Book Review: It Happens All the Time

By Melissa Amster

Ever since I picked up Safe With Me and found myself glued to the pages, I have been a fan of Amy Hatvany's writing. Even with my full TBR, I have managed to read all but two of her books so far. (I still plan to!) Having said that, I was eagerly awaiting her latest novel and devoured it in a short amount of time. Once again, she didn't disappoint!

"I want to rewind the clock, take back the night when the world shattered. I want to erase everything that went wrong."

Amber Bryant and Tyler Hicks have been best friends since they were teenagers—trusting and depending on each other through some of the darkest periods of their young lives. And while Amber has always felt that their relationship is strictly platonic, Tyler has long harbored the secret desire that they might one day become more than friends.

Returning home for the summer after her college graduation, Amber begins spending more time with Tyler than she has in years. Despite the fact that Amber is engaged to her college sweetheart, a flirtation begins to grow between them. One night, fueled by alcohol and concerns about whether she’s getting married too young, Amber kisses Tyler.

What happens next will change them forever.

In alternating points of view, It Happens All the Time examines the complexity of sexual dynamics between men and women and offers an incisive exploration of gender roles, expectations, and the ever-timely issue of consent. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Hearing that this novel was personal to Amy Hatvany made the impact of the story even more powerful than it already was to begin with. I found it so interesting that she chose to write from two perspectives. Not only does she use them to build up to the situation at hand, but also to share their thoughts on the aftermath. This gives the story a Jodi Picoult feel, as some gray area begins to trickle in. The reader feels awful for what Amber went through, but then Tyler tries to plant that seed of doubt by also sharing what he thinks happened. He even makes the reader feel sorry for him, as well. (Yes, Amy is that incredible with her writing.)

I really have no complaints over this novel, but I would like to point out that it is not told in a linear fashion, so what happens is revealed before it actually occurs. Even so, there's an adrenaline kick during the build-up and when the actual situation happens. Both Amber and Tyler seem so genuine that it's hard to dislike either of them, while sometimes you'll also want to be mad at them in equal measures.

I do want to warn readers that there are triggers, in case they have ever been in an unwanted sexual situation of their own. I would be remiss to not give such a warning, as some parts do get intense and upsetting.

With It Happens All the Time, Amy has outdone herself once again and I am already awaiting her next novel.

Movie casting time!
Amber: Vanessa Marano 
Tyler: Max Thieriot 
Daniel: Justin Baldoni
Helen: Maura Tierney
Liz: Katherine LaNasa
Jason: Neal McDonough
Mason: Joe Manganiello

Thanks to Atria for the book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to BookSparks for sharing a copy with one lucky 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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Giveaway ends April 12th at midnight EST.

Spotlight and Giveaway: If Not For You

Last year, Melissa A read and fell in love with A Girl's Guide to Moving On, which was the first book she has ever read by Debbie Macomber. So she was thrilled to find out that one of the characters is making an appearance in Debbie's latest novel, If Not For You. Not only does this story also sound really interesting, but the cover is gorgeous and just evokes the feeling of Spring. Thanks to Penguin Random House, we have TWO copies to give away!

If not for her loving but controlling parents, Beth Prudhomme might never have taken charge of her life and moved from her native Chicago to Portland, Oregon, where she’s reconnected with her spirited Aunt Sunshine and found a job as a high school music teacher. If not for her friend Nichole, Beth would never have met Sam Carney, although first impressions have left Beth with serious doubts. Sam is everything Beth is not—and her parents’ worst nightmare: a tattooed auto mechanic who’s rough around the edges. Reserved and smart as a whip, Beth isn’t exactly Sam’s usual beer-drinking, pool-playing type of woman, either.

But if not for an awkward setup one evening, Beth might never have left early and been involved in a car crash. And if not for Sam—who witnessed the terrifying ordeal, rushed to her aid, and stayed with her until help arrived—Beth might have been all alone, or worse. Yet as events play out, Sam feels compelled to check on Beth almost daily at the hospital—even bringing his guitar to play songs to lift her spirits. Soon their unlikely friendship evolves into an intense attraction that surprises them both.

