Showing posts with label womens fiction. Show all posts

Saturday, 4 January 2020

Book Review ~ Let it Snow ~ Author #SueMoorcroft

TITLE - Let it Snow

AUTHOR - Sue Moorcroft

FORMAT - Kindle

PAGES - 378

Buy Link - Click here

SYNOPSIS -

This Christmas, the villagers of Middledip are off on a very Swiss adventure…

Family means everything to Lily Cortez and her sister Zinnia, and growing up in their non-conventional family unit, they and their two mums couldn’t have been closer.

So it’s a bolt out of the blue when Lily finds her father wasn’t the anonymous one-night stand she’d always believed – and is in fact the result of her mum's reckless affair with a married man.

Confused, but determined to discover her true roots, Lily sets out to find the family she’s never known; an adventure that takes her from the frosted, thatched cottages of Middledip to the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland, via a memorable romantic encounter along the way…

The Sunday Times bestseller returns with a gloriously cosy read, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Trisha Ashley and Carole Matthews

MY REVIEW

I know I've said it before, but when you pick up a Sue Moorcroft book you just know that you're in for a lovely, cosy and chilled bit of reading time. So sit back with a cup of coffee and enjoy the ride.

This book takes us back to Middledip; the village where many of Sues books are set, and a place where I feel as if I have already visited it myself. From Middledip you are then taken on a wonderful trip to Switzerland. Now this is a place that has long been on my bucket list, and this book only enhanced my dream of going there. It is full of wonderful picturesque scenery, lots of snow, Christmas markets and Cuckoo Clocks! It is so beautifully described and the style of Sue's writing makes you believe it is somewhere you have been to.

A cosy Christmas read would be nothing without a strong central character. In this book it is Lily. There are some other great characters in this book; Zinnia her Sister, who to me can appear interfering. Then there's her unconventional Parents in the form of two Mothers Patsie and Roma.

Lily's life is anything but straightforward. She is fleeing her broken marriage and seeks advice from her Mother who it turns out has been hiding a big secret that Lily has other siblings, from an affair she had several years ago. One of her siblings lives in Switzerland and when she gets the chance to travel there to sing at the Christmas Markets with the Town Choir, she jumps at the idea. This may lead her to her half siblings and enable her to see them and tell them she is their Sister.

Things don't always go to plan and this book is anything but unpredictable. Throw a handsome man into the mix in the shape of Isaac and you have perfection.

I couldn't put this book down. Wonderful landscapes; Romance; great characters; brilliant story line. What more could you want? It's another 5 star read from me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times bestselling author, an international bestselling author and has held the #1 spot in the UK Kindle chart. She writes contemporary fiction with sometimes unexpected themes.

Sue has won a Best Romantic Read Award, received two nominations at the Romantic Novel

of the Year Awards and is a Katie Fforde Bursary winner. Her short stories, serials, articles, columns, courses and writing 'how to' have sold around the world.

An army child, Sue was born in Germany then lived in Cyprus, Malta and the UK. She's worked in a bank, as a bookkeeper (probably a mistake), as a copytaker for Motor Cycle News and for a digital prepress. She's pleased to have now wriggled out of all 'proper jobs'.

Newsletter sign-up: http://bit.ly/2jUlSwl

Website: www.suemoorcroft.com
Blog: http://suemoorcroft.wordpress.com.
Twitter: @suemoorcroft
Facebook: sue.moorcroft.3 and facebook.com/SueMoorcroftAuthor
Instagram: suemoorcroftauthor

Friday, 4 April 2014

COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY - Holding Paradise by Fran Clark ~ Womens Fiction

Holding Paradise by Fran Clark

Publishing 14^th April 2014

Indigo Dreams Publishing

On a grey and miserable morning in 2008, London businesswoman, Angelica Ford boards a plane and flies off to the blues and greens of her mother’s island in the Caribbean. Angelica is desperate. She is looking for a way to save her marriage and win back her daughter. A web of lies has torn a hole into her seemingly perfect world and she is convinced that only her mother, Josephine Dennis, can help her turn her life around.

Josephine Dennis arrived in England by ship on a cold winter’s morning as a young mother joining her husband. She weathers a lifetime of secrets and betrayal, as she raises her family in 1960s London. A matriarch with strong family values, she told her children colourful stories to guide them through life. It is the wisdom of one of these stories that Angelica seeks. Josephine has one last story to tell – the story that could change both of their lives.

