FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Read with Audra 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.
Summer Plans And Other Disasters by Karin Beery was a book that I judge because of the cover and once I started reading this book I fell in love. This is one of those times that I did judge a book by the cover and I was proved wrong because the book was amazing. I am so glad that this book reminded me that you shouldn’t judge a book by the cover. I am pretty sure that this is the first book that I have read by this author and I am going to read other books by her in the future because I loved this book. This book was an easy read for me and one that I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen but that didn’t bother me in the least. I was able to read this book in about a day and a half so if you are looking for a sweet book to read this month I would recommend this book to you especially if you love chick lit books.
About The Book
Elementary school music teacher Callie Stevens thinks she’s finally figured out God’s plan for her life—she even made a list to keep her on track.
Moving in with her brother and reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend are at the top of the list. What’s not on the list is running into her childhood crush, Ryan. God wanted her to connect with Kyle, right?
Trying to figure out God’s plan is hard enough. But a dating-averse older brother, the young blonde who adores him, a pregnant best friend, and Callie’s continual mishaps make her wonder whether her best laid plans were truly God-inspired.
Karin wrote her first novel in 2007 to cope with her husband’s cancer diagnosis (no worries – he’s cancer free now!). With the support and encouragement of her family, she submitted that manuscript. That particular manuscript has not been published yet, but SummerPlans and OtherDisasters, her first published book, releases in September 2018.
Karin writes contemporary and speculative fiction stories with a healthy dose of romance, but she’s also expanded her repertoire: she writes feature stories for the local paper, copy material for businesses, and blog posts for herself and others. She even edits (offering copy editing, fiction editing, and critiques through Write Now Editing Services) and teaches (she’s the Substantive Fiction Editing instructor for the PEN Institute and can be found around the country teaching writing and editing courses at conferences and at her local college).
When Karin’s not reading, writing, or editing, she enjoys cooking and baking. She plays the piano and sings (the key of E, please). She kayaks with her husband in the summer, watches football in the fall (Go Blue!), and enjoys Christmas lights all winter long. Shy but extroverted, Karin adores her nieces and nephew and loves spending time with her family. Learn more about Karinat: karinbeery.com.
Catina worked her way through college as a TV reporter and a dating game show host. She’s a sucker for Young Adult romance stories (both real and make-believe). She has a panache for match-making and loves that many of her “set-ups” have resulted in marriages.
After spending most of her adult life in Las Vegas, Catina traded in tumbleweeds for earthquakes and now lives with her husband and four children near San Diego, California. If she’s not home, chances are you can find her at the beach, Disneyland or In-N-Out Burger.
Angela Larkin writes clean teen romance and is a big fan of kissing (in life and in books). She’s been a gold miner, a pool cleaner, a mannequin dresser, and a teacher. She’s lived a true romance: meeting her husband in a case of mistaken identity. They recently moved with their four children from the sparkling city of Las Vegas to the shade of the North Carolina Pines. Chances are, she’s reading past bedtime.
True love doesn’t always mean a happy ending. Presley and Landon finally have a chance at a real relationship when they travel back in time, but their leap backward to two months before his accident has altered reality: Landon has no memory of Presley.
Hurt and lonely, Presley is still determined to save his life, even as Landon’s death-date looms. He’s alive for now, but nothing is like it was . . . Before.
1. Worked as a dating gameshow host to pay the bills in college
2. My maiden name is Cecchini (pronoucned Check-eenie) and I grew up on Chickadee Street. So, Catina Cecchini on Chickadee Street. Try saying that 10 times!
3. I was secretly in love with my husband for an entire college semester before he even knew I was alive.
4. I grew up in Beyond’s setting. If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be the Lake Tahoe area.
5. I love helping other families who, like me, have a child with autism. I’m currently working on developing new services for people with autism in Southern CA.
6. I love Thai Food
7. Just tried Sushi for the first time a week ago and after all these years of avoidance, discovered I love it too!
8. Seriously nearly lost consciousness when I learned BEYOND was #1 in four Amazon categories shortly after its release
9. Wore sequins for the first time to the Whitney gala this May where Beyond was a finalist in two categories
10. Actually, I wore sequins in High School too as a member of the dance team! 🙂
10 Fun Facts about Angela Larkin (the girl in the white top)
1. I’ve worked five summers in a gold mine.
2. I used to dress mannequins at GAP.
3. I learned how to drive stick in an alfalfa field.
4. I have a favorite direction: west.
5. After my first kiss in fifth grade, I went straight home and tried to draw a representation in my journal of how it felt.
