Skinny-licious:Lite and Scrumptious Recipes for a Slimmer You by Shauna Evans, RN-Blog Tour Review

Product Details

• Title: Skinny-Licious: Lite and Scrumptious Recipes for a Slimmer You
• Author: Shauna Evans
• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.; 1 edition (January 14, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1462113249
• FTC FYI:  Received a review hard copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description:
Eat yourself skinny! Registered nurse and award winning cook Shauna Evans proves that you don't need to give up your favorite foods in order to slim down. You can enjoy tasty recipes like Lime and Cilantro Shrimp Skewers, Stuffed Red Peppers, and Cherry Chocolate Cake, all while losing weight and feeling great. Healthy cooking has never been easier!

 My Review:
I'm always excited to read and try out a new recipe/diet book. I am always trying to lose some pounds and I'm looking for the way that will work for me. This book had an interesting premise. The idea is to eat by an 8-hour diet or eating schedule. You fast for sixteen hours and only eat during the 8-hour window for at least three days out of the week. The idea behind this is that naturally you cut out excessive calories and enable your body sufficient time to do a daily and crucial overhaul. This helps with fat loss and turning your body into a fat burning machine, where regular dieting causes muscle loss. The book also states that fasting promotes the increase of the human growth hormone which keeps us from aging, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and wrinkles.

Well, I've never tried this method before. You skip breakfast and I'm a big breakfast person. I wasn't able to fully try the diet yet, but I did try many of the yummy recipes. I am game to give the diet a go because the author lost a lot of weight following an 8-hour diet and she is a registered nurse. I wanted to share with you some of the recipes my family really liked.

-Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Shauna said she tried to make them as close to possible as P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps that I love!!) 

-Herb-Crusted Salmon

-Harvest Garden Chili

-Mango Spinach Salad

-Berry Peach Cobbler

The best part about these recipes are that they taste very yummy! You would never even think that they were "diet" recipes. Just for this fact alone that they are great healthy recipes, this cookbook is worth the money.I'm excited to read Shauna Evans's other cookbook.

 You can purchase Skinny-licious HERE!

Meet The Author:

Shauna Evans lives in Northern Utah beneath the Wasatch Mountains. In 1994,she graduated from Brigham Young Universtiy with a bachelor of science, nursing degree from Brigham Young University. She married BYU quarterback, Joe Evans in 1992. They have five children. Shauna continues her nursing education with courses on nutrition, diet, and exercise and is a certified personal trainer.

Shauna has won over 10 recipe contests including two national awards. She is the author of four books, "What Goes With What-Baby Rooms Made Easy," "Sweet and Savory: Award Winning Recipes Made easy," "Skinny-licious: Scrumptious and Lite Recipes for a Slimmer You," and "30-Minute Meals for Families" (release date: June 2014).
Author Evans shares creative family ideas and delicious recipes on her blog: www.sweetandsavoryseven.com.

Book Blast and $50 Gift Card Giveaway for Paris Cravings by Kimberley Montpetit

 

Paris Cravings

Book Blurb

Can life really turn on a dime, a missed bus— or a stuck pastry shop door?

Chloe Dillard’s life has always been complicated. Her mother is a neurotic romance novelist and her boyfriend, Mathew, has been pressuring her to go “all the way”. But after The Worst Night of Her Life, Chloe escapes on her Senior Class trip to the swoon-worthy city of Paris which takes her mind off her troubles—temporarily. On the final leg of her dream trip, Chloe squeezes in one final run for a last-minute box of decadent pastries. Add a stuck door, subtract a broken four-inch heel from her cute strappy sandals, and Chloe ends up one stuck girl on the bakery shop floor with a sprained ankle. Rescued by the shop owner’s dreamy son with chocolate-syrup eyes, the beautiful city of Paris suddenly becomes Chloe’s personal secret adventure. And even though Jean-Paul, the oh-so-kind La Patisserie shop boy is the gentlemanly guy Chloe has always dreamed of, even he has a girlfriend. The police are tracking her down as a run-away, Mom’s having a nervous breakdown over her daughter’s “disappearance”, and Chloe’s just trying to have a Happily-Ever-After even as her dreams with Matt are swirling down the drain. Could being lost in the city of Paris be just what the doctor ordered? What’s a girl to do in the most romantic city in the world? 
Purchase here at...

