Sorry about the missing posts or no posting stuff, but I’m fighting a bad infection and the meds I’m on are making me sleep. I will make it up very soon. Zita
Sick day
31 Monday Mar 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
A Cry For Hope by
26 Wednesday Mar 2014
Posted in Book Blitz
Book Title: A Cry for Hope
Author: Beth Rinyu
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Release Date: March 21, 2014
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
Hope McAdams life as she knew it ended on the same day that her eight year old son’s did.
Eight months later she’s trying to regain some semblance of normality, while trying to repair her once perfect marriage to a man who was her best friend, but now a complete stranger. Coming to the painful realization that she must fix the hole that’s deep within her heart, she goes home to the place that she grew up in hopes that time and distance will heal her wounds and lead her back to the man she loves.
Nick Abate is an old friend of Hope’s whose heart is also on the mend. He’s home on leave from the Marines, and when he and Hope reconnect, their friendship picks up right where they left off, years ago. They both begin to heal and feel whole again with the help of each other. But when their friendship crosses the line, will Hope be able to forgive herself and move on, or will the guilt that she is harboring once again cause her to slip back into the place that she has just escaped?
What happens when two tortured souls place their trust in each other? Will they find their way back to the ones they love or will their hearts remain connected forever?
Ever since I can remember, I have always enjoyed Creative Writing. There was always something about being able to travel to a different place or become a different person with just the stroke of a pen – or in today’s world a touch of the keyboard. I am the author of The Exception To The Rule Drowning in Love, An Unplanned Lesson, An Unplanned Life and A Cry For Hope. Currently working on A Will To Change, a companion novel to A Cry For Hope, due out Summer 2014.
My life is not as interesting as my books or the characters in them, but then again whose life is? I was born and have lived in New Jersey my whole life. I’m a mom of twin teenage boys, a teenage stepson, a crazy Border Collie and a cat with an identity crisis! I guess you can say writing is my form of Calgon! I am married to a wonderful guy – but we’ll keep that between us, I don’t want him getting a big head!
“Look at me, Jamie! Look at me and tell me that you’re willing to walk away from everything we have and I’ll be gone. I’m not ready to give up on us, but if you are, then just say the words and I’ll stop trying.”
“Hope, stop it!”
“Stop what? Stop trying? Stop trying to have the man that I love more than anything in this world love me back? Stop trying to make myself feel worthy of your love again? What do you want me to stop, Jamie?”
“What do you want me to say, Hope? That everything’s going to be okay? That things are going to be the way they used to be between us? Because I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen. Or do you want me to take you upstairs and fuck you like a stranger, the same way I’ve been for the past eight months?”
“I don’t know what I want any more, Jamie. I miss my husband. The man that I could tell anything to. The one that I used to laugh and cry with. The one who would hold me in his arms and comfort me whenever I was feeling down.”
“He’s gone, Hope. He drowned in that ocean the same day that Charlie did.”
I bit my lip and fought the tears. “So what are you trying to tell me? That I’m just keeping myself afloat in this marriage only to have you never resurface?”
His eyes filled with tears. “I wish that I could answer that question for you, but I can’t. Because, the truth is, I don’t even know the answer to it myself.”
Renegade Reject by Emily Minton & Dawn Martens ~~~ Cover Reveal
25 Tuesday Mar 2014
Posted in Cover Reveal, Uncategorized
We are very excited to share with you the amazing cover for
Emily Minton and Dawn Martens’ newest book,
Renegade Reject (Renegade Sons MC #2),
which is releasing MAY 13th!!
Blog Tour ~~~ Breathe Again by Rachel Brookes
24 Monday Mar 2014
Posted in Book Review
Title: Breathe Again (Breathe #2)
Author: Rachel Brookes
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release: March 10, 2014
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18883835-breathe-again?from_search=true
Synopsis
For Savannah Rae, the thought of living in her picture-perfect world was almost too much to comprehend. With her dream job, a family she could finally call her own, and the beginnings of the best chapter of her life, she still couldn’t shake the unnerving feeling that it was all too good to be true.
The thought of a life without Savannah was incomprehensible to Tate Connors. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would find his girl in the form of a sassy, stubborn, beautiful Australian. Finally he had the girl and life he so desperately wanted, but he still couldn’t ignore the fear that it would crash around him.
