Guest Book Review: Something in the Heir

By Bethany Petty

Are you fascinated by the royal life and culture? Did you record hours of royal wedding footage, only to have your husband clear the shows from your DVR, “on accident?” Then definitely check out Something in the Heir by Jenny Gardiner.

Readers first meet Emma while she is working an event in Washington DC. Emma is a well-respected photographer, who always seems to be rubbing elbows with the rich and famous, but never actually feels like she belongs. One fateful evening, Emma clumsily introduces herself to Prince Adrian, a dreamy royal from Europe, not knowing the personal struggles the prince is experiencing. When Adrian nearly kidnaps Emma on the streets of Washington DC, they embark on an unorthodox journey that forever changes their lives!

Jenny Gardiner tells a wonderful, feel good story about an American commoner and a European prince. If you’re looking for a quick read that’s sure to make you smile, Something in the Heir will do the trick!

Thanks to Jenny Gardiner for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Bethany Petty is a mother, wife, full time high school social studies teacher, educational technology nerd, reader, runner, blogger, and more! Bethany holds a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Southeast Missouri State University and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Missouri - Columbia. She enjoys reading a wide variety of books, and is excited to pass her love of reading on to her two young daughters. Bethany maintains two blogs: Teaching with Technology, in which she discusses educational technology topics as well as their classroom uses, and My Eclectic Bookshelf, where she reviews awesome books and posts recipes, apps, ideas, and anecdotes for mommies!

More by Jenny Gardiner:

Book Review: Losing It

By Becky Gulc

‘Millie is agony aunt for ‘The Good Woman Magazine’. In debt, divorced and desperate, she’s about to lose her house. Worse, she has no money, a best friend with a better sex life than her, a daughter in Papua New Guinea and too much weight in places she really doesn’t want.

When she’s asked to be front woman for a new diet pill, Millie naively believes that all her troubles will be solved. She can save her house, the weight will be gone and maybe she’ll get sex – or at least have someone to go to the cinema with. If only life was really that easy. As the money dwindles and the weight clings on, Millie is forced to up her game: It doesn’t take her long to realize it’s going to take more than a diet pill to solve her troubles.

The day of the photo shoot arrives…Can a middle aged woman really have it all? A hilarious, brutally honest exploration of a woman who still feels 30 but can't deny the odd stray grey …’ (Synopsis courtesy of Helen Lederer's website.)

Losing It is the debut novel by comedian and actress Helen Lederer, which she describes as ‘mid-lit’ (a follow on from ‘chick lit’ but before ‘grey lit’). With the glowing quotes from high-profile names on the back cover this is a book that sets high expectations for its readers.

I felt this book was written well; it flowed well and there was a great sense of place through the trip to Papua New Guinea. I could picture some of the supporting characters so vividly. It seems rare nowadays for a book to stick with one narrator throughout and I thought that made a nice change to follow the same person through from start to finish. Millie as a character is also very three-dimensional, very real, very flawed in many respects. I think Helen must have been very clear on what she wanted the character of Millie to be like and that was followed through throughout the novel.

Whilst this book has plenty of theoretically comical scenes within it, for me it didn’t quite work as the comedy novel it intended to be. I’ve gone over why this is and for me I think it’s because I just didn’t find Millie likeable. She’s selfish, belittling of friends and those who try to be her friend, and because that’s a pretty constant feature, it meant even if a scene was meant to be funny I found it so-so funny rather than laugh out loud funny because I hadn’t warmed to the character at the centre of it.

I enjoyed the premise of the book, the challenge to lose the weight, and to secure the money to pay off her debts, for me I would have just preferred a more amenable character on this journey. As I didn’t warm to Millie, I found myself not particularly caring whether she made her target weight loss or not so my interest waned the longer it went on. That said I don’t think Millie is designed to be a particularly likeable character, and I’m sure plenty of people will enjoy the book despite this and find the humour that unfortunately didn’t work for me on this occasion.

Thanks to Helen Lederer for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kristin Hannah's thoughts on love and war...plus a book giveaway

Photo credit: Charles Bush

There's no question that we love having Kristin Hannah visit CLC. This time, she's here with a labor of love...her latest novel, The Nightingale.  This powerful and compelling story is about two sisters, separated by years and experience, as well as ideals, passion, and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France. Just trust me that you won't be able to put it down and it will stay in your head long after you've finished. Thanks to St. Martin's Press, one lucky US reader has the chance to find this out when they win a copy right here!

