May 212013
 

Mr. Tea and the Traveling Teacups

Mr. Tea and the Traveling Teacup: A Madeline’s Teahouse Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Cozy Cat Press (September 29, 2012)
Trade Paperback: 234 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0988194328
E-Book File Size: 355 KB
ASIN: B009HCX7HK

After the death of their mother, sisters Terry and Karen Sutter, turn their childhood home into a tea house. It’s a dream come true, but the dream begins to resemble a nightmare when teacups start crashing to the floor in the middle of the night. Could the tea house be haunted? There’s a list of possible ghostly candidates: the prior owner who is rumored to have left behind a buried treasure, two spinster neighbors who disappeared without a trace over forty years ago, or perhaps it is Terry and Karen’s own mother trying to communicate with them. Karen, the older sister, thinks running a haunted tea house might be fun, until the sisters come home one night to find the attic stairs covered in a trail of what appears to be blood. Is it a ghost or is it a warning? The tea house’s new mascot, a psychic macaw, may provide some unexpected clues, but the sisters will encounter many more surprises before they solve this mystery.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This was a great debut and a fun read. 

All the characters are easy to identify with and they are an eclectic bunch. Karen and Terry have taken on a major endeavor but they are up to the task. What a wonderful tribute to their mother.  Aunt Rose and Uncle Harry are true gems watching over the girls and butting in every chance they get.  Detective Greg Mullins and his partner Tom are two hunks that add just the perfect amount of romantic tension. But there were two stars for me that both added humor. Mrs. Dinkle has a little problem everyone can hear but her and Mr. Tea, the macaw the could be psychic, has some terrific comments for anyone that come near or just enters the room. 

Coming home is always hard but these girls are welcomed with open arms. Their mother’s friends become some of their best customers. I love these senior characters.

The author has laid a nice foundation for future installments.  Will romance bloom? What will come out of Mr. Teas mouth next? Who will be the next victim? Are there still ghosts lurking about? I am not so patiently waiting for Stansfield’s next story. 

just you and a friend

4 STARFISH

Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

About This Author

LESLIE MATTHEWS STANSFIELD is the author of  Mr. Tea and the Traveling Teacup , the first book in the Madeline’s Teahouse series.  She is the author of a previous book on the town she lives in. She grew up in Delmar, New York, and credits her friends with developing her imagination. Leslie is a graduate of University of Hartford and recently received her  Masters’ degree from the University of Phoenix in Educational Leadership.  She is a math tutor in a public school as well as the Christian Education Director of her church.  She is currently working on her second book in the Madeline’s Teahouse series.  She has four children and eight grandchildren and lives in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Apr 092013
 

STARTING NOW

Starting Now:
A Blossom Street Novel

9th Book in Series
Contemporary Fiction/Romance
Ballantine Books (April 2, 2013)
Hardcover: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0345528810
E-Book File Size: 1144 KB
ASIN: B005O1BGRQ

Starting Now: A Blossom Street Novel (Blossom Street #9)

Libby Morgan has sacrificed everything for her career, family, friends, her marriage. She has been on the partner track at her law firm for six years. When her boss calls her to his office she just knows it is going to be fantastic news. She is going to make partner ahead of her schedule. But the economy has been bad, she hasn’t brought in enough high profile clients and her boss has no choice but to let her go.

Devastated and with no job on the horizon she finds herself at A Good Yarn, the local knitting store. She immediately becomes friends with Lydia, the owner, and her daughter Casey. She also meets Casey’s friend Eva. Eva’s life is about to change and it will change Libby’s life as well.

Libby starts to understand what she has been missing by putting her career before everything else. She even meets a handsome doctor. When things start to finally be moving forward in her life she is forced to make a choice that could change everything again.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

It is so easy to escape into a Debbie Macomber book. They are always inspiring and have the ability to uplift the reader. She has created rich and warm characters and given them stories that are heartfelt.

We all suffer losses in our lifetimes, be it losing our jobs or losing someone important to us and what counts is how we deal with that loss. Libby did have a nice severance package that allowed her time to start over but Starting Now really presents a feeling of hope. Hope of a successful career, hope of someone to love, hopes for friends and family.

