Guest Book Review and Giveaway: Seven Letters from Paris

By Bethany Petty

**Giveaway is now closed**

Are you looking for a real life love story? Seven Letters from Paris is for you!

Picture this: It’s 1989. Two American college students are on a European tour. They each meet a handsome Frenchman, share a wonderful and exciting evening, and then part ways as their train races toward a new town. The Frenchman writes one of the Americans seven extraordinary and beautiful love letters to keep any spark they had alive. She never writes him back.

Fast forward twenty years. Samantha has just lost her job in Chicago and is stuck in the rut of a loveless marriage. For some reason, she feels the need to read those love letters from Jean-Luc. When she does, Samantha feels alive again, and is filled with the passion she felt twenty years earlier.

Samantha is determined to make amends for the letters she never wrote, contacts Jean-Luc through the magic of Google, and thus rekindles their romance.

Seven Letters from Paris tells the beautiful story of a romance twenty years in the making. The best part? It’s true!

After I finished this book, I immediately located Samantha’s blog and love her posts about living in France, attempting to master the French cuisine, and adjusting to life as an overnight parent.

Get ready to follow Samantha Vérant as she reclaims her life, her passion, and her long lost love!

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

How to win:

Please tell us: Have you ever received a love letter or written one?

One entry per person.

Entries without contact information (e-mail address, Twitter account, Facebook page, etc.) will NOT be counted (and we do NOT count "Google +" as contact information).

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends October 12th at midnight EST.

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!

Book Review: Animal Cracker

By Jami Deise

Everyone has job horror stories. At the worst place I’d ever worked, my new boss casually told me on my first day that two staffers had abruptly quit the week before, no notice given. At the time, I naively thought what stupid people they must be, to quit without giving notice. A few months into the job, I knew exactly why they had. HER. That woman. It’s been more than 15 years, and the thought of that woman and what she put me through is still enough to give me nightmares.

If you have or had a similar job, Andi Brown’s Animal Cracker will either be a cathartic read or a book that will cause PTSD flashbacks. Brown’s heroine, Diane Salvi, works as the communication director for the Animal Protection Organization, an umbrella organization for animal shelters in Boston. Just 25 and new at her job, Diane has all the enthusiasm, ideas and energy that people her age bring to these kinds of small organizations. And as often happens, the people at the top do their best to crush her.

APO’s leader is Hal Mason, a 60-something with movie star looks who’s led the organization for 15 years. Somehow he and his wife, Joyce, a professor at Harvard, have two homes worth millions of dollars each. But there’s no money to take over any more shelters. Even while Diane ends up dating Hal’s son Mark, she grows ever more suspicious of her boss. When she catches Hal out with the group’s secretary, and learns he abruptly changed the date of their big gala, Diane plots to get the goods on him once and for all.

The book is nicely populated by a quirky cast of Diane’s co-workers, all different women who share a disgust for Hal. Diane’s also helped out by her roommate, a journalist who wants to use Hal’s story for her big break.

Animal Cracker is self-published, and the writing is a bit uneven, but the story shines through. Idealistic and passionate, Diane is an easy heroine to root for, and her cause is just. She cares deeply for animals, spending her free time volunteering at a shelter, and is a supportive, caring friend. She even makes nice with the woman who stole her boyfriend.

Readers who haven’t worked in the non-profit sector may assume that Brown has written a satire. I can assure you while it’s a funny book, nothing that happens is exaggerated for effect. If you work in a functional office, Animal Cracker is a pleasant, funny diversion. And if your boss is as bad as Hal, the book might give you some good ideas for bringing him down.

Thanks to Andi Brown for the book in exchange for an honest review.

What's in the mail

Melissa A:

Haunted Ever After by Juliet Madison from Harlequin Australia (e-book)

Damsels in Distress by/from Laura Kenyon

The Good Sister by Jamie Kain from St. Martin's Press

My True Love Gave to Me by Rainbow Rowell, et. al. from St. Martin's Press

Amy:

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult from Random House (enter to win here, US only)

Gail:

Blame it on the Fame by/from Tracie Banister (e-book)

Jami:

A Pretty Mess by/from Carla Caruso (e-book)

Book Review: When Alice Met Danny

By Sara Steven

How many Dannys can one Alice have?

After losing her job, Alice decides to leave London and start fresh in the small town of Devon. She doesn’t lose contact with Danny, her prior co-worker and soon-to-be renter of the flat she’d lived in when she had lived in London. She meets little Danny, who instantly steals her heart, and who can forget little Danny’s namesake, Daniel (or Danny, to his friends). There’s her neighbor, also Danny, and even a new friend’s dog is named what else? Danny! She finds herself surrounded by all this testosterone, and all for the better. It’s just what she needs to get her through the turbulent changes that await her in Devon, like the home she’s purchased, easily a condemned space. Too bad she made the transaction online vs. seeing the property in person before forking over the money. Or the old letters she finds within the confines of the house. She can trace them back to the early 1900s during war time, but who do they belong to, and why are they hidden in the house? What’s the connection?

