Blog tour: Katie's Way by Marta Perry

Paperback, 352 pages
Published November 1st 2011 by Berkley Trade
ISBN: 0425243222 (ISBN13: 9780425243220)

Still grieving over a broken heart, Katie Miller moves to Pleasant Valley to open her very own quilt shop. Back home she worked in her mother's quilt shop so she has some experience to fall back on.
Not only did Katie lose Eli, the man she loved, she lost her best friend who married Eli almost four years ago but she is one  young lady who is determined to succeed. She has one year to prove to her family that she can make a go of the shop.

One way to draw in more customers is to offer quilting lessons and Katie runs with this idea. Soon, both Amish and Englisch are mingling amiably together in the shop. Not only does Katie have the business to worry about but her parents left her younger, somewhat rebellious sister, Rhoda, in her care. Rhoda soon finds her own place in Pleasant Valley and she and Katie become a good team but it's not easy at times. The shop is a little off the beaten path and business is not as brisk as Katie would like so some of the town's merchants cook up an advertising scheme to promote Pennsylvania Dutch Days. A few of the townspeople feel they don't really want too many tourists overrunning the area but the plan goes ahead.

When acts of vandalism start to occur, everyone is worried about why this is happening. Is the outside world trying to intrude or could one of the Plain People be taking matters into their own hands?  Caleb, who shares a storefront with Katie, has his own feelings about the situation. He too is nursing a broken heart and spirit. Just being able to make his furniture and a living is fine with him. He doesn't need too much interaction with other people but life has a funny way of helping people heal. It's almost a foregone conclusion he and Katie will be attracted to each other but how they decide to handle their feelings is a big part of the story. 

" Endings. Beginnings. That was what made up life, wasn't it? She'd just like to know whether she was at an ending or a beginning."

Well, I like the ending and the beginning and all the pages in between! 4****

Lately, I've gotten into reading Amish fiction and found I really enjoy it. In Katie's Way, Marta Perry introduces some loveable characters along with a solid plot. There's a little bit of mystery to the story along with the romance, sense of community, life choices and friendship. After reading this book, I tried another one of Perry's books, Hide in Plain Sight,  and liked that one very much also.

About the author: A lifetime spend in rural Pennsylvania and her own Pennsylvania Dutch roots led Marta Perry to write about the Plain People who add to the rich heritage of her home state. She is the author of more than thirty-five inspirational romance novels and lives with her husband in a century-old farmhouse. You can read more about Marta at her website.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Berkley Trade in exchange for my honest opinion.  Thanks also to Pump Up your Book  for allowing me to participate in the tour.

Book Spotlight: The Katyn Order by Douglas. W. Jacobson

Hardcover, 384 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by McBooks Press (first published April 19th 2011)
ISBN1590135725 (
ISBN13: 9781590135723)
primary languageEnglish

From Goodreads:

The German war machine is in retreat as the Russians advance. In Warsaw, Resistance fighters rise up against their Nazi occupiers, but the Germans retaliate, ruthlessly leveling the once-beautiful city. American Adam Nowak has been dropped into Poland by British intelligence as an assassin and Resistance fighter. During the Warsaw Uprising he meets Natalia, a covert operative who has lost everything—just as he has. Amid the Allied power struggle left by Germany’s defeat, Adam and Natalia join in a desperate hunt for the 1940 Soviet order authorizing the murders of 20,000 Polish army officers and civilians. If they can find the Katyn Order before the Russians do, they just might change the fate of Poland.

Sounds like another compelling and emotional read from Douglas W. Jacobson. In October of '09 I read and  reviewed  his book, Night of Flames, and just loved it. If you have an interest in books set during WWII this book will definitely captivate you.

Douglas W. Jacobson is an engineer, business owner and World War Two history enthusiast. Doug has traveled extensively in Europe researching stories of the courage of common people caught up in extraordinary circumstances. His debut novel, Night of Flames: A Novel of World War Two was published in 2007 by McBooks Press, and was released in paperback in 2008. Night of Flames won the “2008 Outstanding Achievement Award” from the Wisconsin Library Association. Doug writes a monthly column on Poland’s contribution during WW2, and has published articles on Belgium’s WW2 escape organization, the Comet Line and other European Resistance organizations. Doug’s second historical novel, The Katyn Order, which will be released in May, 2011 focuses on one of history’s most notorious war crimes, the Katyn massacre.

