Tending her Heart by Kathleen Shoop

Sweet, Fun Romance--Set in 1971, nurse Julie Peters is ambitious and tenacious, but her plans to modernize Waterside Hospital's labor and delivery protocols are thwarted by old-school doctors and brown-nosing colleagues. The last thing on her mind is falling in love as she confronts her career-related demons. Still, she feels the pull of attraction to one special doctor.

Dr. Michael Young turned away from a prestigious research position at Duke University to practice medicine in a smaller, less intense setting at Waterside Hospital. While nurses chase him by the dozen, he is intrigued and satisfied with building a nest-egg for when the right woman finally happens along.

When Julie is faced with choices that put her job, her life’s dream in peril her relationship with Michael begins to ignite. Can a Thanksgiving stay in the regal home called Bliss give her the space she needs to right her future and fall in love? Will their growing love mean Julie loses herself? Humor, love and a similar attitude toward medicine seal their love, but will it destroy their careers?

My Thoughts…

Tending Her Heart offers romance and history in a sweet and easy way.    The characters are very likable and I felt like I was part of their lives.   Julie is before her time.   She cares about her patients and does not like the way they are being treated.    While stating her feelings she is put in her place for being below the doctors, who believe they are doing things exactly how they should be done. Julie often finds herself in trouble and defending herself to others she works with.  I love her 

project.   I would love to know more about how that part of her life turns out and if it makes a difference to those she works under.     Michael is a character that I sometimes liked and sometimes I disliked.  I wanted him to stand up for Julie and her feelings but understood why he could not.    He was a great supporter of her when he felt it would not put his job in jeopardy and that bothered me, a lot. 

  

This is a fun short story.  I love the setting of Bliss and all the memories and traditions that go with that great house.    I will recommend this story to anyone looking for a light and easy seasonal story.   

Available to buy from.... 

Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble

"I love Julie Peters and the Endless Love Series! Julie's relationship with Dr. Young was just so sweet and fun and I hope there's more to come about this couple. There is nothing like reading Kathleen's books--moving, funny, page-turning and Tending Her Heart is all of that--just fun."
 L. McShea

Praise for Home Again and Return to Love--Don't miss out on reading book 3 in the series!
"lyrical writing that is a joy to read!" L. Zottola 

"A spell-binding story of a love which seemed to transcend time, space and circumstance." 
N. Budden

 "Shoop's character's breathe" Bev Rosenbaum

Also available.......
Endless Love series. Book one, Home Again

1969-- Set on the shores of the Albemarle Sound, April Harrington has fond memories of summers at her family home, Bliss. After her fairytale wedding disintegrates, it becomes her refuge—the one place where she can attempt to pull the unraveling threads of her life back together. Unbeknownst to April, the stately house has been neglected in recent years. The once-sturdy roof is leaking in a few dozen places, and the wharf is rotting. Nothing is the same as she remembers. Nothing except for Hale, a Viet Nam pilot who is haunted by a dreadful secret, and who is also her brother’s best friend, a brother killed in the conflict that is tearing the country apart.

In Hale’s presence, April finds familiarity and solace. They share grief for a lost loved one, and from the comfort of Hale’s arms, passion blooms. Yet, April’s future is unresolved. Her wealthy, arrogant almost-bridegroom wants her back and the ghosts of Viet Nam are whispering to Hale. Can they find new love in an old treasured home, the kind of affection and trust that lasts forever?

Home Again, was named a finalist in the 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Buy the book from.......

Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble

Endless Love Series, Book Two, Return to Love

Sweet Romance… Fresh off their whirlwind nuptials and unexpected, but joyous pregnancy, April and Hale Abercrombie are gleeful about their life together. But, while Hale is serving his country in Vietnam, he receives news of the loss of their newborn daughter.

Back home on leave, Hale can barely wait to hold his wife. Their reunion is passionate and their physical connection, strong and soothing. His embrace, his touch, and his love are just as perfect as April remembered. But nothing, not even Hale, can ease April’s heartache.

Hale stumbles through his attempts at convincing her that their future will be rich and full of wonder despite their loss. His good-hearted, but take-charge approach causes her to retreat. Even in grief, April recognizes Hale’s earnestness, yet she can’t help but distance herself from him. With only a short time before Hale must return to war, the couple begins to understand that hope starts with them—that the bliss they once knew will return only if they are willing to trust again.

Set on the beaches of the Outer Banks, Return to Love is the second book in the Endless Love series.

Buy the book from.......

Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Barnes and Noble

About the Author

A Language Arts Coach with a Ph.D. in Reading Education, Kathleen lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.

