New to My Kindle: Finding Lucas, How to Eat a Cupcake, The Pollyanna Plan, and Yours Truly

Finding Lucas by Samantha Stroh Bailey
Can you ever really go back to the past? After five long years of living with Derek, her former bad-boy-turned-metrosexual boyfriend, Jamie Ross finally reaches her breaking point. She's had enough of his sneering disdain for her second hand wardrobe, unusual family and low-paying job as the associate producer of Chicago's sleaziest daytime talk show. When her new boss plans a segment on reuniting lost loves, Jamie remembers Lucas, her first love and the boy she'd lost ten years earlier. Spurred on by her gang of quirky friends, Jamie goes on a hilarious, disastrous and life changing hunt to track Lucas down. But are some loves best left behind?


How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue
Free-spirited Annie Quintana and sophisticated Julia St. Clair come from two different worlds. Yet, as the daughter of the St. Clairs' housekeeper, Annie grew up in Julia's San Francisco mansion and they forged a bond that only two little girls oblivious to class differences could--until a life-altering betrayal destroyed their friendship. A decade later, Annie bakes to fill the void left in her heart by her mother's death, and a painful secret jeopardizes Julia's engagement to the man she loves. A chance reunion prompts the unlikely duo to open a cupcakery, but when a mysterious saboteur opens up old wounds, they must finally face the truth about their past or risk losing everything.


The Pollyanna Plan by Talli Roland
Is finding true love as easy as an attitude change? Thirty-something Emma Beckett has always looked down on 'the glass is half full' optimists, believing it's better to be realistic than delusional. But when she loses her high-powered job and fiancé in the same week, even Emma has difficulty keeping calm and carrying on. With her world spinning out of control and bolstered by a challenge from her best friend, Emma makes a radical decision. From here on in, she'll behave like Pollyanna: attempting to always see the upside, no matter how dire the situation. Can adopting a positive attitude give Emma the courage to build a new life, or is finding the good in everything a very bad idea? 

Yours Truly by Kirsty Greenwood 
Newly engaged Natalie Butterworth is an easy-going girl. She'll do anything for a quiet life, and if telling a few teensy white lies keeps her friends and family happy, then so what? It's not like they'll ever discover what she's really thinking... Until one night, thanks to a pub hypnotist, Natalie's most private thoughts begin to bubble up and pop out of her mouth. Things get very messy indeed, especially when some sticky home truths offend her fiancé. Natalie must track down the hypnotist before her wedding is officially cancelled. Along with bad influence bestie Meg, Natalie finds herself in the Yorkshire Parish of Little Trooley - a small village bursting with big secrets, nosy old folk and intriguing Wellington-wearing men. When the girls get stuck in the village with no means of escape and no way to break the hypnotist's spell, Natalie is forced to face the truths she has been avoiding her whole life.

New Releases: June 2013

June 4th

Ladies' Night by Mary Kay Andrews
Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating and torpedoes his pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool.  Grace suddenly finds herself locked out of her palatial home, checking account, and even the blog she has worked so hard to develop in her signature style.  Moving in with her widowed mother, who owns and lives above a rundown beach bar called The Sandbox, is less than ideal.  So is attending court-mandated weekly "divorce recovery" therapy sessions with three other women and one man for whom betrayal seems to be the only commonality.  When their “divorce coach” starts to act suspiciously, they decide to start having their own Wednesday "Ladies' Night" sessions at The Sandbox, and the unanticipated bonds that develop lead the members of the group to try and find closure in ways they never imagined.  Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there? 

Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Almost a decade has passed since Andy Sachs quit the job “a million girls would die for” working for Miranda Priestly at Runway magazine—a dream that turned out to be a nightmare. Andy and Emily, her former nemesis and co-assistant, have since joined forces to start a high-end bridal magazine. The Plunge has quickly become required reading for the young and stylish. Now they get to call all the shots: Andy writes and travels to her heart’s content; Emily plans parties and secures advertising like a seasoned pro. Even better, Andy has met the love of her life. Max Harrison, scion of a storied media family, is confident, successful, and drop-dead gorgeous. Their wedding will be splashed across all the society pages as their friends and family gather to toast the glowing couple. Andy Sachs is on top of the world. But karma’s a bitch. The morning of her wedding, Andy can’t shake the past. And when she discovers a secret letter with crushing implications, her wedding-day jitters turn to cold dread. Andy realizes that nothing—not her husband, nor her beloved career—is as it seems. She never suspected that her efforts to build a bright new life would lead her back to the darkness she barely escaped ten years ago—and directly into the path of the devil herself.