Book Trailer

Amazon

Indigo Dreams Publishing Online bookshop

About the Author

Fran Clark was born and currently lives in West London. Her first novel, Holding Paradise, is published in 2014 by Indigo Dreams Publishing. Fran is studying for a Creative Writing MA at Brunel University. A professional-singer songwriter and vocal coach, she recently released her second album of original songs. She is now working towards the completion of her second novel.

Author Links

Blog

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Giveaway

To enter the giveaway of a copy of Holding Paradise, follow Fran Clark on Twitter @FranClarkAuthor and let her know in the comments below:

“What was your favourite story growing up and how did it change your life?”

For UK entrants the giveaway is a paperback copy and International entrants, an ecopy. Don’t forget to leave your Twitter name and whether you are entering for UK or International. The author will choose the overall winner after the closing date of 11^th April 2014.

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Email fictionaddiction.booktours@gmail.com

Wednesday, 19 March 2014

BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY - Raising John by Jennifer Lesher ~ Women's Fiction

Welcoming to my blog today, Jennifer Lesher, Author of Raising John

Publisher: Paperback: Cavu Press (Jan. 18, 2014)
Category: Contemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Tour Dates: March, 2014
Available in: Print & Kindle, 322 pages

How do you go on living when you have done the unforgivable? How do you love a mother you barely remember? John is an orphan who misses the mother he hardly knew. Robert is the drunk driver who killed her. As the story opens we meet 4-year-old John, who wonders why his mother had to die. Robert wakes up in lockup, expecting to sleep off a blackout and go home, until he learns of the accident he caused.
John grows up under the care of his devoted maternal grandmother, who grapples with guilt over her daughter’s past. Just as John is on the cusp of manhood, he must confront his mother’s death anew and question everything he has come to believe about himself and the people he loves.
Robert is sentenced to 4 years in state prison. His incarceration begins a journey that will have a profound effect on not only himself, but on the life of the boy he orphaned, and on the legacy of the young mother who died.

EXCERPT

1980, Plainview, Massachusetts

Mary had just zipped up her coat and hooked her book bag on her shoulder when Mr. Sedgefield came up to her.

“Mary, can I talk to you for a minute?”

She set her bookbag back down on her chair. She wondered if she was in trouble.

He was the best teacher she’d ever had. Until the fifth grade all of her teachers had been ladies. She liked having a man teacher, especially a cute one like Mr. Sedgefield. He wore corduroy pants and polo shirts, and instead of wearing those shiny black dress shoes like her father wore, he wore Earth shoes. Her father was so weird; he always wore dorky dress shirts and dress pants like he thought at any moment someone was going to ask him to add a column of numbers, or make an important phone call. Mr. Sedgefield looked more like an older brother or cousin than a total grownup.

And he was really nice to her. Sometimes he’d ruffle her hair when he passed by her and it made her feel good. It was kind of like when Kate’s dad would pat her shoulder and ask her about school.

“Mary, I’m worried about you.”

“Um . . .”

“Is everything okay at home?”

Mary looked down. She shifted her feet around and kept looking at the floor. Her mom always told her she shouldn’t tell other people about the fights, because you’re not supposed to show your dirty linen in public. “It’s okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“I dunno. Yes. It’s okay.”

“Do you know your mom was supposed to come in for parent-teacher conference this week?”

“Um. Didn’t she come?”

Mary knew she’d skipped the conference, and she was pretty sure it was because of her black eye. Sometimes when her father fought with her mom he just pushed her, but sometimes he hit her. And she wouldn’t leave the house looking like that. Yesterday she’d sent Mary to the corner store for milk and bread and a steak. She put the steak on her eye but it was still purple and swollen. Her mom usually looked pretty with her soft wavy brown hair and brown eyes, but with her black eye she looked scary.

“No, Mary, she didn’t come. I tried calling this morning, but there was no answer. It’s not like your mom.”

Mary pulled the zipper on her bag back and forth. She wished she could leave. Mr. Sedgefield was nice, but he would never understand. Her mom would be so embarrassed if someone saw her black eye.

“Mary, you’re a good kid. I want you to know: if you ever want to talk, you can talk to me. And, can you ask your mom to call me? If she’s not feeling well, we can schedule the conference for later, when she’s feeling better? Deal?”

Mary couldn’t believe she was so dumb. Why hadn’t she thought to tell him her mom was sick? Everybody gets sick sometimes. Next time, that’s what she would say.

