Book Review: A Chance in a Million

By Sara Steven

Having left the army to recover from a traumatic experience, Captain Jane Reed is on her way to Venice to assist Lady Veronica Cooper, a world-famous writer who has lost her mojo. Plagued by grief and sleepless nights, Jane soon finds a kindred spirit in Veronica, coping with her own loss after the death of her husband.

When the two relocate to Veronica’s villa in the countryside to escape the summer tourists, Jane meets the rest of the Cooper family – including Veronica’s brooding son, David. With his own tragic past, David has resigned himself to a life of solitude. Jane finds herself determined to bring joy back into his life, even if it means finally spilling her secrets.

Can Jane and David help each other heal, and find love in the process, or are some scars too deep to treat? (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon)

I think A Chance in a Million is one of T.A. Williams’s most engaging reads! A large part of that for me involved the characters. It’s true that every single one of Williams’s books always includes fantastic nature scenes and backdrops that feel like a secondary character, which I always appreciate, but this time I felt closer to Jane and David. It was interesting how they mirror one another with similar pasts and tragedies, creating a protective barrier that strives to keep potential relationships at bay. Given the traumas, it was hard to blame either one of them for that. They were perfectly flawed in a way that was endearing.

I also enjoyed the fact that Jane becomes an assistant to Lady Veronica Cooper, yet another character who has suffered great loss and is working through that. I wonder if other readers found themselves living vicariously through Jane–she gets to live in an exotic location, assisting someone she looks up to, while also potentially branching out and finding new avenues of creativity for herself in the process. I kept thinking, “I’d love to live a life like that!” I appreciated the friendship that begins to grow between the two characters, too. Lady Veronica starts out a bit like a surly character, and it was nice to see the changes that are brought out through Jane’s affection. 

Even though Jane begins to heal, the one thing she has a tough time with is opening her heart to love. There is the fear of letting anyone get close to her again, along with layers of guilt that don’t really belong there, but that emotion is there all the same. It very much humanized who she is. And while Jane wasn’t really feeling David’s bushy beard that he wears as armor, and I know the beard symbolized a means of distancing himself even more from the man he feels he used to be, I like beards, so I totally dug it. And I totally got it. 

A Chance in a Million is a classic T.A. Williams experience, but it felt elevated for me. There were the classic telltale signs–gorgeous backdrops, an adorable Labrador that at times stole the show, with two characters who try hard to find their way to one another, but it was so much more. It was inspiring, and an obvious five-star experience!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Link:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

Author Bio (in his own words):

I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I did languages at university a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to Italy for seven years as a teacher of English. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only seven years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.

The fact that I am now writing escapist romance is something I still find hard to explain. My early books were thrillers and historical novels. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations, even if travel to them is currently difficult.

Visit T.A. Williams online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter

More by T.A. Williams:

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Facing Our Fears

We've been running a column series (for over two years now!) to get more personal with our readers. This month, we're talking about facing our fears. Lots of characters have to rise to this challenge and we have to do this in real life too. 

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Sara Steven:

Thirteen months ago, my husband purchased a food sensitivity kit for me, for my birthday. It was a really nice gesture, considering I’d expressed interest in the kit for quite some time. I can still recall the excitement I’d felt while slipping the lid from the rectangular-shaped box, eager to start my journey into figuring out why certain foods lead to what I call “flare ups,” potentially contributing to my recently-diagnosed EoE (Eosinophilic Esophagitis). But after reading through the instructions and eyeing the tiny white and blue lancets, I immediately placed the lid back on the box and walked away. 

Courtesy of InnerBody

I walked away for over a year. 

The box sat on my kitchen island for a couple of months at first, sometimes covered by other things that my kids or husband would set aside–which I was fine with. No one noticed. But then my husband did notice, and asked me when I planned on taking the test. Which prompted me to remove the box from the island, finding a better home for it on my desk in my bedroom. 

I repurposed it as a coaster for my tea mugs. Or a placeholder for documents or various writing projects. I saw it every day, the food sensitivity kit, but I left it there, knowing full well I’d get to it later. Or the next day. Maybe next week. Sometime soon.

