Sheila's Books Read

Sheila's bookshelf: read

The Best Intentions
Scotland's Melody
The Secret Society of Salzburg
Secret of the Sonnets
20-40-60-Minute Dinners: Meals to Match the Time You Have
Through the Wilderness: My Journey of Redemption and Healing in the American Wild
Secret Santa Claus Club: A Tool to Help Parents Unwrap the Secret of Santa
Mr. Pudgins
Revenge Never Rests
The Best Mistake
Meriden Park
More Inspirational Stories for Young Women
The Great Tree: A Christmas Fable
To Capture His Heart
The Call of the Sea
Esperance
Livvy and the Enchanted Woodland
Come, Gentle Night
The Bad Boy Theory
Guide To Smart Wedding Planning: What You want to know and everything you haven't thought of yet.


Sheila's favorite books »
Showing posts with label Book Review: Womens Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Review: Womens Fiction. Show all posts

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Jeremy's Promise by A.R. Talley-Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

Jeremy's Promise (1) 

Jeremy's PromiseProduct Details

  • Title: Jeremy's Promise
  •  Author: A.R. Talley
  • Hardcover: 308 pages
  • Publisher: AuthorHouse (October 28, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1491818123
  • FTC,FYI: Received  a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.






 Book Description: 
"Are you okay?" he asked. Before I could reassure him once more that I was fine, the stewardess started the safety demonstration. I directed my attention to her, happy for the diversion. Jeremy and I had spent most of the day before in small talk and sightseeing, intentionally avoiding the issues we faced. He was so relieved that I was staying with him that he made a Herculean effort not to upset me. And later, I had to admit, that night had been sweet and intimate. But sitting on the plane, I couldn't forget David's kiss or his haunting blue eyes. I couldn't forget the look of devastation on his face when he said goodbye at the elevator. "Go home, Annie," he had said. And I was. I was going home, hoping that Jeremy and I could rebuild what I had destroyed. I needed to reach out to Jeremy, reassure him. I needed him to know I still loved him and was committed to our marriage. When the stewardess finished talking, I turned to him and gently laid my hand on his cheek. "Thank you," I said just above a whisper. He looked back in surprise. "Thank you . . . for what?" "For coming to get me." Instantly his eyes filled with tears.
 
The trip that was meant to save Annie and Jeremy’s marriage brought it to near ruin. Now Annie has returned home, frightened and confused. Jeremy, too, is frightened—and angry. What will it take to save their marriage? It’s clear. Jeremy needs to forgive—Annie needs to forget. A promise is made. A tragedy occurs. A second honeymoon is disrupted. A chance encounter brings David Andrews back into Annie’s life. Annie is determined to remain faithful. She’s made a promise she intends to keep—Jeremy’s Promise. 

EXCERPT from Jeremy's Promise
EXCERPT #1


“Okay, Jeremy,” Terry said, “Tell her.”

                “What?” Jeremy asked, bewildered.

                “Tell her how you feel about this other man in her life.”

                Jeremy was silent for a long moment. I didn’t know why he hadn’t launched immediately into a tirade about David Andrews. All I did know was I didn’t want to hear it.

                “Well,” Jeremy said, more subdued, “I think she knows—that anyway.”
                “No, Jeremy, you have to tell her.”

                More silence.

                “Annie, look at him,” Terry said. I shook my head. I couldn’t look at him. “Annie,” Terry said with measured patience, “Look at him.”

                I wiped the back of my hand across each cheek and slowly raised my head. I looked across at Jeremy. His face was red and silent tears ran down his cheek.

                “Tell her,” Terry said, gently prodding.

                “I’d rather die than have you be with him,” he said, his voice so strained I had to hold my breath to hear him. “Thinking of you—with him—it’s like having a thousand shards of glass lacerate my heart. It’s bleeding me to death.” His lip quivered. 

My Thoughts:
This was a hard book to read. Annie is struggling with her husband's death and having to rehash the past as she reads through Jeremy's journals. I loved the first book in the series, David's Song. My problem is that I really loved David in the book. 

This book will take you on an emotional ride. If you've ever had marriage problems or been divorced, you'll be able to relate to the struggles that Annie and Jeremy went through. I guess you have to wonder is...should Annie have went with her heart or her head? What was the right thing to do in the long run? There is a lot of pain that many of the characters went through and we feel it right along with them.