6. I used to choreograph roller skating routines in my garage to the soundtrack of The Little Mermaid. I took it VERY seriously.
7. I have no idea how much ice cream it would take to make me feel gross. I’ve never reached that point as hard as I’ve tried.
8. I met my husband in a true case of mistaken identity.
9. I want to learn Hula and perform it somewhere.
10. Weiner dogs are cuter than all the dogs. And I want one.
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I grew up in Salinas, California, the same hometown of John Steinbeck, one of America’s greatest writers. I loved to read (and still do) and frequented the John Steinbeck Library as a child. I discovered at an early age that I also enjoyed writing. In sixth grade, my teacher, Mr. Graham gave the class an assignment to write a story for a contest. The contest required that we create our book binding as well, which we did with cardboard, glue, and wallpaper. My book was called “Mully Mully” about a creature who lived in an underwater lake city. I was sad when I didn’t win, but I cherished my book so I kept it all these years. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I decided to put other stories, roaming around in my mind, down on paper again, or actually, in my case, into a computer.
I took a non-traditional route to writing, considering I have a doctorate in Educational Leadership. Aside from writing, I work full-time as a Training & Development Coordinator at Kaweah Delta, a teaching hospital, and some semesters I also teach at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California, where I currently live. When I’m not at my full-time and part-time job, I enjoy writing, reading, watching TV, and spending time with my husband and pets (cat-Smokey, dog-Princess).
Would you sacrifice your humanity to save mankind?
IT’S THE YEAR 2828, and Domus is the last remaining country. Divided into twelve walled cities known as genuses, Domus spans what’s known as the purist lands—lands unaffected by the genetic modifications that killed all other species of mammals. But outside the walls of each genus the Immundus threaten the welfare of those within. From a young age, all citizens of Domus are trained for combat against these intruders.
At sixteen, Nia Luna knows little of the Immundus, except for the citywide alarms that ring any time an Immundus nears the genus walls. What she does know is that her own species is dying—their numbers dwindling as a mysterious disease called allagine kills many before their eleventh birthday. The same disease that ravaged her family when it took her sister.
When Nia is recruited into Genesis, a research company pioneering the path to a cure, she knows that her dream to find a cure for allagine is finally within her grasp. But within weeks of starting at Genesis, Nia witnesses something she shouldn’t have—something that changes everything. As she sets down a dangerous path that uncovers national secrets, Nia will have to decide not only what kind of person she wants to be but also how far she’s willing to go to save humanity.
2. I lived in the Phillipines for 3 months on a business trip.
3. I became PADI certified to scuba dive, while in the Phillipines.
4. I also paint pictures.
5. I am an actress. I performed in theater and had an agent for awhile. I also performed in a short film which was recently sent to film festivals.
6. I wrote a short film screenplay which starts filming July 7, 2018.
7. In addition to writing books I am working on a screenplay based loosely on the lives of my grandmothers.
8. I was a teen mom. I had my son when I was 18. I became a single mom when he was one and didn’t get married until he was 16.
9. It took me 10 years to obtain an Associates Degree, then 4 more years to obtain a bachelors degree, 1 year to obtain my Masters Degree, and 4 years to obtain my doctorate, while I worked, raised my son, and dabbled in the arts.
10. I am allergic to cats and dogs, but I have a dog (Princess) and cat (Smokey) who I adore so I’m constantly on allergy meds or wearing a mask around the house. I love animals so much that I’m vegetarian.
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Do you believe love can transcend time? Contemporary Romance author Kate McBrien returns with the next installment in her steamy Indigo trilogy! After hiding out at her parents’ house in Los Angeles, Lucy jumps at the chance to deliver the Varangian Cross to London in order to be reunited with Justin. But with their passion renewed, their nightmares have also returned and are feeling more like memories than dreams. The time has come to find out the truth behind their connection.
Rafflecopter for Waiting for You Release Week Celebration Giveaway:
Kate is offering one Grand Prize winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card and eCopies of Discovering You and Waiting for You and one (1) Runner-up an eCopy of Waiting for You. To enter for your chance to win one these great prizes, please fill out the Rafflecopter link below:
It’s only been a week, but Justin is miserable waiting for Lucy to contact him. He’s back in London for Indigo’s concert series and needs to get his head in the game, but his heart is back in America.
