Book tour & Giveaway for Hometown Girl by Mariah Stewart

Hometown Girl
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
 ISBN13: 9780345531216
Publisher: Ballantine Books (September 27, 2011)

From the publisher:

Life was always just about perfect for Brooke Madison Bowers. She was the prettiest, most popular girl in small-town St. Dennis, Maryland, a prom queen, local pageant star, and the pride and joy of her loving parents. She even married the man of her dreams. But the promise of happily ever after fell to pieces when her husband was killed while serving in Iraq. Brokenhearted and longing for the solace of better days, she returns to the idyllic world of St. Dennis, and the familiar comfort of the family farm. Surrounded by her loving family and friends, she’s determined to build a new life, complete with her own cupcake bakery. She’s equally determined never to fall in love again.

For Jesse Enright, life has been a challenge. A fourth-generation attorney, he’s spent his life fighting to escape the shadow of his irresponsible father. Now he’s moved to St. Dennis to run the family law practice, and he’s ready to find the right girl, get married, and settle down. But his carefully laid plans go out the window when he meets Brooke and finds himself caught between the unbreakable law of attraction and Brooke’s resolve to go her way alone—despite the undeniable feelings Jesse stirs in her. But just like catching lightning in a bottle, is it possible to fall head-over-heels, heart-and-soul in love all over again?

My Thoughts:  Ahhhh, it's like coming home again and reconnecting with old friends and getting to know some new ones better.  In this story, we get to see Brooke and Jessee start a relationship and watch as the two slowly fall for each other. I love the way Ms. Stewart develops her characters and their relationships so realistically. With each book  we get to see one couple as the star of the show, so to speak with, the characters from the preceding book weaving in and around the main characters' lives. It's just like real life; families with their ups and downs, joys and sorrows and credible feelings.

Both Jesse and Brooke have some issues to work out; Brooke is still feeling afraid to trust her heart again after the pain of losing her beloved husband and Jessee is afraid he will turn out like his father even though he is nothing like him. With the help of each other, this couple should be able to live life full on for a very long time to come and I want to be there to witness it.

Even though a happily ever after is almost a guarantee in her stories, Ms.Stewart captivates the  reader along the journey. The little town of St. Dennis on the Chesapeake is almost a character in itself with caring residents and long time traditions being carried out. Along with the plot this small town atmosphere is very appealing to me.

I've read and thoroughly enjoyed the first three in this series and the latest, Hometown Girl is just as fresh and delightful as the first three. Last year I read and reviewed Coming Home the first book in the series, and Home Again, the second book. In May I reviewed Almost Home, the third book in the series.  If you visit Mariah's web site and click on books, you can read excerpts from the first two.

Hometown Girl is book # 4 in The Chesapeake Diaries series. Any of these books can be read as a stand alone, but in my opinion, it's best to start from the first one to see how all the relationships develop besides, you don't want to miss out on some truly wonderful stories. 4****

About Mariah Stewart: Mariah Stewart is the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of twenty-nine novels of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives with her husband and their dogs amid the rolling hills and Amish farms of southern Chester County, Pennsylvania, where she gardens, reads, and enjoys country life. She is currently working on the next book in her bestselling Chesapeake Diaries series.

Connect with Mariah on her website or on Facebook.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by TLC tours and Ballantine Books in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Thanks to the generosity of Ballantine Books I am able to give away one copy of Hometown Girl. Open to US & Canada. Be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Deadline to enter: Nov 24th at 5 PM (est).

Bonus entries are available as follows.

+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.

If you cannot comment you can still enter by sending me an e mail with Win Hometown Girl in the subject line. Include your name and e mail and send to florida982002[at]yahoo.com

Good luck!

