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, January 29, 2016

Molly's Misadventures by D.E. Haggerty (Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Molly's Misadventures by author D.E. Haggerty!







Book Review



Molly's Misadventures by D.E. Haggerty
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: January 8, 2016
Format: Paperback - 225 pages
               Kindle - 904 KB
               Nook - 301 KB
ISBN: 978-1523236169
ASIN: B018BKJOLQ
BNID: 2940152480153
Genre: Chick Lit / Romantic Comedy / Women's Fiction


Buy The Book:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Goodreads


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.


Book Description:


I’m having the suckiest day ever. First, my father, aka Mr. Grumpy Pants, calls to say his nurse just walked out on him. Likely story. I rush home to pack only to walk in on my husband getting it on with his younger, skanky secretary. Unfortunately, my quick weekend trip home to fix Dad’s problems turns into a stay of a few weeks. Luckily, I’ve got Danny, the neighbor boy I had a crush on when I was a dorky, braces-wearing, nose-buried-in-a-book teenager, and a brand-spanking new blog to keep my mind off things. Before I know it, I’m writing product reviews of vibrators and getting questioned by a store rent-a-cop at the world’s worst date ever. All while trying to figure out how to take things with Danny to the next level. Not to complicate things or anything but my boss decides to give me an ultimatum – come back in four weeks or don’t come back at all. How in the world did my life get so complicated?


My Book Review:

If you are looking for a thoroughly entertaining romantic comedy that will keep you stitches, then look no further, Molly's Misadventures is the book for you!

Author D.E. Haggerty weaves a delightfully humorous tale written in the first person narrative that follows the trials and tribulations in thirty-something Molly's life. Molly's life was going well: a great job and family in NYC, who could ask for more ... that is until her life got turned upside down when she received an urgent call from her father in Wisconsin, oh and she just happened to catch her husband cheating with his secretary on their living room couch! Can it get any worse for Molly? Molly takes a leave from her job and travels to Wisconsin to take care of her dad because the home health nurses keep quitting due to his obnoxious behavior. While seeking a replacement nurse to take care of her dad, Molly starts a blog called "Molly's Misadventures," detailing her woeful dating experiences with all the Mr. Wrongs; while also renewing her crush on Danny, the boy next door who happens to be very single! Molly's misadventures eventually leads her on a personal journey of re-evaluating her life and rediscovering herself.

Molly's Misadventures was such a fun book to read! I loved Molly's snarky humor and sassy demeanor, she's my kind of girl! The reader can't help but get drawn into the quirky trials and tribulations that occur in Molly's life, it has a sense of reality that anyone can relate to, especially when life gets a tad bit crazy. I found myself snickering as I followed Molly's blog, there is a lot of humor and wit to what she writes about that simply made me smile. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Molly's obnoxious dad provides a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, and reconnecting with best friend Dianne and Danny was just what Molly needed to help her rediscover herself.

Molly's Misadventures is a fast-paced romantic comedy about dealing with life's complications and rediscovering oneself along the way.


RATING: 5 STARS 







About The Author



I grew up reading everything I could get my hands on from my mom’s Harlequin romances to Nancy Drew to Little Woman. When I wasn’t flipping pages in a library book, I was penning horrendous poems, writing songs no one should ever sing, or drafting stories which have thankfully been destroyed. College and a stint in the U.S. Army came along, robbing me of free time to write and read, although I did manage every once in a while to sneak a book into my rucksack between rolled up socks, MRIs, t-shirts, and cold weather gear. A few years into my legal career, I was exhausted, fed up, and just plain done. I quit my job and sat down to write a manuscript, which I promptly hid in the attic after returning to the law. Another job change, this time from lawyer to B&B owner and I was again fed up and ready to scream I quit, which is incredibly difficult when you own the business. Thus, I shut the B&B during the week and in the off-season and started writing. Several books later I find myself in Istanbul writing full-time.


Author Website
Author Blog 
Amazon Author Page
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Goodreads 



Contest Giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway 



Virtual Book Tour Event



Tour Schedule:

January 18 – Back Porchervations – Review
January 19 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Interview
January 20 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review 
January 21 – Christa Reads and Writes – Guest Post
January 22 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – Guest Post
January 23 – Escapes With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Spotlight
January 24 – Babs Book Bistro – Spotlight
January 25 – A Chick Who Reads – Review 
January 26 – Musings and Ramblings – Guest Post 
January 27 – I Read What You Write – Review 
January 28 – Thoughts in Progress – Spotlight 
January 29 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review
January 30 – Brooke Blogs – Guest Post
January 31 – LibriAmoriMiei – Review



Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Going For Two by Laura Chapman (Book Release Day Event)

In association with author Laura Chapman and publisher Marching Ink, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the book release day event for Going For Two!









In honor of Going for Two’s release, I’m sharing some fun facts about the book and Queen of the League series.

