Friday, April 29, 2016

Review: Wedding Girl by Stacey Ballis

SUMMARY 
Top pastry chef Sophie Bernstein and her sommelier fiancé were set to have Chicago’s culinary wedding of the year…until the groom eloped with someone else in a very public debacle, leaving Sophie splashed across the tabloids—fifty grand in debt on her dream wedding and one-hundred percent screwed on her dream life. The icing on the cake was when she lost her job and her home…
 
Laying low, Sophie moves in with her grandmother, Bubbles. That way, she can keep Bubbles and her sweater-wearing pug company and nurse her broken heart. But when Sophie gets a part-time job at the old-fashioned neighborhood bakery, she finds herself up to her elbows in dough and reluctantly giving a wedding cake customer advice on everything from gift bags to guest accommodations. Before she knows it, she’s an online wedding planner. It’s not mousse and macarons, but it pays the bills. But with the arrival of unexpected personal and professional twists, Sophie wonders if she’s really moving forward—or starting over from scratch...


MY REVIEW
This happens to be the first book I have ever read by Stacey Ballis and I am hooked.  The attention to detail was incredible, the character development was amazing and I loved the plot!  I have never read a true foodie piece of fiction and I can't say enough about it!  The description of the foods and recipes were to die for.
Pastry chef Sophie was planning the wedding of her dreams, she spared no expense from the flowers to the food.  Dexter was the man of her dreams and this wedding would be a true depiction of that.  Little did she know that as she was getting ready to walk down the isle (literally) her soon to be husband was no where to be found...And then they located him (I will not give away all the juicy details).
Fast forward to where Sophie ends up after all of this debacle takes place...

She moves in with her adorable Grandmother, Bubbles.  What a sweet woman!  And with the debt she amassed she needed a job ASAP!
One day she was picking up dinner items for Bubbles and she lands a job working at the friendly neighborhood bakery.  Yes, it was a step down from what Sophie is used to but she needs to make a dime to pay back her mountain of debt and she would prefer to stay out of the public eye at the moment.

This story has so many fun twists and turns - Sophie makes a great friend after taking an order for her wedding cake, she has awesome friends who will support her in any way, she takes on a part time job that becomes a fun passion, and maybe even meets a hot guy or two along the way.  From Chapter 1 to the end, Stacey does not disappoint.  I can't wait to read more by this amazing author!

WINE SELECTION
With this fun foodie read I would pair it with a great bottle of bubbly - what would a wedding (or not) be without it!

MY RATING
I was in love with the story, the characters and the plot from beginning to end.  I can't recommend this book enough to everyone and anyone that I know.  It is 5 wine glasses without a second thought!  Enjoy!



Monday, April 18, 2016

Review: Christmas in Dixie by Beth Albight


SUMMARY
Inheriting this old southern mansion might have been the best thing to ever happen to Hollywood chef Rhonda Cartwright. It brought her back home to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, her long lost hometown. Restoring the old place to all its former glory, she is ready for the house to make its debut as Tuscaloosa’s new finest B&B. The Tuscaloosa Christmas Gala will be the stage for it all and it’s only a few days away. With her new lover and old best friends surrounding her, she is poised to finally get the life she has always dreamed of: safe and secure and predictable.

But just when Rhonda Cartwright thinks she has finally uncovered the last of the family secrets, a woman from the past shows up on her doorstep with secrets of her own. And just wait till Rhonda’s unpredictable, unapologetic mother appears at the Christmas Gala with a surprise date.

Christmas chaos ensues and Rhonda and her group of Belles will be on the case, trying to pull it all together before the big night of the Gala. Christmastime in the Deep South is almost always full of surprises. Just not this kind of surprise.

Rhonda needs a miracle to pull off the Gala, or a real life Santa—well maybe she’ll find both, right here in Dixie.