While this book is part of a series it still reads well as a stand alone. It is not my favorite Blossom Street story but I sure did enjoy it. Libby makes a wonderful addition to the Blossom Street cast.

just you and a friend 4 STARFISH

Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

readalattechallenge_zps01d248d02013EbookChallenge

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Dec 302012
 

The Sunday Salon.com

The Sunday Salon used to be a meme but was getting so huge it became unmanageable, so it is now a Facebook group that has become an informal week in review
gathering place for bloggers.

It is also a place to share our thoughts about things of a bookish nature.

So Happy Sunday Everyone!

I can’t believe how quickly 2012 flew by. The biggest events for me happened in April and December when my new grandchildren were born. I known their parents won’t agree but the months went pretty fast. I am looking forward to spending as much time with them and 5 year old Kaden and the rest of my family as I can in 2013. I am also excited about 2013 in my blog world. I think it is going to be an awesome year for books and sharing my thoughts with all of you. What are you looking forward to in 2013??

Weekly Recap December 24 – 29

MondayIt’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
TuesdayJust For Fun 2012 Challenge Wrap Up
WednesdayCozy Wednesday Special Cozy Giveaway
ThursdayMe Before You by Jojo Moyes Spotlight With Giveaway Me Before You: A Novel hits stores tomorrow and I highly recommend it. It is a powerful story that hit me on a personal level but I feel everyone will be touched by this story and it would be an excellent book club selection for the discussions it will start.
FridayMy Best Reads of 2012 This was a hard list to put together because I read so many wonderful books this year.
SaturdaySaturday Surfin’ – Recipes – Romance Challenge and Favorite Reads.

December Wrap Up

Reading Challenge 2012


I finished 2012 reading 222 books. So I completed this challenge and the Outdo Yourself Challenge with some to spare even with going 48 hours this week without reading a word.

I have not seen anyone running a Total Number of Books Reading Challenge for 2013. Please let me know if you know of one.

December Totals
16 Books – 4808 Pages – 2460 KB
2012 Totals – 222 Books – 65744 Pages – 28682 KB

More 2012 Challenges Completed
Reading Challenge Addict

 

 

 

 

 

17 / 19 Challenges. 89% done!

197 / 197 books. 100% done!

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20 / 20 books. 100% done!

8 / 12 free e-books. 67% done!

Fell Short on this one :(

25 / 25 e-books. 100% done!

51 / 51 States. 100% done!

18 / 18 Outside the U.S.A. 100% done!

12 / 12 cozies. 100% done!

13 / 13 cozies. 100% done!

6 / 6 cozies. 100% done!

6 / 6 books. 100% done!

1st in a Series Challenge 2012

6 / 6 books. 100% done!

2 / 2 series. 100% done!

26 / 26 books. 100% done!

5 / 5 books. 100% done!

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12 / 12 books. 100% done!

6 / 6 books. 100% done!

8 / 8 books. 100% done!

 

 

 

 

24 / 24 books. 100% done!

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12 / 10 books. 120% done!

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0 / 3 books. 0% done!
This was a personal challenge to read 3 books from the year I was born.
I failed miserably. I am not going to try in 2013.

So I was successful at all but 2 challenges. Not a bad year.

 mail call314

Due to the New Years Holiday January Cozies have a release date of 12/31/2012.
I was getting worried because the review copies had not arrived yet last week.
They finally arrived Thursday.


These books also arrived for review:

and

Mary Daheim will be here January 30 for Cozy Wednesday!

This was a huge  post!

Looking forward to an awesome 2013 full of great reads!!

Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

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Nov 102012
 

Sing You Home
Emily Bestler Books
Washington Square Press
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Reprint edition (October 18, 2011)
Contemporary Fiction
Paperback: 496 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1439102732

Sing You Home


 

Every life has a soundtrack. All you have to do is listen.

Music has set the tone for most of Zoe Baxter’s life. There’s the melody that reminds her of the summer she spent rubbing baby oil on her stomach in pursuit of the perfect tan. A dance beat that makes her think of using a fake ID to slip into a nightclub. A dirge that marked the years she spent trying to get pregnant.

For better or for worse, music is the language of memory. It is also the language of love.

