Review: The Unexpected Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell

Paperback, 432 pages

Expected publication: February 3rd 2015 by Sourcebooks Landmark

more details...

original title: The Unexpected Consequences of Love

ISBN: 1492602086 (ISBN13: 9781492602088)

From Goodreads:

Sophie has no interest in finding love. But what happens when love finds her?

Sophie Wells is a successful photographer with a focus on putting the past firmly behind her. When Josh Strachan returns to the seaside town of Cornwall from the States to run his family's hotel, he can't understand why the fun, sexy girl has zero interest in letting him-or any man for that matter-into her life. He also can't understand how he's been duped into employing Sophie's impulsive friend Tula, whose crush on him is decidedly unrequited. Both girls remain mum about the reasons behind Sophie's indifference to love. But that doesn't mean Josh is going to quit trying...
   

My thoughts : I have never read a Jill Mansell book that I didn't care for. I think I've read just about every book she has written and I've loved them all, a few more than others, but still they are all enjoyable reads. One of Mansell's strong points is her ability to write with her heart and still inject some (okay, lots) of humor into the situations. Every story has more than just a few "laugh out loud" moments. Some of the situations her characters get into just make me chuckle as they are so easy to imagine. Mansell is extremely adroit at bringing farce to life.

In her latest, The Unexpected Consequences of Love, several of the characters find out that love endures even when you think it's not possible. The main character, Sophie, tries to shut off her emotions after a bad situation with her ex-husband but she finds this is not as easy to do as she first thought. I really liked Dot, the older character, who learns that age is not immune to love nor is it as easy to forego especially when a fluke incident puts someone's life in danger.

I really enjoyed Mansell's book and would highly recommend her to anyone who likes chick-lit, humorous British fiction or contemporary romance. There's something for everyone in her books! 4****


Jill Mansell, author of numerous books, can be found on her page.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks/Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell

Paperback, 432 pages

Published February 16th 2012 by Headline Review (first published January 1st 2012)

From the publisher:

It's been a while, but Lara Carson's back in Bath and lives are set to change as a result. Because Lara left her family and boyfriend Flynn eighteen years ago without a word to anyone. Why has no one heard from her since? Her childhood best friend Evie is thrilled Lara's back and able to share her happiness. Evie's about to walk down the aisle with her dream man, Joel. Or so she thinks... Then there's Flynn Erskine, even more attractive now and stunned to see Lara again. The spark between them is as strong as ever, but how's Flynn going to react when he discovers the secret she's been keeping from him? Oh yes, there's a lot of catching up to be done...

My Thoughts:  In A Walk in the Park,  Mansell explores themes of friendship, love, family relationships, fidelity, romance and finding the perfect place for oneself in the world. Sounds like a lot going on? There is, but Mansell handles it all with a  deft hand, weaving a myriad of subplots into a cohesive whole. Of course, there are characters that you like and some you don't but that balance lends itself to a realistic read. 

One of the wonderful quality of Jill's writing is the strength of her women characters. Evie, the cheated upon fiancée of Joel, captured my heart. I cheered her on when she finally got some backbone and shed her low self-esteem in search of what was right for her. I really liked the main characters, Lara and Flynn and was happy to see how they resolved their feelings. The spark between them just shimmered on the page.

  Another thing I do like about Jill's books is the humor. She can take everyday people coping with life and make some hilarious situations. A Walk in the Park had me chuckling out loud in more than one place. Even though some parts of her books are predictable, it's the journey the characters take that is the fun part. Underneath the humor Mansell manages to delve into everyday issues that would be ideal for book club discussions. Although there was one thread I felt could have been downplayed a little more or eliminated altogether, the book was very enjoyable.  4****

Disclosure: A digital copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks/Netgalley  in exchange for my honest opinion.

Spotlight: Lisa April Smith, author of Exceeding Expectations

Kindle Edition, 300 pages

Published December 1st 2011 (first published November 29th 2011)

more details...

ASIN

B006GDK3NO

edition language

English

From the publisher: 

It’s 1961 and Palm Beach socialite, irresistible rascal and devoted father Jack Morgan encounters genuine danger while staging his suicide to shield his beloved daughters from disgrace. Next, meet his daughter Charlotte (Charlie), an over-indulged 23 year-old struggling to cope with the traumatizing loss of her beloved father, her sister’s resulting mental breakdown and the discovery that she’s suddenly penniless. Fortunately Raul, an admiring young attorney, appears to offer assistance. As terrified as she is about daily survival, Charlie soon realizes that she has to learn what drove her father to kill himself. With Raul’s much needed ego-bolstering, the drive of necessity and unforeseen determination, Charlie finds a practical use for her annoyingly lean 5’ 11” frame. In time, this career finances her hard-wrought independence, her sister’s costly treatment and an emotional eye-opening journey to Paris.