If you don't know who Kristin Hannah is by now, head to a bookstore and get at least one of her books. You won't be disappointed! Aside from her latest novel, I personally recommend Firefly Lane, Home Front, Winter Garden, and The Things We Do for Love. There are still more of her books in my TBR pile, so I may be recommending those in the future! In the meantime, visit her website and Facebook page.

What do you feel makes The Nightingale stand out from all other books about WWII and/or the Holocaust?
That's the real challenge to writing about World War II. There have been so many wonderful movies and novels and books about the time period. I felt the pressure to be fresh and original pretty keenly while I was writing. I think that what makes my novel stand out from the wealth of WWII literature is its focus on the women. Most of what we read and see about the war is male-driven. It is a personal passion of mine to tell the stories of ordinary women in extraordinary times, and the women of the French Resistance really fit that bill. I truly believe that their heroism was all too often overlooked or forgotten, and I think it's important to remember. To ask ourselves even now, seventy years later, when would we risk our lives, and our children's lives, to save a stranger.

Which of the sisters do you identify with more in the novel?
Well, Isabelle was easier to write because she--naively--saw the world in black and white. For her there was no dilemma. She saw the evil around her and she acted instantly, without regard to the danger she was putting herself in. But then again, she wasn't a wife or a mother. She only had her own life and her own needs to consider. For me, Vianne's story was fraught with danger and dilemma and fear. She--like me--was a mother, trying to save her child during an impossibly dangerous time, with a Nazi living in her home, watching her every move. So, I guess I identify more with Vianne's struggle and with her character.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to an aspiring novelist?
It's hard to limit my advice to one piece, but if I had to do it, I would say, BEGIN. That is the hardest part of writing, and the single act of beginning, of committing, is paramount. I think you need to say you are starting to write a novel or a play or a screenplay or a short story. Whatever you've chosen. And you need to tell people so that they will ask you often about your progress. It's a great motivator. Then you need to write.

Who would you cast as some of the lead characters if The Nightingale were made into a movie?
I don't generally cast my characters in my head, although I know some authors do. I am such a huge fan of movies that what I really care about in optioning my novel is to pair with a great writer and director who create their own vision based on my work. I imagine they will surprise me with casting.

Since Valentine's Day is around the corner, share a favorite Valentine's Day memory with us.
It may not sound very romantic, but my favorite Valentine's Day memory was my son's first Valentine's Day in kindergarten, when all the kids gave out valentines. My son and I made hand-drawn cards and attached candy to each one and he was so thrilled to give out those cards and so thrilled to receive his in return.

Which book are you looking forward to reading?
The next book on my TBR pile is Lisa Gardner's Crash and Burn. I can't wait to get home from my tour so I can start it.

Thanks to Kristin for visiting with us and to St. Martin's Press for sharing The Nightingale with our readers.

~Introduction and interview by Melissa Amster

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.

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US only. Giveaway ends February 17th at midnight EST.

Fairy Tale Fun for #ChickLitLove

By Melissa Amster

Last year, over at my personal blog, I decided to write the first chapter of a fairy tale idea I shared here in January 2014 during our Fairy Tale month. It was for Goldilocks and the Three Bears. (As a bonus, if you click on the link, you can also see Jami's chick lit version of Cinderella.)
For the #ChickLitLove promo, Tracie Banister challenged authors (and anyone else interested) to write the synopsis of a fairy tale as if it were a chick lit novel. Since I already did that here, I'm sharing the first chapter of the story I got out of it at CLC today. I hope to continue with this story at some point, but it's not at the forefront of my mind at the moment. (For some reason, I think Dana Bate could take this and run with it though.)

Chapter One from Just Right:

The Longest Lunch Break

Call me crazy, but I love Mondays. They’re the one day a week that I have a standing lunch date with three of my closest friends at Sutton and Stafford, the investment firm where we work as support staff. We check out the trendiest restaurants Manhattan has to offer and I make notes for my posts in “Just Right,” my restaurant review blog.

I’m in the mood for Thai today, so I hope Jeannie, Stacy, and Cameron will be up for it too. Since it’s a refreshing 60 degrees out, I skip the subway and walk the 30 blocks to the office. (I wear my sneakers and pack the sensible work shoes that pinch my feet.) I pop in my earphones and set my iPod to my classic rock playlist, starting off with “Hold the Line” by Toto. The balmy breeze feels good after a long, insufferable winter.