In the aftermath of a series of personal tragedies, Zoe throws herself into her career as a music therapist. When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock and inevitable rage, some people—even those she loves and trusts most—don’t want that to happen.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This book sat on my To-Be-Read shelf way too long and I am kicking myself. What a fantastic story! Picoult again shines as she takes on several hot topics, gay rights, alcoholism, Evangelical Christian beliefs, divorce, troubled teens and more. Same-sex marriage/definition of family was the main issue and the author showed all sides. This book came out in early 2011 and people’s views on the main premise of the story continue to evolve and had the outcome of the election been different this evolution may have stopped and took a giant step backward.

Zoe Baxter battle with infertility was heartbreaking and after 10 years of in vitro fertilization, several miscarriages, and a stillborn baby, her marriage just crumbles. Her husband, Max, is ready to give up on having a child and Zoe just can’t.

This story took me on a emotional roller coaster which is what this author’s stories always do. I become heavily invested in these character’s lives. I really wanted to hate Max but couldn’t. I hated the bigotry of the people around him and the way they used him to promote their own agenda at a time in his life when he was weak and needing guidance. Zoe’s life from her music therapy clients to her life with Vanessa warmed by heart. After all she had been through to be strong enough to still put other people’s needs first was so inspiring.

Sadly the accompanying CD did not come with my copy but it was not necessary to have music for me to be moved by this story. I devoured the almost 500 pages very quickly. I am sure many excellent book club discussions have taken place about this book as people’s feeling on these issues will run the gambit.

Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

 

*This book was from my private collection.

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Nov 092012
 

Cake on a Hot Tin Roof
(A Piece of Cake Mystery)

2nd in Series
Cozy Mystery
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery (February 7, 2012)
The Berkley Publishing Group
A Division of The Penguin Group
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425246221
Cover Illustration by Chris Lyons
Cover Design by Diana Kolsky

Cake on a Hot Tin Roof (A Piece of Cake Mystery #2)

Pastry chef Rita Lucero is still learning the ropes at Zydeco Cakes, the bakery she inherited from her ex-husband. Her second in command is trying to give the bakery an online presence and hounding Rita every day to start a blog. Add that to it’s carnival season in New Orleans and they are filling tons of orders for King cakes and Rita is expected to host a Mardi Gras party for hundreds of her ex’s closet friends. Then  as if she doesn’t have enough to do she gets an unexpected visit  from her aunt Yolanda and Uncle Nestor. How in the world is she going to get everything done and entertain then too?

Well at least she can take them to the Mardi Gras party. A great idea until Big Daddy Boudreaux, a local celebrity/car salesman, winds up dead at the party after having a very public altercation with Uncle Nestor. Now Rita needs to add “find the real killer” to her already overflowing To-Do-List. And there are no shortage of other suspects. Let the good times roll!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Chaos reigned in this installment of the Piece of Cake Mysteries. I was exhausted just trying to keep up with Rita. Plus she kept her temper better than I ever would if relatives just dropped in at the busiest time of year.

I was a little disappointed in Uncle Nestor. I knew he was upset about Rita staying in New Orleans but he should have been more supportive of her role at Zydeco cakes. Proud that she was running a successful business. He did have a lot on his mind and by the end of the story I had started to forgive him just a bit.

I must say the vast number of suspects made this mystery very complex. Each time I thought I had figured it out I was wrong.

Another tasty treat from Jacklyn Brady. Scroll down to see my review of Arsenic and Old Cake just released on November 6.


Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Nov 092012
 

Arsenic and Old Cake
(A Piece of Cake Mystery)

3rd in Series
Cozy Mystery
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery (November 6, 2012)
The Berkley Publishing Group
A Division of The Penguin Group
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425251720
Cover Illustration by Chris Lyons
Cover Design by Diana Kolsky

Arsenic and Old Cake

The bad economy is hurting business at Zydeco Cakes. Rita is trying to come up with ideas to keep her business afloat and her employees working full time. Her attention is drawn away when a friend, Old Dog Leg Magee, a blind trumpet player, asks her to be his eyes and help him solve a mystery. She can’t say no. She has juggled a variety of issues before, she can do this.