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

***Praise for Paris Cravings***
"PARIS CRAVINGS is such a fun read, I couldn't put it down! This is a humorous, delicious, and dreamy romance set in Paris about pastries, growing up, dating, and making those hard decisions about the kind of guy you want to be with, and who is best for you." ~Milyssa Rivera 

 "Who can resist a book set in Paris amidst a Patisserie shop full of eclairs and pastries?! I'm excited this is a series, because anything with a bakery involved and I am in! Paris Cravings started out with a girl, a big box, some high heels and a mishap with a door. Insert cute worker with Hershey brown eyes, a French accent and a missing passport and you have the beginnings of romance." ~Fire and Ice Blogger  

Excerpt:

Dear Diary: I have a confession to make: I’ve become a total idiot over French pastries. They’re my new favorite food. My new-found edible souvenir. My new favorite sin. Drizzled chocolate, sugar-dusted raspberries, flaky crusts with perfect crimped edges. I’ll have to run a marathon when I get back home to New York just to burn off my new five pounds. French beignets are the worst temptation. Those yeasty chocolate-filled pastries call to me the way Prada handbags call to my mother from Fifth Avenue. Dunkin Donuts—so yesterday. Climbing the Eiffel tower, running through miles of hallways at the Louvre Museum, gourmet lunches on the Seine River . . . yes, those are all must-sees . . . if you don’t mind vertigo-dizzying heights and enough paintings to saturate your brain for the rest of your life. But once I discovered La Patisserie, the rest of Paris became a mere backdrop for my guilty pleasure. What’s a girl to do?

  Author Kimberley Montpetit
Kimberley Montpetit once spent all her souvenir money at the La Patisserie shops when she was in Paris—on the arm of her adorable husband. The author grew up in San Francisco, another swoon-worthy city, loves all things Parisian and chocolate and lives in a small town along the Rio Grande with her family. Kimberley has won many awards for her work, including the Southwest Book Award, the Whitney Award, the Arizona/New Mexico Book Award, is a Crystal Kite Finalist (SCBWI) and included in the Bank Street College Best Books of the Year. She once stayed in a haunted castle tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland, sailed on the Seine in Paris, walked the beaches of Normandy, eaten in numerous French cafes, ridden a camel in Petra, Jordan, sunbathed on Waikiki, shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria. She adores all baked goodies; brownies, éclairs, donuts, tarts, and pie, and makes a lot of chocolate chip cookies while revising. Kimberley is, of course, hard at work on her next novel(s). 
Learn More about Kimberley here...

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BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 3/14/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Sweet Confections by Danyelle Ferguson. Also enter to win an e-copy of the book or a $10.00 Redbox gift card!

I'm so excited to be part of the cover reveal for Sweet Confections by Danyelle Ferguson. What a beautiful cover! I'm also looking forward to being part of the blog tour in April. It sounds like this will be a great read. Don't forget to enter the Rafflecoptor giveaway down below! Then go to goodreads and put this on your Want To Read list!

Book Blurb:

According to Rachel Marconi chocolate heals all wounds. That and throwing darts at pictures of her ex-boyfriend. Burned by yet another bad relationship, Rachel decides to reprioritize her life, putting her dream to compete on a  Food Network Challenge on the top of her list and dating at the bottom crossed out in red sharpie.

But what's a girl to do when a certain sexy guy keeps asking her out?

Cue in Graydon Green, a former pro hockey player turned restaurant owner. After a lot of persistent and humorous teasing, he finally convinces Rachel to commit to a date. Just when things begin to warm up, threatening notes directed at Rachel arrive. When her bakery is vandalized, Graydon's protective streak goes on red alert. Is it her obsessive ex-boyfriend stalking her? Or maybe a challenger trying to sabotage the competition?

Either way, Rachel is definitely going to need more chocolate - perhaps drizzled over ice cream and devil's food cake.