Pump Up Your Book is currently touring The Katyn Order until June 30th. For more sites on the tour please visit here.  There  you will find the dates of  reviews, spotlights, interviews and giveaways.

Review: Let's Eat by Denise Burroughs

Inspired by her her love of cooking and her Italian heritage, Denise Burroughs shares some of her family's most cherished recipes in Let's Eat.

One of the things I really appreciate in a cookbook is a large color picture and this book has quite a few. I think this would make a great cookbook for a beginner cook as there is a lot of info at the beginning that a novice  might not know such as baking substitutions and what equals what.

 Example: did you know a cup of cut up marshmallows is equal to 16 large marshmallows or 160 miniature?

Denise also includes a page on "is it done yet?" This is handy info if you need to know at what temperature a specific type of meat is done.  That's something I usually forget and have to find somewhere.

Most of the recipes are simple everyday recipes with virtually no exotic ingredients; no scrounging around looking for or purchasing something you might never need again. I found one recipe for "Hornet's Nest Cake" that sounds quite interesting and could be whipped up in no time. How could you not want to serve that to guests? Another recipe that sounds really good is "Grandma's Zucchini Stew" that can be cooked in a crock pot. Those are the kind of recipe I like these days!

From cornish game hens to casseroles to drinks recipes, Denise has included a nice variety of recipes. Be sure to read the "Growing up Italian" note from Denise at the end of the book. If you would like more info or to read several of Denise's recipes, you can visit her  website.

Disclaimer: A review copy of Let's Eat was provided by Pump Up Your Book!

Review: The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose

Hardcover: 416 pages

Publisher: Mira; 1 edition (May 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778326756
ISBN-13: 978-0778326755

From the inside cover:

"Haunted by a twenty year-old murder of a beautiful young painter, Lucian Glass keeps his demons at bay through his fascinating work as a special agent with the FBI's Art Crime Team. Currently investigating a crazed art collector who has begun destroying prized masterworks, Glass is thrust into a bizarre hostage negotiations that takes him undercover at the Phoenix foundation-dedicated to the science of past life study-where, in order to maintain his cover, he agrees to submit to the treatment of a hypnotist.

Under hypnosis, Glass travels from ancient Greece to nineteenth-century Persia, while the case takes him from New York to Paris and the movie capital of the world. These journeys will change his very understanding of reality, lead him to question his own sanity and land him at the center of perhaps the most audacious art heist in history-the theft of a 1,500 year-old sculpture from the Metropolitan Museum of Art."

My Thoughts:  Although I haven't read the two preceding books, The Reincarnationist and The Memorist  I certainly plan to. The Hypnotist is a stand alone novel and I had no problem getting right into the characters  but I understand Lucian's story started in the previous books. When a book makes me want to read further about some of the plot's subjects, then I feel the author has done an amazing job. Reincarnation, ancient beliefs and the history of searching for antiquities was most interesting to  me.

The Hypnotist is a mesmerizing story with a complicated, ingenious plot that had me practically glued to the pages from the very beginning until the end. No lags in the action and not a dry spot to be seen. Twists enough to satisfy any thriller reader. It was all riveting!

 After reading so many exciting plot lines that eventually all converged together, M.J. Rose will be going on my favorite author list. What a talented writer! I just loved the characters Rose breathed life into, the several plot lines and the exotic settings. To sum it up, I just loved the book. 5*****

About the author: ( from author's website) M.J. Rose, is the international bestselling author of 11 novels;Lip Service, In Fidelity, Flesh Tones, Sheet Music, Lying in Bed, The Halo Effect, The Delilah Complex, The Venus Fix,The Reincarnationist, The Memorist and The Hypnotist.