I was surprised when Annie goes on a cruise and meets up with none other than David again. Their relationship continues, even though David is engaged to be married to someone else. A lot happens on the cruise, but they don't get back together. The epilogue though has a surprise at the end, which will lead into the third book of the trilogy called Annie's Choice. I can't wait to read this third book. 

Though this book or the trilogy in general is not like your typical sweet romance, it is full of emotion and angst, but you truly get to know the characters. I liked reading Jeremy's Promise and I know anyone who likes a good story will love reading this too.

Praise for Jeremy's Promise

 A.R. Talley, gives you a believable look at the struggle of one couple to reconnect and heal their marriage, with dialog which sweeps you into the moment as if you were there with them, experiencing both their pain and recovery. Kudos to the author who has once again produced a book I couldn't put down, as well as one I felt compelled to read multiple times. ~Donna Dech

 Jeremy's Promise second book in a trilogy by A.R. Talley is an awesome, emotional, romantic, highly recommended, well written story with captivating and engaging characters. ~Debbie Ballard

This is not a book I would have picked by myself! I loved it from start to finish! Eagerly waiting for the third book in the trilogy to come out!! I highly recommend this book! ~Goodreads
add to goodreads
AprilAuthor A.R. Talley A. R. Talley lives in Ohio with her husband Doug and the last of her seven children (the rest have flown the coup.) She loves to cook, read, write, watch movies, play piano, and laugh. Her second favorite vacation involves the British Isles and a small café in Scotland.
25_Amazon_Paypal $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 3/19/15 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, February 1, 2014

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

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:

Image of 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

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Ruby's Secret by Heather B. Moore {A Newport Ladies Book Club Novel}-Review




Product Description:
Title: Ruby's Secret (A Newport Ladies Book Club Novel)
AuthorHeather B. Moore
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Published: October 1st, 2013
Paperback: 240 pages
ISBN13: 9781621084600
FTC FYI: I received an e-book copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.









Book Description:

At age sixty-two, life is finally beginning for newly widowed Ruby Crenshaw. Her son is grown and gone, and after long years spent in the role of loyal wife to her charming but unfaithful husband, she’s ready to live the life she’s always dreamed of. He resolve is firm: she’ll never make the mistake of giving her heart to another man.
The first step in Ruby’s quest for a carefree lifestyle was to create the Newport Ladies Book Club, an unlikely gathering of women that has been her haven. Now, she’s ready to take her new found independence a step further—along with her friends from the local Senior Center, Ruby is jetting off on a much-needed Greece adventure. What she isn’t prepared for is Gabriel—the group’s tour guide—a native Greek and a true gentleman. His unquestionable charm is hard to resist. But resist she must—because no matter their growing attraction, Ruby is not about to fall for charming again! 
My Review:
I have been a huge fan of The Newport Ladies Book Club novels. I have grown to love the characters brought to life by some of my favorite authors. I have been looking forward to reading Ruby's story. Ruby is the sixty-two year old woman, a widow, who formed the book club. Up to this point the things we knew about Ruby is that she is a put together, well-to-do widow. From her interactions with the other women, we know that she is a leader and very kind. She knows how to take care of others and love those who are in need. But with all people, Ruby has secrets about her life that she has never shared. Her late husband had been unfaithful to her all of their married life. As readers we get a look at Ruby's fears and the guilt she lives with daily. 

When Ruby has a chance to return to Greece with a group of seniors, she hesitates because of bad memories related to her trip there 30 years before. It also resurfaces the awful feelings and memories about her husband's cheating ways. She decides to go and ends up meeting a man who turns her world upside down. {Where oh where can I meet my own Gabriel?}

This novel was read in one day. I always fall quickly into another world when I read a book written by Heather Moore. Her engaging writing style and relatable characters assures that you are in for a good read.

There were many things I could relate to with Ruby's journey. It's a scary thought giving your heart away to another,especially after it has been crushed once before. How do you trust again? I love the character of Ruby so much! I wish I had a "Ruby" in my life to help me through my struggles. As with all of the books in this series, we learn that things are never as they seem from the outside. Each woman's story has given readers the truth hidden inside each of their hearts. I love this series and I will be so sad once it is done. The beautiful thing about books though, is that I can always revisit the Newport Ladies Book Club women over and over again. If you haven't started reading the series yet I highly recommend you get started. If you are a fan of this series and haven't read Ruby's Secret yet...it's just liking coming home to a warm and comfy place. I loved this book and I'm happily giving it 5 stars!  