About the Author 
Danyelle Ferguson is a thirty-something mom with the heart of a college student obsessed with chocolate and yearning for the thrill of romance. In her day job, she does a juggling act trying to cram in her writing deadlines between the never-ending laundry pile and constant calls for mom. You can find out more about Danyelle via the web:

Blog: www.QueenOfTheClan.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/AuthorDanyelleFerguson

Twitter: @DanyelleTweets

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A Timeless Romance Anthology: Love Letter Collection by Karey White, Krista Lynne Jensen, Diane Darcy,Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore-Review

Product Details

• Title: Love Letter Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology)
• Authors: Karey White, Krista Lynne Jensen, Diane Darcy, Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore
• File Size: 2022 KB
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Mirror Press (January 22, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00I20ABJU
• FTC FYI: Received a review ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description:

Just in time for Valentine's Day...  

 LOVE LETTER COLLECTION

Three Contemporary Romance Novellas
& Three Historical Romance Novellas
in one anthology

In Maggie’s Song, a charming story by Karey White, Maggie Jensen is part of a trio of best friends with Lucas and Dan. Together, they own and run Wild Country Hiking Tours. When Lucas returns to the company after getting his college degree, Maggie realizes that the crush she had on him as a teenager has now blossomed into so much more. But Lucas still treats her as one of the guys, and Maggie worries that if she tells him her real feelings, their relationship will be damaged forever.

In Just Fly, Krista Lynne Jensen's captivating novella, Wren is faced with the devastating news of her grandfather's death. But when her mom finds a mysterious letter from a woman named Dot in Seattle, Wren decides to visit the woman herself to deliver the news in person. Wren learns of the bucket list Dot and Gramps had put together with the help of Dot's grandson, Seth, and Dot challenges Wren to take her grandfather's place in completing the list. Before the week of adventure is over, Seth has impressed Wren in more ways than one. But is that enough to overcome Wren's fear of losing those she loves?

How to Rewrite a Love Letter, an enthralling novella by Diane Darcy, high school teacher Julie Ashburn believes she’ll never live the “event” down in which she wrote her true feelings in a love letter to Principal Dane Parker, and he laughed out loud, mocking her. Now that her honors English students want to write love letters for the school fundraiser, Dane turns down the idea flat. Julie tries to convince him that it was her students’ idea and not any sort of payback. But when a student writes a fake love letter from the principal to Julie, everything gets even more mixed up, and both Julie and Dane are caught up in a series of misunderstandings that might be impossible to sort out.

In Sarah M. Eden’s delightful story, A Thousand Words, Shannon Ryan has been waiting half a year to be reunited with her fiance, Patrick, with only the letters between them keeping their relationship alive. He finally sends for her after securing a good job with the Sidney newspaper, and she can’t wait to be reunited with him, swept up in his arms and thoroughly kissed. And of course, married as soon as possible. But when she arrives at the train station, there is no Patrick waiting for her. Shannon must discover if the man she loves still has feelings for her.

Between the Lines is a sweet romance by Annette Lyon. Jane Martin is intelligent but extremely shy, especially around men. When the Aid and Cultural Society proposes a letter-writing program, Jane signs up, hoping she can find true friendship. The program doesn’t run as smoothly as expected, and unknown to Jane, one of the men in her city becomes her writing friend. Thomas Allred has always known shy and quiet Jane, but reading her letters written to his secret persona, opens his eyes to what an amazing woman she is. The only trouble is, Jane doesn’t know that the man who she is falling in love with through letters is also Thomas, the man who is falling in love with her in person.

In the enchanting novella, Blackberry Hollow, by Heather B. Moore, Lucy Quinn travels to England to inspect her inherited estate. Unfortunately, as a resident of New York and nearly engaged, Lucy needs put the house on the market. But first, she wants to learn more about her ancestors. What she doesn’t expect is Calvin Bevans, the man living next door. The two families have been divided by a misunderstanding decades old, and when Lucy discovers a set of love letters, she learns the truth. As Calvin helps her unravel the hidden secrets between the two families, Lucy finds that she has more reasons to stay in England than to return to New York. And Calvin is at the top of that list.

