The Royal Treatment (A MUST read book)

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

Synopsis (from Amazon): Ultra-private, ridiculously handsome Crown Prince Arthur has always gotten by on his charm. But that won’t be enough now that the Royal Family is about to be ousted from power once and for all. When Prince Arthur has to rely on the one woman in the kingdom who hates him most, he must learn that earning the love of a nation means first risking his heart.

Twenty-eight-year-old Tessa Sharpe, a.k.a. The Royal Watchdog, hates everything about Prince Arthur. As far as she’s concerned, he’s an arrogant, lazy leech on the kingdom of Avonia. When he shocks the nation by giving her the keys to the castle, Tessa has no choice but to accept and move in for two months. It’s lust at first sight, but there’s no way she can give in to her feelings—not if she wants to have a career or a shred of pride left when her time at the palace ends…

Can two natural enemies find their forever in each other’s arms, or will they ruin each other to save themselves?

One (or more) Sentence Summary: If I had a 10 star, I would give it to The Royal Treatment.  I absolutely, without a doubt loved this book.  The Royal Treatment had me in stitches.  I haven't laughed so much while reading a book in a long time (thank you M.J.).  I would say, The Royal Treatment is a Prince Mia (Meg Cabot, Princess Diary Series) for adults.  There is also a mix of Bridget Jones (Helen Fielding), Becky Bloomwood (Sophia Kinsella) and Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich) in the main character, Tessa.  

I really don't want to give away anything here and I can't emphasize enough that this is a MUST read book.  It has been my number one read this year.  Tessa is down on her luck and trying to make ends meets after being fired.  She starts a blog that is geared towards eliminating the Royal families power.  She also has a blog that reviews different products that never seem to go just right. She is clumsy, adorable, smart, witty and finds herself in unusual situations.

Prince Arthur, all I can say is....sigh. Or maybe I should say....yummy!

*SPECIAL WARNING: As per legal counsel, Melanie Summers will not be responsible for others assuming you’ve gone crazy and/or accidents or injuries caused by laughing fits while reading The Royal Treatment. For your own safety: Do not read this book while driving, cooking, walking on slippery surfaces and/or crossing busy roads. Thank you.*

Would I Read Other Books by the Author: I can NOT wait for book 2 (The Royal Wedding out September 7th)  in this series.  PLEASE M.J. remember me when it becomes available.  I will drop everything else just to read book 2!

What Others Are Saying:  

Shockingly Funny!
~ Kim – Effing book club ~

“A laugh-out-loud, unputdownable book... (it) left me feeling like I’d just watched a great chick flick with a happily ever after. Loved it!! 
~ Carissa James, Reviewer ~

“A gorgeously funny, romantic and seductive modern fairytale…
I have never laughed out loud so much in my life...incredibly funny, witty, romantic, swoony. It quite simply is unforgettable and impossible to leave behind. It just keeps replaying itself over and over again in my mind and making me lust for it— and more.”
~ MammieBabbie Book Club ~

“Impossible to put down. This book will forever reside in my ‘read over and over again’ list! YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!”
~ Marie LaFrance, Author ~

MJ Summers currently resides in Edmonton, Canada, with her husband, three young children, and their goofy dog. When she's not writing romance novels, she loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. MJ also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken ‘from above’. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something. More like just staying until they turn the lights off. MJ is a member of the Romance Writers of America, as well as the International Women's Writing Guild. MJ would love to hear from you! She does her best to respond to all inquiries and emails personally. 

*PLEASE NOTE: The Crown Jewels Series is not a typical MJ Summers book. It’s a light romantic comedy, very heavy on the laughs with a low steam level (but lots of delicious sexual tension and some swearing).*

If you would like her to attend a book club meeting via Skype please contact her to book a date. Website: www.mjsummersbooks.com 
Email: mjsummersbooks@gmail.com 

Facebook   Twitter   Google+   Goodreads  

Instagram  Amazon Author Central    Newsletter Sign-up 

Amazon 

The Buffer Zone Diet

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

Synopsis (from Amazon): WHAT'S YOUR LIFE WORTH? 

When you're drowning, the last thing you do before you go unconscious is take a breath. The carbon dioxide rises so much in your blood it overpowers the last few molecules of oxygen in your body. You reach your breaking point, then you inhale. I inhaled food my whole life and I reached my breaking point in my battle with weight loss.

Right at the moment I was ready to give up, I had some last thoughts:

What if there were things I believed that weren't true? What if calories in and calories out had exceptions? What if we don't all metabolize food the same? Why can't we successfully lose weight and keep it off? I had to find out - my life depended on it. In my quest to break my weight loss code, the Buffer Zone is the space where I found my truth. 
 
The Buffer Zone diet is the answer to all of these questions and more. In this book you will learn:
 

• The Top Ten lies we've been told about our diet
• Tips for distinguishing between emotional hunger and physical hunger
• How to create nutrient-dense meals to keep physical hunger at bay
• Science between weight loss and weight gain 
• Five distinct blueprints for designing the new and healthiest you 
• Strategies for breaking through weight loss plateaus 
• The Four Laws of Weight Management 
• And most importantly, the formula that regulates weight for the human body!

No matter where you are in your weight-loss journey or quest for a healthy lifestyle The Buffer Zone Diet is a must-read to help you get started on a path to success!

One (or more) Sentence Summary: Do you struggle with your weight? I sure do.  I often need to read books like The Buffer Zone Diet to get my head back in the game. The end of March, I gave up McDonald's Coke (the absolute best Coke in the world), which I HAD to have daily.  Cold turkey gave it up because I got mad at my doctor, who told me I had to do something NOW (thanks doc)!  I have lost 20 pounds.  However, I haven't lost anything this past month.  Buffer Zone Diet....here I come.

