IZZY'S COLD FEET BY SARAH LOUISE SMITH

One bride to be. Three ex-boyfriends.

Izzy is engaged to Greg, who is everything a girl could want.

The trouble is – all she can think about is the men she loved before she met him: sexy Ewan, the first love of her life; dependable Jason, who loved her more than she deserved; and irresistible Dexter, who broke her heart…

Then there’s the fact that her sister has been missing since Izzy was twelve. After such a traumatic childhood all Izzy wants is a normal, happy, settled life, but love is never simple.

In the week leading up to her wedding day, Izzy is forced to ask herself who she loves the most. And, given the choice, who would she want to spend her life with?

Q&A With the Author:

When did you know you wanted to become an author?

I've been writing stories since before I can remember, but it wasn't until my early twenties that I considered actually attempting to write a whole novel and get it published. It then took me almost ten years to commit to it and make it become a reality! 

 

Would you classify your books as chick lit?  And is this your favorite genre to read?

Yes, I would and yes it is. I enjoy lots of genres but chick lit is the one I read the most. I enjoy a feel-good story with a few twists! So I suppose that it's natural I should write in the same genre.

 

Where did you come up with the premise for Izzy’s Cold Feet?

A few years ago, while lazing by a pool in southern France, I somehow came up with an idea of a story about a girl who's sibling had gone missing. I thought about how that might affect her as an adult, how it might alter her decisions, feelings and desires. It took me a while to put those thoughts into a novel and build on it, so it was a few years worth of thoughts in the making!

 

Describe your book in three words.

Tough question! Here goes: Love. Passion. Doubt.

 

What can your readers expect next from you?  

I've started writing my third novel but I'm only a few chapters in. It's chick lit again but a totally different story. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out!

A special thanks to Sarah Louise Smith for stopping by Book Mama Blog to chat!  

Sarah Louise Smith lives in Milton Keynes, UK, with her husband, two cute cats and a loopy golden retriever. She has an extremely lovely step-daughter and spends most of her free time writing, reading, cooking, and taking long walks.

She’s the author of two chick-lit novels: Amy & Zach and Izzy’s Cold Feet, both published by Crooked Cat. Read Sarah’s blog at: www.sarahlouisesmith.com.

Sarah’s website/blog: www.sarahlouisesmith.com

You can purchase the paperback or e-versions from all the usual online book sellers.

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Izzys-Cold-Sarah-Louise-Smith/dp/1909841005/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373108590&sr=8-1&keywords=Izzy%27s+cold+feet

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Izzys-Cold-Sarah-Louise-Smith/dp/1909841005/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373108773&sr=8-1&keywords=izzy%27s+cold+feet

Sarah Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahSmith16

Sarah Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahlouisesmithauthor

Where to find my first novel, Amy & Zach

(read more about it: http://sarahlouisesmith.com/my-books/amy-and-zach/)

Amazon UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amy-Zach-ebook/dp/B00AWUAFO4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370267630&sr=8-1&keywords=amy+%26+zach

Amazon US:

http://www.amazon.com/Amy-Zach-ebook/dp/B00AWUAFO4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370267775&sr=8-1&keywords=amy+%26+zach

SUMMER ROMANCE BOOK BLOG HOP & GIVEAWAY

Book Mama Blog is giving away a
$10 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway - Open Internationally
Hope on over to the other blogs participating (listed below).  Each will have their own giveaway!

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BOOK REVIEW - MIDSUMMER MAGIC

By Becky Gulc

Associate Reviewer at Chick Lit Central (Our Sister Blog)

Synopsis:

‘An enchanting and entertaining novel that will delight fans of Katie Fforde and Veronica Henry.

Recently engaged Josie is visiting her parents in Cornwall with best friend Diane, fiancée Harry and his pal Ant. Josie can’t wait to start wedding planning, if only Harry was more interested, and Diane and Ant weren’t at war with each other.

As the four make amends over a drink in the local pub, they meet Freddie Puck, a well-known TV hypnotist and find themselves agreeing to a dare – to stay out all night on the hills by the standing stones.

Local mythology says a young married couple will find true happiness if they can last a whole night there on Midsummer’s Eve. But as night time falls, not everyone seems to have remembered the boundaries of love…’ (courtesy of JuliaWilliamsauthor.com) 

Review:

I’m a big fan of Veronica Henry’s books so I had high hopes that this book would be for me when she was referenced, I haven’t read any books by Julia Williams before.