MY REVIEW 
Let me begin by saying that this is such a fun series of books!  I LOVE all things southern and these books bring that out for me!  From the fun sayings, the way of the life, the crazy families and amazing friendships, Beth has put together an amazing depiction of the true southern way of life for us all to enjoy and become a part of!
Rhonda never thought that she would leave LA and come back home to Tuscaloosa, Alabama!  Stranger things have happened in Rhonda's life and back home is where she landed.  She never really felt like LA had truly become her home.  She was living what she thought was her dream, but her dreams have taken her back to the home she grew up in. 
She has completely refurbished the Cartwright Estate with the help of her amazing friends the Sassy Belles, Drew, her sisters and the boyfriend of hers!
When she was just getting settled, the house was set for the grand opening and she couldn't be more happy and relaxed, Jack's ex-wife has come flouncing back into town and stirring up trouble.
Will their opening go off without a hitch?  Will Rhonda lose the house that she has come to love again?  Sit back and enjoy this fun Christmas story about the southern Sassy Belles and this crazy family from the deep south!

WINE SELECTION
I am going with Villa Sandi NV Il Fresco Brut Prosecco DOC, a great wine to toast to these family and friends and lost loves being back together during the holiday season!  

MY RATING
What a fun story from beginning to end, never a dull moment with this cast of characters!  I give this fun Christmas story 5 wine glasses, Enjoy!  





 

Friday, April 15, 2016

Review: The Paris Effect by K.S.R. Burns

SUMMARY
A suspenseful, moving and at times hilarious novel about love, loss, Paris, food and finding yourself. Amy is 29, tired of living in her hometown of Phoenix, and at odds with her very predictable engineer husband. When her closest girlfriend dies she makes a spectacularly rash decision that takes her to Paris, her dream city. But maybe not the best destination, as Amy is always on a diet and is plagued by irksome dieting "rules." In Paris she is robbed, stalked, arrested, kidnapped (almost) and-worse-finds that her problems have come right along with her. Grab a croissant and settle in for a decidedly non-touristy trip to the City of Light.

MY REVIEW 
What an interesting story from beginning to end.  I will be honest I was not terribly enthralled by the first half of the story.  I really found it hard to relate to and understand.  Amy's food obsession was crazy and downright irritating at times.  I was practically screaming at her to EAT SOMETHING!  
Then there is Amy and Will's relationship, it is pretty evident that they met, slept together, got pregnant and had a shot gun wedding.  And as you will learn through out the story they truly know nothing about the other.  
Paris...the City of Love and Lights...or is it?
Amy's closest friend Kat dies, but not before they devise this intricate plan that will take place after her recovery.  They were going to celebrate with a trip to Paris. 
Last minute and probably not in the right mindset, Amy takes her stash and just up and decides to go on her own, to live out her and Kat's dream.
You will meet so many characters along this interesting and crazy journey...co-worker from the library, cast of interesting characters in Paris including a savior of sorts for Amy and an unlikely friend.  
I won't be giving away the turn of events that unfold but I will say that the ending is what you will least expect and it had be surprised all the way to the end.
Sit back, grab a bottle of your favorite wine and enjoy this sometimes happy, sometimes creepy (even a little love and obsession thrown into the mix)  journey of Amy's life and her journey to truly find herself.   

WINE SELECTION
I am going to pick a nice bottle of Riesling to go with this whirlwind tale, Fox Run Vineyards Riesling 12.

MY RATING 
I struggled when I was deciding what "score" to give this book, I had a love/dislike relationship at different times.  I believe that this story deserves between 3 1/2 and 4 wineglasses - due to the high energy and crazy turn of events at the end, I will be giving The Paris Effect 4 wine glasses.