Meet Author: Heather B. Moore


Heather B. Moore is the 2-time Best of State, 2-time Whitney Award & 2-time Golden Quill Award winning author of ten historical novels. Her historical fiction is published under H.B. Moore; her newest historical thrillers are Daughters of Jared, Esther the Queen, and the Omar Zagouri series: Finding Sheba and Beneath.

Heather writes women's fiction and romance under Heather B. Moore. She's the co-author of The Newport Ladies Book Club Series (with Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon & Julie Wright)--her books are Athena and Ruby's Secret. Heather is also the author of the bestselling anthology collection A Timeless Romance Anthology, the Aliso Creek Novella series, the historical romance Heart of the Ocean, the non-fiction works Christ's Gifts to Women (co-authored with Angela Eschler), Women of the Book of Mormon, and the upcoming Divinity of Women (2014, co-authored with S. Kent Brown).

Visit her blog for writing and book signing updates: http://mywriterslair.blogspot.com

Heather loves to hear from readers at: www.hbmoore.com or if you're an aspiring writer, she also manages the editing company, Precision Editing Group: www.precisioneditinggroup.com.

{Go HERE to read the first chapter of Ruby's Secret.}

{Purchase Ruby's Secret HERE}

{Read more about The Newport Ladies Book Club Series HERE.}

About the Series

1st Set: Olivia, Daisy, Paige, Athena.
2nd Set: Shannon's Hope, Ruby's Secret, Victoria's Promise, Ilana's Wish, and Reunion.

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.

The final and 9th book, REUNION, is a thank-you to all of our readers who have asked "What happens next?" 

Authors of the Newport Ladies Book Club Series

Authors of the Newport Ladies Book Club Series
Josi Kilpack, Annette Lyon, Julie Wright, & Heather Moore

****If you haven't read the first four books in the series, you might be interested in this!****


4-in-1 E-Book Bundle

4-in-1 E-Book Bundle
First set of the series available as a book bundle at DeseretBook.com!

Friday, April 26, 2013

David's Song by A.R. Talley-Blog Tour Review and Giveaway

davids tour
 

Book Description: David's Song

Taken from the book cover: Annie only ever really loved two men in her life. One broke her heart, the other married her. Four children and fifteen years later, Annie’s marriage is in jeopardy. Money is tight and her husband questions the very foundation of their relationship. When Annie is Munexpectedly given the opportunity to see the young man who broke her heart — a man who is now a megastar in the music industry — Annie is faced with choices. Choices that will determine what is of more value — a second chance at lost love and unfulfilled dreams or commitment, trust, and love built on years of experience. A psychologically subtle, yet compelling tale about how the instinct and need for love overcomes self-doubt and personal inadequacy. 