Several songs later, I arrive at the front lobby of Sutton and Stafford and greet Mervin, the security guard. He seems distracted today for some reason, but I am in a rush to get started on my day so lunch will arrive that much sooner. When I get out at the 10^th floor, something doesn’t feel right. It’s almost too quiet. Sheila isn’t at her reception desk, where she normally chats to her friends and paints her nails. Most of the lights are off and there are boxes all over the place. I find Stacy at her desk, staring blankly into a void. “We’re done for, Goldie. Ollie Sutton got involved in a Ponzi scheme and screwed us all over in the process. Everyone has been let go.” She then buries her head in her arms and starts sobbing.

I try to choke back my own tears, but they’re too powerful. I love working here. There are so many perks to the job, like gym membership, a Starbucks on every other floor (including the 10^th), iPads for every employee, company parties on a private yacht…just name it, we probably have it as a perk. Besides, I make enough to live comfortably in my own apartment that rivals the one Monica and Rachel lived in on Friends. It terrifies me to think that I could lose all of this. And there’s no way I will go back to Connecticut to live with my parents. I’ve come too far.

All I say to Stacy in response is “I guess our lunch date is off then.” She just cries harder though and I keep her company until Jeannie and Cameron show up. Apparently, I have been the only one in the dark lately. The others somehow saw this coming from a mile away. You’d think someone could have warned me! But no, Ollie knew what he was doing with those investments and he was supposed to double the company’s income in a matter of weeks. Turns out, he’s never going to see that money again. And, of course, this is going to be all over social media and my gossipy sister, Silver (yes, my parents had a weird sense of humor when naming us) will tell my parents in no time. This is going to be a disaster.

I slowly pack up the items from my desk and avoid answering any calls to my desk and cell phones. I take one more spin in the most comfortable desk chair I’ve ever sat in. (It won all sorts of ergonomic awards. I’m not even joking here.) Then I say goodbye to my lunch buddies, promising that we’ll touch base soon via e-mail to network for other jobs.

I’m too upset to enjoy this beautiful spring day and take the subway back to my apartment, hoping I’ll be able to hang onto it as long as possible. After dropping off my stuff, I stop at Lolly’s Diner on West 81^st, suddenly realizing that I never had breakfast (I usually get a muffin at Starbucks), and that I’m starving. Another thing I’ll soon have to stop doing if I hope to survive in New York as long as possible…dining out. There goes my blog as a result.

Lolly’s daughter, Cindy, who now owns the diner while still working as a server, recognizes me right away and seats me at my regular booth. “What’ll it be today, Sugar?” (I love how she embodies the classic diner waitress personality.)

“The usual, thanks.” My usual is a short stack of pancakes with blueberry syrup and a side of scrambled eggs with peppers and onions mixed in. And no, I’m not pregnant. (Not that I even have someone to help me get pregnant.)

“Either I’m having déjà vu or it’s Sunday again. You’re never in here during the week.”

“I know. I just lost my job and before you ask, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh, Sugar! Sorry to hear it. Breakfast is on the house today. I’ve got to keep my favorite customer happy.”

“You don’t have to do that. Besides, you already got a good review in my blog already.”

“And look how many customers it has brought in. Why do you think you can’t get your regular booth on Sundays anymore.”

“Hah! Like that many people even read it. The restaurant is a tourist trap since the front was used on Roxie’s, back in the 80s. You have nostalgia and really good food going for you. That Seinfeld restaurant has nothing on this place!”

“Have you looked at the number of followers you have, Sugar? I think tourists come to New York just to try the restaurants you’ve been reviewing. You should forget about investment banking and get a job in the food business. At least monetize your blog for now.”

“What do you know about blogging?”

“I have my sources. And I’ve heard that some newspapers have been asking about you.”

“Really, now?” I look at Cindy skeptically. “You’d think they’d be calling me if they really wanted me.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you start getting some calls soon. Just saying. Anyway, your breakfast is up. I’ll be right back. Need anything to drink?”

“Well, since you’re paying, I wouldn’t mind a tall glass of chocolate milk.”

“You sure you’re not pregnant, Sugar?”

“You crack me up. Now hurry with those eggs and pancakes before they get cold and I have to write a new review.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

As I dig in, I mull over what Cindy said about doing more with my blog to make some money from it. I’ve been doing it as a hobby, but monetizing couldn’t hurt and every little bit I make could keep me in my apartment that much longer. Maybe I could get some free meals out of it too. A girl’s gotta survive in the Big Apple somehow, right? I’ll look for sponsors when I get home. For now, I’m going to enjoy what I’ve written up as the best breakfast in the city…even if you’re not pregnant.

