Playing with Matches by Hannah Orenstein

Sasha Goldberg has a lot going for her: a recent journalism degree from NYU, an apartment with her best friend Caroline, and a relationship that would be amazing if her finance-bro boyfriend Jonathan would ever look up from his BlackBerry. But when her dream career falls through, she uses her family’s darkest secret to land a job as a matchmaker for New York City’s elite at the dating service Bliss.

Despite her inexperience, Sasha throws herself into her new career, trolling for catches on Tinder, coaching her clients through rejection, and dishing out dating advice to people twice her age. She sets up a TV exec who wanted kids five years ago, a forty-year-old baseball-loving virgin, and a consultant with a rigorous five-page checklist for her ideal match.

Sasha hopes to find her clients The One, like she did. But when Jonathan betrays her, she spirals out of control—and right into the arms of a writer with a charming Southern drawl, who she had previously set up with one of her clients. He’s strictly off-limits, but with her relationship on the rocks, all bets are off.

My Thoughts

I loved every page of this book!  I read it in 2 days (and that was because I had to take care of children, sleep and eat)!

Sasha is such a fun down to earth person who just trips into a Craig's List ad for a job as a matchmaker.  I mean, she had less than a handful of boyfriends and her parents are divorced, where does she get all her amazing match knowledge?  LOL

But this is her first real job and she is determined to make this work.

What type of job would have you swiping right all day, setting up fake profiles and going on work dates with potential matches?  WOW!  Truthfully I don't think I could handle that, and how on earth is her boyfriend Jonathan ok with this?

And just as she thought her life was going in the right direction, BAM Jonathan betrays her.  Can she keep it all together?  How will she move on from the love of her life?  Will she break matchmaker rule 101 - don't date any matches or matchees?

Grab your copy today, you will LOVE this story!

Drink Selection

Hello!  It's NYC, Cosmos all around!

Rating

5 wine glasses for sure!

About Hannah

Hannah Orenstein is a writer and editor in New York. She's the dating editor at Elite Daily. Previously, she was a writer at Seventeen.com. At twenty-one, she became the youngest matchmaker at a top dating service. She was born and raised in Boston, studied journalism and history at NYU, and lives in Manhattan with her fat cat, Eloise.

Link to Purchase

Amazon

Release Day Excitement for All You Need is Love by Melissa Bladwin

Happy release day to Melissa Baldwin. Book two in the Love in the City series, ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, is available now!

All You Need is Love by Melissa Baldwin
Series: Love in the City Series #2
Published by Melissa Baldwin on June 26, 2018
Genre: Romantic Comedy

CJ Evans has worked hard to overcome many of the devastating challenges that life has thrown at her, and she has come a long way. Despite the aftermath of her broken engagement and the strained relationship with her mother, she has recently mended lost friendships and has become a successful entrepreneur of a business she is truly passionate about. But could all of this progress be lost when her mother presents her with a blindside she never would have expected? 

CJ realizes she can no longer avoid her past, and she must finally face the heartbreak, inadequacy, and unresolved events to continue to move forward. This includes embarking on a new career path and opening her heart to a love she’s always been hoping for. 

CJ’s journey is one of growth, trust, and taking risks. And in the end she may realize that to be truly happy—all you need is love.

About Melissa Baldwin

Melissa Baldwin is an avid runner, planner obsessed, and has always had a love for writing. She is a wife, mother, and avid journal keeper who took her creativity to the next level by fulfilling her dream with her debut novel, An Event to Remember…or Forget. Melissa writes about charming, ambitious, and real women and is now a published author of ten Romantic Comedy novels and novellas.

When she isn’t deep in the writing zone, this multi-tasking master organizer is busy spending time with her family, chauffeuring her daughter, traveling, running, indulging in fitness, and taking a Disney Cruise every now and then.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Pinterest

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Release Blitz organized by:

Release Day Excitement for Rocky Road & Revenge by Erin Huss

Happy release day to Erin Huss! Rocky Road & Revenge, book two in the Cambria Clyne Mystery series, is available now!

Rocky Road & Revenge by Erin Huss
Series: Cambria Clyne Mysteries #2
Published by Gemma Halliday Publishing on June 26, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery

From author Erin Huss comes another “hilarious and fun” (Huffington Post) addition to the Cambria Clyne Mysteries. 

