Book Mama Blog

About the Author:

A native of Bergen County, New Jersey, Ariella now lives in New England but her dream self resides in County Mayo, Ireland. The daughter of a school teacher/librarian, she doesn't remember learning to read, only the frustration when her older siblings could and she couldn't.

Ariella graduated with honors from Barnard College, Columbia University, and attended the Hebrew University in Jerusalem as a Visiting Scholar. Her three years in that city were magical. She holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School where she served as Associate Editor of both The Journal of International Law and Comparative Studies in Society and History.

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Kensington Publishing is giving 1 lucky winner a print copy of

Sweet Breath of Memory by Ariella Cohen

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Best of My Love - Pub Day Review and Giveaway

Review by Marlene Engel

Twenty books into the Fools Gold series and the stories just keep getting better and better! Mallery brings us back to the small town that we’ve fallen in love with. But this story is a bit different from the previous ones. The focus is more on friendship than relationship. We are given an honest view of both the male and female perspectives as each delve into gender specific events. In learning about activities that are geared more to the opposite sex, they not only get a better understanding of that gender, but of each other as well.

I enjoyed having characters from previous books make appearances. The author seamlessly incorporates them into the story, while still allowing the main hero and heroine to shine. How she’s able to do this, and so well, twenty books in is a testament to her impeccable writing skills! But it also had me thinking … with all of the catching up she did with the previous characters, will this be the last book in the series? And should we expect a new series from her in the near future?

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About the Author:

Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women's lives--romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan's books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a tattletale toy poodle. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they're an integral component to a happy life.

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HQN Books is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

Best of My Love by Susan Mallery

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Dear Thing - Promo & Giveaway

After years of watching her best friends Ben and Claire try for a baby, Romily has offered to give them the one thing that they want most.

Romily expects it will be easy to be a surrogate. She's already a single mother, and she has no desire for any more children. But Romily isn't prepared for the overwhelming feelings that have taken hold of her and which threaten to ruin her friendship with Ben and Claire-and even destroy their marriage.

Now there are three friends, two mothers and only one baby, and an impossible decision to make...

Thought-provoking, heart-rending but ultimately uplifting, Julie Cohen's Dear Thing is a book you won't be able to put down, until you pass it on to your best friends.

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About the Author:

Julie Cohen grew up in Maine and studied English at Brown University and Cambridge University. She then moved to England permanently, where she taught before becoming a writer. Her books have won or been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Award, the National Readers' Choice Award, the HOLT Medallion, and more. She now writes full time and teaches creative writing. She lives with her husband, son and dog in Berkshire, where she is teased daily about her American accent.

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St. Martin’s Griffin is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

Dear Thing by Julie Cohen

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Where We Fall - Promo & Giveaway

By all accounts, Abby Holden has it all. She’s the mother of a beautiful teenager and the wife of a beloved high school football coach. And all it took to achieve her charmed life was her greatest act of betrayal.

Coach Ryan can coax his team to victory, but he can’t seem to make his wife, Abby, happy. Her struggles with depression have marred their marriage and taken a toll on their daughter, Juliana. Although this isn’t the life he’s dreamed of, he’s determined to heal the rifts in his family.

Chasing waterfalls and documenting their beauty has led photographer Lauren Sheppard all around the world. Now it has brought her back home to the mountains of North Carolina—back to the scene of her devastating heartbreak.

For the first time in seventeen years, a trio of once-inseparable friends find themselves confronting past loves, hurts, and the rapid rush of a current that still pulls them together…

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About the Author:

I was born and raised in Miami, Florida amongst the chaos of three siblings: Randi, Robert, and Ron. I am the baby "R"of the brood and like it that way. After graduating from the University of Maryland in 1991, I moved to Los Angeles, California. I launched my career at the LA Weekly, where my advertising and promotion responsibilities included hosting film screenings at various studios around LA. After a colorful three years, I returned to Miami and became an Account Executive at the acclaimed Beber Silverstein & Partners. In August 1993, I landed my dream job through an ad in The Miami Herald. Yes, it can happen. For the next ten years, I managed the advertising, marketing, and promotion for every record label in the country at The Box Music Network. Ensconced on South Beach, our offices were the hub for musicians and record executives worldwide. Work consisted of meeting talented superstars and listening to great music. Fun, right?