Kathleen has also written award winning Love and Other Subjects, After the Fog and her debut novel, The Last Letter,  Recently, Kathleen has released the her first romance novella, Home Again (Book One of the Endless Love Series), Return to Love (Book Two) a novel-length work and has just released Tending Her Heart (Book Three).  Books Two and Three in the historical fiction series that started with The Last Letter are nearly complete and should be shortly.

Kathleen has been featured in USA Today and the Writer’s Guide to 2013. Her work has appeared in The Tribune-Review, four Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and Pittsburgh Parent magazine.

Find the Author on the following sites....

 Website   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Google+   Goodreads 

Book Tour Dates

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY

Three lucky winners will win a $15 Amazon.com Giftcard

Open Worldwide
Ending on Sunday 8th February at 11.59pm EST

Enter Below and Good Luck !!

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Incite (Sphere of Irony #1) by Heather Leigh

Published December 14, 2014 by Shelbyville

Adam Reynolds is an impoverished teen raised by neglectful parents in one of London’s most dangerous boroughs. He turns to his love of music and countless girls to escape his sad reality.

Beautiful and naïve Ellie Palmer comes from a well-off family that suddenly finds themselves living in one of the poorest neighborhoods in London. Alone in a frightening new place, Ellie is afraid to leave the safety of her home, only going out to walk to school and back.

When Adam prevents Ellie from becoming the victim of a horrific sexual assault, they discover something that two teenagers never thought they would find in such a depressing place. Each other.

After tragedy, lies, and distance tear their future away from them; they each wander through life empty and hopeless no matter who or what they use to replace the feelings of loss.

From the crime-ridden streets of London’s East End to the over-the-top display of wealth in L.A. Can two broken souls conquer their demons in order to find true happiness?

My Thoughts…

Incite is my first Heather Leigh book and I cannot believe I have not checked her out before this.   This book is great.   It has strong female characters, sexy alpha males, and a great romance.   What more can you ask for?

Adam is a character that I loved most of the time, but there were times I disliked him.   He wore his heart on the sleeve when with Ellie.   He showed her the respect and the love that she deserves.  But… he seemed to give up so quickly on her.   He was quick to decide that he didn’t deserve her and lose himself in alcohol.   Those were the times that I did not like him very much.     He was definitely an alpha male, but knew what he wanted to be in life and did what he had to do to get there.   I loved that he was wanting to take Ellie with on his ride to success.  

Ellie, she was interesting.   The fact that she grew up privileged only to have that taken away swiftly and still managed to accomplish her goals in life made her a hero to me.    It would have been easy for her to give up, and who could blame her with all that was thrown at her, and still succeeded to become someone she could be proud of was inspirational.    The love that she had for Adam was probably one of the strongest that exists.   It was proven over and over just how strong a love has to be to strong and true.  

Heather Leigh is an author that I will certainly check out again and again.   I will not hesitate to read her books knowing that I will be entertained from the first page until the very last.    I definitely recommend this book.  

Book Links

Amazon  |   Barnes and Noble   |    Goodreads 

The Metabolism Solution by Lisa Lynn and Author Interview

Published February 28, 2014 by Xulon Press

Fitness specialist Lisa Lynn, who has been the guest expert on television programs like the Dr. Oz Show, reveals the hidden reasons you are not succeeding in your quest for weight loss. If it feels like a mystery to you, that s because the mainstream media and fitness businesses are earning a profit from keeping you in the dark. Lisa Lynn shows you how to free your mind from fear-based attempts through the power of God, improving not just your body, but your entire life. The breakthrough health system Lisa Lynn has created gives you not only effective recipes and real techniques, but the true reasons why nothing else has worked. Discover the answers to questions you haven t even known to ask and the drive to finally push through to the turning point in your life."

My Thoughts…

I have been steadily working out and trying to lose weight (isn’t everyone) for the last two years.  When a book comes across that will give me hints and help on what I have been doing wrong and encourage me with things I have been doing right I do not hesitate to pick it up.  Lisa Lynn wrote that book.   It gives me insight onto what I need to change to get better results and how to change them.   It also gave me many suggestions that I had never considered.   I am anxious to get to work and try many of her suggestions.   

While Lisa Lynn is, of course, trying to sell her product, she also gives great advice and guidance on what really works when trying to lose weight.  She takes what is being told by others and tells why it does or does not work.  When it does not work she offers great alternatives.   The options she suggests are real life options.  They are the ones that real normal people can afford and can realistically do.   She also holds the reader accountable.   There is no sugar coating and making it sound easy.  I love this.   There are no quick fixes to losing weight just hard work and lots of determination.  