For apartment manager, Cambria Clyne, every day is a bad hair day, and her birthday is no exception. At least the rest of her life is in order. Her daughter is thriving in their new home, Cambria is up for a promotion at work, and she’s got two men vying for her attention—the hunky ex-maintenance man and her dreamy baby daddy. As if that wasn’t enough excitement, Cambria’s best friend, Amy, has just landed the role of a lifetime on the hit prime time drama Ghost Confidential. Yes, things are looking up for Cambria Clyne, and this just might be her best birthday yet! 

Until it all goes up in flames. 

Celebrations are put aside when the stars from Ghost Confidential start showing up dead. There’s a killer with a personal vendetta on the loose, and when suspicious items show up in Amy’s possession, it becomes evident that someone is trying to pin the murders on her. Now Cambria must figure out who is attempting to frame her best friend, all the while still taking care of her daughter, dealing with the crazy antics of her residents, choosing between two men, and preparing for a property inspection that could make or break her apartment management career. Will Cambria catch the killer before anyone else shows up dead? Or will this birthday be her last?

About Erin Huss

Erin Huss is a blogger and best selling author. She can change a diaper in fifteen seconds flat, is a master overanalyzer, has a gift for making any social situation awkward and yet, somehow, she still has friends. Erin shares hilarious property management horror stories at The Apartment Manager’s Blog and her own daily horror stories at erinhuss.com. She currently resides in Southern California with her husband and five children, where she complains daily about the cost of living but will never do anything about it.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram

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Release Blitz organized by:

Girls' Night Out by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

     

For estranged friends Ashley, Natalie, and Lauren, it’s time to heal the old wounds between them. Where better to repair those severed ties than on a girls’ getaway to the beautiful paradise of Tulum, Mexico? But even after they’re reunited, no one is being completely honest about the past or the secrets they’re hiding. When Ashley disappears on their girls’ night out, Nat For estranged friends Ashley, Natalie, and Lauren, it’s time to heal the old wounds between them. Where better to repair those severed ties than on a girls’ getaway to the beautiful paradise of Tulum, Mexico? But even after they’re reunited, no one is being completely honest about the past or the secrets they’re hiding. When Ashley disappears on their girls’ night out, Natalie and Lauren have to try to piece together their hazy memories to figure out what could have happened to her, while also reconciling their feelings of guilt over their last moments together.

Was Ashley with the man she’d met only days before? Did she pack up and leave? Was she kidnapped? Or worse—could Natalie or Lauren have snapped under the weight of her own lies?

As the clock ticks, hour by hour, Natalie and Lauren’s search rushes headlong into growing suspicion and dread. Maybe their secrets run deeper and more dangerous than one of them is willing—or too afraid—to admit.

My Thoughts

This is one of my top Summer Reads of 2018!  I found myself getting so emotionally invested in this book, like I was actually there and what I would have done or what I would have thought. 

Ash, Nat and Lauren have had a rough year with very little connection or even communication.

Ashley comes across an advertisement for a trip to Mexico and thinks that this may be the perfect way to connect!

Most of the trip has been a complete hot mess from arguments to disappearing with guys and just plan ignoring each other.  They only seem to get along is when they are drunk, sadly.

Then one night, towards the end Ashley disappears.  Did Marco do something to her?  Did she have enough and just run away? Who was the last to see her?  Nat?  Marco?  Lauren?

This book will literally have you on the edge of your seat (and rethinking any girl trips for the moment!)

Drink Selection

Delish right?  Makes me want one right now!  Maybe two, after all it's Monday.

Rating

5 wine glasses, for sure.

About Liz and Lisa

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for over 25 years and survived high school and college together. They've co-authored four novels, including the bestseller THE GOOD WIDOW. Liz lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and five rescue dogs. Their next suspense novel, Girls' Night Out, is out July 24th, 2018.

Connect with Liz and Lisa:

www.lizandlisa.com
Instagram: @lisaandliz
Twitter: @lizandlisa
FB: Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Link to Purchase

Amazon

Guest Spotlight and Giveaway with author Susan Murphy, Aloha Love

Guest Post
 from the lovely Susan Murphy
I set out to write a fun romantic travel piece for this post, but in my usual style, I’ve managed to drag it into a true story about a wedding that I did on board a cruise ship. If you’re not familiar with me or my writing, I write romantic comedy mostly. My first two book were a series called Confetti Confidential which were based around the hilarious antics of a marriage celebrant who gets herself into all sorts of strife both professionally and personally (not like me at all!).