Jumping back in time to romantic pre-WWII Paris readers meet young Alan Fitzpatrick – aka Jack Morgan – lack-luster artist, expert lover, irresistible rascal, and the bewitching girl who will become the mother of his children. Not even Charlie’s relentless detective work will uncover all Jack’s secrets, but in a fireworks of surprise endings, she discovers all that she needs to know and more: disturbing truths about her father, hew own unique talent, crimes great and small and a diabolical villain.

You can visit her website at www.LisaAprilSmith.com.

2 Mini Reviews: Knit One Pearl One by Gil McNeil & Rush Home Road by Lori Lansens

Paperback, 396 pages

Published December 27th 2011 by Voice

more details...

ISBN

1401341675 (ISBN13: 9781401341671)

edition language: English

series: Jo Mackenzie #3

Knit One Pearl One is the third book in the series. Although this is the first one I read, I was caught right up on Jo Mackenzie's life as a single mom and knit shop owner through conversations with her friends, Gran and through her inner dialogue. Easily a stand alone read.

This is one one those quiet books that sort of sneaks up on you; not a lot of dramatic action but after only a few pages, I looked upon Jo, her wonderful Gran, her friends Grace, Connie and Ellen as friends of mine too. These characters became very real to me with down-to-earth, credible conversations and feelings.

Jo is a very likeable character. It's not been easy being widowed from a cheating idiot and then having to raise all alone the two sons she had with him. Oh, and then there is Pearl, her "oops" toddler she had as a result of a fling. The father, Daniel, is still in the picture but solely as a friend. He's a flit-all-over the-globe-not-settling-down type of guy but he does want to be in Pearl's life. I liked his involvement with Jo, her boys and Pearl. Jo was very practical and knew what Daniel was really like so there's no recriminations and no regrets.

Jo's life is not all child rearing and nose to the grindstone boredom as her friend Ellen has her own TV talk show and her friend Grace is an international film star who involve Jo and her knitting shop in their lives.  There's her relationship with Martin, a somewhat boring but reliable kind of guy who doesn't really light Jo's fire but he is dependable, and her quasi-relationship with Daniel, Pearl's father, who thinks he might want more. Well, just to see how it goes, anyway. For awhile at least.

"Yes, although, I'm still not sure what he's asking, and neither is he. But nice, whatever it is."

"Actually, it's not that nice; it's unsettling and complicated, and there's a tiny part of me that is half hoping it might be true, and we can all sail off into the sunset and play happy families while he flies round the world earning a fortune taking pictures before racing back home to us. But the trouble with being older and wiser: you know what makes you happy and what makes your children happy."

"It's a total bugger."

 McNeil's humorous, occasional laugh out loud and witty writing helps her characters cope with everyday life in a realistic and relatable way. I loved their run-in with the snooty PTA president.
 I enjoyed this book quite a bit and would like to read the first two in the series. The British seaside location of the knitting shop just added a little more ambiance to the book. 3.5***

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by LT in exchange for my honest opinion.

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published November 1st 2005 by Little, Brown (first published April 23rd 2002)

more details...ISBN: 0316069027 (ISBN13: 9780316069021)

edition language: English

original title: Rush Home Road

From the publisher:

Sharla Cody is only five, but has already lived a troubled life -- only to find herself dumped on an elderly neighbor's doorstep when her mother takes off for the summer. Although Sharla is not the angelic child Addy Shadd had pictured when she agreed to look after her, the two soon forge a deep bond. To Addy's surprise, Sharla's presence brings back memories of her own childhood in Rusholme, a town settled by fugitive slaves in the mid-1800s. She reminisces about her family, her first love, and the painful experience that drove her away from home. Brilliantly structured -- and achingly lyrical, this is a story about the redeeming power of love and memory, and about two unlikely people who transform each other's lives forever.

