but I don't think there's much difference between Haley's and Bryce's POV.

But still, Blackmail Boyfriend by Chris Cannon was a fun read. It's cute, fluffy and funny. The characters were great. Haley and Bryce were cute together. The story and plot was not so bad, and the most important thing is that, I enjoyed reading this book. I would definitely recommend this book to those who were looking for a light romance.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

On Tour: Absolutely True Lies by Rachel Stuhler - Review + Excerpt

Rachel Stuhler is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, Absolutely True Lies. Please visit her page for more blog stops.

Absolutely True Lies
by Rachel Stuhler

Genre: Chick Lit, Humor, Romance, Drama
Publication: May 26th 2015
Format: ebook
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours, NetGalley
Connect: Website | Facebook
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A fledgling entertainment writer stumbles into the gig of a lifetime writing a teenage pop star’s memoir and soon realizes that the young celebrity's squeaky-clean image is purely a work of fiction.

Struggling writer Holly Gracin is on the verge of moving back home to upstate New York when she gets hired to write the memoirs of eighteen-year-old Daisy Mae Dixson, a former Nickelodeon child star who has moved seamlessly into both blockbuster movies and pop music.

Holly quickly realizes that Daisy’s wholesome public image is purely a work of fiction, as Holly finds herself trailing the star as she travels around the world on yachts, gets stalked by paparazzi, and sneaks out of five-star hotels in the dead of night.

As Holly struggles to write a flattering portrait of a teenage millionaire who only eats “nightshades” and treats her employees like slaves, Daisy has a public meltdown—and suddenly, her book is the cornerstone of resurrecting her image. But working at all hours trailing a pop star has taken its toll, and Holly must decide if becoming the ultimate insider is worth losing a starring role in her own life.

Fun, juicy, and inspired by Rachel Stuhler’s own stranger-than-fiction experiences as a celebrity ghost writer, Absolutely True Lies is an entertaining look at how the lifestyles of the rich and famous aren’t always what they seem.

Wow! Absolutely True Lies was absolutely fun read. I loved it from the first chapter, and was glad that this book didn't disappoint. I think the author did a very good job with this book. I enjoyed the author's writing. It was fun and easy to get into. The plot was well written.

While Holly sounded like a likeable and relatable character, I have to say that I like the supporting characters more. It was fun to see a bit of the glamorous Hollywood life through Daisy Mae Dixson, an eighteen- year-old former Nickelodeon star. She sounded so sweet at the beginning, and slowly began to show who she really was.

There was a bit of romance in the book between Holly, Vaughn and Ben. I didn't really enjoy the side story, but it was alright. I'm glad that the romance part didn't overshadow the story of Holly and how she was going to write as the ghostwriter for Daisy. 

I like how the book ended. There was a bit of twists that I really did not see it coming. I like this book, and didn't want the story to end. I wanted to read more about the Hollywood glamorous life! Absolutely True Lies by Rachel Stuhler is a fun, light and entertaining read. I'm sure fans of Chick Lit, as well as those who enjoyed reading about Hollywood would enjoy this book.

I received a copy of Absolutely True Lies by Rachel Stuhler from the author/CLP Blog Tours/NetGalley as part of the book tour.

Excerpt Absolutely True Lies
Rachel Stuhler

By 1:00 a.m., Camille and I were staggering out of the bar at the Chateau Marmont, where, if I hadn’t been drunk off my ass, I might have sworn that we were standing about twenty feet away from Adele. I could have just walked up and talked to her if I’d really wanted to be sure, but you learn quickly to ignore the celebrities in their natural habitats. That, and I’m just too chicken. It’s probably why, after four years, I didn’t have a single really juicy celebrity story.

Cam and I stumbled out onto Sunset Boulevard and got all the way to the curb before it occurred to either of us that we hadn’t called a cab. She pulled out her phone and loaded Uber, squinting at the swirling cars in the area. It’s one of the perks of living in a big city that you can find a local cab in the middle of the night just by pressing a few buttons. At least, you can on a smartphone. Mine only makes phone calls and you have to press the two halves together tightly to get that to happen.

“Do we pay more for a taxi or use UberX? I’m sure there are lots of people out tonight looking for a few extra bucks.”

“Taxi. I’m not getting in some rando’s car.” I couldn’t help but think how many torture porn movies start just this way, two girls alone on dark street, climbing into an anonymous car. Not that Sunset is ever particularly dark or empty, even in the middle of the night.

“Shit,” Camille said, rubbing her eye tiredly and smearing eyeliner down her face. “I told Donovan I’d be home by midnight at the latest.”

