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Sunday, March 24, 2013

The Promise of Paradise by Allie Boniface (Author Guest Post / Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Reading Addiction Blog Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews welcomes Allie Boniface, author of The Promise of Paradise!







Author Guest Post


5 Of Allie's Favorite Vacation Spots


Thank you so much for having me here today! Welcome to my "5 Things" virtual book tour, otherwise known as "Two Weeks Getting To Know a Little More About Allie." While I'm touring with Reading Addiction Blog Tours to let readers know about my newly released book, The Promise of Paradise, I'm also chatting about my writing life (and okay, sometimes my non-writing life too). Anytime you leave a comment on one of my blog posts during these 2 weeks, you'll be entered for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift certificate. So comment away! I'll be popping in here all day to see what you have to say :)

Mmm...vacation. Has a lovely ring to it, doesn't it? I've had the opportunity to visit a variety of places, big and small, close to home and far away. And while it's tough to pick 5 that stand out above the rest, here are some vacation spots that come to mind when I think of "favorites"...

1. Hawaii – This one probably doesn't need much explanation. One of the most naturally beautiful and temperate places I've ever had the chance to visit, Hawaii, and especially the island of Maui, definitely makes my top 5 list. It is so relaxing just to sit on the beach, listen to the waves, and watch the sunset. Yes, I love hiking the volcanoes and going on whale watches and taking in the luaus too, but for pure relaxation, Hawaii is tops.

2. Rottenberg, Germany – My husband and I traveled through southern Germany a few years ago and fell in love with Rottenberg, an ancient walled city. If you're looking for European charm and history, this is the place to go! It has cobblestone streets, cute little shops, authentic German food of all kinds, hotels that are so old the stone steps are worn down in the middle and one of the best little hole-in-the-wall bars you'll find anywhere. Loved it!

3. Amalfi Coast, Italy – If I could go anywhere for a month and just write, this would be the place. My husband and I were fortunate enough to take a cruise of the Mediterranean last summer (can you tell we like to travel?) and this one was of my favorite stops. Absolutely breath-taking scenery combined with tiny cities carved into the hillside...I could picture myself tucked away in a cottage there just writing – and maybe enjoying some of the local wine and cuisine as well!

4. Outer Banks, North Carolina – This favorite vacation spot is a lot closer to home, and it's one we've been going to every summer for the last six years. We rent a house on the beach with other couples and spend a week doing absolutely nothing. Days usually consist of poolside reading, a walk to the beach, a drive to one of the nearby towns like Kitty Hawk or Roanoke Island, and dinner grilled out back before a game of night-time pool volleyball under the lights. Fabulous fun!

5. My childhood hometown – I grew up in a small town in central New York, very Norman Rockwell-like, with a big green in the middle of town and a Main Street with one stoplight and farmland surrounding the high school football field. Homes built after 1900 are considered "new" there, and you can still see hitching posts in many places. Everyone knows everyone, and the town has a sense of safety and community that I still cherish today. There really is nothing like going home again (which is probably why I write so many books set in small towns!).

So there you have it – my 5 favorite spots to visit (I wish this was a "Top 10" blog tour today, because I have so many more!!). What are some of yours?



About The Author


Allie Boniface is a small-town girl at heart who's traveled around the world and still finds that the magic and the mystery of small towns make them the best places to fall in love and find adventure. From the New England coast to Rocky Mountain hotels to tiny European bars, she's found more character and plot inspirations than she could ever count. Currently, she's lucky enough to live in New York's beautiful Hudson Valley with her own "Hometown Hero," a guy who can fix, build, drive, and grill anything and is the epitome of the strong and silent type.

When she isn't writing love stories, Allie is a full-time high school English teacher who gets a kick out of helping her teenagers negotiate the ups and downs of writing along with the ups and downs of life (because, really, she's still trying to do the same thing!). And while she'll continue to travel far and wide, Allie knows there's really nothing like coming back to the place where the people who have known you forever welcome you home with open arms.


AUTHOR WEBSITE
AUTHOR BLOG
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GOODREADS
The Promise of Paradise by Allie Boniface ~ Virtual Book Tour Page: Reading Addiction Blog Tours



Virtual Book Tour Contest Giveaway

Win A $25 Amazon Gift Card



Anytime you leave a comment on one of the tour blog posts during these 2 weeks, you'll be entered for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift certificate. So comment away! Allie will be popping in here to answer questions and respond to your comments.