I found this book a struggle to begin with and I admit it took me quite a while to read from start to finish. I think an issue for me was that I didn’t feel a bond with the characters, at least in the early stages, they all seemed a bit self-obsessed (particularly Josie as a typical bridezilla) or cliché. There were also some characters introduced in the early stages aside from the four core characters that I was just confused by (Tatiana and Bron), especially as different time periods were introduced. It almost felt like too completely separate books to begin with and took too long in my opinion to intertwine them with the main story, and even then I’m afraid to say I didn’t feel this added much to the story although I can see why this was done in terms of drawing on a similar character base to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

I also found the build-up to the hypnotism quite slow and repetitive in terms of building up a readers expectations of it, I just wanted to get there and see if what I thought was going to happen did! I started to enjoy the book once we reach the hypnotism, the fact that it occurs at night meant there was a lot of tension and it felt quite atmospheric. I found it quite comical what happens between the different characters and a lot of twists and turns are involved. It is during this evening that I started to warm to the characters more, when they were being more ‘real’ (or are they?), particularly Diane when we develop an understanding for why her relationship with Ant is so fraught.

At some points though it just seemed quite silly and seemed to keep going back and forth between the ‘will they won’t they’ between the characters but overall I enjoyed this, I certainly didn’t know how it was going to end up even though I thought at the beginning it may be a predictable read. I was pleased with the ending and glad my prediction for how it would end had been wrong.

  

Becky Gulc lives in York, England. When she's doesn't have her head in a book, she works as a Social Researcher (anything to do with children and families). Becky is undertaking creative writing courses and aspires to be a fully fledged writer too, one day... she was proud to be a finalist in the Novelicious Undiscovered writing competition this year, her first writing competition entry! You can find her on Facebook and Twitter if you would like to get to know her better. 

BOOK REVIEW - THE REST OF US

By Jami Deise

Associate Reviewer at Chick Lit Central (Our Sister Blog)

Like most writers, people-watching is one of my favorite hobbies, and I always find myself wondering about couples. The mismatched couples are the most thought-provoking – one is gorgeous while the other is just average; one is heavy while the other reed-thin; one is dressed to the nines while the other is a slob. And then there are those where one (usually the man) is near Social Security age, and the other (most often the woman) just got her first real fulltime job. Unlike those other couples, two people with a huge age gap between them will go through many different types of relationship dynamics if they stay together long term. They may have started out with the older partner dashing and confident; the younger one admiring and naïve; they may spend some time as equals, but eventually the younger will be taking care of the older.

In her novel The Rest of Us, Jessica Lott explores the relationship between an older man – Rhinehart -- and a younger woman – Terry -- at two different points in time. In flashbacks, they are together as a 20-year-old college student and 41-year-old poetry professor. She is 35 in current day as they are finding their way back to each other. No longer a needy, emotional 20-year-old, can Terry make the relationship work now that they are both adults?

The book opens with Rhinehart’s New York Times obituary. A Pulitzer-Prize winning poet, he earned a long one from the Gray Lady, and Terry is drawn back into 15-year-old memories when she reads it. But the obit was published in error, as Terry learns when she bumps into Rhinehart in a department store. Overwhelmed with emotion, the two have a tearful reunion, and Rhinehart invites Terry to a dinner party he and his wife, Laura, are throwing.

Although Terry had been a promising young photographer when they had been together, she no longer uses her camera to create art. Instead, she is gainfully – if barely – employed in a portrait studio, making just enough money to hang onto the Brooklyn apartment she once shared with Hallie, who is now married and living in New Jersey. Hallie had been around during Round 1 of Rhinehart and Terry’s relationship, and she warns her friend about getting involved with him again. But soon Rhinehart calls Terry (he refers to her as “Tatie”) and tells her that he and Laura have split, and would she like to have dinner? Rhinehart has given up on poetry;  his current obsession is with discovering his roots in Ukraine. As the relationship progresses, Terry finds herself picking up the camera once again. When Rhinehart visits Ukraine, Terry finds herself connecting with Laura over her photography.

The Rest of Us is a very well-written book, featuring characters who are concerned about art, photography, genealogy, poetry and philosophy. It’s a literary work more preoccupied with the protagonist’s interior life  -- the relationship with Rhinehart, her photography – than plot points. As such, the novel’s pacing is slow; perhaps too slow for readers who want a more active read. But the descriptions are lyrical, and the sections where Terry describes the process of photography are illuminating without seeming instructive.  Although the student/professor dynamic of their earlier relationship is mostly played out in the present tense, the novel still has a collegiate feel due to its literary concerns.