Excerpt from David's Song  

“It’s an amazing city,” he said when he saw me look out the window.  I didn’t reply.   “You’re uncomfortable,” he added.  “Why don’t you come and sit down.  We have some hors d’oeurves.”
I turned and looked at him. “What do you want from me tonight?”
          He paused before speaking.  “I hoped we could catch up some and maybe clear the air a little. It’s been a long time,” he said, as if I didn’t know it had been fifteen years.
          I walked over and joined him at the table, unceremoniously dropping into the chair.  He sat down across from me.
          “Okay, go ahead, clear,” I said.
          “I don’t remember you being quite so hostile,” he said with a twinkle.
          “Can’t say that I remember feeling so defensive.”
          “How about if we just talk, enjoy a nice meal, and then I will sufficiently grovel at your feet.”
          “Groveling’s good.  Why don’t we just get it over with now?”  Then I could leave, be done with this nonsense and enjoy the rest of my vacation.  He took a deep breath and laughed lightly.
          “Annie, please, I’m eating humble pie here tonight.  Can we do it my way?” 
          I looked at him across the table without smiling.  I didn’t want to give in no matter how sweetly and sincerely he asked.  I didn’t want to make anything easy for him.
          “I see.  You’re used to getting your own way now, huh?”
          He grinned. “Maybe so.”
          “Why spoil a good dinner?  Let’s go straight to dessert right now,” I said.  “Groveling sounds like a delicious treat.”
          “My way?” he asked again, trying to be charming.
          “If you insist,” I replied, grudgingly.
          He offered me the plate of stuffed mushrooms.  I declined.
          “So how do you like teaching school?” he asked.
.         “I like it well enough.”
          “As I recall, you seemed to think it would suit you well.  Does it?”
          “It’s a job.  I like teaching, but you know every year I get a new group of kids, and I get really attached to them and when June comes around they all . . . leave me.”
          He choked a little on his mushroom.  “Couldn’t let that little dig go, could you?”
          This time I smiled back at him and said, “Whatever do you mean?”  There was no way on earth I was going to let him take me off the defensive.  Not with his charming talk or his smile or even those cursed blue eyes.  This was closure.  Wasn’t that what Carolyn said?   And maybe a little bit of payback, too.
          “So how do you like performing?” I asked in the same condescending tone he had used.
          “I like it well enough,” he said in echo to my earlier response.  I knew he was trying to return my indifference, but he couldn’t hide the smile when he said it.
          “As I recall, you seemed to think it would suit you well,” I said.  “Does it?”
          At this he laughed. “Okay, okay, I surrender.  This is like dancing with a cobra,” he added under his breath.  “I like performing most of the time.  But there are certainly days when I think I should have chosen something different.  I could be some obscure professor at a university teaching music.”
          “Well, that’s not all it’s cracked up to be either.”
          He chuckled.  “This from the girl who wanted to be a teacher.”
          “Not exactly. More from the wife of an academic.  Jeremy teaches at a small college in Ohio.  It has its challenges, believe me, long hours and little pay.  Nothing nearly as fine as this,” I said, glancing around the room.   He chuckled again and leaned toward me in his chair.
          “It’s a prison,” he said quietly.

My Review
 I really liked the novel David's Song.It is a great love story. It is about promises and the reality of love. This story makes you think about what truly makes a good marriage and how a great foundation for a marriage is built. This story flowed so well and the characters were all very likable. I loved main character Annie. She was so normal and true to life.I also couldn't help but like both of the men in Annie's life, David and Jeremy. 

All of us will be tested in life in many ways. This novel shows how working and keeping a marriage strong can be one of those major tests in life. I recommend this book to all women: single or married. This well written novel will not only entertain readers, but give them a lot to think about in their own lives.
 

   
Meet: Author A.R. Talley

April R Talley was born and raised in the Rubber City, Akron, Ohio in 1959. She is the youngest of six children. She attended Brigham Young University for a time, but withdrew to work fulltime for Osmond Productions in Orem, Utah as a member of The Osmond production staff. After a brief stint working in television, she returned to Akron to finish her education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Mass Media Communications in 1981. April later worked as vice president and part owner of a dance and sportswear boutique. Married in 1982, she is the proud mother of seven children and is deeply involved in volunteer work for her church. April spends her time working on future projects, caring for home and family, and traveling. David’s Song is her debut novel and the first of a trilogy.

Find April at these places:
   

Praise from reviews on Goodreads.com "Not just your typical romance novel" - Tracy Williams "David's Song is great read that leaves you thinking about the story and pondering your own relationships". - Anna Pavkov "Sucked me in from the 1st page" - Jill Walker "Loved this book . . . could not put it down!" - Dana Vieira  

 Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/13    

a Rafflecopter giveaway  


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Review of, Band of Sisters: Coming Home a novel, by Annette Lyon

Product Details:

  • Title: Band of Sisters: Coming Home a novel
  • Author: Annette Lyon
  • Paperback: 238 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc; 1st edition (January 2, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1621083195
  • ISBN-13: 978-1621083191









Book Description:

January 2, 2013
 
Five women became fast friends when their husbands were deployed to Afghanistan. But as they welcome the soldiers home, what should be a joyful time soon becomes painful. Kim, who had a baby while her husband was away, knows how to be a mother but has forgotten how to be a wife. Nora, accustomed to taking care of herself during the long years of her husband's absence, resents having to forfeit her independence. Jess's already troubled marriage turns dangerous, while Brenda struggles to manage her husband,s psychological trauma. And Marianne faces her crushing loss, compounded with worry over wayward children. Each woman must draw upon her bond of friendship and faith to find the strength, courage, and insight needed to move forward, proving that even the hardest of trials cannot break this loyal band of sisters.
 
 
 My Review: 
Band of Sisters, the first book, was about five women whose husbands were deployed to Afghanistan. They formed a strong group of women to help each other while their husbands were gone.  This novel showed the harsh reality of war, and the families left behind while a spouse is deployed. This book of friendship and strength won Author Annette Lyon a 2010 Whitney Award in General Fiction.
 
