Real Romance - Review

Review by Marlene Engel

Hot, sexy men, the ones who can make your knees buckle with one look, are who Marie McCloud fantasizes about.  But those men don’t exist in her world.  She knows that they can only be found in the steamy romance novels that she reads.  Maybe that’s why she stayed with Cecil for as long as she did.  He wasn’t like the men she read about with the bulging muscles, hard bodies and even harder … uh hum.  He was average, artistic, safe.  So, you could imagine her surprise when she found a note stating that he was moving to New York with the young barista he worked with. 

Marie is starting to think that no man can be trusted.  So, when David Lake, the sexy optician who helped her with her new glasses but left her unable to see straight, starts pursuing Marie she isn’t sure if she should live out her storybook fantasies with this man or run for the hills.  No matter how much she tries to avoid his advances, he’s persistent in his conquest.  But when red flags keep popping up, Marie starts to think that David may be a little too similar to Cecil and questions their blossoming friendship.  Will Marie find the fairytale romance that she so desperately desires or will David turn out to be another frog in her quest for Prince Charming?

Real Romance is a fun, sexy read.  Being a self-proclaimed romance junkie, I can relate to Marie, her obsession for hot alpha males and the hopes for a fairy tale ending.  Her character is so cute in a book nerd kind of way and the story was just so fun.  This book is a must read for any romance lover!

AUTHOR BIO

Romance writer Ginny Baird has published novels in print and online and received screenplay options from Hollywood for her family and romantic comedy scripts. She writes touching, often humorous, contemporary romance about single women facing everyday challenges. Known for featuring holidays and family themes in her work, Ginny frequently portrays the struggles of single parents or others who've given up on finding true love.

Ginny has two ongoing novella series, The Holiday Brides Series (holiday romance) and The Summer Grooms Series (summer romance), as well as additional single titles available. Ginny's thrilled to have just released her first paranormal romance, The Ghost Next Door (A Love Story), and Book 5 in her Holiday Brides Series, Baby, Be Mine.

Connect with Ginny at:

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Holidays featured in Ginny Baird fiction:

Christmas

THE CHRISTMAS CATCH (HOLIDAY BRIDES SERIES, Book 1)

THE HOLIDAY BRIDE (HOLIDAY BRIDES SERIES, Book 2)

MISTLETOE IN MAINE (HOLIDAY BRIDES SERIES, Book 3)

BEACH BLANKET SANTA (HOLIDAY BRIDES SERIES, Book 4)

BABY, BE MINE (HOLIDAY BRIDES SERIES, Book 5)

Valentine's Day

BABY, BE MINE (HOLIDAY BRIDES SERIES, Book 5)

Fourth of July

MY LUCKY GROOM (SUMMER GROOMS SERIES, Book 2)

Halloween

THE GHOST NEXT DOOR (A LOVE STORY)

Thanksgiving

REAL ROMANCE

The Cupcake Diaries Spoonful of Christmas - Tour & Giveaway

The Cupcake Diaries:

Spoonful of Christmas

By: Darlene Panzera

Blurb

In this special Christmas novella from Darlene Panzera, THE CUPCAKE DIARIES: Spoonful of Christmas continues the adventures of three cupcake-loving women who work to keep their dream cupcake shop open while balancing love, family, and friendship.

When businessman Preston Pennyworth offers to buy Creative Cupcakes for a million dollars, the women are startled by his offer. Friends Andi, Kim, and Rachel have put everything into the shop and don’t want to give it up. Despite refusing the expensive offer, their worries are starting to pile up—just in time for the Christmas season.  Between Andi’s concerns about a potential cross-country move, Rachel’s wedding-day stress, and Kim’s love life woes, the spirit of the season seems to be lacking! With the added stress of the holiday season, the women can’t help but imaging the possibilities of the offer.

Things change when Andi decides to organize a Christmas party for the foster kids in the area and the whole town gets involved. The women of Creative Cupcakes are reminded of what truly matters, as they realize the best things in life are close to home! But, when the shop is vandalized, the foster kids’ gifts are stolen, and Rachel’s wedding is sabotaged by a real life Grinch, the women can’t help but feel hopeless on Christmas.  Will their Christmases be saved?

In this warm and heartfelt add-on to THE CUPCAKE DIARIES trilogy, Darlene Panzera’s Christmas novella will captivate reader’s hearts and capture the true meaning of Christmas.