Though I’ve mentioned some football teams by name—the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Green Bay Packers—in the Queen of the League series, I wanted to shy away from focusing on any real players or real teams for specifics. Knowing how big of a part Brook’s high school team would play, I created a fake one: the Lincoln West Warriors. Even though all of the people associated with the school and team are completely fictional, I did throw in a few details from my own high school: the Millard West Wildcats. Both of our schools have green and black as our colors—though our other accent was gold while the Warriors are silver. Like a lot of the little things in these books, it’s a small tribute to my past.




I hope you will check out the other facts—view a complete listing of locations and dates on my website, www.laurachapmanbooks.com—and the series.

Thank you, Kathleen, for featuring Going for Two—and me—today. Enjoy!




About the Book
Harper Duquaine is back for another season of fantasy football! This time she’s a year wiser and prepared to dominate the league. But while she finally seems to have her fantasy life in order, reality proves more challenging.

Her plans to peacefully play house with her boyfriend come to a halt when the high school suddenly names Brook its head football coach. The promotion comes with more responsibility on the field and less time at home. It also unexpectedly means more work for Harper, who already has her hands full helping a friend pull off the perfect proposal (while dodging questions about when she and Brook are going to get hitched already). Plus, a new development at work could leave her—and half of the fantasy league—jobless.

With the complications of her career and being “Mrs. Coach” adding up, Harper wonders if she’s committed to the life she’s already building or if there is something else out there.


Buy The Book:
Barnes & Noble
Kobo


And from January 20-29 you can get First & Goal, book one in the Queen of the League series, for only 99 cents.



About The Author





Laura Chapman is the author of Going for Two, First & Goal, The Marrying Type, and Hard Hats and Doormats. Her work also appears in Merry & Bright, A Kind of Mad Courage, and the holiday collection All I Want For Christmas from Marching Ink. She loves Huskers and Packers football, Netflix marathons, and her cats, Jane and Bingley. Laura makes her home in Nebraska, where she is penning her next novel.


Connect with Laura:






Monday, January 25, 2016

Maybe Tomorrow by Erin Cawood (Author Interview / Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Maybe Tomorrow by author Erin Cawood!






Author Interview


Welcome to Jersey Girl Book Reviews, Erin!


Before we get to the interview, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself. 

I really am a romantic at heart. I’ve been reading and writing romance since my early teens and the discovery of chick-lit in my early twenties brought its own special twist on my writing style.

I love a strong lead character that you can really get behind and cheer on every step of the way. Thus, I end up sliding around and sometimes into the darker, edgier side of romantic fiction and taking the path less willingly followed.


How long have you been a writer? 

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. I still have stories I wrote when I was in my first year at school, so maybe 5 or 6 years old. I decided I wanted to be a published author at 13 and began writing novellas. It wasn’t until I was 25 did I begin chasing the dream, and my first published novel Tainted Love was released five years later, although it was the fifth novel I’d written by then.


Do you have a day job, or is being an author your career? 

I’m a Digital Project Coordinator for a Global Consultancy and Project Management company by day. My job is very much about all things web based, from web design and development to content creation, promotion and marketing. When I’m not writing or working, I freelance as a digital designer.


What inspired you to become a writer? Describe your journey as a writer. 

Reading The Gift by Danielle Steel. By the time I’d finished I knew I wanted to be an author. I’m still working on the first novel I began back in 2007. I began my publishing journey as a self-published author, publishing 2 novels, I have since signed with Booktrope and now have 3 titles on sale, with a fourth and a short story coming out early this year.


Please give a brief description/storyline about Maybe Tomorrow

Head of a large trauma centre in London, Dr. Keon McGowan has pictured his ex-wife’s death a thousand times. Without warning, Darcy called time on their marriage to travel the world and hunt for butterflies, leaving him to raise their daughter, Lily. They haven’t seen Darcy since.

But in the middle of a medical crisis, Darcy is rushed into his A&E department and later diagnosed with liver failure. Without having the transplant that she doesn’t want, Darcy has only months to live. Keon makes the decision to include Darcy in his family’s weekend festivities to give Lily memories of her mother before she dies, with the secret intention of convincing Darcy to change her mind about having a liver transplant.

In spending time with Darcy, Keon comes to realize that, despite having remarried (and divorced) he hasn’t fully healed from the broken heart that Darcy caused. In fact, he’s still in love with her. Keon is faced with the difficult decision between fighting for a tomorrow they may not have and supporting Darcy’s wish to die.

The McGowans are a complex close-knit family and just when you think you know what happened, someone reveals another secret that changes everything. But essentially, Maybe Tomorrow is a story of love caught between Darcy’s fate and Keon’s destiny.


What was the inspiration for this story? 

I don’t know where the inspiration came from, I woke up one morning with Keon’s voice inside my head. He was trying to explain to his daughter why he had to go away, and why when he came back he would be a changed man, but he wouldn’t be able to talk about it. He’d realized that he loved Darcy and he intended to follow her. He wanted to be with her when she died but his daughter, Lily, was too young to understand.