My husband and I were married in 1997 and the twins arrived soon thereafter. The Box moved to New York and I opted to stay in Miami. The boys were terrific nappers (don't hate me) and I sat down one afternoon and began to write. 110,000 words later became the raw, unedited version of What We Leave Behind. Sometime in between PTA meetings, carpool, flag football and basketball tournaments, writing freelance, cheering on the Dolphins and Heat, and volunteering at organizations near and dear to my heart, my second novel, The Mourning After took form. Both explore the human condition, heartfelt emotions, and conclude with a signature twist. Where We Fall, my third novel (Lake Union Publishing), releases April 2016, ripe with more of the same. Book Four is making its way onto paper. Stay tuned for updates.

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Lake Union Publishing is giving 2 lucky winners a print copy of

Where We Fall by Rochelle B. Weinstein

Monday, April 18, 2016

Three Martini Lunch - Promo and Giveaway

From the author of the “thrilling” (The Christian Science Monitor) novel The Other Typistcomes an evocative, multilayered story of ambition, success, and secrecy in 1950s New York.

In 1958, Greenwich Village buzzes with beatniks, jazz clubs, and new ideas—the ideal spot for three ambitious young people to meet. Cliff Nelson, the son of a successful book editor, is convinced he’s the next Kerouac, if only his father would notice. Eden Katz dreams of being an editor but is shocked when she encounters roadblocks to that ambition. And Miles Tillman, a talented black writer from Harlem, seeks to learn the truth about his father’s past, finding love in the process. Though different from one another, all three share a common goal: to succeed in the competitive and uncompromising world of book publishing. As they reach for what they want, they come to understand what they must sacrifice, conceal, and betray to achieve their goals, learning they must live with the consequences of their choices. In Three-Martini Lunch, Suzanne Rindell has written both a page-turning morality tale and a captivating look at a stylish, demanding era—and a world steeped in tradition that’s poised for great upheaval.

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About the Author:

Suzanne Rindell is a doctoral student in American modernist literature at Rice University. Her first novel, THE OTHER TYPIST, debuted on May 7, 2013. It has been translated into 15 languages and optioned for film by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Her second novel, THREE-MARTINI LUNCH, is forthcoming from Putnam on April 5, 2016. She lives in New York City and is currently working on a third novel.

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G.P Putnam’s Sons is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

Three Martini Lunch by Suzanne Rindell

Friday, April 15, 2016

The Winemakers - Pub Week Promo & Giveaway

A young woman
A family secret
A devastating truth that could destroy the man she loves

Many years ago, the Rosetta family’s hard-won dreams of staking their claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition. Now high-spirited, passionate Caterina Rosetta, who has inherited both her mother’s talent for crafting the finest wines and also her indomitable will, wants nothing more than to win her mother’s approval and work at her side. But that can never happen, because Caterina is keeping a secret that could ruin her: a daughter of her own, fathered by the love of her life, who left her without explanation. Just as she feels she has nowhere to turn, Caterina discovers that she has inherited a vineyard in the Tuscan countryside in Italy, from a grandmother she’s never heard of, and she seizes the chance to start a new life for herself and her child.

But the past is not so easily outrun. In the country of her ancestors, Caterina meets the family of the father she never knew, and discovers that her mother is also hiding her own secret―a secret so devastating it threatens the future of everything her family has worked for. As an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragedy that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother’s buried past―if she has the strength to face it.

From author Jan Moran comes The Winemakers, a sweeping, romantic novel that will hold you in its grasp until the last delicious sip.

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Amazon* Barnes&Noble

About the Author:

Jan Moran is an author of historical novels for St. Martin’s Press (Scent of Triumph, The Winemakers). She also writes the Love, California contemporary series, which includes Flawless, Beauty Mark, Runway, and other upcoming titles. She wrote Fabulous Fragrances I and II, which earned spots on the Rizzoli Bookstore bestseller list, and Vintage Perfumes. She is represented by Jenny Bent at The Bent Agency. Books are also translated into German, Portuguese, Turkish, Italian, and other languages.

She is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and the University of Texas at Austin. As an entrepreneur and former CEO and board member, she speaks on a variety of topics, including topics in the fragrance and beauty industries, technology engagement at retail, entrepreneurship, the business of writing, women in business, and other topics.