 My Review:

The new Timeless Romance Anthology, The Love Letters Collection, is a perfect read for Valentines Day. I loved the combination of contemporary and historical stories. There is a story to fit your every mood and reading tastes. The unique thing that binds all six stories together is that there are love letters in every novella. From the first story, Maggie's Song, where two best friends finally confess their love through some letters (This happy ending gave me chills and I gave a huge sigh) to the last story, Blackberry Hollow where two great grandchildren of former lovers become close themselves(and maybe more...you need to read it yourself!). These romance stories are high on the clean factor and zero on anything erotic. All of the stories are written with appealing characters whose stories stayed in my mind days after reading them.

I love how each of these stories are told. I have become a true lover of these novellas. The Timeless Romance Anthologies are always quick easy reads. They never fail to make me smile. As a busy woman I like to be able to read a story and have it resolved quickly. A full length novel doesn't always work with my busy schedule of working full-time and being a single mom. 

Do yourself a favor and pick up this new collection of romance stories. They are well written by authors I've come to trust, and they know how to deliver a great story. 

You can purchase your copy here at Amazon.

 

Book Blast and $50 GIftcard Giveaway for Muse Unexpected by V.C. Birlidis

Muse Unexpected 

Book Description

"We're Muses. Not vampires, not fairies, not werewolves. We're Muses." Sophie was sure her mother had reached an epic level of crazy. ‘We're Muses?' She thought Muses were lame, not to mention she found the idea ridiculous. However, Sophie couldn't explain away her physical transformation that made Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries look like a bad Walmart make-over, not to mention why her mood swings triggered an uncontrollable ability to shoot powerful bursts of energy out of her hands. Sophie soon realizes modern day Muses have evolved into powerful guardians of humankind, tasked with keeping mortals on the right path and the original Olympians locked away from the world. But old hatreds don't die easily, especially for immortal enemies that have an eternity to plot and gather their forces. Well aware of the Fates' foretelling of another Olympian war, and a young Muse that would rise up as a warrior and defeat them, the Olympians have vowed to either possess Sophie or destroy her. Either way, they will make sure everyone associated with their imprisonment will reap an eternal damnation in the Underworld, leaving the Olympians to restore Mount Olympus and force humankind into a future of never-ending servitude and misery. 

 Purchase at...

Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Goodreads

  Praise for Muse Unexpected 
"Ripe with conflict, skin-crawling creepy that is sprinkled with a wonderful sense of humor and a plot fraught with horrific danger in every step taken by Sophie, this book should be on the top of everyone's must read list. Simply put, I loved it and can't wait for book 2 to come out." ~Olive (Amazon Review) 

"I remember learning about mythology and Greek gods in elementary school....boring! Well, this fantastic book takes everything you thought about gods/mythology and turns it on it's ear, sort of like "Wicked" did to the "Wizard of OZ". At times funny at times gruesome and scary, this story definitely kept my interest. I loved the way the writer made the gods "human". I also liked the subtle, blink and you'll miss them hints sprinkled throughout the story. Don't let the young adult genre scare you away. This is an engaging story that can be enjoyed by all. Can't wait for the next one!!!!" ~Paula (Amazon Review)  

Tour Schedule

 Meet Author V.C. Birlidis
V.C. Birlidis was born and raised in Miami, Florida and has always been involved in the arts. He attended the New World School of the Arts and was a member of The Miami Ballet. Mr. Birlidis moved to Ohio to attend college where he earned his Bachelor's degree in marketing and communications from Capital University. He currently is the Director of Marketing at one of the top midwest advertising agencies, SBC Advertising. He has freelanced as a writer for Outlook News and Tickled Pink Magazine, where he wrote a comical advice column named Ask V. Five years in the making and inspired by the numerous Greek myths his father would utilize as demented bed time stories, Muse, Unexpected is Mr. Birlidis' first novel. It is the first book in his Muse series.  