Review and Giveaway: Almost Home by Mariah Stewart

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Ballantine Books (March 22, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345520378
ISBN-13: 978-0345520371

Steffie Wyler, owner of the very popular ice cream parlor, One Scoop or Two, is living her dream - well, almost. Since she was little she had three goals in life: make ice cream every day, marry the coolest guy in town and live happily ever after. It's the "marry the coolest guy in town" that has eluded her but now that her high school crush, Wade McGregor is back in town maybe, just maybe that goal is reachable.

 In town for a wedding, Wade renews his acquaintance with Steffie getting her all starry eyed with her hopes up but once again he hightails it back to Texas where he has been living and working since college. Try as she might, Steffie tries to be complacent about it.

"She tried to keep a smile on her face and a positive attitude as they said good-bye, even until the door closed behind him and she turned the lock.

Then, from somewhere deep inside, a little voice whispered that some things never change. Wade would leave and get on with his life, and she'd still be here,  in St. Dennis, until next time."

Things in Wade's life, both personal and business wise have gone sour and now he is back. Again! But this time with some surprising new complications to consider. Will Wade finally see what is right in front of him? Will this be the time for Steffie and Wade to make a go of it once and for all?

What I like about this series is the recurring characters that feels like visiting with old friends and family. I like Stewart's emphasis on love, friendships and the complexities of family dynamics.There's something so engaging about all the interwoven family stories in the little town of St Dennis on the Chesapeake. Even though as a reader, you pretty much know all will work out in the end, it's a delightful journey getting there with the characters as they go through all of life's surprises, joys and heartaches.

Almost Home is the third book in the Chesapeake Diaries series by Mariah Stewart. Any of these stories can be read as a stand-alone but I would recommend you start with the first one just to get a feel for the little town and all the characters. I'm so invested in these characters now, I can't wait for the next one; Home Town Girl, the fourth in the series, will be released in July.

Last year I read and reviewed Coming Home the first book in the series, and Home Again, the second book. If you visit Mariah's web site and click on books, you can read excerpts from the first two. There are also links to contests. Happy browsing!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Ballantine Books & TLC tours in exchange for my honest opinion.

The publisher is allowing me to give away one (1) copy of the book. US & Canada. Deadline for giveaway is May 27th at 5 PM (est). Be sure to include an e mail address in your comment. As always bonus entries are available by :

+2 for being a follower- just remind me how and under what name
+3 for tweeting or putting on sidebar - leave me a link, please.
Good luck!

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Stiltsville by Susanna Daniels

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Harper (August 3, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0061963070

From the publisher:

Set against a vivid and lush South Florida background during the years of Miami’s coming-of-age, Stiltsville offers a gripping, bittersweet portrait of a marriage—and romance—that deepens over the course of three decades.

One sunny morning in 1969, near the end of her first trip to Miami, twenty-six-year-old Frances Ellerby finds herself in a place called Stiltsville, a community of houses built on pilings in the middle of Biscayne Bay. On the dock of a stilt house, with the dazzling skyline in the distance and the unknowable ocean beneath her, she meets the house’s owner, Dennis DuVal—and a new future reveals itself.

Turning away from her life, Frances moves to Miami to be with Dennis. Over time, she earns the confidence of his wild-at-heart sister and the approval of his oldest friend. Frances and Dennis marry and have a child—but rather than growing complacent about their good fortune, they continue to face the challenges of intimacy, and of the complicated city they call home.

Stiltsville is essentially the story of the ebb and flow of marriage and family life in a unique setting as told by Frances, the main character. Frances seemed to drift through life apathetically and I was actually surprised at one point when she said she really loved Dennis. What redeemed her character somewhat for me was the ending.  I finally  connected to Frances and felt such pain for Dennis with what he went through. I felt I got more insight into the DuVals while they were facing his ordeal. Of course, any crisis in a marriage really tests the strength of the spouses. It can either make or break the marriage and Frances came through with flying colors. To be fair, she did have a tremendous support system with her in-laws and her daughter Margo. If she didn't, I'm not too convinced she would have coped as easily.