Donovan is Camille’s fake producer/poser/live-in boyfriend. He’s forty-two, his real name is Donnie, and the only thing he’s produced in the last ten years is a tuna fish sandwich. But like most people in L.A., he’s always got some “big project” in the works and wants toattach me as the writer. Every few months, he corners me in their apartment and tells me about what he’s supposedly working on, and each time, the roster of producers and so-called investors changes. I’m never sure if these are guys he met down at the Laundromat or if he’s just randomly picking names off the Internet. And though Cam refuses to believe it, Donovan’s been trying to knock her up for the last year, just so he knows he’ll never be alone. The guy’s a real winner.

“Oh, what does he care? He’s just on the couch watching infomercials and eating Hershey’s miniatures.” The man has an unnatural obsession with child-size bars of chocolate.

“He doesn’t like to be alone at night,” Camille whined, sympathy creeping into her tone. “And you know Donovan’s had a lot of trouble with his weight the last couple years. He says he feels more in control of his snacking with the miniatures.”

“He’s not in control if he’s eating the whole bag,” I replied, leaning on a streetlamp to keep from falling off the curb.

“I know, I know,” she said, shaking her head with a level of empathy I couldn’t understand. “It’s just that the financing on his latest project fell apart and he’s very depressed. He says we can’t afford to get engaged this year because he just doesn’t have the money for a ring. Like I care about a stupid diamond.”

They’ve been together for five years. Every year he tells her they can’t afford to get engaged, even though Camille makes well over a hundred grand. Usually I can keep my opinion of that bottom-feeder to myself, but on this night, I was too far into Jäger country to keep my mouth shut.

“What is it with you and that loser? There are, like, four million eligible men in Los Angeles and you can’t get away from a guy who thinks leather pants are appropriate funeral attire.” Understandably, this riled her up a bit. “Four million eligible men? This from the woman who hasn’t gotten laid since Obama’s first term? Where are all these eligible men? Huh?”

She had me there. I paused for a moment and put on my most serious, contemplative expression. “Well... I’m sure they must be around here somewhere.” I turned my head to the right and left, but all I saw were similarly inebriated Angelenos leaving the bars and clubs, most of them laughing or shouting obnoxiously. It wasn’t doing much for my cause. “If you’ll just give me a minute, I’ll find one for you.”

I spun around just in time to see a forty-year-old guy with slicked back, thinning hair pull up in a Bimmer. He lowered the passenger window and leaned over to talk to us. “Marmont’s played out for the night. Get in and I’ll take you to this after-hours in Silver Lake.”

“Is that the guy you were looking for?” Camille asked.

“Clock’s ticking, ladies.” No lie, the guy even held his wrist out and tapped the face of his watch. I think it was a Rolex, but for all I know, it was a fake—either good or bad. Fifty bucks or fifty thousand, they all look the same to me.

“No one’s getting in your car, asshole,” I told him.

Camille took things one step further, moving to kick the guy’s passenger door. As drunk as I was, I had the presence of mind top pull her back, lest she put us both on the receiving end of an arrest warrant. “And come on, loser, you’re forty! What are you doing at after-hours clubs?”

“Screw you,” Bimmer Man said. “There are plenty of hotter girls than you out tonight.” He gave us the middle finger before swerving back out into traffic.

There was a long moment as we watched him go before Camille gave me the annoyingly smug look I knew was coming. “Please, go on, Holly. You were telling me about these four million eligible men?”

“Shut up and pick a taxi.”

Excerpt Absolutely True Lies
Rachel Stuhler

Three steps inside the door, so many things happened at once, I could hardly process them all. On stage, the DJ gave a loud shoutout to Daisy, prompting the crowd to go wild. At the same time, our group was herded up to a VIP level above the dance floor, and before we reached the room, all of us but Daisy were banded with red paper strips and she had a black X scrawled across the back of her hand. This relieved me somewhat, as I hadn’t been able to figure out why an underage girl was parading into a club in full view of the cameras. I figured no one would stop her from actually drinking, but I just couldn’t imagine she’d be dumb enough to do it while people were filming her.

“What is this place?” I yelled loudly to Daisy as we settled into a large red velvet couch.

“New club, just opened,” she shouted back. Jameson walked by us and handed her a large plastic cup with MOUNTAIN DEW on the side. “They paid us fifty grand to show up.”

“Fifty grand?” I asked incredulously. No wonder she could afford to hire a biographer—she could cover my salary with one night’s work. If you could call this work. “What do you have to do?”

“Nothing much,” Daisy said. “We just need to hang out for an hour or two, I’ll walk over to the balcony a couple of times and pretend to dance, and then we can go home.” She seemed to remember something, snapping her fingers for Jameson, who handed her a cell phone without a word. “Oh, and one more thing.”

Daisy set down her cup and turned so that her back was to the main part of the room. She raised her phone and put on a bright, fun smile. I’m sure there was a photo click during some portion of this, but I certainly wouldn’t have heard it. “Selfies!”

I hate the word selfie. It’s a tween’s word, rammed into our cultural consciousness and now spoken by everyone from the president to the Dalai Lama. I know it’s a perfectly legitimate word these days, but I refuse to utter it out loud. “Who are the pictures for?”