Stuck hiding out at her parents’ house in Los Angeles, Lucy is consumed with doubt and regret about her decision to stay behind.
When the Varangian Cross is sold to a private buyer in London, Lucy jumps at the chance to deliver the cross to the new owner and maybe reconnect with Justin.
Lucy arrives in London in time for another roadblock to their relationship: a serious allegation has been made against Justin, and the paparazzi are in overdrive, forcing Justin under cover just to make it through the concert series.
Finally reunited, their passion is renewed. But their nightmares have returned and are feeling more like memories than dreams. It’s time to find out the truth behind their connection.
Waiting for You is the second book of a contemporary romance trilogy.
Note to Readers: This book contains scenes which may be triggering to survivors of sexual violence.
“Okay, once more from the top.” John counted off before playing the introduction to a new song.
Justin counted the beats in his head and looked up from his guitar. They were rehearsing in the legendary Abbey Road Studios. It was a spacious studio with honey-colored hardwood floors set in a herringbone pattern, with upholstered walls covered in reds and golds.
After a few bars of the acoustic guitar and piano, Justin sang a song he wrote for Lucy. Inspired by a dream he had after leaving California, it was the most romantic song he had ever written.
He lost himself in the music while playing his guitar and singing. He and Lucy watched a sunset turn into a deep indigo night sky as he shared his feelings for her. He had this dream the day after he left California and it had shaken him to his core. But unlike his earlier dreams of violence and the need to protect her from harm, this dream was more realistic than any of the others.
Justin closed his eyes, focusing on the lyrics about holding Lucy in his arms. His dreams had always been highly realistic, but this recent dream was more like a memory. It stimulated all his senses. He could not only feel Lucy in his arms, he heard the sound of male voices singing in the background and the sounds of a city below, as if they were on top of a building somewhere. The air was warm and full of exotic scents that he couldn’t identify. He shuddered as this familiarity washed over him. It was impossible. He had never shared a night like that with Lucy. As the song ended, he was exhausted and miserable.
“That was marvelous,” Graham said from the recording booth. “Let’s wrap it up for tonight. I’m feeling generous, so let me take everyone to the pub.” It was no surprise Graham was in a great mood tonight. He didn’t like the scandal that surrounded Justin, but he was delighted with the publicity that created renewed interest in Indigo. Tickets for the three concerts had sold out, and Indigo’s back catalog was selling well.
“Excellent.” John stood up from the piano and closed the fallboard over the keys. “I’m completely knackered. I could use a pint or two.”
Justin remained on his stool, pulling the guitar strap from around his shoulder.
“Are you all right?” John asked, gathering up his sheet music and placing it in a carrier bag.
“Yeah,” Justin muttered, rubbing his eyes.
Indigo’s other band members, Colin, Mike, and Liam, were gathered in the recording booth listening to the playback. Justin could just make out the song’s melody as it came through the slightly open door.
John frowned. “You looked like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Other Books in the Indigo Trilogy:
Title: Discovering You (Indigo #1)
Author: Kate McBrien
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date Released: July 7, 2018
Publisher: Kate McBrien
Format: Digital eBook / Print
Digital ISBN: 9781732223516
Print ISBN: 9781732223509
For fans of Love on the Edge of Time and A Knight in Shining Armor comes an epic romance that proves true love can never die.
Do you believe in soulmates?
A shy art historian. A sexy rock star. A mysterious medieval cross that holds a secret.
Lucy Bianchi has a plan: finish her PhD in art history and land a coveted job at a prestigious Los Angeles museum. Then—maybe—she’ll find time to start dating. Her controlled and predictable world begins to unravel when she chases a runaway dog on the beach and meets a gorgeous stranger.
Justin Hamilton is the charismatic lead singer of the British band Indigo. Years of touring and partying have won him notoriety, and he can have any woman he wants, but who he really wants doesn’t seem to exist.
Until now.
From their first look—their first touch—Justin and Lucy have a connection that defies logic and deepens their desire for each other. When they see the Varangian Cross at a museum exhibit, they’re flooded with inexplicable shared memories that draw them even closer together.