This second installment, Coming Home, shows the impact of war on the men, and how the families deal with their husbands and fathers now home from war. This book is realistic, as it explores many of the true-to-life issues that many of our service men and women live with. 
 
One of the five women, Marianne, has become a widow, as her husband died while serving overseas. The novel shows the grief of the family, as they now have to live life forever without their husband and father. 
 
Another woman, Brenda, has the heartache of finding out her husband has PTSD, and he goes from being severely depressed to out of control with his anger. With the PTSD he loses his job and his wife finds out she's pregnant. 
 
Then poor Jessie, who didn't mind her husband being gone for a year, once again has to deal with his abusive and bullying nature. She also finds out about the many bad habits he picked up while he was deployed. Soon she fears for the safety of herself and children. 

Kim, the youngest women of the group, is having a hard time adjusting to being a "wife". Newly married when she sent her husband off, she only knows how to play well the role of a Mom to her baby son who was born during the past year. Kim is having the harder time adjusting to having her husband home. 

Nora, the older woman, who was the glue that held them together the past year, is having some growing pains having her husband there 24/7 underfoot. For many years she was independent, raising her children on her own as her husband was deployed. Now, he is trying to take charge of Nora's life. 

What did I love about this book? I loved the characters even more than the first book. I felt like I was revisiting old friends. Annette does a wonderful job of creating characters that you can bond with, and care about. All of the women in the story struggled with the deployment being over. Coming Home showed how the trials weren't over for the families. It isn't always a happy read, but one where the women rise up and gather courage and strength from each other. I was truly inspired by these characters and the hard decisions they had to make. I could relate to many of the things they were going through; especially Marianne, the now single Mom. 
 
If you haven't read the first Band of Sisters, I recommend that you do that first before reading Coming Home. You will be lost and not feel the deep impact of what is happening in the story. 
Coming Home has a satisfying ending. Everything isn't truly perfect with all of the women and their families, but as in life, it never really is.

 
 Purchase Here:
 
Annette Lyon
Best Price $15.99
or Buy New $15.99
 
 
 
About the Author:
Annette Lyon has been writing ever since second grade, when she piled pillows on a chair to reach her mother's typewriter. A cum laude graduate from BYU with a degree in English, she has had success as a professional editor and doing newspaper, magazine, and business writing, but her first love is creating fiction. She's perhaps best known for her historical novels centered around the four old Utah temples. Band of Sisters is about five women who come together during their husbands' deployment to Afghanistan. The sequel, Coming Home, has a release date of January 2013.

Her cookbook, Chocolate Never Faileth, is a delicious departure from fiction and the culmination of over 5 months of test kitchen craziness and fun.

One of the most rewarding parts of Annette's writing career has been collaborating on The Newport Ladies Book Club series. Her first book there Paige, was released in 2012. Ilana, her second Newport Ladies novel, is forthcoming.

In 2007 Annette was awarded Utah's Best of State medal for fiction. Spires of Stone, her fifth novel, was a 2007 Whitney Award finalist for Best Historical Novel. She has received three publication awards from the League of Utah Writers and took first place in the 2009 Funds for Writers essay contest. She won a Whitney Award 2010 in General Fiction for Band of Sisters.

Be sure to also drop by her blog.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Review of Athena, By Heather B. Moore and Interview With The Author!

Product Details

  • Title: Athena (The Newport Ladies Book Club Series Book)
  • Author: Heather B. Moore
  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc; 1st edition (November 1, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1608619443
  • ISBN-13: 978-1608619443






Book Description

November 1, 2012

Self-proclaimed bachelorette Athena Di Jasper is at the top of her game. Her online magazine is thriving, and she's in a comfortably static relationship, free of the kind of commitment that could lead to marriage she's seen her parents rocky union, and it's not for her. When her on-again, off-again boyfriend Karl wants to move their relationship to the next commitment level, Athena's obvious dismay leads him to challenge her workaholic tendencies. His accusation is true: she hasn't even paused to read a novel in years. Determined to prove Karl wrong, Athena takes a break from her hectic schedule to peruse a used bookstore, where she meets Grey, the intriguing and single proprietor. Her quest for change and her desire to see more of Grey leads Athena to stray from her to-do list and join the Newport Ladies Book Club. When Athena's world is turned upside down by a family tragedy, she's left to care for her terminally ill father. Juggling the demands of attending to an ailing parent and running her business, Athena comes to value the friendships of the book-club members, and she finds herself relying more and more on Grey's support. When she stumbles across an old shoebox in her mother's closet, she's stunned by its contents, which hold unexpected truths about her parents relationship. As Athena delves into a past that defies her judgment about her parents' marriage, she is forced to reevaluate her views on life and love.