When Tate’s past becomes his present and Savannah’s present becomes her past, the possibility of a future together collides head-on with reality.
In her darkest days, the words Just Breathe provided a peaceful comfort to Savannah from the heavens above. Now as she and Tate go down the path of new beginnings, brutal endings, and the constant craving of a happily ever after, they are anxious to learn how to Breathe Again.
Buy Links
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IW3BOC0
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IW3BOC0
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00IW3BOC0
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00IW3BOC0
This book is exciting and had me jumping out of my seat. I could not put it down not knowing how this would end. It was that addicting.
The characters touched me in a way that I did not know fictional characters could. I was crying one minute and then laughing in another minute. They kept me on my toes trying to find out what was going to be next.
The storyline had twists and turns so bad that I was out of my seat jumping up and down one minute and the next minute I wanted to put the book down because I thought I could not go on due to being too emotional attached to the characters going through the plot that the author made them go through.
Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for a real honest review.*
About The Author
Rachel Brookes is from a coastal town on the east coast of Australia where beaches, kangaroos and surfers roam free. She writes angsty love stories with a pinch of craziness, a dash of drama, a cup of romance and a spoonful of sexiness… oh and the main ingredient hot guys.
Rachel sometimes forgets to eat, sometimes forgets to sleep and sometimes can’t remember the last time she cleaned her apartment but that’s because she is in a long term relationship with her laptop and is constantly writing.
When she does step away from her laptop she can be found taking too many photos, making scrumptious cocktails, laughing at Adam Sandler movies and spending her time with her amazing family and friends.
With her first novel, Just Breathe, due to be released in July 2013, her dream of releasing a book will become reality. With another three books already taking up her mind, she cannot wait to start this crazy ride.
Website:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachelBrookes
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/RachelBrookes_
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7077963.Rachel_Brookes
Teaser
“Sav, are you ready?” Tate’s voice boomed through the hotel room. I gave myself a once-over and nodded at my reflection. It was now or never.
My heels clicked on the polished floorboards as I moved towards the living area of our room. My hands nervously skimmed down the front of my white bandeaux dress as I waited with bated breath for Tate to see me. The theme for the evening was black, white, and red, and I was in my white dress with my red heels, my black clutch, and my blond hair swept to one side in a cascade of curls over my shoulder.
“Sav, we really—”
Tate turned in my direction and his face stilled as his eyes raked over my body. As he shifted his gaze from my red heels, up my legs, and over my hips, hesitating at my boobs and then finally landing on my face, I felt my cheeks burn under his gaze. I seriously needed to get my blushing under control.
“Fuck,” Tate hissed between clenched teeth as his possessive eyes undertook their second assault of my body.
I was getting the reaction I’d craved and the lioness began to purr within me. I strutted towards him, the sound of my heels clicking against the floorboards matched the increasing beat of my heart perfectly. My lust-filled eyes landed on his bottom lip, which he was gnawing on with his teeth, and I suddenly felt alive.
“Like what you see, Mr. Connors?” I twirled in front of him, making sure I was just outside of arm’s reach.
“In a dress like that, Miss Rae, you are the spawn of Satan.” He took a step towards me and I was suddenly lost under the scent only he possessed. “And for once I’m not afraid of visiting Hell to get what I want.”
“Well we can’t visit Hell because we have a bar opening to go to.” I spun on my heel and took off through the room, loving the feeling that sassy Savannah was out to play.
Book Trailer
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Direct link
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZGRhNGRmZWNjODFiZjg3MzRiZDVjYzZkOWUzZjQ1OjEwNg==/
Blog Tour ~~~ Love & Mud Puddles by Cecily Anne Paterson
21 Friday Mar 2014
Posted in Book Review
Young Adult Romance
Date Published: 1/2014
Thirteen year old fashionista Coco Franks has finally made it into the popular group when her dad decides to move the whole family to the country so they can ‘bond’. Social death is looming, her shoes are covered in mud and all Coco wants to do is get herself back to her city friends. After all, things can’t get any worse, right?
BUY LINKS
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-and-muddy-puddles-cecily-anne-paterson/1118140498?ean=2940045560894
Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/shop/cecily-anne-paterson/love-and-muddy-puddles/paperback/product-21383405.html
When I read the title. It got me to thinking. What would I want out of a book the had this title to it? Well, first it had to have rain in it some where to make the mud puddles. Maybe some romance thrown in for the love part. Well, you have to read to find out what was in it.
