Lies and Love: Cleansing the Heart to Make Room for Radical Love by Vanessa D. Werts (Book Blast)

In association with Pump Up Your Book, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual bok blast event for Lies And Love: Cleansing the Heart to Make Room for Radical Love by author Vanessa D. Werts!

About The Book

Lies and Love: Cleansing the Heart to Make Room for Radical Love by Vanessa D. Werts

Publisher: Higher Realm Publishing

Publication Date: November 30, 2016

Format: Paperback 

               Nook - 129 KB

ISBN: 978-0692799307

BNID: 2940153836621

Genre: Christian Non Fiction / Self-Help

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Book Description:

The Lies and Love 30-Day Heart Cleanse is a deliberate approach to rid the heart of lingering issues that affect how you think, and limit your capacity to love and be loved. These heart issues or heart “chaos” as Vanessa calls it, includes feeling abandoned, angry, fearful, jealous, holding grudges, being sad, and even hating others. Vanessa says that this chaos will even lie to you, holding you hostage to your past, to keep you from walking in the fullness of who God created you to be.

“What is your heart story?” is the question Vanessa asks in Lies and Love as she shares her own victory over a chaotic heart that started with daddy issues and sexual assault as a teenager. For years, Vanessa questioned her self-worth until God got her attention with his hurricane winds of love and washed away every lie she ever believed. In thirty days, Lies and Love will help you identify your heart chaos, walk you through the cleansing process, and inspire you to receive and give love without limits. Vanessa says the key to unlock your breakthrough and healing is held up in your answer to the question: What is your heart story?

Book Excerpt:

Chapter One

Is the 30-Day Cleanse for You?

So, you’re probably thinking that my case of heart issues is extreme and your life experiences are nothing like mine. Perhaps you’re right. Honestly, I didn’t realize how bad off the condition of my heart was until God got my attention. Trust me. It made no sense then, but that one statement caused me to seek the Lord’s guidance about love, and it has changed the course of my life. So maybe your issues don’t have to do with rejection in childhood by your father or sexual assault, but I can guarantee you that life in general has impacted your heart in a way that God would like to heal and make whole.

Any attitude, behavior, or habit that is counterproductive to your life is an indicator that something is going on in the heart that should be addressed. If any of the following issues play out in your life or concern you on a regular basis, you are reading the right book and, yes, this 30-day cleanse will help you. ƒ Are you angry often and take it out on those close to you? ƒ Are you easily frustrated with people in general? ƒ Are you frustrated with your current station in life (career, personal, spiritual)? ƒ Is sarcasm your way of communicating with people?  ƒ Are you single and discouraged by the dating scene? ƒ Do you have strained relationships with loved ones? ƒ Does your childhood still haunt you today? ƒ Do you have poor customer service? ƒ Do you have a bias against a particular group of people? ƒ Are you indifferent about major decisions you need to make?

This is a short list, but I think it makes the point that the issues of life vary and can affect how we function day to day and how we treat people. God wants to change that, and love—radical and free—is the answer. During the 30-Day Heart Cleanse, your heart will be cleansed of the chaos that is at the root of the issues in the list above. God’s love for you will have the final say and not your past.

So, what is your heart story? You’ve had a glimpse at mine. How has life and your experiences of other people changed who you are? If you don’t fully know, God will unpack and reveal the condition of your heart as you read Lies and Love. Are you ready for the challenge?

About the Author

Novelist, military veteran, and minister with a calling to speak value and honor into the lives of women, Vanessa D. Werts will release her first nonfiction book, “Lies and Love: Cleansing The Heart To Make Room For Radical Love,” A 30-Day Heart Cleanse for Women, on November 30, 2016. The book is published by Higher Realm Publishing.

The Lies and Love 30-Day Heart Cleanse is a ministry tool designed to help women get to the heart of lingering issues that affect how they think, thereby limiting their capacity to love and be loved. These heart issues or heart “chaos” as Vanessa calls it, includes feeling abandoned, angry, fearful, jealous, holding grudges, being sad, and even hating others. Vanessa says that, this chaos will even lie to you, holding you hostage to your past, to keep you from walking in the fullness of who God created you to be.

It is a spiritual injustice for a child of God to remain heart broken, to feel insecure, hopeless, unloved, and unworthy of God’s best for their life, says Vanessa.