“My tweeties,” Daisy answered, never taking her eyes away from her phone. She tap-tapped for all of one second before passing the phone back to Jamie. It was lightning-quick.

“You already got that up on Twitter?” I asked. “You’re fast.”

At this, Daisy and Jamie turned to each other and laughed, sharing their first moment of true camaraderie in front of me. “I don’t handle my own social media. What am I, a hobo? Or a reality star? I have people who handle these things.”

Jamie crossed behind me, leaning in to my ear. Despite the level of background noise, I heard him pretty clearly. “We don’t even give her the passwords. Trust me, it’s for the best.”

Her “work” now done, Daisy picked up her cup and leaned back on the couch, yawning. I used to feel sorry for celebrities who couldn’t take two steps without a bodyguard and a camera in their faces, but my sympathy died in that Miami club. In fact, I was pretty angry. I practically lived in gangland, and she was getting paid to sit on a couch, drink soda, and fake-smile for her millions of fans on the Internet. Suddenly, I didn’t feel so obligated to waste my night keeping her company.

Axel and Sharla, already with drinks in their hands, ran over to me.

“Dance?” Sharla shouted, holding out her hand to me. Axel hadn’t waited for us; he was twirling right there in the VIP section.

“No, thanks,” I answered her. I thought I had refused loud enough, but Sharla grabbed my hand and yanked me up off the couch. Either I was screaming for nothing or it didn’t matter what I wanted. I looked back at Daisy. “You coming?”

“Can’t,” she said. “Security issues. No one in their right mind would put a celeb in the middle of a dance floor.”

Perhaps some tiny bit of sympathy should have returned, but it didn’t. Maybe Daisy was forced to be bored out of her mind for a couple of hours, but it was for money. And I was stuck in a smelly, sticky, hundred-degree club where I didn’t know anyone and I hadn’t eaten in twelve hours. I seriously wouldn’t have cared if cleaning the toilets was a requisite for Daisy collecting her fee.

So I made my way downstairs and out onto the dance floor, completely sober but wishing I was blackout drunk. I was tempted to grab a drink—Axel and Sharla sure seemed to be mixing business with pleasure—but I didn’t really know the rules for this sort of thing. If there were any rules. I was also afraid of getting wasted and calling Jameson a weirdo or, worse, telling Daisy I was starting to think she was a moron.

I was dancing for less than five minutes when a sweaty guy with a ponytail and a shirt open to his navel sauntered up to me and starting grinding against my leg. I resisted the urge to vomit on him, but the floor was so packed, I really had nowhere to go. It was even hotter out on the floor than upstairs, and as my body swelled a bit, I suddenly couldn’t catch my breath. People began looking wavy and out of focus, and their crazy gyrations didn’t help.

Axel spotted me trying to squirm away from Mr. South Beach and fought his way over. Without a single look to the other guy, Axel wiggled between the two of us and began dancing with me. He had just put an arm around my waist when everything went black

Author Bio:

Rachel Stuhler grew up in Rochester, NY, so obsessed with movies and books that she spent as little time as possible in the real world. In her late teens, this obsession led her first to New York as a terrible production assistant and then to Los Angeles, where she spent four years working as a script supervisor (and pining after writing jobs) until one day an actor told her, “If you think you can do it better yourself, just do it.”

Within a year, Rachel had sold TV movies to Lifetime and Hallmark and because she doesn’t know when to quit, began dreaming of writing a novel. After forcing countless crew members, family, and friends to read manuscripts, Rachel came to write Absolutely True Lies. She continues to work on TV movies and plot her next move in world domination, or writing about world domination, which is more fun and a lot less work.

Review: On the Road with Del and Louise: A Novel in Stories by Art Taylor

On the Road with Del and Louise: A Novel in Stories
by Art Taylor

Genre: Mystery, Short Stories, Fiction, Drama, Romance
Publication: September 15th, 2015 by Henery Press
Format: ebooks
Source: NetGalley
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Del’s a small time crook with a moral conscience—robbing convenience stores only for tuition and academic expenses. Brash and sassy Louise goes from being a holdup victim to Del’s lover and accomplice. All they want is a fresh start, an honest life, and a chance to build a family together, but fate conspires to put ever-steeper challenges in their path—and escalating temptations, too.

A real estate scam in recession-blighted Southern California. A wine heist in Napa Valley. A Vegas wedding chapel holdup. A kidnapping in an oil-rich North Dakota boomtown. Can Del and Louise stay on the right side of the law? On one another’s good side? And when they head back to Louise’s hometown in North Carolina, what new trouble will prove the biggest: Louise’s nagging mama or a hidden adversary seemingly intent on tearing the couple apart? Or could those be one and the same?

From screwball comedy to domestic drama, and from caper tale to traditional whodunit, these six stories offer suspense with a side of romance—and a little something for all tastes.