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St. Martin’s Griffin is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

The Winemakers by Jan Moran

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Let's Spread Love, Not Hate. Bullying In Any Form Is Never Okay! - Special Giveaway

I fought myself on whether or not I was going to write this post or just let the incident go. In this day and age where bullying is a huge epidemic, I felt the need to use my platform at Book Mama Blog to address something. I have always tried my best to be kind, not to judge people and respect others’ uniqueness. For me, I don’t smoke, drink, or do drugs. However, I do enjoy the art of tattoos and have chosen, for many years, to express myself with them. Ten years ago I lost my daughter. She was the love of my life, my little side-kick and the person who brought me so much joy. She was always by my side, and when I lost her, I lost a piece of myself. I have chosen to add tattoos in remembrance of her. Recently, I finished up a piece on my back that I call Samantha’s Garden. It’s a grouping of bright, colorful, vibrant flowers (which my daughter always loved feeling and smelling flowers, as she was blind and it was her way of enjoying the beauty that they are), a butterfly with a halo (ever since she passed butterflies, specifically Monarch butterflies, make me think of her), and a leukemia awareness ribbon (the horrible disease that took her life). After having my tattoo finished I shared it on Facebook, where I share much of my life with my “friends.” I got many likes and comments to the tattoo. Not just from people who knew my daughter, but from people who respected my choice in memorializing her with them. However, I got one comment that was not very nice, that I chose to delete. It was from an author that I was friends with on FB. We were not close friends by any means, but being a book blogger I have many author friends on FB. She commented on my picture with … I don’t understand the popularity of permanently scarring your body. As stated, I deleted it and chose to address this in a more private manner. This is how the messages went until she chose

to unfriend me: Me: Although I appreciate your opinion about tattoos, I deleted your comment. My daughter suffered a horrific death after being diagnosed with leukemia. This is the way I choose to memorialize her. I know not all people enjoy the art of tattoos, but it's my way of saying that my daughter will always have my back. Her: I had people die horrible deaths too. I don't feel the need to scar myself in their honor. Me: That's your right to have that opinion, but you should be ashamed of yourself for passing judgement on how I choose to memorialize my daughter. At this last message she did me a favor by unfriending me. It really hurt my spirit for a moment that someone would be so cruel and insensitive to how I choose to grieve. I am a firm believer that you should never judge a book by its cover. We are all unique, beautiful creatures. As long as we are good people and don’t do things to hurt others, who are we to tell others what to do or how to live their lives? Because of this person’s comments that really dug deep, I want to do something to spread love and happiness. Something I try to do on a regular basis. One winner will win a basket full of things that make me happy. I’m not sure what the contents are yet, but I assure you that it will be things that will bring a smile to the winner’s face. Comment below and share something positive. It can be anything and you are entered. If you choose to share more than one thing, put each in separate comments. That way each can be considered an entry. Giveaway will be international and will close at midnight on April 21. Let’s be kind to one another, respect the things that make us all unique and open your minds and hearts to new things. There is too much hate in this world. We need to flood the world with more kindness!

The Tsarina's Legacy - Promo & Giveaway

Then...Grigory "Grisha" Potemkin has had a successful long association with the powerful Empress Catherine of Russia. But Catherine and Grisha are older now and face new threats, both from powers outside of Russia and from those close to them. Haunted by the horrors of his campaign against the Muslim Turks, Grisha hopes to construct a mosque in the heart of the empire. Unfortunately, Catherine's much younger new lover, the ambitious Platon Zubov, stands in his way. Grisha determines that to preserve Catherine's legacy he must save her from Zubov's dangerous influence and win back her heart.

Now...When she learns she is the lost heiress to the Romanov throne, Veronica Herrera's life turns upside down. Dmitry Potemkin, one of Grisha's descendants, invites Veronica to Russia to accept a ceremonial position as Russia's new tsarina. Seeking purpose, Veronica agrees to act as an advocate to free a Russian artist sentenced to prison for displaying paintings critical of the church and government. Veronica is both celebrated and chastised. As her political role comes under fire, Veronica is forced to decide between the glamorous perks of European royalty and staying true to herself.

In Jennifer Laam's The Tsarina's Legacy, unexpected connections between Grisha and Veronica are revealed as they struggle to make peace with the ghosts of their past and help secure a better future for themselves and the country they both love.

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About the Author:

Author Jennifer Laam has long been fascinated with Russian culture, particularly the Romanovs. In her novels, she explores the inner lives of historical figures and connects stories from the past to present day characters. Born and raised in Stockton, CA, Jennifer has lived in Los Angeles and the Detroit suburbs, as well as Central California. In her spare time, she enjoys line dancing, travel, celebrity gossip, and Netflix.

