Friday, April 30, 2010

Savor the Moment by Noa Roberts


*** 3 stars
This is the third book in the Bride Quartet. I was very excited to see this book come in the mail as I pre-order many of the books or authors I enjoy reading. I was at the end of another book, and was ready to wrap it up so I could start on this book. What I really enjoy is the continuity in the books. There is a great bond between the four friends. They are all different yet compliment one another. The male characters are all real and likable. I really liked "Savor the Moment", I found it lacked the drama from the normal romantic lit, which I really liked as this is a quality you don't see often. It was the journey of a friendship into romance.

Book Jacket Summary:
Laurel McBane has always relied on her friends for support, especially when her dreams of attending culinary school was almost ruined by her parents' financial problems. Now Laurel is repaying the kindness of her friends by creating extravagantly luscious tiers of cakes and other confectionery delights that add the perfect touch to their clients' weddings.
As for romance, Laurel believes in it - in theory. But she's too low-key to appreciate all the luxuries that other women seem to long for. What she does appreciate is a strong, intelligent man, a man just like Parker's older brother, Delany Brown, on whom Laurel has had a mega crush on since childhood.
But some infatuations last longer than others and Laurel is convinced that the Ivy League lawyer is still out of her reach. Plus, Del is too protective of Laurel to ever cross the line with her, or so she thinks. When Laurel's quick-silver moods gets the better of her - leading to an angry, hot, altogether mind-blowing kiss with Del -she'll have to quiet the doubts in her mind to turn a moment of passion into forever.........

Books I have read and will eventually put up my thoughts on

These are all books that I have read in the past and still have, which means I have not loaned them out or traded them in. I am going to be blogging on all these and then new ones that I am reading currently. Some I will have to go back and reread to refresh my memory. If there are any that you want me to start on, please let me know. I will get to them eventually :) As I am enjoying many of the new books I have acquired. Spring and summer are some of the best months for book releases in this genre.



Cecelia Adhern
P.S I love you
There’s no place like here (hard back)
Love, Rosie
The book of tomorrow

Becky Anderson
In stereo Where Available

Susan Anderson
Be my Baby
All shook Up

Mary Kay Andrews
Hissy Fit

Catherine Alliott
The Wedding Day
Old Girl Network
A Married Man

Trisha Ashley
Every Woman for herself
Wedding Tiers
Sowing secrets
Singled out

Laura Baratz
The Think Pink line

Beverly Barton
The Dying game

Zoe Barnes
Hitched

Dan Begley

Ms. Taken Identity

Greg Behrendt & Liz Tucillo
He’s just not that into you

Deborah Blumenthal

Fat Chance
What men want

Sandra Brown
Crush (hardback)
Texas Lucky
Love Beyond Reason

Susan Buchanan
Everything that she thought she wanted

Byrd
Bon Appetit
Let them Eat Cake

Megan Cabot
The Boy Next Door

Meg Cabot

Queen of Babble
Queen of Babble in the Big City
Queen of Babble Gets Hitched
She went all the way
Boy Meets Girl

Debra Carbin
Three men and a maybe

Susanna Carr

Confessions of a Wicked Woman
Ex, Why, and me
Lip Lock
Bad Girl Bridesmaids

Ally Carter
Cheating at Solitare

Mary Carter
Accidentally Engaged

Marcy Cosper
Wedding Season

Eileen Cook
Unpredictable

Jennifer Colburn
Reinventing Mona

Jenny Colgan

Amanda’s Wedding
The boys I loved before
Looking For Andrew McCarthy
Diamonds are a girls Best Friend
Where have all the boys gone?
Johnny be good

Kim Corum
Heartbreaker

Jane Costello
Bridesmaids
Nearly Weds
My single friend

Megan Crane
Names my Sisters Call me

Caprice Crane

Forget about it

Jennifer Cruise
Manhunting (hardback)
Charlie all night long
Bet me
Strange Bedpersons
Getting Rid of Bradley
What the lady Wants
Don’t look DOwn
Crazy for you / Tell me lies
Fast Women
Faking it
Cinderella Pact

