Contemporary Fiction

The Sweet Smell of Magnolias and Memories by Celeste Fletcher McHale

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FTC: I received a free copy of this book from BookLook in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

The Sweet Smell of Magnolias and Memories by Celeste Fletcher McHale was a sweet story. I loved the plot of this book because I am sure it has happened in the real world before and I always love books that could happen. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I would like to read her other book that she has released. When I think about this book, I just keep thinking about what a sweet story this book was. I did find that this book was predictable, but I loved that I haven’t read a book with this plot before. I felt bad for Jacey and everything that she had to have gone through to get her to where we meet her in this book. I didn’t care that much about Colin throughout the book which isn’t uncommon when I read books in this genre. I was able to predict what was going to happen but I was okay with that because I did enjoy this author writing. If you are looking for a new Christian romance book to read I think that you would enjoy this book just as much as I did.

About The Book

Jacey met the man of her dreams a year ago—and hasn’t seen him since. Finally relocating him as the pastor at her best friend’s wedding was the very last thing she expected.

A year ago, Jacey was trapped on a rooftop during a flood with perfect strangers, including a family and a man named Colin. After two days there together, she had no doubt that Colin was the man of her dreams. When they were finally rescued he tucked his phone number into her pocket. But an accident with the rescue boat left her hospitalized with amnesia and PTSD . . . and his number nowhere to be found.

Now, Jacey has still only recovered bits and pieces of her memory from that time. She clearly remembers Colin—but not his last name or any other details that would help her locate him. She’s trying to immerse herself in the joy of her best friend’s wedding . . . when she looks up at the end of the aisle only to discover Colin there in the minister’s role. Shock is an understatement.

On one hand, she’s elated to see him again. And then reality sets in. She never intended to get married or have kids. And being a minister’s wife was definitely never on her list. Was Colin not the man she thought he was? Or has the amnesia changed her more than she realized?

With the typical wit and honesty Celeste Fletcher McHale is becoming known for, it’s time for Jacey to take a fresh look at her life. Could this string of unexpected events have been setting her up for something far better than what she had planned for herself?

About The Author

Celeste Fletcher McHale is a Southern Lit author from Central Louisiana. Her debut novel, The Secret to Hummingbird Cake, is being released through HarperCollins Christian Publishing in February 2016.

Celeste earned a history degree and currently lives on her century-old family farm. She enjoys family, writing, football, baseball, and raising a variety of animals.

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Boardwalk Summer by Kimberly Fisk

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FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

Boardwalk Summer by Kimberly Fisk was a good book but very predictable. Even with that being said I really did enjoy this book and I would love to read more books by this author.  I really enjoyed her writing and her characters throughout the book.  I really liked Nick, and I am sure that is why I ended up like this book as much as I did.  I have never liked a character so much that I would consider him my “book boyfriend, ” but he is that character for me.  I loved reading this book during the summer, and I am sure that most people would as well.  If you are looking for a new chick-lit book to read this summer then I would recommend this book to you.

About The Book

In the town of Tranquility Bay, summer is the season of second chances…
Single mother Hope Thompson has built a happy life for herself and her twins in beautiful Tranquility Bay, Washington. She doesn t dwell on her painful past especially not on the man who broke her heart all those years ago. But when Hope s beloved son needs help, she takes a desperate chance and reaches out to her children s father.
Nick Fortune lives life in the spotlight as a champion race car driver. He s shocked to hear from Hope and even more surprised to learn that he s a father. He immediately heads to the Pacific Northwest to confront the past and the woman he once loved.
There, on the quiet lakeshore, Nick and Hope must work together to save their son even if it means facing their complicated past for a second chance as a family.”

About The Author

In the third grade, my teacher encouraged me to enter a school wide writing contest. Horse crazy even back then, no one was surprised when my story featured a four-legged hero. But everyone was surprised when my story won. The prize? A trip to Seattle to attend the Young Author’s Convention. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. The dress my mom made me for the big day…the ferryboat ride…meeting my first published author (Stephen Cosgrove just in case you were wondering). And my shoes. New shoes. Shoes with heels! (All of a 1/4 of an inch but, hey, a girl has to start somewhere).