 Buy Links

Amazon * B&N  

About the Author

Darlene Panzera is the winner of the “Make Your Dreams Come True” contest sponsored by Avon Books. The win led her novella, The Bet, to be published with Debbie Macomber’s Family Affair. The award-winning novella (chosen in a blind-read by Debbie Macomber) was then published as a full length novel retitled, Bet You’ll Marry Me. Born and raised in New Jersey, Darlene is now a resident of the Pacific Northwest where she lives with her husband and three children. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her family, two horses, and loves: camping, hiking, photography, and lazy days at the lake.

Connect with Darlene at:

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Link to Follow the Tour Here

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Rodeo Queen - Guest Post

Synopsis

Sydney Thomas wants nothing more than to train rodeo horses and hopes becoming a rodeo queen will help her make the contacts she seeks. She is thrilled when Mike Findley, the co-owner of Findley Brothers stock contractors, hires her for her dream job as a horse trainer until she meets Scott Chandler, the other half of Findley Brothers. He’s arrogant, judgmental and, unfortunately, unbelievably sexy. Scott doesn’t bother to hide his attraction to her, but makes it clear that he thinks she’s nothing more than a “buckle bunny” intent on taming a cowboy and he doesn’t plan on being any woman’s toy - not again.

When the two are forced to work together, neither expects their past to show up on the doorstep. Scott’s ex, Mike Finley’s daughter Liz, returns to win him back, determined to destroy any budding relationship between Scott and Sydney, even if that means bringing in outside help in the form of Curtis Willits, Sydney’s ex-fiancé. Sydney faces her abusive past relationship and Scott fights his distrust of women and love. Can they overcome their past and learn to trust one another with their hearts?

Add to Goodreads

Purchase Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Avon Romance | iTunes

Inspiration for Rodeo Queen:

In 1987, after competing in rodeos with a horseback drill team, I looked up during the opening ceremony to see a beautiful girl in a sequin outfit holding the American Flag.  As the National Anthem played, she circled the arena.  I watched her in awe.  It was a few minutes later that I found out she was a “rodeo queen.”  I’d never heard of one before that, even though I’d spent plenty of time around rodeo.  I’d never paid that much attention.

As I watched her that day, I saw her talking with spectators, rodeo participants and performing various activities during the performance.  I decided that very afternoon that someday, I would be a rodeo queen.  It took three years, hundreds of hours of practice and endless preparation for me to win my first title as a rodeo queen.  Several more competitions and titles followed.  During this period of my life, I was training horses, going to college and competing.  I lived and breathed horses and was surrounded by the romance of rodeo – incredibly talented cowboys, beautiful young women and a historic culture.

I loved writing and always wanted it to be my career and I loved western romances.  All writers have heard the advice, “write what you know” so I looked at the people I had surrounding me and decided to put them and rodeo into a novel.  At the time, I wasn’t sure how to do it so I just jotted down a few ideas and put them away. 

Years later, more than I’d like to count, and now a grown woman with kids of my own, running a business from home, I decided I wasn’t going to wait any longer to pursue my dream of a writing career.  I decided that I needed to do something elaborate, to force myself to focus on my writing.  Luckily for me, it was two days before Halloween, just enough time for me to enter NaNoWriMo.  With only two days before the start of the frenzied writing challenge, I pulled out my idea book.

There my “rodeo” story stared me in the face.  I wondered briefly if anyone would even want to read a story about a rodeo queen.  Then it dawned on me, this was NaNoWriMo, it was about producing numbers, not necessarily quality so no one would read what I wrote anyway.  Boy, was I wrong.  By the end of the month, I was asking my critique partner to read it and within ten days, I emailed it to Avon with my heart in my throat and my fingers crossed.

About the Author

T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and Rodeo Queen Competitions since the age of 14 and has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She has written several articles about rodeo for small periodicals, as well as a more recent how-to article for RevWriter, and has published a nonfiction health book and two inspirational fiction titles under the name Tina Klinesmith. She is also an avid reader and book reviewer for both Tyndale and Multnomah. In her spare time, she can be found laughing hysterically with her husband, children, and their menagerie of pets in Northern California.