Lynda Curnyn

Confessions of an ex-girlffriend

Alexa Darin

Kisses don’t lie

Jill Davis
Girls Poker Night
Ask Again Later (hardback)

Kyra Davis
Sex Murder and Latte

Holly Denham

Holly’s Inbox
Holly’s Inbox- Scandal in the City

Susan Donovan

The girl most likely to
Knocks me off my feet
Take a chance on me
Kept Woman
Public Display of affection
He loves Lucy
Ain’t to proud to beg
The night she got Lucky

Johanna Edwards
The Next Big thing

Harriet Evans
A Hopeless Romantic
The love of her life
I remember you
Going home

Jodi Della Femina
By invitation only

Katie Fforde
Wedding Season
Sately Persuits
Bidding for love
Going Dutch
Artistic License

Suzanne Finnamore

Otherwise Engaged

Valerie Frankel
The Accidental Virgin

Paul Froelich
Mercury in Retrograde (hardback)

Mina Ford
My Fake Wedding

Lori Foster-
Truth or Dare
Say No to Joe?
Casey
Sawyer
Morgan
Gabe
Jordan
Murphy’s Law
Jamie
When Bruce met Cyn
Never too much
Fallen Angels
Unexpected
Impetuous
Too much temptation
Simon Says
Causing Havoc
Hard to Handle
My Man Michael
Just a Hint Clint
Secret Life of Bryan
Winston Brothers
Watson Brothers
Wild
Back in Black
Enticing-The Buckhorn Brothers
Caught in the Act
Caught- Taken
Say Yes
Heartbreakers- Treat her right
Mr. November
Tempted- Little miss Innocent
Annie get your guy
Messing around with Max
BGodyguard

Elaine Fox
Special of the Day

Jessica Fox

The One that Got away

Whitney Gaskell

Pushing 30
Good Luck
True Love and Other Lies
She Myslef and I

Jody Gehrman
Notes from the Backseat

Gigi Levangie
Grazer Maneater

Rachel Gibson
See Jane Score
Sex, Lies, and online dating
Daisy’s back in town
Tangled up in you
Not another bad date
Lola Carlyle Reveals it all
I’m in no mood for love
Truly Madly yours
Simply Irresistible
The trouble with Valentine’s Day
True love and other disasters
True Confessions
Nothing but trouble

Laurie Graff
You have to kiss a lot of frogs
Looking for Mr. Goodfrog

Jane Green
Mr. Maybe
Jemima J
The other woman

Kim Gruienenfelder
A total waste of Makeup
Misery Loves Cabernet

Beth Harbison
Hope in a Jar (hardback)
Shoe addicts annoymous
Secrets of a Shoe Addict

Robin Harding
A journal of Mortifying moments

Allison Penton
Harper Housewife in touble
Housewife down
Housewife Up
Housewife in love
Housewife on top

Melissa Hill
Never say Never
Please forgive me
Before I forget
All because of you
Not what you think
Something you should know
Wishful thinking
The last to know
Truth about you

Diane Hunt
Be sweet

Liz Ireland
Three Bedrooms In Chelsea
How I stole her husband

Lisa Jackson
Almost Dead
Fatal Burn
Final Scream
Wicked Game
Shiver

Lisa Jewell
Thirty Nothing
Ralph’s Party
Roommates wanted
Vince and Joy
The Truth about Melody Browne

Amy Jenkins
Honeymoon

Milly Johnon
The birds and Bees

Jessie Jones
Rubbish Boyfriends

Carrie Karasyov
The Infidelity Pact

Donna Kauffman

Wild Rain
The Big bad wolf tells all
The legend of McKinnon
Your wish is my command
Carried Away
The Royal Hunter
Her Secret Thrill
Against the Odds
Light My fire
His Private Pleasure
Bayou Heat
Dark Knight
Legend of the Sorcerer
Black Sheep and the English Rose
Sleeping with Beauty
Not so snow white
Catch me if you can
Dear Prince Charming
Bad Boys in Kilts
Cinderella Rules
Let me In
A great Kisser
Here comes trouble