Rules of Summer by Joanna Philbin
There are two sides to every summer. When seventeen-year-old Rory McShane steps off the bus in East Hampton, it's as if she's entered another universe, one populated by impossibly beautiful people wearing pressed khakis and driving expensive cars. She's signed on to be a summer errand girl for the Rules -- a wealthy family with an enormous beachfront mansion. Upon arrival, she's warned by other staff members to avoid socializing with the family, but Rory soon learns that may be easier said than done. Stifled by her friends and her family's country club scene, seventeen-year-old Isabel Rule, the youngest of the family, embarks on a breathless romance with a guy whom her parents would never approve of. It's the summer for taking chances, and Isabel is bringing Rory along for the ride. But will Rory's own summer romance jeopardize her friendship with Isabel? And, after long-hidden family secrets surface, will the Rules' picture-perfect world ever be the same?

Skinny Bitch in Love by Kim Barnouin
Clementine Cooper is a born vegan, com­mitted in every way to the healthy lifestyle she was raised with on her father’s organic farm. But how bad could a little butter be? Bad enough to get the ambitious and talented sous chef fired when an influential food critic discovers dairy in Clem’s butternut squash ravioli with garlic sage sauce. Though she was sabotaged by a backstab­bing coworker, Clem finds herself unceremoniously blackballed from every vegan kitchen in L.A. Like any vegan chef worth her salt, however, Clem knows how to turn lemons into delicious, cruelty-free lemonade cupcakes. She launches the Skinny Bitch Cooking School in hopes of soon opening her own café in an empty space near her apartment. But on the first day of class, sexy millionaire restaurateur Zach Jeffries puts a fork in her idea with his own plans for the space—a steakhouse. Clem is livid. For a carnivore, Zach is more complicated than she anticipated. He’s also a very good kisser. But could dating one of the most eligible bachelors in the city—and a meat-eater—be as bad for Clem as high-fructose corn syrup? Shouldn’t she fall instead for a man who seems to be her perfect match in every way—like Alexander Orr, a very cute, very sweet vegan chef? Clem thought she was open-minded, but as she confronts the challenges of budding entrepre­neurship, old rivals, ex-boyfriends, and tempting suitors, she begins to wonder if she can ever say “I love you” to a man who hates tofu.

June 6th

Always You by Erin Kaye
It's 1992 and Sarah is in love with Cahal, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. As they plan to graduate from university, all seems set for their happily ever after... Fast forward to 2012 and something's gone wrong. Cahal is out of the picture and Sarah is divorced from Ian by whom she's had two children. What happened? As Cahal walks back into Sarah's life, can they overcome past decisions and surrounding prejudice and make it work a second time around? 







June 11th

Astor Place Vintage by Stephanie Lehmann
Amanda Rosenbloom, proprietor of Astor Place Vintage, thinks she’s on just another call to appraise and possibly purchase clothing from a wealthy, elderly woman. But after discovering a journal sewn into a fur muff, Amanda gets much more than she anticipated. The pages of the journal reveal the life of Olive Westcott, a young woman who had moved to Manhattan in 1907. Olive was set on pursuing a career as a department store buyer in an era when Victorian ideas, limiting a woman’s sphere to marriage and motherhood, were only beginning to give way to modern ways of thinking. As Amanda reads the journal, her life begins to unravel until she can no longer ignore this voice from the past. Despite being separated by one hundred years, Amanda finds she’s connected to Olive in ways neither could ever have imagined.

The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan
Evelyn has been married to her husband for forty years—forty years since he slipped off her first wedding ring and put his own in its place. Delphine has seen both sides of love—the ecstatic, glorious highs of seduction, and the bitter, spiteful fury that descends when it’s over. James, a paramedic who works the night shift, knows his wife’s family thinks she could have done better; while Kate, partnered with Dan for a decade, has seen every kind of wedding—beach weddings, backyard weddings, castle weddings—and has vowed never, ever, to have one of her own. As these lives and marriages unfold in surprising ways, we meet Frances Gerety, a young advertising copywriter in 1947. Frances is working on the De Beers campaign and she needs a signature line, so, one night before bed, she scribbles a phrase on a scrap of paper: “A Diamond Is Forever.” And that line changes everything.

