Blog Tour: The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer

Author: Kate Hamer
Publisher: Melville House
Date of publication: February 2016

Newly single mom Beth has one constant, gnawing worry: that her dreamy eight-year-old daughter, Carmel, who has a tendency to wander off, will one day gomissing.

And then one day, it happens: On a Saturday morning thick with fog, Beth takes Carmel to a local outdoor festival, they get separated in the crowd, and Carmel is gone.

Shattered, Beth sets herself on the grim and lonely mission to find her daughter, keeping on relentlessly even as the authorities tell her that Carmel may be gone for good.

Carmel, meanwhile, is on a strange and harrowing journey of her own—to a totally
unexpected place that requires her to live by her wits, while trying desperately to
keep in her head, at all times, a vision of her mother …

The Girl in the Red Coat definitely drew me in right away.  It was a hard and emotional book to read.  As a parent, I think that is one of my worst nightmares...my child disappears and I have to try to figure out how to move on.  This story is told in alternating points of view.  We have Beth who loses her 8 year old daughter and her heart breaking count down of the days after. Then, we have Carmel's point of view.  This book is unique in that we get to see what actually happened to the child after she was taken.  Carmel's story is told through her 8 year old eyes and it is equally heart breaking.

I found Beth's story to be honest and sad.  It was heard to watch her struggle to continue on with her life after Carmel disappears. The red shoe scene was gut wrenching! But, even with the thought of never seeing her child again, she is still able to find a future.  I found Carmel's storyline more fascinating.  I liked that is was told through her 8 year old innocence.  And how even at that age, she is able to find coping skills to try to keep her identity.  That is really all I want to say about plot. You need to read it to find out what happened.

With that said, I was a bit disappointed with the ending.  For me, it was bit abrupt.  I wanted more resolution and to find out what happened next.  Overlooking that, I did like the rest of the book and do recommend giving this debut a try.

About Kate Hamer

KATE HAMER is a winner of the Rhys Davies Short Story Prize. Girl in the Red Coat is her first novel. It is shortlisted for the Costa Book Award for First Novel and a finalist for The Dagger Award. She lives in Cardiff, Wales with her husband and two children.

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Kate Hamer’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, February 15th: Fictionophile

Tuesday, February 16th: Dreams, Etc.

Wednesday, February 17th: Life is Story

Thursday, February 18th: Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Monday, February 22nd: Bewitched Bookworms

Tuesday, February 23rd: A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, February 24th: Laura’s Reviews

Monday, February 29th: Kahakai Kitchen

Tuesday, March 1st: A Book A Week

Wednesday, March 2nd: A Bookish Way of Life

Thursday, March 3rd: Luxury Reading

Friday, March 4th: Kritter’s Ramblings

Monday, March 7th: Raven Haired Girl

Tuesday, March 8th: Books That Hook

Thursday, March 10th: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Friday, March 11th: Mom in Love with Fiction

Monday, March 14th: A Bookworm’s World 

Tuesday, March 15th: Books a la Mode – author guest post

Wednesday, March 16th: The Well Read Redhead

Friday, March 18th: From the TBR Pile

Throwback Thursday: For the Love of Lilah by Nora Roberts

Author: Nora Roberts
First published in 1991 by Silhouette

Mystery and danger still swirled around Lilah Calhoun's ancestral home. The fabled lost emeralds continued to attract treasure hunters--and at least one dangerous criminal. And they had brought a man unlike any Lilah had ever known.

Maxwell Quartermain was a reserved college professor, more at home in the past than in the present. But from the moment Lilah dragged him from the Atlantic, she found he could make her melt with merest glance--and that troubled her deeply. For Lilah wasn't used to needing anyone as much as she needed Maxwell Quartermain... 

So far, I think For the Love of Lilah is my favorite out of the series.  This time around it is Lilah's turn for romance.  She finds it with Max, who literally fell out of the sea!   I loved these two together.  Max was really cute and really insecure about Lilah.  It was refreshing to see the woman be the pursuer for once.  The story arc of the necklace is finally advanced a lot more.  We find out more details about Bianca's death and her love affair with Christian.    The best character in this one was Great Aunt Colleen.  She was hysterical!  I can't wait to read the conclusion!