Louise Kean

The Perfect Fit

Leslie Kelly
She drives me Crazy

Beth Kendrick
Fashionably Late
My Favorite Mistake
Exes and Ohs
The Pre-nup

Marian Keyes
Sushi for beginners
Watermelon
Rachel Holiday
Lucy Sullivan is getting married
Angels
This Charming Man
Anybody out there?
The other side of the story
Last Chance Salon
The brightest star in the sky

Sophia Kinsella
Remember me (hardback)
Shopaholic and Baby (hardback)
Undomesticated Goddess (hardback)
Twenties Girl

Alisa Kwitney

does she or doesn’t she?

Jen Lancaster
Such a pretty fat

Cynthia Langston
Bicoastal babe

Cathie Linz
Big Girls don’t cry
Mad, Bad and blonde

Cara Lockwood

Pink Slip Party

Whitney Lyles

Roommates
Here Comes the Bride
Always the Bridesmaid
First comes Love

Kate Mac Allister
Corset Diaries

Karen McCullah Lutz
The Bachelorette Party

Shelia OFlannagan

He’s got to go
The perfect man

Jennifer O’Connel

Bachelorette #1

Jenny McCarthy
Louder than words

Jill Mansell-
Miranda’s Big Mistake
Good at Games
Kiss
Fast Friends
An offer you can’t Refuse
Making up your mind
Sheer Mischief
The One you really want
Falling for you
Mixed Doubles
Nadia Knows best
Head over heels
Perfect timing
Two’s Company
Millie’s Fling
Rumor has it
Take a chance on me

Sue Margolis
Apocalipstick
Breakfast at Stephanie’s
Neurotica
Spin Cycle
Gucci Gucci Choo
Forget me knot

Wendy Markham
Slightly Single
Slightly Settled
Slightly Engaged
Slightly Married
Slightly Married
Slightly Suburban
Mike, Mike and Me
Once Upon and Blind Date
Bride needs Groom
The nine month plan
That’s Amore
Hello It’s me
If only in my Dreams
Love Suburban Style

Sarah Mason
Playing James
Party Season
Society Girls

Carole Mathews

For Better, For Worse
Let’s meet on Platform 8
A minor Indescretion
Bare Necessity
The Chocolate Lovers Club
The Chocolate Lovers Diet
That loving feeling

Anna Maxted
Getting over it
Running in Heels

Emma McLaughlin
The Nanny Diaries

Erin McCarthy

Heiress for Hire
Hard and Fast
You don’t know Jack
The Pregnancy Test
A date with the other side
Smart Mouth
Houston, we have a problem
Mouth to Mouth
Bad Boys online
The taking

Lorraine Duffy Merki
Fat Chick

Stephanie Meyer
Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse
Breaking Dawn

Sarah Mlynowski
Milkrun
Monkey business
Fishbowl

Jane Moore
Fourplay

Miriam Morrison
The Cinderella effect

Melissa Nathan
The nanny
The waitress
Acting up
The learning curve
Persuading Annie

Clare Naylor
Dog Handling

Elizabeth Noble Alphabet weekends

Jennifer O’Connel

Dress Rehersal
Bachelorette

Shelia Oflannagan
He’s got to go

Allison Pace
If Andy Warhol had a girlfriend

Liz Palmer
Seeing Me Naked
Conversations with a Fat Girl

Adele Parks
Game Over
Playing Away
Love Lies

James Patterson

Cat and Mouse
Quickie

Susan Elizabeth Phillips
What I did for love
Match me if you can

Carly Phillips-
Simply Sensual
Simply Sexy
Simply Sinful
Simply Scandalous
Solitary Man (karen Drogin)
Heartbreaker
Playboy
Under the Boardwalk
Bachelor
Hot Property
Hot item
Hot Stuff
Lucky Streak
The Right Choice (Karen Drogin)
Hot Number
Secret Fantasy
Lucky Charm
Body Heat
Cross My Heart
Secret Fantasy
Lucky break

Alexandra Potter

Me and Mr. Darcy
Calling Romeo
Be Careful what you wish for
Do you come here often?