My thoughts: Loved it!!! These characters felt so real to me, I just wanted to rush to Canada to hug and comfort Addy. Lansens did an amazing job with her main character, Addy Shadd, a 70 something black woman whose life held more than it's share of heartbreak. When her neighbor Collette, a slutty-should-never-have-been-a-mother woman , asks her to take her 5 year old daughter, Shayla, in for the summer, Addy agrees. Even after it's clear Collette will not be returning, Addy whose heart has a huge capacity for love, does everything she can to teach Shayla what is important in life and how to behave.

The story that follows is told from Addy's perspective as she looks back over her life while raising Shayla. The past and the present meld seamlessly and the pages just kept turning. I could not put this one down. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful story that just about ripped my heart out. First 5 * book of the year.

Disclosure: The book is from my own shelves.
 

Review & Giveaway: A Catered Affair by Sue Margolis

Paperback, 369 pages

Published August 2nd 2011 by NAL Trade

ISBN: 0451233352 (ISBN13: 9780451233356)

At age 34, Tallulah, or Tally as she prefers, thinks she has it all; a job she loves as a London human rights lawyer and having the most perfect fiancé she could imagine. Josh finally proposed to Tally after they had been dating for quite a while. Tally knows he has somewhat of a commitment phobia but is sure he is past all that. Josh is a prospective spouse even her father would approve of, a pediatric cancer specialist. Her mother, Shelley, on the other hand, is less than thrilled. You'd think any Jewish mother would be tickled pink her daughter is marrying a doctor but not Shelley.

Yep, she thinks Josh  is a tad boring. Maybe that's because "Mom" still has a  bit of  the rebellious hippie in her. Tally's late father was the staid, conservative parent; the one Tally looked up to and took his ideals to heart. Her mother at one point after moving to the suburbs said her husband "condemned her to spiritual death by garden sprinkler." Tally's mom is still a bit of a character . . .  a bit over the top, a bit pushy, a bit irreverent and definitely a bit opinionated and eccentric.

Just a month before the big event, opinions on the details are starting to clash. Tally and Josh would be happy to have a small event but Tally's Nana Ida thinks otherwise. She wants a big, fat Jewish wedding while insisting she doesn't want to interfere . . But, . . . . well, you know how that goes. I loved Nana Ida and thought she was one of the stars in the book. She proved her worth when the whole thing fell apart. You got it; Josh doesn't show up and Tally is devastated. No sense wasting a reception, Nana Ida tells her. Tally makes a total fool of herself getting drunk and propositioning everyone including the caterer.

Life has to go on and Nana Ida goes into full matchmaker mode but to no avail. Tally finally comes to the conclusion that she needs to be true to her own ideals not those of her father or anyone else. Untimately, Tally discovers to her benefit that maybe Josh's no-show act was a good thing after all.

This was my first experience reading Sue Margolis and it sure won't be the last. I liked the subtle British humor and the quirkiness of some of the characters. Before A Catered Affair, Sue has nine other books to her credit. You can read more about the author at her website.

For fans of British chick-lit/romantic comedy à la Wendy Holden or Jill Mansell, this is a recommended read. Lots of fun in these pages!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Nal Trade/Penguin in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to the publisher's generosity I have one copy to giveaway.

Giveaway details: Open to US only and deadline to enter is August 27th  at 5 PM.  Please be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Bonus entries available for this contest are as follows:

+1 for posting on your facebook page with link to giveaway
+2 for being a follower, old or new. Just remind me how you follow and under what name.
+3 for blogging (sidebar is fine) or tweeting about the giveaway. Leave me a link, please.  Good
luck!

Review: Staying at Daisy's by Jill Mansell

Staying at Daisy’s tells the tale of a hotel manager Daisy MacLean. Going through a rough patch in her love life, Daisy’s concentrating on making sure her hotel is running as smooth as possible, which proves nearly impossible when cocky sports hero Dev Tyzack seems to always be around. Her staff keeps her on her toes—her best friend and co-worker Tara, is involved with a shady ex, who happens to be newly married, her father and hotel owner Hector, starts dating a famous actress which has the whole town talking (but he’s keeping mum about what he does when he disappears some days) and one of her porters, Barney, falls madly in love with a woman from Daisy’s former husband’s past—and that reveals secrets no one could have ever imagined…

My thoughts: Does this sound like another mad-cap feel good adventure from Jill? You're right if you answered yes because nobody writes a fun chick- lit/romantic comedy book like Jill. Her characters never fail to amuse and delight me.