It's obvious how much Daniels knows the area. Biscayne Bay is almost another character in the story. Daniels easily managed to mentally convey me there. The descriptions of the lush flora and fauna are impeccable. I found it most interesting to read about the lifestyles of stilt house owners. Even though I live it Florida, I've never seen any of these houses. If you would like to see some pics for yourself, you can go here.

Stiltsville is more of a "tell me"  than a "show me" book and I think this is one of the reasons I had trouble connecting with Frances. I did like a few of the supporting characters but throughout the story, Dennis seemed a little nebulous to me. I was told what he did but didn't get even a sense of what he thought about the marriage. Even though the story is written from Frances's view point, I think Dennis's character could have been a little more developed in the beginning. For me it was a good read, just not a stellar one but Daniels does show promise as a writer. 3***

If you would like to read more about Susanna Daniels, you can find her here.

Now for the giveaway details:

1 copy for giveaway open to  US & Canada
Bonus entries available :
+2 for old followers - remind me how you follow and under what name
+3 for new followers thru GFC
+3 for posting about and linking to drawing or tweeting. Please, please please, DO NOT leave 3 separate comments saying you tweeted or that you are a follower! :-) Be sure to leave an e-mail contact. Deadline to enter is Oct 14th at 5 PM (est) Good luck!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by TLC tours in exchange for an honest opinion of the book.

Review & Giveaway of Home Again by Mariah Stewart

July 27th 2010 by Ballantine Books (first published July 15th 2010)
details
Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages
isbn 0345520351
(isbn13: 9780345520357)

From Goodreads: "Dallas MacGregor is living the Hollywood dream. At thirtysomething, she’s an award-winning actress beloved by the public and bound for even bigger success. But when her soon-to-be-ex-husband, producer Emilio Baird, is caught in a sex scandal, Dallas’s charmed life turns tabloid nightmare. Determined to shield her young son, Cody, from the ugly uproar, Dallas seeks refuge in sleepy St. Dennis, Maryland—the Chesapeake Bay town where her happiest childhood days were spent. Reunited with her boisterous great-aunt, Dallas wants nothing more than to leave her Hollywood days behind. And when she crosses paths with local veterinarian Grant Wyler, her high school summer love, she finds he’s everything she remembers, and more—and that the spark is still there. But Dallas’s promising new life takes a troubling turn when the unimaginable happens and she finds herself living a mother’s worst nightmare—and Emilio storms into St. Dennis to save the day, along with his damaged career. Trapped in the unwanted glare of the limelight once again, Dallas discovers that it’s coolheaded Grant who is willing to risk everything to protect her and her son, and to secure the future they were always meant to share."

My thoughts: Escaping to St. Dennis was a good move for Dallas as she is welcomed back as one of their own. The town's people rally around her to protect her from the unwelcome attentions of the predatory papparazzi. Being in St. Dennis is also a good thing for Dallas's son Cody. Unlike in Hollywood where even the kids are superficial and judgemental, he's made a real friend in town and is being spoiled and much loved by Dallas's great aunt Berry.

Running into her old flame, Grant,  again was another bonus of visiting St. Dennis. The spark was still there alright. Phew! I could feel the heat emanating from the pages and it wasn't just the humidity of the Chesapeake Bay. Maybe now these two will get a chance to rekindle their feelings at a better point in their lives. They were just too young before. Now with some life experience behind them, they have the maturity to know what they want and how to achieve their goals.

Stewart has come up with a very likeable cast of characters, except for Emilio. He was such a dispicable creep, it was almost fun to see him get kicked to the curb! Aunt Berry, Dallas and Grant's sister Steffie are all strong women characters who know what they want and how to achieve their goals. I really liked the dynamic Aunt Berry and kind of wished I had an aunt just like her. What a personality!

