Heather Frimmer's prescription for good reading...plus a book giveaway

We are thrilled to have Heather Frimmer here to celebrate the publication of her debut novel, Bedside Manners. Melissa A read the book and enjoyed it (reviewed here). She also connected with Heather on social media and learned that they share a love for musical theater. She's here today to talk about her novel and some other fun topics. Thanks to Suzy Approved Book Tours, we have one copy to give away!

Heather Frimmer is a physician by day, specializing in diagnostic radiology and breast imaging, and an avid reader and writer at all other times. A published book reviewer across multiple websites, including Books, Ink and Booktrib, and a member of the Westport Writers’ Workshop, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and two sons.

Visit Heather online:
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Synopsis:
As Joyce Novak’s daughter, Marnie, completes medical school and looks ahead to a surgical internship, her wedding, and a future filled with promise, a breast cancer diagnosis throws Joyce’s own future into doubt. Always the caregiver, Joyce feels uncomfortable in the patient role, especially with her husband and daughter. As she progresses through a daunting treatment regimen including a biopsy, lumpectomy, and radiation, she distracts herself by planning Marnie’s wedding.

When the sudden death of a young heroin addict in Marnie’s care forces Marnie to come face-to-face with mortality and her professional inadequacies, she also realizes she must strike a new balance between her identity as a doctor and her role as a supportive daughter. At the same time, she struggles with the stark differences between her fiancé’s family background and her own and comes to understand the importance of being with someone who shares her values and experiences.

Amid this profound soul-searching, both Joyce and Marnie’s futures change in ways they never would have expected.

Which authors or books inspired you to become a writer?
Lisa Genova, the author of Still Alice and Every Note Played, along with several other wonderful novels, has been my major inspiration. I love how she uses her expertise as a neuroscientist to explore the details of a specific neurologic disease, its emotional ramifications and the ways the disease impacts everyone in the patient’s sphere. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite—her books are all that good. I also admire Jennifer Weiner’s writing—I read her novels the day they release. The way she can make a story compulsively readable and hilarious while still addressing serious topics is incredible.

Who do you relate to more in Bedside Manners: Joyce or Marnie?
I almost feel like I am part of the Novak family after spending so much time with them over the past few years. Marnie is similar to me in a lot of ways and some of her experiences during medical training are based on things either I or my friends encountered on the wards. Joyce’s character was inspired by many different patients I’ve interacted with over the years. Though I didn’t do it on purpose, she also has a lot in common with my own mother. The creative powers of the subconscious can be scary.

If you could cast Bedside Manners as a movie, who would play the lead roles?
Marnie would be played by Emmy Rossum. I think she’s one of the most talented actresses working today. Her performance as Fiona Gallagher on Shameless is truly masterful. Barbara Hershey could play Joyce. She’s about the right age and could look the part. The two actresses also look like they could be related. I hate when family members on TV shows/movies look like there’s no way they could possibly share genetic material.

What is something about you that would surprise us?
I was a competitive figure skater up until ninth grade. The insanity of that world makes an appearance in my novel in progress, a family drama about a neurosurgeon who makes the questionable choice to operate on his sister-in-law. It’s a complex story of addiction, love and survival on the operating table. The surgeon’s teenage daughter is on a figure skating team.

What new TV series do you plan to watch this fall?
I am definitely going to watch the second season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I love the creative story and gorgeous sets and costumes. The final season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend drops in October and I can’t wait. The show is hilarious and irreverent and the tongue-in-cheek nods to Broadway are right up my alley.

Since your book is focused on medical situations, what is the strangest injury you've ever experienced (or seen someone you know experience)?
I have been very lucky to be relatively healthy so far. But I do have a mild case of psoriatic arthritis (similar to rheumatoid arthritis). On a family trip to Disney World a few years ago, my right knee blew up to five times its normal size and my husband had to push me around the park in a wheelchair. My sons were thrilled they were allowed to bypass the lines with their very own personal FASTPASS!

Thanks to Heather for visiting with us and Suzy Approved Book Tours for sharing her book with our readers. Visit the other stops on Heather's tour.

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 October 14th at midnight EST.

Book Review: Relatively Normal

By Sara Steven

Successful New York City event planner, Catriona Masterton, has been on a mission to keep her new fiancé from meeting her family. This Thanksgiving, she's flat out of luck when orderly and regimented Ethan Crenshaw declares he will meet the Masterton Clan.