Lindsay Faith Rech
Loosing it

Kerry Reichs
The Best Day of Someone Else’s Life

Christine Ridgway
Unravel me
The Thrill of it all
First comes love
Not another New Year’s
The care and feeding of unmarried men
An offer he can’t refuse
This perfect kiss
How to knit a Wild Bikini
Then Comes Marriage
DO not disturb
Wish you were here

Nora Roberts
Chesapeake Blue
Key of Valor
Key of Light
Key of knowledge
Born in Fire
Born in Ice
Born in shame
Tears of the moon
Heart of the sea
Jewels of the Sun
Dance Upon the Air
Heaven and Earth
Face the Fire
Blue Smoke
Blue Dehlia (hard back)
Honest Illusions
Donovan Legacy
Enchanted Evil
Red Lily
Blue Dahlia
Valley of silence
Black Rose
Morgan’s Crossing
Dance of the Gods
Divine Evil
Enchanted
Honest Illusions
Vision in White
The Donovan Legacy
Bed of roses
Savor the moment

Karen Rose
Scream For me

SaraLee Rosenberg
Fate and Ms. Fortune

Olivia Ryan
Tales from A hen weekend
Tales from a wedding day
Tales from a honeymoon Hotel

Allison Rushby
Friday night Cocktails

Kate Saunders
Bachelor Boys
The marrying game

Alice Sebold
Lovely Bones
Lucky

Robyn Sisman
Just Friends
Weekend in Paris

Marisa De Los Santos
Love walked in

Tori Spelling
Tori Spelling

Kelly St. John

To catch a cheat
Good Girls Don’t
Real Women don’t wear size 2
Flirting with temptation

Elodia Strain
Previously Engaged
Icing On the Cake

Libby Street

The accidental It girl
Happiness sold seperately

Sarah Strohmeyer
The Sleeping Beauty Proposal
The Cinderella Pact
Be Sweet
Penny Pinchers Club
Riccochet

Plum Sykes
Bergdorf Blondes

Amy Tan

The Joy Luck Club (bad shape)

Karen Templeton
Loose Screws

Paige Toon
Chasing Daisy
Johnny be good
Lucy in the sky

Gemma Townley
Little White lies
The Hopeless Romantic Handbook
When in Rome

Fiona Walker

Well Groomed

Sarah Webb
Always the Bridesmaid
Something to talk about
Three times a lady
Some kind of wonderful

Lauren Weisberger

Chasing Harry Winston

Jennifer Weiner
Goodnight Nobody
LittleEarthquakes
Good in Bed
Certain Girls
Best Friends forever

Madeline Wickham
Cocktails for three
Wedding Girl (hardback)
Wedding Girl
Sleeping Arrangements
The Tennis Party

Lori Wilde-
All of Me
License to Thrill
There goes the Bride
You only love twice
Saving Alleghany
Addicted to Love
Charmed and Dangerous
Sexy single and searching
Eager Eligible and Alaskan
Secret Seduction
My Secret Life
Mission Irresistible

Polly Williams

A Bad Brides Tale

Alisa Witney
Does she or Doesn’t she?

Laura Wolf
Diary of a mad Bride
Diary of a mad mom to be

Isabel Wolfe
Making Minty Malone
Behaving Badly
A question of Love
Trials of Tiffany Trott
A vintage affair
Forget me not
Resurecting Rose

Elizabeth Young
A girls Best Friend
A promising Man and about times too
Fair game

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Conversations with the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer


****4 stars
I really liked this book. It rang true for me on so many areas as a heavy set woman. At time I felt as though it were a manual to let me know, see someone else does that or feels that way. The real story was about friendship and the changes we go through and at some point of our life how a friendship changes, no matter how we wish it differently. I really liked this book and found it very moving!