If you are struggling or at a loss of what to do next with your weight lose this is the book for you.   I can recommend reading it and taking the advice, I know I am going to do just that.  

Book Links

Amazon   |   Barnes and Noble   |   Goodreads

Author Interview with Lisa Lynn

​1. ​What made you write this book​? How much did timing play a role in your finishing the book?

After 20 years of people asking "DO YOU HAVE A ​BOOK", I decided my someday was right NOW. After my Dr. OZ episodes, I was being bombarded with emails and since I answer each and every one to this day, I thought it would be more efficient to put it all in a book so everyone can get the help they need.

2. ​Your book is quite comprehensive, how long did it take you?

Yes it is quite comprehensive! People who have done the program refer to it as their LIFESTYLE bible and say it’s the only book they will ever need since it has what to eat, when to eat it, ​a workout as well as 100 delicious recipes to choose from each day! I made sure I put everything people need to know and left nothing unanswered.​ As much as it looked like an overnight project, it’s a lifetime of learning wrapped into one book.  Once I made the decision to do it,it took me 6 months to get it all out of my head and onto paper.

3. ​What was the most helpful technique that you used that you can share with aspiring authors?

I had to prioritize my writing everyday versus​ doing it when I felt like it. I set aside time every day in the morning because that’s when I can think clearly, so schedule it into your day like any other appointment and set a DONE date or you’ll never finish! I meet authors every day who work on their books for 20 years and never finish them because they don’t set a done date.

4. ​Should readers who don’t want to lose weight read this book? And why?

This book isn't just for people who want to lose weight but for anyone who needs hope in their life or loves to cook, ​as well as anyone who needs to improve their health! The Metabolism Solution makes eating gluten free easy and much more delicious without all of the fuss and added expense. I also speak a lot about GOD and your BODY, so anyone who is interested in growing spiritually and wants to know what GOD has to say about ou​r health should read The Metabolism Solution, not to mention it has an awesome workout you can do at home that will strengthen your bones and make you stronger!

5.​What makes your book​ different from​  all of the other diets books out there?

Most books focus on what to eat and forget all about the other factors that play a role in our metabolism. The Metabolism is very different from other books because it doesn't just tell you what NOT to eat the way other plans do, it explains why you shouldn't do certain things and how they affect your metabolism. The best part is that it gives you recipes that are fast and easy that​ your whole family will love so you can take your focus off of food and begin to focus on life instead! It also gives you the workout and attitude adjustments needed for long term success, not to mention it includes our relationship with GOD and how it affects our body.

6. ​What about this gluten free trend—does your plan work around this?

Most people over complicate eating gluten free and this causes them to gain weight and spend lots of money. The metabolism solution makes eating gluten free easy, much more delicious and it helps you simplify eating gluten free because nothing is better for your metabolism than eating lean proteins and veggies that NEVER contained gluten to begin with.​

7. ​Do you think gluten free is good for weight loss?

YES! Gluten and weight loss don’t go together very well.​The leanest people have always stayed away from gluten and only recently has gluten free become some buzz word YET it’s been the better way to eat and lose weight for centuries!

8. ​What can fans expect next?  Is there another book in the works?

LOL fans...I’m as normal as your neighbor, I promise! I still do my own grocery shopping, clean my house and struggle to get up and work out every day, BUT anyone who needs help can count on me being available to help them anytime. I will continue to research and find new ways to boost the most sluggish metabolisms and, of course, I am already working on my next book that will help families and teens as well as Cancer Survivors as I am a survivor myself.

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Burning Embers by Hannah Fielding PROMO

Blurb

Coral Sinclair is a beautiful but naïve twenty-five-year-old photographer who has just lost her father. She's leaving the life she's known and traveling to Kenya to take ownership of her inheritance – the plantation that was her childhood home – Mpingo. On the voyage from England, Coral meets an enigmatic stranger to whom she has a mystifying attraction. She sees him again days later on the beach near Mpingo, but Coral's childhood nanny tells her the man is not to be trusted. It is rumored that Rafe de Monfort, owner of a neighboring plantation and a nightclub, is a notorious womanizer having an affair with her stepmother, which may have contributed to her father's death.

Circumstance confirms Coral's worst suspicions, but when Rafe's life is in danger she is driven to make peace. A tentative romance blossoms amidst a meddling ex-fiancé, a jealous stepmother, a car accident, and the dangerous wilderness of Africa. Is Rafe just toying with a young woman's affections? Is the notorious womanizer only after Coral's inheritance? Or does Rafe's troubled past color his every move, making him more vulnerable than Coral could ever imagine?