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BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
 Ends 3/7/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blast and $50 Giveaway for The Complete Amish Wedding Series by Becca Fisher

The Complete Amish Wedding Series 
This boxed set features all six books in the Amish Wedding series including: Amish Wedding Rebecca Lapp has her life back together after a tough break up. She's found a new man and is finally happy once again. But when her ex comes back into town wanting her back, Rebecca will be forced to make a decision that will change her life forever. An Amish Widower's Heart Two years after Henry King loses his wife in a freak accident, he's still trying to cobble his life back together. But he knows that if he doesn't stop lingering on the past, he'll have no future. But can he love again? And just how far is the journey back to happiness? The Amish Late Bloomer Almost all of Elizabeth Stoltz's friends are married with kids. Elizabeth meanwhile finds herself back on the dating scene again after a crushing heartbreak. And she quickly finds out that being single at twenty-one year old leaves few options for finding the perfect guy. But Elizabeth is determined to find the love of her life. Will Elizabeth be able to find the love she's been looking her whole life for, is it already too little too late for her? Beachy Amish Romance After a rough break up, Benjamin Stoltz moves from Lancaster to the Florida Amish community of Pinecraft looking for a fresh start. But Benjamin soon realizes that finding romance in Florida has some unique problems of its own. This Side Of Heaven Mary Stoltz has a clear idea in her head of what she wants her dream man to be like. But her romantic reality has fallen far short of her dreams. Not to mention she is at the tail end of her rumspringa with seemingly not a single good suitor in sight. But when Mary finally meets a handsome and interesting man, will her love life finally live up to the dreams in her head? Amish Homecoming David Lapp has his rumspringa in the city cut short when he finds out that his mother has been in an accident. But when he returns to Lancaster to take care of her, secrets from the past come to light that will change the direction of his life forever.

Amazon * Barnes and Noble

Praise for The Complete Amish Wedding Series

"I had trouble putting the book down. I enjoy the stories about the trials in their lives and the way they rise above them with a little assistance from Gott. Nice clean romances are a great to get away and relax. Thank you for the Great read." ~Teresa Thornock (Goodreads)

Excerpt 
"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Samuel remarked. That was a bold statement from an Amish man. But Samuel's feelings were undeniable. Samuel knew that modesty was the Amish way. He'd been brought up on the plain life. Simple service to God. And while Samuel's feelings about himself were humble in nature, his feelings for Ruth were anything but. Ruth meanwhile was no fan of attention. She was naturally shy. Samuel had managed to coax her out of her shell though. Still, Ruth was hardly comfortable in the spotlight. It was a mystery to everyone else why Ruth was such a wallflower. She had so much going for her, she just didn't seem to realize it. "Now Samuel, there's no need to exaggerate," Ruth replied, modestly. "Who says I'm exaggerating?" Samuel continued. "I've waited my whole life to meet a woman like you. And now that I have, it would be a shame not to appreciate you." "Are you trying to make me blush?" Ruth wondered. "No. I'm just trying to make you feel as good as you make me feel," Samuel said. "I'd be careful with your expectations. If you let them get too high, you're bound to be let down," Ruth replied. "It's too late. My expectations are already through the roof," Samuel admitted. "But don't worry, I can't imagine getting let down by you." "It must be interesting looking at life through your eyes," Ruth remarked. "What can I say? Love brings a rose colored tint to everything," Samuel replied. "Don't you agree?" "Just because I'm not as vocal, doesn't mean I love you any less," Ruth said. "How much do you love me?" Samuel wondered. "So much that it scares me sometimes," Ruth admitted. Samuel was confused. "What's there to be scared about?" "Are you kidding? You know the road it's taken us to get here. So after all the bumps, to finally be with you, to finally turn my heart over, to let my feelings be exposed is both exciting and terrifying," Ruth explained. It was true. Ruth and Samuel had found the most roundabout way of getting together. They had been friends for the longest time. Part of a tight knit group of friends that had grown up together in Lancaster. So Ruth and Samuel didn't want to do anything to jeopardize their friendship. They'd seen two of their close friends date in the past. But when their relationship went south, the friendship was ruined as well. Ruth and Samuel didn't want the same thing to happen to them. So Ruth and Samuel dated other people. They did not have much luck finding love though. There were a lot of first dates, but very few second dates. After a while, Ruth and Samuel started to lose hope that they'd ever meet their match. That's when after a lot of hemming and hawing about risking their friendship, Ruth and Samuel finally gave in to the feelings they had for each other. Ruth and Samuel's first date was the best either one had ever experienced. They were a great match. With so much in common. And they made a wonderful couple. It was hard to believe they'd been so afraid to get together. In the end, their friendship only added to the relationship they were building. And ever since then, Ruth and Samuel had been nearly inseparable. Now almost a year in, Ruth and Samuel couldn't imagine being with anyone else. They made each other happier than they ever thought possible. But that didn't mean Ruth was without her worries. Samuel was always there with optimism abound though. "That's how I know we're meant for us each other. Because we know what else is out there. And none of it compares to being with you." Ruth smiled. "You're the sweetest man I've ever met."