Book Tour and Giveaway: Frosted Cowboy by author Charlene Ross

check out our new studio on e. grayson street!
Welcome to the Frosted Cowboy Book Tour!
frosted-cowboy  
Frosted Cowboy by author - Charlene Ross
Blurb:
Laney Delaney was living the dream. She had a fabulous fiancé and a career as a couture wedding dress designer. But after catching her (not-so-fabulous) fiancé cheating and being accused of upstaging one of her brides at a wedding, Laney finds herself with no boyfriend, no job and no plan.
After some serious soul searching, Laney is determined to start over. She embarks on a design career that takes her from a Rodeo Drive boutique to a flea market stall, but it's worth it—even if it means she has to suck up to her childhood nemesis for help.
At the same time, three very different men vie for her attention: a masseuse/screenwriter with an unfortunate reputation, a stable fireman who just doesn't spark a romantic flame, and the fireman's ridiculously hot co-worker whose illicit under-the-mistletoe kiss still burns Laney's lips.
Professionally and romantically, Laney is on the verge of reinventing her life and finding her true passion—but can she learn to trust again and believe in herself?
Buy the Book:
Win a signed print copy of the Book:
About the Author:
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Charlene Ross
Bio:
Before life in the LA suburbs, Charlene Ross backpacked through eighteen European countries, lived in London, worked in the music industry, and became engaged onstage at a U2 concert in Verona, Italy. (Bono even kissed her!) Now she drives carpool, embarrasses her children by dancing "in the pit" at free cover band concerts, and works hard at keeping the spark of her 20-year marriage alive.
Find her here:
Visit all the stops on the Tour:
Frosted Cowboy
April 11th
Literary Chanteuse - www.literarychanteuse.blogspot.ca - Promo Post 
Ever Growing Book Obsession - https://www.facebook.com/evergrowingbookobsession/?ref=hl - Book Excerpt 
Around the World in Books - http://www.aroundtheworldinbooks.ca/ - Book Excerpt

April 12th
ItaPixie's Book Corner - http://itapixie.blogspot.it/ - Book Excerpt 
Book Lover in Florida - https://bookloverfl12.wordpress.com/ - Book Excerpt 
Judging More Than Just the Cover - Www.ambergreggbooks.com - Book Review 
Hello Beautiful Book Blog - http://hellobeautifulbookblog.com - Promo Post

April 13th
Book Groupies - http://bookgroupies2.blogspot.com/ - Book Excerpt 
T&L Book Reviews - http://tasz1976.wordpress.com - Promo Post 
Hello...Chick Lit - http://hellochicklit.com - Book Review

April 14th
The Bookworm Lodge - www.thebookwormlodge.com - Promo Post 
Ali - The Dragon Slayer - http://cancersuckscouk.ipage.com/ - Promo Post 
Between the Pages - http://amshuman.wordpress.com - Book Review 
The Belgian Reviewer - thebelgianreviewer.wordpress.com - Promo Post

April 15th
viicreative - www.viicreative.co.uk - Book Review 
These Words: A Blog - www.thesewordsablob.weebly.com - Book Review 
JustaBooklovinJunkie - http://jabooklovinjunkie.blogspot/ - Book Review 
One Book at a Time - Booksandwinearelovely.blogspot.com - Promo Post 
Red's Midnight Readers - http://redsmidnightreaders.blogspot.com/ - Book Excerpt 
Duffythewriter - Www.duffythewriterblog.com - Book Review
--
Book Tour Organized & Arranged by HCL Book Tours & HCL Author Services Now Booking Tours for June/July & Taking Clients for Author Assisting & Publicity. H

Blog Tour Stop -Excerpt from: What Happens in the Alps by T.A. Williams

SUMMARY

UP IN THE MAGICAL, SNOW-KISSED MOUNTAINS…
Two years ago, Annie Brewer’s life was turned upside down when her adrenaline-junkie husband died in a tragic climbing accident. So she’s hoping that moving to the beautiful village of Santorso in the Italian Alps will finally put her life back on track!
…ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!
She might be going into business with her oldest friend – notorious lady-charmer Matt Brown – but men are definitely out of the question for Annie! That is, until she bumps into tall, dark and delicious Alessandro Lago on the ski slopes…and spontaneously says ‘Yes’ to a date!
It must be the crisp, mountain air but suddenly, anything seems possible. The only trouble is, chivalrous Matt is looking more gorgeous than ever…