“What is your heart story?” is the question Vanessa asks in Lies and Love as she shares her own victory over a chaotic heart that started with daddy issues and sexual assault as a teenager. For years, Vanessa questioned her self-worth until God got her attention with his hurricane winds of love and washed away every lie she ever believed.

Vanessa grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, where she fell in love with good food, kind people and especially, Jesus. She joined the military right after high school, traveling abroad and stateside in uniform for 13 years before making the Washington, DC, area her home.

During her time in the military, she married and divorced, and raised two sons as a single parent. After separating from active duty, Vanessa continued her federal service while working in the Intelligence Community. In September 2016, she resigned from the federal government after more than twenty years as a civil servant to write full-time and walk in her ministry calling.

The journey hasn’t been easy, but Vanessa has stayed the course and overcome every obstacle. Recognizing the grave damage that life and its oftentimes harsh realities can cause in the heart, Lies and Love grew from talking points related to her latest novel, Lies: Even Love Has Its Casualties (February 2016), to a full blown book to inspire woman to let go of the past and embrace the future. Lies and Love offers women help with identifying what’s going on in the heart that limits healthy thinking and behavior, a thirty-day step-by-step cleansing process, and provides inspiration to love without boundaries.

Vanessa has been featured in digital magazines such as EBE Magazine (July 2016), The Rhythmic Lounge Magazine (August 2016), a web feature with ItNeedsToBeCED.com: The Industry Cosign (July 2016), radio interviews, blog and podcast features, and a television interview on CTV News, a community station. She was a staff writer for the online magazine, BlackMenInAmerica.com for over five years with published articles, interviews and reviews to her credit. Vanessa is a Northern Virginia-based writer with an abiding love to bridge the gap from people’s life experiences to the promises of God.

Author Website
Amazon Author Page, 
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Book Blast Event

 Lies & Love by Vanessa D. Werts ~ Book Blast Event Page

Monday , January 2 -  The Literature Exchange

Friday, January 6 - The Writer's Life

Monday, January 9 - As The Page Turns

Friday, January 13 - Story Behind The Book

Monday, January 16 - Jersey Girl Book Reviews

Friday, January 20 - Literarily Speaking

Monday, January 23 - The Literary Nook

Friday, January 27 - Book Marketing Buzz

Monday, January 30 - PUYB Virtual Book Club

Gold Rush by Jennifer Comeaux (Book Review)

Gold Rush by Jennifer Comeaux
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: PB - November 14, 2016 / eBook - January 9, 2017
Format: Paperback - 338 pages
               Kindle - 2884 KB
               Nook - 687 KB
ISBN: 978-0990434276
ASIN: B01MSV3XON
BNID: 2940153540382
Genre: Contemporary Romance / New / Young Adult / Sports Themed - Ice Skating



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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.


Book Description:

Will love wait for gold?

Liza Petrov's entire life has been about skating and winning her sport's top prize - Olympic gold. She's stayed sheltered inside her bubble, not daring to stray from her destined path.

Until she meets Braden Patrick.

He makes her heart flutter with possibility, and for the first time she gets a taste of a normal teenage life. She longs to have both the boy and the gold, but stepping outside her bubble comes with a price. As Liza begins to question both her future and her past, can she stay focused on the present and realize her ultimate dream?


My Book Review:

In the tradition of the Ice and Edge series, author Jennifer Comeaux brings the reader back to Cape Cod with Gold Rush, the delightful new / young adult ice skating romance story featuring Sergei and Elena's nineteen year old competitive ice skating daughter Liza Petrov, as she prepares for the Olympics in Sochi, and finds unexpected friendship and romance with nineteen year old U Mass student Braden Patrick.

Author Jennifer Comeaux once again calls upon her passion for competitive ice skating to weave an emotionally dramatic tale of friendship, love, family drama, and competitive dreams that will steal your breath away. If you are a fan of ice skating and all the drama that goes on behind the scenes, then this book is a must read. If you are a hopeless romantic who loves the dramatic challenges and trials and tribulations that Liza and Braden face as they try to balance friendship and romance while Liza prepares to achieve Olympic gold ice skating dreams, then you are in for a treat with this sweet romantic story.