I'm not sure what to expect when I first read this book, but, the title and the cover look fun, and I decided to give it a try. Del and Louise met when Del robbed the convenience store where Louise was working at, and he asked her out. All they wanted was a fresh start and an honest life. That was when their journey began. But it wasn't easy. Trouble seemed to follow them wherever they go, and forcing them to break the law again.

I really like how the story begins. The author's writing was easy to read. The characters were fun and interesting. I love how Del and Louise met at the convenience store, and I wanted to read and find out what will happen to Del and Louise. But, after a while, I got bored. This is probably because I have a short attention span, and the chapters (or stories) were a bit too long. I might enjoy the story a bit more if it weren't for the long chapters.

Nevertheless, I do enjoy the Del and Louise's journey in the story. I love the romance between them. They may not have that fairytale romance, but, they always have each other. And I like that a lot about them. I wanted to cheer for them no matter what they're going through. There were some laugh-out-loud moments, as well as moments that made me teary. If you're a fan of mystery, and you don't mind reading books with long chapter, you will definitely love On the Road with Del and Louise.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Review: Right click (Click, #3) by Lisa Becker

Right click (Click, #3)
by Lisa Becker

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Drama, Friendship, Humor
Publication: May, 2014
Format: ebooks
Source: ARC
Connect: Facebook | Goodreads

Love. Marriage. Infidelity. Crises of identity. Death. Cupcakes. The themes in Right Click, the third and final installment in the Click series, couldn't be more pressing for this group of friends as they navigate through their 30's.

Another six months have passed since we last eavesdropped on the hilarious, poignant and oftentimes inappropriate email adventures of Renee and friends. As the story continues to unfold, relationships are tested and some need to be set "right" before everyone can find their "happily ever after."

I received a copy of this book from the author to provide an honest review.

When I started reading the first book of the book, Click, I was having a hard time to get into the format because it was written in the email form. But once I got used to the format, I found myself enjoying the book.

Right Click is the continuation of the Click Series. It focused on Renee’s email exchange with her friends – Ethan, Shelley, Ashley and Mark. I really like the group. I love how they were always looking after each other. What a beautiful friendship they shared!

Reading the Click series by Lisa Becker kind of makes me feel like I’m prying into somebody else’s business /life because it was written in the email form.  And it was fun. The Right Click was an easy and quick read. It was very hard to put down the book because I really enjoyed it. There were friendship, romance, humor, and drama – all in the same book and the series.

Right Click (and the other books in the series) is definitely a must read for those who were looking for something sweet, short and easy read.

Review: Yes, Chef! by Lisa Joy + Q&A

Yes, Chef!
by Lisa Joy

Genre: Chic k Lit, Romance, Drama
Publication: July 14, 2014
Format: ebooks, 195 pages
Source: Netgalley
Connect: Website | Twitter

Sassy foodie Becca Stone is over her job taking reservations in one of London's most successful restaurant empires. So when she is unexpectedly catapulted into working as PA to celebrity chef, Damien Malone, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime.

Becca is quickly caught up in an exciting whirlwind of travel, reality TV and opening nights, and even her usually abysmal love life takes a turn for the better. But as Becca is slowly consumed by the chaos of life in the spotlight, she begins to lose touch with her friends, her heart and even with reality. Working with Damien has its challenges and she is soon struggling with his increasingly outrageous demands and sleazy advances, all while managing the ridiculous requests of his self-centered wife. It takes a disastrous trip to Italy for Becca to realize that she may have thrown away exactly what she's been looking for all along.

Inspired by real-life adventures, this deliciously funny and romantic story reveals a tantalizing glimpse of the trendy restaurant scene: a world where chefs are treated like rock stars, and cooking isn't all that goes on in the kitchen.

I’m a sucker for chick lit with a culinary theme book. When I saw the cover and the title for Lisa Joy’s Yes, Chef!, I knew that I have to add this book into my tbr list.

Becca Stone worked with the reservation department for one of London’s successful restaurant empire.  She was pushed to work for as a PA for Damien Malone, a famous celebrity chef, when his PA, Abigail was going on a vacation. Becca learned that working as Damien’s PA isn’t as exciting as she thought it would be. Becca had to cope with Damien’s (and his wife) demands, while struggling to keep up with her friends, and finding her happiness. 

Yes, Chef! was definitely a good debut by Lisa Joy. The book wasn’t what I was expecting to read, judging from the blurb. But it was interesting to read how Becca Stone was going to survive working as the Damien’s PA. Becca was a great character. I have to admit that she wasn’t very likable at first, but I slowly start to like her as I watch how she grew up and finding out what she really want throughout the story.

My only complain is that the story was a bit rushed towards the end. I do think that the book could be, and should be longer. I wish there were more moments/scene of Becca working with Damien. I’d love to know more about how was it to work as a celebrity chef’s PA. All that juicy drama and stuff.