The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank
Leslie Anne Greene Carter is The Last Original Wife among her husband Wesley’s wildly successful Atlanta social set. His cronies have all traded in the mothers of their children they promised to love and cherish—’til death did them part—for tanned and toned young Barbie brides. If losing the social life and close friends she adored wasn’t painful enough, a series of setbacks shake Les’s world and push her to the edge. She’s had enough of playing the good wife to a husband who thinks he’s doing her a favor by keeping her around. She’s not going to waste another minute on people she doesn’t care to know. Now, she’s going to take some time for herself—in the familiar comforts and stunning beauty of Charleston, her beloved hometown. In her brother’s stately historic home, she’s going to reclaim the carefree girl who spent lazy summers sharing steamy kisses with her first love on Sullivans Island. Along Charleston’s live oak and palmetto-lined cobblestone streets, under the Lowcountry’s dazzling blue sky, Les will indulge herself with icy cocktails, warm laughter, divine temptation and bittersweet memories. Daring to listen to her inner voice, she will realize what she wants...and find the life of which she’s always dreamed.

Time Flies by Claire Cook
Years ago, Melanie followed her husband, Kurt, from the New England beach town where their two young sons were thriving to the suburbs of Atlanta. She’s carved out a life as a successful metal sculptor, but when Kurt leaves her for another woman, having the tools to cut up their marriage bed is small consolation. She’s old enough to know that high school reunions are often a big disappointment, but when her best friend makes her buy a ticket and an old flame gets in touch to see if she’ll be going, she fantasizes that returning to her past might help her find her future...until her highway driving phobia resurfaces and threatens to hold her back from the adventure of a lifetime.





June 13th

The Widow Waltz by Sally Koslow
Georgia Waltz has things many people only dream of: a plush Manhattan apartment overlooking Central Park, a Hamptons beach house, valuable jewels and art, two bright daughters, and a husband she adores, even after decades of marriage. It’s only when Ben suddenly drops dead from a massive coronary while training for the New York City Marathon that Georgia discovers her husband—a successful lawyer—has left them nearly penniless. Their wonderland was built on lies. As the family attorney scours emptied bank accounts, Georgia must not only look for a way to support her family, she needs to face the revelation that Ben was not the perfect husband he appeared to be, just as her daughters—now ensconced back at home with secrets of their own—have to accept that they may not be returning to their lives in Paris and at Stanford subsidized by the Bank of Mom and Dad. As she uncovers hidden resilience, Georgia’s sudden midlife shift forces her to consider who she is and what she truly values. Georgia may also find new love in the land of Spanx and stretch marks, which surprises everyone—most of all, her.

June 18th

Flawed but unsinkable Claudia Silver cuts a wide comic swath through 1990s New York City in her misguided attempts to find love and happiness. Estranged from her bohemian Brooklyn family and fired for an impropriety at work, Claudia is officially in over her head. When her younger sister lands on her doorstep urgently in need of help, twenty-something Claudia desperately wants to offer the rescue that she herself has longed for. But Claudia missteps dramatically, straight into a disastrous love affair that disrupts three very different New York households. Ultimately, she discovers the resilient nature of love where she least expects it—among her own family.

Island Girls by Nancy Thayer
Charming ladies’ man Rory Randall dies with one last trick up his sleeve: his will includes a calculating clause mandating a summer-long reunion for his daughters, all from different marriages—that is, if they hope to inherit his posh Nantucket house. Relations among the three sisters are sour thanks to long-festering jealousies, resentments, and misunderstandings. Arden, a successful television host in Boston, hasn’t been back to the island since her teenage years, when accusations of serious misbehavior led to her banishment. College professor Meg hopes to use her summer to finish a literary biography and avoid an amorous colleague. And secretive Jenny, an IT specialist, faces troubling questions about her identity while longing for her sisters’ acceptance. To their surprise, the three young women find their newfound sisterhood easier to trust than the men who show up to complicate their lives. And if that weren’t problematic enough, their mothers descend on the island. When yet another visitor drops by the house with shocking news, the past comes screaming back with a vengeance. Having all the women from his life under his seaside roof—and overseeing the subsequent drama of that perfect storm—Rory Randall might just be enjoying a hearty laugh from above.