How did it feel to have your first book published? 

Indescribable! But I find it’s the same for every release. It’s a mixture of elation, apprehension, and exhaustion. You’re thrilled beyond words to be sending another book baby out into the world. But your nervous about whether people will like (or hate) the characters as much as you do and whether they’ll enjoy it their journey. Finally, you’ve worked your butt off in the weeks coming up to the release that pressing publish is like exhausted buzz of five o’clock on Friday.


Do you write books for a specific genre? 

Yes… and no. Maybe Tomorrow is falls into the Women’s Fiction/Medical Romance genre. But my other series, Behind Closed Doors, has a darker flavour. It’s core theme is domestic abuse, and that it can happen to anyone. It’s romance with a dark psychological twist, still contemporary Women’s Fiction though. I’m also working on a chick lit series and a paranormal romance series.


What genres are your favorite(s)? What are some of your favorite books that you have read and why? 

Obviously, Women’s Fiction and Romance are my go to sections in any bookstore. But after discovering some really fantastic books by authors of other genres I tend to read the blurb and if I’m intrigued I’ll buy it.

Family Magic by Patti Larsen. I opened the book on page one and was like… oh no… reading this is going to be torture. But was proven to be wrong because I was up until four in the morning and read it cover to cover in one sitting. I love this series! And Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I never cry at books, or movies, but I sobbed my heart out at the end of this one.


Do you have a special spot/area where you like to do your writing? 

I have a writing room. But as long as I plug my earphones in I will write anywhere!


How do you come up with the ideas that become the storyline for your books? 

That’s really hard to describe. Inspiration can be triggered by anything and everything. I tend to follow the ‘voices’ of my characters. It’s their story. In that sense I’m a very character driven author but I love lots of drama too! So I tend to be quite evil to my characters. A very wise editor once said, ‘If you can make the characters situation worse, then do so.’


When you write, do you adhere to a strict work schedule, or do you work whenever the inspiration strikes? 

I find it difficult to stick to a strict schedule because I write when inspired. But juggling writing, publishing and marketing with a day job, means I have to keep to do lists and write when I’ve ticked off what needs to be done first.


What aspects of storytelling do you like the best, and what aspects do you struggle with the most? 

I love to get immersed in a whole new world. I love taking my readers there also. But some of my stories are dark and can be quite mentally and emotionally draining. I have to break them up with lighter stories.


What are your favorite things to do when you are not writing? 

Not writing? I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Lol! When I’m not writing, I’m designing book covers, producing web banners, or tweaking with my website. But I love to watch movies, go bowling, or out for a meal. I love spending time with my family. I have a large family with lots of brothers and sisters, who have lots of children also. My family get togethers are crazy… and loud.


What is/was the best piece of writing advice that you have received? 

Write for your readers. I totally went from focusing on making that one book perfect for the publishers, to writing several really good novels in a year.


What is the most gratifying thing you feel or get as a writer?

Feedback from readers. Every time someone says ‘I read your book’, I’m on cloud nine. Reviews are amazing because I learn what my readers like and didn’t like about my books. And I absolutely love when readers take the time or to message me, either via email, Facebook or Twitter.


How do you usually communicate with your readers/fans? 

Predominantly by email. I encourage people to email me at erin(at)erincawood(dot)com, have conversations with me about my books, or send book recommendations because I’m an avid reader too. I have a newsletter for official announcements, which I send out before I announce them anywhere else. I also communicate with readers on my Facebook page and/or on Twitter.

Facebook.com/authorerincawood 
https://twitter.com/ErinCawood
Get 2 free books when you sign up to my newsletter http://eepurl.com/bMlx7L 


Is there anything in your book based on real life experiences or are they purely all from your imagination? 

Ah Maybe Tomorrow is purely fictional, but there are some aspects that people who knew me will recognize, like the scene where the family are playing rounders and Lily and Keon’s nieces and nephews scream ‘all pile on’ and dive top of him. I’ve been squished by my siblings ‘all piling on’ no end of times.


What authors have been your inspiration or influenced you to become a writer? 

Danielle Steel, Jojo Moyes, Patti Larsen, Amy Andrews… I’m sure there are more.


What is your definition of success as a writer? 

Hearing from readers. It’s not about the money for me. I get an enormous amount of joy from writing, and learning that someone else has experienced that same joy by reading it, there isn’t a feeling like it!


Are you currently writing a new book? If yes, would you care to share a bit of it with us? 

Right now, I’m working on Life’s a Ball. Elle Richards is the ultimate career-girl-come-commitment-phobe, juggling a high powered career with being the single mother of a fifteen year old championship figure skater. And she hates Valentine’s Day. Adam Lacey is a self-confessed playboy with an aversion to children, but deep down he’s a hopeless romantic whose favorite day of the year is Valentine’s Day and he’s just waiting for the girl of his dreams (Elle) to see him the way he sees her.