It wasn’t until last month when my stepmom had come to visit and had heard the story of the infamous sensitivity test and that I had yet to use it, that I had to revisit actually going through with it, and using the damn test. But it was just so hard. Imagining the lancet poking through my finger, drawing blood, made me sick to my stomach. It took me back to those painful memories of my youth when I was forced to have a finger poked in order to test my blood for this, that or the other–memories that did nothing but only increase the unease I felt. I knew I needed to “suck it up” and go through with it, or I’d never get results, but knowing that didn’t make the fear go away. It only increased the anxiety I felt. 

My stepmom encouraged me to take the test–she might have badgered me just a bit, but I knew the time had come to just do it. I stuck my hands under warm running water, one of the tips offered within the instructions, shaking them at my sides to get the blood flowing downward. After a few minutes, I sat in a chair while she held my hand, my husband drawing my attention to him and not to the lancets. I won’t lie and say I didn’t feel the poke on the right side of my ring finger. I won’t lie and say that I wasn’t freaking out. You have to let the blood from your finger drip down onto the paper they provide that collects the sample, and knowing it was MY blood made me queasy. I tried hard to focus on what the end result would be, which would be potentially discovering food sensitivities that bug me. And I kept my eyes closed the entire time.

Afterward, my finger throbbed a bit. The kit provides a bandage, so I wore my badge of courage for the rest of the day. You know it’s a big deal when your eleven year-old pats you on the back and commends you for your bravery–he’d been one of the most vocal about trying to get me to take the test over the last several months. I’m glad I eventually took the test. I’m glad I received my results. I’m glad I did it. 

I don’t know if I want to use a lancet again, though. They still kind of creep me out. 

Melissa Amster:

A couple months ago, I wrote about my older son learning how to drive. Last month, we went on a road trip from DC to Chicago and he did most of the driving. I was really impressed with how well he took to the highways and expressways, as I could have never done that at his age...

When I took Driver's Ed in high school, there was this really mean instructor who used to intimidate me every time it was my turn in the seat. I somehow got stuck being the only one in the car with him for learning how to drive on expressways. It was the most frustrating and upsetting experience and I came back to school in tears from it. After that time, I was terrified to get on any highway or expressway and took back roads whenever possible. (When I got my license, I was thrilled to flaunt it in front of him...)

When I was turning twenty-one, I wanted to go to The Neo-Futurarium in Chicago for my birthday, to see my favorite show, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. A friend had driven me there a few weeks prior and I paid extra attention to the roads he was taking (we didn't have Google Maps at the time). He was supposed to take me again for my birthday, but something came up on his end and it didn't work out for him to go at the last minute. So I decided that if I really wanted to get there, I would drive myself. I went out of my way to go to the highway entrance that he showed me and managed to find my way to the theater and then back again. It was exhilarating driving on the expressway and it somehow felt totally natural. After that time, I was no longer scared to drive on expressways or highways and that served me well for driving to and from college that fall. If only I had been that motivated a few years earlier, my life would have been a lot easier. 

Back to the present, it was definitely scary giving up control of the car to my son for his first time driving on the highways and there was one or two times where I was gripping the side of the car. However, he did an amazing job and I'm glad he feels comfortable driving on highways and expressways now, instead of feeling like he has to wait a few years.

Tell us about a time that you faced your fears.

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Spotlight and Giveaway: The Ways We Hide

Kristina McMorris's latest novel, The Ways We Hide, published last week and has already been listed as a historical fiction bestseller at The Globe and Mail! Melissa says this fascinating and engaging story is perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Pam Jenoff. Check out her review. Thanks to Kristina, we have one copy to give away, so don't miss out on a chance to win!

As a little girl raised amid the hardships of Michigan's Copper Country, Fenna Vos learned to focus on her own survival. That ability sustains her even now as the Second World War rages in faraway countries. Though she performs onstage as the assistant to an unruly escape artist, behind the curtain she's the mastermind of their act. Ultimately, controlling her surroundings and eluding traps of every kind helps her keep a lingering trauma at bay.

Yet for all her planning, Fenna doesn't foresee being called upon by British military intelligence. Tasked with designing escape aids to thwart the Germans, MI9 seeks those with specialized skills for a war nearing its breaking point. Fenna reluctantly joins the unconventional team as an inventor. But when a test of her loyalty draws her deep into the fray, she discovers no mission is more treacherous than escaping one's past. 

Inspired by stunning true accounts, The Ways We Hide is a gripping story of love and loss, the wars we fight—on the battlefields and within ourselves—and the courage found in unexpected places. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

"Just like her heroine, Kristina McMorris works magic in this twisting tale of James Bond's Q meets World War II. I love this book!" 

― Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code and The Diamond Eye

"The Queen's Gambit meets The Alice Network in this epic, action-packed novel of family, loss, and one woman's journey to save all she holds dear―including freedom itself." 

― Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars

"A riveting tale of intrigue and illusion, danger and historical mystery, but at its heart the story of one woman's struggle to escape her own past. While using her remarkable skills to help captured soldiers, Fenna finds herself face-to-face with what she loves most and what she fears most, trapped in a place where each decision she makes could unlock the paths to freedom and a future... or death." 

― Lisa Wingate #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours 

From Kristina's website

Kristina McMorris is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of two novellas and seven historical novels, including the million-copy bestseller Sold on a Monday and her fall 2022 releases, The Ways We Hide and the collaborative When We Had Wings. The recipient of more than twenty national literary awards, she previously hosted weekly TV shows for Warner Bros. and an ABC affiliate, beginning at age nine with an Emmy Award-winning program, and owned a wedding-and-event-planning company until she had far surpassed her limit of "Y.M.C.A." and chicken dances. She lives near Portland, Oregon, where she's the proud mom of two teenage (going-on-forty) boys who keep her on the run and make her laugh daily. (Bio courtesy of Kristina's website.)

Visit Kristina online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * 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 September 20th at midnight EST.

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Andrea J. Stein is just our type...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Andrea J. Stein to CLC today. Her debut novel, Typecast, sounds like so much fun. Melissa is excited to read it soon. Andrea has TWO copies to share with some lucky readers!

Born in Brooklyn, Andrea was raised in New Jersey before attending a small, quirky liberal arts college and a large, preppy university, both in New York State. A book publicist by profession, she lives with her husband and sons in suburban New Jersey. 

Andrea spends an inordinate amount of time taking pretty photos of books. Things that make her happy include strong tea, turtles, sunshine, sheep, and the ocean. (Bio adapted from Andrea's website.)

Visit Andrea online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
Callie Dressler thought she’d put her past where it belonged—behind her. But when her ex-boyfriend brings their breakup to the big screen, she can no longer deny that their history has been looming over her all along. 

At thirty-one, Callie Dressler is finally comfortable in her own skin. She loves her job as a preschool teacher, and although living in her vacant childhood home isn’t necessarily what dreams are made of, the space is something she never could have afforded if she’d stayed in New York City. She knows her well-ordered life will be upended when her type A, pregnant sister, Nina; adorable four-year-old niece; and workaholic brother-in-law move in, but how could she say no when they needed a place to crash during their remodel? As Nina pointed out, it’s still their parents’ house, even if their mom and dad have relocated. 

As if adjusting to this new living situation isn’t enough, the universe sends Callie another wrinkle: her college boyfriend—who Callie dumped ten years earlier for reasons known only to her—has a film coming out, and the screenplay is based on their real-life breakup. While the movie consumes her thoughts, Callie can’t help wondering if Nina and her friends are right that she hasn’t moved on. When a complication with Nina’s pregnancy brings Callie in close contact with Nina’s smart and funny architect, Callie realizes she’d better figure out whether she wants to open the door to the past—or risk missing out on her future. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“A smart, endearing heroine; an enjoyable, entertaining story; and a hopeful, satisfying ending. Callie revisits the past with her ex to make sense of her present love life, making Typecast a fun mix of rom-com and women’s fiction. Full of heartfelt charm, humor, and truth, Stein’s debut is exactly the book I’d been craving. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Josie Silver. A very delightful read!”
— Angela Terry, award-winning author of The Trials of Adeline Turner

“With patience and realism, Andrea J. Stein explores the complexities of first love, family dynamics, and adulting. A relatable journey fraught with growing pains, Typecast reminds us that in order to truly evolve—and find new, lasting love—we must first accept the past and ourselves.”

— Nora Zelevansky, author of Competitive Grieving

“Insightful and bighearted and oh-so-deliciously page-turning, Typecast is like a road trip with friends, complete with detours and surprises and wildly satisfying moments. A perfect next read for fans of Camille Pagán and Kristy Woodson Harvey, Stein’s Typecast is a don’t-miss debut!”

— Amy Impellizzeri, award-winning author of In Her Defense

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing Typecast?
I’m happiest when I’m writing.  The feeling of being immersed in my story, writing scenes in my head in bed before I go to sleep at night, is incredibly rewarding.  It’s also been so rewarding to have people enjoy reading the book and tell me how relatable the characters are.  I’m a perfectionist, so one of the biggest challenges was to make every sentence work in a way that felt “right” to me.  