My Review:
Athena is the fourth book in The Newport Ladies Book Club series that I have reviewed.This series has become one of my favorites out there today.

 This series has been written by four amazing, award winning authors: Annette Lyon,Heather B. Moore, Josi Kilpack, and Julie Wright.

Athena is the last book that takes place during the same time-frame as the first three books.All four books were written as a parallel series, not as a forward-moving series.They cover the same book club meetings and events in all four books. This last book is probably the most different from the other three. The main reason is that main character Athena kept to herself a lot more than the other characters in this series. While reading the other books, the reader could get the impression that Athena is cold and not truly interested in the book club. This is so far from the truth as you read this fourth book. Athena has a lot going on in her life. She is single, runs her own company and is very conflicted about getting married and having a family. Her Mother wants her to marry a nice, Greek boy and stay at home to have babies and take care of her man...just like she did in her life. Athena has been very critical of her parents and their marriage, but events happen that change her life. She meets a new man, very different than the man she has been dating previously. A death in the family and a major life decision make Athena face some of the harshest trials that life can bring.

I read Athena in about 12 hours. I was completely taken in with Athena's story. Heather Moore's expertise as a writer shows as she develops this character. The growth arc that Athena takes is so huge as she makes decisions that not only change her life, but those she loves. This book truly brought full circle the stories of the four women in this series. It felt so satisfying to finish this book and feel that sense of completion. The next four books in the series will be about four other book club members in a new time frame. Each of the authors will take on this new writing challenge. 

I highly recommend Athena! This story is full of heart-wrenching moments, friendship at it's finest, and a love story that made me cheer, moan and melt. How is that for a combination? Athena's romance with Grey, the book store owner, has turned out to be one of my favorites for 2012.If you haven't started this series, pull out the tissues, reserve several hours to yourself and get ready to be pulled into the world of The Newport Ladies Book Club. You will find women of strength, strong friendships and stories that will make you look at your own life in new ways.

Heather B. Moore
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Here is my interview with Heather. I hope you enjoy reading what she had to say:

 1.What was your experience like writing "Athena"?

Writing ATHENA was quite a bit different than my other books. ATHENA was a very interactive process because my brainstorming was with my co-series authors, instead of myself. Along the way, I'd be asking Josi, Julie, and Annette questions, such as "Should Athena get back together with Karl?" . . . or they'd be asking me questions, such as "Why doesn't Athena want to get into a committed relationship with a man?" All of this was during the writing process.

2. Are you like your character Athena in any way?

I have a lot of similarities to Athena--I tend to be a bit of a work-a-holic. I'm very task-oriented and don't do "fun" things when there's a to-do list to be completed. I only have a few close friends--and it takes time to develop those relationships. My mother isn't as nosy as Athena's mother, but she's definitely a "do-it-all" personality.

3.You have written a lot of historical fiction in the past. Do you like writing contemporary fiction better or is it just a fun change of pace?

Writing contemporary is definitely a fun change of pace. But I wouldn't say I prefer one over the other. Historical takes more time simply because of the research, but the process is the same as far as character motivation and plot development.

4. Did you learn anything from writing "Athena"? Is there a message you would like your readers to gain?

Developing Athena from a woman who isolates herself in many ways, and having her grow into a happier more well-rounded person, definitely let me see areas in my life that I needed to slow down as well and appreciate the "journey" more than just focusing on the end-goals. A message to others would be to let others into your lives and let them help and serve you as you are doing the same for them.

5. Which character in The Newport Ladies Book Club will you be writing next?

I've written RUBY's story and it's currently at my publisher for consideration. It was a wonderful novel to write and I think readers will be surprised when they learn about the real Ruby. On the outside, she seems to be almost perfect and such a wonderful caregiver, always putting others first. But that's because she's afraid to look inside and face her flaws, some of which have been haunting her for years.

