Showing posts with label Looks Like A Great Read. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Looks Like A Great Read. Show all posts

Saturday, January 18, 2020

The After Wife on Sale NOW (by my favorite author)




I am so excited to let you all know that until Sunday, January 19, 2020, The After Wife by Melanie Summer (and my favorite author) is on sale for $0.99 ($0.00 on KindleUnlimited)!  

Buy it now at Amazon!






Synopsis (from Amazon):  From bestselling author Melanie Summers, comes a heartfelt and uplifting tale of love, loss, and letting go...

After losing her husband, writer Abigail Carson has all but given up on life. Having spent the last year cocooned in her Manhattan apartment, Abigail is suddenly forced to find a new home where she can stretch her dwindling savings. Intent on isolation, she moves to a tiny village in Nova Scotia where she’ll have no one to interrupt her solitude. 

Little does Abigail realize that small-town life offers far less privacy than the big city. With neighbors knocking on the door bearing homemade treats and invitations, Abby soon finds herself immersed in the lives of the people of South Haven. She forms an unlikely friendship with Liam Wright, the handyman renovating her dilapidated cottage, and his daughter, seven-year-old Olive.

As the dark cloud engulfing Abigail lifts, she starts to think she may have found love again. But just as Abigail is ready to leap, she discovers Liam carries with him a shocking secret that will ultimately cause everything to unravel. Abigail must decide if she will turn away from his pain or open her heart in the most hopeless of circumstances.

Insightful, heartwarming, and filled with hope, The After Wife reminds us of the importance of human connection and the inseparable nature of love and survival.



WO TIME BRONZE MEDAL WINNER OF THE READERS' FAVORITE CHICK LIT AWARD FOR THE ROYAL TREATMENT (2017) AND WHISKED AWAY (2019).

Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published eleven novels and three novellas. She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.

In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for ‘K’ Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn’t require makeup and/or nylons).

Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three sporty nerd children, their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog, Lucy, and a small furry dictator named Nelson. When she's not writing novels, Melanie 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. She 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.

She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International. Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.

Website: www.mjsummersbooks.com

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Silence Interrupted

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



Synopsis: Two months before Troye Saavedra’s senior year of high school, his father’s drinking problem skyrockets. When Troye’s parents make an impulsive move to Georgia in order to “help” him finish high school on a positive note, he is forced to leave behind everything he knows. Things couldn’t get worse for Troye. That is, until he meets three enigmatic teenagers: Adelaide, an independent violinist with radical ideas; Zaidan, fiercely loyal and always funny; and Arabella, a girl who harbors secret struggles. Together, the four friends try to pick up the jagged pieces of their lives without getting hurt themselves. An insightful tale of perseverance, Silence Interrupted is a young adult novel about the beauty and peril of traversing the world as a teenager.





Sania Shaikh is a junior at Cambridge High School. Inspired to write from a young age, she worked on Silence Interrupted, her debut novel, starting in eighth grade.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Buy the Book:  Amazon


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Domestic Affairs: A Campaign Novel - Interview with Author Bridget Siegel




Synopsis (from Amazon): When twentysomething political fund-raiser Olivia Greenley gets tapped to work on the presidential campaign of Georgia governor, Landon Taylor, it’s her dream job. Her best friend in the world is the campaign manager, and Taylor is a decent, charismatic idealist, with a real chance to be a great leader. Sacrificing her sleep, comfort, friends, family and income for a year to make the world a better place is the right call, but what happens when both Campaign Lesson #1, No Kissing the Boss, and Lesson #2, Loyalty Above All, go down in flames before the first primary? 

Bridget Siegel, veteran of the John Edwards and President Obama campaigns, vividly captures the idealism and chaos, as well as the emotional heat and corruption, of the candidate’s bubble. What becomes of Olivia’s best friends when she must keep from them the biggest secret of her life?   Is the candidate a true romantic or a political hypocrite? How far can she go to justify her happiness?

Told with savvy, humor, and delicious inside-the-Beltway detail, Domestic Affairs is a page-turning tale of love on the campaign trail—and its consequences—from a consummate political insider.



