Book Review & Giveaway: Ladies' Night

By Gail Allison

**Giveaway is closed**

She was the goddess of lifestyle blogging, and Grace Stanton thought she had it all. A flair for decorating, an eye for photography, and a charming blog with deeply dedicated followers were the cornerstones of her peaking career. Her husband was as devoted to her business as he was to her…until Grace caught her husband…um…devoting himself to her assistant in his sports car one night. After unceremoniously drowning the sports car, Grace stormed out of her house in a rage and moved back in with her mother. While doing some damage control on her blog (apparently when a celebrity decides to wash her husbands car in their swimming pool, it makes the news), Grace comes to realize that she had maybe handed over too much to her husband. The beloved blog that she had tended as carefully as a bonsai tree had been hastily handed over to her assistant (by none other than her darling husband and business manager), and Grace has been left out in the cold.

While attending her court-mandated therapy sessions, Grace meets some other folks, all of whom seem to have been cheated on or betrayed in some way. But when their therapist starts acting strangely, the group is forced to work together to figure out not only what’s going on with their therapist, but to all work together to come to terms with their own losses and new beginnings.

Let me start off by saying that I love Mary Kay Andrews’ books. Love them. For me, they’re the perfect summer read. Ladies’ Night manages to combine romance, a tiny bit of mystery, and a rollicking good time to become a book that I’m already looking forward to picking back up and re-reading. I wanted to be in those therapy sessions with those women! I wanted to follow Grace’s blog!!! Every character in this book was multifaceted (yes, even the cheating husband) and absolutely interesting. When Grace was redecorating the beach house, I could see it in my mind's eye. The descriptions were spot-on: not too wordy, but just enough detail so I could see everything exactly the way Ms. Andrews wanted me to. The novel follows Grace through her self-discovery and empowerment and left me feeling so excited for her that I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. There was even one part when I had to take a moment, put the book aside, and say to my husband, “I didn’t think this book could get better. It just did.”

Besides the wonderful and engaging characters, the plotline of this book keeps moving at a fantastic pace. It never picks up so fast that you turn a page wondering what just happened, and it never drags so much that you start skimming just to find some action. I absolutely adored this book, and it completely reminded me of why I love Mary Kay Andrews’ writing. Grab this book, mix up a margarita, and park yourself on a blanket in a sunny spot. You won’t regret it.

Thanks to Tandem Literary for the book in exchange for an honest review. For a lucky US reader, they are giving away a copy of the book along with an event kit that includes:

•FOUR copies of the Ladies' Night discussion guide
•A set of FOUR Mary Kay Andrews bookmarks
•FOUR complete sets of 3 Ladies' Night recipe cards
•A set of FOUR Ladies' Night drink coasters
•A set of FOUR Ladies' Night plastic cups
•A set of FOUR festive drink umbrellas
•One bottle of Ladies' Night custom nail polish
•Four packets of zinna seeds specially branded with Ladies' Night graphics

How to win:
Please tell us where you'd go for a vacation with your closest girlfriends.

One entry per person.

Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win. Entries without contact information will NOT be counted.

US only. Giveaway ends July 14th at midnight EST.

More by Mary Kay Andrews:

What's in the mail...plus a giveaway

Melissa A.:

What a Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr, won from BookTrib

About a Girl by Lindsey Kelk from HarperCollins UK

The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman from Bantam Dell

The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls, won from BookTrib

My Husband Next Door by Catherine Alliott from Penguin UK

On Grace by/from Susie Orman Schnall

Finding Colin Firth by Mia March from Simon and Schuster

White Trash Beautiful by Teresa Mummert from Gallery Books

Sophie's Encore by/from Nicky Wells (e-book)

Jami:

Baking Love by/from Lauren Boyd




Gail:

While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax from Orion Books (e-book)




Becky:

Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger from HarperCollins UK

Always You by Erin Kaye from Avon

The Naughty Girls Book Club by Sophie Hart from Avon

An Englishwoman in New York by Anne-Marie Casey from John Murray (Hodder and Stoughton)

Love...and Sleepless Nights by Nick Spalding from Coronet (Hodder and Stoughton)

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway from Penguin UK


What could be in YOUR mail:

On Grace by Susie Orman Schnall, which was featured on our Book Shelf this week. Susie has THREE copies for some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada!

