Books are food for my soul! Pull up a beach chair and stick your toes in the sand as the Jersey surf rolls in and out, now open your book and let your imagination take you away.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark



Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark
Published & Sold By: Monterey Press
Release Date: November 11, 2011
Format: Paperback - 274 pages / Kindle 424KB
ISBN: 0984725008
ASIN: B0062AHODI
Genre: Women's Fiction / Chick Lit / Contemporary Fiction


About The Author:




Lauren Clark has been a voracious reader since the age of four and would rather be stranded at the library than on a desert island. In her former life, she worked as an anchor and producer for CBS affiliates in Upstate New York and Alabama. Lauren adores her family, yoga, her new Electra bike, and flavored coffee. She lives near the Florida Gulf Coast.


AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
GOODREADS


BUY THE BOOK: Stay Tuned
AMAZON


Disclaimer: At the request of the author and Chick Lit Plus, a Kindle edition of this book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.


Virtual Book Tour Event: On Monday, January 16, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, Lauren Clark participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/author-guest-post-lauren-clark-author.html


STAY TUNED VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR CONTEST GIVEAWAY: WIN A $10 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

Click on the above link to enter the contest giveaway! Everyone who leaves a comment below and also on the contest link page will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card!

If you purchased your copy of Stay Tuned before January 20 and send your receipt to Samantha@ChickLitPlus.com , you will get five bonus entries! Two lucky winners will be chosen!


Amazon.com Book Description:


Deadlines, Divas & Danger: Behind the Scenes in the TV news Biz ...


For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there's not much she hasn't seen or can't handle.

But no one - including Melissa - expects a fistfight during the ten o'clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor's face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She's determined that WSGA's reputation won't be destroyed on her watch.

Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in - but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa's husband is away more than he's home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother's antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target.

What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out ...


My Book Review:


Mix together a Macon, Georgia TV news station, 2 crazy news co-anchors, a Post-it note using husband, a Dr. Phil quoting best friend, a mother with Dementia, and a stalker ... what do you have ... TV producer Melissa Moore's crazy-busy life! With so much going on in her life, only a super woman can handle it all ... if you only BELIEVE in yourself! Pull up a comfy chair and come visit Melissa in Stay Tuned!

Melissa Moore is a TV producer for the 6pm and 10pm evening newscast at WSGA-TV in Macon, Georgia. This busy woman is the glue that keeps the station together, that is until two crazy co-anchors, who just happen to also be in a volatile relationship, get in an on-air fight, and all hell breaks loose! With the co-anchors fired, Melissa is thrust into the spotlight, and fills in temporarily as the evening news anchor. She decides that she needs a transformation and complete makeover, and who better to help her achieve that transformation than Melissa's secret weapon, her fashionista, Dr. Phil quoting, best friend Candace! With Candace's guidance and encouragement to just believe in herself, Melissa starts to think that maybe this temporary position could become a permanent one. Now if only her relationships with her husband and mother could improve, maybe she'd be happy and content with her life. Lack of communication somewhere along the way has strained their marriage, they've become two ships that pass in the night, only to communicate through Post-it notes left on the kitchen counter. Melissa starts to question if maybe there is something else going on in her husband's life, perhaps an affair? hmmm .... As for the relationship with her mother, it has never been a warm and fuzzy one, Miss Ruth Anne was always too busy with her career as an author to the stars, leaving Melissa yearning for her attention, love and approval. Now living in a nursing home with a diagnosis of Dementia, her memory is slowly leaving her, and Melissa is desperately trying to reach out to her mother one last time, before Dementia robs her of any further chances to finally have that bond that she has yearned for so long. Can Melissa and her mother reach out to each other before it's too late? Finally, to add to the craziness, there is a stalker that targets Melissa, and there is no stopping the person from getting to her! All this and so much more awaits you in Stay Tuned!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Stay Tuned! I found it to be a fast-paced, intriguing, suspenseful, humorous and heartwarming story. The storyline was well written, and Ms. Clark's prior experience as a TV producer lent a realistic behind-the-scenes glimpse into the broadcasting world, it sucked me in from the beginning. I loved all of the characters in the story, but I found myself gravitating towards Melissa's best friend Candace, and her mother's nurse Sharice. I think it was a combination of their strength, compassion and straight-forwardness towards their friendship with Melissa that made me just love them to pieces. All of the supporting characters were intriguing, I loved how they all added an integral part to the storyline. I would have loved to have met Melissa's college-aged daughter Kelly, I felt that just mentioning her sporadically throughout the story didn't give the reader a chance to really get to know her. I think what I loved most of all about Stay Tuned, was the message that different characters gave to Melissa, to just BELIEVE in herself ... this is a powerful message that every reader can relate to in their life. If you are looking for a down-to-earth, heartwarming, feel good story, than this is the book for you! Kudos to Ms. Clark on a wonderful debut novel, I look forward to reading more of her books.


RATING: 4 STARS ****



4 comments:

  1. Thank you so much, Kathleen! You really summed up the essence of the novel -- the theme I was hoping to capture and share with readers!

    So glad you were part of the CLP blog tour. It has been fabulous getting to know such a diverse and talented group of avid readers!

    BTW - I LOVE your buttons on the side bar about books and reading (esp the one about the credit card and bookstores ... so true for me!)

    All the best, Lauren

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the lovely review!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lauren - I am honored to have hosted your tour here on Jersey Girl Book Reviews. It was a wonderful book, and I look forward to reading more of your books.

    Samantha - Thank you for allowing me to host the tour!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is very interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I've joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your magnificent post. Also, I've shared your site in my social networks!
    Etnies Icon Vulc,Black/Purple,5.5 M US Little Kid

    ReplyDelete