Blog Tour: Don't Let My Baby Do Rodeo by Boris Fishman

Author: Boris Fishman
Publisher:  Harper
Date of publication: March 2016

Maya Shulman and Alex Rubin met in 1992, when she was a Ukrainian exchange student with “a devil in [her] head” about becoming a chef instead of a medical worker, and he the coddled son of Russian immigrants wanting to toe the water of a less predictable life.

Twenty years later, Maya Rubin is a medical worker in suburban New Jersey, and Alex his father’s second in the family business. The great dislocation of their lives is their eight-year-old son Max—adopted from two teenagers in Montana despite Alex’s view that “adopted children are second-class.”

At once a salvation and a mystery to his parents—with whom Max’s biological mother left the child with the cryptic exhortation “don’t let my baby do rodeo”—Max suddenly turns feral, consorting with wild animals, eating grass, and running away to sit face down in a river.

Searching for answers, Maya convinces Alex to embark on a cross-country trip to Montana to track down Max’s birth parents—the first drive west of New Jersey of their American lives. But it’s Maya who’s illuminated by the journey, her own erstwhile wildness summoned for a reckoning by the unsparing landscape, with seismic consequences for herself and her family.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I went into Don't Let My Baby Do Rodeo. In the story, Maya and Alex's adopted son, Max begins to act oddly.  In their eyes, he has become wild, apt to run away, and in love with nature.  They begin to wonder if it has something to do with his birth parents, so they decide to track them down.

As I said, this isn't the book that I was expecting.  But that was OK because I ended up being pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this story.  This book is more than just adoptive parents trying to find their son's birth parents.  To me, it was more about Maya and her journey to find her niche in life.  She never came across as someone who was comfortable in her role as wife, in her job, and lastly as a mother.  She seemed to be thrust into all three roles without actually being prepared. As I read, I had to wonder if Maya really believed that Max got his wildness from his birth parents. Or was she seeking a way to reconcile her feeling of disconnection with her son? It was interesting to see how the parting phrase from Laurel (the birth mom), "Don't let my baby do rodeo", weighed on Maya's mind.  To me, it meant don't let him turn out a loser like his birth father.  But to her, it was a possible answer to the child he was becoming. The journey across the country to Montana, for me was more about her, than about Max. 

This book isn't one that you will fly through because it is an exciting adventure.  It's more of a meandering tale. I did feel compelled to keep reading because I wanted to see what Maya would do next.  The story is one that is set to make you think about things.  How do we ever really feel like we belong and what make a place home for us?  I'm not sure I agreed with Maya's choices all the time, but I had to respect her journey.

I'd have to say give this one a try.  There is a lot packed into this book, but they are all worth exploring.

About Boris Fishman

Photo credit Stephanie Kaltsas

Boris Fishman was born in Minsk, Belarus, and immigrated to the United States in 1988 at the age of nine. His journalism, essays, and criticism have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. His first novel, A Replacement Life won the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award and the American Library Association’s Sophie Brody Medal, was one ofThe New York Times‘ 100 Notable Books, and was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Pick. He lives in New York.

Find out more about Boris at his website, and connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tour Stops

Thursday, March 3rd: Dwell in Possibility

Friday, March 4th: Bibliophiliac

Monday, March 7th: I’m Shelf-ish

Tuesday, March 8th: Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews – spotlight

Wednesday, March 9th: Raven Haired Girl

Wednesday, March 9th: The Year in Books

Thursday, March 10th: Fearless Creative

Monday, March 14th: Novel Escapes

Tuesday, March 15th: BookNAround

Wednesday, March 16th: From the TBR Pile

Thursday, March 17th: Mother’s Circle

Monday, March 21st: Thoughts On This ‘n That

Tuesday, March 22nd: Worth Getting in Bed For

Wednesday, March 23rd: I’d Rather Be At The Beach

Thursday, March 31rd: Readaholic Zone

TBD: Reviews by Amos Lassen

Blog Tour: If We Were A Movie by Kelly Oram

Author:Kelly Oram
Publisher: Bluefields
Date of publication: March 2016

Music meets Movies in this sweet college romance from the bestselling author of Cinder & Ella. NYU freshman Nate Anderson is a triplet who is desperate to escape his wild and crazy brothers. After they screw things up for him one too many times, Nate flees his housing situation and takes the first available room for rent as far from his brothers as he can get. Enter his new roommate Jordan--a quirky LA girl who believes that everything in life has already been done in the movies. In this heartfelt tale of love, friendship and family, Nate learns how to deal with his new adult life using Hollywood films as a guide.