Grace May is truly excited about turning 40 in a few months. And now that her boys are both in school and she has a stimulating new writing job, the next chapter in her life can finally begin. She can't wait to rediscover the intelligent and interesting woman deeply buried under the layers of mother and wife.

But when Grace loses her job and gets unexpected news from her husband and her best friend, life suddenly gets complicated. Grace stands to lose everything: her marriage, her best friend, and her sense of self. But by her 40th birthday party, Grace will realize who and what matter most. With laughter. With tears. With grace.

ON GRACE embraces themes that will resonate with every woman who owns at least one pair of Spanx: fidelity, friendship, and finding oneself at 40. It's soulful and sweet, sexy and sad, straight up and smart, and, ultimately, quite satisfying. The story's relatable authenticity definitely connects with readers.

TESTIMONIALS:

"ON GRACE is a moving and vibrant debut that packs a sweet emotional punch. You'll laugh and cry along with Grace as she treads the complicated waters of marriage, motherhood, an unexpected betrayal, and a revelation that changes everything. Susie Schnall is a fresh new voice in fiction." ---Kristin Harmel, internationally bestselling author of THE SWEETNESS OF FORGETTING

"ON GRACE is a telling, touching exploration of modern marriage, fidelity, and friendship. Susie Schnall's debut is riddled with the little truths that make up the texture of women's daily lives. Fans of Emily Giffin will relate to this engaging read." ---Beatriz Williams, internationally bestselling author of A HUNDRED SUMMERS

How to win:
Please tell us about a way in which you've started a new chapter in your life.

One entry per person.

Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win. Entries without contact information will NOT be counted.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends July 10th at midnight EST.

Book Review: The Engagements

By Amy Bromberg

Evelyn has been married to her husband for forty years—forty years since he slipped off her first wedding ring and put his own in its place. Delphine has seen both sides of love—the ecstatic, glorious highs of seduction, and the bitter, spiteful fury that descends when it’s over. James, a paramedic who works the night shift, knows his wife’s family thinks she could have done better; while Kate, partnered with Dan for a decade, has seen every kind of wedding—beach weddings, backyard weddings, castle weddings—and has vowed never, ever, to have one of her own.

As these lives and marriages unfold in surprising ways, we meet Frances Gerety, a young advertising copywriter in 1947. Frances is working on the De Beers campaign and she needs a signature line, so, one night before bed, she scribbles a phrase on a scrap of paper: “A Diamond Is Forever.” And that line changes everything. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

The minute I saw Rebecca Schinsky's post about The Engagements, I knew I had to get my hands on it. (I always enjoy her posts on Book Riot.) J. Courtney Sullivan's previous novel, Maine, is just incredible (by the way this is a great summer read). After almost 50 pages into Maine, I had instantly become a fan.

Ms. Sullivan does an absolute beautiful job in intertwining these stories together. There are some novels that I've read that go back and forth between time periods, and have multiple characters, where I've gotten confused. I've had to go back and re-read a section from time to time. I didn't experience this at all with this book. The pages flowed smoothly, like calm ocean waters.

One of the main things that makes this novel exquisite is how magnificently written and developed the characters are. Sullivan writes with such vivid imagery and detail. The characters come alive as the stories unfold. I became attached to each character, and then got sad when it ended.

The Engagements is an excellent book club pick. So many different people can relate to it. I can see a book club needing to discuss this one over more than just one meeting. That's how intricate and deep it is. I also agree wholeheartedly with all of the articles and posts saying how this is a fantastic summer read. Here are just two: Kirkus and The New York Times. The reader is transported to many different time periods. I could see myself just getting lost in the pages while lying on the beach.