Sweet Salt Air by Barbara Delinsky
Charlotte and Nicole were once the best of friends, spending summers together in Nicole's coastal island house off of Maine. But many years, and many secrets, have kept the women apart. A successful travel writer, single Charlotte lives on the road, while Nicole, a food blogger, keeps house in Philadelphia with her surgeon-husband, Julian. When Nicole is commissioned to write a book about island food, she invites her old friend Charlotte back to Quinnipeague, for a final summer, to help. Outgoing and passionate, Charlotte has a gift for talking to people and making friends, and Nicole could use her expertise for interviews with locals. Missing a genuine connection, Charlotte agrees. But what both women don't know is that they are each holding something back that may change their lives forever. For Nicole, what comes to light could destroy her marriage, but it could also save her husband. For Charlotte, the truth could cost her Nicole’s friendship, but could also free her to love again. And her chance may lie with a reclusive local man, with a heart to soothe and troubles of his own.

The Lovebird by Natalie Brown
Margie has always had a soft spot for helpless creatures. Her warm heart breaks, her left ovary twinges, and she is smitten with sympathy. This is how she falls in love with Simon Mellinkoff, her charismatic, obviously troubled Latin professor. As the two embark on an unconventional romance, Simon introduces Margie to his small coterie of animal rights activists, and with this ragtag group she finds her apparent mission in life. But Margie’s increasingly reckless and dangerous actions force her to flee her California college town, say goodbye to her fragile dad, and seek shelter on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. Here, against a backdrop of endless grass and sky, Margie meets a soap opera-loving grandmother, an intriguing, ink-splattered man, and an inscrutable eleven-year-old girl—and makes unexpected discoveries about her heart. 



June 25th

Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand
The Carmichaels and the Grahams have gathered on Nantucket for a wedding. Plans are being made according to the wishes of the bride's late mother, who left behind The Notebook: specific instructions for every detail of her youngest daughter's future nuptials. Everything should be falling into place for the beautiful event--but in reality, things are far from perfect. While the couple-to-be are quite happy, their loved ones find their own lives crumbling. In the days leading up to the wedding, love will be questioned, scandals will arise, and hearts will be broken and healed.

The “What?!” Moment: When a Book Jumps the Shark

We’ve all been there. You’re reading a book and then boom! Out of nowhere comes something totally jarring that makes you stop and exclaim, “What?!” You reread it several times because it’s so confusing and/or because it’s so ridiculous that you can’t believe it’s there. But no matter how many times you read it, it doesn’t change. Can you get past it? Does it annoy you so much that you can’t continue reading the book? In television, when a show reaches the point of no return and becomes so outlandish that it should probably be canceled, it’s referred to as “jumping the shark.” This phrase stems from an episode of Happy Days when Fonzie literally jumps over a shark while water skiing during a trip to California. See what I mean?

Sadly, a “what?!” moment happened while I was reading Sophie Kinsella’s new novel, Wedding Night. Let me preface what I’m about to say by making it clear that I’m a fan of her stand-alone novels. Twenties Girl is one of my favorite books of all-time, and I've Got Your Number is brilliant. I’ve never read the Shopaholic series. (I know, I know.) I saw the movie and loved it, though. But from what I hear, the movie is very different from the books.

Anyway, I was all revved up to read Wedding Night, had been counting down for months, pre-ordered it, and tweeted and posted on Facebook with glee when it finally arrived. To my utter disappointment, it didn't take long for me to become really frustrated. While at her son’s school, Fliss must make a hot air balloon project with him because her forgetful ex-husband failed to do so. She searches for something to make it with, and well, let’s just say that her choice is incredibly inappropriate. It’s ironic because she’s so upset with her ex and constantly trying to prove what a negligent parent he is and in general what a bad person he is, and then she does this. What a way to show how much better you are…humiliate yourself and your young son. When something is too idiotic and too unrealistic, it loses the comedy. I know Kinsella was going for funny with this scene, but comedy is grounded in reality. Ninety nine percent of parents wouldn’t do what Fliss did. That’s the problem. Unrealistic = unfunny. And that was all it took. I was out of the story. I had a lot of trouble getting past that, but I pushed on…and then boom! Fliss is having drinks with Lorcan and more “balloons” fly out of her purse for a repeat appearance. Please. Again, unrealistic. A contrived attempt at getting a laugh from readers.