The writing bug bit and bit hard. But real life intruded on my fictional world. Marriage, motherhood and a demanding job derailed me for a few years but then something wonderful happened. Actually, several pretty wonderful things. After the birth of our youngest son, I decided to leave my job. One day while I was busy chasing toddlers and changing diapers, my husband handed me an article from our hometown paper highlighting the local Romance Writers of America chapter. A whole world of writers and readers? Heaven. But the wonderfulness didn’t stop there. Soon after joining RWA, I met the amazing and incredibly talented Kristin Hannah who was looking for an assistant. Somehow I landed this dream job. With Kristin’s generous guidance and the support of the world’s best critique group, it took me a few years to finish my first novel. (Okay, six, but who’s counting.) It then took the prodding of my amazingly supportive friends to convince me to enter RWA’s Golden Heart contest. When they announced that I had won, I wish I could say I was speechless. Surprised? Yes! Shocked? Yes! Yes!! But speechless? How I wish. No. I cried. Like a baby.

While that manuscript didn’t immediately find a publisher, it did land me the world’s best agency. And my second book, Lake Magic, found the perfect home.

Besides spending time with family, ignoring my messy house and writing, I love reading, having exercised, having weeded, and having figured out what’s for dinner.

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Pre-Order: Under Fire by Scarlett Cole

2-time RITA nominee Scarlett Cole’s UNDER FIRE pairs a hot Navy SEAL with a medical researcher who finds herself in too deep. Can Sixten Rapp take the heat and Dr. Louisa North handle the flames? Fans of Laura Kaye’s HARD INK series and Julie Ann Walker’s BLACK KNIGHTS INC. series will devour Cole’s hot military hero in this opposites attract, romantic suspense.

UNDER FIRE releases next week and we can’t wait for you get your hands on this story! Pre-order today to not miss this exciting, romantic suspense read. Plus enter to win a brand new, Kindle Fire 7!

About The Book

HE CAN TAKE THE HEAT.
Hot, hard-bodied Sixten Rapp is a former SEAL who’s raring to begin his brand-new civilian life. He and his Navy “brothers” start a security firm that offers the kind of services only a team of military-trained professionals can provide. But nothing prepared Six for his new client: an innocent woman on a mission to improve thousands of lives. . . unless someone takes hers first.

CAN SHE HANDLE THE FLAMES?
Dr. Louisa North knows time is against her as she tries to create a “miracle” medical treatment for a disease with no known cure, until she creates a sample so powerful that the wrong people want to use it as a chemical weapon. At first, Six is unwilling to accept Louisa as his client. But soon he realizes that the danger is real and that there’s much more to this plain-Jane scientist…including a burning passion between them that neither of them can resist. And now that an enemy is on Louisa’s trail, Six will do whatever it takes to protect her―or die trying.

 

About The Author

The tattoo across my right hip says it all really. A Life Less Ordinary. Inked by the amazingly talented Luke Wessman at the Wooster Street Social Club (a.k.a. New York Ink). Why is it important? Well, it sums up my view on life. That we should all aspire to live a life that is less boring, less predictable. Be bold, and do something amazing. I’ve made some crazy choices. I’ve been a car maker, a consultant, and even a senior executive at a large retailer running strategy. Born in England, spent time in the U.S. and Japan, before ending up in Canada were I met my own, personal hero – all six and a half feet of him. Both of us are scorpios! Yeah, I know! Should have checked the astrological signs earlier, but somehow it works for us. We have two amazing kids, who I either could never part with or could easily be convinced to sell on e-bay.

I’ve wanted to be a writer for a really long time. Check through my office cupboards or my computer and you’ll find half written stories and character descriptions everywhere. Now I’m getting the chance to follow that dream.