Overall, Yes, Chef was an enjoyable read. I would recommend this book to those who love a book with a hint of culinary theme.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Q&A with Lisa Joy

1. Please introduce yourself and your book.

Hello! I’m Lisa Joy and I live in Melbourne, Australia which is a wonderful foodie city. Yes, Chef! is my debut novel and it was inspired by my years working in the restaurant industry as a manager, reservations coordinator, host, waitress and PA. In addition to writing novels I still work part time as PA to a well known Melbourne chef but fortunately for me he is not like the bully celebrity chef in my book. I’ve never worked in the kitchen but I do love to bake and I live on a farm that supplies vegetables and berries to some of Melbourne’s top restaurants.

2. What inspired you to write?

I love the feeling of being taken out of your ordinary existence and experiencing something extraordinary that reading gives you. I had a teacher in high school that encouraged my short stories but I didn’t consider writing as a profession until about five years ago. Writing makes me feel at peace and gives me a rush all at the same time so it’s something I would do even if my stories weren’t published.

3. Can you relate yourself to any of the characters? Did you experience anything Becca had experienced?

I can certainly relate to the feeling of uncertainty the heroine Becca Stone feels in regards to her career and love life. The angst and bitterness that comes from not knowing your passion in life and experiencing a run of bad dates with scoundrels. I can also relate to the profoundly comforting feeling that comes when you do finally find someone that loves you just as you are.

4. What is the biggest challenge in working in restaurant business?

The hours are long and unless you are dating someone in the industry it’s difficult to find time to spend with your partner. I think one of the hardest things is meeting the customers’ expectations, which in our foodie culture, can sometimes be unrealistic. Some chefs say food is art but ultimately it’s just diner.

5. And what is the biggest challenge in writing this book?

I’d struggled with another novel before Yes, Chef! because I placed so much pressure on myself to become published that I forgot to enjoy the process of writing. With Yes, Chef! my biggest challenge was to drive all thoughts of publication from my mind and write the story as though I were writing it for my good friends. In the end it worked because not worrying so much about becoming a publish author freed up my writing and allowed me not only to finish the book in less than six months but also to really enjoy writing it.

6. Grade your book. How many stars out of a perfect score of 5 stars? Please give the reason too.

I’m not sure if I can do this! I’ve always been very aware that novels are subjective and what I consider to be 5 stars someone else may only rate 1 star. But if I must rate my book, I would like to give Yes, Chef! 5 stars because it brought me so much happiness and enjoyment and I have had so many messages from readers saying it did the same for them.

7. What are you working on right now?

I’m doing lots of promotion work for Yes, Chef! which I love. I’m so pleased readers are taking an interest in the book. I’ve also begun working on my next novel, another foodie adventure-romance set in England and Italy. This book will again touch on the theme of discovering what you truly want from life, even if it’s not what others expect of you. I’m taking a break from restaurants to explore the lush farms of the Italian countryside and the peace and happiness cooking and eating can bring.

8. Anything you would like to say to your readers?

Thank you! I really hope you enjoy reading Yes, Chef! as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you’d like to read more about the research for my next book, news from my farm and life as a writer or recipes from some of the worlds top chefs please visit my journal http://www.lisajoyauthor.com/journal

Review: Bridesmaids by Jane Costello

Bridesmaids
by Jane Costello

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Drama
Publication: May 2008
Format: Paperback, 419 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

With less than an hour to go before her best friend, Grace, is to walk down the aisle, Evie is attempting to fulfil her most important bridesmaid role: to deposit the bride at the start-line at the appointed time. But with a bride famed for her chaotic sense of time, and the bride's daughter busy mashing Molton Brown into the expensive hotel carpet, minus underwear, the odds are stacked against her . . .

At least she has her new 'chicken fillet' boob-enhancers to make her feel special. That is, until these are spotted poking over the top of her dress. So spotted by Jack - the most ruggedly attractive man Evie has ever laid eyes on. Evie is twenty-seven; a sparkly, down-to-earth journalist. She has never been in love and has started to fret that she never will be. Small wonder, then, that the prospect of being bridesmaid at no less than three impending weddings is one that fills her with trepidation.

Things get worse when Evie learns that Jack is her friend Valentina's date. Valentina is beautiful, shallow and self-obsessed. Her dates tend to be mirror-images. Which can mean only one thing: Jack can't possibly be as good as he seems. But as they sit together talking late into the night, Evie finds herself yearning to believe he's all real.

In Bridesmaids, Evie has never really been in love. Her relationships with her exes doesn’t last very long. And this year, she’s the bridesmaid at three weddings. It was on Grace, her best friend’s wedding that she met the handsome Jack. Then she found out that Jack was her friend, Valentina’s date. Knowing the type of guy Valentina tend to date, surely Jack can’t possibly be as good as he look. But when Evie constantly met Jack at different weddings, Evie learned that Jack was not what she thought he might be.