It's not that Cat's ashamed of her eccentric family, but how does one explain a mother with a kitchen gadget fetish, a father whose best friends are taxidermied field mice, and a super stoner man-child brother who lives in the basement? That doesn't even include the fiercely-proud Scottish grandmother with a proclivity for profanity.

Just when the visit couldn't get much worse, Cat is thrown a large curve ball when her ex-boyfriend and his family show up for Thanksgiving dinner. She's torn between the order and predictability Ethan and her life in New York City represent, while her family and the Midwest pull her in a different direction. Will Cat make it out of her hometown in one piece or is she willing to embrace the chaos? Mishaps, mayhem, and confusion ensue in this laugh-out-loud tale of familial pandemonium. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

I always find a piece of myself within a Whitney Dineen novel. The characters, the eclectic and eccentric situations, they speak to me on a relative level. And speaking of relative. While reading through and becoming a part of Cat’s experiences in Relatively Normal, I couldn’t get over how much I could identify with her. I’ve been in those shoes before, having dealt with my own cautious, meticulous love interest and offbeat, peculiar family. Feeling as though I had to come up with a balance between the two polar opposites. It’s not easy.

Adding to this chaotic adventure is the ex-boyfriend, a man Cat swore she’d never see again. I really loved the emotional layers his presence brings about, a tug of war within her that only intensifies the feeling she has of not really knowing where she belongs. We get the impression that she’s done everything she can to try and distance herself from the type of life she led growing up, yet none of us can forget who we are, or where we come from.

Dineen has this special way of showcasing the emotion, while keeping her own unique comedic spin on things. Putting various characters in a room who are so completely different, giving them the leeway needed to do what they want to. From Grandma’s tell-it-like-it-is personality to Dad’s penchant for taxidermied mice and spitting pistachio shells (one of the best scenes, hands down), to the supposed normalcy of her fiancee’s family, it gives off a thrilling unpredictability to what might happen next at any given moment. And the undercurrent with all of it are lessons in tolerance. There were a lot of scenes in Normal that really showcase what it means to be a lot more accepting of others, even if they’re different or not your own idea of what’s “normal”, because, really. What is normal? It’s a refreshing take on better appreciating the people and past that has helped shape who we become in the present. Even if that means potentially dodging spittooned pistachio shells!

Thanks to Whitney Dineen for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Whitney Dineen:

Book Review: My Sisters And Me

By Becky Gulc

Meet Rae, Emmy and Noelle. They are three sisters who are tasked with renovating their childhood home for their mum Willow. Following the death of her husband/their father around a year ago it’s not somewhere Willow Lake spends a lot of time, preferring to spend her time travelling, and so came the idea of doing their home up as a holiday let. The problem is the sisters, the family, were never really welcomed in Maplewood. They were treated as dirt and the sisters never really knew why. So the thought of returning for a period of three months isn’t one that’s exactly appealing to the sisters, particularly Emmy and Noelle who have unfinished business in Maplewood. Unless they are going to stay indoors for three months can they avoid their past, the people who made their lives hell? Or will they find everyone has moved on or grown up after a decade or so? You’ll have to read this to find out!

I have LOVED Lisa Dickenson’s Christmas novels so I was excited to read another novel by her. My Sisters and Me was an enjoyable read although I didn’t love it quite as much as the Christmas novels if I’m honest but the bar has been set very high before!

The sense of place throughout the novel was fantastic. Maplewood came to life for me, as did the house (in the woods), which felt important given the focus of the story. This grew in strength throughout, and I particularly loved the last third of the novel for this. The three sisters are all quite different and I enjoyed getting to know each of them individually in their day-to-day lives before they head back to Maplewood. What I struggled with at times was empathy towards the sisters; sometimes their fears of returning to Maplewood and how they acted seemed a tad repetitive and immature given the time lapse. I felt more empathetic once as a reader I learnt more about how they’d been treated in the past (and why) by various characters that were still local.

I thought the novel picked up greatly in the build up to the Halloween party and its aftermath. There were some very funny scenes involving the local mayor. I also enjoyed how the sister’s ‘endings’ were not predictable. What this novel does well is self-awareness, being proud of who you are and where you come from and sisterhood, a definite feel-good book.