Excerpt

Though the afternoon sunshine was beginning to fade, the air was still hot and heavy. Coral was struck by the awesome silence that surrounded them. Not a bird in sight, no shuffle in the undergrowth, even the insects were elusive. They climbed a little way up the escarpment over the plateau and found a spot that dominated the view of the whole glade. Rafe spread out the blanket under an acacia tree. They ate some chicken sandwiches and eggs and polished off the bottle of cordial. They chatted casually, like old friends, about unimportant mundane things, as though they were both trying to ward off the real issue, to stifle the burning embers that were smoldering dangerously in both their minds and their bodies.

All the while, Coral had been aware of the need blossoming inside her, clouding all reason with desire. She could tell that he was fighting his own battle. Why was he holding back? Was he waiting for her to make the first move? Rafe was lying on his side, propped up on his elbow, his head leaning on his hand, watching her through his long black lashes. The rhythm of his breathing was slightly faster, and she could detect a little pulse beating in the middle of his temple, both a suggestion of the turmoil inside him. Rafe put out a hand to touch her but seemed to change his mind and drew it away. Coral stared back at him, her eyes dark with yearning, searching his face.

The shutters came down. “Don’t, Coral,” Rafe whispered, “don’t tease. There’s a limit to the amount of resistance a man has.”

“But Rafe…”

A flash of long blue lightning split the sky, closely followed by a crash of thunder. Coral instinctively threw herself into Rafe’s arms, hiding her face against his broad chest. She had always had a strong phobia of thunderstorms. Now she knew why the place had seemed eerie, why there had been no bird song or insect tick-tocks, no scuffling and ruffling in the undergrowth. Even though the skies when they entered the valley had not foretold the electrical storm that was to come, just like with the animals, her instinct had told her that something was wrong. But she had been too distracted by the turbulence crackling between her and Rafe to pay attention to the changing sky.

Rafe, too, was shaken out of his daze and turned his head to see that the sun had dropped behind the mountain. Dense clouds had swept into the valley and were hanging overhead like a black mantle.

“Where did that come from? No storm was forecast for today?” he muttered, jumping up.

There was another tremendous peal of thunder, lightning lit up the whole glade, and again another crash. Then the heavy drops of rain came hammering down against the treetops, pouring down through the foliage.

A wind was starting up. Without hesitation, Rafe folded the blanket into a small bundle and tucked it under his arm. He slung the hamper over his shoulder, and lifting Coral into his arms, he climbed his way up to the next level of the escarpment where a ledge of rock was jutting out and found the entrance to a cave where they could shelter. Coral was shivering. She tucked her face into his shoulder, her fingers tightly gripping his shirt. She was completely inert, paralyzed by fear. They were both drenched.

There was no way they would be able to get back to Narok tonight. Coral knew from her childhood that storms were always long in this part of the country, and through her panic she prayed that he wouldn’t be piloting that little plane back in this howling gale. At least here they were protected from the storm. It was not yet completely dark. Rafe looked around, still holding her tightly against him. Coral couldn’t herself as she sobbed uncontrollably.

“Shush, it’s all right,” he whispered softly in her ear. “It’s only a storm. By tomorrow morning it’ll all be over.” He brushed her tears away as more fell. “I’m going to have to set you down for a moment, Coral. I need to light us a fire and get you out of those wet clothes.”

What others are saying....

First class – beautifully written with an intriguing premise and interesting characters.– Romancing the Book

Hot, sultry, breathtakingly beautiful and entirely unpredictable… I think the end analysis of a good read is whether it lingers, and this one certainly did. – A Bookish Libraria

It warmed every corner of my heart. – Cocktails and Books

Hannah Fielding created a backdrop for this story that held me spellbound. – Unwrapping Romance

An epic romance like Hollywood used to make… – Peterborough Evening Telegraph

A truly compelling and romantic tale that you won’t want to put down. – Go City Girl

The kind of romance that makes you sigh dreamily… – Bookish Temptations

Meet Hannah Fielding

Hannah Fielding is a novelist, a dreamer, a traveller, a mother, a wife and an incurable romantic. The seeds for her writing career were sown in early childhood, spent in Egypt, when she came to an agreement with her governess Zula: for each fairy story Zula told, Hannah would invent and relate one of her own. Years later – following a degree in French literature, several years of travelling in Europe, falling in love with an Englishman, the arrival of two beautiful children and a career in property development – Hannah decided after so many years of yearning to write that the time was now. Today, she lives the dream: she writes full time, splitting her time between her homes in Kent, England, and the South of France, where she dreams up romances overlooking breathtaking views of the Mediterranean.