I was also turned off by how over-the-top flaky Lottie is, and by how late into the book her marriage to Ben happens…I think 160 pages in or so. The book’s description already tells us that they get married and her sister tries to stop the honeymoon, so the build up to something we already know will happen is incredibly long. By page 300, I skipped to the end to confirm my prediction for the outcome, which was right. I can forgive a predictable story and actually quite enjoy them if they’re engaging. Unfortunately, this is not Kinsella’s best work. But that’s just my opinion. I’m still a fan of hers, and I’ll buy her next book, but my hopes won’t be quite as high. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. I’ll have to wait and see…

Note: This post isn’t meant to be hurtful or disrespectful toward Kinsella at all. Please don’t misinterpret it. I respect her and have said many times that she is one of the best chick lit writers out there. I know how much time, effort, and hard work goes into writing and publishing a book, so I know this was no small feat. I appreciate her dedication to the genre we all love so much. However, chick lit has evolved and moved past the bumbling heroines, or at least I want it to, and I know she can write a much better story with much better characters than Wedding Night. I look forward to what she comes up with next.
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Did you read Wedding Night? What did you think of it? Can you continue reading a book after it jumps the shark? Which books have you read that have a "what?!" moment?

New Releases: May 2013

May 7th

Love Me Anyway by Tiffany Hawk
When twenty-three-year-old Emily Cavenaugh’s marriage to her abusive high school sweetheart ends, she trades in her dull small town life for an all-access pass to see the world as a flight attendant. Hoping for a new start, she moves to San Francisco to bunk with six other new flight attendants. Among them is KC Valentine, a free spirit who encourages Emily to shed her mousy ways and start collecting experiences as exciting as her passport stamps. Emily soon follows KC’s advice a little too well, falling in love with an older, married co-worker named Tien, a father to two young girls. But as Emily and Tien become more deeply entangled, KC grows distraught. Neither her friends nor co-workers know the real reason she became a flight attendant: to find her father who abandoned her as a child. As Emily and KC fly from Vegas to Boston, San Francisco to London, Chicago to Delhi, each searching for love and acceptance, they’re torn between passion and moral conviction, freedom and belonging. A debut from a former flight attendant, Love Me Anyway captures the complexities of love, friendship, and family, the excitement and loneliness that come from living everywhere and nowhere, and the surprising detours life can take when you set out to discover the world.

The Lost Husband by Katherine Center
Dear Libby, It occurs to me that you and your two children have been living with your mother for—Dear Lord!—two whole years, and I’m writing to see if you'd like to be rescued. The letter comes out of the blue, and just in time for Libby Moran, who—after the sudden death of her husband, Danny—went to stay with her hypercritical mother. Now her crazy Aunt Jean has offered Libby an escape: a job and a place to live on her farm in the Texas Hill Country. Before she can talk herself out of it, Libby is packing the minivan, grabbing the kids, and hitting the road. Life on Aunt Jean’s goat farm is both more wonderful and more mysterious than Libby could have imagined. Beyond the animals and the strenuous work, there is quiet—deep, country quiet. But there is also a shaggy, gruff (though purportedly handsome, under all that hair) farm manager with a tragic home life, a formerly famous feed-store clerk who claims she can contact Danny “on the other side,” and the eccentric aunt Libby never really knew but who turns out to be exactly what she’s been looking for. And despite everything she’s lost, Libby soon realizes how much more she’s found. She hasn’t just traded one kind of crazy for another. She may actually have found the place to bring her little family—and herself—back to life.

The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller
Breaking up is hard to do. At least the first few times. Even though Molly Grant has only a handful of relationships behind her, she’s already been through more divorces than she can count. At the premier Manhattan law firm where she’s a matrimonial attorney, the hours are long, the bosses tyrannical, and the bonuses stratospheric. Her clients are rich, famous, and used to getting their way. Molly’s job—and primary concern in life—is to work as hard as possible to make sure they do. Until she meets the client who changes everything… Fern Walker is the desperate former wife of a ruthless media mogul. Her powerful ex is slowly pushing her out of her young children’s lives, and she fears losing them forever. Molly—haunted by an incident from her own past—finds herself unable to walk away from Fern and sets out to help her. She just needs to do it without her bosses finding out. Now, as complications both professional and personal stack up, Molly can only hope that her own wits, heart, and instincts are enough—both in and out of court.