Old Dog Leg has received a letter from someone claiming to be his long lost brother and needs Rita to find out if the man is really his brother Monroe. He has set Rita up with bartender Gabriel Broussard to pose as newlyweds to check in to the same bed & breakfast where Monroe is staying. Staying in a room with the handsome bartender worries Rita plenty, but the dead body found outside their room’s windows means there maybe two mysteries to solve. Could the man they are investigating be a murderer? Rita is determined to find out, even if it means putting herself in danger.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This is my favorite book in this series! The quirky characters, residents of the B & B, are fantastic and funny, and full of secrets, some deadly secrets.

Using the real state of economics right now and how it is hurting luxury type purchases like the pricey custom cakes made at Zydeco gives the story a credible and relevant feel. Businesses are tightening the belts and being innovative to add and keep customers just like Rita and her employees. Some ideas are better than others and having a well off partner makes things a little easier for the New Orleans bakery. Miss Frankie is a peach.

The romantic tension jumped up a notch in the edition as well. I loved it and I don’t know who I really want to see Rita with but both Rita and I were quite drawn to the sexy Cajun bartender. It sure makes me anxious waiting for the next installment.

I highly recommend this story and this series. They are full of mystery, mayhem and way too many delectable treats. Recipes included. Yummy!!!!

Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

I am giving away my gently read copies of

There will be two separate winners in case you already have a copy of either book.

U.S. and CANADIAN RESIDENTS
You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find
something you like here and become a follower.

Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.

If you publicize the giveaway anywhere you will receive
3 Bonus Entries For Each Link.

Contest Will End November 23, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST
Winners Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winners Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.

CLICK HERE FOR ENTRY FORM

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


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Nov 032012
 

You’ve Got Murder
E-Book
Cozy Mystery
File Size: 409 KB
Print Length: 398 pages
ASIN: B006O5IIXQ

Meet the Shady Ladies. Wherever they go murder follows.

Six mystery writers who exchange emails, instant messages and texts discussing plot lines, sex and murder for their books, get a dose of non-fiction when one of their own is suspected of doing in a wife-beating killer.

Aristair is tough and strong, won’t date men but having sex with them is just fine. Hope is the caring mother of the group. She looks out for all of them and always tries to do the right thing. Megan is the fiery one, you don’t want to get on her bad side. Veronica is busy with her kids but does her best to keep up with all the happenings and drama. Kate is the most published of the bunch and that brings its own problems. Shelby is from the South recently transplanted to the Midwest. She won a contest to become a member of the Shady Ladies.

The heat cranks up when another member’s crooked literary agent is killed, and their newest member’s husband is looking more and more like a serial killer.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This was such a fun read. I could so picture a group of authors doing this, without the actual murder of course. Cozies authors seem to be a tight bunch whether it be The Cozy Chicks, The Stiletto Gang, Jungle Red Writers, Mysteries and Margaritas, or Mystery Lovers Kitchen, cozy authors love to congregate together and we all love to see what they are up to, the stories behind the stories.

It did take a bit to get used to the different format of texts and emails but soon the pages were flying by making this a very quick read. I was afraid that we would lose the background or the depth needed to follow the mystery but this was not the case at all. We get to know the characters and the plot was very easy to follow. Each character is very unique. I cannot pick a favorite.

Social media is taking over the world. I read Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park back in August of 2011 and loved it. It was filled with Facebook statuses. People today Facebook, E-mail, and text  so why not a mystery written the way we now communicate. I wouldn’t be a fan of many books in this format but it was a nice change of pace.

Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

About Karin Tabke
National bestselling, award-winning author Karin Tabke isn’t just another author with steamy stories to tell, but a cop’s wife who has “seen it all and heard it all.” Some of the hottest stories come from behind the blue wall of law enforcement rather than from in front. Married to a street cop, now retired, Karin is intimate with both and proves it with her sizzling tales of hot cops. Not only are her cops hot, but so are her sexy knights and bad boy werewolves. Karin’s Blood Sword Legacy series is a must read for anyone who loves tales of yore when men were men and women were women, and love did conqueror all. Her dark, erotic Blood Moon paranormal trilogy is best described as “Sons of Anarchy meets Rise of Lycans.” Her L.O.S.T. series (w/a Karin Harlow) is paranormal romantic suspense at its “chilling and sizzling”* best. You don’t want to miss any of Karin’s deliciously edgy tales of danger and passion!
Check out her website http://karintabke.com/
About Edie Ramer
Edie is funnier on the page than in real life. A multiple award-winning writer, she writes stories with heart, attitude and magic. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two dogs, and one important cat.