Rose is also the co-author with Angela Adair Hoy of How to Publish and Promote Online, and with Doug Clegg of Buzz Your Book. She is a founding member and board member of International Thriller Writers and the founder of the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz.com. She runs two popular blogs; Buzz, Balls & Hype and Backstory.

Getting published has been an adventure for Rose who self-published Lip Service late in 1998 after several traditional publishers turned it down. Editors had loved it, but didn't know how to position it or market it since it didn't fit into any one genre. Frustrated, but curious and convinced that there was a readership for her work, she set up a web site where readers could download her book for $9.95 and began to seriously market the novel on the Internet. After selling over 2500 copies (in both electronic and trade paper format) Lip Service became the first e-book and the first self-published novel chosen by the LiteraryGuild/Doubleday Book Club as well as being the first e-book to go on to be published by a mainstream New York publishing house.

Rose has been profiled in Time magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, Business 2.0, Working Woman, Newsweek and New York Magazine. Rose has appeared on The Today Show, Fox News, The Jim Lehrer NewsHour, and features on her have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers in the U.S. and abroad, including USAToday, Stern, L'Official, Poets and Writers and Publishers Weekly.

Rose graduated from Syracuse University and spent the '80s in advertising. She was the Creative Director of Rosenfeld Sirowitz and Lawson and she has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. She lives in Connecticut with Doug Scofield, a composer, and their very spoiled dog, Winka.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Mira Books through VBT.

Book Tour: Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer

Hardcover: 368 pages
Published by Ballentine Books (June 22, 2010
ISBN 978-0-345-51828-6

Emma Fox has just been dumped by her fiancé, fired from her high powered brokerage firm and has fled back to the family home on Nantucket. Her younger sister Lily is so worried about Emma spending her days crying and sleeping that she e-mails their older sister, Abbie, to come home from London.

That's not Lily's only worry; their dad has rented out the playhouse to a complete stranger who Lily thinks is after their dad. Marina, their new tenant, has come from the midwest and is on Nantucket to help herself heal after a heartbreaking divorce and dealing with the fact that she could never have children. But then finding out her husband Gerry is having a baby with her best friend Dara is the last straw. Over the course of her lease Marina finds a lot more on Nantucket than just a small rental on the ocean and the ability to take each day as it comes.

When Abbie arrives home, things go right back to the old pecking order. Lily is again the family baby and expects everyone to take care of her while she can just be her irresponsible self but over the course of the summer, Lily is in for quite a few surprises from her two sisters, her dad and in the end she manages to surprise herself.

Beachcombers is a wonderful story of a family in flux who find themselves in some new and unexpected relationships. The story is told from the perspective of each of the four women changing with each chapter. I love the way Thayer managed to transport me mentally and emotionally to Nantucket with these well developed and oh-so-likeable characters in such a delightful setting. The writing flowed smoothly and the story kept me engrossed to the point that I hated to see it end. Another endearing book by Nancy Thayer perfect for a light summer read. I just loved it! 4.5****

For your convenience in purchasing the book or just for more info, please use this link.

Disclosure: A review copy of this books was provided by Pump up Your Book Tours (VBT). Thanks, Cheryl!

Review: Lemon Tart by Josi Kilpack

From the back cover: "Award winning author Josie S. Kilpack introduces a new series of culinary "cozies" that is sure to tantalize mystery lovers. In this debut volume, cooking aficionado-turned-amateur detective, Sadie Hoffmiller, tries to solve the murder of Anne Lemmon, her beautiful young neighbor-a single mother who was mysteriously killed while a lemon tart was baking in her oven. At the heart of Sadie's search is Anne's missing two-year old son, Trevor. Whoever took the child must be the murderer, but Sadie is certain that the police are looking at all the wrong suspects-including her!

Armed with a handful of her very best culinary masterpieces, Sadie is determined to bake her way to proving her innocence, rescuing Trevor, and finding out exactly who had a motive for murder.