I was pulled in by the first chapter and the ten lies.  I am not sure I agree that they are all lies, but that is okay.  As I continued to read the book, it helped me layout some "rules" to follow.  As the book indicated, most people get more than enough protein, I realized I am not getting nearly enough protein.  I have a list of foods that will help me up my game in that category.  

The other thing I really need to do (and I knew/know it) is exercise.  I liked the different options in the book and allows me to tailor my weeks to ensure I get my daily dose of exercise. I am hoping this will help me past my plateau.  

I find the slow steady weight loss makes me feel better, have more energy and want to continue to eat healthy instead of sucking down my McDonald's Coke.  Don't get me wrong, there are stressful days that I would love to drive thru and pick one up, but I have to keep in mind that is emotional hunger not real hunger.  This is also discussed in the book.

Fred Cuellar has distinguished himself in various fields. He is one of the world’s top diamond experts, a three-time Guinness Book record holder in jewelry design, a consultant to investment and financial firms, and a best-selling author. His clients include the Dallas Cowboys, the Denver Broncos, the Detroit Redwings, plus celebrities associated with Lionsgate and the Rubik’s Brand. His personal commitment to making a difference in people’s lives has taken him on a journey into the world of obesity, and his discoveries not only saved his life but can save yours.  

Amazon 

The Book of Awesome Women

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

Synopsis (from Amazon): Super women ─ who are some of the most awesome women in history?

Sheroes: Women hold up half the sky and, most days, do even more of the heavy lifting including childbearing and child-rearing. All after a long day at the office. Women have always been strong, true heroes ─ sheroes, oftentimes unacknowledged. As we shake off the last traces of a major patriarchal hangover, women are coming into their own. In the 21st Century, all women can fully embrace their fiery fempower and celebrate their no-holds-barred individuality. It is time to acknowledge the successful women of the world.

Super women as female role models: From the foremothers who blazed trails and broke barriers, to today's women warriors from sports, science, cyberspace, city hall, the lecture hall, and the silver screen, The Book of Awesome Women paints 200 portraits of powerful and inspiring role models for women and girls poised to become super women of the future.

Successful women: Some of the super women you will meet in The Book of Awesome Women:

• Dian Fossey
• Martina Navratilova
• Sojourner Truth
• Indira Ghandi 
• Aretha Franklin
• Margaret Mead
• Coretta Scott King
• Georgia O'Keeffe
• Jackie Joyner-Kersee
• Joan Baez
• Eleanor Roosevelt
• Coco Chanel
• Anita Hill
• Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Maathai
• and many more
  
  Now is the time to acknowledge the greatness of women!

One (or more) Sentence Summary: I love books that promote awesomeness.  Add to that, women who have done amazingly awesome things in the past and you have a winner.  The Book of Awesome Women is something should be celebrated and shared with others (especially your kids, grandchildren, nieces and nephews).  I was recently going through a what I will call a personal struggle; however, after reading The Book of Awesome Women, I realized my struggle was not real and I needed to move on.  Thanks Awesome Women!

This week bought a bracelet for an amazing friend with "She needed a hero, so she became one," etched on it.  I have wrapped it up with a copy of The Book of Awesome Women.  An awesome gift for an awesome women.  I can't wait to give it to her next week.  

Becca Anderson is a writer, gardener and teacher living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Originally from Ohio, Becca s background in sustainability and landscaping inspired her to become a part of the seed-saving and seed-sharing community with chapters across the US and Canada. Becca Anderson credits her first grade teacher as a great inspiration and runs several popular classes and workshops including How to Put Your Passion on Paper. Anderson and is currently at work on a book about the healing power of gardening.

Amazon 

Doll House

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

Synopsis (from Amazon): When she arrives at the famed Barbizon Hotel in 1952, secretarial school enrollment in hand, Darby McLaughlin is everything her modeling agency hall mates aren't: plain, self-conscious, homesick, and utterly convinced she doesn't belong - a notion the models do nothing to disabuse. Yet when Darby befriends Esme, a Barbizon maid, she's introduced to an entirely new side of New York City: seedy downtown jazz clubs where the music is as addictive as the heroin that's used there, the startling sounds of bebop, and even the possibility of romance. 

Over half a century later, the Barbizon's gone condo, and most of its long-ago guests are forgotten. But rumors of Darby's involvement in a deadly skirmish with a hotel maid back in 1952 haunt the halls of the building as surely as the melancholy music that floats from the elderly woman's rent-controlled apartment. It's a combination too intoxicating for journalist Rose Lewin, Darby's upstairs neighbor, to resist - not to mention the perfect distraction from her own imploding personal life. Yet as Rose's obsession deepens, the ethics of her investigation become increasingly murky, and neither woman will remain unchanged when the shocking truth is finally revealed.

One (or more) Sentence Summary: I really enjoyed the story and the setting in the 50's. I was not expecting the relationship between Darby and Esme. I liked the current day part of the book where Rose is investigating Darby's story.  Past meets the presents creates a great story.

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  I would really like to read The Address.

Fiona Davis was born in Canada and raised in New Jersey, Utah, and Texas. She began her career in New York City as an actress, where she worked on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in regional theater. After ten years, she changed careers, working as an editor and writer specializing in health, fitness, nutrition, dance, and theater.

She's a graduate of the College of William & Mary and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and is based in New York City. She loves nothing more than hitting farmers' markets on weekends in search of the perfect tomato and traveling to foreign cities steeped in history, like London and Cartagena. The Dollhouseis her first novel.

Amazon