6. Are you a late night writer or an early morning writer?

I'm a morning person, which makes me a morning writer--because my brain is less foggy. I get up between 4 and 6 am most days and get a couple of hours in. Then I find other snatches throughout the day as well. But after about 10:00 p.m. my brain is mush!

Thank you for the interview Heather!



 
About The Author:
Heather B. Moore is the award-winning author of nine historical novels. Her historical fiction is published under the pen name H.B. Moore; first series is called Out of Jerusalem. Her second series includes Abinadi (2008 Whitney Winner for Best Historical & 2009 Best of State in Literary Arts); its sequel, Alma (2009 Whitney Award Finalist); followed by Alma the Younger (2011 Best of State in Literary Arts & 2010 Whitney Finalist), and Ammon (2011 LUW Gold Award of Excellence). Her newest romantic thriller is Daughters of Jared (2012 LUW Gold Award of Excellence & 2012 LUW Best Book Trailer).

Heather is the co-author of The Newport Ladies Book Club Series (with Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon & Julie Wright). Under the name of Heather B. Moore she's published Athena (The Newport Ladies Book Club), the novella collection A Timeless Romance Anthology, Third Time's the Charm (Aliso Creek Novella series), the historical romance Heart of the Ocean, the non-fiction work Christ's Gifts to Women (co-authored by Angela Eschler), and Women of the Book of Mormon.

Visit her blog for writing and book signing updates: http://mywriterslair.blogspot.com
Heather loves to hear from readers at: www.hbmoore.com or if you're an aspiring writer, she also manages the editing company, Precision Editing Group: www.precisioneditinggroup.com.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Review of, Paige, Book Three in The Newport Ladies Book Club Series




Product Details:

Title:Paige
Author: Annette Lyon
Publisher: Covenant
Published: August 2012
ISBN#: 13: 978-1-60861-946-7
Genre: Womens Fiction
Paperback: 238 pages
 FTC FYI: I bought my own copy. I love this series!

 

 

 

Book Description:

After a bitter divorce from her unfaithful husband, Paige moves from Utah to California with her two little boys and vows to make a fresh start.  She finds a job at a dental practice that helps her get back on her feet, but it's the friends she makes at her new book club who help her realize how strong she is and who give her support to carry on as she faces the challenges of being a single mom.  She also meets Derryl, a wonderful, kind, attentive man who treats her right--something her ex never did.  Yet, Paige struggles to figure out who she is a s woman rather than a wife, how to help  her boys adjust to a broken home, and whether she can ever trust a man or love again.  As Paige leans on the book club ladies and Derryl's ever present care, one thing becomes clear:  healing from the past requires more than a change of address.
 My Review:

Paige is the third book in The Newport Ladies Book Club series.Let me remind you what makes this series so unique.

About the Series:

"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. Think of it as a parallel series, not as a forward-moving series."


 I knew a lot about Paige from reading the first two books, Olivia and Daisy. I knew the facts, but had to prepare myself for the emotions that would come from reading this book. You see, Paige is the story of a single, LDS, working Mom. That also describes my life right now. Author Annette Lyon captures all of the ups and downs of being a single Mom. I have to admit that I cried a lot as I read this book. The most gut-wrenching scene in the book takes place at Christmas time. Paige has to send her two young sons,(by court order) back to Colorado, with their father and his snooty wife for two weeks.As her boys drive off for two weeks, she breaks down in. That feeling of utter helplessness is so heartrendingly portrayed in Annette's writing...

"Letting them drive away was the single hardest thing I'd ever done in my life. I stood there next to my car, watching. I couldn't leave with Doug's truck still in the parking lot; I waited until he pulled out,Carol in the passenger seat, the boys crying. Nate's eyes had a look of pure terror in them; he reached his arms out to me, tears streaking his face. Shawn cried too, only softer. His lower lip quivered, a few tears plopped onto his cheeks, and through the window he mouthed, "Don't go."  If a judge hadn't ordered me to do it, I never could have. I tried hard to smile and wave, but there was no way I could keep the tears back anymore. I sobbed, but I smiled through my tears, worried the boys would see them. Doug tossed a wave my way direction while Carol fiddled with the stereo-likely to drown out the sounds of the boys crying. Heartless woman.  You'd better not hurt my boys."

There are so many scenes where the heartache of divorce is portrayed. For those of us that have lived through this, it hurts to read. But at the same time, I like to read books that truly show how it is to be a single Mom trying to raise their kids. Bravo Annette for writing this so well! I know that she did good research to get this so right. 