This book was very enjoyable. It was hard to put it down once I start to pick it up. It kinda reminds me of why I started to read chick lit years ago. The romance, the humor (yes, I’m a big fan of rom com) and the characters. Evie was a wonderful character. I love most of her dialogue.  They are mostly funny. And even though there are a few embarrassing moments for Evie, it doesn’t sound too forced. Bridesmaids had the right amount romance, humor and drama. I love the friendship between Evie, Grace, Georgia and Valentina, although Valentina usually drives me crazy. I would definitely recommend Bridesmaids to those who were looking for a light and humorous read.

On Tour: Destination Wedding by Deanna Lynn Sletten – Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Deanna Lynn Sletten is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, Destination Wedding. Please visit her tour page for more blog stops.

Destination Wedding

by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Genre: Adult, Chick Lit, Drama, Romance

Publication: May 2014

Format: Kindle Edition

Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours

Connect: Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Goodreads 

Buy: Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Paperback

Life is full of surprises...

Claire Martin's life is perfect, or at least she tells herself it is. She owns a successful clothing boutique, has a steady, dependable boyfriend, and a beautiful grown daughter who is about to be married. Sure, Claire's husband of twenty years left her for a younger woman four years ago, but that is all in the past. Now, Claire is looking forward to her daughter's Bahama wedding and spending a week in paradise. The only thing Claire dreads is her ex-husband and his wife will also be on the island. Claire is determined to make the best of it, though. What Claire doesn't realize is ignoring her ex-husband for the week is going to be impossible.

James Martin's life is a mess. His wife of less than four years has made him the most miserable man on earth and now they are in the middle of a messy divorce. He's happy that he can forget her for a week as he goes off to the Bahamas to attend his lovely daughter's wedding. Jim is embarrassed to admit to his daughter and his ex-wife, Claire, that he made the biggest mistake of his life when he left her for another woman, so he makes up a story as to why his new wife didn't come along. When he and Claire are unexpectedly forced upon each other, Jim soon realizes what he's lost and he begins to wonder if he can find a way back into Claire's heart.

I received a copy of Destination Wedding by Deanna Lynn Sletten from the author/CLP Blog Tours as part of the book tour.

Claire owns a clothing boutique, and a steady boyfriend. She was looking forward to her daughter, Mandy’s wedding in the Bahamas, but not looking forward to see her ex-husband and his wife on that same island. 

Jim regrets leaving his wife, Claire for a younger woman, Diane. His life has been miserable and he is now in the middle of a divorce. He was embarrassed to tell anyone about the divorce, so he made up a story as to why Diane didn’t come long.

Just when Claire thought that she can ignore her ex for the week, there have been a mixed up in their reservation, and Claire was forced to share a room with Jim for the sake of their daughter. Will they be able to rekindle their relationship?

Destination Wedding is definitely an enjoyable read with awesome characters, settings, and story line. I love how Claire and Jim relationship was slowly built up. At first, Claire just couldn’t stand Jim, but she slowly tolerated him after a few dramas and humorous moment. I guess Destination Wedding was meant for readers in more mature age, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying this book. I definitely recommend Destination Wedding for those who loves light romance with humor.

Book Excerpt

From his seat at the back of the plane, Jim could watch everyone in the wedding party. He'd purposely boarded the plane early so he could get on without any questions from Mandy. Soon enough, he'd have to explain why Diane wasn't with him. He just wasn't sure yet what he was going to say.

To admit to his daughter that he'd failed at his second marriage after leaving her mother for Diane left a lump in his throat. What an idiot he'd been. The grass hadn't been greener on the other side. In fact, it had been brown, prickly, and downright nasty. When he'd left Claire to start a new life with Diane, he'd thought it would be a life full of love, laughter, and carefree fun. Boy, had he been wrong. The minute he'd said "I do," Diane ran over him like a steam shovel. She wanted a brand new house, brand new furniture to fill it with, and expensive vacations. She wanted to change the way he dressed, the way he cut his hair, the way he ate, and even the way he walked. What the hell was wrong with the way he walked? Diane became a living nightmare. And the fact that they worked in the same office and that he was her superior didn't help matters. She thought she could reign over him at work like she did at home. But the worst part of all, she'd done everything she could to keep him away from his only child. That had hit Jim hard. When Mandy began planning the wedding, Diane flat-out refused to go on the island vacation and attend the wedding. They fought over it endlessly. He literally had to bribe her to agree to go to the engagement party by giving her a ridiculously expensive diamond necklace. It was all too much for Jim. When Diane refused to go to the wedding during their umpteenth argument six months ago, it was the final straw for Jim. He gave her an ultimatum. Go to the wedding with him, or leave. She chose to leave, thank God. As bad as it sounded, he'd actually been relieved.