My Thoughts: While busily making jam, 56 year old Sadie Hoffmiller looks out her window to see police cars careening around the corner and entering her cul-de-sac. Being the overly inquisitive( read busybody) person that she is, Sadie steps outside to see what all the ruckus is about. Police have converged on her neighbor Anne's porch and look ready to break down the door. Sadie approaches and tells the police she has the key. The police try to prevent Sadie from entering the house but Detective Cunningham asks her to look and see if anything seems out of place much to the dismay of Detective Madsen.

While the police search outside, Sadie notices that numerous things are definitely wrong; the house is too tidy, Anne and her son Trevor are nowhere in sight and a lemon tart is in the oven. Sadie tells the police that Anne would never leave the oven on and disappear like that. When the police find Anne's body in the back yard, Sadie's imagination goes into overdrive and she begins to do what she does best- Snoop! Her most pressing concern is the whereabouts of Trevor and the motive of the murderer.

Despite repeated warnings from Detective Madsen, Sadie learns some disturbing info from her fiance, Ron. Not only does Sadie have to worry about a murderer on the loose but now she has to contend with a philandering fiance. Why was he at Anne's house the night before anyway?

Detective Madsen keeps trying to put the blame on Sadie and insists she is hampering police investigations but detective Cunningham thinks Sadie is innocent and can help find the person responsible. Sadie makes a shocking discovery about Anne that makes her more determined than ever to find out the truth. When investigations lead too close to home for comfort, Sadie really ramps up her sleuthing game and finds herself in a hairy situation.Will she be able to get out of this latest escapade and prove once and for all who really did murder Anne and why?

Kilpack sets up a very well paced mystery with some likeable and some not so likeable characters who kept me mentally on the run. The denoument was so exciting with more than one twist that I couldn't read fast enough to find out all the why's and wherefores. I had previously read the third book in this series, Devil's Food Cake, and enjoyed it a lot. This first one is also very good and can be read as a stand alone book. For fans of culinary cozies, this one will not only whet your appetite for the mystery but for the tasty recipes included. For more info on the author and her books you can visit her website or her blog.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the author through Pump Up Your Book Promotions.

Review: Too Many Visitors For One Little House by Susan Chodakiewitz

The residents of El Camino street definitely know what they like; cleaning their houses, gardening and snoozing on the porch. What they don't like is a whole other list; kids, noise, guests, large kissy-huggy families and pets. So, when the new family with three kids moved in down the block, the neighbors were a little wary but things seemed to be going smoothly and quietly. Just the way they liked it!

But then the visitors started coming . And coming. And coming. And coming. Too many visitors, the neighbors cried, for one little house. There were cousins, aunts, uncles, teens and toddlers, not to mention Grandma, Grandpa, Nanny and a baby. The neighbors definitely didn't like babies. All these visitors brought mounds of things with them; things that made noise like guitars and clarinets. This was just too much of everything for one little house!

Something must be done, the neighbors decided but on their way to complain, out of the little house came grandma with her delicious smelling apple strudel. When she asked the neighbors if they would like to join the family reunion, they for once decided there can never be too many visitors for any house, even one little house.

This book is just so adorable. The illustrations by Veronica Walsh are very enticing; humorous characters in bright colors and with lots of detail. I like the message of family young and old being together and having a good time. A fun, enjoyable read for any child.

This story is a booksicals children's book. For a musical version of the book, go to Booksicals.com where you can download the musical for free!

Disclosure: This book was provided for review by the author, Susan Chodakiewitz, as part of a Virtual Book Tour. Thank you Dorothy from VBT and Susan.

Guest post: Rolf Hitzer, author of Hoodoo Sea

Today, I would like to welcome Rolf Hitzer to Pudgy Penguin Perusals. Before we see what Rolf has to say in his guest post, here is a little background info about this author.

Rolf Hitzer was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1959 and raised by his parents, Erna and Julius Hitzer.

Rolf attended Princess Margaret Elementary School, John Pritchard Junior High and Graduated from Kildonan East Regional Secondary School where he had majored in Culinary Arts.

Rolf is married to his wife Irma since 1997. Together they have a wonderful blended family with Rita and Clark Bodoano and Grand children, Alexandria, Patrick and Braeden. Jason and Leah Tutlies, and Grandson Easton. Mandel Hitzer, and the youngest Jessica Hitzer. Clearly the growth of his family is still a work in progress.

