Book Review: Stay Awake

By Jami Denison

Amnesia is a well-worn plot in fiction, driving stories in soap operas, romance, mysteries, and thrillers. The best writers are able to make the cliché feel fresh and different. Stay Awake, thriller author Megan Goldin’s third novel, may be her best yet. She combines the 2000 film Memento with domestic thriller tropes in a book that is “unputdownable.” 

When Liv Reese wakes up on a park bench in New York City, her purse and phone are missing and her hands are covered with her own handwriting. “Stay awake! Wake up!” With strangers in her apartment and her boyfriend’s phone number disconnected, eventually Liv discovers she has lost the last two years of her life. At the same time, detective Darcy Halliday is the first officer on the scene of a homicide—an unknown man in a high-rise apartment has been found dead. The only clue: Someone has written, on the window in the victim’s blood, the message: “Wake up!”

What happened to Liv in the past two years? Is she a victim or a killer? Will Halliday find out the truth before it’s too late?

Stay Awake pulls readers in from the first sentence and doesn’t let go. Told mostly from Liv’s first-person account, moving from present to past and back again, the reader becomes fully immersed in Liv’s fear and frustration. As she learns about the killing and that a woman matching her description was seen leaving the building, she races to find out what really happened and if a killer is after her. 

When the events from two years ago unfold, though, Liv comes across as naïve and trusting. Since Goldin establishes Liv as the victim of a troubled childhood with a neglectful mother and a series of narcissist stepfathers, I found her trusting attitude a little hard to believe. Halliday is less well-rounded, and her point-of-view seems to be presented mainly so readers can get a look at the mystery outside of Liv’s purview. 

While the scenes from the past don’t have the same breathless pace and stakes of the present-day sections, Goldin does a good job of using them to set up the possible villains. The final reveal makes sense, although I wished Goldin had spent more time laying the groundwork for the conclusion. 

Almost impossible to put down, Stay Awake is a terrific book to add to your end-of-summer beach reading list. Goldin’s few, small missteps don’t take away from the wild roller coaster ride she presents. 

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Roselle Lim captures hearts with her new novel...plus a book giveaway

© Shelley Smith

We're pleased to have Roselle Lim back at CLC today to celebrate the publication of her latest novel, Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club. Melissa recently read and loved this book, so check out her review. Thanks to BookSparks, we have TWO copies for some lucky readers!

Roselle Lim is the critically acclaimed author of Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune, and Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop. She lives on the north shore of Lake Erie and always has an artistic project on the go. (Bio adapted from Roselle's website.)

Visit Roselle online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
Newly minted professional matchmaker Sophie Go has returned to Toronto, her hometown, after spending three years in Shanghai. Her job is made quite difficult, however, when she is revealed as a fraud—she never actually graduated from matchmaking school. In a competitive market like Toronto, no one wants to take a chance on an inexperienced and unaccredited matchmaker, and soon Sophie becomes an outcast.

In dire search of clients, Sophie stumbles upon a secret club within her condo complex: the Old Ducks, seven septuagenarian Chinese bachelors who never found love. Somehow, she convinces them to hire her, but her matchmaking skills are put to the test as she learns the depths of loneliness, heartbreak, and love by attempting to make the hardest matches of her life. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"With a vivid setting, a lovable heroine, and a supporting cast of unforgettable characters, Roselle Lim’s new novel about magical matchmaking sparkles. I was enchanted by this delightful tale about family, friendship, and the redemptive power of love." 

—Emily Giffin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be

"Lim’s third novel is a heartfelt exploration of the facets of love and found families. You’ll fall in love with the charming Old Ducks."

—Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart Principle

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club?
I wrote this book during the pandemic. I've lost my father-in-law to cancer during that time and yes, there is a palpable thread of melancholy and grief running through this novel. I wanted to make sure I added enough whimsy and humor to offset and balance the underlying tone.

The last few years of the pandemic was so difficult for me personally and I wrote a book reflecting this. It's truer to my overall vision that life isn't perfect and you have to make the best of what you get--with a lot of humour and grace.