You can visit Edie at edieramer.com, and she blogs every other Monday at Magical Musings (magicalmusings.com), which has frequent giveaways.

This book was free on Amazon*

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Aug 282012
 

The Last Refuge:
A Dewey Andreas Novel

3rd in Series
St. Martin’s Press (July 3, 2012)
Political Thriller
Hardcover: 416 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1250007155

The Last Refuge (Dewey Andreas, #3)

Kohl Meir has come to New York to recruit Dewey Andreas to help him complete a very secret mission.  Meir had been tipped off that Iran had finally succeeded in building their first nuclear weapon, one they were planning to use to attack Israel. His source has seen the bomb.

Before they can meet Meir is kidnapped off the streets of Brooklyn by the Iranian Secret Service. They transport him back to Iran where he is imprisoned and tortured and now must stand trial. The trial is just for show. When found guilty he will be sentenced to death by firing squad.

Dewey Andreas, a former Army Ranger and Delta, owes his life to Meir and his team of Israeli commandos. He is honor bound to save the man that saved his life. Even if the prison where he is being held is a fortress that makes a rescue virtually impossible. He is also on a quest to get rid of the nuclear threat posed by Iran. With a little help from his friends he sets off on his most dangerous mission yet.

Dollycas’s Thoughts 

I must first say this is my first Ben Coes novel and while part of a series it reads satisfactorily as a stand alone, but there are several references to events in previous books.

This book is quite the tale of covert operations and the author has taken a little creative liberty is some protocol issues and definitely shows his feelings about the people of Iran. Formerly a campaign manager for Mitt Romney back in 2002, I find the plot timely and its release a bit politically generated as Mitt Romney wants to wage war against Iran as soon as he is elected, which I pray never happens.

With those issues aside the book is a thrilling page turner with many twists and turns. There are several characters to keep track of at first but soon the story starts to flow. Dewey is quite a hero and you really to want him to succeed in his mission. The fast pace does keep you on the edge of your seat. I was surprised on how quickly I read this book.

Fans of Brad Thor or Vince Flynn, two of my husband’s favorites, will love this book. I may go back and read the first two as I wait for the next installment.

Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

 

About This Author

Ben Coes began his career in the public sector, working at the White House under President Ronald Reagan and President George H.W. Bush, serving as a White House-appointed speechwriter to the U.S. Secretary of Energy at the height of the Gulf War. Coes subsequently wrote speeches for Texas oilman billionaire T. Boone Pickens. Coes served as campaign manager for Mitt Romney’s successful run for Governor of Massachusetts and was subsequently invited to be a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. A graduate of Columbia College, where he won the prestigious Bennett Cerf Memorial Prize for Fiction during his senior year, Ben lives in the Boston area with his wife and four children.

Check out his website http://www.bencoes.com/

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Jul 172012
 

Land of a Hundred Wonders
Published by New American Library
A Division of The Penguin Group
Published July 2008

 

      Land of a Hundred Wonders

 

Set in 1973, Gibby MaGraw has lost her parents to an automobile crash that she survived. But she did suffer brain damage that has left her NQR (Not Quite Right). This makes being a newspaper reporter pretty challenging.

While out looking for her next big story she stumbles upon the dead body of the next governor of Kentucky, Buster Malloy. She figures if she can solve the murder and write a fantastic news article she will show everyone including her mother in heaven that she is on the road to becoming Quite Right again.

Off with her leather-like briefcase that holds her blue spiral notebook, her favorite #2′s, and her camera she stumbles over quite a few more astonishing things as she tries to put all the clues together with her hit and miss memory.

More important though she learns some things are far more important than all the brains in the world, and that miracles occur in the most unexpected moments.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Lesley Kagen is a Wisconsin Author and I am making my way through all of her books and I am enjoying them so much.