EXCERPT
‘Annie, can I ask you something? What about you? Are you all alone or have you got a boyfriend or a husband? You’re very pretty, you know.’
Annie took a deep breath. ‘I used to be married, but my husband was killed in a rock climbing accident.’ She stopped to take another breath and was pleasantly surprised to have been able to speak about Steve’s death in an almost normal voice.
‘Oh, how awful.’ Rita and Paolina exchanged glances. ‘When did it happen? Were you married long?’
So Annie told them the story. And, for once, she managed to tell the whole tale without breaking down. She told them about how she and Steve had first met at an excruciating drinks party at the British Council, how they had got married in a little church near her parents’ home in South Devon, how they had lived so happily together in Turin until that awful day. But, this time, as she told the story, she found she was recounting it factually, almost emotionlessly, almost dispassionately. And, as she told it, her eyes swept out over the snowy slopes, up the valley towards the high Alps. The sun was reflecting off the ice on the rocky summits, sending sparkling rays out in an explosion of light that disappeared into the vastness of the cloudless sky. The powerful and almost terrifying beauty of the scenery reached deep inside her and a sense of unexpected serenity spread throughout her whole body. She suddenly found she was smiling across the table at the two girls. ‘I loved him dearly, you know, and he loved me, but the mountains were in his blood.’
‘How awful for him, and for you.’ Rita was appalled. Annie managed to keep the smile on her face.
‘It was awful, really awful, but what’s done’s done. I can’t bring him back, however much I’d like to.’
‘Oh, Annie.’ Paolina didn’t know what to say.
‘It’s all right, Paolina. Life goes on. It’s taken me two years to realise it, but I know that now.’ And she meant it.
When it was time to leave, they ran into a problem. First Paolina and then Annie went downstairs to the basement area of the restaurant in search of the toilets. They found them all right, but the queue of desperate-looking women waiting to take their turn was so long, it reached halfway back up the stairs. They looked at each other and Paolina shook her head. ‘Looks like a long wait.’ She gave Annie a little smile. ‘And I’m not sure I can last that long.’ Annie felt the same way, so she came up with a pragmatic suggestion.
‘Into the woods?’
Paolina nodded and they climbed back up to break the news to Rita. They left the terrace and went across to where they had left their skis. Once they were all clipped in again, Annie led them off down the slope. She scanned the trees on either side of the piste until she saw a likely spot. A couple of ski tracks ran into the trees along what was probably a path in summer. She slowed, glanced back at the others and pointed, then skied into the trees for ten or twenty metres until they were safely out of sight of anybody on the main piste.
Paolina wasted no time in stepping out of her skis and disappearing behind a bush. The snow was so deep she had trouble walking in it, but such was her desperation, she struggled through it until she reached her objective. Rita kept guard while Annie sidestepped across to a thicket on the other side of the track. Having seen the trouble that Paolina had had, she decided not to unclip her skis. She took a good look round, pulled down her trousers and squatted, praying that nobody would choose that moment to come skiing down the path.
She had just about finished doing what she had come into the trees to do when, to her horror, she saw something charging straight towards her. She just had time to realise that the big black shape was a very friendly Labrador, when the dog reached her. He was clearly delighted to find her down at his level and he put his paws up on her shoulders and set about licking her face. She put up her hands to fend him off, but he was insistent. Unfortunately, the effect of this weight suddenly pressing against her began to push her backwards. She felt herself moving, slowly at first, but gradually gathering speed, and she realised she was sliding backwards towards the main piste. She ran over a clump of some kind of plant, probably heather, covered in snow, and got a frozen, wet bottom as a result. She had ditched her poles so she scrabbled desperately at the passing branches until, mercifully, she managed to get a grip on something solid enough to arrest her descent. She glanced up and around her. The dog had stopped following her and was sitting in the snow, looking on with what could have been a smile on his face. Another six feet and she would have emerged onto the open mountainside, bare bum on display for all to see. As it was, she was still just about hidden and was able to pull up her trousers without being spotted by anybody. Well, almost anybody.
From behind her she heard hoots of laughter as Rita and Paolina followed her trail in the snow. As Annie got to her feet and zipped herself up, her face glowing with embarrassment, Rita handed her her poles, still unable to utter a word, such was her mirth. Behind her, Paolina concentrated on petting the dog, her shoulders shaking as she creased up with laughter.
‘Well, that’s a lesson learnt.’ Annie was conscious that some of the snow, if not the heather, she had run over was still sticking to her under her clothes and she felt it begin to melt. It was an uncomfortable feeling. ‘Always, always, always take your skis off before having a pee.’