Author Jennifer Comeaux once again takes the reader on an exhilarating and emotional roller coaster ride as Liza and Braden's love story blossoms with trials and tribulations to overcome, but with a heartwarming and sigh worthy climatic conclusion that will leave you with a satisfying warm fuzzy feeling. There are not enough words to express how much I loved following Liza's journey, especially as she struggled to balance ice skating with friendship and romance, and the unfolding of her traumatic childhood past kept me captivated from beginning to end. There is just something so exciting about reading a romance story that has a wonderful mixture of romance, family drama, and the sport of competitive ice skating, it simply draws you in and leaves you breathless. I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I loved catching up with all the characters from the Ice and Edge series, and being introduced to Braden and his college crew. Braden stole my heart with his wonderful disposition, and his caring and supportive ways, he is a modern day knight in shining armor, and Liza is truly one lucky girl!

With an intriguing cast of recurring and new characters; engaging dialogue and dramatic interactions; a richly detailed description of the scenic Cape Cod and Sochi settings, the world of Olympic competitive ice skating; and a riveting storyline full of drama, angst, suspense and romance; Gold Rush is an amazing lighthearted romantic story that will leave you believing in the power of friendship and love, sighing and smiling, and hoping that the author would make this delightful book into a brand new series (sigh).


RATING: 5 STARS  

                                       

About The Author

Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is traveling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. When she's not writing, traveling, or calculating taxes, you can find her feeding her television addiction.


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Check out Jennifer's Contest Giveaway: Win A $25 Amazon Gift Card
http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com/2017/01/gold-rush-release-day.html

You First by Stephanie Fournet (Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Jen Halligan PR, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the book tour event for You First by author Stephanie Fournet!

Book Review

You First by Stephanie Fournet

Publisher: Blue Tulip Publishing

Publication Date: December 13, 2016

Format: eBook - 356 pages

               Kindle - 1982 KB

               Nook - 2MB

ISBN: 978-1946061034
ASIN: B01N2TAVBP

BNID: 2940153893051

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Buy The Book:

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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 Jen Halligan PR. 

Book Description:

Driven. Private. Insanely talented. 

Gray Blakewood is the most successful crime writer under the age of thirty—and he has a secret that could cost him his life. 

He just wants to finish his latest novel before his world unravels, and the last thing he needs is a beautiful distraction. 

Meredith Ryan, his new personal assistant, has seen more than her fair share of hard knocks. And, still, she’s the sweetest person he’s ever met. 

She deserves a lifetime of happiness—which he can’t offer. 

But he can’t seem to stay away.

Book Excerpt:

Her pink blush turned scarlet. If he could place his palm against her cheek, he knew it would burn like a fever.

Did she know he burned like a fever?

He crossed the kitchen and stopped at the island, far enough away so he couldn’t reach out and touch her if his willpower slipped. He nodded toward the mop.

“Now you. Why on earth are you mopping my floor?”

She gave a flustered roll of her eyes. “Smoothies.”

“Smoothies?” At his mystified expression, her mouth twitched, but her blush didn’t wane.

Don’t be embarrassed in front of me, he wanted to tell her. You make me laugh, but I’d never laugh at you.

“Tropical Smoothies is next door to Dr. Wexler’s office. I picked up some smoothies for us,” she said, looking chagrined. “I thought I could manage to walk in with them and the dogs, but I was wrong.”

“Uh-oh,” he said, beginning to feel bad for his teasing. She’d brought him a smoothie?

“Yeah, uh-oh. Yours survived intact,” she said and then grimaced. “About a third of mine ended up on the floor.”

“Well, you can have mine. How much were they? I’ll cover the—”

“Oh, no,” she said, shaking her head. Meredith set the mop in the bucket and walked to the sink. “It’s totally my treat.”

“That’s not necessary,” he said, following her.

She turned on the water and set about washing her hands, but she looked back over her shoulder and met his eyes. “You always say that. I wanted to do it. You were having a lousy day.”

He watched her dry her hands, not liking the feeling that settled in his stomach.

“Not a pity smoothie, I hope.”

He saw her glare before the corner of the towel sailed out and snapped him in the gut. “No, not a pity smoothie.”

Gray blinked at her in wonder. So, there was a little salty in Meredith’s sweet. This discovery made his mouth go dry and his thighs tingle. He wondered — not for the first time — what she tasted like.

Before he could step closer to her, she swiveled on her heel and stalked to the fridge. Meredith pulled open the door and emerged from behind it with two hefty Styrofoam cups. She shoved one in his face.