How is Sophie similar to or different from you?
Sophie is an optimist and I'm naturally a pessimist. This is the biggest and most fundamental difference between us. She's still able to see all the wonderful possibilities despite the darkness looming overhead. I'd be the one first to shout the sky is falling then hide in a cave I'd have prepared long beforehand. I catastrophize by habit and I swear that I'm trying to break this. Writing about Sophie taught me that joy can be found in unexpected places.

If Sophie Go were made into a movie, which songs would be on the soundtrack?
It has to be all the Beatles songs that I've woven into the entire novel. If I have to narrow it down to five songs: "Here Comes the Sun," "The Long and Winding Road," "Octopus' Garden," "Across the Universe," and "All You Need is Love." These songs accompany or mention important scenes in the book.

Since Sophie is a big fan of sweets, what is your favorite candy?
I'm going to cheat and name my favourite snack instead. Since Sophie also loves her snacks, I think it's a fair swerve. My absolute, would hoard and never share item, is Japanese shrimp rice crackers (ebi senbei). The ones that I adore are infused with cheese. It's about the crunch and the umami. If you haven't tried it yet, you should.

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
If you're visiting me in Toronto, I'd take you to Casa Loma, a storybook castle with hidden passages. Then we'd head to  Streetsville, a picturesque small town with so much charm in the middle of the city, and the last stop would be outdoor skating rink at Nathan Phillips Square. These places are important to Sophie and Mr. Particular. When you read the book, you'll be able to see how each of these wonderful places contribute to the story.

Which TV series are you currently binge watching?
The Bear!!! I can't gush enough about it. My favorite character is Marcus and I adore him. The series itself was compelling and of course, with all the food/restaurant shots, it was spectacular, albeit stressful in some places. I'm so thrilled that there will be a season two.

Thanks to Roselle for chatting with us, Berkley for coordinating the interview, and BookSparks 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 August 21st at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Someone Else's Honeymoon

By Sara Steven

When Charley finds herself suddenly single on Christmas Day it feels like her world has fallen apart.

Forced to move back in with her parents, she embarks on a journey of re-invention. When she meets Ed, who is on honeymoon alone after being jilted at the altar by a bride he's never met, it looks like her life may be taking a turn for the better.

Fate, however, has other ideas, and she and Ed are forced apart.

Will she find her way back to him, or are they just not meant to be? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

I love the very first paragraph that starts off Someone Else’s Honeymoon: “A toothbrush. That’s what finally unraveled just over ten years of Josh and me. A fu***** toothbrush–can you believe it?” Right there, I knew I would be in for an interesting ride where relationships are concerned, and Charley’s experience doesn’t disappoint. There is a lot more involved than just the toothbrush and why she finds herself alone on Christmas Day. And all of it is the catalyst for the fateful trip she takes with her parents, discovering Ed. 

Charley is a likable character. Immediately you root for her, given the circumstances. It was also fun to witness the slow transformation of someone who has been stuck in a rut within a dead end relationship, and how she comes out of that. I think a lot of people can relate to that; finding the strength to go on without the person you’ve been with for so long. The struggle was shown well within the writing. 

It was fun to witness the budding relationship between Charley and Ed. It was an accidental romance in a sense, considering how they meet and what lends into the two of them even having a chance at something more. The scenario surrounding why Ed is on his own “vacation” was an interesting twist to things, too, one I didn’t see coming for Charley. 

The start of the story began with a bang in a sense, with the whole toothbrush debacle, and then it slowed down for me until about the middle. I kept waiting to see how Charley, or anyone else, would be on someone else's honeymoon, and when we discover that, the story begins to roll along again at a nice pace. Overall, I really enjoyed Charley’s experiences and misadventures with her love life, along with the road she takes while rediscovering herself. It was a sweet summer read. 

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

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

Phoebe MacLeod is the author of several popular laugh-out-loud romantic comedies. She mainly sets her books in her home county of Kent and her first new title for Boldwood will be published in November 2022. They will also be republishing her existing titles from August this year.

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Book Review: The Making of Her

By Jami Denison

With the country under turmoil after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, historical novels about women facing crisis pregnancies have more meaning and resonance than ever before. While The Making of Her, Irish-Australian author Bernadette Jiwa’s debut novel, has some issues, it’s a mesmerizing look at how a woman’s lack of choice reverberates over her entire life. 

