Book Mama Blog

About the author:

I'm a freelance editor and writer based in Brooklyn and the Dominican Republic. I graduated with honors from Harvard University ('00) and spent fifteen years working in New York City's top publishing houses.

In 2015, I made the exciting/terrifying decision to leave behind a successful career as an acquiring editor and go out on my own. I wanted to be free to put one hundred percent of my time, energy, and focus into working with writers—and spend less of it in meetings, running profit & loss statements, and eating overpriced chopped salads at my desk when instead I could be happily working from home or abroad.

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Little Brown and Company is giving three

lucky winners a print copy of

Get Your Sh*t Together by Sarah Knight

Thursday, December 29, 2016

The Magdalen Girls - Pub Week Promo & Giveaway

Dublin, 1962. Within the gated grounds of the convent of The Sisters of the Holy Redemption lies one of the city’s Magdalen Laundries. Once places of refuge, the laundries have evolved into grim workhouses. Some inmates are “fallen” women—unwed mothers, prostitutes, or petty criminals. Most are ordinary girls whose only sin lies in being too pretty, too independent, or tempting the wrong man. Among them is sixteen-year-old Teagan Tiernan, sent by her family when her beauty provokes a lustful revelation from a young priest.

Teagan soon befriends Nora Craven, a new arrival who thought nothing could be worse than living in a squalid tenement flat. Stripped of their freedom and dignity, the girls are given new names and denied contact with the outside world. The Mother Superior, Sister Anne, who has secrets of her own, inflicts cruel, dehumanizing punishments—but always in the name of love. Finally, Nora and Teagan find an ally in the reclusive Lea, who helps them endure—and plot an escape. But as they will discover, the outside world has dangers too, especially for young women with soiled reputations.

Told with candor, compassion, and vivid historical detail, The Magdalen Girls is a masterfully written novel of life within the era’s notorious institutions—and an inspiring story of friendship, hope, and unyielding courage.

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Amazon* Barnes&Noble

About the author:

V.S. Alexander is an ardent student of history with a strong interest in music and the visual arts. Some of V.S.’s writing influences include Shirley Jackson, Oscar Wilde, Daphne du Maurier, or any work by the exquisite Brontë sisters. V.S. lives in Florida and is at work on a second historical novel for Kensington.

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Website * V.S Alexander Facebook * Michael Meeske Facebook * Twitter

Kensington Books is giving one lucky winner

A print copy of The Magdalen Girls by V.S. Alexander

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

The Marriage Lie - Review #FRC2016

Will and Iris seem to have the cookie cutter life. Living in a beautiful house in Atlanta, working in their chosen fields and trying for a baby; life for them is great. But life as they know it comes to a crashing halt when Will’s plane goes down. Iris was stunned to find that the flight he was on was not the one to Orlando as he told her, but instead heading to Seattle.

As Iris deals with the loss of her husband, she’s trying to put the pieces together to try to come up with a reason for his deceit. She hopes a trip to Seattle with her brother will help her find answers. But, while there, she’s greeted with more questions than answers. What she does find is that Will had a hidden past full of secrets that will leave her wondering if anything in her marriage was real.

The Marriage Lie is a thrilling read full of complex characters that will have you wondering what is going to happen next.

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About the author:

Kimberly Belle worked in marketing and nonprofit fundraising before turning to writing fiction. A graduate of Agnes Scott College, Kimberly lived for over a decade in the Netherlands and currently divides her time between Atlanta and Amsterdam. She is the author of three novels: The Last Breath, The Ones We Trust, and The Marriage Lie.

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Learn more about the BookSparks 2016 Fall Reading Challenge #FRC2016 HERE

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Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Bought to Carry His Heir - Review

Review by Marlene Engel

Having lost their parents four years ago, sisters Georgia and Savannah are all each other have. Being the oldest, Georgia has taken on full financial and emotional responsibility for her younger sister. Including putting her through college while attending medical school herself. No matter the financial burden, Georgia is determined to do everything to keep their heads above water. When she’s asked to be the surrogate for a Greek tycoon, the money’s too good to pass up. What she didn’t expect was to have to bend to his every demand.