The storyline was of a teenage trials and tribulations, but a full grown up could get involved with this book. It does not have a real strong feel about it being teenagers, other than the characters. The plot line has twists and turns that kept me attached to this book until I was done with it.
The characters are well described and easy to understand their reactions to the plot line. The characters jumped off the page in a realistic fashion. They felt like they were real people that I was talking to. Instead of reading fiction.
*Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for a real honest review.*
Cecily Anne Paterson desperately hopes that someone will develop a self-cleaning house soon so that she gets more time to write. She should probably also teach her four children to cook for the same reason. Cecily creates true-to-life stories for young teenage girls, mostly because she never really grew out of being a young teenage girl herself. She grew up in Pakistan, went to boarding school in the Himalayan mountains and now lives a much quieter life in country New South Wales, Australia.
Website: http://www.cecilypaterson.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CecilyAnnePaterson
Twitter: @CecilyPaterson
Blog: http://www.cecilypaterson.com
GIVEAWAY: Paperback Copy of her 1st Novel
Link:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NDA4MjY0MDFhMDY3NGJmNzk2NDA5M2VhM2I4M2I2OjIyMw==/
Blog Tour ~~~ His Wounded Light by Christine Brae
20 Thursday Mar 2014
Posted in Book Review
Title: His Wounded Light (The Light in the Wound #2)
Author: Christine Brae
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 8, 2013
Synopsis
The perfect life.
The perfect marriage. The jilted lover. Their worlds collide. Fate intervenes twelve years later and their paths intersect once again. All three will question whether the heart is truly capable of dividing and being divided; each will decide whether it matters who you loved first or who you love last. Together they will learn that in the end, there can always only be one.
Buy The Book
The characters jumped off the page in a sweet and gentle way. I did not know that they were apart of my heart until I hit the end of the book and found them there. The characters are ones that I got into and felt their pain and happiness. It felt realistic that I thought I was reading about two of my friends instead of a book of fictional characters.
The storyline is one that I have not gone through, but was happy of the way that this author made the storyline run through this book. The plot was a steady flow through out the book. There was just a little ups that got me wanting to turn the pages quickly, but most of the book was at the steady pace.
The settings blended from one chapter into another very well. The author did a great job having the book flow smoothly through out the chapters. There was no choppy sentences or hiccups in the writing.
*Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for a real honest review.*
About The Author
Christine Brae is a full time career woman who thought she could write a book about her life and then run away as far as possible from it. She never imagined that her words would touch the hearts of so many women with the same story to tell. This is her second and final book in the Light in the Wound series. Her third book is scheduled to come out in late 2014. When not listening to the voices in her head or spending late nights at the office, Christine can be seen shopping for shoes and purses, running a half marathon or spending time with her husband and three children in Chicago.
TRAILERS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pTYqbjn1b0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKyIaveXapQ
Excerpt
They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Today, I see neither as I stare at the stranger in the mirror. There is nothing beautiful about me; I really don’t know what he sees. Even the dark circles around my eyes are cavernous and empty. They show no trace of someone who lives, only of someone who exists. No matter how hard I try, there is nothing familiar about the person I used to be. I don’t know where to find myself because I don’t know where I’ve gone. Who am I? As I struggle to accept my fate, these are the things I know: I am a mother and a sister. I am no longer a wife. I am someone else’s lover. He took away my heart and the life we made together. I will never recover. This time, these wounds will never heal. “Are you sure you have to leave tonight?” The sound of his voice transports me back to the present, where I’m standing in his robe, in his bathroom, in his home. He encircles his arms across my chest and plants little kisses on my neck. “Can’t you stay? I’ll take you home first thing tomorrow morning.” “Sorry, I really have to go. I want to be home to see Eddie off to school.” He tightens his hold and I relax my body against his. “You were absolutely amazing,” he whispers gruffly into my ear. “Stay with me a little longer. I’m not done taking care of you yet.” One day at a time. Tonight was all about forgetting but not yet forgiving. Filling but not replacing. And emerging from the abyss of loneliness knowing that I’ve pulled farther and farther away from the light.