Her first novel, Burning Embers, is a vivid, evocative love story set against the backdrop of tempestuous and wild Kenya of the 1970s, reviewed by one newspaper as ‘romance like Hollywood used to make’. Her new novel, The Echoes of Love, is a story of passion, betrayal and intrigue set in the romantic and mysterious city of Venice and the beautiful landscape of Tuscany.

Social links

Website: www.hannahfielding.net
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/fieldinghannah
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fieldinghannah
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5333898.Hannah_Fielding

Purchase links

Amazon.co.uk; Amazon.com; Barnes & Noble

Seaside Sunsets by Melissa Foster & GIVEAWAY

NEW RELEASE 
SEASIDE SUMMERS BOOK 3.....
The newest addition to the LOVE IN BLOOM series, featuring a group of fun, sexy, and emotional friends who gather each summer at their Cape Cod cottages. They’re funny, flawed, and will have you begging to enter their circle of friends. You met them in READ, WRITE, LOVE, (The Remingtons, Book 5), follow these friends on their search for forever love in the Seaside Summers series.

SEASIDE SUNSETS
Jessica Ayers has lived a sheltered life with little more than cello lessons and practices taking up her day. Now a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she escapes the prim and proper symphony to vacation in the Seaside community in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and determine if she is living life to the fullest or missing it altogether.

For the first time since developing the second largest search engine in the world, billionaire Jamie Reed is taking the summer off. He plans to work from the Cape and spend time with his elderly grandmother—and falling in love is not in his plans.

From the moment Jamie and Jessica meet, the attraction is white-hot. Once-overly-focused Jamie can think of little else than sensual, smart, and alluring Jessica, and Jessica discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. But when Jamie’s business encounters trouble and his attorney and best friend intervenes, he proves that the blond beauty is too distracting for Jamie. To make matters worse, it appears that Jessica might not be who she says she is, turning Jamie’s life—and his heart—upside down. In a world where personal information is always one click away, Jamie must decide if he should trust his heart or watch the woman he loves walk away.

My Thoughts...

There are many things I have come to rely on Melissa Foster for.   The fact that I know that when I pick up one of her books, whether within this series or not, I will not be able to put the book down and when it ends I will sigh and be happy.   Another is that I know that I will find my newest book crush and get to visit some of my old favorites.   I also know that when I finish her books I will dream of them and think of them after I am done.    Melissa Foster is an author that I never hesitate to recommend, knowing that she will entertain all my friends just like I always am.

Seaside Sunsets is set in my new favorite location, The Cape.   It has all my favorite women enjoying their men and living life to the fullest.   These ladies are my book friends; they are the people that I wish I could hang out with.   As Jessica gets to know them all my heart is warmed with how accepting they are to her.  They don’t question why she is at The Cape and who she is.  They just accept that she is there for the summer and has caught the attention of eligible bachelor Jamie.  The sparks fly immediately between Jamie and Jessica.  The attraction is obvious, yet incredible sweet and sensual.  Jamie, raised by his grandparents, has been taught to respect women and the respect he shows Jessica proves what a gentleman he is.  

I have read all of Melissa Foster’s books in this series and each one is my new favorite.   They keep getting better and better.   When I see the email asking for a review show up in my mailbox, it is an easy yes and I put off all my other reads immediately.  I happily recommend this book and this entire series to everyone looking for a fun, easy, and entertaining read.  

SEASIDE SUMMERS are the newest addition to the LOVE IN BLOOM series

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**

Available to buy from...... 

Amazon.co.uk   |   Amazon.com    |   Barnes and Noble    |   KOBO   |   iTunes

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on The Women's Nest or her personal website.

Find Melissa on the following sites.....
Facebook    Twitter    Google+    Goodreads    Pinterest

 

Follow the Book Tour

I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

ALSO AVAILABLE 

Books 1 - 3 Snow Sisters, Love in Bloom Series #1 - 3

Books 1 - 6 The Bradens, Love in Bloom Series #4 - 9

Books 1 - 5 The Remingtons, Love in Bloom Series #10 - 14 


Books 7 - 12 The Bradens, Love in Bloom Series #15 - 20


Books 1 - 4 Seaside Summers, Love in Bloom Series #21 - 24


NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY !!

Five lucky winners will each win Game of Love (1st book from The Remingtons)
& Taken by Love (1st book from the Braden Cousins)

Ending on Thursday 5th February at 11.59pm EST

Open Worldwide

Enter Below & Good Luck !!

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Book Club Choice for January... The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

I belong to a book club of women who enjoy reading a wide variety of books.   Each month we choose a different local restaurant, staying away from chains, and enjoy a night out.  No kids (maybe an occasional baby to satisfy those of us who are done with babies or haven’t had any yet), but definitely no husbands or boyfriends.  This is our book of choice for January.