The biggest change comes from within her heart. She finds herself smitten with not just one but all of her Dannys, in different ways. And in an instant, she finds she’s at risk of losing all of them.

You’d think with almost every character named Danny there would be room for confusion, but that’s not the case. T.A. Williams has written the characters well, and there are twists and turns relating to every one of them. My favorite, though, is the side story related to the letters. It’s touching and sweet, tying in well with the overall theme of the book. I found myself eagerly anticipating the outcome, and I wasn’t disappointed. Although I felt the start of the book was a little sluggish, once it got going it was rather engaging. I'd certainly recommend When Alice Met Danny to anyone looking for a romantic summer read!

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

Go-To-Gay: Mabel & Doris

Introduction by Tracey Meyers

On the last night of a recent trip to the Washington, D.C. area, I picked up my phone to find out the time and discovered a text message that included a picture of my cat, Elsie, waiting for me. Upon viewing the text I smiled and let out a faint chuckle. That's when I proudly proclaimed to the friend with whom I was having dinner at the time, "So, I'm a silly pet parent and my Elsie-sitter has been texting me pictures of her throughout my trip."  Thankfully, I was dining with another silly pet parent, so showing off the picture wasn't super crazy in their eyes.

It's been almost 2.5 years since Elsie came to live with me and I often amazed how her simple presence in my life has forever changed me.  I've written about this before on several occasions, I believe, but the lessons she has taught me endure like the love I've come to have for her.

Today, our Go-To-Gay, Gary Edwards, shares with us how some four-legged friends of his have influenced his life.


Mabel & Doris

Life is so simple, and we add so much stress to our own lives. Wade’s mother always used to say, “ Life is simple, the sun comes up and then it goes down. We humans are the ones who mess things up.”

What do you need? Are you grateful? Do you have the basic things in life you need or are you striving for a false world of perfectionism?

Keep it simple and be happy with what you have and look forward to a life full of love and happiness. On days when I am in a funk, I am reminded by my 4- legged family, to chill, to live in the moment.

Wade and I have 2 rescue dogs, Mabel and Doris. We have had Mabel since she was 8 ½ weeks old. She is the most laid back, easy going dog in the world. Mabel is now 7 years old and has not a care in the world. Having absolutely no agenda, Mabel lives in the moment. She can sleep anywhere in the house, often knocking pillows off on the floor as she arranges herself on the sofa to assure herself the utmost comfort. She knows she will be walked and fed, and, well, life is great in her eyes. She is loved and safe and needs no more. Wade and I often look at her and say, “She is so spoiled.” Then we always say, “That’s a good thing and why shouldn’t she be?”

We adopted Doris last year at 9 months. Doris had been adopted by a family as a puppy and left in a garage for most of her puppy years. She was an owner surrender, and on her paper work the family that surrendered here stated, “Don’t have time.” Her time in the shelter was short and she was soon adopted by a family who had a 2nd home in our area. They then returned 2 weeks later returning her saying, “We are allergic”. When we adopted Doris she was in foster care. She is the most loving dog in the world but was scared of almost everything. So full of fear of abandonment she would follow us from room to room, looking at us with an “is this for real?” expression. In the past year she has grown and is no longer afraid. She loves Wade, Mabel and especially has bonded with me. I think of what her bneeds are: food, shelter, the basic things in life. But she needs more, she missed out on hugs, being brushed, held and loved. She can’t get enough love. I am so happy she is in our house where we work from home and can give her a pat on the head and the reassurance that she is in her forever home. Whatever happened to Doris in the first 9 months I am for certain that I will make up for it and fill her little puppy love tank to the brim.

So on days when I am in my head or am complaining about some silly thing, Mabel and Doris come to the rescue. They let me know to live a simple life and that I can slow down. “The sun comes up and the sun goes down.”

Gary Edwards is the marketing and events manager for bestselling author Wade Rouse. Edwards arranges Rouse’s tour schedule, speaking engagements as well as coordinates and facilitates his writing workshops and retreats.  Additionally, Edwards has helped market and promote all five of Rouse’s books. Edwards also has a background in hospitality, and sales as well as design. 

With his vast professional back and a love to listen and help friends he is a perfect storm of love and nurture. Edwards is Martha Stewart meets Dear Abby with a dash of Mrs. Doubtfire.  For more, please friend him on Facebook and Twitter.

Book Review: What A Girl Wants

By Kathryn Hamilton

Tess Brookes has been in love with the same bloke for 10 years and has a career she loves. Just at the moment it appears she is going to get everything she wanted, Tess is whisked away to Milan with best friend Amy by her side. Suddenly she realizes that she has choices to make, personally and professionally. Will Tess decide what she wants before she loses it all?