Nikos is the last living heir to the Panos empire. Isolated and alone since he was left disfigured, he’s hoping that a son will help ease the guilt he has felt for the past five years and allow him to move on with his life. When choosing the appropriate woman to carry the next heir to the Panos legacy, he was pleasantly surprised when he found that one greatly resembled his late wife. But when they meet for the first time, he starts to wonder if being around a woman who looks so much like Elsa was a good idea.

While their initial interaction was laced with tension, on a remote island in Greece as the backdrop for much of this story, it will be impossible to deny the feelings that both are quickly developing.

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About the author:

Born in Visalia, California, Jane’s a small town girl at heart. She loves Central California's golden foothills, oak trees, and the miles of farmland. In her mind, there's nothing sweeter in the world than the heady fragrance of orange blossoms on a sultry summer night.

Jane holds an MA in Writing from the University of San Francisco and makes her home in sunny San Clemente, CA with her surfer husband three sons, and two dogs.

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Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Say Goodbye For Now - Pub Day Giveaway

On an isolated Texas ranch, Dr. Lucy cares for abandoned animals. The solitude allows her to avoid the people and places that remind her of the past. Not that any of the townsfolk care. In 1959, no one is interested in a woman doctor. Nor are they welcoming Calvin and Justin Bell, a newly arrived African American father and son.

When Pete Solomon, a neglected twelve-year-old boy, and Justin bring a wounded wolf-dog hybrid to Dr. Lucy, the outcasts soon find refuge in one another. Lucy never thought she’d make connections again, never mind fall in love. Pete never imagined he’d find friends as loyal as Justin and the dog. But these four people aren’t allowed to be friends, much less a family, when the whole town turns violently against them.

With heavy hearts, Dr. Lucy and Pete say goodbye to Calvin and Justin. But through the years they keep hope alive…waiting for the world to catch up with them.

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About the author:

Catherine Ryan Hyde is an American novelist and short story writer, with more recent forays and notable success in transitioning from traditional publication towards the world of eBook publication. Her novels have enjoyed bestseller status in both the U.S. and U.K., and her short stories have won many awards and honors.

Ryan-Hyde's literary works are generally optimistic explorations of ordinary people, characters who are troubled or down-on-their-luck or recovering from past difficulties or abuse. Many feature journeys that parallel some of Catherine's own travels, life in New York City, small towns, and 'cross country' travels and explore settings often in those areas and the American West and Southwest. Ryan-Hyde's Young writings and activities deal issues such as alcoholism, (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, TransGender) concerns, social service difficulties, etc. Catherine is also an avid hiker, kayaker, photographer, and is well known for being a very active blogger and interview-accessible author.

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Booksparks is giving one lucky winner

a print copy of Say Goodbye For Now

Monday, December 12, 2016

Fifty Ways To Make A Family - Release Day Giveaway

Eve Wolcott is back!

Finally free of her cheating husband and conniving monster-in-law, Eve is carving out a life of her own. A new career, a hunky boyfriend, two teenaged sons, and a wildly energetic puppy don’t leave much time for looking back.

Yet it’s far from smooth sailing ahead.

Tamara is facing a health crisis. Nate and Ian have adopted double trouble. And Eve is learning that even new romance can be fraught with difficulties.

Add one death, two unplanned pregnancies, a preppy alcoholic, fast food royalty, and one hell of a bequest into the mix, and you’ve got Fifty Ways to Make a Family.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon

“K.C. Wilder is a master storyteller who creates real-to-life characters you can root for. Don't pick up this book unless you have the time to devour the whole thing, because you won't want to put it down!”

- Brea Brown, author of the Underdog Series

"Her fans have been clamoring for a sequel to Wilder's bestselling debut novel, Fifty Ways to Leave your Husband, and here they have everything they wished for. Wilder tells a story with depth, color, and heart - lots of heart. Her characters come to life with deftly-crafted prose. Unputdownable!"

- Martha Reynolds, author of Chocolate for Breakfast and Bits of Broken Glass

About the author:

K.C. Wilder is the author of the bestselling novel Fifty Ways to Leave Your Husband, the Heather Hollow series of YA paranormal fiction, and the novella Seattle Postmark. Her short fiction appears in the compilations Wrecks, A Kind of Mad Courage, and Merry Chick Lit. She is a contributor to Elephant Journal and The Huffington Post, and she blogs weekly about women, adventure and creativity at Girl on a Wire.