Published April 1^st, 2014 by Algonquin Books

Synopsis:

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island-from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, but large in weight. It's that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love. 

My Thoughts…

As the story starts A.J. Fikry is a lonely sad man. He has lost his wife and owns a book store that is barely making ends meet. He is extremely opinionated and never hesitates to tell whoever asks exactly what he thinks. I had a hard time connecting with A.J. Fikry. He was not a person that I liked, I did feel bad for him living such a sad life. As the story continues I begin to understand A.J. a little more. As people start coming into his life, I see him coming out of his sad world a little more. One thing that I always liked about A.J. is his absolute love of books, even if I didn’t always agree with his tastes.

My favorite thing in this book is the bookstore. I would love to find a small and hometown bookstore that stocks only books that will sell, but not always the most popular books. Imagine finishing a book, walking into your own home (which is the bookstore) and just picking up another. Never having to worry about what to read next. You can change your mind at a whim and pick up another book. That would be dream like to me. This bookstore seemed to bring in people, not just readers, but people who were looking after A.J. and the bookstore. People who cared about what happens to their town and want the bookstore to succeed. These people became friends and some even family.

A Sister to Honor by Lucy Ferriss

Published January 6, 2015 by Berkley Trade

Afia Satar is studious, modest, and devout. The young daughter of a landholding family in northern Pakistan, Afia has enrolled in an American college with the dream of returning to her country as a doctor. But when a photo surfaces online of Afia holding hands with an American boy, she is suddenly no longer safe—even from the family that cherishes her.

Rising sports star Shahid Satar has been entrusted by his family to watch over Afia in this strange New England landscape. He has sworn to protect his beloved sister from the dangerous customs of America, from its loose morals and easy virtue. Shahid was the one who convinced their parents to allow her to come to the United States. He never imagined he’d be ordered to cleanse the stain of her shame...

My Thoughts…

A Sister to Honor opened my eyes to the world of Pakistan traditions.   I had not read much on this and was amazed at how different their world was.   I did realize that the traditions were different, but not how totally different they are.   I cannot imagine how Afia sees America.   The world of holding hands, meeting men, dressing differently, playing sports, and more equality between men and women was so foreign to her.  

I could not believe how Afia’s family treated her when a picture of her was seen on the internet holding hands with an American boy.    I love how Shahid stood up for her, tried to protect her, and vouched for her honor.    The rest of her family amazed me, how could they treat their daughter the way they did.   How could they expect her to give up what she has worked so hard for?   Many times I stopped reading, just to think, think about what was going on and how it is different from everything I know.  

I love when a book makes me stop and think.   It makes me appreciate what I have and how my world could have been different had I been born in a different country with a different upbringing.    This is a story I will be thinking about and talking about with my friends.  I definitely recommend this book to everyone.  

Book Links

Amazon   |   Barnes and Noble   |   Goodreads

What other’s are saying…

"A masterful storyteller."

–Wally Lamb, renowned author of I Know This Much Is True

"A courageous and thought-provoking writer."

–Tom Perrotta, bestselling author of Little Children

"[An] achingly beautiful novel about marriage and love...the work of a master American realist,

up there with Richard Yates...Spellbinding."

–Francisco Goldman, award winning author of The Long Night of White Chickens and Say Her Name

―A collision of cultures between star-crossed lovers redefines the

meaning of honor in this modern-day literary thriller.

–A. Manette Ansay, author of Vinegar Hill and Good Things I Wish You

About the Author:

Born in St. Louis, Lucy Ferriss has lived on both coasts, in the middle of the country, and abroad. She is the author of nine books, most recently the novel The Lost Daughter, which was published by Berkley in February 2012. She has two sons and lives in Connecticut, where she is Writer-in-Residence at Trinity College. For more information please visit www.lucyferriss.com.

New From Best Selling Author Jessie Lane

Synopsis

From Best Selling Author Jessie Lane...

Bobby Baker is a man with new lease on life.

He is engaged to his high school sweetheart, and he is bonding with the fourteen year old son he wasn’t aware of a little less than a year ago.

But there’s more. The love of his life is pregnant with their second child. This time, he’ll be there to witness the birth of one of his children instead of missing out on it.

Or will he?

Belle unexpectedly goes into labor a month early while Bobby is coming off a mission half a world away. Will he be able to make it home in time for the birth of his second child?

Or will he miss this delivery, too?

*Previously published in the back of Ice, Regulators MC #1. This is a short story that should be read after both Secret Maneuvers and Stripping Her Defenses in the Ex Ops Series.*

Add it to your Goodreads

Warning: Mature themes

Ex Ops Series:

Secret Maneuvers #1 - Available Now

Stripping Her Defenses #2 - Available Now

Sweet Recovery #3 - Coming Soon!