“Here. A completely pity-free smoothie,” she said, an angry edge clear in her voice.

He took it from her slowly. Gray wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, but he knew it was his fault. He’d upset her. By accusing her of pitying him? By disparaging her gift? He realized he’d done both, but Gray sensed something else. He felt instinctively that all could be resolved with an embrace — something he could not do.

Gray held her with his eyes instead and took a sip.

“It’s heavenly,” he said. And it was. He tasted strawberry, banana, and chocolate. Of course, Meredith would bring him something sweet. “Thank you.”

A little of the fight left her eyes. “You’re welcome… It’s a Beach Bum.” The corners of her mouth might have turned up just a little.

“What’s yours?” he asked softly, never letting his gaze leave hers. He wanted her to smile again. He wanted her to know from now on he’d take whatever she wanted to give him, and he’d be grateful, whether that was a cold compress, or a smoothie, or a song in his kitchen.

“It’s a Bahama Mama,” she said, taking her own sip. He wondered if she did it to keep that growing smile in check. “Strawberries, pineapple, coconut, and white chocolate.”

“That sounds good.” She was farther away from him now than when she’d sat beside him on his couch, but the energy between them had completely changed. Was it all in his head? Or did she feel it, too? Gray had no doubt he carried enough desire to charge the air for both of them, so it was possible he was fooling himself.

But what if he wasn’t?

“Want to try it?” She offered him her cup, making his heartbeat quicken. “I swear, I don’t have cooties.”

He took it from her. “I never would have thought you had cooties.” And he won the smile.

Feeling a little dizzy, he put her straw between his lips and sucked. Honeyed tropical flavors flooded his mouth.

Book Teaser: 

My Book Review:

You First is an emotional contemporary romance story that will tug at the heartstrings and stir the soul.

Gray Blakewood is a successful crime writer who has a brain tumor and is in need of a lifesaving surgery. 

Meredith Ryan is a single mom and nursing student who is hired by Gray's brother to serve as Gray's personal assistant.

From the day that Meredith and Gray meet, there is a strong connection and mutual attraction between them. As their working relationship develops into a slow blossoming romance, both learn to lean on each other through tough situations, and bring each other happiness that had eluded them in their lives. 

Author Stephanie Fournet weaves a beautifully written tale full of pain, angst, drama, humor, and tender romantic moments that easily draws the reader into Gray and Meredith's story. The slow building development of their relationship makes this compelling story worth the read, as their connection and is put to the test by the serious personal issues in their lives. You can't help but feel for Gray as he struggles with his life threatening health issue, as well for Meredith as she deals with her own emotional baggage, but together they can help each other conquer their issues, heal, and find love and happiness. The author does a wonderful job of interweaving the serious issues that plagued Gray and Meredith with the blossoming of their sweet relationship. 

You First has an intriguing cast of characters who are realistic, flawed, and easy to relate to; witty dialogue and engaging interactions; and a breathtakingly compelling and powerful storyline that will take you on a hauntingly beautiful journey where you will experience the full gamut of emotions.

If you are looking for a hopeful and heartwarming love story that follows the journey of two broken people who learn to let go of their dark pasts, and open themselves up to a healing and loving relationship, then You First is the story for you!

RATING: 5 STARS 

About The Author

Stephanie Fournet, author of Fall Semester, Legacy, Butterfly Ginger, and Leave a Mark lives in Lafayette, Louisiana—not far from the Saint Streets where her novels are set. She shares her home with her husband John and her daughter Hannah, their needy dogs Gladys and Mabel, and an immortal blue finch named Baby Blue. When she isn’t writing romance novels, she is usually helping students get into college or running. She loves hearing from fans, so look for her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and stephaniefournet.com.

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Contest Giveaway

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Virtual Book Tour

 You First by Stephanie Fournet ~ Book Tour Event Page

Tour Schedule:

Monday, Dec 5th – Love in a Time of Feminism (Interview)

Tuesday, Dec 6th – Babbling About Books and More (Spotlight)

Wednesday, Dec 7th – Books, Dreams, Life (Guest Post)

Monday, Dec 12th – A Chick Who Reads (Review)

Tuesday, Dec 13th – With Love for Books (Review)

Wednesday, Dec 14th – It’s All About the Romance (Interview)

Thursday, Dec 15th – Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books! (Excerpt)

Friday, Dec 16th – Kendra Loves Books (Review)