Stop by the blogs participating on the blog hop this week and enter to win some delicious treats!
Monday: Magic Morsels
Tuesday: Sprites

Book Review and Giveaway: New Uses for Old Boyfriends

After growing up in privilege and marrying into money, Lila Alders has gotten used to the good life. But when her happily-ever-after implodes, Lila must return to Black Dog Bay, the tiny seaside town where she grew up. Everything has changed in the past ten years, and it’s up to Lila to take care of everything...but she can barely take care of herself.

Even as Lila opens a vintage clothing shop and tries to reunite with her ex, she realizes that sometimes it’s too late for old dreams. She’s lost everything she thought she needed but found something—someone—she desperately wants. A boy she hardly noticed has grown up into a man she can’t forget...and a second chance has never felt so much like first love.

Melissa Patafio:

Every Beth Kendrick book I read gets better and better, and not just because of her wonderful writing. I also love that she sets the book in Black Dog Bay, the same town from her previous novel, and introduces us to a new main character. I now feel like I know the town and the people even more as she brings back previous characters to make an appearance in the life of the new lead. The way she weaves their lives together is pure genius.

I am also extremely impressed by how much time and research must have gone into this book, from the intricate details of famous fashion designers of decades past, to making sure she kept specifics of previous main characters' stories intact with the books that came before this.

New Uses for Old Boyfriends was a fun, witty, and enchanting read. I felt as if I was right there in the tiny, fictional Delaware beach town. Once I started reading, I could barely put it down and enjoyed every page. Beth Kendrick has a way of really pulling you into her characters lives and making you feel every emotion and interaction that they encounter. I'm sad to have finished so quickly but I'm really looking forward to the next adventure, hopefully we will meet another addition to Black Dog Bay!

Melissa Amster:

This is now the fourth book of Beth Kendrick's that I've read (I have some major catching up to do) and her writing style never fails to impress me. It's so genuine with snappy dialogue and funny moments, while also showing her characters' flaws right off the bat. I liked the premise of New Uses for Old Boyfriends. It would be so much fun to open a vintage shop in a quaint beach town. There were some recurring characters from her previous novel, Cure for the Common Breakup, so read that before starting this one, or you'll know everything that happened to Summer Benson since that book ended. It was also nice re-visiting places from that novel, as well as some of the secondary characters. (I'd like to see Jenna from The Whinery get her own novel soon.)

When I tweeted about how much I liked this book, Beth kept tweeting to wait for the ending because it was just that powerful. Well, it was powerful and intense, but I felt that the conflict came and went too quickly. There was no time to dwell on what happened or get upset for the characters because they picked up and moved on so quickly from what had happened. I also wish that Mimi, this one stuck-up woman that no one seems to like, would get her comeuppance. There was definitely an opportunity for it, but that came and went. I hope she'll be back in another book about Black Dog Bay so that someone can put her in her place. (That's not the only reason I want more books to take place there though!)

Overall, I had a great time reading this novel and just breezed through it. I wanted to go vintage shopping afterward (but I'll settle for my local thrift store for now). And as usual, I have casting ideas in mind! (Now that Nearlyweds is a made-for-TV movie, there's always hope for another...)

Lila: Rachel McAdams
Daphne: Kristin Chenoweth 
Malcolm: Matt Lanter
Ben: Adam Brody

Thanks to BookSparks PR for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have one copy for a lucky US reader!

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.

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US only. Giveaway ends February 16th at midnight EST.

More by Beth Kendrick:

Why we HEART Michele Gorman...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to have Michele Gorman back at CLC as she was last here in 2013 with a guest post. However, her first visit with us was in 2011. We've also reviewed a bunch of her novels and short stories. She's here today to celebrate the recent launch of The Curvy Girls Club (reviewed here) in the UK, Europe, and Australasia by including us in her Q&A blog tour. Additionally, she has TWO copies of The Curvy Girls Club for lucky readers anywhere in the world! (winners' choice of print or e-book).

You can find Michele on Twitter, Facebook or her website. Check out The Curvy Girls Club page on Facebook for inspiring quotes and pictures. 


How did you decide to write chick lit to begin with?
Actually I was motivated by spite. I started out writing “upmarket commercial fiction” and landed a New York agent with my second manuscript. She’d just rejected my third manuscript, which took two years to write, and I was fuming. On my way to Italy for holiday I picked up my first chick lit book at the airport. I hated it and yet it was an international best-seller. As I spluttered and fumed over a few bottles of Chianti with my boyfriend about the world’s injustice, he dared me to put my money where my (foul) mouth was. “Stop trying to win the Booker Prize,” he said, “You say you’re writing for commercial reasons, so if this is what sells, then that’s what you should write.” Single in the City was born that night, in a cloud of wine-fuelled anger. In it I found my voice and I’ve never looked back. I love writing chick lit!

What is your favorite compliment you've received on any of your books? What is the most helpful constructive feedback you've received?
My favourite compliments are always those in which readers say that reading one of my books made them feel better. Hearing that never gets old.

As for constructive feedback, I’ve had a lot! I always want to know how I can improve my writing and negative reviews sometimes give me good pointers. An example was with my debut, Single in the City. Several readers found the writing style a bit jumpy, so when I decided to update the covers for the series (there are three books) I took the opportunity to rewrite them too, and they’re stronger for it.

Do you have a favorite character or one you most identify with from The Curvy Girls Club?
I guess I most identify with Rob - he’s relaxed and pretty happy in his own skin. I’m really lucky that my parents raised my sister and me to have great self-esteem. It was when writing this book that I realised just how lucky we are in that regard.

In your "Curvy Girls Club" group on Facebook, you post a lot of inspirational messages. Share three of your favorites that you've posted.
Oh it’s hard to choose just three!

• “If you talked to your friends the way you talk to your body, you’d have no friends left.”
• “Loving your body only when it’s perfect is like loving your kids only when they’re well-behaved.”
• “Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”

With Valentine's Day coming up, share your favorite memory involving this holiday.
I guess I haven’t got a favourite memory, per se, but I have a most memorable one, if that makes sense…

When I was in university I started to date a pre-med student. For the first time in years I was excited about Valentine’s Day. I felt sure he’d take me somewhere romantic and it would be the perfect evening. But he didn’t call until the next day. I told him he’d missed Valentine’s Day and he asked if he could come over. An hour later he arrived at my door with a hand drawn card. It was a heart… not a romantic red heart. An actual heart, complete with ventricles. He didn’t last beyond the week but I still have that card.

Which TV show(s) do you love to binge watch?
Oh I’m a sucker for any house restoration or DIY programme. I can watch the same one over and over and still be moved at the end when the owners move in.

Thanks to Michele for chatting with us and sharing her book with our readers.

~Interview by Melissa Amster

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.

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Worldwide. Giveaway ends February 15th at midnight EST.

Stop by all the blogs on Michele's tour!

Book Review: Accept this Dandelion

By Sara Steven

Renee Lockhart has her eye on a lofty goal…to fill the open position of morning radio show host on a nearby secular station. When her co-workers sign her up for a local TV version of The Bachelor, Renee goes along with it in order to raise her profile. Ben McConnell, one of the most eligible bachelors in town, insists that Renee be placed on the show, despite her bumbling audition. Ben gets much more than he expected in Renee. He gets a girl who doesn’t bow to his every whim…and a girl who opens his eyes to true, unexpected love. When nothing goes right on the local program called "Accept this Dandelion"...hilarity ensues. Imagine your worst possible dates happening...on TV! (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I’m a closeted Bachelor fan, so you can imagine how excited I was when given the opportunity to read Accept This Dandelion. Renee is the type of woman most of us would want to emulate, I imagine. Someone who is honest, direct, and very real, which is just what Ben has been looking for. While he’s known around town as a playboy, the truth is he hasn’t found that one special lady yet, the one who keeps him interested and has just as much to say as he does. From the get go, Renee has impressed Ben by being herself, even when she’s set herself on fire or slapped a monkey on camera. Although Renee views herself as a gigantic bumbling idiot, Ben finds her antics comical and endearing.

Love is never easy, however, especially when it comes to the "Bachelor". Renee isn’t the only woman in the running. There are other beauties waiting for their own chance to fall in love with the most eligible bachelor, not to mention Renee’s motives for going on the show. All she ever wanted was to be on the radio, but when the prime objective falls secondary to her budding feelings for Ben, and the insane jealousy that crops up when other contestants catch Ben’s eye, Renee is at a complete loss when it comes to matters of the heart. Should she allow herself to fall in love with Ben? What if he doesn’t love her back, and chooses someone else, instead?

I had a hard time putting this book down. Brooke Williams has done a fantastic job of creating believable characters while sticking with the Bachelor-like essence that keeps millions of people tuned into their televisions on Monday night. There’s drama and chaos, all whipped up into a frenzy of sweetness and romance. You really don’t know what’s going to happen, who Ben will choose or if he'll find his true love in Renee or any of the other eligible ladies. Find out who receives that final dandelion!

Thanks to Brooke Williams for the book in exchange for an honest review.