Thursday, March 26, 2015

We're not letting Bethany Chase get away...plus a book giveaway

Bethany Chase and I first connected on Facebook due to our mutual love for chick lit (no surprise there, right?). We also found out that we are both Weird Al fans, but that's another story for a different time. Anyway, I was thrilled to find out that she was publishing a book and eagerly awaiting the day it would be published. Well, that day is almost here, as her debut novel, The One That Got Away, hits shelves on March 31st! It's already generating buzz with rave reviews from Emily Giffin, Allie Larkin, Patti Callahan Henry, and Liz and Lisa...just to name a few. Her writing style is being compared to Emily Giffin and Jennifer Weiner. Needless to say, her book is next in my TBR pile and I can't wait to dig in (I just hope to not get any matzah crumbs on it).

Thanks to Penguin Random House, FIVE lucky US readers will be in my shoes soon!

You can find Bethany on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Today, she's here to talk about books and reading with us.

Synopsis of The One That Got Away:
Sarina Mahler thinks she has her life all nailed down: a growing architecture practice in Austin, Texas, and an any-day-now proposal from her loving boyfriend, Noah. She’s well on her way to having the family she’s hoped for since her mother’s death ten years ago. But with Noah on a temporary assignment abroad and retired Olympic swimmer—and former flame—Eamon Roy back in town asking her to renovate his new fixer-upper, Sarina’s life takes an unexpected turn. Eamon proves to be Sarina’s dream client, someone who instinctively trusts every one of her choices—and Sarina is reminded of all the reasons she was first drawn to him back in the day. Suddenly her carefully planned future with Noah seems a little less than perfect. And when tragedy strikes, Sarina is left reeling. With her world completely upended, she is forced to question what she truly wants in life—and in love.

Full of both humor and heartbreak, The One That Got Away is the story of one woman’s discovery that, sometimes, life is what happens when you leave the blueprints behind. (Courtesy of Random House).



What is your guilty pleasure read?
Dlisted.

Which book do you wish you wrote?
Joshilyn Jackson’s Gods in Alabama is a masterpiece in my opinion. Brilliant plotting, sharply drawn and interesting characters, an authentic and vivid setting, terrific humor—this book just has everything going for it.

What was your favorite book (or series) to read as a child/pre-teen/teenager?
Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon. Those series are basically the Bookish Young Girl’s Guide to Life.

What is your favorite book to movie translation?
A Room With a View! It was my mother’s favorite movie, and one of mine as well when I was growing up. Terrific cast, terrific writing, sumptuous settings, wonderful wit, and swoonable romance – I adore that movie.

What book genre would surprise someone if you told them you read it?
Probably fantasy. I don’t read a ton of it, but some of the books on my keeper shelf are Guy Gavriel Kay’s quasi-historical epics and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. And as always I love me some Chuck Wendig.


Is there a certain place you've visited that inspires you to write? Or a specific environment you need to be surrounded by for inspiration?
I have a long-standing tradition of getting big bouts of writing done when I am on my annual Florida vacation with my husband and his brother and sister-in-law. I have literally nothing to do all day except write, drink beer and eat, and it is absolutely divine. I have many fond memories of developing good ideas while a half-empty Blue Moon is within hand’s reach. I’ll let you decide if that’s causation or correlation.

Thanks to Bethany for visiting with us and to Penguin Random House for sharing her book with our readers. 

~Introduction by Melissa Amster


Aside from our giveaway here, you can also enter to win THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY through Bethany's blog tour (US only, ends 4/16), Confessions of a Bookaholic (worldwide, ends 3/31; also at @jenny_oregan), and Manic Mommy Reviews and Reads (US only, ends 3/29)!


How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

US only. Giveaway ends March 31st at midnight EST.



35 comments:

Janine said...

It's hard for me to answer the question. I remember reading when I was really young, but don't remember what I read. Then, I just stopped reading for many years. The next thing I picked up was one of my mother's old romance books and that started me on binge reading every romance I could find. It kind of set me up for unreal expectations about how love should be.

Kristi said...

My favorite series as a child would have to be the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House books. Then I would read anything and everything by Judy Blume.

I can't wait to read this book by Bethany Chase. She named both my favorite book and favorite beer in her interview so she must be my kind of person! LOL!

Kathy A. LaMaster said...

I read so many series. I loved The Happy Hollisters, Nancy Drew, The Bobbsey Twins, and so many.

rubynreba said...

I liked the old Nancy Drew books.

Kimberly V said...

Anything by Judy Blume was my favorite!

Unknown said...

Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames, Trixie Beldon.....then I moved along to sneaking every book my mother or father read.

Shelby N. said...

The one that stands out most to me is the Little House on the Prairie series. I read all of those books multiple times as a kid. I kind of want to reread them again now, it's been so long!

Kelly M said...

Judy Blume and Laura Ingalls Wilder

susieqlaw said...

The Sweet Valley High series!

Melanie Backus said...

I always loved books about animals....Old Yeller, The Yearling.

traveler said...

I read the entire Anne of Green gables series in hardcover from the public library. The novels resonated with me greatly and still do. So meaningful and unforgettable. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Jennifer H said...

I still love Little House on Prairie series. Have bought it as gifts and can't wait to buy it for my niece.

Holly said...

I loved Nancy Drew.

Jessica said...

The Sweet Valley High series! Sometimes I want to go back and re-read the series but there are too many other good books to read to do that, lol.

Linda Kish said...

Nancy Drew books and Cherry Ames, student Nurse books

jpetroroy said...

I loved Babysitters Club

Confessions of a YA and NA Book Addict said...

I loved Sweet Valley High and Nancy Drew as a child and teenager.

Bonnie K. said...

My first favorite series was the Boxcar Children, then Little House On the Prairie, then Anne of Green Gables, and finally, the Nancy Drew books.

bluedawn95864@gmail.com

Susan Roberts said...

My favorite series as a child was Nancy Drew. I loved those books.

Anita Yancey said...

I loved the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books when I was a kid. Thanks for having the giveaway.

Nova said...

i loved the Judy Blume series of books.

bn100 said...

Tom Sawyer

Unknown said...

Yaaaay, thank you guys so much for hosting me! I loved writing this interview. :)

Kristi - I'm fist bumping you.

Margie said...

I remember really liking Lassie Come Home.

holdenj said...

There are many, I loved reading and re-reading series, being able to revisit the characters. One of the earlier faves are the fantastic Betsy-Tacy books.

Nancy said...

Nancy Drew, even though i was only able to get my hands on one book, The Secret of the Clock (I think it was).

Anonymous said...

vera wilson said.

I enjoyed the girl mystery books: Trixie Beldon and also the Donna Parker ones.

snoopysnop1 at yahoo dot com

Hailey Fish said...

My favorite series:
child: Junie B. Jones
pre-teen: Babysitter's Club, Wayside School
teenager: Danielle Steel

Melissa Seng said...

The Sweet Valley High series was my favorite.
I also read all of the Little House on the Prairie books.

Viv V. said...

I loved reading as a child. My mom was constantly telling me to go out and play. I'd go out and have no idea what to do, so I started bringing my books with me! I loved The Bobbsey Twins, Trixie Beldon, Nancy Drew, and eventually moved on to Agatha Christie.

Anonymous said...

I loved Heidi, Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden mysteries and any Biography of a famous person in history. Linda W frogz60@hotmail.com

cpr040304 said...

I was hooked on the Baby-sitters Club.

Erin Kathleen said...

Little House on the Praire, Judy Bloom and Sweet Valley High

Melissa said...

Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High. Can't just pick one!

Lisamarie said...

My favorite series as a tween was Sweet Valley High