Connect with Scarlett: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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Addicted To Rhapsody by Selena Laurence

About The Book

Title: Addicted to Rhapsody
Author: Selena Laurence
Series: Rhapsody #4
Genre: Contemporary Rockstar Romance
Release Date: July 24, 2017

Guilt is the hardest habit to kick.

Garrett Jakes is the sexy and sex-addicted lead singer of Rhapsody. Now in recovery, he’s trying to clean up his act and atone for his mistakes. The only problem is he can’t stop the guilt he feels whenever he looks at his friend Savvy. They have history, and he’s not sure if he’s helping or hurting when he tries to become a bigger part of her life.

Savvy O’Roark is a widow and a mom at twenty-eight. She watched as her husband was murdered while trying to protect her. Now she’s struggling to keep her husband’s business and his memory alive, and Garrett wants to help. The only problem is she can’t stop the guilt she feels whenever she looks at him. Their history is one that haunts her, and she’s not sure that’s something she can ever get past.

As Savvy and Garrett struggle to overcome their demons, they must also face the one thing neither of them can ever take back. Will they learn how to honor and forgive, but also love and let go? Can something that started all wrong end up right? Or will guilt be a habit they simply can’t kick?

About The Author

Selena Laurence is an award-winning and USA TODAY bestselling author who loves Putting the Heat in Happily Ever After. Her super sexy stories take place everywhere from rock concerts to family ranches, and her books can be found around the world in four languages, at libraries, bookstores, online, and in audio.

Selena lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she can often be found at a local coffee shop, hiking the trails, or watching soccer. At home Mr L, her kids, “goldendoodle” and “demoncat” keep her busy trying to corral chaos. A veteran Indie author, Selena also coaches writers through her blog and workshops on turning #Passion2Profession.

If you’d like to get to know her better, join Selena’s reader/reviewer group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/180909955632263/

Or subscribe to her newsletter and get FREE books: http://www.subscribepage.com/JoinSelena

You can connect with her online at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | BookBub | Goodreads

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Cover Reveal – The Secrets Between Us by Jennifer Ann

A Letter From Lancaster County by Kate Lloyd

A Letter from Lancaster County Kate Lloyd

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

A Letter From Lancaster County by Kate Lloyd was a good book.  I wasn’t sure that I was going to like this book, but in the end, it is a sweet story and one that I could see reading again in the future.  At times I got bored while reading this book because there were parts that I think had too many details in it but that could just be me. I loved watching the relationship between Rose and Angela change throughout the book because it made the characters more relatable.  I also liked that this book things from the Amish and Mennonite communities because I am a sucker for those types of books.  I love that this book covered both worlds and I am sure that is one reason I enjoyed this book as much as I did.  If you love contemporary fiction books, I am sure that you will enjoy this book as much as I did.

About The Book

Two sisters get a second chance at life and love
 
Angela—Her mother’s untimely death, a struggling marriage, a strained relationship with her sister, Rose, and regrets over what might have been haunt her. Despite being a wife and mother, she feels she has little to show for her life.
Rose–Still single, she longs for a husband and children. But Angela has all that and still isn’t happy. Rose wants to be closer to her older sister, but she and Angela couldn’t be more different. Both strong women, will their sibling rivalry ever end?
* * *
When a letter arrives from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Angela and Rose decide to visit Aunt Silvia, their mother’s Mennonite sister, in the heart of Amish country. This vacation could provide the opportunity both sisters need to sort out their issues. And yet instead of finding a new way of connecting with each other, Angela and Rose discover surprising family secrets that add to their strife and threaten Rose’s romance with a new beau.
Through it all, the two sisters must find the faith necessary to face their personal problems and allow God to restore hope and healing to their hearts and relationship as only He can.

About The Author

Kate Lloyd is a bestselling novelist whose books include “A Portrait of Marguerite” and the Legacy of Lancaster trilogy. A native of Baltimore, she enjoys spending time with friends and family in rural Pennsylvania and is a member of the Lancaster County Mennonite Historical Society. She now resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.
Find out more about Kate at http://katelloyd.com.
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