I'd like to say another congrats to Ms. Sullivan on her nuptials last month. Talk about timing, huh?

Last, but certainly not least, The Engagements is going to be made into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon! It was announced in this Deadline article.

Thanks to Alfred A. Knopf Publishing (a division of Random House) for the book in exchange for an honest review.

You might also enjoy:

Home and Away with Jenny Colgan...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Kathryn Hamilton

Life is sweet with Jenny Colgan

Give a warm CLC welcome to British author Jenny Colgan as she joins us today for a “Home and Away” Q&A. She is celebrating the US release of her novel Meet Me at the Cupcake Café and has a delicious giveaway to boot. (Because who can resist books about cupcakes?!?) You may not know Jenny Colgan, but you should definitely take the time to check her out. Born in Glasgow, Scotland and now residing in London, England, Jenny has already achieved considerable success with several novels under her belt and a nomination for the ICLM Hall of Fame in 2011. Her intriguing characters and wonderful humour have endeared Jenny to her numerous fans. It is no surprise that a delightful sense of humour is a trademark, given her background as a stand-up comedian. One glance at her website and I know this is an author I would get along with well (someone who lists Duran Duran as a favourite is aces in my books). Jenny's website makes her one of the most personable authors I’ve come across, as it promotes her as a person first and author second. Make sure you stop by to check out her yummy recipes and find out what makes her tick.   

Thanks to Sourcebooks, we have THREE copies of Meet Me at the Cupcake Café to give away to some lucky readers anywhere in the US and/or Canada.

Visit Jenny at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Home

Tell us one feature that would be a must-have for the house of your dreams?
Oh, the house of my dreams would have a great big terrace leading out to a swimming pool and be really modernist with nothing in it. I do throw a lot of stuff out. My children are always looking suspiciously at the recycling bin and then back at their toy shelves.

Do you do any gardening? If so, what is your favorite flower to plant?
Nope, I have totally brown fingers, I'm a city mouse. Although we used to live in the Netherlands where of course tulips are very cheap and I loved having the house filled with them every day. My husband plants strawberries and tomatoes with the children.

What would you do on a "staycation?"
Ha, all the things I won't let myself do in the daytime (you have to stay focused as a freelance!). So I would eat toast, in front of the television.

Away

Where is the farthest location you've ever traveled to?
My husband is from New Zealand, so we go there quite often, but it's geographically far, not culturally far. The most interesting places I've been are Tokyo and Senegal. I love Miami in the US and Savannah, Georgia is totally stunning.

What is the first thing you like to do when you reach your destination?
As long as I'm staying somewhere safe, I always like to take my running shoes and have a jog. It's a good way to figure out the layout and where things are without looking like an obvious tourist, and it's really great for shaking off jet lag. Jogging round the Sydney Opera House listening to Coldplay tuning up their instruments was a recent highlight.

What is a must-have when you stay at a hotel?
I have to have a bath. More and more hotels are being built with just showers, which I understand, but to me a soak in a lovely foamy bath is an essential part of being in a hotel, and a great de-stresser from the new sights and sounds of travelling!

Special thanks to Jenny for chatting with us and Sourcebooks for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win Meet Me at the Cupcake Café:
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your Facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries:
1.Please tell us: What is your favorite local restaurant?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends July 8th at midnight EST.

Home and Away with Lori Nelson Spielman...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

**Giveaway is now closed**

When I met Lori Nelson Spielman a while ago on Facebook and checked out the premise of her debut novel, The Life List (reviewed here), I just knew I had to feature her on CLC. Not only is she friendly with a sparkling personality (doesn't her smile say it all?!?), but her book is fabulous! Today she is here to celebrate her pub day with us and kick off our theme for July, which is "Home and Away." Join all of us at CLC in wishing her lots of success with her novel. To get you started, she has one copy for a lucky US reader.