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Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Enter to win a print copy of

Fifty Ways To Make A Family

Monday, December 5, 2016

Wrong Brother, Right Match - Promo & Giveaway

Wrong Brother, Right Match
Anyone But You #3

By: Jennifer Shirk

Releasing December 5, 2016
Entangled Bliss

Blurb
Matchmaking guru Kennedy Pepperdine’s life is perfect. Perfect job. Perfect friends. Perfect boyfriend. Except...when she gets trapped in an elevator with a handsome stranger, she accidentally confesses a secret: maybe her perfect boyfriend, Justin, isn’t so perfect for her after all. But a matchmaker should be able to successfully match herself, right? Thankfully, she’ll never see the handsome stranger again. Until she heads home with Justin for the holidays and learns that the sexy stranger is none other than Justin’s older brother, Matt.

Matt Ellis is trying to be on his best behavior for his mother—it is Christmas, after all. But when he recognizes the beautiful woman from the elevator—the one he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about for months—his best behavior is being held by a thread. Matt’s always sacrificed for his family, and nothing is more important than their happiness, but the more time he spends around Kennedy, the more he wonders if her supposed "right match" might just be the wrong brother.

Buy Links:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

About the author:

Jennifer Shirk has a bachelor degree in pharmacy-which has in NO WAY at all helped her with her writing career. But she likes to point it out, since it shows romantic-at-hearts come in all shapes, sizes, and mind-numbing educations.

She writes sweet (and sometimes even funny) romances for Samhain Publishing, Avalon Books/Montlake Romance and now Entangled Publishing. She won third place in the RWA 2006 NYC's Kathryn Hayes Love and Laughter Contest with her first book, THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME. Recently, her novel SUNNY DAYS FOR SAM won the 2013 Golden Quill Published Authors Contest for Best Traditional Romance.

Lately she's been on a serious exercise kick. But don't hold that against her.

Author Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Enter To Win a $20.00 Amazon eGift Card

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Size Matters - Booksparks #FRC2016

John Frederick is a man of considerable substance, in every sense of the word. Rich, intelligent, reclusive, and very large, John Frederick lives to eat. His everyday needs are tended to by Mrs. Floyd, his house manager, and by a never-ending parade of personal chefs.

Enter Lexie Alexander, the latest applicant for that once-again vacant position. A young woman of magical sensibilities, fresh out of culinary school and still recovering from a recent personal tragedy, Lexie lives to cook. As time passes, a love of food, musical comedy, and tea begins to weave a connection between John Frederick and his new chef―but then a major medical crisis completely turns life at Frederick House upside down, threatening the bond John Frederick and Lexie have forged.

Size Matters is the story of how people interact with each other and with the world, and what happens when the structure of a person’s life, their self-image, and all their familiar coping mechanisms are shattered.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon

About the author:

Cathryn Novak has had a love affair with words that began as soon as she could read. After graduating with a degree in Communications and Public Policy from U.C. Berkeley, Cathryn did a stint in advertising before devoting the rest of her professional career to public service. During that period she wore many hats including speech writer, policy analyst, and investigative report writer. Her monograph on the Los Angeles Police Commission, The Years of Controversy, was published by the Police Foundation in Washington, D.C. Now retired, Cathryn has returned to her first love, the world of fiction. Size Matters is her first novel.

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Facebook

Learn more about the BookSparks 2016 Fall Reading Challenge #FRC2016 HERE

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Tuesday, November 8, 2016

One Snowy Night - Promo & Giveaway

One Snowy Night
Heartbreaker Bay #2.5

By: Jill Shalvis

Releasing November 8, 2016
Avon Impulse

Blurb

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Heartbreaker Bay with a fun and festive holiday novella!

It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn’t seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl.

Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.

They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.

Buy Links:

Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo

Author Info

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental.

Look for Jill's latest, SWEET LITTLE LIES on shelves and e-readers now, and get all her bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold.

Visit Jill's website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Author Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Giveaway for a print set

of the first two Heartbreaker Bay Novels

SWEET LITTLE LIES and THE TROUBLE WITH MISTLETOE

Thursday, November 3, 2016

London Belongs to Me - Review #FRC2016

Aspiring to be a playwriter, shortly after graduating Alex heads to London. She’s always been fascinated by that part of the world and just knows that it’s the perfect place to start a new life. After her boyfriend’s deception, with enough money to hold her over for a year, Alex packs up and head across the pond to stay with a friend and focus on her writing. But the second she steps foot off the plane chaos ensues. It takes no time at all for Alex to realize that this move is going to be a bit more difficult than she thought.