“Okay. Thanks. I’ll tell my mom to call you.”

“Okay, Mary. Have a good weekend.”

Mary nodded, but she knew she would probably not have a good weekend. Weekends at her place were never good.

“Thank God it’s Friday! TGIF baby!”

“What do you have planned?”

“I can’t wait for this day to end.”

“My dad is taking us to Great America!”

“I’m going to lay out, all day, both days.”

“My sister is going to the Rush concert in Boston, and she said I maybe I can go if I can sneak out.”

“I got the new Queen album for my birthday — wanna come over and listen to it?”

“We’re going dirt biking, wanna come?”

“Me and Kelly are hitting the mall.”

Mary made her way through the chattering throng leaving school for the day. An older girl pushed past her, wearing a shirt that said “TGIF.” The halls were buzzing with talk of plans, the weekend, how great it was to be out of school for a couple of days.

That morning Mary had woken up with a knot in her stomach, like she did every Friday. She wished she could get a shirt that said “TGIM” for “Thank God It’s Monday.” She wished she could sleep through the weekend, or spend the whole time at Kate’s house. She couldn’t wait for it to be Monday again.

Raising John was a semi-finalist in the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA Alumni Association Emerging Writers Contest.

Praise for Hungry For Love by Jennifer Lesher:

“Great story and wonderfully created characters! I truly enjoyed Hungry for Love and am eager for the next story. The character development was great. I was surprised by how I much I liked and disliked Christina in such a short time; one minute I felt bad for her and the next I thought she got what she deserved. This is a really fun and entertaining read.”- Kristin W, Amazon Reviewer

“Fun + Substance. Funny and frothy in a “chick lit” kind of way, but with heart, and genuine insight into the main character’s emotional life and journey to self-respect. Well written – I look forward to reading this author’s upcoming work.”- Acorn, Amazon Reviewer

“Hungry for Love was tightly plotted and well-written, an easy but satisfying read.“-Twark Main, Amazon Reviewer

“Captivating Read! I loved how the author introduces the characters and their histories. Great descriptions of feelings and situations. Can’t wait to read more of this series.”-Sara, Amazon Reviewer

About Jennifer Lesher:

Jennifer Lesher is an author, mountain biker, travel junkie, non-sufferer of fools, and graduate of the School of Hard Knocks. Recently Jennifer left her job in the high-tech industry to pursue certification as an airplane mechanic. She will complete her schooling in the spring of 2015 and, FAA willing, will be certified shortly thereafter. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

Website: http://jenniferlesherauthor.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jenniferlesher

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennlesher
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7579266.Jennifer_Lesher

Buy Raising John:
Amazon

Follow the Tour:

So Many Precious Books Mar 14 Review & GiveawayCrystal’s Many Reviewers Mar 17 ReviewTeena in Toronto Mar 18 ReviewBookalicious Traveladdict Mar 19 Guest Post & GiveawayManic Mama of 2 Mar 21 ReviewSincerelyStacie Mar 25 ReviewDeal Sharing Aunt Mar 26 ReviewDeal Sharing Aunt Mar 28 Guest Post & GiveawayEvery Free Chance Mar 26 Guest Post & GiveawayMom in Love with Fiction Mar 27 ReviewSweeps 4 Bloggers Mar 7 Review & GiveawayHeck Of A Bunch Apr 9 Review & GiveawayCarole Rae’s Random Ramblings Apr 14 Review & GiveawayLuxury Reading Apr 18 Review

GIVEAWAY

The book is available for giveaway in Print and ebook and is open internationally however, print is available to Canada & U.S. only.

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Tuesday, 18 March 2014

BOOK TOUR & GIVEAWAY - Twelve Houses by Olga Soaje ~ Womens Fiction

Virtual Book Tour Dates: 3/10/14 - 3/24/14

Genres: Women's Fiction

Blurb:

Took My Breath Away-Powerful Reading!
“Every once in a while a book comes along that takes your breath away with its powerful message and magnetic words. Twelve Houses by Olga Soaje has rocked me back on my heels.”
“Olga Soaje has created a masterpiece of words that flow through each page, rich with detail and emotion”
“Twelve Houses is an amazing piece of art that comes alive in your hands and your heart.” – Dii (Tome Tender Book Blog)

Can anything good follow the best thing that ever happened to you?
Amelia Weiss loved her husband of thirty-five years very much, but now he’s left her a widow. Without him, she is unable to work in her sculpture studio without crying. She no longer has a bridge to her estranged daughter. And she can’t seem to keep her mind in the present.
But when her daughter reaches out asking for her help and her agent threatens a lawsuit if Amelia doesn’t deliver for an upcoming exhibit, she’s forced to make a choice. Will she reengage with her life and the people in it—allowing room for things to be different than they were before? Or, will she remain stuck in the past, choosing her memories over real-life relationships?
Thrust fully into the present, Amelia stumbles into a surprising journey of self-discovery.