Justin has to return to London just as a salacious scandal explodes that could tear them apart. Lucy must choose between the safe life she’s cultivated, or go to Justin and discover a never-ending love.
Discovering You is the first book of a contemporary romance trilogy.
“This was a very deep and beautiful love story. It was completely different from all love stories I’ve ever read.” – Tania, Goodreads, Amazon
“Discovering You by Kate McBrien is a steamy read. The heat rises slowly in this novel but once the switch is flipped, it boils over with passion.” – Up All Night Book Blogs, Goodreads
“Wow what a story. It’s fresh, original, and full of life.” – Lianne, Goodreads
“This book has it all. Romance, history, art, music, villains, and a mystical edge. I can’t wait to read the next in the series.” – Debbie, Goodreads
“You know you get one of those books that just builds and builds until you can’t put it down. This is one of those books.” – Love Reading, Goodreads review
“This is a fascinating premise. Nerd meets rocker and finds an instant connection. I love soulmates and was fascinated to see how things turn out, especially with Lucy’s art history background. The meet-cute was delightful and I enjoyed the growing relationship between the two of them, fast-paced as it was. Both Lucy and Justin are fully fleshed out characters with their own full lives.” – Lauren, Goodreads review
About Kate McBrien:
Kate has an MA in art history from San José State University and has taught art history at a local college. For many years, she has worked as a dental hygienist, courageously offering encouragement to her non-flossing patients.
She has always enjoyed writing but became more serious after being encouraged by a friend to participate in National Novel Writing Month. She began writing historical fiction but soon realized that the romance was taking over the history.
Kate is a Bay Area native who lives near the beach with her husband and Lola, their spoiled Labrador Retriever. When not writing, she enjoys cooking, music, movies, reading, and fangirling over Jamie Dornan.
Ann Swann was born in the small West Texas town of Lamesa. She grew up much like Stevie-girl in The Phantoms series, though she never got up the nerve to enter the haunted house.
Ann has done everything from answering 911 Emergency calls to teaching elementary school. She lives in Texas with her husband, Dude, a rescue cat named Oscar, and a part-time box turtle named Piggy.
When she’s not writing, Ann is reading. Her to-be-read list has grown so large it has taken on a life of its own. She calls it Herman.
Stevie asks Jase to help her find out why the ghost of a girl keeps appearing in her mirror. They think it has something to do with the new student at their school, a boy who has Tourette syndrome. Both the boy and the phantom seem to need some kind of help. All is revealed when the new kid falls prey to the school bullies.
Will Stevie and Jase be too late, or will a tragic moment in their school’s history be repeated on Halloween night?
I have been reading love stories for as long as I can remember and when I ‘met’ the classic authors like Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Henry James The Brontë sisters, etc. during my Honours studies, I was hooked for life.
I married my college boyfriend and soul mate and after 43 years, 3 interesting and wonderful children and 3 beautiful grandchildren, he still makes me weak in the knees. We are fortunate to live in the picturesque little seaside village of Betty’s Bay, South Africa with the ocean a block away and a beautiful mountain right behind us. And although life so far has not always been an easy ride, it has always been an exiting and interesting one!
I like the heroines in my stories to be beautiful, feisty, independent and headstrong.And the heroes must be strong but possess a generous amount of sensitivity. They are of course, also gorgeous!My stories typically incorporate the family background of the characters to better understand where they come from and who they are when we meet them in the story.
“Kalinda Evans works for the Anglo-Boer war foundation in Canada. She’s sent to South Africa to make sure everyone who lost their lives in the war will be remembered. On her drive to the guest farm in Kimberley, South Africa, Kalinda picks up a female hitchhiker and is startled when just moments later, the woman vanishes. Kalinda would be convinced she was dreaming…except there’s still a white lace handkerchief on the passenger seat.
Extreme sports enthusiast and computer game designer Zack Carter is always after the next big challenge. He’s far too busy for romance and adheres to a three-date rule, until he meets his parents’ latest guest. When she relays the story of her mysterious experience, Zack’s family shares the local ghost story. Kalinda and Zack work together to solve the puzzle of the ghost and how it all ties in with the war and the work Kalinda is doing.
As their attraction grows, Zack realizes he no longer feels the need to prove anything to himself. He only needs to prove to Kalinda that he’s more than a good time.”
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Margaret Margaret