Before long, Beth’s strong-willed mother, Ellie, blows into town spouting harsh opinions, especially about Sam, and reopening old wounds with Sunshine. When shocking secrets from Sam’s past are revealed, Beth struggles to reconcile her feelings. But when Beth goes a step too far, she risks losing the man and the life she’s come to love. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Debbie Macomber, the author of Sweet Tomorrows, A Girl’s Guide to Moving On, Twelve Days of Christmas, Dashing Through the Snow, Silver Linings, Last One Home, Love Letters, Mr. Miracle, Blossom Street Brides, and Rose Harbor in Bloom, is a leading voice in women’s fiction with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. Ten of her novels have reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller lists, and five of her beloved Christmas novels have been hit movies on the Hallmark Channel, including Mrs. Miracle and Mr. Miracle. Hallmark Channel also produced the original series Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, based on Macomber’s Cedar Cove books. Visit Debbie at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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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Giveaway ends April 9th at midnight EST.

Book Review: Super 40

By Sara Steven

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading Super 40. Sure, I was aware that it was a super-heroine novel, an ordinary woman who ends up with a radioactive tampon and the ability to shoot cramp-inducing lasers from her fingers. That premise in and of itself is entirely unique and unusual. But little did I know that in essence, the story of Shannon Johnson and her ability to change and save the world would have so many layers to it, a message for every woman who feels as though she’s getting lost behind the shuffle of society.

Shannon is nearing forty, an age she’s trying desperately to avoid. She thought she’d be farther ahead in life. Not living with her parents, divorced, childless. There’s so much she wanted to accomplish, an entirely different person she wanted to be when she grew up. So, when she finds herself with new superpowers, this creates a new outlook on life, or so she thinks. She could never have anticipated the amount of responsibility that comes from being a super-heroine, the choices she’ll have to make to save others, or save her own pajama-clad skin. It’s enough to drive any normal person insane.

While figuring it out, Shannon discovers an inner strength she never knew had been there. And while having the ability to bring a full-grown man down to his knees writhing in pain may have a little something to do with it, ultimately, she finds out that she’s had a lot of power inside her the whole time. It’s an affirmation for most of us who think we’ve passed our prime in life.

There are a whole slew of interesting superhero characters. Like Dolly Poppin’, Shannon’s telekinetic teleporting partner in fighting crime.Or Karma Kameleon, the hottest crime fighter in town. Even an anti hero, aptly named Antihero, gets in on the game, making this novel an incredibly interesting read. There was never a dull moment, full of action and suspense from start to finish, giving me an enlightened look at what it’s like to feel down and out, and doing what it takes to change that perspective on life.

Thanks to Lucy Woodhull for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Lucy Woodhull:

Book Review: The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

By Melissa Amster

Being a book blogger has opened my world, as I've connected with readers across the country and around the world. So I can definitely relate to Sara and her friendship with Amy, a woman she has never met but with whom she exchanges books and letters. One of my book-loving e-mail (and blogging) friends lives on the other end of the country and we give each other book recommendations. I am always thrilled when he loves a book I recommended. He also sent me one of his favorites recently, even though I won it through one of the giveaways on his blog. I've also been known to send many a book to online friends whom I've never met in person.

Books connect people in so many different ways, whether they live locally or a far distance away. This is evidenced in Katarina Bivald's debut novel, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend. Through her love of books, one woman wakes up a sleeping town.

Once you let a book into your life, the most unexpected things can happen...

Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who traveled all the way from Sweden just to meet her book-loving pen pal, Amy. When she arrives, however, she finds Amy's funeral guests just leaving. The residents of Broken Wheel are happy to look after their bewildered visitor—there's not much else to do in a dying small town that's almost beyond repair.

You certainly wouldn't open a bookstore. And definitely not with the tourist in charge. You'd need a vacant storefront (Main Street is full of them), books (Amy's house is full of them), and...customers.

The bookstore might be a little quirky. Then again, so is Sara. But Broken Wheel's own story might be more eccentric and surprising than she thought.