Excerpt:

One

Since You’ve Been Gone

Stay with me.

Don’t fall asleep too soon.

The angels can wait for a moment.

—Westlife, “Written in the Stars”

You promised you would never leave me. Thirty-five years ago, I looked you directly in the eye and heard, “I will never leave you,” as we stood next to the ocean. And now, like a thief in the night, you go. No last words, no promises, no tears.

As I look back at that moment, I can still feel your hand intertwined with mine, each finger between mine, like an oyster shut tight against the sea, protecting the treasure it carries inside. But the treasure was in my belly, full of love and expectations.

We walked like tourists along Pier 59, a place we came to think of as home. Wind in our faces and a carefree spirit in our hearts. Gently you stopped and pulled my hand so I would follow suit as you turned; I could see your eyes full of love and complete devotion. I felt I could stay in that moment forever. It was this feeling, this sublime happiness, that I did not want changed or challenged. That’s when I turned to you and looked into those blue eyes as I said aloud, “I don’t want this to change.”

Your face distorted into a concerned expression as you tried to reassure me. “It will be different when the baby arrives; it will be even better.”

“It’s not that. I’m excited about meeting the baby and having it with us.”

So you poked at the subject with concern on your face, as you asked, “Then what is it? What don’t you want to change?”

“Us,” I answered blithely, taking in a large whiff of air through my nose as a source of strength for what I was about to request of you. As I looked out to the sea right in front of us, I said, “I don’t want to forget this feeling. I want to always feel this love and peace between us.”

You gave me that dimply smile. “We will always have it. And when we don’t, we will have the direction in which we want to go.”

As a sea gull passed close to us, landing in the water with a tiny splash, I looked at you and finally said what had been on my mind, the deep seed of this conversation. “I don’t want to lose you.” Once again, your easy laugh, followed by an enveloping hug, while you gave me the grin I’d come to realize meant, You’re hormonal. “I’m serious. Just promise me…”

Buy Links:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

In my novel Twelve Houses, I tell the story of a widow who discovers that her life story is far from over. Amelia is a brave woman who struggles to find her true place in the world and at the same time to create a life that holds spiritual meaning and purpose. Though my first book, Borrowing My Mother’s Saints, was a comedy set in New York, I think both books describe a similar spiritual journey. I always consider the spiritual aspects of a character’s story as I write.
I love to hear from my readers in Amazon reviews and Facebook.

Connect With The Author:

Amazon Author Page

Facebook
Kirkus
Pinterest Under Olga Soaje

Giveaway:

The author is giving away three ebook copies of Twelve Houses. To enter, please leave a comment with a valid email address! Winners will be randomly selected at the end of the tour by the author. Follow the tour and enter at each stop to increase your chances of winning. Enter 3/10/14 – 3/24/14.

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

BOOK TOUR - Woman on Top - Deborah Schwartz -- Women's Fiction.

Publisher: Laudan Press (May 30, 2013)
Genres: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
Tour Dates: November 2013
Available in: Print & ebook, 346 pages

A Woman’s Struggle To Find Herself After Losing Everything She Believed Was Important.

We hear a great deal in the media about women who become victims of wealthy and powerful men. Like a breath of fresh air, the heroine in Deborah Schwartz’s inspiring book, Woman on Top, does escape becoming yet another casualty… literally…all the way to the top of a mountain!

New York, NY, September 4, 2013 - One has to wonder has anything changed since Nora slammed the door over a hundred years ago in Ibsen’s iconic play A Doll’s House? Deborah Schwartz made sure that they did in her timely novel, Woman on Top (Laudan Press). Like a breath of fresh air, the heroine in Deborah Schwartz’s inspiring book, Woman on Top shows the way things have changed…all the way to the top of a mountain!