Lori lives in East Lansing, Michigan. A former speech pathologist and guidance counselor, she currently works as a homebound teacher for inner-city students. Lori enjoys fitness running, traveling, and reading, though writing is her true passion. She and her husband spend their winters cursing the awful weather up north, and their summers sailing the glorious shores of Lake Michigan. You can find her at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you so much for hosting me today on Chick Lit Central. I'm thrilled to be your guest.

Home:

Favorite room in your house?
We have a sunroom that’s used only when the temperatures rise above 60 degrees, which in Michigan, means less than half the year. Perhaps this limited access is precisely why the room feels so special to me…or maybe it’s the pale pink walls or the flowered cushions or the many windows. For whatever reason, each spring I can hardly wait to dust it off, throw open the windows, and curl up with a good book and a glass of wine.

Favorite local restaurant?
Our favorite go-to restaurant is DeLuca’s. It’s a cozy Italian place locally owned by the DeLuca brothers, featuring delicious but inexpensive traditional pastas—as well as a great Chianti. We’re on a first name basis with most the staff, which makes it wonderfully warm and welcoming—almost like being with family!

What would you do on a "staycation?"
Ah, what a great question. First thing I’d do is create an auto-reply saying I’m away from Internet for the week. Each morning I’d wake without an alarm and linger over coffee and some sweet pastry. I’d read books and go to movies, take hikes and go kayaking. And if I happened to get bored, I’d take a day trip to the west coast (that would be the west coast of Michigan). Saugatuck, Holland, Grand Haven…all are charming beach towns on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Away:

What place is on your travel "bucket list?"
Italy--the Amalfi Coast in particular. I’m in love with the pictures I see of pastel painted villas clinging to a mountainside that dips to the sea. I imagine sitting at an outdoor ristorante with red-checkered tablecloths, eating something decadent and drinking their local vino. (Hmm…three of these four questions involve drinking wine. Someone’s going to get the wrong impression!)

How do you prefer to travel: plane, train or automobile?
I’m a huge fan of road trips, but if time were no issue, I’d probably opt for the train. It’s less stressful than driving or flying, and it allows the freedom to move around and drink wine club soda. 

Where is the farthest location you've ever traveled to?
I cheated on this one and consulted www.distancetofrom.net. The winner is Switzerland, at 4,276 miles.

Thanks to Lori for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers.


How to win The Life List:
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your Facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries:
1.Please tell us: What place is on your travel "bucket list?"
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US only. Giveaway ends July 7th at midnight EST.

Book Review: The Life List

By Melissa Amster

Just when you think you have your life all figured out, something comes along to disrupt it. At least, that is the case for Brett Bohlinger in Lori Nelson Spielman’s debut novel, The Life List.

Brett has a great job as an advertising executive, a gorgeous boyfriend and a posh apartment in Chicago. When her mother passes away, her whole world falls apart…especially when she is denied her inheritance unless she completes the rest of the items on her life list. That should be easy, except she created it when she was 14 and had different ideals for how she wanted to live her life. Soon she’s racing with the clock to become a teacher, buy a horse, have a relationship with her (dead) father and have a baby, amongst other things. Even with the help of her family and her mother’s lawyer, will Brett be able to finish her list in time to earn her inheritance? And what will she do with the truths she learns along the way?

I know there are other books about completing bucket lists (of sorts), but I thought Lori Nelson Spielman had a clever concept when she wrote this novel. It was a new twist on the theme and I like how she gave parameters and deadlines along with it. The contrast between Brett’s goals at 14 and at 34 was so vivid and I love that her mom had thoughts and reasons behind each goal she wanted her to complete. As Brett is working to complete each goal, there was a nice balance of build-up and let down, as the reader is made to think that she has it in the bag before something else gets in the way and throws her off course. As a result, the story is captivating and addictive. I just have to know how she’s going to complete each goal and end up taken for an adventure along the way. The story moves along nicely with strong characters and interesting dialogue.