 Excerpt 2 "I don't ever want this moment to end," Hannah King said. "Neither do I," Henry King replied. It was a brisk fall day. The kind that made you want to snuggle close to someone you loved. For Hannah and Henry, that was easy. They lived for each other. They were a match made in heaven. And when they were together, it felt like paradise. Hannah and Henry had been married almost two years. And yet the honeymoon phase was far from over. They still had that glow about each other. An undeniable chemistry. The couple had heard that marriage was work. That everything wouldn't go as smoothly as they expected. They didn't find that to be true though. For Hannah and Henry, the married life was amazingly simple--even for an Amish couple. After work, they always tried to watch the sunset together. It was a tradition, carrying over from their first date. And Lord willing, they caught a glimpse of the sun dancing across the sky as much as they could. "Do you think it's always going to be like this?" Hannah asked. "Gott is the only one that knows for sure. But I sure hope so," Henry remarked. "You know, I've been thinking a lot about the future," Hannah said. "Only good things I hope," Henry replied. "Are you kidding? I have you. What could go wrong?" Hannah asked. "That's my line," Henry joked. "I figured you wouldn't mind me borrowing it," Hannah replied. "You can borrow it anytime you want if you're going to use it on me," Henry said. "Why don't we go back to talking about our future?" Hannah joked. "It's funny. My parents always brought me up to stay in the present. To just appreciate what was in front of me," Henry explained. "Well, I certainly like what's in front of me," Hannah interrupted. "Thanks to you though, I've found myself starting to look to the future," Henry admitted. "Look at you, living dangerously," Hannah joked. "I wish I could be more like you. Looking at the world with nothing but hope in my eyes. But I was raised to keep my feet on the ground. To not let my head drift into the clouds. So optimism is all new to me," Henry said. "Don't worry. I'm with you every step of the way," Hannah replied. "I can't think of a better guide," Henry remarked. "But now that I'm changing your mind about the world, how does the future look now?" Hannah asked. "As bright as can be," Henry said. There were certain memories that Henry could never forget. That became burned into his brain. For Henry, that conversation with his wife was one of them. And although the conversation happened over a year ago, it was still as fresh in Henry's mind as ever. It was the last good memory he had of his wife. The next day she died of a freak brain aneurysm. It was all such a shock. Completely out of the blue. There were no warning signs. No symptoms. In the middle of a conversation a blood vessel in her brain just blew and she collapsed to the ground. There was no way to prepare for the a tragedy like that, especially when it was such a freak occurence. Henry turned to Gott for an explanation, but received none. And he'd been trying to cobble his life back together ever since. It was all such a complete tragedy. The best thing in Henry's life was taken from him in an instant, without warning and without reason. Not to mention that Hannah was only twenty-three years old. She had so much to look forward to. So much in her future. There should have been children on the way. Glorious days spent in the park. Vacations at the beach. And holidays with relatives. It would be a simple life. But it would also be a joyful one. It just wasn't meant to be though. Even a year after her death, Henry woke up in disbelief that Hannah was gone. And despite having the whole bed available to him, Henry only slept on his side. He never dared to inch his body to Hannah's side. It was just a force of habit. He knew that it defied logic. That Hannah wouldn't be returning to claim her side of the bed. Still, it was the little routines that gave Henry comfort.  

Author Becca Fisher
I'm Becca Fisher and I write sweet Amish romances featuring simple people with complex love lives. I'm devout in my faith, relish time with my family, and seek to bring joy to as many lives as possible. I would love to have you as a reader. God bless.

Blog * Facebook * Twitter

       
BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/28/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway --

Victoria's Promise by Julie Wright: A Newport Ladies Book Club Series Novel: A Review

Product Details

• Title: Victoria's promise: A Newport Ladies Book Club Novel
• Author: Julie Wright
• File Size: 1559 KB
• Print Length: 240 pages
• Publisher: Covenant Communications (January 2, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00HJZOYBK

FTC FYI: Received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.  

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2014

A luxurious mansion. Thirty stunning bachelorettes. One very eligible bachelor. All of the ingredients are in place for a successful reality dating show, and behind the scenes, Tori Winters is set to pull the romantic strings as assistant director of Vows. Despite her distaste for public exhibitions of love—which spelled the death of her last relationship—Tori intends to give the public exactly what they want: scintillating footage of a bevvy of beauties vying for the attention of Christopher Caine. But Chris, a consummate Southern gentleman and the star of Vows, seems almost too good to be true—and soon, even Tori finds herself falling under his spell. Despite legal obligations to avoid fraternizing with the talent, it’s clear her feelings are anything but unrequited. With the support of her friends in the Newport Ladies Book Club, Tori must make a life-altering decision: is she willing to jeopardize all she’s worked for in order to embrace her own fairy-tale ending?

 My Review:
Victoria's Promise is the newest addition to the second set of The Newport Ladies Book Club novels. I reviewed Ruby's Secret earlier this week. As with all of the books in this series I feel like I'm visiting old friends. The only difference is I'm getting to know each character at a new level. So often with friends we many times only see what is at surface level. For example, everyone in the book club thought that Tori lived a very glamorous, Hollywood life. As we read about her story we find that this isn't the truth.  Tori works on the set of a reality TV show called VOWS, much like the Bachelor. She has been doing this particular job for many seasons. The only difference this time is that Tori is starting to fall for the Bachelor, southern gentleman, Christopher Caine. Despite all of her best efforts not to fall in love with Chris, which by the way is against her contract working on the set of this show, she does. What ensues is a story of humor, romance, and taking chances. 

As with the other Newport Ladies books, we associate with the other women in the club. This set of novels aren't all written in the same time period. They are also focusing more on other members of the book club. If you haven't heard about this series yet, here is a good explanation found on The Newport Ladies Book Club site,

"The Newport Ladies Book Club series is unique in that each Newport book is written from the point of view of a different woman in the book club. The first 4 books cover the same time period and the same book club meetings. But only with reading all 4 books, will you learn the whole story of each of the women and her full character journey. The 2nd set of 4 books covers the next 4 book club meetings. Think of it as a parallel series, not as a forward-moving series."


Author Julie Wright has written a novel that will make you smile, laugh and also do something to your heart. I could relate to Tori's insecurities at her job and in finding love. Without giving away the ending, just know that there will be some surprises that will take your breath away. I'll admit it, I even cried a little. You'll be happy that you read Victoria's Promise.

You can purchase your copy of Victoria's Promise HERE



 Meet Author Julie Wright:

Julie Wright (1972-still breathing) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She’s lived in LA, Boston, and the literal middle of nowhere (don’t ask). She wrote her first book when she was fifteen, and has since written fifteen novels–nine of which are traditionally published. Julie won the Whitney award for best romance in 2010 with her novel Cross My Heart. She is agented by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger Inc. She has one husband, three kids, one dog, and a varying amount of fish, frogs, and salamanders (depending on attrition). She loves writing, reading, traveling, speaking at schools, hiking, playing with her kids, and watching her husband make dinner. She used to speak fluent Swedish, but now speaks only well enough to cuss out her children in public settings. She hates mayonnaise.

Books:

• Olivia
• Hazzardous Universe: The Magician’s Last Words
• Hazzardous Universe
• Cross My Heart (2010 Whitney Award winner for Best Romance)
• Eyes Like Mine (2009 Whitney Award Nominee)
• My Not-So-Fairy-Tale Life
• Loved Like That
• To Catch a Falling Star