In Staying At Daisy's, we meet Daisy MacLean at her father's hotel where she is the manager. It's a busy day as a wedding and reception is scheduled for the afternoon but Daisy is worried that her friend and employee, Tara, will fall apart as the groom, Dominick, is Tara's ex-boyfriend. Tara assures Daisy she couldn't care less but Tara finds herself in a sticky situation when she tries to explain just who was hitting on whom after being found in a compromising position by the bride's sister.

Hector, Daisy's father, is quite the jovial character - one of those people some would call larger than life. He shares a love life with one of the locals but little does he know it's not  the  no-strings attachment that he pretends to himself that it is. I loved it when realization hit!

Then there's Barney, the hotel's new porter, who harbors a romantic secret himself. The old adage about it's a small world certainly fits Barney's situation. Daisy is dumbstruck when she finds out who Barney is seeing. Barney is one of those characters who is almost too good to be true but I found myself really rooting for him to get everything he wanted.

Let's not forget Maggie, Tara's aunt who has her own romantic adventures going on. I loved Maggie as a character; she has a lot of spunk and a great sense of humor. When the appliance company fails to fix her washing machine, Maggie comes up with a way to get the company's attention and it is one laugh after another.

Full circle back to Daisy; she's pretty much sworn off men since her late husband's cheating behavior devastated her trust in men. However, Dev, the best man in Dominick's  wedding is a well known sports figure with quite the reputation. Totally hot! He seems to keep turning up at the hotel. As much as Daisy tries to ignore him, she finds herself thinking of him more than she would like.

A lot of trial and error in the love department and a few mismatches but Mansell manages to tie the ends up neatly in a satifying conclusion. This enjoyable read is not to be missed if you like romantic comedy with a lot of humor and terrific characters in an English village setting. I really liked it a lot! 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell

Paperback: 432 pages

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402237510
ISBN-13: 978-1402237515



From the publisher:

"Living in a small town like Channings Hill, there are some people you just can’t avoid, no matter how much you really, really want to. When Cleo’s job throws her into constant contact with her childhood nemesis, Johnny LaVenture, she can’t leave the past behind. But for someone she’d rather have nothing to do with, Johnny is impossible to ignore… Then shocking discoveries of past scandals, unrequited loves, old grudges, and not-so-ex-wives throw Cleo’s family and friends into chaos. And as always, you can count on Jill Mansell to have a lively cast of secondary characters that try to steal the show! Life in sleepy Channings Hill may be about to get very complicated, but it’s definitely never been more exciting."

My thoughts: In Take a Chance on Me, Jill Mansell introduces us to some really fun characters: Cleo, who drives a limo for a living has been searching for the perfect man for ages and thinks's she's found him. Or has she? Now that her old crush is back in town things can get very interesting and her new man, Will, may go the way of the dodo but not for the reasons you might think.

Cleo's next door neighbor and friend, Ash, is a very popular sparkling wit on the radio but in person, he can be shy and retiring. It was so much fun to read about all his antics especially when the new pub cook catches his eye. Unfortunately, someone else has caught her eye. Another ingredient in the romantic pot to add some spice to Channings Hill.

And what chick-lit plot would be complete without some family drama? That would be Cleo's older sister, Abby, who's been happily married to Tom for years when her life is thrown into an emotional maelstrom. It seems Tom has some secrets of his own. Of course Cleo has to get involved in all this and when feelings start to run rampant Cleo is flummoxed as to how to get her sister Abby to move on and more importantly to move out!

I just loved Jill Mansell's previous books and this one was no exception. Mansell's unique and witty style of writing brings her characters to life like no other. By the end of the story, I felt like the characters were dear friends. The descriptions of the setting are so well done and so appealing, that I find myself wishing I could visit or live there. Sheer escapism  for those times you want to indulge in some fun, light-hearted reading. 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Review: Holly's Inbox : Scandal in the City by Holly Denham

Holly's Inbox : Scandal in the City(Sourcebooks Casablanca; ISBN:
978-1-4114-7;
$14.99; August 2010)

Holly's inbox provides unguarded access to heroine Holly, making her realistic and relatable, as you can picture yourself in her shoes, obsessing over how to phrase a message or waiting for a response. Author Bill Surie has created a novel that reads like the personal correspondence of a woman who is navigating her new relationship with her boyfriend and gossip at the office, with each snippet of information revealed through Holly's frequent exchanges with her best friends, her well-meaning but delusional parents, shifty brother and Internet-savvy grandmother.