Connect with the Author:   | Twitter  | Goodreads

Tour Schedule HERE

The Wedding Date - Book Tour & Giveaway

The Wedding Date

A Save the Date Novella

By: Cara Connelly

 Releasing November 19^th, 2013

Blurb

Julie Marone isn’t your ordinary matchmaker. Instead of setting up singles, she matches already-happy couples with their dream homes. It’s her calling. Her gift. And since she lost the other half of her own happy couple, it’s become her passion.

Cody Brown isn’t your ordinary cowboy. Instead of roping runaway steers, he wrangles sick kids and strung-out junkies as an ER doc. It’s his job. His responsibility. And since his brother lost his wife to a drunk driver, it’s his mission.

When Cody moves from Austin to Boston, he wants Julie to find him a condo, and fast. But she’s got issues with that. Because not only is Cody single, he’s a doctor to boot, and ever since her fiancé died, she’s got a major grudge against doctors.

Cody charms her into breaking her “couples-only” rule, but when he angles to be her date for her sister’s Christmas Eve wedding, he finds out Julie’s “no-doctor” rule is unbending. Still, he’s not quitting, because as hard as Julie fights it, there’s heat between them. If Cody has his way, they’ll be a couple by Christmas, and the next dream house Julie finds will be their own.

EXCERPT 1

Outside, a sleety December drizzle came down from a leaden sky. Cars shissed past, spraying sludge. She sprinted next door to the Plaza and marched straight up to the desk. “I’m looking for Dr. Brown,” she informed the pretty brunette with the “Ashley” nametag. “Can you ring his room?”

Ashley broke into a smile. “Oh, Cody's not in his room. He went down the street to Starbucks.” Looking up over Julie's shoulder, her smile widened. “Here he comes now. And he’s got my latte. Isn’t he sweet?” She sighed.

Julie turned around. And sure enough, here came Cody, swaggering across the ultra-opulent lobby, a dozen gilt-framed mirrors ricocheting his reflection off every wall. Even if she’d tried, she couldn’t escape the golden hair, the stubbly sun-kissed jaw. She couldn’t ignore the nut-hugger jeans that served up his package on a plate, and the battered leather jacket, unzipped to display a rain-spattered T-shirt plastered to his paving-stone abs.

Ashley sighed again.

Buy Links:

Amazon * Barnes&Noble * iTunes

Author Info

Cara Connelly is an award-winning author of contemporary romances. Her smart and sexy stories have won high praise, earning Cara several awards including the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart, the Valley Forge Romance Writers’ Sheila, and the Music City Romance Writers’ Melody of Love. Cara lives in rural upstate New York with her handsome husband Billy and magical rescue dog Bella. Cara is proudly represented by Jill Marsal of the Marsal/Lyon Literary Agency.

Connect with the author at:

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

Follow Tour the tour HERE

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Clutch - Blog Tour & Giveaway

Clutch by Tess Oliver

Released: 5th November 2013

Synopsis:

When Taylor Flinn’s parents shipped her off to an aunt for her last year of high school, James “Clutch” Mason had convinced himself it was for the best. Taylor, the wild, impulsive and far-too-appealing seventeen-year-old had been driving him nuts. Her school girl crush on him had been the last thing he needed. Now he had time to concentrate on his booming classic car part business, his new found love-- drag racing, and keeping his twenty-year-old brother Barrett out of trouble.

But when Taylor returns from her aunt’s more grown up, utterly seductive, and attached to another guy, Clutch realizes that the only thing he ever needed or wanted was Taylor Flinn.

Teaser:

She came around the corner, unexpectedly and like a hurricane of stars. My mind went completely blank. I hung up and stuck the phone in my pocket.

Taylor’s long lashes curtained her smooth cheeks as she dropped her gaze.

The adrenaline rush left behind from getting my hands on a sixty-five Shelby morphed into an explosion of every emotion I’d ever felt. I lunged forward and grabbed her hand. She gasped as I dragged her around the back of the building. I pressed her up against the bricks and stared down at her.

Author Bio:

Tess Oliver is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of Freefall (Custom Culture, #1). She is also a full time teacher and lives in California with her husband, two kids, and a pack of pampered pets. She loves horses, chocolate, and Jane Austen books. She has a BS in Nutrition Science and a MA in Curriculum and Instruction.