In 1960s Dublin, Joan is the eldest daughter of an alcoholic dock worker, a man so weak that he gave up his younger children when his wife died in childbirth. Working in a factory and keeping house, Joan’s life has little sunshine until she spots a cute bike messenger. After they meet and flirt, Joan is stunned to learn that Martin is the scion of one of the most successful business owners in the city. Martin’s overbearing mother disapproves of the relationship, but the young couple continues to meet in secret until the inevitable happens…

In 1996, Joan and Martin have been unhappily married for 30 years. They still live with his mother, and their adult daughter, Carmel, helps out in the business. When the daughter they gave up for adoption finally contacts Joan, Martin doesn’t want her to respond due to fear for their reputation. But Joan has missed this girl every day since she gave her up. What will she do?

While the prose was often unsophisticated, this story drew me right in. It has a lot of classic soap opera beats, and I’ve always loved a good soap opera. The scenes in 1960s Dublin were especially compelling; Call The Midwife from the hardscrabble woman’s point-of-view. Jiwa demonstrates how sexism, classism, and religion combine to keep a poor young woman firmly in her station. Even when she manages to escape her old neighborhood, she’s still judged for it.

The novel is written in third person, from the points-of-view of Joan and her two daughters. While each of these women comes across as three-dimensional, Martin and his mother are opaque. Martin’s love for his younger daughter makes his decision to ignore his older one a mystery that the writer never really solves. And his mother never has a single human moment in the entire book. Still, it’s good soap opera and Jiwa delivers the emotional experience the reader wants.

The past, as the saying goes, is prologue, and as the nation reacts to women losing their bodily autonomy, books like The Making of Her are an important reminder of what’s at stake. Without options, an unplanned pregnancy can derail a woman’s entire life, or even end it. And that’s exactly what many forced-birth supporters want. 

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

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Raise a glass to Toni Glickman

Today we are pleased to welcome Toni Glickman to CLC. Her debut novel, Champagne at Seven!, is the first book in the Bitches of Fifth Avenue series. It sounds like a fun story and it's already getting great reviews on Amazon. Toni is here to tell us more about it and share some interesting things about herself, as well. Getting to know her is like having coffee, or champagne, with a close friend.

Toni Glickman is a former retail executive, who spent twenty years in the cashmere and silk-studded front lines in the luxury space of this piranha infested industry. Toni, in her provocative new book series Bitches of Fifth Avenue, reveals the story of life behind the luxury lines—what the client never sees. The exhaustion, depression, and anxiety-ridden days of an employee’s experience, which clients never realize. The fear of low sales numbers, of losing rank, of losing a job to someone with a better client book. Also, there’s the fear of returned merchandise and the constant worry of losing a client to another salesperson. Never a moment of purity, or peace, or calm. It is a life lived constantly on the edge. Saks Fifth Avenue, Prada, Jil Sander, Chanel, Bloomingdale’s and Burberry—these were just a few brands in which Toni achieved success before ultimately being backstabbed by those she thought she could trust. 

​Moving up the ladder from sales associate to industry executive, Toni compares working in the field to the front lines of a minefield. Her colleagues exemplified the mines in which she had to navigate through in order to survive and make her sales numbers, which is all that matters at the end of the day when the cash registers close. An employee in this industry is only respected by how much business is done, in business lingo: “day over day, month over month, and year over year”. Expectations run high, illness is not permitted, and personal lives are ignored. It is report after report, endless conference calls, sales strategies, and goals. Personal shoppers do whatever it takes—it is sell, sell, sell.

​Toni now enjoys life as a real estate professional, where she sets her own schedule and no longer needs to contend with maneuvering “bitchy” retail colleagues. She’s also a Francophile, plays classical piano, loves the cinema, travel, her children, family, friends, and Teacup Pomeranian—her very bold, spirited, and lovable pet dog. Visit Toni on Instagram.