I was a little late jumping on the Lindsey Kelk fan train; she had already achieved enormous success with her "I Heart" series before I picked up The Single Girl's To-Do List. Ms. Kelk quickly became one of my favourite authors. She is a talented storyteller with an amazing sense of humour. Her characters are brilliantly written and are always memorable. If you have already read one of her novels, you know you can guarantee strong yet flawed female leads, dashing men, saucy sex scenes, humour that will make you genuinely laugh, and supporting characters that you will love. What A Girl Wants is Ms. Kelk's newest novel, and the second in her series that follows Tess Brookes. It is not necessary to read the first novel (About A Girl) as readers are given enough information to fill in the blanks, but I definitely suggest that you do.

I would be completely surprised if readers aren't hooked by the prologue alone. Tess has found herself in quite the mess (as only she can do) and you want to keep reading to find out how in the world she got herself in the situation. Tess is a magnet for embarrassingly hilarious escapades. She is sassy, smart (most of the time, but we all have those moments, some more than others, where we think "What was I thinking?!"), and incredibly likeable. The love triangle reminds me of the great Pacey/Dawson debate (am I dating myself with that reference?). However, if it were me, there wouldn't be a choice. I am not a Charlie fan (some of his actions are questionable), although I do understand Tess' conflict.

While I enjoyed Tess, for me the best part of the novel is the supporting characters. I LOVE Amy. I can't say enough about this character. She is how I imagine the singer Adele is like in person. She has a mouth like a sailor but it's hard to be offended because of the delightful way the British speak. Al and Kekipi are also fantastic as the voices of reason.

It is a good sign when I can say that the only thing that disappointed me about a novel is that it ended. I love that Ms. Kelk carries her stories over several novels because it gives the characters a real chance to grow in a more organic way. I look forward to seeing where Tess' adventures take her next and what decisions she is going to make. I heart Lindsey Kelk and I know you will too!

Thanks to HarperCollins UK for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Lindsey Kelk:

Book Review and Giveaway: Invisible Ellen

By Melissa Amster

**Giveaway is now closed**

Have you ever felt invisible? Like you don't matter? That you can go days, weeks, or even months without interacting with another human being? Well, that is how Ellen Homes feels, until one woman comes along to change all that in ways she never thought possible.

Ellen is just going about her normal routine of observing her neighbors, eating junk food, and working the overnight shift at Costco. Having been shamed over her physical appearance and with no one caring about her, Ellen has found ways to make herself invisible and she's quite comfortable living this way, with only a cat for company. One day Temerity, a young woman who is blind, sits next to Ellen on her bus ride to work. Intrigued by her friendliness and outrageous sense of fashion, she follows her off the bus and ends up saving her from being mugged. Soon, Temerity and Ellen form a close friendship and go about involving themselves in the lives of others. Now that Ellen isn't so invisible anymore, will she become comfortable with her new lifestyle, knowing she actually matters to someone else...even if that someone can't even see her?

Invisible Ellen isn't your average chick lit novel. However, it has had an impact on me that only happens every once in a while from a book. It is such a heartwarming and uplifting story about friendship and the effects it can have on one's life. When Ellen and Temerity first became friends, it reminded me of how I felt when I first became friends with certain women I am still close with now and the natural high I got after hanging out with them. Aside from Ellen and Temerity, there were a lot of interesting characters who came in and out of the story at different times. I loved seeing what the two women would come up with next to change their lives in some way. Going along with this were some really funny moments, as well as poignant ones.

While most of the characters and settings were easy to visualize, I wish that we had been told which city Ellen lived in. I kept picturing New York, but am under the impression that Shari would want it to take place in L.A., since she lives out that way. The apartment building Ellen lived in would have been easier to understand in terms of layout, had there been a picture to accompany it. Either Ellen had supersonic hearing, or the windows of her neighbors were incredibly close. I also would have liked to know Ellen's age. I know Temerity was in her 20s, but Ellen could have been anywhere on the age spectrum. There were some coincidences that seemed a bit forced, making other parts predictable, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. I just kept wanting to see what would happen next.

A few weeks ago, I participated in #HugABookWeek on Twitter and Facebook. I happened to be reading Invisible Ellen at the time and it was just the perfect book to hug. I didn't even want to let it go when I had turned the last page. It has definitely made it to my 2014 favorites list, as well as my all-time favorites list. I can't seem to stop recommending it! I know there's a sequel coming and already can't wait to get my hands on it! I don't really have any casting ideas, but when I picture Temerity, she looks like Tatiana Maslany when she plays Cosima on Orphan Black. I could even see their personalities being the same.

Thanks to Putnam for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have FIVE copies for some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada. And Shari Shattuck has offered ONE of the winners a one-on-one Skype chat! 

How to win:
Please tell us: What would you do if you were invisible for a day?

One entry per person.

Entries without contact information (e-mail address, Twitter account, Facebook page, etc.) will NOT be counted (and we do NOT count "Google +" as contact information).

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends October 7th at midnight EST.