The author is excellent at bringing her characters to life. Gibby has been through some terrible things and she just keeps going. Being “Not Quite Right” slows her down a bit but she keep pushing through. She is courageous and funny, most times unintentionally,  and readers will fall in love with her immediately.

She is surrounded by her grandpa and many friends who are all truly unique. They all have her best interests at heart and go to great lengths to protect her from remembering too much too fast. It is too hard to pick a favorite.

The story is set is the south in the 70′s and I believe the author portrayed the issues of the time quite well. 

This a heartwarming story that will hold your attention from the first page to the last. I was surprised at how quickly I read this book and all in one sitting. I was almost sorry to reach the end. The Land of a Hundred Wonders in a perfect place to escape.

Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

 

Lesley was my guest here on May 4. Click Here To Learn More About This Wonderful Author.

This book was from my private collection.

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Jun 192012
 

Ocean Beach
Berkley Books
Published by The Penguin Group

Release Date: June 26,2012

Ocean Beach


In this sequel to Ten Beach Road, Madeline, Avery and Nicole arrive in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood set to redo a grand home hoping to bring it back to its original splendor. It is all for a new television show called Do Over. Since the last house they remodeled has not sold yet they all need this show to be their big break. Their lives all need a Do Over!

It doesn’t take long for these unlikely friends to realize their idea for the show and the network’s are as different as night and day. The network wants a reality show with emphasis on personal lives with the home as the background and setting, rather than the makeover being the star of the show.

All their relationships will be tested as they know how important this is to each of them. Plus a mystery from the past changes the whole scope of project and something unexpected happens that can put all of them in danger. The network soon becomes the least of their worries.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Wendy Wax has packed this book with a wonderful characters in an awesome setting and a story that grabs you from the first page. I have not read Ten Beach Road yet but I had absolutely no problem becoming invested in their characters quickly. They are all struggling with something that the reader knows is genuine.

My favorite character was not one of these wonderful women though. It was Max, the homeowner. What a wonderful life he had with his wife. Their lives were far from perfect, they had the share of problems and they were dealt with a terrible emotional blow. His wife Millie has passed on but you can actually feel their love in his stories. He wants the house fixed up because she wanted it done and he made her a very special promise before she passed on. A very extraordinary gentleman.

I love the way this author writes. She writes about strong women. Women that are facing life’s changes with perfect amounts of reality, humor and intrigue. Women who are trying to realize their dreams. Women who care about each other. Fate brought these women together and they are making the best of it. Come hell or high water these are friendships that will endure.

Thank you Wendy for writing a perfect escape! I hope to see these friends together again soon!

Dollycas

Your Escape With A Good Book Travel Agent

About This Author*

A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, Wendy read voraciously as a child, was a regular at her local library, and became fast friends with Nancy Drew and Anne of Green Gables. Her love affairs with language and storytelling paid off beginning with her first shift at the campus radio station while studying journalism at the University of Georgia.

After returning to her home state and graduating from the University of South Florida she worked for the Tampa PBS affiliate, WEDU-TV, behind and in front of the camera. Her resume includes on air work, voiceovers and production of a variety of commercial projects and several feature films. She may be best known in the Tampa Bay area as the host of Desperate & Dateless, a radio matchmaking program that aired on WDAE radio, and nationally as host of The Home Front, a magazine format show that aired on PBS affiliates across the country.

The mother of a toddler and an infant when she decided to change careers, she admits it was not the best timing in terms of productivity. “I’m still not certain why I felt so compelled to write my first novel at that particular time,” she says, “but that first book took forever.” Since then she’s written seven more, including Magnolia Wednesdays, The Accidental Bestseller and Single in Suburbia. Her work has been sold to publishers in ten countries and to the Rhapsody Book Club. Her novel, Hostile Makeover, was excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine.

Wendy lives in the Atlanta suburbs with her husband John and her baseball-crazy teenage sons, whom she says have turned her into the shortest person in their family. A former broadcaster, she spends most of her non-writing time on baseball fields or driving to them. She continues to devour books. For more information, visit her website at www.authorwendywax.com.

*From Amazon

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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