I am already looking forward to Lisa’s next novel and would happily re-join this family again; I would love to read more about Willow! If you haven’t heard of her before I would definitely recommend checking out her books for fun lighthearted reads.

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

More by Lisa Dickenson:

Diane Chamberlain wrote the book of our dreams...plus a book giveaway

Photo by John Pagliuca

We are thrilled to have Diane Chamberlain visiting us today. Melissa A started reading her books this year and plans to check out the ones published in previous years. Today we're featuring The Dream Daughter (published on October 2nd), which Melissa has added to her 2018 favorites list (see her review). Diane is here to talk about this incredible novel and St. Martin's Press has one copy to give away!

Diane Chamberlain is the New York Times, USA Today, and Sunday Times bestselling author of 26 novels published in more than twenty languages. Some of her most popular books include The Stolen Marriage, Necessary Lies, The Silent Sister, The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes, and The Keeper of the Light Trilogy. Diane likes to write complex stories about relationships between men and women, parents and children, brothers and sisters, and friends. Although the thematic focus of her books often revolves around family, love, compassion and forgiveness, her stories usually feature a combination of drama, mystery, secrets and intrigue. Diane's background in psychology has given her a keen interest in understanding the way people tick, as well as the background necessary to create her realistic characters.

Diane was born and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey and spent her summers at the Jersey Shore. She also lived for many years in San Diego and northern Virginia before making North Carolina her home.

Diane received her bachelor's and master's degrees in clinical social work from San Diego State University. Prior to her writing career, Diane worked in hospitals in San Diego and Washington, D.C. before opening a private psychotherapy practice in Alexandria Virginia specializing in adolescents. All the while Diane was writing on the side. Her first book, Private Relations was published in 1989 and it earned the RITA award for Best Single Title Contemporary Novel.

Diane lives with her partner, photographer John Pagliuca, and her Sheltie, Cole. She has three stepdaughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren. She's currently at work on her next novel. (Bio courtesy of Amazon.)

Visit Diane online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest

Synopsis:
When Carly Sears, a young woman widowed by the Vietnam war, receives the news that her unborn baby girl has a heart defect, she is devastated. It is 1970, and she is told that nothing can be done to help her child. But her brother-in-law, a physicist with a mysterious past, tells her that perhaps there is a way to save her baby. What he suggests is something that will shatter every preconceived notion that Carly has. Something that will require a kind of strength and courage she never knew existed. Something that will mean an unimaginable leap of faith on Carly's part.

And all for the love of her unborn child.

The Dream Daughter is a rich, genre-spanning, breathtaking novel about one mother's quest to save her child, unite her family, and believe in the unbelievable. Diane Chamberlain pushes the boundaries of faith and science to deliver a novel that you will never forget. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

What is a favorite compliment you received on one of your most recent novels?
The Dream Daughter has received many early reader reviews that have touched my heart, but one of my favorites is this: “Reading The Dream Daughter has made me love my daughters even more.”

The Dream Daughter is told in a different style than your previous novels. What inspired this change of pace?
I’d had this idea in my mind for a long time and finally got the guts (and the go-ahead from my editor) to write it. In my previous career as a hospital social worker, I saw many newborn babies who didn’t survive because they were born too early or too sick to be saved. Today’s medical advances could have saved many of those children. What if a pregnant woman carrying a sick baby in 1970 could travel to 2001 for treatment that might save that child’s life? That’s the question I ask in The Dream Daughter.

If you could cast The Dream Daughter as a movie, who would play Carly and Hunter?
I would love to see either Shailene Woodley or Lily James as Carly. Lily really impressed me in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and I love Shailene’s girl-next-door quality. As for Hunter, he’s a bit older, a bit wiser, a bit more mysterious. Perhaps Bradley Cooper or Ryan Gosling?

What is your favorite thing to do in October? Any fall traditions?
Nearly every October I go on book tour, which I love because I get to meet so many of my readers.
When I’m not on the road, I love walking my dog surrounded by the delicious scent of fallen leaves.

What is your go-to meal for breakfast?
I alternate between granola with blueberries, oatmeal with blueberries, and gluten free waffles with blueberries. I like blueberries, can you tell?

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I am nearly finished with Pam Jenoff’s latest, The Lost Girls of Paris. She is an awesome author and I can always trust her to deliver an amazing story. This book is no exception.