Holly works in reception at a London investment bank and seems to spend most of her day composing e-mails to friends, family and her boyfriend, Toby. Occasionally, work intrudes and Holly must deal with the demands of her job. Through her e-mails and the subsequent replies from various people, we learn about Holly's quirky family, the day to day grind of working and her boyfriend Toby who also works in the bank. Seems that their relationship is floundering a bit and Holly and her friends Jason, Trisha and Aisha think that Toby might be harboring a secret. Is he having an affair? Why does he keep making trips to France?

When Holly is promoted to manager, she only has 30 days to prove herself. Holly does an excellent job but an unfortunate mix-up just before the end of the probation period sends Holly and the bank into a tailspin. Her at- work-nemesis, Tanya, tries to make Holly's life hell but Holly does manage to get her own sweet revenge.

About half way through the book started to flag for me and began sounding repetitive but then the author threw a few twists in that perked up my interest. Even though it is 523 pages long, it reads up quickly in the e-mail format. While I didn't love the book, I did like it, especially the nice neat ending. An easy read if you're looking for something extremely light and frothy with a comedic feel to it. 3***

About the author :

Holly Denham is the pen name for Bill Surie, who is the owner of a placement service for receptionists and secretaries in London, a direct inspiration for Holly’s Inbox. He started the Holly's Inbox website as a place to serialize his first novel, which became an overnight sensation.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Fingerlickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

Hardcover: 308 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (June 23, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312383282
ISBN-13: 978-0312383282

Stanley Chipotle, famed chef, had come to Trenton, New Jersey to participate in a barbecue cook off. Unfortunately, he didn't live long enough to even fire up his grill, never mind make his famous "Fire in the hole" barbecue sauce. He was decapitated by a cleaver wielding maniac and sidekick. Lula, file clerk at Vinnie's Bail Bonds, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessed the messy crime. The two men saw her and for the rest of the book, they try to eliminate their sole witness, one bumbling attempt after another.

Back at the bail bonds office, it's the same old, same old; Stephanie Plum, Trenton's most inept bounty hunter, is still trying to make ends meet by chasing down the bad guys who skipped out on their bail. She's still managing to get cars blown up or set on fire at a furious pace and still waffling between long time lover Joe Morelli the cop and the mysterious and sizzlingly sexy Ranger, head of Rangeman Securities. Now Ranger has a security problem so Stephanie, between her other crazy antics, has been moonlighting there part time.

Between working two jobs, Stephanie's been caught in the crossfire with Lula trying to escape Stanley's killers and this makes for some funny moments. The real hilarity comes in when Lula finds out Chipotle's sponsors are offering a million dollar reward for finding the killers. Lula gets the brilliant idea that they will show up at the cook off so with the enlisted help of Grandma Mazur, Lula tries to come up with a winning barbecue sauce recipe. Between a grill malfunction, no clue how to cook anything and stress bustin' trips to Cluck-in-a-Bucket fast food, you can just imagine how this turns out. Keep your head down and stay close to the fire extinguishers!

Of course, Stephanie loses more cars in a few days than anyone could in a lifetime.Of course, there couldn't possibly be this many crazy bail bond skippers in one little town. Of course, Stephanie's long suffering mother is still cooking pot roast in the "Burg" and hoping her daughter will settle down. Of course, some of the book is repetitive and predictable and yet . . . . . . . Of course, I laughed out loud! A lot. Grandma Mazur and Lula are two of the funniest characters I can think of. They are always good for a laugh or six or seven. You just need to suspend all disbelief in the improbable, settle back and be prepared to be entertained. I know I was! 4****

Disclosure: A copy of the book was borrowed from the County Library, thanks to my tax dollars!

Review: Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell

Paperback; 416 pages

Language: English

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

May 1st 2010
ISBN-13-978-1402237508

From the publisher: " Rumor Has It sizzles with internationally bestselling Mansell's signature fresh sense of humor, poignancy, and happy ending with a twist… Newly single Tilly Cole impulsively moves to a small town, only to find she's arrived in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue, and rampant rivalry for the most desirable man—Jack Lucas, whose reputation is beyond bad. Tilly has no intention of becoming another notch on his bedpost. But she finds the thoughtful, caring guy she comes to value as a friend doesn't seem to fit the town's playboy image. Should she listen to her friends or her heart? Is Tilly being mature and sensible—or running away from the love of her life?"

