Twin Piques by Tracie Banister

It's the official release day of Twin Piques by Tracie Banister! Don't you love the cover? It's one of my favorite covers. It's so eye-catching and gorgeous. Well done to the designer, Lyndsey Lewellen! I'm really excited about this book because I love Tracie's writing style. Her previous book, In Need of Therapy, is fantastic! I haven't read her debut novel, Blame It on the Fame, but it's definitely on my to-read list. Tracie's writing in In Need of Therapy is really sharp, witty, and clever. I started reading Twin Piques a few days ago (I'm reviewing it a week from today, so stay tuned!), and I can already say the same about the writing in her new book. I'm enjoying it so far! Tracie is definitely an author to watch in Chick Lit. She self-publishes her novels, and I'm guessing that's by choice because it's hard to believe an agent and major publisher haven't discovered her and signed her by now. 

Here's the synopsis of Twin Piques: Forensic accountant Sloane Tobin and kooky pet psychic Willa may have the same face, but that’s the only thing these identical twins have in common. 

How she can read the hearts and minds of animals has always been a mystery to Willa, and her rotten luck with men is equally baffling. Although she’s been looking for “The One” for what feels like forever (A teenage marriage to a French mime and dating a guy named Spider seemed like good ideas at the time!), optimistic Willa refuses to give up on love. When she meets Brody, the handsome rose expert hired to save her grandmother’s garden, she’s instantly smitten, but why does he keep sending her mixed signals? Does he return her feelings, or is their attraction all in her fanciful head? 

Unlike her twin, Sloane has zero interest in romance. Her passion is her job, where she uses her gift for numbers to take down slimy embezzlers and asset-hiding spouses. When she’s assigned two high profile cases, Sloane feels confident the promotion she’s been angling for is within her grasp. But will her plan to climb the corporate ladder be thwarted by difficult clients, her co-worker-with-benefits, or – most surprisingly of all – her own sister? And how’s she supposed to stay focused on the drama at work when her childhood friend, Gav, moves in next door and the spark between them becomes impossible to ignore? 

To get what they both want, can Willa and Sloane band together and rely on each other’s strengths? Or will their differences drive them apart once and for all?

An avid reader and writer, Tracie Banister has been scribbling stories since she was a child, most of them featuring feisty heroines with complicated love lives like her favorite fictional protagonist Scarlett O'Hara. Her work was first seen on the stage of her elementary school, where her 4th grade class performed an original holiday play that she penned. (Like all good divas-in-the-making, she also starred in and tried to direct the production.) Tracie’s dreams of authorial success were put on the backburner when she reached adulthood and discovered that she needed a "real" job in order to pay her bills. Her career as personal assistant to a local entrepreneur lasted for 12 years. When it ended, she decided to follow her bliss and dedicate herself to writing full-time. Twin Piques is her third Chick Lit release. The pet psychic character in this novel was inspired by Tracie’s rascally rescue dogs. She’d love to know what goes on in their heads!

For more information, please visit Tracie's blog and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Editor's Pick: What Happens to Men When They Move to Manhattan?

Life in the city gives 23-year-old Amalia Hastings a ride she is not expecting. As she tries to find her way on the little island that never sleeps, she discovers she has a harder time navigating through life than she does the streets of Greenwich Village! She thought she had everything she wanted – a new apartment in Manhattan, a first-rate education at NYU, a group of trusted friends, and Nicholas, a boyfriend who she once believed was her soul-mate. But somehow, it isn’t enough. Stumbling through her relationships, Amalia encounters Michael, an attractive classmate who quickly moves from being one of her close friends to an inconsistent friend-with-benefits. After all, the only thing consistent about New York is its beauty. Amalia is essentially torn between two men, and Michael is torn between two women. Her best friend Cassandra is being strung along by her "boyfriend," Bryce, and even her friend Olivia is having a secret relationship! After getting terribly lost searching for love in all the wrong places, Amalia finds herself asking – what happens to men when they move to Manhattan?

*Editor's Pick* What Happens to Men When They Move to Manhattan? is a fun novel set in the college scene. Amalia is in grad school, so she's grown up, but also not quite there yet. She's still figuring out life and love and trying to navigate complicated friendships all while getting her master's degree. Amalia has to persevere through heartbreak and uncertainties in her personal life in order to focus on the bigger picture and what she really wants for herself. Jill Knapp's writing style is lighthearted and insightful, making this an easy yet thought provoking read. From the first page, she transports readers to the often confusing, always exciting time in our lives that is young adulthood. The characters are very real, all with the appropriate balance of immaturity and desire to take more control of their lives. If you're looking for new adult fiction without the romance novel cover and overly serious, graphic content, then definitely give this book a try. It breaks the new adult mold and gives chick lit readers something to enjoy in this category. 

Read an excerpt from What Happens to Men When They Move to Manhattan? at Harper Impulse.

A native New Yorker, Jill Knapp spends her time blogging for The Huffington Post where she writes about New York City, dating, and relationships. She has a master's degree in psychology, and she is a former college professor. In addition to her psychology background, she competed in and taught figure skating for over a decade. What Happens to Men When They Move to Manhattan? is Jill's debut novel, and the first in a series of books she is writing about being young, single, and living in New York City. She currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, please visit Jill's website, and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

International Spotlight: When Hari Met His Saali (India)

When Hari Met His Saali by Harsh Warrdhan 

Her idea of romance comes from movies and magazines. His idea of romance is that it is unnecessary.

Tia was in love with her career and her lifestyle in America. And she was madly in love with Hari. But where was the romance she craved? Simi was the young girl left behind in a small town in India who hadn't seen her sister for years.  She was a dreamer. But what did she really want out of life? And then there was Hari.  Straight-forward and uncomplicated, it felt like nothing he did was ever good enough for Tia. But didn't every man want an ambitious and successful wife no matter how demanding they were? Theirs was a love story that was never going to be conventional. But what happened to Hari and Tia was something that nobody would have predicted. Mix two sisters with bad history between them and one clueless man, to form one wacky triangle, and you get a cautionary lesson in how you should be careful of what you wish for in the name of love?

Set in Los Angeles and Nagpur, India, When Hari Met His Saali is a funny, fresh, and outrageous look at young people and their dreams, longings, aches and heartbreaks. It is a fascinating take on the grand idea of love and the reality of romance. In a breezy, humorous narrative anchored around a magical twist, the story of Tia, Simi and Hari unfolds from romantic comedy to suspense.

Coming Soon: Right Click

Right Click by Lisa Becker

Love. Marriage. Infidelity. Parenthood. Crises of identity. Death. Cupcakes.

The themes in Right Click, the third and final installment in the Click series, couldn't be more pressing for this group of friends as they navigate through their 30's. Another six months have passed since we last eavesdropped on the hilarious, poignant and often times inappropriate email adventures of Renee and friends. As the lighthearted, slice of life story continues to unfold, relationships are tested and some need to be set "right" before everyone can find their "happily ever after."