Book Jacket Summary:
Maggie and Olivia have been best friends since they were in grade school. Both overweight, they befriended each other when no one else would. Now grown up, Maggie is still shopping in the euphemism-if-there-ever-was-one "women's section", while Olivia went and had gastic-bypass surgery in search of the elusive size 4, the holy grail for women everywhere. So now Olivia's thin and blond and getting married to a handsome surgeon, and Maggie's the fat bridesmaid, again, in charge of planning "The Shower: and keeping Olivia's secret: that she's really a fat girl in a thin body. Ain't life grand?

Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts


****4 stars
Just as good as the first. This is the second book in the Bride Quartet. I enjoyed it very much and was pulled in quickly. I was excited to see where the first book left off as to where the second book would begin. Great read if you are a wedding lit person or a romantic at heart. Had the feel of Girl falls for boy next door.

Book Jacket Summary:
Since she was a little girl, Emma Grant has always loved romance. So it's really no surprise that she has found her calling as a wedding florist. She gets to play with flowers every day and work with her three nest friends in the process. She couldn't as for a better job.
And on the surface, Emma's love fife seems to be thriving. Slim and sultry, she brings color into every room she enters, just like the arrangements that she creates. Men swarm around her, yet she still hasn't found Mr. Right. Ant the last place she's looking is right under her nose.
But that's just where Hack Cooke is. He's best friends with Parker's brother for years, which makes him practically family. the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship. And when Emma returns his passion-kiss for blistering kiss-things start to get complicated at Vows.
Jack has never been big on commitments. Emma yearns for a lifelong love affair. If the two are to find common ground, they must trust in their history- and their hearts.......

Vision in White by Nora Roberts


****4stars
I loved it! I love all of Nora Roberts trilogys or series. She builds a character that you don't want to let go and then has a second book which focuses on the secondary character but shows you your primary one and how he/she is getting along. It is perfect for those of you who are not ready for a book to end. My favorite trilogy, as to date, is The Sisters Island Trilogy. As I have told you before I am a total wedding chic lit fan, so this was right up my alley.

Book Jacket Summary:
After years of throwing make-believe weddings in the backyard, flowers, photography, deserts and details are what these women do best: a guaranteed perfect, beautiful day full of memories to last the rest of your life.
With bridal magazine covers to her credit, Mackensie "Mac" Elliot is most at home behind the camera-ready to capture the happy moments she never experienced while growing up. her father replaced his first family with a second, and now her mother, moving on to yet another man, begs Mac for attention and money. Mac's foundation is jostled again moments before an important wedding planning meeting when she bumps into the bride-to-be's brother....an encounter that has them both seeing stars.
Carter Maguire is definitely not her type: he's stable, and he's safe. He's even an English teacher at their high school alma mater. There's something about him that makes Mac think a casual fling is just what she needs to take her mind off dealing with bridezillas and screening her mother's phone calls. But a casual fling can turn into something more when you least expect it. And with the help of her three best friends-and business partners-Mac must learn how to make her own happy memories.

Please Forgive me by Melissa Hill


*****5 stars
I think that this is my favorite book by Melissa Hill. It kept me ins suspense with turns all throughout it. It was almost as though there were two plots unfolding at once. Leonie moves to San Francisco after leaving her fiance. She is ready to start again. Once settled into the apartment she finds old letters and feels that she must track down the parties as to set it right. I loved how Leonie thought and knew had it been myself, curiosity would have had me up many nights as well wanting to return the letter to the rightful owner. I don't think I would have held off on the temptation of reading as long as she had tho. I also adored the supporting characters in this book. In all it was a moving and wonderfully told story. I love all of Melissa Hills books and am always waiting for her next.