Monday, Jan 9th – Kindle and Me (Review)

Tuesday, Jan 10th – Thoughts in Progress (Excerpt)

Wednesday, Jan 11th – Jersey Girl Book Reviews (Review)

Thursday, Jan 12th – vvb32 reads (Review)

Friday, Jan 13th – Crazies R Us (Review)

Monday, Jan 16th – Reese’s Reviews (Spotlight)

Wednesday, Jan 18th – Jeri’s Book Attic (Review)

Friday, Jan 20th – 2 Book Lovers Reviews (Review)

Child's Play by Merry Jones (Book Blast / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the book blast event for Child's Play by author Merry Jones!

About The Book

Child's Play by Merry Jones

Book 3: Elle Harrison Thriller Series

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Publication Date: January 3, 2017

Format: Paperback - 320 pages

               Kindle - 1566 KB

               Nook - 3 MB

ISBN: 978-1608091911

ASIN: B01H7H5EFY
BNID: 978-1608091928

Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller

Buy The Book:

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Buy The Series: Elle Harrison Thriller Series

Book 1: The Trouble With Charlie

Book 2: Elective Procedures

Book 3: Child's Play

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

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Book Description:

Since her husband’s murder two years earlier, life hasn’t been easy for Elle Harrison. Now, at the start of a new school year, the second grade teacher is determined to move on. She’s selling her house and delving into new experiences―like learning trapeze.

Just before the first day of school, Elle learns that a former student, Ty Evans, has been released from juvenile detention where he served time for killing his abusive father. Within days of his release, Elle’s school principal, who’d tormented Ty as a child, is brutally murdered. So is a teacher at the school. And Ty’s former girlfriend. All the victims have links to Ty.

Ty’s younger brother, Seth, is in Elle’s class. When Seth shows up at school beaten and bruised, Elle reports the abuse, and authorities remove Seth and his older sister, Katie, from their home. Is Ty the abuser?

Ty seeks Elle out, confiding that she’s the only adult he’s ever trusted. She tries to be open-minded, even wonders if he’s been wrongly condemned. But when she’s assaulted in the night, she suspects that Ty is her attacker. Is he a serial killer? Is she his next intended victim?

Before Elle discovers the truth, she’s caught in a deadly trap that challenges her deepest convictions about guilt and innocence, childhood and family. Pushed to her limits, she’s forced to face her fears and apply new skills in a deadly fight to survive.



Book Excerpt:

I was the first one there.
The parking lot was empty, except for Stan’s pickup truck. Stan was the custodian, tall, hair thinning, face pock-marked from long ago acne. He moved silently, popped out of closets and appeared in corners, prowled the halls armed with a mop or a broom. In fourteen years, I couldn’t remember a single time when he’d looked me in the eye.
Wait—fourteen years? I’d been there that long? Faces of kids I’d taught swirled through my head. The oldest of them would now be, what? Twenty-one? Oh man. Soon I’d be one of those old school marms teaching the kids of my former students, a permanent fixture of the school like the faded picture of George Washington mounted outside the principal’s office. Hell, in a few months, I’d be forty. A middle-aged childless widow who taught second grade over and over again, year after year, repeating the cycle like a hamster on its wheel. Which reminded me: I had to pick up new hamsters. Tragically, last year’s hadn’t made it through the summer.
I told myself to stop dawdling. I had a classroom to organize, cubbies to decorate. On Monday, just three days from now, twenty-three glowing faces would show up for the first day of school, and I had to be ready. I climbed out of the car, pulled a box of supplies from the trunk, started for the building. And stopped.
My heart did triple time, as if responding to danger. But there was no danger. What alarmed me, what sent my heart racing was the school itself. But why? Did it look different? Had the windows been replaced, or the doors? Nothing looked new, but something seemed altered. Off balance. The place didn’t look like an elementary school. It looked like a giant factory. A prison.
God, no. It didn’t look like any of those things. The school was the same as it had always been, just a big brick building. It seemed cold and stark simply because it was unadorned by throngs of children. Except for wifi, Logan Elementary hadn’t changed in fifty years, unless you counted several new layers of soot on the bricks.
I stood in the parking lot, observing the school, seeing it fresh. I’d never paid much attention to it before. When it was filled with students, the building itself became all but invisible, just a structure, a backdrop. But now, empty, it was unable to hide behind the children, the smells of sunshine and peanut butter sandwiches, the sounds of chatter and small shoes pounding Stanley’s waxed tiles. The building stood exposed. I watched it, felt it watching me back. Threatening.
Seriously, what was wrong with me? The school was neither watching nor threatening me. It was a benign pile of bricks and steel. I was wasting time, needed to go in and get to work. But I didn’t take a single step. Go on, I told myself. What was I afraid of? Empty halls, vacant rooms? Blank walls? For a long moment, I stood motionless, eyes fixed on the façade. The carved letters: Logan School. The heavy double doors. The dark windows. Maybe I’d wait a while before going inside. Becky would arrive soon, after she picked up her classroom aquarium.
Other teachers would show up, too. I could go in with them, blend safely into their commotion. I hefted the box, turned back to the car. But no, what was I doing? I didn’t want to wait. I’d come early so I could get work done without interruption or distraction before the others arrived. The school wasn’t daring me, nor was I sensing some impending tragedy. I was just jittery about starting a new year.
I turned around again, faced its faded brown bricks. I steeled my shoulders, took a breath and started across the parking lot. With a reverberating metallic clank, the main doors flew open. Reflexively, I stepped back, half expecting a burst of flames or gunfire. Instead, Stan emerged. For the first time in fourteen years, I was glad to see him. Stan surveyed the parking lot, hitched up his pants. Looked in my direction. He didn’t wave or nod a greeting, didn’t follow social conventions. Even so, his presence grounded me, felt familiar.
I took a breath, reminded myself that the school was just a school. That I was prone to mental wandering and embellishing. And that children would stream into my classroom in just three days, whether I was ready or not.