Jim looked up in time to see Claire staring back at him. He gave her a small smile and a wave, which made her turn around instantly. Jim sighed. He'd really screwed up his life the day he'd left Claire. True, their marriage had been faltering and it had seemed like their work life had become more important than their relationship. Looking back, however, he realized that it had been his fault completely since he'd let himself become distracted with a younger woman at work while Claire had stayed true.

Jim watched the back of Claire's head as she seemed to be rocking in her seat and chanting something. Then he saw Mandy turn around in her seat and say something to her mother. Jim wondered what Claire had been doing. She seemed nervous. He'd secretly watched her as she'd boarded the plane with the rest of the group and was amazed at how young and vibrant she looked. She'd grown out her sandy blond hair a little and she looked like she'd lost a little weight. Not that Claire had ever been overweight; she'd always looked neat and trim. But today, she looked amazing in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Since the day they met in college, Claire had always been a smart, confident woman who knew what direction she was heading. Jim had always envied that about her. But today, she looked nervous, almost vulnerable. He wondered if she was, or if it was just his imagination.

As the plane landed in Marsh Harbour, James decided he'd keep his divorce to himself for as long as he was able. There was no sense dumping that information onto a fun family vacation and Mandy's special day. He'd make up an excuse for Diane's absence. He was pretty sure that no one was going to miss her anyway. He sure as hell knew he wasn't going to.

Author Bio:

Deanna Lynn Sletten is a bestselling and award-winning author. She writes women's fiction and romance novels that dig deeply into the lives of the characters, giving the reader an in-depth look into their hearts and souls. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime.

Deanna's women's fiction novel, Widow, Virgin, Whore, made the top 100 bestselling books on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble in 2014. Her romance novel, Memories, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Books of 2012. Her novel, Sara's Promise, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Books of 2013 and a finalist in the 2013 National Indie Excellence Book Awards.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her northern Minnesota home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

a Rafflecopter giveaway http://www.clpblogtours.com/2014/06/destination-wedding-by-deanna-lynn.html

On Tour: A Moral Dilemma by Zara Kingsley - Review + Excerpt

Zara Kingsley is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours with her book, A Moral Dilemma. Please visit her tour page for more blog stops and for a chance to win a $35 Amazon Gift Card.

A Moral Dilemma
by Zara Kingsley

Genre: Adult, Chick Lit, Drama, Romance
Publication: April 2014
Format: Kindle Edition, 213 pages
Source: ARC, CLP Blog Tours
Connect: Twitter | Facebook
Buy: Amazon UK | Amazon USA

Think you would never date a married man? ... Think again!

Rebecca Hardy isn't a naturally deceptive person, but it seems her boyfriend might be—and when she theatrically catches him cheating, she decides she’s had it with these modern-day men who can’t commit. She has even less regard for these immoral modern day women, who don’t hesitate to prey on men in committed relationships. What is wrong with them?! Don't they care that they're breaking hearts and destroying lives?! Rebecca, with her high morals and family values, would never even consider dating a married man. Which is why her friends are so shocked when Rebecca finds herself doing exactly that—albeit at the fervent request of that man’s very own wife, the notorious Isabella Coombs.

At first, Rebecca likes to think of it as helping someone out—female camaraderie, and all that. But she doesn't expect Isabella’s husband to be quite so charming…or for things to go quite so far.

Rebecca Hardy works at an exclusive salon, Pamper Moi. She caught her longtime boyfriend cheating and kicked him out of their condo. Now, Rebecca didn’t know how she was going to afford the mortgage. So when Isabella Coombs tried to hire Becky to get her husband to cheat on her, Becky didn’t know what to do. She needed the money, she wasn’t sure about dating a married man, especially a nice, charming man like Mr. Coombs.

I have to admit that at first, it was very hard to get into the book. I didn’t really like Rebecca Hardy or her best friends – Juju and Abby. They’re a bit annoying and their conversation was a bit unnatural to me. But as I get into the book, I started to enjoy it. I started to like Becky a little bit (although I can't say the same about her best friends). There were tons of drama in Becky’s love life, work life and friendship. I'm curious to know what will happen to Rebecca and the husband. And what’s the deal with Isabella Coombs. 

Overall, I kinda like the story and the plot. The characters, not so much. If you enjoy a light read with lots of drama, bits of romance and humor, A Moral Dilemma is the perfect book for you.

I received a copy of A Moral Dilemma by Zara Kingsley from the author/CLP Blog Tours as part of the book tour. 

Book Excerpt

Wheelers, was an average enough, discreet British pub, on an average enough discreet City street, and was also Jeremy’s choice location for a not so discreet illicit tryst.

“Look, would you be ordering something or not lass?” the barman asked me with a slight Irish accent.

Shoo shoo shoo I had wanted to say, but for fear of him drawing any more attention to me, and in light of the fact that he was actually blocking my view of Jeremy and Miss Thingy, I quickly deduced that I had in fact better order something. “Coke please,” I snapped off, throwing down a fiver.