Thank you Erin for visiting Jersey Girl Book Reviews, and for sharing with us a bit about yourself and your writing career!





About The Author



Erin Cawood is a commercial women's fiction author, with a taste for dramatic storylines and a passion for strong lead characters she really gets behind, cheering on right to the very end of their story. Her focus? Taking romance into the darker, edgier side of contemporary fiction.

Get 2 free books when you sign up to Erin Cawood's newsletter http://eepurl.com/bMlx7L 

Enter to win a Kindle! http://erincawood.com/giveaways/maybe-tomorrow-kindle-giveaway/


Author Website
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
YouTube
Goodreads



Book Review



Maybe Tomorrow by Erin Cawood
Book 1: Forgive or Forget Series
Publisher: Booktrope Editions
Publication Date: November 16, 2015
Format: Paperback - 162 pages
               Kindle - 2561 KB
               Nook - 911 KB
ISBN: 978-1513705880
ASIN: B0184RELU0
BNID: 2940150963269
Genre: Women's Fiction / Medical Romance / Family Saga


Buy The Book: **Maybe Tomorrow is only 99 cents while on tour!**


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.


Book Description:

Welcome to the Forgive Or Forget series, a compelling contemporary women's fiction love story and family saga series. Cawood's love inspired medical romance series follows the close-knit McGowan siblings; Keon, Kiera, Cormack, and Cara, as they face the difficult choice between forgiving or forgetting true love after a broken heart.

Does a heart ever really heal from its first break?

On an unseasonably hot night in late September, Dr. Keon McGowan is called away from a family gathering to a hospital emergency. Amongst his patients that night is a blast from his past he'd rather forget. He'll certainly never forgive butterfly hunter Darcia Davenport for leaving him alone as a single dad while she chased butterflies through the Amazon rainforest.

Coming face to face with the woman who broke his heart after all this time, Keon realizes that he has never fully healed from it. But any chance of finding closure is ripped away when Darcy chooses to end treatment and live her final weeks without regret. Can Keon let her go? Or will he fight for the tomorrow they might never have?

Maybe Tomorrow is an emotional journey of love caught between fate and destiny, and Keon is forced to choose between his head and his heart, his wants and his responsibilities, forgiving Darcy or forgetting all about her, and between a second chance family or an ill-fated heartbreak romance.


Book Excerpt:


Wednesday, 25th September 2014, 11:45 PM

VIBRATIONS SHOT ACROSS Dr. Keon McGowan’s hip as he placed a sterile gauze pad against the head of the frightened teenager sitting in cubicle nine. “I think there’s more blood than damage,” he reassured the youngster with a warm smile. Although the fifteen-year-old would need stitches, he’d been lucky on all accounts. Keon looked up at the boy’s parents and continued. “I’d still like a couple of scans. It's routine with head injuries, and it's likely the on-call neurologist will want to keep him overnight for observation just to be on the safe side.”

Keon gave them a nod as he removed his latex gloves, tossed them in the medical waste bin, and washed his hands. He didn’t want to cut their time short, but as the head of London’s largest trauma centre, Keon was acutely aware there were too many patients still awaiting first assessments, and there wasn’t a single cubicle free in the accident and emergency treatment area. He fielded calls between treating patients, unable to move more than ten feet without someone calling his name. It was all in a day’s work, except today, things were more hectic than usual, due to a massive traffic accident involving almost 200 people less than three hours ago.

“I’ll arrange for a porter to come as soon as possible,” Keon promised the parents of the fifteen-year-old at the end of the consultation. “But I’m sure you can appreciate they’re stacked out at the moment, as is the imaging department. I’m sorry it’s going to be a bit of a wait.”

They nodded, and Keon swiftly left the cubicle as his mobile vibrated against his hip again. Quickly, he glanced at the name on the screen. He wouldn’t normally take a personal call in the middle of a crisis like this, but this caller resided on the other side of the world. “I’m sorry, Sarah, but I can’t talk now.”

“Oh, hello, Sarah. How are you? I’m fine, Keon, thank you for asking.” Her sarcasm was not missed, but he was just too busy to acknowledge it. “But I thought I’d make this really important phone call to remind you the doctors at Mount Cook are still waiting for your call.”

“I’m sorry, but I’ve got seventy-three people who were in an RTA three hours ago. I can’t talk about this now.” He didn’t mean to be short, but the board had too many patients for his liking, and his staff grew weary. He didn’t need Sarah on his back right now. He returned to the nurses’ station. “Heather? Can you arrange for the patient in cubicle nine to have a CT scan and page neurology, please?”

He handed the patient file to the junior doctor as Sarah snapped, “Why haven't you confirmed your meeting yet? You’re still coming on Tuesday, aren’t you? Both of you? It’s just, I know what you’re like, Keon, and I can’t wait to see Lily. She’s getting so big.”