There was a level of predictability to the story, as some things seemed to fit together a bit too neatly. The key from one goal would open the lock for another. However, Lori threw in a lot of twists and curveballs that made me second guess my predictions and still left me surprised at many points throughout the novel and even misty-eyed at times. While I thought Brett could be full of herself at times, I also liked how her vulnerability and flaws showed through. I was glad that others could talk her down from her high horse, when necessary. There was a sap factor, and some of the dialogue and narrative seemed like it was straight out of a Hallmark card. However, that didn’t keep me from enjoying the story as much as I did. The only other concern I had was that some of the dialects and language issues seemed overly stereotypical for certain characters. I don’t know if she based this off research or experience, but I think some of it could have been more subtle than it actually was.

Overall, I loved The Life List and still can’t stop thinking about it. I have been recommending it to friends and, of course, my mother. I’m glad I got the opportunity to read this novel and I hope it will one day inspire me to step out of my comfort zone a bit more. I hope it will do the same for others who read it, as well.

Thanks to Bantam Dell for the book in exchange for an honest review. We're having a giveaway along with Lori's visit to CLC.

Guest Book Review & Giveaway: Baby & Bump

By Sara Steven

**Giveaway is now closed**

Lexie Baump has no time for romance. She’s devoted to her catering business, and it appears that life is on track. Then a single night of indiscretion throws her world into utter chaos.

She’s pregnant.

Baby & Bump by Brooke Moss is a modern day Rom-Com, with twists and turns and all the drama needed to make this book a classic page turner. We follow Lexie on her journey through pregnancy, and watch as she falls hopelessly in love with her own OB/GYN doc, Fletcher- a gorgeous man who ends up dating Lexie’s best friend Marisol (who is incredibly sexy and oozes sensuality). How can Lexie ever compete with that?

Yet, when Fletcher expresses his own feelings for Lexie, what will she do? Will she follow her heart, or will she do what she thinks is right?

And, what will her friends and family say when they find out who the father of her child is?

Here’s what I really liked most about this book: the realism behind it. I can’t say for sure that doctors fall in love with their patients every day, but we’ve all experienced (or heard of) a situation that seems less than ideal when it comes to matters of the heart. It’s not always cookie-cutter and perfection. Sometimes, love can grow from the most unexpected of places. Not to mention the family dynamic Lexie has! When I was reading the parts of the book where Lexie was at her mother’s for dinner with her siblings, I was laughing! We can all identify with having some kooky relatives, and this book offers that up on a silver platter!

I also appreciated the friendship dynamic. A woman can never be without her closest girlfriends, and Lexie finds strength (and at times friction) with Marisol, as well as her own cousin, Candace. Candace is one of those types who has it together, and looks fabulous while doing it! As Lexie puts it: “Candace was the only woman in the world who made being a housewife with three children under the age of five look hot. Seriously, it was a wonder we were from the same gene pool.”

Baby & Bump is part one of the "This and That" series, and at the end of the book we are given an excerpt from the next novel, which will focus on Marisol’s perspective. Let me tell you: she’s a handful, and this is a book I’ll be reading as soon as it’s available, as well as the others that will be part of the series!

Thanks to Brooke Moss for the book in exchange for an honest review. She has one e-book of Baby & Bump for a lucky reader anywhere in the world!

How to win:
Tell us about an unexpected relationship that happened for you or someone you know (love, friendship, business partnership, etc.)

One entry per person.

Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win. Entries without contact information will NOT be counted.

Worldwide. Giveaway ends July 7th at  midnight EST.

Sara Steven is a wife and stay-at-home mother of two rambunctious boys in Bellevue, NE. When she’s not running marathons, group fitness instructing part time, or working on her novel, she takes a break and opens up a good book (or turns on her Nook). Find her at her blog.

More by Brooke Moss: