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.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx


Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx
Published By: Elizabeth Marx
Sold By: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords
Release Date: November 5, 2011
Format: Kindle - 1114 KB / Nook - 641 KB
ASIN: B006423DPW
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Chick Lit / Women's Fiction


About The Author:






Windy City writer Elizabeth Marx brings cosmopolitan flair to her fiction, which is a blend of romance and fast-paced Chicago living with a sprinkle of magical realism. In her past incarnation she was an interior designer - not a decorator - which basically means she has a piece of paper to prove that she knows how to match and measure things and can miraculously make mundane pieces of furniture appear to be masterpieces. Elizabeth says being an interior designer is one part shrink, one part marriage counselor and one part artist, skills eerily similar to those employed in writing.

Elizabeth grew up in Illinois and has also lived in Texas and Florida. If she's not pounding her head against the wall trying to get the words just right, you can find her at a softball field out in the boonies or sitting in the bleachers by a basketball court. Elizabeth resides with her husband, girls, and two cats who've spelled everyone into believing they're really dogs.

Elizabeth has traveled extensively, but still says there's no town like Chi-Town.


AUTHOR WEBSITE
AUTHOR BLOG SITE
AUTHOR EMAIL ADDRESS
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
GOODREADS
Elizabeth Marx's Binding Arbitration Virtual Book Tour Page On Chick Lit Plus


BUY THE BOOK: Binding Arbitration
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GET THE PREQUEL *FREE*: Cutters vs. Jocks
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Disclaimer: At the request of the author and Chick Lit Plus, a Kindle edition of the 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 Friday, March 30, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, author Elizabeth Marx participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/author-guest-post-elizabeth-marx-author.html



* Two Virtual Book Tour Event Contests*


Elizabeth Marx's Binding Arbitration Virtual Book Tour Event Contest: Win A $10 Amazon Gift Card

To enter the contest, click on the above link and leave a comment on Elizabeth Marx's Binding Arbitration Tour Page on Chick Lit Plus, to win a $10 Amazon gift card. If you purchase Binding Arbitration before April 2nd and send your receipt to Samantha@ChickLitPlus.com , you will get five (5) bonus entries!


*Book Contest Giveaway: Binding Arbitration *


http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/author-guest-post-elizabeth-marx-author.html


Author Elizabeth Marx is giving away two (2) ebook copies of Binding Arbitration on each blog during the virtual book tour. To enter the contest, click on the above link and leave a comment along with your name and email address. Two (2) winners will be randomly selected through Random.org number generator. The winners' names and email addresses will be submitted to Chick Lit Plus to be forwarded to author Elizabeth Marx, who will send the ebook copies. The contest will run until the end of Elizabeth Marx's Binding Arbitration virtual book tour on April 2nd.


Book Description:


Through the corridors of the Windy City's criminal courts, single mother, Libby Tucker, doesn't wonder how far she's willing to go to save her son's life from cancer. The undefeated defense attorney knows she'll take her case all the way to the majors.

Libby pleads her case at the cleats of celebrity baseball player, Banford Aidan Palowski, the man who discarded her at college graduation, begging him to live up to his biological duty. Libby's worked her backside bare for everything she's attained, while Band-Aid has been indulged since he slid through the birth canal and landed in a pile of Gold Coast money. But helping her might jeopardize the only thing the jock worships: his baseball career.

If baseball imitates life, Aidan admits his appears to be silver-plated peanuts, until, an unexpected confrontation with the most spectacular prize that's ever poured from a caramel corn box blindsides him. Libby reveals his son desperately needs him and it pricks open the wound he's carried since he abandoned her.

All Libby wants is a little anonymous DNA, but Band-Aid has a magical umpire in his head who knows Libby's a fateball right to the heart. When a six-year-old sage, and a hippy priestess step onto the field there's more to settle between Libby and Aidan then heartache, redemption, and forgiveness.


My Book Review:


What would you do if your only child had a life threatening disease? Would you contact the man who fathered your child for help, even though he doesn't know the child even exists? What if contacting the man stirs up old feelings that really never went away, could you deal with it? On the other hand, what if you are the man who has no idea that his child exists? Would you finally be able to face the demons that have haunted you for seven years, the shame and regret that you left the woman you love to pursue a career in major league baseball? Would you be able to set things right and make amends with the woman and your child? Could a spark that never really was extinguished and the love of a child bring together two people who were always meant to be together? These are the questions that needed to be answered by Libby Tucker and Aidan Palowski in Binding Arbitration.

Elizabeth "Libby" Tucker is a successful Chicago defense attorney and single mom to her six year old son, Cass. Cass has been diagnosed with Leukemia, and is in need of a bone marrow transplant, in order to save his life. Libby had to do the one thing that she didn't want to do, she had to contact Cass' biological father, Banford Aidan Palowski, a successful major league baseball player, and tell him that he has a son who needs him. Libby needs Aidan to agree to submit a blood sample, to test his DNA to see if he would be a viable bone marrow donor. Sparks fly when Libby and Aidan aka "Band-Aid" meet again, but old wounds and unrequited love won't stop Aidan from stepping up to the plate and helping his son. This is a story of Libby and Aidan's journey through pain, anger and hurt to arrive at forgiveness, redemption and a second chance at love and family.

Binding Arbitration is an amazing story that will pull at your heartstrings. The storyline is well written, emotional, powerful and very compelling. This intriguing story is told in a two person perspective by Libby and Aidan, with each perspective brilliantly told in alternating chapters. The story captivates the reader from the beginning and encourages them to come along on the emotional roller coaster ride that is Libby and Aidan's story. This is not a lighthearted easy story to read, it is one that deals with deep emotional issues of illness and affairs of the heart that will have you grabbing for some tissues along the way. The characters are realistic and complex, their engaging personalities and interactions make the story that much more compelling. I couldn't help but love Libby and Aidan, their spark and interactions with each other had my emotions ranging from one end of the spectrum to the other. I think the hardest part of the story to digest was reading about poor little Cass' illness, your heart just can't help but break for him and what he was going through. The author does an incredible job of describing the Chicago setting, I was so intrigued that now I want to visit Chi Town and walk down the magical mile! I also loved how the author intertwined two of my favorite interests: the law and baseball! The references to both the law and baseball throughout the book made me one happy camper, they were informative and fascinating, what more could I ask for?

There are not many books that I have read that pull at my heartstrings and leave my emotions spent, but Binding Arbitration did just that. This amazing story is so much more than just your typical chick lit or contemporary romance novel. It offers a lesson and message about love, forgiveness, redemption and second chances that will warm your heart, and remind you to count your blessings and cherish your relationships.


RATING: 5 STARS *****





4 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book. :)

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  2. Kathleen,
    Thanks for reading and reviewing Binding Arbitration. As I said, it was a labor of love and I too learned to appreciate life a bit more because of it. Looking forward to getting to know you better. Happy reading on Cutters vs. Jocks.
    Thanks again,
    Elizabeth Marx

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    Replies
    1. Hi Elizabeth! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book. I wish I had read Cutters vs Jocks first. lol :)

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