In my real life I’m a marriage and funeral celebrant, so as you can imagine that provides me with a constant flow of sometimes cringe-worthy, sometimes sweet and romantic storylines. And for funerals, well that’s a whole other book!

So, when I got the call through a friend of a friend about doing a wedding on board a P&O Cruise ship in Brisbane, Australia, I was shaking in my heels with excitement (I’m actually hopeless in heels, but in my flats doesn’t sound nearly as good). I literally pulled out every move on this couple to make sure they booked me for the gig and it worked, in no time I was planning my trip. Sadly, I wasn’t going to set sail with them, but I would get to board and spend the day on the ship to look around and relax, before conducting the ceremony and disembarking. I’d done weddings all over Australia, and even a ceremony in Thailand, but this was to be my first cruise ship.

Plans were made and permissions sought and soon enough we set off for sunny Brisbane (My husband decided to tag along and make a weekend of the opportunity to have a short break).

 

On the day of the ceremony, the wharf was packed with hundreds of passengers eagerly waiting to go through customs and board the ship. I wondered if I’d ever get on until one of the crew came charging through the crowd waving at me, yelling “come with me, I’ll take you straight through to the priority boarding entrance.” (I would have felt quite privileged if not for the death stares I was getting from the people, impatiently waiting in the exceptionally long and pushy line, as I breezed on through).

I was taken to the magnificent lounge area and provided coffee and cake while I waited for the couple and their family to get ready, all the while, my mouth gaping at how gorgeous it was. For half an hour or so I sat, thinking about the bride in her cabin, nervous and excited and knowing that her groom was just down the hall also getting ready. I also thought about my insane jealousy and how I was wondering if my husband would go for a renewal of vows ceremony so we could do the same. (Unlikely)

One of the most romantic moments of a wedding ceremony is not the vows or the first kiss or the moment they say I Do. The most emotive and important moment, I believe, is that moment that the bride come into view and the couple lock eyes. From my position, standing right beside the groom, facing his bride, I see her come into view and I hear him breathe in and hold it there. That’s when I always turn and 99% of the time, there’s a tear (sometimes there’s even full crying. I always carry tissues just in case).

Back to the ship! It was time to go down to the Captains private meeting room, where the ceremony was to take place and lay out the documents for the wedding. Guests were beginning to arrive and the groom entered looking nervous, as they usually do.

The view from the very front room of the ship was breathtaking as the groom took his position, and the bride entered, along with their two small boys. Of course, he pulled in that breath and wiped at the tears. (I was loving it at this point!)

        

When the ceremony was finished, I had some time to say congratulations and share a toast before I was escorted off the ship. From the dock I watched it set sail for a seven day cruise, wishing I’d thought to hide in a cupboard.

From what I heard the reception was amazing and the cruise even more so. Sometimes I pinch myself at how lucky I am to get to do this for a job!

We spent the next three days in Brisbane, enjoying the warm weather and all the interesting things the city had to offer as well as catching up with family.

With any luck, I’ll be invited to do another one someday!

Stories like this are what set me on the path to writing both the Confetti Confidential series and Aloha Love. All three of my books are filled with wedding stories, but not all go as smoothly as this one did! I have a few of those horror stories too, but I’ll save that for another post!

Thanks so much for having me

x

 Thank you so much for joining us Susan, that is an amazing story!  What a great job!  Lucky you!

Make sure to come back and visit soon with many more amazing stories!

A little about Susan

Susan Murphy is a Civil Marriage Celebrant based in South Australia. With over 8 years experience, she’s had the pleasure and blessing of conducting ceremonies all over the country including weddings, baby naming’s, commitment ceremonies, funerals and anything else that has been requested by a client. The stranger the better!
With a passion for words and a determination to one day (even if it was from the nursing home) become a writer, she made a fateful decision to attend a Masterclass with the amazing Fiona McIntosh, and from there 'Confetti Confidential' was born.
"Writing about weddings came naturally to me. I'd been a part of that world for so long and seen everything there was to see – good and bad. But there had to be humour. Coming from a large Irish family there was no way I could write without the laughs. I drove my family nuts giggling away to myself while writing this book.

Link to Purchase
Amazon