“Yes, we’re still coming on Tuesday,” he promised. The whole reason for the trip to New Zealand when the school year had only just started was because he and Lily were looking to move out there come the New Year. “I’m sorry, but it’s beyond frantic in here!” He shouldn’t have answered the call, but the time difference and his long, hectic shifts made catching Sarah just about impossible. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Sarah,” he reassured her.

“You said that yesterday,” she reminded him. “You know,” she began, and he braced for whatever lecture his ex-wife was about to give. “Sometimes, you have to put the rest of the world on hold for a little while, and do what’s right for you and Lily. There are thousands of doctors capable of setting up a minor injuries clinic here in New Zealand, but they're waiting for you. Do you want this opportunity or not?”

What kind of question was that? Of course he wanted it. When he had quit his family’s practice twelve years ago, Keon had never dreamed he would one day want to go back to being a general practitioner. But the challenge of setting up a new clinic, combined with the idea of working regular hours every day and being home in time to eat dinner with Lily every night, now called to him more than he’d ever thought possible.

His ex-wife couldn’t have said it better if she’d lectured him about putting his job before Lily. The all-too-familiar blackness of guilt swamped Keon’s stomach. It was so hard to manage a career as a single parent; there were days when he went without seeing Lily at all. New Zealand was the answer. He was sure of it. He could have the challenging career he craved, and be with Lily like a normal parent. And the fact that Sarah was there would be a bonus. Although she wasn’t Lily’s biological mother, she was the only mother Lily had ever known, and her new family had embraced Lily like a sibling.

“You know I do, Sarah.” He sighed.

“Then you need to . . .” she started, but her words were drowned out by a voice calling his name from across the Accident & Emergency department. Keon spun around. Men in familiar green-and-yellow uniforms were wheeling a gurney through the doors, towards the resuscitation bay.

The driver of the car? She was alive? Impossible. It had been trapped beneath a toppled, double-decker bus for hours. His feet began to move. “Sarah, I have to go.” Picking up his pace, he headed through doors at the opposite end of the waiting room.

“You have to ring and confirm the meeting before Friday,” she reminded him.

His attention was no longer on Sarah but with the familiar, dark hair and pale skin that had haunted his dreams for years.

“Unidentified female driver,” one of the paramedics began. “Approximate age: mid- to late-thirties. Lacerations to the head, neck, and shoulder. Swelling in the abdominal region. Neurologically responsive but unconscious since emergency teams arrived on scene.”

Keon whispered a name he prayed he'd never say again. He noticed a sickly yellow hue had overwhelmed her otherwise ivory skin. He doubted anyone else would notice it at first glance. Or a second. But Keon saw it. He saw it, because he'd spent ten years looking at the same pale complexion in the daughter she’d walked away from.

“Darcy?” The phone slipped from his fingers, clattering against the floor, but he didn’t care. Darcy? It's not possible.


My Book Review:

Every once in awhile I come across a women's fiction story that simply takes my breath away, and right now that book is Maybe Tomorrow by author Erin Cawood.

Maybe Tomorrow is the first book in the Forgive Or Forget Series, a medical romance and family saga series that follows the the close-knit McGowan siblings; Keon, Kiera, Cormack, and Cara, as they face the difficult choice between forgiving or forgetting true love after a broken heart.

Set in London, Maybe Tomorrow is a complex, and multi-layered story about the unexpected reunion of Dr. Keon McGowan and his butterfly hunter ex-wife, Darcia Davenport. Author Erin Cawood weaves an emotionally charged and raw story about a couple's marriage that went awry because of choices and decisions that ultimately had traumatic consequences. Keon and Darcia once had a loving marriage until a painful decision was made that tore them apart. Ten years later, the past resurfaces when Keon and Darcia are unexpectedly reunited, causing them to embark on an emotional journey that will reopen the scars of love and heartbreak, and questioning whether there can be forgiveness and the forgetting of past mistakes, and a possible second chance at true love.

Oh my goodness! What can I say about Maybe Tomorrow that would do it justice? I was easily drawn into Keon and Darcia's emotional story, it was a poignantly raw and emotional story that simply took me on a roller coaster ride where I experienced the full gamut of emotions. It is a complex and realistic relationship story that pulls on the heartstrings and stirs the soul, while making the reader ponder what they would do if they ever found themselves in Keon and Darcia's shoes. The author does a wonderful job of providing the reader with a backstory into Keon and Darcia's relationship, and intertwines it with the resurfacing of their past coupled with the traumatic and heart wrenching medical circumstance that ultimately brought about their unexpected reunion. Keon and Darcia's emotional journey is one that will resonate with the reader for a long time!