Book Jacket Summary:
Leonie was in love and engaged.
But now she had fled her beloved Dublin to start again-
somewhere no one knows her, or the secret she is running from....
Settling in her new apartment she happens upon a bundle of love letters, all written by a man called Nathan to an unknown woman, and all intriguingly ending with the same three words "Please forgive me".
Moved by Nathan's heartfelt words, Leonie sets out to uncover the mystery behind the couple and what went wrong between them.
If she can reunite the letters with their rightful owner, might the love of Nathan's life find it in her heart to forgive him?
And along the way, can Leonie resolve a few forgiveness issues of her own?

A vintage Affair by Isabel Wolfe


***3 stars
This book took me a little more time to get into. I am not sure why, but once I had gotten a couple chapters along, it really pulled me in. It is an endearing story which keeps you guessing as to what exactly Phoebe is hiding. I won't go into detail as to ruin the story for you. It had great description of the beautiful vintage clothing and although I am not up to date of that sort of thing, found myself interested anyway. I really love one quote in the book about how you don't find a dress, but it finds you. Definite pleasure as I have found with many of the Wolfe books I have read.

Book Jacket Summary:
Every dress has a history and so does Phoebe....
Phoebe Swift always dreamt of opening her own vintage dress shop. She imagined every detail, from the Vivienne Westwood skirts handing next to sating gowns, to sequined prom dresses adorning the walls.
At the launch of Village Vintage, Phoebe feels the tingle of excitement as customers snap up the fairytale dresses. Her dream has come true, but a secret from her past is casting a shadow over her new venture.
Then one day she meets Therese, an elderly Frenchwoman with a collection to sell, apart from one piece that she won't part with....
As Therese tells the story of the little blue coat, Phoebe becomes aware of a profound connection with her own life, one that will help her heal the pain of her past and allow her to love again.

Learning Curves by Melissa Nathan


****4 stars
As I am sure you have seen I am big fan of Melissa Nathan. This book was no different. I hated having to put it down to work or do chores around the house. It pulled me in instantly and had me in a trans as I read. I love her characters and the depth that she gives them. Nicky Hobbs, the main character, a school teacher at a primary private school, is on the fast track but torn with the question many women face, whether she is putting too much energy into work and will she have enough to build a family, and when will that day come. She was not my favorite character by Melissa Hill as she didn't seem to trust herself. There were numerous other characters as well that kept the book flowing including the triangle of love interests. Toward the end of the book I was racing to find out what was gonna happen, but hated for it to end. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend.

Book Jacket Summary:
Nicky Hobbs loves teaching at the local primary school. She's idolized by her class-in particular ten-year-old Oscar Samuels-but she's starting to find she'd quite like some adult adoration for a change....
Mark Sammuels is a frazzled single father working all the hours God gives to provide for his beloved son, Oscar. But he's unable to see that Oscar would prefer his presence to his presents once in a while.....
Ms Hobbs knows Mr. Samuels is a heartless workaholic. Mr. samuels is certain Miss Hobbs is an interfering busybody. But when they finally meet they start to discover that first impressions can be deceptive. And perhaps they've both got a bit of learning to do.

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

** 2 stars
I don't have the book as I loaned this one out, so no pic, sorry.
I have to admit this isn't one of my normal reads, but at times feel I want to change genre and read something different. I read this book in excitement for the movie and was pulled into it. It was wonderfully told. I think my problem was how sad the content was and that I felt there was no real closure or uplifting moment. When I came away from the book which I read very quickly as hoping to see some resolution or endearing hopeful moment, I was left feeling sad. I guess for me reading is an escape a chance to travel or dream or have a quiet laugh, while having some time to myself. I think that if you are looking for a book that will move you and is a different plot line than you are used to then you may find this enjoyable. For me I have chosen to go back to the romantic suspense and chick lit genre. I am sorry if this has offended.
I would like to say, that I watched the movie and was in awe of the visuals for the movie but found it very slow paced. My husband and I both agreed that it dragged in parts, but was true to the book.


Book Jacket Summary:
Susie Salmon was raped and murdered in 1973, and, from her perch in heaven, she tells the story of what happened to her, watches her family back on earth as they go about their grief-stricken lives, and describes what it's like to be a kid in heaven. Alice Sebold's novel, which draws on some of her own experiences, became a runaway best-seller as soon as it was published. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002.