A heartwarming reminder of why we are booklovers, this is a sweet, smart story about how books find us, change us, and connect us. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I don't know if it's a coincidence that I read this close to the release of the new Beauty and the Beast movie. It just happened to be the next book on my TBR pile though. It went along nicely with the movie, as Sara and Belle both are fixated on books and could read while ignoring the world around them. They both live in small towns (although Sara was more recently located to her small town) where people are set in their ways. Like Belle, Sara reminds me of myself in some ways. I also have a tendency to find the right book for someone.

While the book started off a bit slow, as I was getting to know the characters and their quirks, it quickly picked up speed and was difficult to put down! I enjoyed reading about the town of Broken Wheel and some of the residents who became part of Sara's life. I also loved seeing some of my favorite books receive a shout-out, as well as learning about others (although there are spoilers for some books, as well....these books have been around for a while though). Chick lit definitely received a lot of love, with mentions of Helen Fielding, Sophie Kinsella, and Marian Keyes.

The only issue I had was with some of the characters' ages being vague. I couldn't tell if they were around my age and being cheeky about others being youngsters or if they were significantly older. Even Sara's age wasn't directly stated, but I guessed she was in her thirties, given some of the context. Regardless of age, Katarina Bivald gives us a charming set  of characters!

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend was truly a delightful story and perfect for that book lover in your life (or yourself, if this refers to you).

For the movie version of my dreams:
Sara: Siri Svegler
Tom: Lee Pace
Grace: Fortune Feimster
Caroline: Tina Fey
Jen: Jennifer Garner
John: Ron Cephas Jones
Claire: Sara Rue
Andy: Zachary Levi
Carl: Josh Henderson
Josh: Tyler Posey

Spotlight and Giveaway: The Other La Bohème

Opera is another form of musical theater, and La Bohème is especially well known because it is the inspiration for RENT. (There's even a song, "La Vie Bohème.") So we figured The Other La Bohème by Yorker Keith would be a perfect way to end our musical theme month! He even has FIVE copies to share with some lucky readers!

The Other La Bohème is literary fiction that depicts the lives and loves of four friends who pursue opera singers' careers in present-day New York City. Jennifer (soprano), Stephanie (mezzo-soprano), Henry (tenor), and John (baritone) met in music school in Manhattan, where they performed Puccini's famous opera La Bohème at their graduation concert. After graduation they banded together as a group called the Dolci Quattro, pledging to support one another in their professional pursuits. Several years later, they have landed the roles of Mimi, Musette, Marcello, and Rodolfo in the nearly forgotten opera La Bohème by Leoncavallo--known as "the other La Bohème"--which is to be produced by the New York Bel Canto Opera.

The novel begins with arias and a duet sung by Henry and Stephanie in the Café Momus. Jennifer and John come in, and they congratulate each other on their new roles. Immediately, though, the thoughts of the current state of their personal lives cool their enthusiasm.

As the story unfolds, Jennifer discovers that her fiancé, Richard, an investment banker and a fiction writer, is having an affair with another woman. Stephanie struggles to find a steady love, while perturbed by a strained relationship with her father, a billionaire hedge fund manager, who abandoned her late mother. Henry faces a pressure from his family to renounce his bohemian life for a more respectful career as he meets his new love, Christine, a poet. John receives a summons for divorce from the lawyer of his wife Michelle, a painter.

Set in the rich artistic backdrop of New York City, the Dolci Quattro's lives and loves go through ups and downs in joy and despair, while true to their pledge they give one another much-needed moral support. As the opening night nears, the Dolci Quattro make their utmost efforts to perfect their singing for the opera that will determine their future.


Yorker Keith lives in Manhattan, New York City. He loves literature, theatre, classical music, opera, and art. He holds an MFA in creative writing from The New School. His literary works have been recognized four times in the William Faulkner - William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition as a finalist or a semifinalist.

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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Giveaway ends April 4th at midnight EST.

Melissa Baldwin is dancing through life...plus a special giveaway

Melissa Baldwin is no stranger to talking about musical theater with us. She was here in 2015 to feature See You Soon Broadway (currently 99 cents for Kindle) and share her top five favorite musicals. Now she's sharing her top five favorite show tunes in honor of the sequel, See You Later Broadway (available next week). She has a $10 Amazon gift card for one lucky reader (so you can treat yourself to both books)!