If We Were a Movie is the third book in the "Power of the Matchmaker" series.  As with the first two books, this one can be read as a stand alone.  In this book, Pearl has her work cut out for her when she finally meets Nate.  He is perfect for Jordan, but he has a lot of obstacles in his path to happiness.  
This one had a different feel to it than the first two.  It had a "younger" feel but that was probably because the main characters are in college.  I adored Nate and Jordan.  I loved that their love grew out of friendship.  I was really rooting for Nate to find a way to be a part of the "triple threat" without losing who he was. I'm sure being one of a set of triplets makes it hard to find your own way.  Often, I wanted to smack his brother's in the back of the head and tell them to lay off.  But, the love the triplets had for each other definitely came across as deep and real.  
I will admit that I was a bit wary of reading this because Nate has a girlfriend when he first meets Jordan,  But the author did a good job of navigating that situation.  Let's just say, I was so glad when Sophie was kicked to the curb!
One of the fun things about this book is all of the references to movies and songs.  I loved how the author incorporated them into the story.  She even included a lot of my favorites.  I also loved how the author didn't assume that the reader knew the song or movie and was able to work a little synopsis into each reference.  It saved me having to look things up on the side. 
I highly recommend this sweet romance as well as the series.  I look forward to seeing what Pearl gets up to next!

For more reviews make sure to check out the rest of the tour schedule here.

TEASER: “So this is what a Pearl-approved guy looks like.” She shook her head once and cracked a smile. “She’s got good taste, I’ll give her that. You’re an odd mix of sexy and adorable. Don’t see that often.”

I was a little taken aback by the compliment, if that’s even what it was. She may have just been stating what she considered to be fact. She laughed at my surprise and held out her hand to me. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jordan Kramer.”

I’d been afraid of that. “You’re a girl.”

Jordan laughed. “That’s what it says on my birth certificate, but I’m really glad you were able to figure it out without needing to read it.”

Nope. I definitely didn’t need that.

Author Kelly Oram

Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen--a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.

 

   

Don't miss the latest news from Kelly Oram! Sign up for her newsletter to receive e-mail notifications for all of her new releases, events, sales, & giveaways. This is a monthly newsletter often with exclusive giveaways and freebies from some of her favorite authors.

  

               

Giveaway

Signed copies of V is for Virgin & A is for Abstinence (1 winner, 2 books)

Open Internationally

Ends 3/18/16

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Launch: Beneath These Lies by Meghan March

Happy Release Day!!!!!

BENEATH THESE LIES is now available!

By: Meghan March

SYNOPSIS:

Look, but don’t touch…she might as well wear a neon sign that says it. It just makes me want her more.

She might be above me in every way, but I still want her under me.

I’ve got no business touching her rich-girl skin, but that won’t stop me from stealing a taste. Because rules were meant to be broken—especially when the prize is so fine.

In a world where nothing is at it seems, what's buried beneath these lies?

Pick up your copy today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1TQVAtn
Amazon UK: http://amzn.com/B01CTOCD1I
iBooks: http://apple.co/20VtZFQ
Google Play: http://bit.ly/GP-BTL
Kobo: http://bit.ly/Kobo-BTL

ABOUT MEGHAN MARCH

Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She's also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she's ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeghanMarchAuthor/?fref=ts

Website: http://www.meghanmarch.com/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/MeghanMarch/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/meghan_march

PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/meghanmarch1/

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/Meghan-March/e/B00LBN0UNW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1455662528&sr=8-2-ent

Book Spotlight: Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon

Author: Holly Seddon
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Date of publication: February 2016

In TRY NOT TO BREATHE, we’re introduced to Amy Stevenson, the biggest news story of 1995. At only fifteen years old, she disappeared while walking home from school and, three days later, was found in a coma after being brutally assaulted. For months, her angelic face was plastered across every tabloid and nightly news segment. And yet, her attacker was never found.