Rolf Hitzer has several passions besides writing, they include being at the log cabin on weekends. Spending time on the water with a fishing pole in hand. Wildlife viewing and especially Moose calling during the fall rut. Playing a range of Poker card games and a variety of board games.

Rolf is a Member of the Winnipeg Real Estate Board, The Manitoba Real Estate Association and the Canadian Real Estate Association. He is currently working on his second novel.

It has to be right..... to write by Rolf Hitzer

What made a tremendous difference for me to help maintain my concentration when I sat down to write, was the setting I selected. Early on when I had started to pen Hoodoo Sea, I realized that distraction was my biggest enemy.

Any slight disturbance, I found, hindered my creativity and ability to focus. So knowing this, my writing environment became as important as the story I was working on.

First came the room, I chose an area in the house, the basement, where I couldn't look out of the small window. Perfect. Whatever was happening outside, I had isolated myself from it.

Absolutely no phone, land line or cell. In fact, my wife would take a message whenever someone would call. No music, e mails, text messages, or even if anyone happened to come by the house unannounced. For two hours each day, I disappeared from the world. Sounds easy enough, but it wasn't.

Before going through this disciplined process, my word production was less than half, versus from when I had made the decision to isolate myself from everything. It's funny how life can be when we always seem to learn best from the school of hard knocks.

For more information on his book visit: http://www.hoodoosea.com/ .

This book published by Bluewater Press,LLC was provided for review by the author through a Virtual Book Tour.

Blog Tour: Night of Flames by Douglas W. Jacobson

Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: McBooks Press; illustrated edition edition (October 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1590131665
ISBN-13: 978-1590131664

In his debut novel set against the backdrop of World War II, Douglas W. Jacobson weaves a complex story of a young Polish couple, Jan and Anna Kopernik, seeking to be re-united amidst the ravages of war torn Europe. The story takes place in Poland and Belgium alternately following Jan and Anna as they try to cope with their separation in horrific war conditions.

When the Germans begin their relentless invasion into Poland in 1939, Anna has just come from Krakow to Warsaw to attend the funeral of her friend Irene's mother. Anna, Irene and Irene's son Justyn attempt to make their way from the ravaged city of Warsaw back to Krakow. A friend of a friend can manage to get them to Italy on a diplomatic visa but when Irene becomes ill, all plans and lives for that matter are dramatically changed.

Jan, an officer in the Polish Cavalry, and his division face some devasting battles. Although Jan manages to escape with non life- threatening injuries, he does not return to his cavalry position. With his ability to speak fluent German, Jan finds himself doing intelligence work for the British.When he is offered the chance to get back to Poland, he is determined not only to do his duty but to find Anna.Unfortunately this proves to be much more difficult than he thought it would be.

After much hardship, travail and heartbreaking losses, Anna ends up in Belgium and becomes involved with a resistance movement called the White Brigade. At one point she is captured by a Nazi officer, Dieter Koenig; a most vile, disgusting and thoroughly evil man. Even though he saves her from being sent to a concentration camp, he is determined to keep her for his own purposes. Jacobson paints such a chillingly vivid picture of this character, I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up and I was almost holding my breath to see how this would all pan out.

I truly enjoyed Anna's character as I felt she was a strong, intelligent and brave woman with a very caring nature. At risk to herself, she did not hesitate to help her Jewish friends Irene and Justyn. The character of Jan was not as thoroughly developed as Anna's but I still got the feeling that he was an extremely patriotic and conscientious man who would do whatever was necessary to find his beloved Anna. Would Jan and Anna find each other again in all the chaos? More importantly, would they even survive the war?

Jacobson has obviously done a tremendous amout of research for his plot driven novel and managed to seamlessly mingle fact and fiction into a wonderfully vivid story. The pages just came alive for me with all the historical detail and a myriad of characters. All the accounts of efforts made by the resistance enhanced the storyline. Jacobson has paid homage to these brave individuals who risked much and sometimes all to overcome the oppressors in their homeland. A compellingly told story of loyalty, betrayals and heroism of ordinary citizens in a time when the world seemed to have gone mad. Excellent read. I just loved it! Highly recommended. 4.5****

A big thank you to Dorothy from Pump Up Your Book Tours for allowing me to participate in the tour and to McBooks Press for a review copy.

Author Spotlight shines on Dianne Castell, author of Hot and Irresistable

USA Today best selling author Dianne Castell writes for Kensington Books. She also writes a monthly editor interview column for Romance Writers Report. Her books have won Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, been on the cover of Romantic Times Magazine and included in Rhapsody Book Club, Doubleday Book Club and have made the Waldenbooks Bestseller list.
The second book in her Savannah Sizzles series for the BRAVA line, Hot and Irresistible, hits the shelves Nov'09. Dianne lives in Cincinnati with her two cats and will do just about anything to get out of housework. You can visit her website at http://www.diannecastell.com/ or email her at dianecastell@hotmail.com.

SOUTHERN COMFORT, SAVANNAH STYLE…

Bebe Fitzpatrick’s hard upbringing taught her how to take care of herself, how to tell true friends from false, and how to be a good cop. She can also sweet-talk a man like she means it…until she stumbles into the arms of a damn sexy Yankee who’s gunning for Savannah ’s favorite shady entrepreneur…

As far as Donovan McCabe is concerned, the main obstacle to his investigation is the one thing he can’t help wanting in his way. Bebe’s smart, sassy, and utterly oblivious to her own appeal. Add the fact that a Boston cop trying to arrest one of Savannah ’s best-loved citizens is about as popular as the reincarnation of General Grant. What Donovan needs is a better game plan. What he’s about to get is southern “hospitality” that’ll make his toes curl…

Want more? Of course you do! Here is an excerpt from Dianne's book:

Don’t you dare go feeling sorry for me because, Donovan McCabe, I sure as hell don’t need a pity party and now you want to tell me what you’re doing on my front stoop?”
Her gaze met his and she braced herself for the Oh, you poor thing look but instead Donovan bent his head and kissed her. She started to protest but her lips were busy and suddenly her tongue was too and then her arms got into the act and then her insides melted into goo which had acid beat all to hell and back. This was all wrong on every level except one…Donovan McCabe felt so darn good when she was feeling crappy as hell.
How many times had Dara struck and no one had been there? But here and now on this beautiful spring morning, there was Donovan McCabe. She breathed, a sense of peace she’d never
known before in her whole life filling her up like a glass long empty. She leaned into him and took one more kiss, just a little with a tiny nibble of his bottom lip to chase away the lingering chill of Dara, then Bebe stepped back. Every cell in her body…except the two rational cells still functioning in her
brain… insisted she was the most stupid woman on planet earth for not staying locked in his arms.
“What was that all about?” The question was as much for
her as him because she didn’t know what to think about the effect he had on her.
“You look like a woman who needed a hug and the kiss part just snuck in.” His voice was steady but there was unsure spark in his eyes that said he didn’t just go around kissing every woman who may have the need. But she didn’t need him to be nice and she wished like hell he hadn’t seen Dara. It was Bebe’s private life, the part she kept tucked away as best she could even from Brie, Priss and Charlotte . A crappy childhood did not transfer into a crappy life.
“Are you playing me, McCabe? Softening me up so I’ll help you nail Cleveland ?
Well, I won’t and I can handle Dara.”
“How about I look the other way and you
just shoot her.”
Bebe broke into a laugh and today she didn’t think she’d be
laughing about anything. “I’ll lend you my gun,” he continued, looking perfectly serious. “Or at least blast the bitch verbally. I’ve seen you in action, you’re a hellcat when riled. Why not now?”If he hadn’t offered his gun she would have told Donovan to butt out but he did offer and he’d kissed her when she needed it and she wasn’t in the habit of needing much. A new meaning of good cop, bad cop. “A conditioned response from when I was a kid. Dara’s favorite game was to threaten to leave me in the marsh if I didn’t do what she said. Scared the hell out of me and you never did say way you’re here.” Why the hell was she telling McCabe all this? Fallout from a dynamite kiss.
“When my mother tells me to stand up straight and get a haircut I still do it.”
A gentle smile that comes from thinking of good stuff softened his face.
“Except my mom’s nothing like yours, though I do remember threats of military school.” He leaned against the side of the apartment looking as if the place belonged to him. He was that kind of guy, one who fit in anywhere, probably even military school. Bebe felt as if she fit in nowhere and she’d
lived in Savannah all her life. He said, “I’m here because I didn’t want to air our problems in front of the whole station. We need to talk about how we’re going to handle Ray Cleveland.”
This was better. Arguing over work was a piece of cake, reminiscing about a screwed up childhood was a piece of shit. “I said I’m not helping you with Cleveland, McCabe and I haven’t changed my mind so there’s no need for kisses that curl my toes.” Well damn. She was on a roll till the toes part. When Donovan was around she had to learn to think before she opened her big mouth…which could lead to more kissing and then tongues. What in the almighty hell was she going to do with Donovan McCabe!