Q & A: with Bridget Siegel, Author of Domestic Affairs: A Campaign Novel 


Favorite color, food, drink and animal?
Blue, French fries, Patron Silver with a couple of limes and horses. 
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I'm in the process of finishing my first feature film. I acted in it and I'm producing it and the combination of the two takes up all my time, free and otherwise! It's called That Thing With The Cat and hopefully it will be hitting a film festival soon! 
When/Why did you start writing?
I have always loved to write but never actually thought I'd be lucky enough to do it professionally. I started in earnest after I stopped working on campaigns and had real time to reflect on all of the experiences. 
What is your favorite writing spot?
The NYC Subway or more specifically the N/R line and sometimes the Q if I have less to write. The subway is the only place I can actually get writing done. There's just enough commotion to keep me from daydreaming and not enough to distract me. I'm probably one of the few New Yorkers who is not excited to see them putting Wi-Fi in the subway tunnels. 
Do you have writing routine?
I board the closest subway and pull out my trusty BlackBerry. I have it down almost to a science -- I can write 2500 words if I go all the way to the Coney Island stop, 1500 to Atlantic Blvd and so on. 
Who are some of your favorite authors?
So many!   Paolo Coehlo, Lindsay Kelk, Jennifer Weiner, Andy Tobias, Jeff Madrick, Alberto Hazan
How's that for a random mix?! I also love reading plays, any and all. 
Can you read other books while writing your own?
Yes. Reading inspires me to write. 
What are currently (or last read) reading now?
I just finished reading Lauren Graham's book, Someday, Someday Maybe and I'm so excited to see it made into a tv show. As an aspiring actress I thought it was a great read and a good handbook for making it through! 
What is your favorite genre?
I'm a total sucker for romantic comedies. 
What is your favorite(s) song/movie/play/TV show?
Song - Anything by Eminem
Movie - I watch the old Sabrina almost every night. It's like my own version of a lullaby. And Animal House and Major League. I can literally recite both of those movies by heart. (So I'm really annoying to watch them with!) 
Play - The best play I ever saw was La Bete with Mark Rylance. He is bar none the most incredible actor I've ever seen take the stage. I also love musicals, especially Rent which I saw an embarrassing amount of times.
TV show - I love creative tv shows like Project Runway and Fabulous Cakes -- and I pretend after I watch them that I know how to do what they do, which usually ends with me covered in a mess of fabric or icing. I'm also obsessed with David Tutera's My Fair Wedding. His weddings are works of art. It's an event planner's dream! And I love Scandal, Newsroom, Modern Family, Friends, Will and Grace -- the list goes on and on. I love tv. 
If you could go anywhere for vacation/holiday, where would you go?
Disney World, my happy place. I'd also love to explore South Africa one day. 
Which would you pick:
Ocean/beach or pool: POOL, I don't like mysterious creatures under my feet, though I definitely love the seaside! 
Coffee or tea: COFFEE (though some would call what I drink milk and sugar with a touch of coffee) 
Fruit or candy: CANDY, this one was easy. The more sugar, the better. 
A book or e-book: BOOK 
Computer or tablet/smart phone: BLACKBERRY 
Camping or Hoteling: HOTELING 
Driving or Flying: DRIVING 
Connect:  You can connect with Bridget online at her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterst and GoodReads

Purchase:  You can purchase Domestic Affairs: A Campaign Novel online from Amazon for $15.99.


Friday, February 22, 2013

Heart Like Mine - Coming Soon!



Synopsis: Thirty-six-year-old Grace McAllister never longed for children. But when she meets Victor Hansen, a handsome, charismatic divorced restaurateur who is father to Max and Ava, Grace decides that, for the right man, she could learn to be an excellent part-time stepmom. After all, the kids live with their mother, Kelli. How hard could it be?
At thirteen, Ava Hansen is mature beyond her years. Since her parents’ divorce, she has been taking care of her emotionally unstable mother and her little brother—she pays the bills, does the laundry, and never complains because she loves her mama more than anyone. And while her father’s new girlfriend is nice enough, Ava still holds out hope that her parents will get back together and that they’ll be a family again. But only days after Victor and Grace get engaged, Kelli dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances—and soon, Grace and Ava discover that there was much more to Kelli’s life than either ever knew.
Narrated by Grace and Ava in the present with flashbacks into Kelli’s troubled past, Heart Like Mine is a poignant, hopeful portrait of womanhood, love, and the challenges and joys of family life.

I can't wait to read Heart Like Mine, which came out March 19th! 

Meet the AuthorAmy Hatvany is the author of Outside the Lines, Best Kept Secret, and The Language of Sisters. She lives in Seattle with her family.




Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Y: A Novel


My Rating:  Oh, this is so good and I have about 100 pages left to read.  It is driving my crazy that I can't find time to read this time of year.  

Synopsis:  “Y. That perfect letter. The wishbone, fork in the road, empty wineglass. The question we ask over and over. Why? . . . My life begins at the Y.” So opens Marjorie Celona’s highly acclaimed and exquisitely rendered debut about a wise-beyond-her-years foster child abandoned as a newborn on the doorstep of the local YMCA. Swaddled in a dirty gray sweatshirt with nothing but a Swiss Army knife tucked between her feet, little Shannon is discovered by a man who catches only a glimpse of her troubled mother as she disappears from view. That morning, all three lives are forever changed.


Bounced between foster homes, Shannon endures abuse and neglect until she finally finds stability with Miranda, a kind but no-nonsense single mother with a free-spirited daughter of her own. Yet Shannon defines life on her own terms, refusing to settle down, and never stops longing to uncover her roots—especially the stubborn question of why her mother would abandon her on the day she was born.

Brilliantly and hauntingly interwoven with Shannon’s story is the tale of her mother, Yula, a girl herself who is facing a desperate fate in the hours and days leading up to Shannon’s birth. As past and present converge, tells an unforgettable story of identity, inheritance, and, ultimately, forgiveness. Celona’s ravishingly beautiful novel offers a deeply affecting look at the choices we make and what it means to be a family, and it marks the debut of a magnificent new voice in contemporary fiction.

My Review:  I will post a review as soon as I finish Y.  I really wish I could stay awake more than 5 minutes at night....this book is too good!  


Meet the Author:  Marjorie Celona received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was an Iowa Arts Fellow and recipient of the John C. Schupes fellowship. Her stories have appeared in Best American Nonrequired Reading, Glimmer Train, and Harvard Review. Born and raised on Vancouver Island, she lives in Cincinnati.

Marjorie - I moved from the Cincinnati area to NY four years ago.  I still want to move back.  I miss it so much.

Purchase it:  You can purchase Y a novel online at Amazon for $24.99 (Kindle version $11.99).

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Goodnight, Brian Guest Post




Brief Synopsis: 
Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino – who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.

An emotional tale about the strength of family bonds, unconditional love, and the perseverance to do our best with the challenging gifts we receive, Goodnight, Brian is an uplifting tribute to what happens when giving up is not an option.
 


Author Bio:  Steven Manchester is the published author of the #1 best seller, Twelve Months, as well as A Christmas Wish (the holiday prequel to Goodnight, Brian). He is also the Pressed Pennies, The Unexpected Storm: The Gulf War Legacy and Jacob Evans, as well as several books under the pseudonym, Steven Herberts. His work has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CBS'sThe Early Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly News. Recently, three of his short stories were selected "101 Best" for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. 

Connect:  You can connect with Steven Manchester online, at Sunlife and Facebook.  

Purchase It:  You can purchase Goodnight, Brian online at Amazon (paperback and kindle version available) or Barnes and Noble/Nook version.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Holiday Man + Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match


I was so excited to get an update from Marilyn Brant.  I love her books!  Here is her latest book - sounds like a perfect read for this week and the price is fantastic!




Get caught up in a modern romance that -- like the famous Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire film,"Holiday Inn" -- takes place over a year of holidays... 

Shannon Quinn is the small-town girl who runs "Holiday Quinn" -- a holiday-themed inn based in scenic Door County, Wisconsin.

One winter evening, wealthy Minneapolis businessman, Bram Hartwick, blows into town along with the fast-falling snow. The sparks Bram and Shannon create succeed in heating up the chilly Midwestern night, not to mention plenty of holiday weekends in the year that follows...

But is their relationship only for special occasions, or might it be the elusive everyday love that neither thought could be found?

Available digitally for just $2.99 at:


Praise for HOLIDAY MAN:
"The chemistry that the author created between the two [characters] was raw and sizzled throughout the story. For that alone, this is one worthy read!" ~Bookworm2Bookworm

"Festive, light, and hot – Holiday Man is a terrific and engaging contemporary romance." ~Austenesque Reviews 

"I love it when the characters have that chemistry... when their fingers touch, and they feel that tingle. Shannon and Bram have that special magic between them..." ~So Little Time



Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match!!
Coming to EBOOK on JANUARY 15th:

Read the Full Chapter One EXCERPT!
    Perfect Match - large 2





















You can check out all the news from Marilyn Brant by visiting her website.