Thanks to Diane for chatting with us and to St. Martin's Press for 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 October 9th at midnight EST.

#BloomBlogWeek Giveaway

We are doing a special post today as part of Blogger Appreciation Week with Tall Poppy Writers.

For those of you who are regular readers, you can skip ahead to the giveaway. :)

For those of you who are new here, welcome to Chick Lit Central, established by Melissa Amster in May 2010. It was originally a group on Facebook to talk to other fans of chick lit, but then some bloggers inspired her to start a blog and voila, here we are! Sarah Pekkanen was the first author to send us a book to review and then Melissa connected with some of her favorite authors. Eventually, other authors found the blog and some have been coming back every time they have a new book. On most weekdays, we share author interviews, guest posts, excerpts, spotlights, etc. along with giveaways (like the one below). We also have two awesome columnists: The Go-to-Gay and The Chick Lit Cheerleader. Overall, we have a great team, including three review associates.

Visit us online:
Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Giveaway: Two books to one winner, courtesy of the authors of each.

Family Trees by Kerstin March (reviewed by Sara)
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center (reviewed by Melissa A)



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 October 4th at midnight EST.

Book Review: The Girl Made of Clay

By Sara Steven

After Sara’s father, famous sculptor Thomas “TR” Harlow, is badly injured in a fire, she’s suddenly forced to care for a man who is more of a stranger than a parent. Once known as his muse, Sara long ago lost her father to his desire to live the celebrity life.

Now TR’s abrasive and unpredictable presence in her home is reopening old wounds—and causing the rift in her already-strained marriage to deepen. As her young son begins bonding with the grandfather he never knew, Sara must decide if she can find it within herself to forgive the man who broke her heart all those years ago. Will she walk away from a chance to rebuild what was lost, or will she find, by bringing her father back to health, that healing can come in many forms? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

Coming from a past with my own parental contention, I could really identify with Sara and the way she feels about her father, TR. She hasn’t heard from him in several years, and then suddenly, she’s the one he calls on in his time of need. There is the obligation to be a good daughter and do the right thing, but what is the right thing, in this situation?

Meier has done a fine job of allowing her readers to experience what Sara and TR are feeling, giving us the perspective from both characters. By writing in both points of view, we’re able to go deeper into what has made TR the way he is, and why there is a break in the relationship he has with his daughter. It also allows for Sara to showcase her emotions and how she’s really feeling when trying to balance the new entity in her life, and the struggles she faces with her husband.

There was a twist to this story that I didn’t see coming, relating to the past and what TR has really been up to, only adding to the rift. It also adds another layer to the trouble in Sara’s marriage, down to the choices she needs to make in order to have harmony in her life. And, thrown into the mix of it all is the potential relationship her son could have with his estranged grandfather, a relationship she fears, but if she keeps them apart, won’t that mean repeating patterns from her own childhood?

There are a lot of emotional moments in The Girl Made of Clay; pivotal points in various relationships that are several layers deep. It blends together into a complex mix of beautifully flawed characters and less-than-ideal situations, the makings of a wonderful read.

Thanks to Nicole Meier for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Pumpkins & Pages Hop

Fall is so pretty, but aside from Halloween, there isn't much going on. If only there were something to tie together all the great elements of the season--the rich colors, the pumpkins (and pumpkin spice lattes!), wearing sweaters, walking through crunching leaves, curling up by the fire with a good book ...OH, HOLD UP! There is something going on!

Chick Lit Chat HQ is continuing its tradition of hosting killer hops for Chick Lit and Romantic Comedy fans with our all-new PUMPKINS AND PAGES FACEBOOK HOP to get this season started right! From October 1st through the 7th, more than 50 Chick Lit and RomCom authors are banding together to bring you are most awesome event yet! Along with individual author prizes, we'll be giving away grand prizes of a beautiful fall wreath by Twoinspireyou valued at $160* and THREE gift bags full of pumpkin-scented goodies from Bath & Body Works. PSLs, chunky sweaters, and crunchy leaves ain't got nothing on this week-long party, so don your scarf and mittens and head on over to Facebook and join the CLC HQ events group to hang with authors and readers, find your next great fireside read, and enter to win all sorts of fabulous prizes! See you there!

*The Grand Prize fall wreath giveaway is open to US residents only. However, all of the individual author giveaways and the grab bag giveaways are open internationally.