Still, the most important job for a novel about romance (even if it is not a traditional romance novel) is to create a love interest that readers find appealing. Readers should see exactly what the protagonist sees, and root for the two be together. Personally, I did not find Rhinehart to be worth the investment Terry makes in the relationship. While Terry grows on both a personal and professional level throughout the novel, Rhinehart spends most of the book self-centered and somewhat oblivious to Terry’s needs. But this is not surprising, considering he is a character who became involved with a 20-year-old when he was in his 40s.

The book’s ending is not surprising for anyone who is familiar with various art truisms. And it’s terribly abrupt, refusing to wrap up an important subplot. But the book provides an important service for any woman who once fantasized about dating her college English professor – an in-depth look at what those kinds of relationships entail, and how they evolve. 

Jami Deise recently moved to St. Petersburg, FL after living her whole life in Maryland. After writing and trying to sell screenplays for the past ten years, she recently completed and self-published her first novel, Keeping Score (mom lit!). Now that her son Alex is headed off to college, Jami will have plenty of time for reading, writing, watching TV, and blogging (http://jamideise.blogspot.com/). She’s on Facebook and Twitter.

THREE MONTHS IN FLORENCE BY MARY CARTER - REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

The second that Lena laid eyes on Alex, she knew that he was the man she was going to marry.  She envisioned what their children would look like and how their life would be.  They spoke about honeymooning in Italy and visiting the Cinque Terre, but that was 16 years ago.  Now married with two children, and still awaiting that trip to Italy, Lena has spent the last six months caring for her kids on her own while her husband is in Florence on a business trip.  But is Lena bitter that her husband is frolicking through the Mediterranean without her?  You best believe she is!  She always thought that they would go to Italy together.  Instead, Alex is there without her and Lena is less than pleased about this. 

Then the day comes that changed everything.  Lena receives a package and inside are a dozen long stem roses.  Lena’s mother has always said that men only give flowers for two reasons:  it’s your birthday or they’re feeling guilty.  The card attached simply read:  I’M SORRY.  Today was the day that Alex was to be coming home.  He should be on the airplane right now.  Lena tried calling Alex but got his voice mail.  That’s when she decided to try Skyping him.  Instead of Alex answering the video call, a young, gorgeous Italian woman does.  Her name is Alexandria and, to Lena’s surprise, is Alex’s Italian mistress!

Lena refuses to let her marriage go without a fight.  She packs up her two kids (and even the dog) and heads to Italy.  This is not how her first trip to Italy was supposed to be.  She was supposed to be walking hand in hand with Alex, taking in the sights and enjoying the culture.  Instead, she’s with her kids, dragging around her dog and sweating profusely all while trying to hide her swollen, red eyes behind sunglasses.  How will Alex react when he finds out they are in Italy?  Will Lena be able to save her marriage?  Or has Alex decided to throw away 16 years of marriage for a woman he barely knows?  Come spend Three Months In Florence and find out!

I really enjoyed this book.  Mary Carter did a great job grabbing my attention from the beginning.  With every page, I became more and more engrossed in the story.  I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next and felt like I was right there with them in Italy.  The characters were so well written.  I found myself rooting for Lena and wanting to strangle Alex!    The author did a great job captivating my attention, yet swirling in subtle humor.  I thought her writing was brilliant.  I truly loved this book and would absolutely recommend it to others.  I give this book cinque stelle (five stars)!

To purchase this book at Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Three-Months-Florence-Mary-Carter/dp/0758284705/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1375123872&sr=8-1&keywords=three+months+in+florence

Mary Carter is a novelist and writing coach. Three Months in Florence is her seventh novel. Her other works include: The Things I Do For You, The Pub Across the Pond, My Sister’s Voice, Sunnyside Blues, She’ll Take It, and Accidentally Engaged.  In addition to her novels she has written three novellas: A Very Maui Christmas in the New York Times best selling anthology Holiday Magic, The Honeymoon House in the New York Times best selling anthology Almost Home, and A Kiss Before Midnight in the Spring of 2013. She has a Christmas novella coming out in an anthology in 2013, a summer novella in 2014, and another Christmas novella in 2014. She is currently working on her eighth novel, Meet Me in Barcelona. Although she will always be a New Yorker at heart, Mary is making a move to Wilmington, NC where she can focus on writing full time. 

She can be reached at marycarterbooks.com
Facebook:  Facebook/MaryCarterBooks
Twitter: @marycarterbooks

GIVEAWAY IS INTERNATIONAL.  HOWEVER, PAPERBACK COPY IS ONLY FOR U.S RESIDENTS.  INTERNATIONAL WINNERS WILL GET AN E-COPY.   MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE ACTUAL BLOG TO BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN.