I read the first book in the series, Coming Home, and this was like visiting with old friends in a very familiar place. I just love the little town of St. Dennis, that realistic small town atmosphere that Stewart does so well .
Parts of the book were a tad predictable but that never took away from the enjoyment of the story at all. In fact the ending *sniff* had me tearing up. I really enjoyed this one. 4****

Home Again is the 2nd in the Chesapeake diaries series.

From Mariah's website: "Almost Home, the third Chesapeake Diaries book, which will be released on March 22, 2011. This is Steffie Wyler’s book. When her long-time crush, Wade MacGregor, comes back to St. Dennis, the fur is flying."

Ooh, I can't wait to see what else is in going on in St Dennis! If you would like to read excerpts from Mariah's book, please visit her website.
For more stops on the tour:

Monday, August 30th: Heart 2 Heart
Wednesday, September 1st: Reading at the Beach
Tuesday, September 7th: Simply Stacie
Thursday, September 9th: My Two Blessings
Monday, September 13th: Pudgy Penguin Perusals Review & Giveaway
Wednesday, September 15th: A Book Blogger’s Diary
Monday, September 20th: Along the Way
Tuesday, September 21st: I’m Booking It
Wednesday, September 22nd: Lesa’s Book Critiques
Thursday, September 23rd: Joyfully Retired
Monday, September 27th: Mockingbird Hill Cottage
Tuesday, September 28th: Rundpinne
Wednesday, September 29th: Trisha’s Book Blog
Friday, October 1st: Luxury Reading
Monday, October 4th: Thoughts From an Evil Overlord
Tuesday, October 5th: Beth Fish Reads – Pennsylvania Author Guest Post and Giveaway

The publisher is allowing me to host a giveaway for one copy of Home Again. Open to US & Canada. Please include an e mail address in your comment.

Bonus entries available :
+2 for old followers - remind me how you follow and under what name
+3 for new followers thru GFC
+3 for posting about and linking to drawing or tweeting.
Please, please please, DO NOT leave 3 separate comments saying you tweeted or that you are a follower! :)

Deadline is Sept 23rd at 5 PM (est) Good luck!

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

Book tour: The Fixer-Upper by Mary Kay Andrews

Pub. Date: June 2009
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Format: Hardcover, 432pp
ISBN-13: 9780060837389

It's another scandalous news day in Washington, D.C. with prominent public relations firm owner, Alex Hodder, being investigated for bribing Congressman Anthony Licata. Unfortuately, his young lobbyist, Dempsey, is caught in the crossfire with him. Vulnerable and naive she might have been but that changes quickly as she realizes what a ninny she was to believe her ever-so-sleazy boss. After having lost her job and her self respect, and fearing that no one will hire her, she visits her father in Miami to escape the reporters and gain some perspective.

When her father throws her a lifeline, she reluctantly agrees to fix up Birdsong, an old family home that her father just inherited. It might need a little work before flipping it, or so her father tells her. When Dempsey arrives in Guthrie, Georgia, she finds a dilapidated house that needs more than just a little paint. A total makeover is more like it! Dempsey finds to her consternation that the house also comes with a surprise; 79 year old Ella Kate, some sort of distant relative, has taken up residence and she's not budging. It will take more than a stick of dynamite to get that stubborn old lady out of the house.

As the house begins to take shape, so does Dempsey. She becomes more confident, gains a better understanding of her family, finds a little romance and even works on her relationship with Ella Kate. When Dempsey finds her resolve to not let Alex get away with trashing her life, things get mighty interesting.

The Fixer Upper captivated me immediately. I really liked Dempsey and could feel her pain and her sense of hopelessness at the beginning of her predicament. Andrews, with her signature humor, has the southern atmosphere and family dynamics down to perfection. She aptly captured the small town feel where it seems everyone knows your "bidness" even though they don't know you.

The ending was a sheer delight! If you haven't read this one, get ready to be charmed with these endearing characters. Even the prickly Ella Kate started to grow on me! I guarantee the pages will just fly by. Such fun! 4****

See more stops on the tour.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Harper Collins
for TLC Book Tours.