PINTEREST CHARACTER CASTING
http://www.pinterest.com/ninagom/tlitw/
SPOTIFY PLAYLIST
Buy The Book
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00071]](http://www.readlovelust.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/light-in-the-wound.jpg)
Synopsis
Affected by her parents’ highly publicized divorce, Isabel grows up isolated and alone, with a resolve to never fall in love and repeat their mistakes.
When Jesse Cain enters her life, she falls hopelessly in love with him, and every sadness she’s ever felt is washed away by his intensity and passion. But people change as they grow up. Things can never stay the same forever. Jesse and Isabel fight to stay together, determined to hold on to what they once had. Isabel wonders if a second love can ever be enough to make her forget her first.
Giveaway
Blog Tour ~~~ Flawed Perfection by Cassandra Giovanni
19 Wednesday Mar 2014
Posted in Book Review
Bobby Beckerson was the American All-Star hockey player–he was the spitting image of perfection to his family. Goofy, sweet and undeniably gorgeous, he had everything but the one girl he wanted: River Ahlers.
River Ahlers is successful in everything but love. She’s been in love with Adam Beckerson since they were kids. Worst of all she’s stuck right in the middle of the brother’s dueling over everything and anything, and she doesn’t even know she’s the ultimate prize.
Adam Beckerson was a boy with a guitar, a smile that sunk girl’s hearts and a stone wall around his own. He was anything but perfect, and no matter how hard he tried he was nothing compared to Bobby. Sweet, damaged, with boyish good-looks, nobody thought Adam loved anyone but himself.
Bobby loved River, River loved Adam and Adam only loved himself–or so everyone thought. Then one night everything changes, and as it threatens to destroy everyone involved a tragedy strikes that will break them all…
GENRE: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Buy Links:
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/flawed-perfection-1
GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cassandra_Giovanni_Flawed_Perfection?id=Ptj4AgAAQBAJ
Signed Paperbacks: http://cgiovanniauthor.com/store
The writing was smooth to take in as the pages almost flipped for themselves. I was done with this book before I knew what happened. It was that smooth. I just kept flipping pages to get all my answers and to understand the characters and I was done before I knew what happened. I was happy with the ending of the book.
The storyline flowed smoothly like a glass of brandy through out the book. The plot was one I understood and have read many times, but is loved the way this author took me on a new ride with an old plot. It was familiar but new all at the same time.
The characters were ones that took my heart before I knew what was happening. They felt realistic like I knew them for years.
*Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for a real honest review.*
Cassandra doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing. In fact, the first time she was published was when she was seven years old and won a contest to be published in an American Girl Doll novel. Since then Cassandra has written more novels than she can count and put just as many in the circular bin. Her personal goal with her writing is to show the reader the character’s stories through their dialogue and actions instead of just telling the reader what is happening. In 2012 she became a published Young Adult author, releasing In Between Seasons (The Fall, #1) and the Amazon bestselling thriller, Walking in the Shadows. In 2013 she branched out by using her artistic illustrating talents to publish her first Children’s novel, The Adventures of Skippy Von Flippy: Tales of Friendship (Skippy Tales, #1). Cassandra released her first New Adult novel, Love Exactly, which became an Amazon Bestseller overnight in June of 2013. She’s currently working on her new New Adult Contemporary Romance, Beautifully Flawed. The first novel in the series, Flawed Perfection is scheduled to be published on March 7, 2014.
Besides being a writer, Cassandra is a professional photographer known for her automotive, nature and architectural shots. She is the owner of Gio Design Studios Photography and Gio Design Studios Publication Marketing . She is currently studying to receive a degree in Marketing. Cassandra is happily married to the man of her dreams and they live in the rolling hills of New England with the other loves of her life their dogs, Bubski and Kanga.
social media links:
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cassiegiovanni
twitter: @cgiovanniauthor
website: http://www.cgiovanniauthor.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094287.Cassandra_Giovanni
Why Book Covers are so Important
As a photographer, graphic designer and marketing professional I can see the reason why covers are so important quite quickly. Simply, the cover is the first thing that the reader sees.
If you have a cover that doesn’t sell the book to the reader, than chances are they won’t pick it up and read the back cover—that is unless you have a catchy title. Covers also set the tone for the book, and the reader expects it to reflect its contents. Unfortunately, like skinny jeans, covers come in and out of vogue—and even worse are the fact that when one person does a certain thing that sells, everyone else attempts to jump on the band wagon. This results in a monotonous array of covers that have couples kissing in faded light, or girls in pretty ball gowns. For the New Adult genre it tends to be couples kissing half naked or in lingerie.
At first, when I heard that New Adult had a reputation for being YA smut, I was offended; then I started seeing these covers. Honestly, that’s what the covers look like. If you hold one of these up to a Fabio-tastic adult Erotica novel, you have the same exact thing except with man-boys on the cover. The moral of the story, if you look like smut, people are going to think you’re smut—even if you’re not.
The other issue with the monotony in the genre is simply that every book starts to look the same. If you don’t have a memorable cover than it will be hard to pick you out from the sea of other books floating out there. Some others even go so far as to brand their covers by using the same fonts across all books. I tend not to go with this because I aim to brand the series as well as myself. Another thing to keep in mind is the colors that you choose to use, as these will set the tone for the story. If your story is soft than using a harsh red color font isn’t good.
Speaking of fonts, using standard fonts like Times New Roman is an instant giveaway to self-published novels along with fonts like Papyrus and anything found in Word. There are a lot of small nuances to designing a book cover, so it’s best left to a professional. When you are looking at a professional be sure that they fit your style and novel, but keep in mind one thing—do all their covers feel the same?
If they do, then readers may confuse your novel to be someone else’s that they have designed a cover for. Covers are the first thing your readers see; therefore, you should make sure yours stands out in a crowd, represents your book and its contents and it looks professional.
Or Straight Link:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/Y2VhZWNiYTlkM2I1YTcwM2ExNTQ3YjkyNmY2N2EwOjEy/
Blog Tour ~~~ Roar by Aria Cage
18 Tuesday Mar 2014
Posted in Book Review
Title: Roar
Author: Aria Cage
Genre: New Adult
Release Date: March 17, 2014
Synopsis
Charlie
I’m shadowed by sins; mine and the ones passed on to me. The only light comes in the way of him. He wants to fix me, but he can’t fix something so lost and broken. I’m completely undeserving and secretly unwilling. But how do I turn away the one person my body and soul soars for, the one thing that makes me forget the fear, the loss and the guilt? How do I stop the primal need which we are addicted to?
Nate
She is a stranger amongst the world, a captive behind her smiles and lies which shelters the truth. But I know her, we are caged together with the demons and guilt, yet my love is stronger against all our loss and I want to help her heal, to set her free. Under her cloak still lies my scared kitten, feral to her soul because of what he took from both of us. If it’s the last thing I do, I will help her roar like the tiger I know her to be, even if it means setting her free from me.
Caged by their demons and primal need, will their love be strong enough to set them free?
Buy the Book
Barnes & Noble – (paperback only) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/roar-aria-cage/1118899053?ean=9781496084217
The chapters bounce from one character to the other. There are headings to understand which character the point of view is from. The chapters flow the action smoothly through out the book. There is not any choppy parts that don’t flow smoothly.
The characters are easily to get attached to. They wrap their lives around your, the reader’s, heart. Charlotte is a female character that is one that the reader would love to save from heart ache. Nate takes your, the reader’s, breath away just by what he says and how he acts.
*Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for a real honest review.*
About the Author
My name is Aria and I have three confessions:
#1 No matter how much I try, I can’t stop shopping at Typo or the local tattooist. I believe that would be how I would introduce myself at an anonymous club, right?
#2 I write under another name but I’m not going to tell you … don’t beg, she will kill me if I tell. Ha! So I guess you could call me a genre whore.
#3 My phone is my life line. I can’t leave the house without it.
If you want to get to know me, follow my social pages on facebook and twitter and my blog.
Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter
Giveaway
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Deceiving Lies by Molly McAdams ~~~ Review Blitz
14 Friday Mar 2014
Posted in Book Review
*Deceiving Lies Synopsis:*
The irresistible, blazing-hot sequel to *New York Times* bestselling author
Molly McAdams’s *Forgiving Lies*.
Rachel is supposed to be planning her wedding to Kash, the love of her
life. After the crazy year they’ve had, she’s ready to settle down and live
a completely normal life. Well, as normal as it can be. But there’s
something else waiting–something threatening to tear them apart.
Kash is ready for it all with Rach. Especially if all includes having a
football team of babies with his future wife. With his line of work, he
knows how short life can be, and doesn’t want to waste another minute of
theirs. But now his past as an undercover narcotics agent has come back to
haunt him … and it’s the girl he loves who’s caught in the middle.