The Repeat Year by Andrea Lochen
Everyone has days, weeks, even months they wish they could do over—but what about an entire year? After living through the worst twelve months of her life, intensive care nurse Olive Watson is given a second chance to relive her past and attempt to discover where she went wrong… After a year of hardships, including a messy breakup with her longtime boyfriend Phil, the prospect of her mother’s remarriage, and heartbreaking patient losses at the hospital, Olive is ready to start fresh. But when she wakes up in her ex-boyfriend’s bed on New Year’s Day 2011—a day she has already lived—Olive’s world is turned upside down. Shouldering a year of memories that no one else can recall, even Olive begins to question herself—until she discovers that she is not alone. Upon crossing paths with Sherry Witan, an experienced “repeater,” Olive learns that she has the chance to rewrite her future. Given the opportunity of a lifetime, Olive has to decide what she really wants. Should she make different choices, or accept her life as she knows it, flaws and all?

The Week Before the Wedding by Beth Kendrick
After enduring a chaotic childhood, Emily McKellips yearns for a drama-free life, complete with a white picket fence. Her dreams are about to come true. She has a stellar career, a gorgeous house, and a fiancé any woman would die for. But as friends and family arrive in picturesque Valentine, Vermont, for her wedding, an uninvited guest shows up. Ryan is Emily’s first husband from a disastrous starter marriage. They wed on a whim, only to discover that combustible chemistry couldn’t ensure a happily ever after. But Ryan is no longer the headstrong boy she left behind. He’s now a successful film producer who just happens to be scouting a resort in Valentine with his adorable retriever in tow. As the bridesmaids revolt and the mothers of the bride and groom do battle, Emily is surprised to discover new sides of both her ex and her fiancé. She thought she had life and love all figured out, but the next seven days might change her mind—and her heart.


May 9th

The Holiday Home by Fern Britton
Two sisters. One House. The holiday of a lifetime... Set on a Cornish cliff, Atlantic House has been the jewel in the Carew family crown for centuries. Each year, the Carew sisters embark on the yearly summer holiday, but they are as different as vinegar and honey. Prudence, hard-nosed businesswoman married to the meek and mild Francis, is about to get a shock reminder that you should never take anything for granted. Constance, loving wife to philandering husband Greg, has always been outwitted by her manipulative sibling. Suspecting that Pru wants to get her hands on Atlantic House, Connie won't take things lying down. When an old face reappears on the scene, years of simmering resentments reach boiling point. Little do the women know that a long-buried secret is about to bite them all on the bottom. Is this one holiday that will push them all over the edge, or can Constance and Pru leave the past where it belongs?

Wish You Were Here by Victoria Connelly
Sun, sea, and secrets... A week on the sunny Greek island of Kethos is just what Alice Archer needs, even if she has to put up with her difficult sister. Stella's tantrums and diva-like demands are a fair price to pay for crystal-clear waters, blue skies and white clifftop villas. When Alice meets Milo, a handsome gardener at the Villa Argenti, for the first time she suddenly feels beautiful, alluring, and confident. But is it just holiday magic or will the irresistible pull between Alice and Milo survive against all odds? 






May 14th

The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan
Evie and Nicole Glass share a last name. They also shared a husband. When a tragic car accident ends the life of Richard Glass, it also upends the lives of Evie and Nicole, and their children. There’s no love lost between the widow and the ex. In fact, Evie sees a silver lining in all this heartache—the chance to rid herself of Nicole once and for all. But Evie wasn’t counting on her children’s bond with their baby half-brother, and she wasn’t counting on Nicole’s desperate need to hang on to the threads of family, no matter how frayed. Strapped for cash, Evie cautiously agrees to share living expenses—and her home—with Nicole and the baby. But when Evie suspects that Nicole is determined to rearrange more than her kitchen, Evie must decide who she can trust. More than that, she must ask: what makes a family?

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
A novel about secrets, desire, memory, passion, and possibility. Newlywed Grace Monroe doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations of a successful 1950s London socialite, least of all her own. When she receives an unexpected inheritance from a complete stranger, Madame Eva d’Orsey, Grace is drawn to uncover the identity of her mysterious benefactor. Weaving through the decades, from 1920s New York to Monte Carlo, Paris, and London, the story Grace uncovers is that of an extraordinary women who inspired one of Paris’s greatest perfumers. Immortalized in three evocative perfumes, Eva d’Orsey’s history will transform Grace’s life forever, forcing her to choose between the woman she is expected to be and the person she really is. The Perfume Collector explores the complex and obsessive love between muse and artist, and the tremendous power of memory and scent.