How are you similar to or different from Callie?
We definitely have some similarities – same sense of humor, same love of reading, same taste in music, same experience of not feeling that we “fit” in the suburbs in which we grew up and of finding “our people” in college.  But Callie’s quirky sense of style is very different from mine!  She also knew from a very young age what she wanted to do – to be a teacher.  I don’t think of myself as having had that kind of vision for my career – though I did always want to be an author, so I guess perhaps I did, after all!

If Typecast were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
Daisy Ridley would make a great Callie if she can do an American accent!  Richard Madden would be a perfect Ben, with the same caveat.  I’d like Scarlett Johansson as Nina, Zendaya as Tess, Lucas Till as Ethan, and Sebastian Stan as Michael.  Bette Midler would be a fun Lorraine!  And just a small role, but how about Jason Statham as Brett?  (I clearly have a leaning toward Brits!)

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
We just re-watched the Lord of The Rings trilogy, and I would totally recommend them.  Not exactly a recent release, though!

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
We’d absolutely have to take a ride to the Jersey shore.  We could walk the boardwalk in Spring Lake and stop at Thunder Road Books, and then get a bite to eat and browse the shops in Ocean Grove.  It’s also the perfect season to go to Loantaka Brook Reservation for a walk or bike ride – the kind of place Callie would go to sketch or take a stroll.  

What is your favorite thing to do in the fall?
Fall is my favorite season – the crispness in the air and the changing leaves.  Oddly, even though I guess technically things are dying, it always feels like renewal to me.  Maybe tied to the new school year.  My absolute favorite fall activity is pumpkin picking – which of course requires the purchase of cider doughnuts!

Thanks to Andrea for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers. Thanks also to Girl Friday Productions for introducing us to Andrea.

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 September 19th at midnight EST.

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Book Review and Giveaway: A Secret in the Family

By Melissa Amster

The call came on a seemingly ordinary day. But as soon as Rachel heard the pain in her sister’s voice, she had to face the fact that life as she knew it was about to be shattered: “It’s mum. She’s not well. She doesn’t have much time.”

Though her heart breaks to leave her husband and children behind, Rachel knows the right thing is to return home to care for her mother Janet. Their relationship has been strained for years. This may be the last chance for them both to heal.

Walking up to the front gate of her childhood home, Rachel is overwhelmed with memories: of hazy summers playing with her sister, of laughter ringing through the house, of the accident which cost their father his life. After that day, Rachel’s relationship with her mother changed forever.

Rachel has never forgiven herself for what happened and it is clear Janet hasn’t either. Determined to make amends, Rachel begins to get her mother’s house in order. But hidden in the cellar, Rachel unearths a devastating secret. A faded photograph and a tarnished necklace are the only clues to unravelling a secret that should have remained hidden.

Can Rachel unravel the mystery when it has the power to destroy her family? And when she finally discovers the truth, will it destroy everything she has ever known? (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

When I first started reading Leah Mercer's novels, they were heartbreaking family dramas. She has since moved seamlessly over to writing mystery thrillers, as indicated from her three most recent novels, the latest one being A Secret in the Family.

This gripping and compelling story was a quick read and hard to put down. It was well orchestrated the entire time. I liked the dual narrative and timeline, as they worked well for this novel. I could guess at some elements of the mystery, but other parts were definitely a surprise to me. I was in suspense, wondering what really happened. It was easy to visualize people and places throughout the story, thanks to Leah's strong use of detail. I felt bad for Rachel and Sam in different ways, given what their circumstances were.

My only little issue was that Rachel seemed too sappy a lot of the time, especially in regards to her mother and sister. I got annoyed with her always pandering to her mother due to her guilt over her father's death when her mother didn't really do much to make Rachel feel valued to begin with. 

Overall, another enjoyable novel by Leah Mercer. I look forward to many more!

Movie casting suggestions:
Rachel: Charlie Murphy
Mo: Rahul Kohli
Rachel's mother: Lesley Manville
Lucas: Freddie Stroma
Sam: Georgie Henley
Will: Jonathan Bailey
Sean: Leo Suter
Jean: Julie Walters
Alex: Tom Hughes

Victoria: Sophie Rundle

Thanks to Leah Mercer for the book in exchange for an honest review. She has TWO copies to give away!