***Mission Delivery Excerpt***

Bobby

Hell hath no fury like a woman induced into labor.

“You super sperm carrying mother fucker! Get your ass over here so I can rip your balls off!”

Belle was screaming every obscenity invented by man and few I was pretty sure she had come up with on her own. My beautiful, serene, glowing fiancée had been replaced by a woman who could make the toughest men stand across the room to protect their assets.

The nurse slowly side-stepped from the room’s doorway over to me, keeping her wary gaze on the woman who was screeching like a banshee on the bed. “Sir, should I call a priest in to perform an exorcism?”

I turned my head to consider the nervous nurse’s suggestion. Short of Belle turning her head three hundred sixty degrees and vomiting green shit, I had to admit she was sort of acting like a demonically possessed hellion.

Movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. I managed to grab the nurse’s shoulder, forcing her to duck down with me as the object flew over our heads, hit the wall with a bang, and then clattered to the floor.

Hesitantly, I looked over at the now still projectile to see what it was and shuddered. Belle’s bedpan. Sweet mother of God, the woman really was possessed.

“Hey! Assholes! Stop gossiping like little girls and get over here and get this kid out of me!” Her eyes were blazing with pain and fury, her blonde hair was a messy halo around her head, and she didn’t have a lick of make-up on. She looked like she had marched through war and back.

She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, though.

And temporarily fuck-nuts crazy, too.

Amazon: http://goo.gl/uxlNyn
Amazon UK: http://goo.gl/2fzfB0
Amazon CA: http://goo.gl/hgFjcb
Amazon AU: http://goo.gl/qdO4oA

Author Bio:

Jessie Lane is the best-selling author of The Star Series, Big Bad Bite Series and the Ex Ops Series. She writes paranormal and contemporary romance, as well as Upper YA Paranormal Romance/Fantasy.

She lives in Kentucky with her two little Rock Chicks in the making and her over protective alpha husband. She has a passionate love for reading and writing naughty romance, cliff hanging suspense, and out-of-this-world characters that demand your attention, or threaten to slap you around until you do pay attention to them.

Social Media Links:

Email: jessie_lane@jessielanebooks1.com

Website: http://jessielanebooks.com/

Newsletter: http://goo.gl/z2DzoV

Facebook: http://goo.gl/xAUEUA

Twitter: @JessieLaneBooks or http://goo.gl/VTkWMK

Goodreads: http://goo.gl/E32b7L

Amazon Author Page: http://goo.gl/TO7jiH

Pinterest: http://goo.gl/jvKS07

The Blue Room RELEASE DAY

Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ArWJ0z

From the international bestselling author of The Master Chefs Series, The Never Knights Trilogy, PULSE Series, The DESIRE Series, and SESSIONS Series, comes a new adult romantic suspense...

Aspiring singer and new Blue Girl, Staci Atussi, gets closer to finding out what's behind the Blue Room, the most elite and exclusive gentlemen billionaire's club started by billionaires for billionaires when all she's ever known about who she is comes crashing down. Now she must question everything and everyone, including who she thought she could trust.

Book 5 of the Blue Room Series!

For 18 and over due to mature content.

Haven't Started The Blue Room Series Yet?

Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1zU9mMG

When Danny Blue of the Never Knights inherited his playboy billionaire father's businesses and legacy, he didn't realized his father's pet project was the Blue Room, the most elite and secret club in the highest circle. He was happy to let his half-brother Terrence Blue run the club, but with Terrence's womanizing ways and carefree attitude when it came to everything, he wasn't sure if that was a good idea.


Terrence Blue wasn't sure that was a good idea as well because it would cramp his style as a former patron of the club, but when he spotted virginal Staci Atussi starting at The Blue Room, he had a change of heart. Not only was Staci Atussi a knockout without knowing it, but she was the challenge he had been craving.

For Staci Atussi, working at The Blue Room was her solution to a desperate situation, but as she became integrated into the world of The Blue Room and the mysteries surrounding its patrons and the sexy Blues, she wondered if she had traded in her desperation for something far more sinister.

The Blue Room is a New Adult Contemporary Suspense Series intending for readers age 18 and up.

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Kailin Gow's life is sometimes more fascinating and stranger than fiction, which is being chronicled in a feature film based on a treatment optioned and in development for a release date of 2018. (IMDB.com - The Colorful Worlds of Kailin Gow 2018). Her true life experiences as a world traveler where she has traveled to over 25 countries, logging hundreds of thousands of miles, absorbing the cultures and collecting stories relating to places and the romance of the land, and incidents in her personal life, has inspired her to write and publish over 170 books with over 30 series.