Fifteen years later, Amy lies in the hospital, forgotten by the world, until reporter Alex Dale stumbles across her while researching a routine story on vegetative patients.  Remembering Amy's story like it was yesterday, she’s determined to solve this cold case. The only problem? Alex’s credibility—and will power—are shot. Her addiction to alcohol has cost her everything from her marriage to her professional reputation and her skills as a journalist are rusty, to say the least.  Compelled to find Amy's attacker, and in turn her own salvation, Alex embarks on a dangerous investigation which soon becomes a powerful obsession.

“Seddon’s impressive first novel….Told from alternating perspectives and alternating decades, this gripping thriller about family and redemption will keep readers engaged to the very end.” —Publishers Weekly

 “Engrossing…Seddon's storytelling skills are strong. The world she's constructed is fascinating and slightly dark.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Try not to breathe, try not to make plans, try not to commit to anything in fact till you've finished Holly's debut novel, because we must warn you now - you'll be fully hooked from page one. The book follows Alex, a troubled journalist who finds herself working on a cold case from the 1990s involving the horrific attack of a young girl. The victim, now in a coma, becomes Alex's confident as she slowly unravels a dangerous web of lies. A brilliant, gripping must-read.—Glamour UK 

“Brilliantly readable, fast-paced stuff”—The Sun, UK

About the author:

Holly Seddon was born and raised in the sleepy south-west of England and now lives slap bang in the centre of Amsterdam with her husband and four children. Throughout her 15-year career, Holly has been privileged to work in some of the UK’s most exciting newsrooms. 

TRY NOT TO BREATHE is her first novel, published in the UK (Corvus/Atlantic), USA and Canada (Ballantine/Penguin Random House), Australia and New Zealand (Allen & Unwin) and The Netherlands (Ambo Anthos). It will soon be available in the US , Germany (Heyne), Russia (Sindbad), Swiat Ksiazk (Poland and, Crown (Taiwan) .

Holly is currently writing her next novel.

http://www.hollyseddon.com

Day Four by Sarah Lotz

Author: Sarah Lotz
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Date of publication: June 2015

Hundreds of pleasure-seekers stream aboard The Beautiful Dreamer cruise ship for five days of cut-price fun in the Caribbean sun. On the fourth day, disaster strikes: smoke roils out of the engine room, and the ship is stranded in the Gulf of Mexico. Soon supplies run low, a virus plagues the ship, and there are whispered rumors that the cabins on the lower decks are haunted by shadowy figures. Irritation escalates to panic, the crew loses control, factions form, and violent chaos erupts among the survivors. 

When, at last, the ship is spotted drifting off the coast of Key West, the world's press reports it empty. But the gloomy headlines may be covering up an even more disturbing reality. 

I didn't realize before reading Day Four that is was a loose sequel to The Three.  Autumn reviewed that book and didn't care for it.  I will be honest, I'm not sure that I needed to read The Three in order to read this one.   The story essentially is about a cruise ship that breaks down on day four of its trip and chaos ensues.  That is about all I can really tell you about the plot.  Not because I don't want to give away any spoilers.  It's because I'm not even sure what I read.

I found this book both long, slow and confusing. There were too many points of view.  It was almost like the author didn't know which way to go with the plot. It definitely was not a horror story. I'm not sure if it was even a ghost story. Maybe it was about alternate realities? All I know is that the plot fell really short.  As I was listening to the audiobook, I kept hoping something would happen, but it really never did.  The ending was really horrible and explained nothing.  I really don't recommend this book.  In fact I am kind of baffled by the great reviews it received. Maybe fans of The Three will like it.  I won't be continuing on with the series.