Friday, April 23, 2010

My single Friend by Jane Costello


**** 4stars
I love this author. I really enjoy her easy style. Her books always pull me right in and "My Single Friend" was no different. This book is written in the style of why I love chick lit. It is like sitting down with your girlfriends and having a quiet evening in. The character Lucy is full of flaws but still likable. After the first few chapters you understand where the story is going but enjoy the ride anyway. My only complaint would be, as I was reading this book, I couldn't help but feel as though I have read it before. I have a HUGE collection of books and have traded and gotten rid of many over time. I still kept reading as I figured it pulled me in enough for me to want to reread it. After some surfing, I found that this was her newest release and I hadn't read it before. It's plot is so like "girl falls for boy next door" that it gave me the impression I had read previously. I still suggest it as a must read. It has great laughs and suspense to keep you turning the pages and smiling when finished.

Book Jacket Summary:
At 28, Lucy is doing well for herself. She's got a great job in PR, her boss loves her, and her best girlfriends Dominique and Erin think she's great. More important than anyone's opinion is that of her flatmate, and oldest friend in the world, Henry. For twenty years they've been inseparable: beauty and the geek. Henry thinks the world of Lucy. So why does she feel the need to lie outrageously on dates? From rock-climbing to Chekov: when it comes to prospective boyfriends, Lucy is compelled to embellish her C.V. with unlikely porkies that always backfire - with hilarious results. Henry can't understand it. Lucy is so loveable: why can't she just be herself? But when Lucy turns the spotlight on Henry, he wishes he'd never brought it up. With a penchant for jumpers and NHS-style specs, Lucy decides that Henry is in need of a makeover - big time. Enlisting the help of Dom and Erin, it's not long before the girls have Henry out of the flat, and into the Topman changing rooms. A new haircut, contact lenses, a flirting master-class from Dom ...poor Henry doesn't know what's hit him. But nothing can prepare them for the surprise results! Before long, Lucy realises that their lives will never be the same again.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Eatern Promises By Jessica Fox


**2 stars
This is the second book of a five book installment about a bunch of friends and family that went to a hen night and were given a reading by a psychic. The first book, "The One that Got Away" I remember being much better than this one. I did enjoy this book. It may have been that I was anticipating this one coming out and may have been overly enthusiastic. It was entertaining and I enjoyed the many colorful characters. I am not sure where the hitch was for me. I am still looking forward to the third book in this installment.

Book Jacket Summary:
EASTERN PROMISE is the second novel in this addictive new series, THE HEN NIGHT PROPHECIES, following the fortunes of five different girls, each given their own puzzling prophecy at a friend's hen night...

Priya's prophecy, 'In love, mother knows best...' does not fit her fiercely independent, successful world. She's fed up of her disapproving Hindu family's constant meddling in her love-life. Distrusful of men ever since her betrayal by boss and ex-boyfriend Vic, she throws herself into work. When her new assignment leads her to India to document an ashram high in the hills, Priya hopes to find some much-needed serenity. But with mystery and secrets at its heart, she's soon convinced something sinister is afoot. And with her feelings for attractive tour guide Noah complicating things further, Priya can't help but wonder: is Noah really interested in her, or is he trying to distract her from finding out the truth?

Monday, April 19, 2010

Hit Reply by Rocki St. Claire


**** 4 stars
I really enjoyed this book. It is made of emails and im's. I have read books like this before and really like them. They are quick reads. I think my only downfall with them is that there isn't more depth. I think that Hit Reply has more depth than others I have read though. We as readers are given an insight through the author usually, in the email and im's style writting you usually aren't given that. St. Claire gives us that through emails of innermost thought that the character usually deletes and decides not to send. It gives you an idea as to where the characters true feelings and thoughts are heading. It is a nice change. I also thought that the subject material in this wasn't as light, which made as a nice change. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found myself taking it everywhere for the 48 hours I was reading it, hoping for a moment to indulge myself.