Every Newport Ladies Book Club book I read, I love these fictional women even more. Every book has given us new insight into their personalities and  reasons for their actions.There is a lot more talk about Latter Day Saint Values, since Paige is the only member of her church in the book club. But, you will see that this is a beacon of light in her life as she has to make important choices for her and her sons. Paige is another great addition to this series!


 Author Interview:
I was so happy when Author Annette Lyon said that she would answer some questions for my readers. Here is the interview I did with her.

1. Did you ever think that you would be involved in a writing project like The Newport ladies Book Club?

Never. Maybe because I’d never seen anything quite like it done before. I’d collaborated on smaller things, but with just one person, not with a group of four. For that matter, I don’t think any of us understood the complexity of what we were trying to do until it was done. We were just trying to do our best work with a cool idea, and happened to have fun in the process. In hindsight, I’m amazed it worked out so well. So many things could have gone wrong but didn't.



2. What process did you go through to write the character Paige?

In what ways did you relate to her?


Paige ended up being the token Latter-day Saint in the group. When I knew I’d be writing about her, I wanted her to have a conflict that related strongly to her faith. The Church is extremely family focused—with good reason—but I’ve seen women struggling after a divorce and years into single motherhood. I thought that would be a powerful conflict to delve into.


The biggest way I relate to Paige is probably the way many of her readers do—as a mother. Her children are her greatest joys, the reason she works as hard as she does, and even her greatest source of guilt. They’re the sun of her solar system; everything revolves around them—at least, until it doesn't. I love that Paige finds her real self again, and how that, in turn, makes her a better mom. It’s a great paradox I can relate to.



3. How did you grow as a writer working on this novel?


The novel I wrote just before Paige was Band of Sisters, my first attempt at a story that had no romantic element and was strictly women’s fiction. Paige is women’s fiction too, although very different in many ways from Band of Sisters. I wasn't exactly confident that I could do the genre well yet.


The great thing is that I had three of my best friends around me, cheering me on, giving me ideas, and keeping me motivated—even handing me entire scenes to rework. The process taught me to see plot structure and character development in a new way—I had to, because four stories relied on it. As a writer, that became huge, because big-picture structure is still one of the things I consciously work on.



4. What did you "learn" from Paige? What did you hope the reader learned or went away with after reading Paige?


That we can never truly know what someone else is thinking or going through. We don’t know how our words can help or hurt or inspire. I knew that judging others is impossible—at least, I did on an intellectual level—but the Newport Ladies Book Club hammered the concept home. We really don’t know. Really. More, we don’t know how our actions or words can influence other women we come in contact with, and that’s often for the good. Livvy, Daisy, and Athena each did and said things that helped Paige in one way or another, but they may never have fully understood how much of an impact they had.



5. What character will you be writing next in the series?


My next character is Ilana. I had an inkling of an idea about who she was and what she struggled with before, so I planted a clue or two in the first set of books. Writing Ilana has been another powerful experience for me.



6. You once again did such a great job writing a novel. How many have you written now? What do you hope to accomplish next as a writer?


Thank you so much! How many have I written, or how many have I published? (I’ll save us all by not counting the manuscripts that will never see the light of day.) Paige is my 8th novel and 9th book with Covenant (the other being my cookbook, Chocolate Never Faileth). I self-published a grammar guide and a middle-grade fantasy. In January, Band of Sisters: Coming Home (the sequel!) will round the number to a dozen books published, with other fun stuff in between like a Romance short story anthology released this month.


As for what’s next: after nearly 20 years of writing seriously, I feel like I have finally landed in my niche with women’s fiction. I joke that maybe I had to mature and have more life experience as a woman before I could write women’s fiction, and maybe that’s true. I have a few women’s fiction projects in the works.


You can purchase Paige here.

 

About the Author: Annette Lyon

Image of Annette Lyon
Annette Lyon is a Whitney Award winner, the recipient of Utah's Best of State medal for fiction and the author of nine novels, a cookbook, and a grammar guide as well as over a hundred magazine articles. She's a senior editor at Precision Editing Group and a cum laude graduate from BYU with a degree in English. When she's not writing, editing, knitting, or eating chocolate, she can be found mothering and avoiding the spots on the kitchen floor. Find her online at blog.annettelyon.com and on Twitter: @AnnetteLyon