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Stained by Elizabeth Marx - Cover Reveal

Instead of a lot of build-up in a huge post, Elizabeth's publicist thought that it would be best to let the front and back covers do the talking for themselves.

Back Cover:
Front Cover:
All together now!

Stained is due out on August 20th. It tells the beautiful, yet heart-wrenching story of a young woman whose only defense is to run when the going gets tough; and the man who will do anything to help her face her demons, including letting her go so she can find herself. Add Stained to your GOODREADS want to read list! About the Author: Windy City writer, Elizabeth Marx, brings cosmopolitan life alive in her fiction—a blend of romance, fast-paced Chicago living, and a sprinkle of magical realism. Elizabeth resides with her husband, girls, and two cats who’ve spelled everyone into believing they’re really dogs. She grew up in the city, has traveled extensively, and still says there’s no town like Chi-Town.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Keeping Score by Jami Deise

When her 9-year-old son wanted to play summer travel baseball, Shannon had no idea the toughest competition was off the field….

When her son Sam asks to try out for a travel baseball team, divorced mom Shannon Stevens thinks it’ll be a fun and active way to spend the summer. Boy, is she wrong! From the very first practice, Shannon and Sam get sucked into a mad world of rigged try-outs, professional coaches, and personal hitting instructors. But it’s the crazy, competitive parents who really make Shannon’s life miserable. Their sons are all the second coming of Babe Ruth, and Sam isn’t fit to fetch their foul balls. Even worse, Shannon’s best friend Jennifer catches the baseball fever. She schemes behind the scenes to get her son Matthew on the town’s best baseball team, the Saints. As for Sam? Sorry, there’s no room for him! Sam winds up on the worst team in town, and every week they find new and humiliating ways to lose to the Saints.

And the action off the field is just as hot. Shannon finds herself falling for the Saints’ coach, Kevin. But how can she date a man who didn’t think her son was good enough for his team … especially when the whole baseball world is gossiping about them? Even Shannon’s ex-husband David gets pulled into the mess when a randy baseball mom goes after him. As Sam works to make friends, win games and become a better baseball player, Shannon struggles not to become one of those crazy baseball parents herself.  In this world, it’s not about whether you win, lose, or how you play the game… it’s all about KEEPING SCORE. 

To buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E6GHQYM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00E6GHQYM&linkCode=as2&tag=chlicethbl-20 

Q&A With The Author:

What made you want to become an author?

I think people who are storytellers are born that way. I loved books as a child and the first thing I wrote was "Little House on the Prairie" fan fiction (this was, of course, way before the term "fan fiction" had made it into the vernacular.) So deciding to be a writer isn't really a choice. Deciding which medium to focus in is, though. I did spend several years writing screenplays until I decided that the stories I wanted to tell weren't the stories that Hollywood was buying, and I really didn't have the interest to try to make my own movie. The explosion in self-publishing helped convince me that I could find a venue for a novel no matter how it was received.

What made you choose to have your book set around baseball?

For the past 10 years my life has been set around baseball, so it was an easy choice! There are so many stories around travel baseball for kids, or any kind of competitive activity. My generation of helicopter parents gets super-involved in whatever our kids are doing. It's funny and worrisome at the same time.

Are any of the characters based on real people?

Based on, yes, but in a general way. My son started playing travel baseball at 9, but his personality is not the same as my protagonist's son.

Would you consider yourself to be an indie author?

Yes!

How do you balance being an author and a review associate at Chick Lit Central?

I am also a reader for a New York literary agency. I find all the reading to be very helpful for me as a writer... I see what works for other writers, and the mistakes they make, and I try to keep those issues in mind when I'm working on my own stories. I probably read about 2 manuscripts a week for the agency and a book a week for CLC. The only problem is that I don't have time to read anything else just for me!

What’s next for Jami?

Last year I wrote a novelization of a vampire screenplay I had written about ten years ago, but it clocked in at only 30,000 words. So I'm trying to double that. I also just finished a first draft of another women's fiction novel that I'm going to be rewriting when I'm done with the vampire project. After that I have notes for a YA murder mystery... so lots!!
  
Thank you, Jami for stopping by Book Mama!  I can't wait to read this book!

A lifelong resident of Maryland, Jami Deise recently moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, along with her husband Tom, son Alex, and dog Lady. A baseball mom for over 10 years, "Keeping Score" is her first novel. Jami is an associate reviewer at www.chicklitcentral.com. Along with women's fiction, she loves all things horror and watches too much TV.  

Learn more about Jami at her blog: http://jamideise.blogspot.com/