Synopsis:
Olivia Wyatt, a mid-40s, rich Washingtonian who beautifully plays the part of mother, socialite, philanthropist, wife, and Stepford cut-out doll in the chardonnay and whiskey-wrapped superficial world in which she lives. Her exclusive last minute D.C. dinner party didn't quite end how she had anticipated. Tragic news was served up late night instead of her planned dessert of luscious and blissful black forest cake. Olivia and her daughter, Gwynnie, suddenly need to rebuild their lives—and themselves.

Olivia reluctantly moves from her Georgetown high society personal battlefield back to New York City, and is on the prowl for work, only to find herself fighting in the trenches of a new, more intense luxury retail sales war. She dodges designer landmines in her new job as a high-end personal shopper—which only catapults her into a fifth gear spin cycle of anxiety, insanity and toxicity. She is now working alongside Bitches of Fifth Avenue in a gut-wrenching and nerve-wracking struggle to maintain her sanity, and her bank account. Olivia needs to find her way, and fast, before she loses her mind—and her job. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Champagne at Seven! was everything you want from a summer read--smart, funny, and packed with heart. If you loved Sex and The City, Schitt's Creek, or The Devil Wears Prada, you'll love Champagne at Seven!"--Amazon reviewer

"Entertaining summer read that I was so engrossed in, I read it without stopping. Had to find out how Olivia and the elite DC scene live. Looking forward to Toni Glickman’s next book, and finding out how Olivia reinvents herself. Go Olivia!" --Amazon reviewer

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you? 
Ha! It was interesting. I had a book agent in NYC for a while who ultimately retired...I was lucky enough to sign with another agent who sold my MS to Speaking Volumes, LLC...a fabulous traditional small press publisher. Getting published takes a lot of time and patience.

My MS was originally one book but then my agent had the great idea to separate into a three book series - of course, I’ve had to go back in, change the endings of books one and two and the beginnings of two and three. And, giving each book its own name? It’s been fun!

How is Olivia similar to or different from you? 
I am similar to Olivia in the fact that I love to entertain, I love beautiful things and I lived in Georgetown - the historical DC neighborhood. I would add that I am also a little sassy and am true to myself, just like Olivia is. I always add one interesting and memorable accessory to every outfit!

If Champagne at Seven! were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles? 
I have so many ideas of who would play who...maybe Rachel McAdams, Sienna Miller, Katherine Heigl for Olivia, Neil Patrick Harris, Rupert Everett, Victor Garber or Jim Parsons for Felix? Emma Stone for Zoe. Maybe also Emma Mackey or Lili Reinhart as Gwynnie...this would be so fun to do! May I be that lucky!

Where is your favorite place to spend money? 
My answer to this question has changed over the years....Twenty years ago, I would have said the great luxury brands of the world. Now....it's depositing money into the bank!

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend? 
I just saw Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris...it's the story of a lovely English widow who works as a housekeeper, becomes enamored with a Christian Dior dress and finds herself in hot pursuit for one of her own!

Tell us about a memorable experience you had this summer. 
I just got back from a long weekend trip to NYC with my son. (My daughter Gigi was too busy to join!) Bruno and I hit the pavement and did the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, Empire State Building, Central Park tour, Broadway Show (Mr. Saturday Night...amazing!), Nintendo store (three visits to be specific), and had countless slices of pizza...all of that and even more Starbucks coffees for me to keep up with Bruno!

Thanks to Toni for visiting with us!

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Book Review: The Split

By Sara Steven

Two decades on from a passionate courtship and marriage, Lucas and Esther are getting divorced.

For Esther, it’s proving hard not to feel bitter watching Lucas enjoying his successful career, not to mention the attentions of his gorgeous, intelligent, and predictably younger lover. She meanwhile is struggling to forge a new life for herself, navigating the pitfalls of modern dating, while trying not to despair at the cost of living as a single woman of a certain age.

Then Lucas faces a shattering accusation at the same time as their children Dylan and Lily, start to implode. When Dylan runs away, and as his father fights to save his reputation, Lucas and Esther find themselves back in each other’s lives, whether they like it or not.