Spotlight Tour: Guest Post and Excerpt of The Infamous Heir by Elizabeth Michels

We are excited to have a gust post from author Elizabeth Michels.  She is with us promoting her latest book, The Infamous Heir, the first in a new series.  We hope you enjoy her thoughts about romantic comedies and an exciting excerpt from her book! Also make sure to check out the giveaway at the end of the post.

Author: Elizabeth Michels

Series: Spare Heirs, #1

Pubdate: March 1^st, 2016

ISBN: 9781492621331

The Spare Heirs Society Cordially Invites You to Meet Ethan Moore: The Scoundrel

Lady Roselyn Grey’s debut has finally arrived, and of course, she has every flounce and flutter planned. She’ll wear the perfect gowns and marry the perfect gentleman…that is, if the formerly disinherited brother of the man she intends to marry doesn’t ruin everything first.

Ethan Moore is a prize-fighting second son and proud founding member of the Spare Heirs Society—and that’s all he ever should have been. But, in an instant, his brother’s noble title is his, the eyes of the ton are upon him, and the lady he’s loved for years would rather meet him in the boxing ring than the ballroom.

He’s faced worse. With the help of his Spare Heirs brotherhood, Ethan’s certain he can get to the bottom of his brother’s unexpected demise and win the impossible lady who has haunted his dreams for as long as he can remember…

A word from Elizabeth Michels...

I admit it, I have a weakness.  And my weakness is romantic comedies.  There have been so many Saturday afternoons I’ve lost by walking through the living room when one of my favorites is playing on TV.  Laundry and errands?  What laundry and errands?  I have to spend the next few hours curled up on the sofa, watching Dirty Dancing for the 473rd time.  It’s this same magnetic pull toward a love story that inspired me to read romance novels, and to write them.  So I thought I would share with you my favorite romantic comedy, and the romance novel it reminds me of. 

The Proposal and The Wicked Wallflower by Maya Rodale

        

In The Proposal, a career oriented book editor is about to be deported, so she blackmails her assistant into marrying her.  But then she has to go to Alaska to meet his family, pretend to be engaged, and kiss him—it all unravels from there.  If you enjoy watching a nice fake engagement, Maya Rodale’s The Wicked Wallflower is for you.  A lady accidentally announces her engagement to a notorious rake in town even though they’ve never met.  Then he does something unexpected—he goes along with it.  Strangers who are thrown into an engagement together and one of them has a bad reputation?  Yes, please. Table for one, and you can put my copy right here.

Do you have a favorite romantic comedy?  Does the plot remind you of a book you enjoyed?

An Excerpt:

“You can’t spare a footman to haul my trunks and valise inside?” Roselyn asked.

Mr. Ethan Moore didn’t seem to mind the rain that splashed down on them in the drive. “I’m afraid not.”

“Not a single servant to assist your guests as they arrive? And I thought Ormesby Place to be a welcoming, organized home. The devil it is.” She muttered the last bit under her breath, sure he hadn’t heard her.

“What was that, my lady?” he asked, leaning in.

“Oh, nothing.” How had he heard her comment? She always tried to be so careful of such things. It was as if the ugly habits she’d worked so diligently to eliminate from her life were rising to the surface against her will. And she blamed Mr. Ethan Moore for every bit of it.

“If your precious possessions mean so much to you, princess, I will personally assist you with your things.”

Finally he was going to see reason. She smiled in relief. “Well, that was all I required. Thank you.”

He bent and lifted the small valise from the top of the pile of trunks, slinging it over his shoulder with a grin. “That trunk looks light enough. You should be able to manage it.” With those careless words, he turned and began to stroll away toward the door.

Was he whistling? What an infuriating man!

Roselyn stood rooted to the ground in shock for a moment, watching him walk away through the rain. Then, something snapped within her. The gently bred lady she tried to portray was stripped away, leaving behind the young, reckless girl she thought she’d outgrown years ago. He couldn’t walk away from her in such a manner.

She took two steps to the edge of a flower bed, scooped up a fistful of fresh soil within her white- gloved hand and flung it as hard as she could at Mr. Moore’s back. Watching as it splattered across his upper arm, slinging droplets onto his cheek, she felt a moment of visceral triumph. Then she gaped at him.