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Firstly, my name isn't T A. It's Trevor. I write under the androgynous name T A Williams because 65% of books are read by women. In my first book, "Dirty Minds" one of the (female) characters suggests the imbalance is due to the fact that men spend too much time getting drunk and watching football. I couldn't possibly comment. Ask my wife...
I've written all sorts: thrillers, historical novels, short stories and now I'm enjoying myself hugely writing humour and romance. Romantic comedies are what we all need from time to time. Life isn’t always very fair. It isn’t always a lot of fun, but when it is, we need to embrace it. If my books can put a smile on your face and maybe give your heartstrings a tug, then I know I’ve done my job.
I‘ve lived all over Europe, but now I live in a little village in sleepy Devon, tucked away in south west England. I love the place. That’s why you’ll find leafy lanes and thatched cottages in most of my books. Oh, yes, and a black Labrador.
I've been writing since I was 14 and that is half a century ago. However, underneath this bald, wrinkly exterior, there beats the heart of a youngster. My wife is convinced I will never grow up. I hope she's right.


GOODREADS LINK
What Happens in the Alps... 

PURCHASE LINKS 
Amazon US  
Amazon UK 
Barnes and Noble 

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS 
Facebook
Website
Twitter
Amazon Author  

GIVEAWAY

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Sunday, April 10, 2016

Review: The Winemakers by Jan Moran

SUMMARY

A young woman
A family secret
A devastating truth that could destroy the man she loves

Many years ago, the Rosetta family’s hard-won dreams of staking their claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition. Now high-spirited, passionate Caterina Rosetta, who has inherited both her mother’s talent for crafting the finest wines and also her indomitable will, wants nothing more than to win her mother’s approval and work at her side. But that can never happen, because Caterina is keeping a secret that could ruin her: a daughter of her own, fathered by the love of her life, who left her without explanation. Just as she feels she has nowhere to turn, Caterina discovers that she has inherited a vineyard in the Tuscan countryside in Italy, from a grandmother she’s never heard of, and she seizes the chance to start a new life for herself and her child.

But the past is not so easily outrun. In the country of her ancestors, Caterina meets the family of the father she never knew, and discovers that her mother is also hiding her own secret—a secret so devastating it threatens the future of everything her family has worked for. As an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragedy that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother’s buried past—if she has the strength to face it.


MY REVIEW 
Where do I begin?  This is by far one of the best books of 2016 hands down.  I have not been able to put it down since the day I received it in the mail.  It has this way to draw you in as a reader, you feel a special connection to each and every one of the characters.  
Caterina has gone away to school and is living her life the way she sees fit and then one day spends time with a friend she has known all her life and after their special night together everything changes.  Caterina has become pregnant and is not married and the father is not in the picture.  She wants so badly to go home, but she knows her mother will never accept her daughter.  Just when she is about the adopt her away, Caterina can't go through with it.  This is her own daughter, her flesh and blood and she will raise her and love her even if she is a single mother on her own shunned by society.
When Caterina returns home she learns that she has just inherited some property from her long lost family in Italy, she thinks that her luck is turning around, just when she needed a home for her and her daughter she is given one by her late grandmother that she never had the chance to meet.  
But life is not as easy at it seems.  She packs up and takes her daughter to Italy and is treated with a cold shoulder from almost every living family member that she has.  They are infuriated that she was left the home, the outsider.  
Not only does the home come with issues, then her mothers lies start to unravel little by little.  How could her mother lie to her all her life?  Will she ever be able to trust her again?  Will her mother ever accept her daughter or will she be shunned forever?  
Then her daughter's father re-appears, she is torn between telling him about his daughter or pretending that she doesn't exist to keep her away from him for good.   She is still in love with him and can't get him out of her mind, but again a deep dark family secret comes to light, will their love survive or will they just be ships passing in the night, never to see each other again.  
There are so many amazing story lines woven through out and I would love to talk about each and every one till the early hours of the morning.  But I can not, you must experience this novel for your self and you will fall in love as I have.

WINE SELECTION 
I am going to pick Smoke Screen - a red wine from Napa Valley.  Simply amazing and fitting for this truly amazing book.

MY RATING
This book is truly amazing and I hope everyone gets to enjoy it as I did.  I will be rating this amazing tale of love, family secrets and wine -  five wine glasses.  Enjoy!


Review: Magic in Dixie by Beth Albright

SUMMARY
“I was born into a house full of secrets and bad behavior.”

Rhonda Cartwright Bently is having the most important moment of her life. She has finally been asked to help cater the Governor’s ball at the Emmy Awards in LA— But before the big day she has to get home to Tuscaloosa, Alabama and bury her estranged father. What she discovers in the aftermath of the funeral turns her life upside down in a matter of seconds. 