You can’t help but fall in love with Alex. She is such a kindhearted person, even naïve at times. She can be so over giving of herself that she is an easy target of being taken advantage of. But her trip to London is a good one filled with self-discovery and following one’s dreams.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon* Barnes&Noble

About the author:

Jacquelyn Middleton is an award-winning freelance writer with articles published by several of the most popular magazines, newspapers, and websites in North America including Canadian Living, Best Health, National Geographic Travel, the Toronto Star, Reader's Digest, Chatelaine, Today's Parent, and Flare. She previously worked in television broadcasting, and lives in Toronto. When she's not writing, you can find her hanging out in London, waiting in a comic con line with her husband, or chasing after her bossy Schipperke. LONDON BELONGS TO ME is her first novel.

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Learn more about the BookSparks 2016 Fall Reading Challenge #FRC2016 HERE

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Tuesday, November 1, 2016

The Other Sister - Pub Day Promo and Giveaway

Would life be better without Ali? Probably. At least then people might think about Morgan. Ali's always gotten everything ― she doesn't even realize how much Morgan resents her.

Ali also doesn't realize that when she shuts Morgan out entirely, she will unleash a chain of events that show just how dangerous the underside of love really is. As their lives spin toward something neither one of them can control, a terrifying crime reveals how those who know us best can destroy us...or save us.

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About the author:

As a television writer Dianne Dixon (winner of the Humanitas Prize for Excellence in Screenwriting and double Emmy nominee) regularly received glowing reviews: “Her characters dance off the page.” (Jane Hewland/Sky Television, UK) “An enormously gifted writer.” (LaVerne McKinnon/CBS Television) “Her knowledge of storytelling is both clear and articulate.” (Nate Hopper/Sony Pictures). Now Dianne is receiving equally enthusiastic response to her work as a novelist: “Captivating, fascinating.” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) “Absorbing and provocative.” (Huffington Post) “Convincing prose, particularly the dialogue.” (Kirkus) “An exciting new writer, capable of creating a well-paced, emotional page-turner of the best kind.” (Katie Crouch, New York Times bestselling author of Girls in Trucks and The Magnolia League).

Dianne is a former Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at Pitzer College in Claremont, California, a nominee for the Mary Routt Chair of Writing at Scripps College, and has taught screenwriting at the Dodge College of Film & Media at Chapman University in Orange, California.

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Sourcebooks is giving one

Lucky winner a print copy of

The Other Sister by Dianne Dixon

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Behind Closed Doors - #FRC2016 Review

Review by Marlene Engel

Jack is a handsome, successful attorney who fights for the rights of those involved in domestic violence. Grace spends a lot of time traveling as a buyer for Harrods. But things change drastically shortly after they marry. While on their honeymoon, Grace learns who the real Jack is. The one with a violent, criminal past, the one who’s controlling and abusive, and the one who is plotting to kill her special needs sister.

To the outside world they appear to be the perfect couple: living in a beautiful house, hosting nice dinner parties. While around friends Jack always plays the role of doting husband; always at Grace’s side and even agreeing to allow Grace’s sister to come live with them after graduation. But her friends start getting concerned when she’s constantly turning down lunch invites. Of course Jack has the perfectly scripted answer: she’s anxious about having her sister stay with them. But they aren’t buying it.

Since being married she no longer works, is unreachable (as she has no cell phone or email address) and seems to hole up in her house with no contact with the outside world. What they once thought was a storybook marriage, they are now beginning to question …

Behind Closed Doors is a heart pounding, psychological thriller debut novel by B.A. Paris. To think that things like this happen in real life is terrifying, but the author writes it in a way that captivates you. With complex characters and a hauntingly addictive storyline, this is a book that will be talked about for a long time to come.

Purchase the book at:

Amazon* Barnes&Noble

About the author:

B A Paris grew up in England but has spent most of her adult life in France. She has worked both in finance and as a teacher and has five daughters. Behind Closed Doors is her first novel.

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Learn more about the BookSparks 2016 Fall Reading Challenge #FRC2016 HERE

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