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St. Martin’s Griffin is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

The Tsarina’s Legacy by Jennifer Laam

Monday, April 11, 2016

Most Wanted - Pub Week Review & Giveaway

Donor 3319 Profile:
Tall. Blond. Blue eyes.
Medical Student.
Wanted for Serial Murder.

Christine Nilsson and her husband, Marcus, are desperate for a baby. Unable to conceive, they find themselves facing a difficult choice they had never anticipated. After many appointments with specialists, endless research, and countless conversations, they make the decision to use a donor.

Two months pass, and Christine is happily pregnant. But one day, she is shocked to see a young blond man on the TV news being arrested for a series of brutal murders―and the blond man bears an undeniable and uncanny resemblance to her donor.

Delving deeper to uncover the truth, Christine must confront a terrifying reality and face her worst fears. Riveting and fast-paced with the depth of emotionality that has garnered Lisa Scottoline legions of fans, Most Wanted poses an ethical and moral dilemma: What would you do if the biological father of your unborn child was a killer?

Review by Marlene Engel

Desperate for a child of their own, but suffering with infertility issues, Christine and Marcus choose to use a sperm donor to help facilitate a pregnancy. On paper their donor seems to be the ideal candidate. Smart, check. All-American good looks, check. Excitement to start this new chapter turns into their own living hell when a person who resembles their donor is accused of being a serial killer. The similarities between the photo on TV and the profile photo from the donor file is uncanny. Doubt turns into full-on panic when they realize they could be carrying a baby whose DNA matches a mass murderer’s.

They hit a roadblock when the fertility clinic refuses to disclose private information, leading Christine to take matters into her own hands. But in an effort to stay emotionally disconnected, Marcus chooses to stay uninvolved. But for Christine, it only takes one meeting with the accused prisoner for her to come to the conclusion that him and their donor are one in the same.

For families dealing with infertility, there is little they won’t do to have a family of their own. I can’t imagine the pain that’s endured having treatment after treatment in hopes of finally conceiving. And for this particular family, for their joy to turn into sheer horror is beyond anything I could imagine.

Lisa Scottoline is a master of story-telling. The way she weaves a brilliant tale so real, you can feel the terror in everything the family experiences. Written in her signature style that draws you in from beginning to end, Most Wanted will have you anticipating what’s next until you turn the last page.

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About the Author:

Lisa Scottoline is The New York Times bestselling author and Edgar award-winning author of 26 novels, including her latest work, MOST WANTED. She also writes a weekly column with her daughter Francesca Serritella for the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Chick Wit” which is a witty and fun take on life from a woman’s perspective.

Lisa’s books have solidly landed on all the major bestseller lists including The New York Times,USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times, and LOOK AGAIN was named “One of the Best Novels of the Year” by The Washington Post, and one of the best books in the world as part of World Book Night 2013. Lisa’s novels are known for their emotionality and their warm and down-to-earth characters, which resonate with readers and reviewers long after they have finished the books.

Lisa’s accomplishments all pale in comparison to what she considers her greatest achievement, raising, as a single mom, her beautiful (a completely unbiased opinion) daughter, an honors graduate of Harvard, New York Times bestselling author, and columnist, who is currently working on her first novel.

Lisa believes in writing what you know, and she puts so much of herself into her books. What you may or may not learn about Lisa from her books is that she is an incredibly generous person, an engaging and entertaining speaker, a die-hard Eagles fan, a good cook, and a vegetarian. She loves the color pink, has an incredible design sense, has recently taken up gardening and golf, and her musical taste includes everything from U2 to Sinatra to 50 Cent, she is proud to be an American, and nothing makes her happier than spending time with her daughter.

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Get Red PR is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline

Friday, April 8, 2016

Billy and Me - Pub Week Promo & Giveaway

In this utterly sweet and moving women's fiction novel, a celebrity comes to town and sweeps a young woman - who is used to being overlooked - off her feet.

Sophie May is content with her life in her small English village, working in the local coffee shop and living with her mom. But when famous actor Billy comes to town to play Mr. Darcy in a new film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Sophie's quiet life is quickly turned on its head. Billy is adored by women around the world, but he only wants Sophie on his arm. But being with Billy comes at a price, and Sophie is thrown in the spotlight after years of shying away from attention. Can she handle the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy?

Brimming with humor, wit, and genuine warmth, Billy and Me is a book about taking a chance on life and on love.

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About the Author:

Giovanna lives in London with her husband Tom and three cats, Aurora, Leia and Marvin. She’s an actress/writer and spend most of her time curled up in her office daydreaming about the possibilities of life.