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 September 18th at midnight EST.

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Review: Love on the Brain

By Marisa Appleton

Meet neuroscientist Bee Königswasser, who lives her life by a simple motto: What would Marie Curie do? As Bee is offered a dream role on a project for NASA, she has to face her arch-nemesis, Levi Ward. Throughout grad school, Levi made his feelings for Bee perfectly clear - he hated her. How can they possibly work together? As their project – and their relationship - gets complicated, Bee learns to trust Levi. Is Levi softening into an ally? Or could their new relationship be something more?

In Ali Hazelwood’s newest release, Love on the Brain, she focuses on Dr. Bee Königswasser, a neuroscientist at NIH. Bee lands her dream job at NASA where she is tasked with designing helmets for astronauts. Bee, and her sidekick/assistant Rocío, make up the neuroscience team. Her arch-nemesis from grad school, Levi Ward is in charge of the engineering team. Between them, they are tasked with creating these groundbreaking helmets which are based on each individual astronaut's brain. Now, I’ll admit, there was a lot of science talk in this book that I didn’t fully understand. I do, however, fully appreciate Hazelwood’s representation of women in STEM. Bee faces a lot of common problems faced by women in STEM and academia in general. She is ignored, mansplained to, and talked down to. I’m sure almost all women can identify with the problems that she faces. Bee does not let these stop her. She questions Levi about the lack of progress on their project, which leads him to reveal a few secrets which could derail the whole project. 

While this book is definitely similar to Hazelwood’s debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, the plot is more developed. This novel focuses on a different area of science but contains similar themes of academia. Most importantly, this book contains everyone’s favourite trope – enemies to lovers. Once Bee learns that Levi is not intentionally sabotaging her project, they slowly develop a friendship. The problem that I had was that Bee is incredibly naïve. She constantly talks about how Levi hated her in grad school when this is obviously not true. She fails to mention her failed engagement but doesn’t grasp that Levi thinks she's married. While this does add to the enemies to lovers theme, I found it quite annoying how Bee refused to acknowledge the fact that Levi was blatantly in love with her. Even when they eventually become lovers, Bee seems to have this notion that they are just friends. This offers a change to the stereotype that women become more emotionally attached than men. Of course, as with any great enemies to lovers novel, they have a happily ever after. 

I really enjoyed reading Hazelwood’s newest novel, she offers a light, enjoyable story that is perfect for a relaxing read. I did feel like this book was a little bit like The Love Hypothesis all over again. If you enjoy an enemies-to-lovers story, this book is definitely for you! 

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Ali Hazelwood:

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake

Today we are pleased to feature Mazey Eddings' latest novel, Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake. It looks and sounds like a delightful rom com and we're excited to share it with you today. Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have THREE copies up for grabs!

Lizzie has made endless mistakes. Kitchen fires, pyramid schemes, bangs (of the hair and human variety), you name it, she’s done it… and made a mess of it too. One mistake she’s never made is letting anyone get close to her. But after a particularly messy day caused by her uncontrolled ADHD, she breaks her cardinal rule and has a two-night-stand that changes everything.

Once burned, twice shy, Rake has given up on relationships. And feelings. And any form of intimacy for that matter. Yet something about charming, chaotic Lizzie has him lowering his guard. For two nights, that is. Then it’s back home to Australia and far away from the pesky feelings Lizzie pulls from him. At least, that's what he thinks. 

An unexpected surprise brings the two together again, and through a series of mishaps, including totally “platonic” single bed sharing, Lizzie and Rake learn that even the biggest mistakes can have the most beautiful consequences.

"Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake is phenomenal. Laugh-out-loud funny, filled with joy, as deliciously swoony as it is downright steamy, this is such a compassionate, affirming portrayal of neurodivergence, found family, and falling wildly in love. I couldn’t adore it more." 
―Chloe Liese, author of Two Wrongs Make a Right

Credit: Ben Eisdorfer

Mazey Eddings is a neurodiverse author, dentist, and (most importantly) stage mom to her cats, Yaya and Zadie. She can most often be found reading romance novels under her weighted blanket and asking her boyfriend to bring her snacks. She’s made it her personal mission in life to destigmatize mental health issues and write love stories for every brain. With roots in Ohio and North Carolina, she now calls Philadelphia home. 

Visit Mazey online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

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Giveaway ends September 13th at midnight EST.

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