My Thoughts: Such a fun read! Okay, so Tilly is not heartbroken that her boyfriend Gavin has left her but she is in a predicament. It will be hard to pay the rent on their pricey London flat without his half. While on a spur-of-the-moment visit to her best friend Erin in the small town of Roxborough, she answers an ad for a girl-Friday and talks herself into an immediate interview. The man running the ad is Max Dineen, a successful interior decorator, who needs help with his 13 year old spirited daughter Lou and anything else that needs doing. The three of them hit it off right away. She's hired and goes back to London to pack.

Tilly moves to the small town where it seems everyone knows everybody else's business and they are not afraid to let their opinions be known or let truth get in the way of a good story. When Max introduces her to Jack Lucas she is smitten at first glance. It seems Jack is a bit of a lad and has quite the reputation. Or so the gossip goes anyway, but when he takes Tilly out he doesn't make any untoward moves. This makes Tilly wonder if it is just her or is his reputation overblown. Through a lot of attemps on Jack's part to impress Tilly, she just is too afraid to admit that she has fallen for him because she thinks he is commitment challenged. And of course there is that reputation to worry about . . . .but finally Tilly gets the brilliant idea for a way to ferret out the truth. Now if it will only work!

Meanwhile, Tilly's best friend Erin has her own romantic challenges to work out. She got seriously involved with Fergus months after he left his wife Stella. The problem with Stella, besides her acting like a crazy woman, is she finds it hard to believe Fergus would actually leave her. How could he? She is so fantastic! Do you think Stella has an ego problem? Stella makes it her mission to make Erin's life miserable. Stella's cat Bing isn't the only one with claws!

Rumor Has It is just such a delightful book with many more plot threads to enchant fans of romantic comedy. I was immersed in the story right away and I especially liked Mansell's humorous style of writing. Her characters seemed so real to me. I loved all their shenanigans, their insecurities and illusions and their way of coping with life in general. The pace was quick, the dialogue was witty and the action kept me turning the pages almost non-stop.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jill Mansell is an internationally bestselling author, with over 4 million copies sold. She has written 20 women’s fiction novels with multi-generational appeal, Mansell’s cheeky writing style is loved by fans both here and abroad and has been compared to Sex & the City and Bridget Jones’s Diary.
Jill’s books have been consistently shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance. She was recently ranked #60 on The Guardian’s 100 Top Bestselling Authors of the decade. Rumor Has It was ranked at #50 on The Bookseller.com’s Top 100 Bestselling UK Titles of 2009.
Jill currently lives in Bristol, England, with her partner and their children, and writes full time. Actually that’s not true; she watches TV, eats fruit gums, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the internet marveling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she’s completely run out of displacement activities does she write.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Sweet Waters by Julie carobini

When Tara, a young woman in her mid twenties, who has just lost her boyfriend and orchestrated her mother's weding to a younger man, feels at a loss, she decides to go back to a simpler and happier place and time. Tara decides to move from Missouri back to Otter Bay in California with her youngest sister Camille. The middle sister, Liz, decides to try her luck in the big city of Manhattan.

While eating breakfast in a diner in their new town, Tara is offered a job as desk clerk at the inn where she and Camille are staying. She accepts and the two girls begin life in Otter Bay. Unfortunately, it is not the happy place she remembers and when she hears negative stories about her father, she is deeply disturbed. Her happy memories of her father and of his marriage to her mother do not jive with the stories she is hearing. Even though the family always considers Tara the responsible, uptight one, she does have an interest in soap operas and one character in particular. Throughout the story she wonders what would soap opera vixen, Eliza Carlton do? This plot schtick gets old really fast.

When she meets a young fireman, Josh, to whom she feels an attraction, the relationship seems to be getting off to a good start but also has some mystery to it. It seems Josh has issues of his own. Will they work them out? Will Tara reconcile the memories of her father and mother? Will she find happiness in Otter Bay? There are numerous twists and as many revelations in this book to rival any soap opera Tara watches. An underlying Christian theme throughout the book becomes overly preachy (in my opinion) toward the end. A reasonably predictable book more geared toward teen agers or women in their twenties just looking for some light, very light reading. 2 1/2 **

Karen at Bookin' with Bingo also reviewed Sweet Waters here.