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Thomas Dunne Books is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Falling Together - Review & Giveaway

Review by Marlene Engel

There are times in life that shake us to our very foundations. We wish for things to get better, fast. But the truth is that moments of “falling apart” are also our most powerful catalysts for growth and change. In Falling Together, Donna Cardillo, a registered nurse, Dr. Oz blogger, and beloved public speaker, reflects on the overwhelming challenges that fall into every life, and the renewal that comes when we are able to meet them with courage. A funny, big-hearted self-help memoir that takes on issues like divorce, caregiving, and burnout—and many women’s biggest enemies of all, fear, insecurity, and self-doubt—Falling Together shows how to turn the challenges that threaten to knock us to the ground into the building blocks we need to become more successful, more joyful, and ultimately, more alive.

There is truth to the say … I am woman. Hear me roar! How many hats do we women wear on a daily basis? For me, I’m a wife and mom. I am a business owner, caregiver, and domestic goddess (I’m not too proud to admit that!). I play the role of nurse, chauffer, cook, housecleaner, teacher … heck, we’ll be here all day if I rattle off all the hats I wear! My point is, we all have many roles. Some we enjoy, some … well, not so much. But each role is important to our daily lives and makes our lives, and in turn us, who we are. But there are times when the strain of day to day living can be too much to handle. In Falling Together, Donna Cardillo helps offer ways to better handle these stressors, to get them in check before they become all consuming.

Written by a woman, for women, this book is the perfect tool to help tackle life’s issues and take steps to living a happier, more productive life. And, who wouldn’t want to benefit from that?

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About the Author:

Donna Wilk Cardillo, RN is The Inspiration Nurse — a transformational keynote speaker, humorist, retreat and seminar leader, and author helping others to be fearless in career and life and maximize their potential. Her accomplished career combines more than thirty years of clinical, managerial, and business experience, not to mention her stint as a professional singer! Donna’s clinical experience includes emergency and psychiatric nursing. These days she heals with words. She blogs at DoctorOz.com and is the former Dear Donna columnist at Nurse.com and Monster.com. She is also a passionate advocate for family caregivers. Donna is a lifelong Jersey girl and lives at the beautiful Jersey Shore in Sea Girt with her husband, Joe.

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Booksparks is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

Falling Together by Donna Cardillo

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Lies and Other Acts of Love - Pub Week Review & Giveaway

About the Book:

After sixty years of marriage and five daughters, Lynn “Lovey” White knows that all of us, from time to time, need to use our little white lies.

Her granddaughter, Annabelle, on the other hand, is as truthful as they come. She always does the right thing—that is, until she dumps her hedge fund manager fiancé and marries a musician she has known for three days. After all, her grandparents, who fell in love at first sight, have shared a lifetime of happiness, even through her grandfather’s declining health.

But when Annabelle’s world starts to collapse around her, she discovers that nothing about her picture-perfect family is as it seems. And Lovey has to decide whether one more lie will make or break the ones she loves . . .

Review by Hope Smith

Family, love and the occasional white lie …

Lovey, the matriarch of the family, is holding the family together while dealing with her husband’s impaired health. Although there’s no denying the love she has for her family, her granddaughter Annabelle has always claimed an extra special spot in her heart. Lovey could always expect Annabelle to do the right things in life, so when she leaves her fiancée for a man she had only met, it’s acceptance from Lovey that she craves the most.

The story is told through the eyes of both Lovey and Annabelle. Though generations apart, it’s clear to see how similar they are.

As Lovey tells the story of how she went against her parents where her love life was concerned and ended up marrying the man of her dreams, Annabelle tells a similar story of choosing to follow her heart in the pursuit of love instead of doing what everyone expects of her.

With perfectly flawed characters that are so real and relatable you will miss them when you turn the last page, Lies and Other Acts of Love has the perfect blend of love, emotion and complexity to make for a very satisfying read.

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About the Author:

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the author of Dear Carolina and Lies and Other Acts of Love. She blogs at Design Chic about how creating a beautiful home can be the catalyst for creating a beautiful life and loves connecting with readers at kristywoodsonharvey.com. She is a Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's school of journalism and holds a Master's in English from East Carolina University. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications and websites, including Southern Living, Domino magazine, Our State, Houzz, the Salisbury Post and the New Bern Sun Journal. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and four-year-old son where she is working on her next novel.

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Berkley is giving one lucky winner a print copy of

Lies and Other Acts of Love by Kristy Woodson Harvey