A gift from her father from the grave—a dilapidated southern mansion with an old trunk full of family secrets, will transform Rhonda’s life in an instant and make her question everything she’s ever believed about her family and herself. And then there’s that list--the one she made about her dream man when she was just a teenager. Her perfect love may be right here under her nose, but for Rhonda this is one last complication she could do without. She intended to get home, bury Daddy, sell that dilapidated monstrosity and get back to LA, as fast as she could. But plans never quite work out just as we hope.

Rhonda will have to call on her old BFF’s, Blake and Vivi, to help solve the family mystery. But what those original Sassy Belles finally create out of that pile of dust could change Rhonda’s life for good, make her Hollywood dreams fade to black, and maybe even help her uncover her heart right where she left it—in Dixie. But sometimes things aren’t as they seem. And people aren’t always who we think they are.

MY REVIEW
Southern romance at its finest!  Beth did not disappoint.  I fell in love with the southern romance from page one!
A southern romance without a few deep seated secrets just isn't southern at all!
Rhonda grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  She loved her home town but she always wanted to make her escape and start fresh.  Well she met her now ex-husband and she had her wish.  They ran away to LA and were ready to start a family.  When that dream fell apart, Rhonda had started her own life in LA, single with no intentions of returning to her southern roots.  
She as finally making a name for her self in LA - even though she didn't have a store front or barely any money to her name - he company Southern Comforts was just asked to cater the Governor's Ball for the Emmy Awards!  This was her chance!
An then she got the call.  Her daddy had passed and she needed to return to Alabama.  She packed for a few days and planned to fly in and fly out again with a very short turn around time.

What happens at her fathers will reading changes her life forever.  She will inherit the family home, Granny Cartright's home to be exact.  It didn't seem all that bad till her realized the house was literally falling apart and there were back taxes on the property that she could not afford.  

 There are so many twist and turns, you will be unable to put this book down!  Mysterious family happenings, a handsome boy returns from the past, best friends helping in anyway they can and of course Roll Tide football at its finest!  
So sit back, grab some Sweet Tea or in my case a bottle of wine and enjoy this wild and crazy ride!

DRINK SELECTION
Being that this story is Southern romance at its finest, I have to offer Sweet Tea as my drink of choice! How could I not?
MY RATING 
I loved this story from page one and could not put it down!  Southern romance at its finest and this story deserves five glasses of wine for sure!  






Monday, April 4, 2016

Release Day: Some Women by Emily Liebert

SUMMARY
Annabel Ford has everything under control, devoting her time to her twin five-year-old boys and to keeping her household running seamlessly. So when her husband of a decade announces that he’s leaving her, without warning, she’s blindsided. And suddenly her world begins to unravel.

Single mother Piper Whitley has always done her best to balance it all—raising her daughter Fern by herself and advancing her career as a crime reporter. Only now that she’s finally met the man of her dreams, Fern’s absentee father arrives on the scene and throws everything into a tailspin.

Married to the heir of a thriving media conglomerate, Mackenzie Mead has many reasons to count her blessings. But with an imperious mother-in-law—who’s also her boss—and a husband with whom she can no longer seem to connect, something has to give.

On the surface, these three women may not have much in common. Yet when their lives are thrust together and unlikely friendships are formed—at a time when they all need someone to lean on—Annabel, Piper, and Mackenzie band together to help each navigate their new realities.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Emily Liebert is an award-winning author and TV personality. Her new novel, Those Secrets We Keep, published on June 2, 2015. 

She's currently putting the final touches on her fifth book, Some Women, set to release on April 5, 2016.

Emily's first book, Facebook Fairytales, is available across the globe. Her debut novel, You Knew Me When (Penguin), published on 9/3/13 to rave reviews! And her second novel, When We Fall (Penguin Random House), published on September 2, 2014! 

Emily is featured often in the press, by outlets such as: Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Anderson Cooper, FOX News, Good Day New York, The Couch, Oprah Radio, Martha Stewart Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, InStyle, OK!, Nylon, Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s World, WWD, Woman’s Day, The New York Post, The Washington Post, The New York Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, and The Huffington Post.