The Star Attraction by Alison Sweeney
Sophie is a Hollywood publicist who has a fabulous job, a fabulous boyfriend, and a fabulous life. She even scores her PR firm's most important actor client and every woman's dream—Billy Fox. But will a steamy make-out session in a restaurant alley with her big-name client cost Sophie her job? And does she really want an escape from her life and her loving, if imperfect, relationship with her investment banker boyfriend? The Star Attraction takes a wild ride through one woman's daytime soap come to life. 






May 16th

By Design by Jayne Denker
She's got loads of talent, a massive crush, and no confidence. Now she just needs a plan… Interior designer Emmie Brewster is having one of those…decades. Her overbearing boss believes she's only qualified to make coffee. Her boyfriend treats her like a booty call. And her widowed father is dating again--more successfully than she is. Then Emmie lands a client who happens to be the hottest man she's ever encountered. Too bad Graham Cooper is already involved with the kind of woman Emmie longs to be. If only she had the courage… Emmie's always been content to dream--about having her own business, her own Mr. Right--but something about Graham makes her want to take action. Maybe it's time she used her talent for creating beauty and order on herself. She has Graham's admiration--does she dare go for more? With a little encouragement from her friends, and a lot of newfound motivation, Emmie's ready to try.


May 21st

A Certain Summer by Patricia Beard
"Nothing ever changes at Wauregan." That mystique is the tradition of the idyllic island colony off the shore of Long Island, the comforting tradition that its summer dwellers have lived by for over half a century. But in the summer of 1948, after a world war has claimed countless men—even those who came home—the time has come to deal with history’s indelible scars. Helen Wadsworth’s husband, Arthur, was declared missing in action during an OSS operation in France, but the official explanation was mysteriously nebulous. Now raising a teenage son who longs to know the truth about his father, Helen turns to Frank Hartman—her husband’s best friend and his partner on the mission when he disappeared. Frank, however, seems more intent on filling the void in Helen’s life that Arthur’s absence has left. As Helen’s affection for Frank grows, so does her guilt, especially when Peter Gavin, a handsome Marine who was brutally tortured by the Japanese and has returned with a faithful war dog, unexpectedly stirs new desires. With her heart pulled in multiple directions, Helen doesn’t know whom to trust—especially when a shocking discovery forever alters her perception of both love and war. Part mystery, part love story, and part insider’s view of a very private world.


All the Summer Girls by Meg Donohue
Set among the sunsets and dunes, All the Summer Girls is the story of how three former best friends, their lives rapidly unraveling, are reunited at the beach town of their past--where the ambience of summer encourages them to explore new experiences they would never otherwise attempt. When dark secrets threaten to surface, Kate, Vanessa, and Dani begin to realize just how much their lives--and friendships--have been shaped by the choices they made one fateful summer night years ago. In the hope of finally moving forward, the women turn to one another for forgiveness--but how can they forgive each other when they can't forgive themselves? A rich and detailed novel about women, relationships, and forgiveness.


Primetime Princess by Lindy DeKoven
High heels, hijinks, and head honchos in Hollywood. Alexa Ross has risen to the top of the Hollywood boys’ club. As the vice president of comedy development at Hawkeye Broadcasting System, Alexa has put her early years working as an assistant to Jerry Kellner, her sex-crazed former boss, behind her. However, nepotism lands Jerry a plum spot at HBS…reporting to Alexa! Soon Jerry’s malicious behavior is destroying everything good in Alexa’s life, from the young student she tutors to the romance she thought she’d never find. Can Alexa win the battle for ratings and break through the glass ceiling, even if it destroys her—and everything she loves? Primetime Princess is a sneak peek into the exclusive behind-the-scenes drama that occurs over the course of one TV development season.



May 23rd

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher
Sophie May has a secret. One that she's successfully kept for years. It's meant that she's had to give up her dreams of going to university and travelling the world to stay in her little village, living with her mum and working in the local teashop. But then she meets the gorgeous Billy - an actor with ambitions to make it to the top. And when they fall in love, Sophie is whisked away from the comfort of her life into Billy's glamorous -but ruthless- world. Their relationship throws Sophie right into the spotlight after years of shying away from attention. Can she handle the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy? And most of all, is she ready for her secret heartbreak to be discovered and shared with the nation?