She is noted as an indie pioneer, as one of the first to publish in 2001. Breaking stereotypes, her books has crossed traditional and indie lines, gaining recognition in schools and libraries, as well as the indie community. Her action adventure young adult fantasy series, The Frost Series, an ALA YALSA Reader's Choice Nominated book series - had been optioned by an international film company and is currently in development as a game and a film athttp://www.facebook.com/thefrostseries. Five of her fantasy/action adventure series have been optioned to be made into worldwide games.

Kailin Gow has been known in The World Journal, an international newspaper, to be a phenomenon. She was profiled on the homepage of Amazon.com as an Author Success Story who overcame personal obstacles to become a bestselling author, appeared as one of Amazon's top authors for the Kindle Fire launch release, and is one of the earliest indie authors who have sold over a million books. She writes for Fast Company as a publishing expert, had appeared on a major network Television News as a bestselling author who writes fiction and non-fiction with a social conscious, and has made speeches and appearances across the U.S. and on top 15 national radio regarding self-esteem and issues relating to women.

Kailin Gow was an invited speaker and signing author at Book Expo America (BEA)2014.

Having experienced bullying firsthand and slander as a woman, Kailin Gow is an active advocate against bullying in the workplace and in schools. She has written Shy Girls Social Club Handbook Against Bullying and has helped launch Stories for Amanda where all proceeds go towards the Amanda Todd Foundation against bullying. She has written several books with the theme of abuse towards women and children, especially the steamy international bestselling The Protégé Series, which launched a book club initiative in battered women's shelters and won The Indie Excellence Awards at NIEA for Erotica in 2014.

She holds a Masters Degree in Communications Management from The University of Southern California, and degrees in Drama and Social Ecology.

She resides in the American West with her husband and daughter, but had lived for a decade in Texas, and briefly in England. Besides being a full-time author, she volunteers for many organizations, is active in church helping build homes for the homeless and visit orphanages. A voracious reader, when she is not writing, she loves reading an entire series in one sitting! She spends way too much time on Facebook than she is supposed to athttp://www.facebook.com/kailingowbooks, but loves meeting new people from all walks of life.

She has over 30 Series, written under Kailin Gow, and more under her middle grade, women's fiction, and mystery pen names:

***For 16 and up***

The Frost Series - COMPLETED. Bitter Frost Series Consists of 8 full-length novels.
The Wolf Fey Series - COMPLETED. Consists of 2 full-length novels and one novella.
Fairy Rose Chronicles - age 13 and up.
The PULSE Series - Next Book - Blood Ring (PULSE #9), releasing due to readers' demand to continue the series. Consists of 9 full-length novels and one novella.
FADE Series - COMPLETED. ALL Full-length novels.
DESIRE Series - All Full-length novels. Last Book, FRENZY - 2015.
Fire Wars Series - All Full-length novels.
Alchemists Academy - All Full-length novels.
Wordwick Games - All Full-length novels.
Wicked Woods Series - COMPLETED. Consists of 5 full-length novels.
Steampunk Scarlett - All Full-length novels.
The Phantom Diaries - All Full-length novels. Last Book, DARK VICTORY - 2015.
Stoker Sisters - All Full-length novels. Last Book, SISTER OF THE STRIGOIS - 2015.

Beyond Crystal River - 2015 NEW SERIES.

SHADES - 2015 NEW SERIES. This is a high concept psychological thriller.

***For 18 and up (New Adult/Coming of Age)***

Loving Summer - All full-length novels.
The Donovan Brothers - All full-length novels.
Saving You Saving Me (You & Me Trilogy)- COMPLETED. Consists of 3 Full-length novels.
Never Knights - COMPLETED. Consists of 3 Full-length novels.
Rock Hard Love Hard - 1st book, Rock Hard Love Hard is now Available.

Sawyer House Chronicles (Spin-off of You & Me Trilogy) - Coming in 2015
Canvas - Coming in 2015

***For 18 and up (Adult/Steamy Romance)***

The Protege - COMPLETED. 3 Full-length novels.
Master Chefs - COMPLETED. Consists of 3 Full-length novels.
The Blue Room (Spin-off of Never Knights Trilogy) - Romantic Suspense.
Barely Legal (Spin-off of The Protégé) - Romantic Suspense.
The Oyster House - Artistic Romantic Thriller set in Hong Kong and England.
- Coming in 2015.

For information on the series, new series and new book releases, contests, appearances, KG-Convergences, and more, sign up at http://www.KailinGowBooks.com.