Trent Cruz’s orders are clear: take the girl. But there’s something about
this girl that has him changing the rules and playing a dangerous game to
keep her safe. When his time as Rachel’s protector runs out, he will turn
his back on the only life he’s known, and risk everything, if it means
getting her out alive.
*Deceiving Lies Amazon buy link: *
*Deceiving Lies Barnes & Noble buy link:*
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deceiving-lies-molly-mcadams/1115217159?ean=9780062299321&itm=1&usri=deceiving+lies
*Rafflecopter Giveaway: *
a
Rafflecopter giveaway
The beginning of this book was a slow drawn out chapter after chapter and then BAM! The author threw in an excitement point that turned this book from boring to an excite page turner.
I was about to put the book down and give up, but the characters would not let me do that. They wrapped them selves around my heart and I could not get them to let me go. I got attached to them and I was shocked that the author let them go through this in the storyline, but it would not be a story with some drama.
*Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for a real honest review.*
*About Molly McAdams: *
Molly McAdams grew up in California but now lives in the oh-so-amazing
state of Texas with her husband and furry daughter. Her hobbies include
hiking, snowboarding, traveling and long walks on the beach, which roughly
translates to being a homebody with her hubby and dishing out movie quotes.
When she’s not at work, she can be found hiding out in her bedroom
surrounded by her laptop, cell, Kindle and fighting over the TV remote. She
has a weakness for crude-humored movies, fried pickles and loves curling up
in a fluffy comforter during a thunderstorm…or under one in a bathtub if
there are tornados. That way she can pretend they aren’t really happening.
*Connect with Molly:*
*Facebook: *https://www.facebook.com/MollyMcAdams
*Twitter: *@mollysmcadams https://twitter.com/MollySMcAdams
*Goodreads: *https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6436698.Molly_McAdams
*Amazon:*
*Website: *http://www.mollysmcadams.com/
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Blog Tour ~~~ He Belongs With Me by Sarah Darlington
13 Thursday Mar 2014
Posted in Book Review
Title: HE BELONGS WITH ME
Author: Sarah Darlington
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
Identical twins, Maggie and Clara Ryder, both grew up with Leo Maddox, billionaire playboy, apparent alcoholic, and heir to his grandfather’s world-famous Maddox hotel empire. Their roles were cemented long ago: Maggie, as his best friend and Clara as his childhood nemesis.
But when a simple twist of fate changes everything and both girls start to fall for the lean, mean, ridiculously sexy and seemingly spoiled Leo… which girl will win his heart?
Throw in a little mischief, drama, and one smoking-hot bartender and lines are sure to blur. But one thing’s for certain, neither good-girl Maggie nor rebellious Clara will be satisfied until they each figure out where they belong.
Identical twins, Maggie and Clara Ryder, both grew up with Leo Maddox, billionaire playboy, apparent alcoholic, and heir to his grandfather’s world-famous Maddox hotel empire. Their roles were cemented long ago: Maggie, as his best friend and Clara as his childhood nemesis.
But when a simple twist of fate changes everything and both girls start to fall for the lean, mean, ridiculously sexy and seemingly spoiled Leo… which girl will win his heart?
Throw in a little mischief, drama, and one smoking-hot bartender and lines are sure to blur. But one thing’s for certain, neither good-girl Maggie nor rebellious Clara will be satisfied until they each figure out where they belong.
LINKS TO BUY:
GIVEAWAY:
A wild ride on a roller coaster is less exciting than this book. I was an emotional wreck by the time I got done with this book. It had me up and down with the wild antics of one sister and the confused mind of another.
I could not choose if I liked this book or wanted to just worked through it. I know that sentence sounds like I hated this book, but it is just the opposite. This book took a grip in me and would not let go. I was laughing in one minute and then wondering what happened in the next. One sister was running away and the other was running towards another guy. Wow!
*Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for a real honest review.*
About the Author:
Sarah Darlington lives in the DC metro area, is married to her high school sweetheart, and currently spends her time chasing around a very active toddler. As a former flight attendant, she misses the days of pantyhose, galley gossip with good friends, and traveling to new places. In the future she’d like to return to that career, but, just as flying gets into your bones, so does writing. Whenever she gets a free moment these days, she writes.