May 28th

Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman
Teddi Overman found her life’s passion for furniture in a broken-down chair left on the side of the road in rural Kentucky. She learns to turn other people’s castoffs into beautifully restored antiques, and eventually finds a way to open her own shop in Charleston. There, Teddi builds a life for herself as unexpected and quirky as the customers who visit her shop.  Though Teddi is surrounded by remarkable friends and finds love in the most surprising way, nothing can alleviate the haunting uncertainty she’s felt in the years since her brother Josh’s mysterious disappearance. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi is drawn home to Kentucky.  It’s a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family—and to find herself at last.  But first she must decide what to let go of and what to keep.

The Original 1982 by Lori Carson
It’s 1982, and Lisa is a 24-year-old waitress in New York City, an aspiring singer/songwriter, and girlfriend to a famous musician. That year, she makes a decision, almost without thinking about it. But what if her decision had been different? In a new 1982, Lisa chooses differently. Her career takes another direction. She becomes a mother. She loves differently—yet some things remain the same. Alternating between two very different possibilities, The Original 1982 is a novel about how the choices we make affect the people we become—and about how the people we are affect the choices we make.





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Guest Post: Would You Take Real Advice From A Fictional Character?


Can you actually learn something useful from fiction? Or does the responsibility for imparting knowledge sit solely in the arena of its non-fiction cousins?

A story’s purpose is to transport you to a different time and place, to inspire, to entertain, enlighten and challenge. But how do you feel about a novel where a character jumps off the page, gets in your face and is determined to teach you a thing or two? Do you dismiss it as the author taking creative license through the ramblings of an imaginary character with no discernible connection to reality or do you consider it as a potential source of useful advice? I guess what I’m asking is, “Would you take real advice from a fictional character?”

In the new novel, eloves me, eloves me not, the protagonist, Kayte Wexford, sets out on a journey to find Mr. Right, venturing into the unfamiliar world of online dating. At the urging of her happily married best friend Chloe, Kayte agrees to try it. Kayte also learns that her other dear friend Roman considers himself a bit of an online dating aficionado. He’s used it for years and is pretty familiar with the ins and outs – what works and what doesn’t. In fact, he might even be described as a serial online dater. So Roman quickly steps in to guide and mentor Kayte, providing her with tips, suggestions, and rules from his personal rule book (Roman’s Rules of Online Dating) to help her maximize her potential for her online dating success.

When writing this book, I went back and forth as to whether I would feature Roman and his rules so prominently.  I considered whether or not including them muddied the fiction waters. I did end up leaving them in because I thought that they added a dimension of authenticity to the story, to Roman as a character, and they provided the reader with some lasting advice that may well stick with them long after the details of the story are forgotten.

Here is just a small selection of the advice espoused through Roman’s Rules of Online Dating:
  • While the words you use to present yourself are important, there is nothing more critical in your profile than the photo. 
  • Have at least 2-3 chats with someone before meeting them.
  • Make sure a friend, colleague, neighbour, someone you trust knows the details of your meeting.
  • If you’ve been on the site for a few weeks (or months), you may need to refresh your profile to get noticed.
  • Once you’ve met and been on a date or two, or three, you need to be wary of the return to the cyber relationship. 
Roman shares 13 rules in total with Kayte throughout the novel, delivering them one at a time and only as she needs to learn them. Her experiences then help to contextualise them. You’ll find the full list and their detailed explanations scattered throughout the novel and in list form on the book’s websiteIf you’re curious about trying online dating or have actually done it, see if they resonate with you.
Regardless of your thoughts on online dating, how do you feel about an author taking this approach - injecting lessons, tips, and hints into their fictional stories? What other examples can you point to where you’ve actually been both entertained and informed by a novel? Would you like to see more or less of this in novels of the future?

In delivering real advice through a fictional character, is there a risk of challenging the definition of fiction and having it appear too real? Or do you feel it adds authenticity and depth to a story that helps to better engage the reader?

Giveaway! Please leave a comment to enter to win 1 of 2 eBook copies of eloves me, eloves me not. Winner will be chosen at random on Friday, May 3rd. Please include your email address or social networking account so we can get in touch if you win. Good luck! 
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