What had she done? She hadn’t even considered doing anything so childish in years— not since that summer when she’d set a trap to trip him as he crossed one of the fields, then laughed as he tugged her down into the dirt with him. The memory of her laughter faded as reality set in. Her plans! What had she been thinking? But, of course, she hadn’t been thinking.

He turned, an affronted look crossing his face as he stared at her.

In that moment, in spite of their current ages, he was the boy next door again, chasing Katie and her through the woods as they cackled with glee. She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

He glanced down at his arm in disbelief, dropped her valise to the ground, and began prowling toward her. Oh. Perhaps this had been a mistake. A challenging gleam filled his eyes, turning them as dark as black water in a cold lake.

Oh dear. She blinked once, twice, then turned and ran.

She’d made it to the corner of the house where the edge of the lush gardens overlooked the moors when she felt a large hand wrap around her upper arm, dragging her to a halt. She could feel the heat of him behind her. She had never been so close to a man before. Her heart hammered within her body. Even Lord Ayton had never dared touch her like this. She’d never felt a gentleman’s body pressed into hers as Mr. Moore’s was now.

“Leaving so soon?” he murmured, his lips almost grazing the rim of her ear.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Elizabeth Michels grew up on a Christmas tree farm in rural South Carolina. After tip-toeing her way through school with her focus on ballet steps and her nose in a book, she met a boy and followed him a thousand miles away from home to Kansas City, Missouri, before settling down in North Carolina.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/23p6nxn

Apple: http://apple.co/1SHlOgP

BAM: http://bit.ly/1WLmPUb

B&N: http://bit.ly/1OKXLtv

Chapters: http://bit.ly/1Py2ufd

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1KAGy21

Blog Tour: North of Here by Laurel Saville

Author: Laurel Saville

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Date of publication:  March 2016

This story of misguided decisions, a dangerous back-to-nature cult, and the universal search for meaning and love intertwines these troubled lives into a riveting blend of penetrating love story and persuasive page-turner. 

At the heart of the drama are four unforgettable, strikingly-drawn characters:

• Miranda: A young “heiress” who discovers that the mountain property she has inherited is encumbered by her father’s debts and misdealing.
• Dix: A self-assured “mountain man” who is really an educated, financially secure son of two accomplished professionals.
• Darius: A preppy trust fund refugee who turns his own quest for meaning into a dangerous back-to-nature cult bent on healing lost souls
• Sally: A brassy, street-smart social worker who, despite being perpetually unlucky in love, ultimately has the foresight to see the perils of loving Darius.

As this masterful novel unfolds, these four will become inextricably entwined in troubles that far exceed simple crimes of the heart.

North of Here is a story told in 4 parts. I thought the book was well written but it was completely not something that I expected.    It definitely started off strong and I did read through to the end.  I have to admit  though, this isn't really a book for everyone.  I think it's one of those you have to be in the mood for and be prepared to dislike at times.  I thought the characters were well fleshed out.  My favorite being Dix.  He is the one I had the most sympathy for throughout the book.

But in the end, I can't really say that I "enjoyed" the story. The book was really depressing and serious.  I kept waiting for a sense of things getting lighter and happier, but they really never did for me.  Even the ending left me kind of down. Personally, I like my books with HEA and while there is kind of one here, it wasn't the one I wanted.  But, then, I guess life is like that, right?

 But I do encourage you to give it a try.  I will definitely give this author another shot in the future.  I did like her writing style, even if I didn't like this story.  

About Laurel Saville

Laurel Saville is the award-winning author of the memoir Unraveling Anne, the novel Henry and Rachel, and the four-part short story “How Much Living Can You Buy,” as well as numerous essays, short stories, and articles. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from the Writing Seminars at Bennington College.

Once again, Laurel Saville applies her “poetic, lyrical voice” (Booklist) to a story that captures the complications of the lives we live—or wish to live.