We also want to point you in the direction of Melissa's "Seasons of Summer" novella series:
Fall Into Magic (free)
Winter Can Wait (99 cents)
To Spring With Love (coming soon)

To learn more about Melissa, visit her at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Top Five Songs from Broadway Musicals

In honor of my upcoming release, See You Later Broadway (sequel to See You Soon Broadway), I would like to share my top five favorite songs from Broadway musicals. There are so many fantastic songs, so I had to give this quite a bit of thought…

"For Good" from Wicked- Who doesn’t love the music from this amazing show? (Spoiler alert… There is a mention of this song in See You Later Broadway)

"Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You" from Jersey Boys- Ahhh…this song makes me smile☺ Jersey Boys reminds me of my dad.

"Defying Gravity" from Wicked- I think we can all agree on this one!

"Seasons of Love" from Rent- Oh how I adore this song. Just listen to the lyrics; the message of love says it all.

"All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera- This song gives me chills, as does every song from this brilliant show!

Honorable Mentions: There are so many songs that I love so I had to include a few honorable mentions. "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables, "As Long As You’re Mine" from Wicked, and every song from Mamma Mia. ☺

Thanks to Melissa for visiting with us and sharing an Amazon gift card with our readers!

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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Giveaway ends April 3rd at midnight EST.

Nicole Waggoner is not throwing away her shot...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

We're so glad to have Nicole Waggoner back at CLC today. She was here last year to talk about her debut novel from her Circus of Women trilogy, Center Ring (reviewed here). The second book in the trilogy, The Act, will be available sometime soon. (We just have to wait for it....we had to for almost a year anyway!) Nicole has one set of both books for a lucky reader! (How lucky you are to be alive right now!)

In the year between Nicole's publication dates, she and I have bonded over lots of common interests. Something we both love right now is Hamilton! When I invited her back to CLC, we decided to do a Hamilton-themed interview.  It was a lot of fun, as you'll see below. She really is a mind at work!

To learn more about Nicole, visit her at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Your top three favorite songs from Hamilton:
That’s akin to picking a favorite child, but my absolute favorites are “Helpless”, “The Schuyler Sisters”, and “Satisfied”. I am fascinated by structure and multiple perspectives, as evidenced in my work, and adore the point of view shifts and mesh of musical techniques.

Which of the Schuyler sisters is your favorite?
Eliza! Am I the only one who sang that answer? The English teacher in me would argue that the show’s title is referring as much to Elizabeth Hamilton as to Alexander. LMM is telling her story as much as his. I admire her unconditional love and extraordinary ability to forgive, not only in word but in action.

Which quote from Hamilton resonates with you the most when it comes to writing?
“Why do you write like you’re running out of time?” When I am in the zone, I can write non-stop. I relish the time when my home is quiet and I can spend time crafting my imaginary friends’ (AKA the characters of the Circus of Women trilogy) lives. An incredibly generous reader recently sent me a shirt with this quote and a note that said ‘because the world is waiting for book two’. My husband always says he knows how their stories end and can be bought.

What was your last Hamilaria moment? (Like when you heard something that reminded you of a Hamilton song and you started singing.) 
I was waiting to meet a reporter in a little café when another patron asked me what time it was. I said "SHOWTIME!" complete with jazz hands. The explanation was more than awkward.

Note from Melissa: There is a cure for that! 

What is something you learned about history from Hamilton that you didn't know before?
I never knew how many ships were in New York Harbor, nor that Alexander Hamilton was the creator of the Coast Guard and founder of the New York Post. I also didn’t know that during our country’s early administrations the loser became Vice President.

Which character from your book series would enjoy Hamilton the most?
Definitely the “Leila” character. She is the most like me and would have been first to catch the Hamilaria. The “Ellie” character would have the connections to sit front row. The “Cami” character would see an interval soundtrack for her run. The “Norah” character would be oblivious until she delivered her nineteenth Eliza (and Peggy) of the week. “Kate” would be engrossed in the pageantry of the costumes and impact on pop culture.

Thank you for hosting me today! Chick Lit Central is definitely the site where it happens.

Thanks to Nicole (and Peggy) for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers!

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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Giveaway ends April 2nd at midnight EST.