Review: Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiani

Lucia Sartori has it all, a loving family, a budding career as a designer in B. Altman’s custom department and a wonderful fiance , but in the early 1950’s most women couldn’t have it all. Especially if she was from a traditional Italian family, then she would be expected to give up her career and become a housewife, one usually subjugated to her mother-in-law. Daughters and daughters-in-law knew how to be dutiful. This is not how Lucia envisioned the future. She made a life altering decision to defy convention. Somewhat later her head is turned by an extremely handsome man she meets by chance in the store. He is the beginning and end of her best expectations, causing her and all the Sartoris much heartbreak.

This book is a wonderful period piece set in Greenwich Village with the central family, the Sartoris, a very large Italian family with four sons and one daughter, bound not only by blood but love and tradition. All the sons worked with their father, Antonio, in the Groceria , the family owned business. Lucia follows after her grandmother with her exceptional sewing abilities and eye for design. The story tells of the loyalty and duty to family that was taken for granted by Italian parents and children of the era. All of the family interactions are so spot on, described perfectly as to attitudes and social customs of the day. It is extremely easy to feel the emotional impact of all that happens to these characters. No one can write about Italian families as well as Trigiani. She grew up with such a family and all her writing seems to come straight from the heart. Everything from locations to objects of clothing, and everyone she describes is done to perfection, all the characters being well fleshed out. Her adjectives are constantly right on with just the perfect nuance. Whether it is joy or sorrow, Trigiani makes the reader feel all the emotions to their very core. As usual, there are numerous sub plots that are so interesting, the reader is constantly charmed by the scenarios. Another not- to- be-put- down- until- it- is- finished book. I really liked it, maybe just a tad less than Very Valentine but nevertheless it is definitely a 4 1/2*

Review: Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

The sign over the shop used to say Angelini Shoes, Greenwich Village since 1903, but after years of weathering , it now says Angel Shoes. This is the setting for much of this heart-warming story and the inspiration for a new endeavor. Valentine and her 80 year old grandmother, Teodora Angelini, in the family tradition are custom makers of wedding shoes. When Teodora tells her granddaughter, Valentine, that things are not too good financially, she is shocked. Valentine had thought things would go on as usual for many years to come, but her brother Alfred now wants their grandmother to retire and take advantage of the escalating real estate prices to sell the building. Nothing like a little family friction to add to the dimension of the story. Valentine tries to find a way to save the business, their home and way of life.

When Valentine and her grandmother take a buying trip to Italy for leather and trimmings, they both find more than they had hoped. Grandmother finds the courage to own up to a ten year old secret and Valentine discovers her inner strength and artistry. This is just the most basic of synopses. The telling of the story of this multi generational family saga is just magical. All the details are so exquisitely written, I wish I could go to Italy and see it all through their eyes. There are so many side plots with the family I feel like I really know these people. Ms. Trigiani does a fabulous job with her characters. The family is like most families; they have their ups and downs, their joys and sorrows, weak and strong moments and the reader gets to share in all of them.

This will be on my list of best books read in 2008. I had it on my chick-lit challenge list for 2009 and was just going to take a peek at the first few pages. That was 367 pages ago! I could not put this wonderful family saga down. I loved every character, every detail and every description. As a most interesting preface, Ms. Trigiani tells how she came to create these characters, a lot inspired by her own family and the artisans she met in Italy. If strong women characters, family stories, and romance along with lush destination descriptions appeal to you, then you will just love this one.

Highly recommended. 5*****

Thank you Adriana Trigiani for the opportunity to savor this wonderful story.

Review: The Lit Report by Sarah N. Harvey

Seventeen year old Julia always seems to do the right thing. She’s good in school,loves the classics and always tries to be practical and responsible. Then there is Ruth, Julia’s best friend since age four. Although they are very close, Ruth is not too good in school and does not always do what is right or practical. It’s an amazing dynamic they have going. Between the two of them they usually manage to make some right choices, that is, until Ruth finds out she is pregnant. Julia, pragmatic as ever, immediately comes up with plan A and then plan B and possibly even plan C, just as she always does. Julia cares about her friend Ruth and sticks by her side no matter what anyone else says or does. Ruth certainly has her mean moments but in the end she shows her true colors. This is a wonderful story of two friends who find themselves on the cusp of adulthood when they are forced into growing up in a big hurry. Who knew that the result would be the right one when Ruth opts for a different plan altogether.