Connect with Laurel

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Laurel Saville’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, March 1st: Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Wednesday, March 2nd: Bibliotica

Thursday, March 3rd: Just Commonly

Monday, March 7th: Reading is My Superpower

Tuesday, March 8th: Thoughts on This ‘n That

Wednesday, March 9th: A Bookaholic Swede

Thursday, March 10th: From the TBR Pile

Monday, March 14th: Kahakai Kitchen

Tuesday, March 15th: Book Dilettante

Wednesday, March 16th: Kritter’s Ramblings

Thursday, March 17th: FictionZeal

Friday, March 18th: My Book Retreat

Monday, March 21st: All Roads Lead to the Kitchen

Tuesday, March 22nd: Puddletown Reviews

Tuesday, March 22nd: A Holland Reads

Wednesday, March 23rd: A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, March 24th: Why Girls Are Weird

Friday, March 25th: Walking with Nora

Monday, March 28th: Life is Story

Tuesday, March 29th: Mom in Love with Fiction

Wednesday, March 30th: A Bookish Affair

Throwback Thursday: A Man for Amanda by Nora Roberts

Author: Nora Roberts
First published in 1991 by Silhouete Books

Amanda Calhoun already has way too much on her plate. She's balancing her work as assistant manager at the Bay Watch hotel with the search for the Calhoun emeralds and with planning her sister C.C.'s wedding. She really has no place in her life for easygoing Harvard-educated cowboy Sloan O' Riley, who's in charge of the renovations necessary to turn her home, The Towers, into a luxury hotel. But love waits for no master plan.

A Man for Amanda is the second book in the Calhoun Women series.  I didn't like this one as much as the first book, but it was still enjoyable.  The time it is Amanda's turn at love. Sloan has been hired by his friend Trent to design the remodel of The Towers into a hotel.  Amanda and Sloan have major sparks right away, but Amanda fights them tooth and nail.

Frankly, I thought Sloan was hilarious.  I loved how he kept Amanda off balance constantly until she couldn't fight her feelings any more. She needed to seriously loosen up! It was a fast romance, but really fun to watch. While the treasure hunt story arc wasn't further explored too much in this book, there is a bad guy.  He's not hard to spot.  To make things more interesting, there is a connection between Sloan and one of the other Calhoun sisters.  But, I'm not telling...you'll have to read to find out what it is.

Next up is Lilah's story in For the Love of Lilah.  Stay tuned!

Secret Sisters by Jayne Anne Krentz

Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Publisher: Berkley
Date of publication: December 2015

They knew his name, the man who tried to brutally attack twelve-year-old Madeline in her grandmother's hotel. They thought they knew his fate. He wouldn't be bothering them anymore...ever. Still their lives would never be the same. 

Madeline has returned to Washington after her grandmother's mysterious death. And at the old, abandoned hotel—a place she never wanted to see again—a dying man’s last words convey a warning: the secrets she and Daphne believed buried forever have been discovered.

Now, after almost two decades, Madeline and Daphne will be reunited in friendship and in fear. Unable to trust the local police, Madeline summons Jack Rayner, the hotel chain’s new security expert. Despite the secrets and mysteries that surround him, Jack is the only one she trusts...and wants. 

Jack is no good at relationships but he does possess a specific skill set that includes a profoundly intimate understanding of warped and dangerous minds. With the assistance of Jack's brother, Abe, a high-tech magician, the four of them will form an uneasy alliance against a killer who will stop at nothing to hide the truth...

Secret Sisters was a refreshing change from Ms. Krentz's paranormal series.  It's nice to see her get back to her roots.  In Secret Sisters, Madeline and Daphne were best friends when they were preteens.  When a stranger tries to kidnap Madeline, Their lives are changed forever.  Now, a mysterious death on her grandmother's island brings the women back together to try to 

I mostly enjoyed Secret Sisters.  I thought it had a solid mystery that kept me guessing.  The romance was a little on the fast and underwhelming side, so that was a little disappointing.  I did think that Madeline and Jack were good together, but I wanted to feel more of an attraction between them.  It just wasn't there for me.  I was also a little disappointing that we didn't really get to see Daphne and Abe hook up.  Instead, it was implied.  I think if you go into this more for the mystery, you will like it a lot more.  There are a lot of twists and suspects, so it will keep you on your toes.