RATING: 5 STARS 







Contest Giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Virtual Book Tour Event




Tour Schedule:

January 25 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review. Q&A & Excerpt
January 25 – Wendi Nunnery – Review
January 26 – Change the Word – Q&A
January 27 – Chick Lit Plus – Excerpt
January 28 – Queen of All She Reads – Review & Excerpt
January 29 – Authors and Readers Book Corner – Excerpt
February 1 – BR Maycock’s Book Blog – Review & Q&A
February 1 – Bookabie - Review, Q&A & Excerpt



What the Lady Wants by Nika Rhone (Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for What the Lady Wants by author Nika Rhone!






Book Review




What the Lady Wants by Nika Rhone
Book 1: Boulder Bodyguards Series
Publisher: Booktrope Editions
Publication Date: December 1, 2015
Format: Paperback - 287 pages
                Kindle - 2616 KB
                Nook - 581 KB
ISBN: 978-1513704661
ASIN: B018UYNLW6
BNID: 2940157788032
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense


Buy The Book:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads
iBooks


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours.


Book Description:

The heiress…

She’d wanted him since she was eighteen. Four years away hasn’t cooled the heat Doyle arouses in her, which means it’s time for Thea to take the former Marine by the horns and open his eyes to everything he’s missing. What will it take to prove that she’s not some untouchable porcelain doll, but a red-blooded woman determined to finally get her man?

The bodyguard…

Honor forced Doyle to consider Thea off-limits. Keeping her that way was proving much more difficult. Every time he turns around she’s there, wreaking havoc on his senses, making him think about long, sweaty nights and how good she would feel wrapped up in his arms. How long could a man be expected to ignore the woman who calls to his every secret desire?

The danger…

But Doyle has a secret that could jeopardize not only the first fragile bonds of love, but Thea’s very life. Will he be able to act before it’s too late for them both?


Book Excerpt:


Ridiculous, really, since the man didn’t have a clue. He either treated her as a museum piece to be safely guarded and surrounded in bubble wrap whenever a tiny bump loomed on the road of life, or he treated her the same way her had when he’d first come to work for her father: like a big brother. A very domineering, overprotective big brother.

Ugh!

Thinking of Doyle in the big brother role had been all well and good when she was thirteen, but she’d grown up in the nine years since then. Too bad Doyle seemed to have missed that little fact. When she looked at him now, she didn’t see the guy who taught her to hold her breath so she could swim underwater for two whole minutes, or who had sat up with her all night while she cried her eyes out after her dog had dug under the fence and then been hit by a car. No, when she looked at Brennan Doyle, she saw a tall, darkly tanned man whose military training showed in every disciplined line of his well-toned body, whose intelligence and wit shone from twinkling hazel eyes that could stop a girl dead with one look, whose very presence in a room could start her heart tripping in a triple-time beat no salsa could match. She’d racked up more sweaty dreams about the man than she cared to count, starting when she was sixteen and didn’t even understand what sweaty dreams were all about.

Doyle, her big brother? Not in a million years.

But knowing how she felt didn’t change a thing about how he felt. Or didn’t feel. That was the part that made her the craziest. She didn’t know if that spark of something she sometimes thought she saw in his gaze meant anything or if she was just pathetically projecting what she wanted to see into those beautiful, see-into-your-soul eyes.

Thea sighed, putting aside the sketch pad and turning on her laptop. It wouldn’t hurt to do an Internet search for interior design firms based in Denver, Pueblo, and maybe even Colorado Springs. At least it would help to keep her mind off of the what-ifs and maybes that surrounded her turbulent feelings regarding what to do about Doyle.

Attracting men was not something she’d ever really gotten the hang of. Rebuffing them, now that she had gotten down to a science by her second semester at college, right after the Dave Disaster. He had been her first, and only, lover and it had been, well, a disaster. She’d caught him cheating. He’d accused her of being frigid and needy, and she’d lost whatever small amount of self-confidence she’d started with. After that, it had been easier, and safer, just to avoid relationships altogether.

Attracting men was more Lillian’s tour de force. If only Thea could ask for Lil’s help. But that would mean admitting to her friend that she was still hung up on Doyle after four years of silent denial. Maybe she should write to Dr. Phil. Dear Dr. Phil; There’s a sexy ex-Marine living in the guest house on my parents’ estate, and I dream about him every night in enough detail to make Hugh Heffner blush, but I don’t know how to tell him I want to tear his clothes off and have wild monkey sex with him until neither of us can walk straight. What do I do? A faint shudder ran through her. Okay, what she definitely shouldn’t do was think of Doyle and wild monkey sex in the same sentence. The same paragraph. The same time zone. With a groan, Thea saved her search results and shut down the computer. She needed help all right, and it was time to swallow her pride and ask for it. The hardest part was going to be finally confessing the truth to her friends.



My Book Review:

I was looking for an intriguing romantic suspense story to read during this past weekend's blizzard, and I didn't have to look far, What the Lady Wants by author Nika Rhone was the perfect book to snuggle with under the blankets.