Book Description:

Falling prey to Len, a very wealthy Wall Street banker who is hell-bent on acquiring her as his next deal, Kate struggles after the death of her husband to keep control amidst the detours of a tempestuous New York romance. As witness to a world of power and greed that life in New York offers to a vulnerable woman, can Kate ultimately rescue herself from the lure that is Len’s world?

Throughout this compelling story, which is inspired by actualevents from the author’s own life, Schwartz cleverly weaves self-empowering thoughts into her heroine’s exploits, making it less the ‘damsel in distress’ and more the infinitely successful ‘woman on top!’ In this amazing look at a woman’s journey to finding herself, readers will both laugh and cry as they relate to Kate and her decisions, emotions and experiences.

While following her quest for a reaffirmation of life and love, including a surprising adventure, Kate’s story touches on the unexpected pleasures and decisions we face throughout our lives. Readers who have dreamed of, or survived, a “Len” in their lives, will recognize themselves in Kate as she searchesto find what matters most in her new life. What does a 35 year-old woman who seems to have it all do when the rug is pulled out from under her? Kate’s struggle to find inner strength on her journey down a slippery slope with a Wall Street man leaves readers wondering and rooting for her to land as the ‘woman on top.’

Praise for Woman On Top:

“Every now and then you find a book that you have difficulty putting down. Last month, I had that experience with the novel Woman on Top, released May 30, 2013 by first time author Deborah Schwartz. Readers may snicker about the title assuming this is a poorly written shallow romance novel; however, quite the opposite is true. The title is a double entendre and refers to the empowerment of a woman.”- Kristin Meekhof, Huffington Post

“The reader will go through a range of emotions but will not want to put this book down since Woman on Top is inspirational, entertaining, and heartbreaking as Kate straddles two completely different worlds.”- Elise Cooper, Working Mother

“The writer Deborah Schwartz, in her novel “Woman on Top,” demonstrates her writing chops by the way she deftly shifts between two literary genres: romance and pathography. The language she uses and the tones she creates align with the chapters covering the stormy romance of the main character and the intense and ultimately tragic illness experience of the main character’s husband. In this way, the author makes the reader feel deep sympathy for the main character as the story concerns her husband’s plight, yet feel great frustration with the main character as the story concerns her romance. The author makes us wonder how someone who is so clear and soulful can also be so vulnerable and superficial. She’s probably telling us that we’re just stuck with these seemingly contradictory attributes and characteristics. We’re all capable of manifesting a range of behaviors that work against our self interests and that are determined by circumstances beyond our control. Thus, while Woman on Top tells the excruciatingly sad story of an untimely death and the story of a tempestuous romance with its own pathology, the novel has more to tell about us humans.”- JRT, Amazon Reviewer

“You know those great books that from the first sentence (and the cool cover art) grab your attention, and make you want to read it? Well, this is one of those. Settle in, and get ready for a great ride. Schwartz alternately made me laugh and cry out loud over and over in this funny, sad, sexy, entertaining novel. A psychotherapist, I found myself cheering for Kate, as she brings us with her on her journey , refusing to abandon her true self while rebuilding her life after tragedy. Schwartz also deftly paints a picture of the ups and downs of monied NY dating that makes us non-east coast people shake our heads in wonder in this absorbing and fun summer treat.”- littlesrink, Amazon Reviewer

“The most life-affirming book I’ve read all year! “Woman on Top” is a testament to all women who have overcome adversity (in life and in love) through strength of character and a sheer zest for living. After losing the love of her life, Kate finds herself in the arms of a powerful New York banker who prides himself on being able to give a woman everything she could want, and more. But can he? Schwartz’s book speaks to an essential ingredient for happiness–finding your inner strength. “Woman on Top” will make you laugh and cry and laugh and cry again. If you are in danger of losing faith in true love…or in yourself, read this book now!”- lilybrat, Amazon Reviewer

About Deborah Schwartz:

Born and raised in New York, Deborah Schwartz graduated from Tufts University and then obtained her Masters in History at Columbia University where she wrote a thesis on “Feminism in Eighteenth Century England.” She received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law. Today, Deborah’s passion is writing and she incorporated her achievement of having reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2011 into her debut novel. A New Yorker to the core, Deborah is most grateful to be the mother of her two grown children. For more information, please visit: www.deborahschwartz.net.

Deborah on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Deborah-Schwartz-Author/1376332242578553
Deborah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/schwartzd18
Deborah on Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7166782.Deborah_Schwartz

Buy Woman On Top:

Amazon

Follow the Tour: Some tours are offering a giveaway!