Has too much water passed under the bridge, or will long-forgotten loyalties and feelings bring the family back together, just when they need each other the most? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

It seems that nearly every character within The Split is going through major changes in their lives. Not only has Esther attempted to move on after divorcing her husband, Lucas, but her children are at an age where she’ll become an empty nester soon. Lucas believes he has found happiness again, only to have it threatened by the accusation mentioned in the synopsis. Lily is dealing with an unbearable secret, while Dylan decides to run away from what has tethered him to his family. The reader witnesses the slow unraveling of various choices made by each character, and the eventual outcome of those choices. 

I couldn’t help but feel for Esther. It appears as though she doesn’t have much support and has had to find a new way of life after the divorce. But it was nice to see the strength she has and how she endures, rediscovering herself. I could relate. I think many women can sort of lose themselves within their families and children, forgetting who they originally had been, and I could tell that she wanted to find some kind of balance between motherhood and newfound womanhood. 

Lucas was a gruff character. He reminded me of my grandfather, who had a much softer side to him tucked deep inside, and it was only on rare occasions when you’d get a glimpse of it. There is a backstory connected to Lucas’s personality which made sense and gave me a deeper understanding of who Lucas is. He can’t be trusted because he can’t trust. The accusation he’s dealing with sent me back several pages, in order to re-read the events that led to everything, trying to figure out if what he went through was justified. To be honest, I’m still not sure, because I could see both sides to the situation. 

Lily and Dylan had their own burdens to bear, yet given everything going on with their parents, the siblings chose to keep quiet. I thought the author did a great job of showing the slow burn that can happen when you are living with something that settles poorly on your psyche. Overall, The Split did that–showed what could happen if you choose to “live with” something instead of tackling it and moving on from it. All four characters have to figure it out, in order to find their way to one another again; in order to remain a family. It was an interesting look into quiet disarray, well written and expansive. 

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

Purchase Links:

Amazon US * Amazon UK

Amanda Brookfield is the bestselling author of 16 novels including Good Girls, her first book for Boldwood, Relative Love and Before I Knew You, as well as a memoir, For the Love of a Dog starring her Golden Doodle Mabel. She lives in London and has recently finished a year as Visiting Creative Fellow at University College Oxford.

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Jean Meltzer's perfect new novel...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Lisa Damico

We're so glad to have Jean Meltzer back at CLC today, to celebrate the publication of her delightful sophomore rom com, Mr. Perfect on Paper. Melissa loved this one just as much as The Matzah Ball, if not more. (See her review.) Jean is here to talk more about her writing, dating, and Jewish traditions. Thanks to MIRA, we have one copy to give away!

Jean Meltzer studied dramatic writing at NYU Tisch and has earned numerous awards for her work in television, including a daytime Emmy. Like her protagonist, Jean is also a chronically-ill and disabled Jewish woman. She is an outspoken advocate for ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), has attended visibility actions in Washington DC, meeting with members of Senate and Congress to raise funds for ME/CFS. She inspires 9,000 followers on WW Connect to live their best life, come out of the chronic illness closet, and embrace the hashtag #chronicallyfabulous. Also, while she was raised in what would be considered a secular home, she grew up kosher and attended Hebrew School. She spent five years in rabbinical school before her chronic illness forced her to withdraw, and her father told her she should write a book―just not a Jewish one because no one reads those. 

Visit Jean online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis:

The perfect Jewish husband should be:

• A doctor or lawyer (preferably a doctor)
• Baggage-free (no previous marriages, no children)
• And of course—he must be Jewish

As the creator and CEO of the popular Jewish dating app J-Mate, matchmaker Dara Rabinowitz knows the formula for lasting love—at least, for everyone else. When it comes to her own love life, she’s been idling indefinitely. Until her beloved bubbe shares Dara’s checklist for “The Perfect Jewish Husband” on national television and charming news anchor Chris Steadfast proposes they turn Dara’s search into must-see TV.

As a non-Jewish single dad, Chris doesn’t check any of Dara’s boxes. But her hunt for Mr. Perfect is the ratings boost his show desperately needs. If only Chris could ignore his own pesky attraction to Dara—a task much easier said than done when Dara starts questioning if “perfect on paper” can compete with how hard she’s falling for Chris… (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“A delightful romantic comedy that reminds us to follow our hearts.”

—Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling author

"Grab some popcorn! Mr. Perfect on Paper reads so cinematically, I felt like I was watching my favorite rom-com for the first time. This book is delightfully Jewish—it had me absolutely kvelling over the representation. What a joy to read!"

—Haley Neil, author of Once More with Chutzpah

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
For me, it’s less about the writing itself and what my books put into the world. I’m always so beyond touched when someone who has read my books tell me that they felt seen. That how I described an experience—such as living with ME/CFS in The Matzah Ball or living with Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Mr. Perfect on Paper—resonates with them in a way that feels truthful. Or, to hear a reader say, “This book put into words what I experience but could never explain.” People need language to help them express themselves, and their reality to others. I love when my books can facilitate that.  

Beyond that, and something I’m truly proud of as a rom-com author, is how many people have reached out to me to tell me that my books have made them laugh during a period of difficult. That after a death, or during challenging times, my books were their safe space. I guess the old saying holds true. You can take the girl out of rabbinical school…

I feel so darn blessed that I have a job where I get to put good things into the world, where I get to write books that ultimately help other people. It’s interesting that so many people think of romance as fluffy, or predictable, because in my experience, it is the exact opposite. Romance can be healing in profound and important ways. 

What did you learn from writing The Matzah Ball that you applied to Mr. Perfect on Paper?
One thing that’s important to remember about my writing journey, is that I never expected The Matzah Ball to get published. I wrote that book during the pandemic, as a way to hold onto my joy, and as a gift for my niece who needed a book where Jewish women loved their noses. Everything else which came after writing it was wonderful, but it wouldn’t have changed my experience, or feelings, about that book. 

And so, when I sat down to write Mr. Perfect on Paper—I tried to hold on to that aspect of what brings me to the page. I tried to keep writing with joy. And I putting all the rest of it—deadlines, sales, publicity, etc.—out of my mind. 

If Mr. Perfect on Paper were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I always get this question, and I always answer it the same way. I do not know celebrities, at all. Unless they are Real Housewives. Sadly, I don’t think any of them are right for Mr. Perfect on Paper. 

What is the strangest Jewish ritual for you to have to explain to someone? 
EASY! Hoshana Rabbah, which is the holiday right at the end of Sukkot and before Simchat Torah. During the service, a bunch of people in Tallit (prayer shawls) go around in a circle, over and over, shaking and waving lulav (long ancient palms) all while holding an etrog (a lemon, but with a fancy tip.) And then, during the circle dancing, after waving and shaking and chanting, you take those palms and that fancy lemon, AND SMASH THEM ALL OVER THE GROUND! Then you go around and do the whole thing again, and again, and again…  chant, wave, shake, smash… chant, wave, shake, smash… 

Honestly, the first time I saw it I thought, “This is the most pagan thing I have ever seen in my whole life.” Participating in it is even weirder. You really do feel like you’re in a Fellini movie. It’s actually so hard to explain that, even though Mr. Perfect on Paper covers the High Holiday cycle from Rosh Hashanah to Simchat Torah and into Hanukkah, I purposefully left Hoshana Rabbah out. 

Tell us how you met your husband.
I met my husband on a cruise to Bermuda. I was a first year rabbinical school, and he was a college student, in the military, about to deploy to Iraq. Plot twist—he also wasn’t Jewish. We clicked immediately, and two weeks later, he came to my house for Rosh Hashanah, took one bite of my brisket, and said, “Jean. I’m going to marry you.” LOL 

Thankfully, everything worked out for us in the end. But our relationship, the idea that you could be deeply committed to your faith, but fall in love with someone outside your faith, despite your best intentions to do otherwise, became the inspiration for my second book, Mr. Perfect on Paper. 

Since Dara has a few bad dates, tell us about the worst date you've ever been on. 
Oh man. I would feel too bad telling those stories! But I will say that one of the dates in Mr. Perfect on Paper was inspired by a real life event. I’ll leave it to you to guess which one, though. 

Thanks to Jean for chatting with us and to MIRA 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. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends August 14th at midnight EST.

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