Harvey has created some really likeable characters in this tale. The characterizations are well done and it seems easy to get into the head of the narrator, Julie. I like the way Harvey has incorporated a lot of humor along with some heart wrenching moments into the story. Julia sounds exactly like a 17 year old would at most times, but then at other times she acts more responsibly and sensitively than some of the adults in the story. Some of the plot scenarios might be just a little too coincidental, but even so, it seems to work. Both girls learn a lot about themselves and also learn a lot about the true feelings of the adults in their lives. Especially Julia, she learns she can’t always plan the future down to the last detail. Things seem to have a way of changing and as her mother always says, "to everything there is a season. "

This was not only a fun read but a thought provoking one. I think this would be a good book for a book club or mothers and teenage daughters, as there are many avenues for discussion. Although it’s a fast paced, easy read, it is also definitely delightful with a lot of heartwarming moments, a well balanced book.
4****

Review: Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane

Maria Murnane was very generous and kind in sending me a copy of her new book, Perfect on Paper. Thank you so much Maria, for such a fun read!

Everything is perfect! He’s handsome, rich, smart and comes from a very impressive family. What more could a girl want? For one thing, for the wedding to actually happen, not for him to back out just 2 weeks before the fairy-tale day. I was drawn in immediately with the contrasts between Waverly and her fiance. This was a good way to set up the scenario and it definitely worked.

With a broken engagement behind her and a broken heart to be mended, Waverly Bryson tries to retreat from the land of the dating until her two best friends McKenna and Andie try to get her out of her funk. This effort involves blind dates, yuk! Some are just plain horrible while some are barely tolerable. Some of these scenarios will have you laughing out loud. Murnane shows her incredible sense of humor through out the entire book. At one gathering, Waverly looks over the crowd and says, “just like straight off the rack at Nerds R Us.” There is plenty more where that came from.

I liked the way Murnane builds up Waverly’s character. She has a conflict in her feelings with her father and the emotion in this shows clearly. The dialogue between Waverly and her two best friends is always witty, while still being caring. I found it very plausible with only one quibble. Do almost thirty year olds say they would like to meet “cute boys”? I would think by that age they would be looking for “hot men”. But this is only a small annoyance because over all the book is very good.

Murnane creates a character you want to root for as this book made me smile, laugh and at times groan out loud. Waverly learns to discover her true inner self and comes to the realization that she needs to do what makes her happy, not what others think should make her happy. Out of what seemed like the end of her world in the beginning, came a lot of good for the future. Perfect on Paper is perfect for those who like humor and chick lit with some real substance to it. I give it 4 ½ *****

Review: Talk of the Town by Sherrill Bodine

A big thank you to Sherrill Bodine for sending me an advance copy of her new book, Talk of the Town.

When Rebecca Covington, 15 year veteran gossip columnist for the Daily Mail in Chicago, finds out she has lost her job to a younger woman, she goes into a tailspin. It seems the paper has been bought out by an as yet unidentified media mogul. Her boss tells her she will now be working with Kate, editor of the home and food section. This will be tricky because Rebecca hates to cook, doesn’t even really know how and on top of that her oven is broken. Rebecca’s friend, Harry ,has recently inherited a lot of cookbooks and is willing to help her after Kate tells her she must actually cook a recipe while adapting it to her tastes. What follows is a hilarious episode in Harry’s new kitchen. Absolute laugh out loud moments.

Rebecca is determined to keep up her image because she feels in no time she will get her old job back. As she tells Kate, “her job is her identity, the armor she puts on every day. She needs it back to feel safe.” It seems that Rebecca’s husband had left her for a younger woman, leaving Rebecca with a lot of abandonment issues and fear of commitment.

When Rebecca is invited to a charity function, she spots an absolutely gorgeous man and the sparks fly as the two exchange looks. No stretch of the imagination to know that this is the new owner of the paper, David Sumner. When David tells Rebecca she can put her own spin on the food column, she does it in a big and very successful way. While their personal and professional lives progress, it is not always in a smooth fashion. There are a lot of bumps along the way.

This book has a lot more going for it than just a romance. Although at times, you can turn up the air conditioning because there are some steamy love scenes here! Some “chick lit” books, I find are vapid without much real content, but not so this one. The plot line is extremely plausible. The characters are very well drawn, especially Rebecca and David. The reader gets to see all facets of their personalities as Bodine makes them come to life on every page. They both have had some triumphs and disappointments in life along with real heartbreak that left them with commitment issues. Both work at learning how to deal with the fallout, finally figuring out what they really want out of life. There are several more subplots involved with some wonderful peripheral characters that will keep the reader interested from the beginning until the very end. This new book from Sherrill Bodine will have you talking for quite a while. I really liked this story. 4****