About The Author

Merry Jones is the author of some twenty critically acclaimed books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her work has been translated into seven languages. Her previous Elle Harrison novels have been The Trouble With Charlie and Elective Procedures. Jones lives with her husband in Philadelphia.


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Contest Giveaway

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Merry Jones. There will be 2 winners of one (1) eBook copy of Child's Play by Merry Jones. The giveaway begins on January 3rd and runs through January 9th, 2016.

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Book Blast Event

Child's Play by Merry Jones ~ Book Blast Event Page

Event Participants:

Jersey Girl Book Reviews

Bunnys Book Reviews

jbronderbookreviews

The Pen and Muse Book Reviews

A Bookaholic Swede

Cozy Up With Kathy

Hott Books

Wall-to-wall books

Celticladys Reviews

b00k r3vi3ws

fundinmental

CMash Reads

Just a Little R&R

Sapphyrias Book Reviews

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

The Way I See It

Mystery Suspense Reviews

Books, Dreams, Life

Blog Rockin Book Reviews

The Book Divas Reads

BooksChatter

Bound 2 Escape

Book Babble


Mythical Books

Follow the Child's Play virtual book tour: February 1-28, 2017!

The Christmas Surprise by Samantha March (Book Review)

The Christmas Surprise by Samantha March

Publisher: Marching Ink LLC

Publication Date: October 29, 2016

Format: eBook - 77 pages

               Kindle - 689 KB 

ASIN: B01M8OU8JO

Genre: Holiday Novella 

Buy The Book:

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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Book Description:

Juliette Mabry is a happily married stay-at-home wife and mother...until there appears to be trouble brewing in her nearly ten-year marriage. Juliette takes it upon herself to find out if her husband is up to no good, but does she want to know the truth? Everything is revealed on Christmas, and Juliette is in for her biggest Christmas surprise.


Book Excerpt:

Chapter One

“Isn’t twerking just having sex?”

“Who told you that?”

“No, that’s not it at all!”

“I could have sworn I heard the TV say twerking was just sex. What the hell is it then?”

“It’s a dance . . . style. Thing. It’s like . . . it’s like this.”

“What? You look like you’re having a seizure.”

“Hey, I thought it was pretty good!”

“Oh, if the rest of the PTO moms could see us now!”

I laughed to myself in the stall, doing a final check of my social media accounts on my cell phone. What? I’m a mom to a toddler. Having alone time in a bathroom stall is the highlight of my day. I was getting ready to exit and join the great twerking debate, when I overheard the next part of the conversation.

“Anyway, back to the original subject. Do you think it could be true?”

“I don’t think so. They seem happily married.”

“Are you sure? She’s never really seemed. . . right for him. To click with him. You know?”