“Diet or regular?”

Oh for chrissakes, will you just move! Aargh! “Regular!”

“Ice?”

“No!” rolling my eyes. He actually seemed to be enjoying this little exchange. Maybe he knew Jeremy and knew what both he and I were up to?! No. Not possible.

“Lemon?”

“Look, can you get me a coke or not?” I hissed.

“OK, OK, keep yer knickers on,” he said smiling cheekily and finally turned to go get me a drink. I quickly realigned myself to get a better view over the bar and through the window to the courtyard where Jeremy, the bastard, and Thingy were sitting extremely close to each other and laughing easily at this point. Still not incriminating evidence, but the night was young. I saw Jeremy lean into her and started talking into her ear. I would’ve said ‘whispering’ but he didn’t know how to whisper sweet nothings at the best of times let alone after he’d had a few, which by the way his face was flushed and his tie, usually perfectly positioned, was loosened and off centre, he obviously had.

“There you go now. Coke and change,” said the barman. I ignored him and continued fidgeting with my camcorder, hidden behind by handbag, whilst still keeping a sharp eye on the fornicators. “Pity you don’t get to catch the conversation with those things from a distance.”

“Excuse me?!”

“You need to get up real close to them to record conversation.”

“I haven’t the foggiest idea what you’re talking about,” I said turning beetroot, and started to scuffle about with the camcorder, desperately trying to stuff it back into my bag.

“Oh,” he leaned back comfortably against the bar, folded up his arms and nodded toward Jeremy and Thingy. “I thought for a sec you were spying on that pair.”

“I beg your pardon?!” trying my best to sound alarmed but at the same time careful not to draw any attention to myself…

“Oh, it’s no skin off my nose either way,” he said, “but let’s assume you were spying on that pair.”

“Which I am most definitely not!” I said furiously, whilst still trying to shove my camcorder back into my bag, but what, with my current state of panic and the fact that every time my head bent down my wig was starting to slip forward, I couldn’t quite manage it.

“Ah, but, if you were, you’d be doing it all wrong.” I looked up at him from under the fringe of my wig. “You’re too far away to even know what’s going on.”

“As I’ve already told you, I am not spying on anyone. But IF I were, I am able to see quite clearly exactly what’s going on.”

“Ah jaysus, you can’t tell a thing from what you see. They could just be having a great crack, with nothin’ in it at all.”

“Oh he’s having a crack all right.” I slumped on the bar, completely fed up, with the camcorder sticking out recklessly from my bag. I’d given up trying to tuck it away, just as I’d given up trying to film them. He was right of course. The barman. The footage I’d so painstakingly gathered proved nothing at all. Jeremy would be able to talk his way out of this one in a nano-second, and I knew that I’d believe whatever he would tell me, as per usual, because although I had doubts, many, many doubts, I never ever had any real concrete evidence of any disloyalty. We watched them silently for a few seconds, but when Jeremy slipped his hand up Miss Thingy’s skirt and started talking into her ear again, I just squeezed my eyes shut so I wouldn’t have to see, and so the barman couldn’t see the tears of humiliation that were starting to well up.

“Look, just pass it here,” he said reaching out his hand to me.

“What?”

“The camcorder. I’ll get up close and record what they’re saying for yer.” I gave an incredulous stare and opened my mouth to say something, then as if on autopilot, I handed him the camcorder. “Ah, you can thank me later,” he said with a wink. And was off. Headed in their direction with the camcorder hidden underneath a bar towel on a tray. My heart started hammering against my ribcage and I wanted to dive under the bar and hide as he got to their table and started hovering, collecting glasses, wiping, and re-placing ashtrays. I half expected Jeremy to look up and wave at me but he didn’t even notice the barman floating around. Too engrossed in impressing Miss Thingy, which by the way she was giggling and batting her false eye lashes at each word he uttered, seemed easy enough to do.

Author Bio:

Luckily I was born and raised in a City I love living in: London, UK. And it’s just as well, as I can barely afford to go on a camping holiday much less move. I have a gorgeous 9yr old daughter, yeah, I’m a single mom, (judge me later), and I like to think of myself as a yummy mummy, when in reality I’m still working on shifting this damn cellulite of my ass. I do actually make it into the gym from time to time, but mainly to appreciate the…ahem …view :)

So what kinda stuff do I write?

Well, I write what I love reading, Romantic Comedy and the original kinda British ChickLit. I don’t do vampires, werewolves, or horror, because sheesh, I wanna sleep at night. In my bed. Not underneath it. So if you like Bridget Jones or Shopaholic, then you might dig my stuff.

My heroines are women in their late twenties / early thirties. My heroes are hot, cute and not too hunky. My stories are about life, love and friendship, with a few twists and turns and tons of fun. They’re not particularly deep, nor meaningful, they’re a lighthearted, easy read, that go well with a glass of wine and a few chocs, and just might make you laugh out loud