Connect with the author at:

Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Website * Blog * Email 

Giveaway:

Tess is giving away two $10 Amazon Gift Cards 

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Yesterday's Memories - Review & Giveaway

Review by Marlene Engel

As Emily drove down the winding road, she spotted a house and was instantly drawn to it.  Although there was no “For Sale” sign on the yard, it didn’t appear as if anyone was living there.  There was just something about that house that made her feel like she was meant to have it.  After some research, she found that the house was indeed vacant.  She was told by the realtor that the owner didn’t have the house listed, but said if the right buyer came along, someone who loved the house as much as his family did, then thy would sell it. 

After purchasing the home, Emily found a box full of pictures in the attic.  She loved how the house was decorated and was hoping to find furnishings similar to the pictures as possible.  To her delight, she came across an antique shop that had many of the original furniture and décor from the house.  Emily became quick friends with the shop owner, Marsha.  She learned that Marsha was very close to the family who lived in that house.  She also found out that the house held a secret.  In the library of the house, there was a “window” that allows you to travel into the past.  Emily stumbled upon this by accident.  At first she didn’t know what was happening and thought she was going crazy.  When she realized that she had traveled back in time, it intrigued her.  She was able to meet the family who had lived there before and formed a quick bond with them.  But when she finds herself falling for a man in the past, she’s wondering if she say goodbye to the present day and live in the past with him.  

Yesterday’s Memories is unlike any book I’ve read.  Although it is a romance novel, it also has time travel in it as well.  I wasn’t sure how I’d respond to a book of this genre, but found that I really liked it.   I enjoyed seeing how the characters of the present and past interact and the complexity of the romance that they shared.  Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  It will make you laugh and it will make you cry, but overall it will have you believing in the magic of love.

Purchase book at:

Amazon * Createspace

Sharon Coady was born in Washington D.C. and grew up in Rockville, Maryland. After 22 years of traveling around the world because of her husband’s career in the U.S. Army, Sharon and Ed have settled in Florida with three of their daughters and five of their ten grandchildren. Sharon is a nurse working for the Veterans Administration. She is the mother of four daughters and grandmother to three granddaughters and seven grandsons. Yesterday’s Memories is her first book.

Writing has always been something that she has loved to do, after years of encouragement from her mother she finally got the courage to publish her first book. She has now finished writing her second book, a young adult paranormal which will be published soon and she has started work on a new adult novel. Once the third book is finished she plans to write sequels to both of her first books.

Connect with Sharon at:

Website* Facebook * Twitter

Sharon is giving one lucky U.S resident a signed copy of Yesterday's Memories.

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The Smart One - Review

Review by Darcey Pickett

We follow the journey of the family from the “how’s and whys” they ended up back at home with their parents.  We see how quickly the sibling can revert back to teenage girls and see Max and Cleo go through some life altering changes.  

     

Empty Nest…not so much.  Weezy and Will thought they were going to enjoy the next stages in their life, when life decides to throw them a curve ball.  Suddenly they find themselves with a house full of their three adult children.

Weezy, mother of the three children, and married to Will.  Has had life turn out better for her than ever expected.  

Claire, the middle child has had her world crumble around her.  Her boyfriend called off their wedding, moved out of their shared apartment, and she has burned through all her cash and has found herself buried in credit card debt.  With no other option she moves home.

Martha, the oldest child, is still living at home with her parents.  She had a great career as a nurse, but the stress and anxiety became too much and she left it all behind, moved back home and works retail.

Max, the youngest, preparing to graduate from college with his girlfriend Cleo by his side.  This young couple finds themselves having to move into the basement of Max’s parent house.

I found this book to be several layered stories within from the perspective of four women in the family – Weezy, Cleo, Claire and Martha.  It was interesting to read the book from the perspective of several members of the family.  I certainly could relate to the sibling relationships and how differently each person can view life events.  Ms. Close nails family dysfunction on the head and I completely enjoyed knowing that “I” wasn’t alone when it comes to family dynamics and dysfunction.  With the holidays coming where you are bound to be spending some bit of time with your family, I highly recommend this read!

About the author:

Jennifer Close was born and raised on the North Shore of Chicago.  She is a graduate of Boston College and received her MFA in Fiction Writing from The New School in 2005.  She worked in New York in magazines for many years and now lives in Washington, DC, where she teaches creative writing at George Washington University.

Connect with the author at:

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