I wrinkled my brow as well as my Botox injections could let me. Was someone having an affair? I wondered who it could possibly be! My mind started to race with all the candidates before I told myself to calm down. Having an affair was no laughing matter.  I knew that matter than most.

“I just hate seeing families split up. And he’s so adorable.”

Okay, someone who was definitely married, and had a son. I doubt she was calling the husband adorable.

“But after what Carolyn did, are you really that surprised?”

Wait a minute. Were they talking about Carolyn, my best friend? So what, she had an affair. Okay, it was a bad deal. Her husband was the town sheriff, and she got caught sleeping with her gardener. It was so Desperate Housewives of her! Not in a good way, of course. But that was last year, and the tension was somewhat resolved. Carolyn and John even played nice at their daughter Claudia’s wedding a few months back.

“You have to admit, she is pretty fake. I know every time she’s nice to me to my face, I know she is just waiting to catch me slipup and say something she can twist around and report back to others. He probably is fed up with her. I wouldn’t be shocked.”

I heard the sound of paper towels being pulled out of the dispensers, and the women’s voices fade as they left the community bathroom at the pre-school, leaving me standing in my stall in shock.

Someone was having an affair. It was affecting a married family. I was married. I had been married to my husband Christopher ten years this January. They had a son, an adorable son. Call me biased, but I thought my son Colin was pretty freaking adorable. He skipped my red hair gene, thank the good Lord, and instead was a spitting image of Christopher – dark floppy hair (already it did the flop!) shiny brown eyes and one fierce dimple in his left cheek. He was in pre-school, was four years old, and was the true light of my life.

The people involved were also somehow connected to Carolyn, my best friend. And apparently people thought “she” whoever she was, was a fake. And maybe liked to spread rumors.

Now, I don’t think badly about myself. I’m a good person. I’m a good wife, and I’m a damn good mother. I’m a good friend to those who are actually my friend. But yes, I liked to. . .  be in the know. I took it upon myself to be the eyes and ears of our small little town of Delany, Maine. Especially after the tragedy that rocked us two years ago, there needed to be a lookout. And I designated myself that person right after Portland’s death. But I scaled back a lot on poking myself into business I didn’t belong to in the past couple of months. And I never meant to spread rumors, and I wouldn’t even think about telling lies. But was I fake? I didn’t think so. Sure my boobs were. And my nose. But that was my outside persona. Inside I was a good and real person.

They weren’t talking about me . . . were they?

With a start, I realized I was still standing in the stall, cell phone in hand opened to Facebook. I felt a little ill, but knew I had to get out of the bathroom and start my day. It was silly to worry. They weren’t talking about me. The similarities were a coincidence. But I would make it my mission to find out who they were talking about. 

Book Review:

What could be a better way to end the holiday season, then to read a delightful holiday romance novella?!

The Christmas Surprise by Samantha March is a heartwarming holiday themed novella filled with intriguing drama, romance, friendship, marital relationships, and the magical spirit that comes with the Christmas holiday season.

Set in Delany, Maine, the reader will easily get swept away as they follow stay-at-home wife and mother Juliette Mabry's misguided quest to find out if there is trouble brewing within her ten year marriage to Christopher. Juliette has always been the eyes and ears of their small town, and one of the town's biggest gossips, but when her overactive imagination starts to work overtime when it comes to her marriage, Juliette gets a Christmas surprise from Christopher that will teach her the true meaning of love and the holiday season.

This is a wonderful holiday themed romance novella that can be read in one afternoon. I could understand the quandary that Juliette felt when she overhears gossip about a rumor of a possible affair involving a father who has a son, which leads her to question Christopher's long hours at work. But when Juliette realizes that the she has a wonderful marriage and family life with Christopher and Colin, she is taught a valuable life message about love, friendship, and the hurtful nature of rumors and gossiping.

The Christmas Surprise is a lighthearted holiday romance novella that captures the essence, spirit, and magic of the Christmas season, it will warm your heart, and leave a smile on your face.


RATING: 5 STARS 

About The Author

Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things beauty, fashion and fitness. In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and has four published novels – Destined to Fail, The Green Ticket, A Questionable Friendship and Up To I Do. You can also find her on Youtube sharing beauty reviews and creating makeup tutorials. When she isn’t reading, writing, or vlogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs. Samantha lives in Iowa with her husband and Vizsla puppy.


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