She has also served as a spokesperson for Microsoft, appearing on TV and radio stations nationwide.


LINKS TO PURCHASE
Amazon
Amazon UK
Kobo
Barnes and Noble

LINKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA 
Twitter
Facebook
Website





Release Day: Lies and Other Acts of Love by Kristy Woodson Harvey

SUMMARY 
After sixty years of marriage and five daughters, Lynn “Lovey” White knows that all of us, from time to time, need to use our little white lies. 
 
Her granddaughter, Annabelle, on the other hand, is as truthful as they come. She always does the right thing—that is, until she dumps her hedge fund manager fiancé and marries a musician she has known for three days. After all, her grandparents, who fell in love at first sight, have shared a lifetime of happiness, even through her grandfather’s declining health.
 
But when Annabelle’s world starts to collapse around her, she discovers that nothing about her picture-perfect family is as it seems. And Lovey has to decide whether one more lie will make or break the ones she loves . . .





ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kristy Woodson Harvey is the author of Dear Carolina and Lies and Other Acts of Love. She blogs at Design Chic about how creating a beautiful home can be the catalyst for creating a beautiful life and loves connecting with readers at kristywoodsonharvey.com. She is a Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's school of journalism and holds a Master's in English from East Carolina University. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications and websites, including Southern Living, Domino magazine, Our State, Houzz, the Salisbury Post and the New Bern Sun Journal. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and four-year-old son where she is working on her next novel.

LINKS TO PURCHASE
Amazon
Amazon UK
Kobo
Barnes and Noble

LINKS TO FOLLOW
Twitter
Website
Facebook



Release Day: The Winemakers by Jan Moran

SUMMARY 
Many years ago, the Rosetta family’s hard-won dreams of staking their claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition. Now high-spirited, passionate Caterina Rosetta, who has inherited both her mother’s talent for crafting the finest wines and also her indomitable will, wants nothing more than to win her mother’s approval and work at her side. But that can never happen, because Caterina is keeping a secret that could ruin her: a daughter of her own, fathered by the love of her life, who left her without explanation. Just as she feels she has nowhere to turn, Caterina discovers that she has inherited a vineyard in the Tuscan countryside in Italy, from a grandmother she’s never heard of, and she seizes the chance to start a new life for herself and her child.
But the past is not so easily outrun. In the country of her ancestors, Caterina meets the family of the father she never knew, and discovers that her mother is also hiding her own secret―a secret so devastating it threatens the future of everything her family has worked for. As an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragedy that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother’s buried past―if she has the strength to face it.
From author Jan Moran comes The Winemakers, a sweeping, romantic novel that will hold you in its grasp until the last delicious sip.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Jan Moran is a Rizzoli bestselling and award winning author. She writes historical women's fiction for St. Martin's Press, contemporary women's fiction, and nonfiction books. Her stories are smart and stylish, and written with emotional depth. Jan often draws on her international travel and business experiences, infusing her books with realistic details. The Midwest Book Review and Kirkus have recommended her books, calling her heroines strong, complex, and resourceful. She blogs for ProjectEve and at www.janmoran.com.

Jan has been featured in numerous publications and on television and radio, including CNN, Women's Wear Daily, Allure, InStyle, and O Magazine. As an editor and writer, she has covered fragrance, beauty, and spa travel for a variety of publications such as Cosmopolitan, Elle, Costco Connection, and Porthole Cruise. 

Jan speaks before many groups, including Fashion Group International, The Fragrance Foundation, and The American Society of Perfumers. She has represented brands and retailers in media on behalf of several public relations companies, including Edelman and DeVries. Jan is available for speaking engagements.

Jan's Note:

Hello friends! A few of my favorite things include a good cup of coffee, dark chocolate, traveling anywhere, and a warm sunny beach. I'm originally from Austin, Texas, and a trace of a drawl still survives to this day, although I have lived in Southern California with my family for years. I am passionate about ideas, writing, and entrepreneurship, which is why my characters always seem to be starting or running their own business. History fascinates me, as does the perfect cheesecake. I love to hear from readers, and welcome your comments. You can often find me on social media when I really ought to be writing. Try looking on my blog or on Twitter @janmoran, which you can find on JanMoran.com. 

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