Twenty-two year old heiress Cynthia "Thea" Fordham is determined to become independent of her family's wealth, and move forward in her life as an interior designer. But a threat made against her family has Thea being protected by Brennan Doyle, the sexy ex-Marine and family security head. Thea has an unrequited love for Doyle, and she is determined to show him that she isn't that little teenage girl anymore. Doyle has noticed the lovely girl that he was in charge of protecting, but he has always made sure to keep his feelings in check and consider Thea off-limits. Can Thea show Doyle that she is a desirable woman who wants him ... and can Doyle give into his desire for Thea ... even when danger lurks around the corner?

What a Lady Wants is an enjoyable romantic suspense story set in Boulder, Colorado, that follows the slow building romance of Thea and Doyle. Author Nika Rhone draws the reader into the story with a wonderful mixture of romance and suspense that easily keeps them turning the pages. I couldn't help but enjoy watching as Thea and Doyle's heiress/bodyguard relationship blossoms into a sweet romance mixed in with an undeniable electric connection, chemistry, and spicy desire for one another. Then when you add in the element of suspense that was interwoven into the story, the excitement and anticipation simply keeps the reader wanting to find out who is behind the threat, and can Doyle's protection be enough to keep him and Thea alive.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Thea's friendship with fellow wealthy young ladies, Amelia Westlake and Lillian Beaumont. This trio of friends form what Doyle calls "The Royal Court": Lillian is known as the Queen or Queen Bea, the one who leads them on outrageous stunts; Amelia is known as the Princess, the one born with a silver spoon in her mouth and a dragon for a mother; and Thea is known as the Lady, the one with the calming influence and the voice of reason. I really enjoyed the quirky interactions and witty banter of this trio of friends, they have each other's back, and provided another enjoyable layer to the story.

What the Lady Wants is the first book in the Boulder Bodyguards Series. I can't wait to read Amelia's story in the next installment in the series!

If you like a fast paced and action packed romantic suspense story, then look no further, What the Lady Wants is the book for you!


RATING: 5 STARS 





About The Author



Nika Rhone has been fascinated with storytelling from the moment that first book was placed in her eager little hands, starting a lifelong love affair with the written word. Eventually, though, reading other people’s stories just wasn’t enough, so she started to write down her own. The magic of creating brand new worlds and the people who live in them keeps her hard at work thinking up the next set of characters she can torture before giving them their happy ending. She lives in her hometown on Long Island, New York with the two men in her life: her super-indulgent husband and their outrageously spoiled shelter dog.


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Friday, January 22, 2016

Big Shoes by Jack Getze (Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Sage's Blog Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Big Shoes by author Jack Getze!




Book Review



Big Shoes by Jack Getze
Book 4: Austin Carr Mystery Series
Publisher: Down & Out Books
Publication Date: September 7, 2015
Format: Paperback - 198 pages
               Kindle - 936 KB
ISBN: 978-1943402052
ASIN: B0140MXDFC
Genre: Mystery / Crime / Humor


Buy The Book:


Buy The Series: Austin Carr Mystery Series
Book 1: Big Numbers
Book 2: Big Money
Book 3: Big Mojo
Book 4: Big Shoes


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Sage's Blog Tours.


Book Description:

Jersey Shore broker Austin Carr wants out of the stock and bond business but un-hooking from his mobbed-up partner won’t be painless. Angelina “Mama Bones” Bonacelli is best known for professional consultations that deteriorate into criminal violence, breakfast appointments raided by the FBI and one particular Power Point presentation to a Jersey state racing commission that ended in automatic weapons fire. Good thing she likes Austin.


Book Excerpt:


Two days later Mama Bones watches Johnny the Turk Korsay stride across the Pardon Me's main dining room, the king-size man seventy this year, same as Mama Bones, and still swinging his big you-know-what when he walks. Proud of himself. Not brainy and quick like smarty pants Austin, but street wise and tough, maybe a genius for odds and numbers. They say Turk also has a built-in, natural lie-detector.

Makes sense to Mama Bones. Before he brought the Korsay family to America in 1970, they say Turk's father was a Lebanese-born camel trader from Egypt. Made a fortune selling two-humped middle-eastern camels to Abdel Nasser's Egyptian army. You can't make up a story like that.

Mama Bones sits at her three-quarter-circle control station, the Pardon Me’s biggest corner booth. She's perched near the center, at the top of the circle, the orange leather cushions stretching out from her on either side. Enough room for six or seven adults. A right-angle corner of brick walls protects her back. Over on her right side, like always, is Gianni, and behind him the four-inch thick, bulletproof bay window she had made special. On her left is nobody.

The Turk marches to the edge of her table but keeps his gaze off Mama Bones. He stands with his hands hidden inside his suit coat pockets, staring at Gianni. There's a story about him killing a rival once this way, whipping a pistol from his coat and shooting. But Mama Bones isn't worried. Too many witnesses at the Pardon Me Diner.