Dianne Castell’s HOT AND IRRESISTIBLE VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘09 will officially begin on Oct. 5 and end on Nov. 27. You can visit Dianne’s blog stops at http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ during the month of October and November to find out more about this great book and talented author!

Review: Laced with Magic by Barbara Bretton

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade (August 4, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425227529

From the back cover: " Ever have the feeling that the fates finally got it right? That's how I felt when I met Luke MacKenzie. And no one could have convinced me otherwise-not the trolls, selkies, or spirts who also call Sugar Maple, Vermont, home. Bit since I live in a town that thrives on secrets, why am I surprised that the man I love has a few of his own? Beccause out of nowhere his ex-wife has suddenly shown up, claiming to see the spirit of their daughter, Steffie- a daughter I knew nothing about.

Now it seems Steffie's spirit is being held hostage by a certain Fae leader. And if I weave a spell to free her spirit, my nemesis will also be free- free to destroy my yarn shop, all of Sugar Maple, and everyone in it. But if I don't, Steffie won't be the only one spending eternity in hell. I'll be joining her cursed with a broken heart."

My thoughts: I really never read books with a paranormal theme to them but this one sounded interesting to me mainly because it is set in Vermont and the protagonist owns a knitting shop. It also involves a romance. All good things!

It's an interesting premise: in a picture perfect town, a la Norman Rockwell, all is not what it seems on the surface; the town is populated with vampires, selkies, witches and shapeshifters. Chloe, half human-half- sorceress woman and Luke, totally human man fall madly in love. When they say sparks fly, they mean it literally. Golden sparks fly from fingertips to fingertips of the two lovers.Things are not all idyllic though and are about to become complicated.

When Luke's ex-wife, Karen, comes to Sugar Maple and seeks his help finding their late daughter Steffie, Chloe tries to do what she can to move the process along. Not knowing what she is up against, Karen goes off by herself to try to find Steffie. Chloe and Luke must step up the pace to thwart Isadora, a powerful fae leader Chloe had managed to banish a long time ago. With a little assistance from an unexpected source, Chloe comes up with an idea. Unfortunately, this will involve a fight to the finish confrontation with Isadora. With only hours to spare, Chloe and Luke must manage to find Karen, save Steffie's soul from Isadora's hostage and at the same time save the entire town of Sugar Maple. Will evil prevail or will magick triumph?

At first, I was a little bit leery that the characters would be too "weird" for me. Happily, it turns out they weren't. In fact I really liked the characters and got engrossed in the story right from the beginning. The ending was dramatic and had an unforseen twist to it. Have I found a new genre to explore? Maybe, although I do know I am definitely going to read Casting Spells, the first book in this series. The ending of the book leads me to believe there will be a third. If you are a fan of romance with a little bit of
paranormal drama thrown in, you just might fall under the spell of Laced with Magic. 3.5****

Barbara Bretton is the author of numerous books. To see the complete list of all her books or to read an excerpt from Casting Spells and Laced with Magic, please visit her website.

A big thank you to Dorothy at VBT for a review copy and allowing me to participate in the tour.