AUTHOR TOUR PAGE:

March 18 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet
March 19 - Gimme The Scoop Reviews - Guest Post / PROMO
March 19 - Readaholic Reviews - Review
March 20 - YA Bookish News - Review / Guest Post
March 20 - Readers Confession - Review / Guest Post
March 21 - Paulette's Papers - Guest Post / PROMO
March 22 - NA Books Vs. Boys - Review / Interview
March 23 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews - Interview / PROMO
March 24 - Imagine a World... - Guest Post / PROMO
March 24 - Jersey Girl Book Reviews - Review / Guest Post
March 25 - Love in a Book - Guest Post / PROMO
March 26 - Doodle's Book Blog - Review / Interview
March 27 - The World As I See It - Review
March 28 - T's Bookish Moments - Review
March 29 - Up All Night Review - Review / Guest Post






Book Review



The Promise of Paradise by Allie Boniface
Publisher: Independent Self-Publishing
Publication Date: February 12, 2013
Format: e-Book - 188 pages / Kindle - 325 KB 
ASIN: B00BF6CA0Q
Genre: Contemporary Romance


BUY THE BOOK: The Promise of Paradise


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 Reading Addiction Blog Tours.


Book Description:

Ashton Kirk, youngest daughter of a prestigious senator, fiancee of a hotshot attorney, and fresh Harvard graduate, is headed for a promising law career when scandal breaks apart her family. To escape, she rents an apartment in the sleepy town of Paradise, New Hampshire, where no one knows who she is.

Ashton hopes for solitude, but all bets are off when Eddie West, the town’s most eligible bachelor, moves in downstairs. Eddie likes his women and his cars shiny, sleek, and fast, and when he meets his new housemate, he wastes no time getting friendly. While he's looking for a no-strings romance, though, he gets more than he bargained for in Ash, who sees through his bravado to the pain of a loss too fresh to mention.

Can two people from different worlds find common ground, a place to fall in love and build a future? Is it possible to find your soul mate in the place you least expect?


Book Excerpt:


Near the curb, engine still running and rock music bellowing from the speakers, idled a red pickup truck. White and yellow flames danced along both sides. Bending over the tailgate was a broad, bare, definitely male back. Yow. No wonder Jen looked like she was about to start drooling. Even one floor up, Ash could trace the outline of nearly every muscle in his arms and back. A bright red and yellow king cobra tattoo curled around his left triceps. Wavy brown hair fell across the sides of his face. His jeans, faded in all the right places, sat low on his hips. Ash squinted harder and ran one hand over her hair.

Oh God. They still make men who look like that?

“Turn around, please,” Jen commanded under her breath. As if he’d heard her, he straightened up, biceps flexing as he hauled two large boxes from the back of the truck and turned up into the sidewalk. Her sidewalk. He looked up, and Ash’s heart dove into her stomach. A neatly trimmed goatee underscored a crooked nose. He flashed a smile and winked.

“Hey,” he called up. “You live here?”

Jen nodded and jabbed a thumb in Ash’s direction. “She does.”

“I’m Eddie West. Movin’ in today.” It was hard to hear him over the noise of the truck’s humming engine and the music. Ash watched his mouth move instead.


My Book Review:

Two people from very different worlds become unlikely housemates in the picturesque little town of Paradise, New Hampshire. Each has a story and is escaping from their difficult pasts ... can they find themselves and each other in Paradise?

Ashton Kirk is a recent Harvard Law graduate and daughter of a prominent Boston Senator. When a scandal involving her father hits the news and her three year relationship with her boyfriend ends, Ashton is suddenly unsure of everything in her life. Assuming the alias Ashley Kirtland, Ashton escapes for the summer to the small town of Paradise, New Hampshire to get away from her parents and the scandal, forget her ex-boyfriend Colin, and figure out what she really wants to do with her life.

Eddie West is an auto mechanic who lives and breathes fixing anything with a motor. Born and raised in Paradise, he's a hunk who loves the ladies, but a tragic accident three years ago which cost his brother Cal's life continues to haunt Eddie. Moving out of his family's home, he seeks a life on his own and rents the bottom portion of a house on the other side of town.

Will Ashton/Ashley and Eddie find common ground in their shared house? Can their friendship grow to something more, or will the secrets from their pasts come back to haunt them and end their chance of a future?

The Promise of Paradise is an engaging and fast-paced romance story about a man and woman who are at a crossroads in their lives. Both are escaping difficult pasts, only to find each other at the most unexpected time in their lives. Set in the picturesque town of Paradise, New Hampshire, author Allie Boniface weaves a warmhearted tale of romance written in the third person narrative that has the reader following along as Ash and Eddie's story of self-discovery and love unfolds.

The author does a wonderful job of weaving both Ash and Eddie's stories, she draws the reader in with tidbits of their pasts, and gradually develops their relationship as these two very different people become housemates and friends. Both characters come alive and leap off the pages with witty dialogue and interactions, you can feel the electricity in the air as the sparks of attraction for each other simmers below the surface. The story flows seamlessly between Ash and Eddie's pasts with the present time. I was captivated by the emotional events in their past that led them to seek a new start to their lives. With drama, twists and turns, and quirky secondary characters, The Promise of Paradise is an enjoyable romance story that will leave you satisfied.


RATING: 4 STARS ****




3 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for having me here today!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Allie! I enjoyed reading The Promise of Paradise. Thank you for the opportunity to host your virtual book tour event. :)

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  2. Hi Teena! I really enjoyed this book too. Thank you for stopping by! :)

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