Turk says, “Just the two of us, Angelina.”

Mama Bones glances at Gianni. He scoots around and out of the booth without a word to either one of them. She knows he won't go far, and she also knows he has two of his men in the room eating breakfast.

“Sit down and talk to me, Johnny,” Mama Bones says. She almost calls him Fat Johnny, the nickname Mama Bones gave him in high school. “How come you want to see me today, huh?”

The Turk slides his six-five, two-hundred and sixty pound body onto the far edge of Mama Bones’ booth. Nice suit he’s wearing. Charcoal gray, and -- what she hears -- hand made in London. Over fifty-thousand bucks apiece.

“Billy Z tells me you interfered with the stockbroker,” Turk says.

Mama Bones’ espresso is cold but not like the Turk’s dark brown eyes. Frozen solid. She gives him ice cubes back, says, “I know a guy says you tried to kidnap my nieces from a trailer.”


My Book Review:

What's a nice guy like New Jersey stockbroker Austin Carr doing getting himself in the middle of a mafia war?

Austin wants out of the stock and bond business, but his temporary business partner, Angelina "Mama Bones" Bonacelli won't have any of it! Mama Bones is a tough old mafia lady who dabbles in racketeering on the Jersey shore, and has direct ties to a once powerful New York crime family. So when Mama Bones tells Austin that he can't leave the business, all hell breaks loose, and Austin finds himself caught up in the middle of a mafia war with a rival boardwalk crime crew. So who will end up wearing the big shoes in this humorous mystery tale?

In Big Shoes, the fourth book in the Austin Carr Mystery Series, author Jack Getze weaves an entertaining mystery tale that transports the reader to the New Jersey shore town of Branchtown to follow the latest madcap adventure of stockbroker Austin Carr.

This fast paced thriller of a crime story easily keeps the readers entertained as Austin and Mama Bones deal with Johnny "The Turk" Korsay, a local rival mob boss and his crew. I really enjoyed how the author provides the reader with a crime tale that has a great mixture of humor and mystery, you can't help but get hooked as Austin and Mama Bones deal with the rival mob crew, and finds themselves in some pretty crazy laugh out loud circumstances that will tickle your funny bone.

In Big Shoes, author Jack Getze weaves a well written tale that has an action packed storyline with intriguing twists and turns that will easily keep the reader turning the pages, and an interesting cast of characters who will keep the reader in stitches with their madcap interactions and quirky banter. I haven't read any of the previous books in the Austin Carr Mystery Series, but after following the charming big grin wearing Austin and my favorite Italian bossy lady Mama Bones, I find myself wanting to go back and read about Austin's past adventures. Big Shoes can be read in sequential order of the series, or it can be a stand alone read. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I really enjoyed the NJ shore setting, the author gets two thumbs up for providing the reader with a rich description of the local shore towns and attractions from my home state that are close to my heart.

If you are looking for a thoroughly entertaining mystery tale with an enticing mixture of comedy and noir intertwined, then look no further, Big Shoes is the book for you!


RATING: 4 STARS 







About The Author



A former reporter for The Los Angeles Times, Jack Getze is Fiction Editor for Anthony nominated Spinetingler Magazine, one of the internet's oldest websites for noir, crime and horror short stories. His Austin Carr Mysteries BIG NUMBERS, BIG MONEY, BIG MOJO and this fall's BIG SHOES are published by Down and Out Books. His short stories have appeared in A Twist of Noir, Beat to a Pulp, The Big Adios and Passages.


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Contest Giveaway



Author Jack Getze is giving away 20 copies of his book, Big Shoes!



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Virtual Book Tour



Tour Schedule:

January 5th Literary Lunes ~ BOOK SPOTLIGHT
January 6th my name is Sage ~ REVIEW
January 8th Brayton's Briefs ~ INTERVIEW
January 10th The Goth Girl Reads ~ REVIEW
January 11th Fiction Zeal ~ BOOK SPOTLIGHT & EXCERPT
January 12th Puddletown Reviews ~ REVIEW
January 13th Around the World in Books ~ BOOK SPOTLIGHT
January 14th The Book Adventures of Emily ~ INTERVIEW
January 15th Freda Hansburg ~ INTERVIEW
January 16th Celtic Lady's Book Reviews ~ BOOK SPOTLIGHT
January 17th Indy Book Fairy ~ BOOK SPOTLIGHT
January 18th Books are love ~ BOOK SPOTLIGHT
January 20th Outset ~ REVIEW
​January 22nd Jersey Girl Book Reviews ~ REVIEW
January 22nd Ali - The Dragon Slayer ~ REVIEW
January 23rd Book and Ink ~ REVIEW
January 24th enthralling dimple ~ REVIEW
January 24th Hogwash ~ REVIEW
January 25th Reecaspieces ~ REVIEW
January 25th The Book Adventures of Emily ~ REVIEW