Author questions:
1. What’s your favorite organizational tool or item to help you keep your stories in chronological order? Do you prefer to write series or Stand alones?
I don’t really have a tool to keep my stories in order. But I never write ahead when writing. Skipping ahead never works for me because I don’t really know what direction a story will lead until I get there. So I force myself to write chronologically and never skip.
Standalones. For now, at least.
2. Do you play the What if game with a basic idea? Do you come up with your story idea first or do you come up with characters/who the main ones are before you can come up with the plot?
I’ve never tried the ‘what if’ game. Maybe I will on my next novel.
Usually the characters pop into my head first along with a very basic idea. Then when I’m laying down, going to sleep at night, I run through scenarios. (So maybe I am playing the ‘what if’ game.) That form of daydreaming is how I plot out my novels. But I never know the details until the words flow through my fingers while typing.
3. How do you decide on locations for each story and when you pick a place you’ve never been for the story how do you research the place?
Location/setting is very important to me. It has to fit with the story and the story has to fit with it. For the purposes of my novel, I had to make up a fictional town. I’m from Virginia and Virginia is what I know, so even if Blue Creek, Virginia–the fictional town in HE BELONGS WITH ME–is make-believe, it is still based heavily on reality.
I guess I try to pick places based on what I know. If I have to make them up, I make them very similar to something I already know. That’s just what’s easier for me.
4. How do you pick out names that you feel fit your characters?
Instinct, I guess. Whatever feels right. I choose my character names before I ever started writing and very quickly a simple name becomes something more. Take Leo Maddox for example. About halfway through writing my novel, I read the novel Beautiful Disaster. It’s such a huge book in the NA world and after reading it I considering changing Leo’s last name. In a way, I felt Maddox was already taken by Travis. But I’d grown so attached to Leo and the name Maddox, that I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
5. What’s your best advice to new writers on building a new “story” world and how to keep track of it all?
Live in your story. Writing a full length novel means you have TONS to keep track of and it can be overwhelming. Write a little bit each day–or at least reread a little of your novel each day–so that you don’t leave that world you are living in. It took me one whole year to write HE BELONGS WITH ME. I’m the slowest writer ever! I spent about 2 hours per day living in that world. By the end, I knew it like the back of my hand.
6. Do you use any special programs to write or just word? (examples like Writeway, yWriter, Scrievner etc). do you do all of your writing by the computer or are you crazy like me and you write it in a notebook you can drag around and then add it to the computer later?
I use two things– word and the notes section of my phone (which I guess is like carrying around a notebook). I’ve never tried any of those other programs before.
7. Are you a plotter or panster? Do you need complete silence while working or do you like listening to music?
I try to plot, I really do. But I always end up nowhere near where I originally intended. And complete silence.
8. How many words do you write a day and is there a time that you’ve found is your “best” writing time? If so, is that morning or night?!
I’m such a slow writer. On average, probably only 100-200 words per day. It varies in spurts though. I don’t really have a best time. I have a two year old, so whenever he is sleeping is best.
9. Have you ever felt like giving up on writing or stopped to question yourself of why your are writing?
Yes, all the time. It’s kind of end my blood though. So even when I’ve tried to give up in the past, I can’t. It’s something I love even when I hate it.
10. What will you be writing next?
I kind of have two different ideas fighting for attention right now. 1. A novel from Steph’s POV, the best friend to Clara in HE BELONGS WITH ME. 2. Or a totally new idea. Another thing I struggle with is getting a story going. Once I’m about 5 chapters in, and fully committed, it becomes easier to ‘live in that world’. Until then, I constantly struggle with ‘is this the story I should be devoting all these hours to?’
11. Not counting any of your own characters, who is your favorite book boyfriend?
Adrian from Richelle Meads’ Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. I’m a huge YA fan even though I write NA.
12. Who is your go to author when you are looking for something to read?
Abbi Glines.
13. What got you into writing and what made you write this book?
Twilight got me into writing. It got me into reading again, actually. And in 2013 I decided, ‘this is the year I will finish one of my stories’!
14. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Hmmm? Maybe that sometimes there is already a lot more love in your life than you realize.
Extra:
I hope all that was helpful for writers. For any writer, my best advice is to just keep writing. Force yourself everyday and always be trying to improve. If you read the stuff I wrote when I first started–about 6 years ago–you would laugh. But slowly, with practice, writing is something you can teach yourself.
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