Book jacket summary:
What's worse than spam, more dangerous than cyber sex, and scarier than getting a computer virus? An instant message from the guy who got away.....
Grayscale: amber fleece? is that you?
foreveramber: OMG. Am I dreaming?
What happens when a harmless Google changes to rekindled love? Someone has to draw the line between adulty and e-dultry....
to:wonderwoman
from: tmark
I think of you eveyr time I pass the video closet at work.....
remember?
to: tmark
from: wonderwoman
Sorry, Tom, I've gone down the mommy track and not even you can derail me. (I hope)
Hit Reply is what happens when female friends turn to former lovers-and each other-to find fulfillment.
foreveramber: I'm 28, in advertising, single, and you know what I need the most>
wonderwoman: You need the strength of character to survive corporate politics, the confidence to believe in your inner beauty, and a trip to the Borghese counter.
foreveramber: I need a guy who looks like Brad Pitt

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Stately Persuits by Katie Fforde


*** 3 stars
I liked this book. It was solid as I have noticed many of Katie Fforde books are. She has a way of drawing you in and being lost in her book, which I really enjoy. This book was not my favorite by her but still an entertaining read. The main character, Hetty, begins out as a broken woman and finds that she is made of stronger stuff. It is always good to see your heroine grow and really like her as a character as well. The leading male character was very believable, as a normal person with many faults, instead of the normal gorgeous prince out to rescue the heroine. I also loved how many people come to her aide in this book, it gives you a sense of community, which you don't see often. I am looking forward to my next Fforde book to have a great escape.

Book Jacket Summary:
"You're not doing very much at the moment, Darling. I don't suppose you'd care to house-it for a while?"
Thus begins the irresistible story of two fixer-uppers- an old housse and a young woman-and their efforts to recapture their true luster.
When Hetty Longden, freshly dumped and broken-hearted, agrees to look after her great-uncle's long-abandoned mansion in the British countryside, she's at something of a lifetime low. With no job, no lover, no prospects, and no particular talent for resuscitating crumbling estates, she hopes for nothing more than some good old-fashioned escape. What she finds includes a cast of quirky and ever-present neighbors, a couples of SNAGS(Sensitive New Age Guys), some very humorless bank officials, two disarming little canines, one gracious, dilapidated, romantic old house, and, just maybe, enough elbow grease to polish everything up again.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Recipe for Disaster by Miriam Morrison


**** 4 stars
I really liked this book. It was the first book I have read by Miram Morrison. It was a good quick read. It was a definite chick lit genre, but had the twist of food involved. I found myself very interested in her take of the inner workings of a restaurant and found it highly amusing. I am a total foodie so I ate this book up pretty easily. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Book Jacket Summary:
A funny and warm-hearted tale of kitchen disasters, domestic calamities and love against all odds. Jake Goldman and Harry Hunter have been deadly rivals all through culinary school. Now at the top of their game, fate throws them back together again when they open their first restaurants in the small town of Easedale, just a few hundred yards from each other. Sharp knives and heavy pans at the ready, they start cooking up a storm to entice the locals their way.Kate Walker has just lost her boyfriend and is about to lose her job at the local paper. Her only hope of salvaging her career is a down-and-dirty, tell-all feature about the seedy underbelly of the restaurant business. When one of Jake's waitresses deserts him to join the dark (i.e. Harry's) side, Kate applies for the job, hoping the undercover investigation will get her all she needs to sort out her dead-end job - and maybe even her no-hope love life! Little does she know, when she follows the alluring smells into Jake's kitchen, that she is in for a major surprise...

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Bidding for Love by Katie Fforde


****4 stars
I loved this book and think that I have found a new author that I think I will try and read all of her works. I have read one previous book by her and really liked it as well. Her books flow and have such depth. The characters are all so real that you feel you really can relate to them or know someone like them. I didn't want to put this read down. I really loved the main character, Flora, in the beginning she is thought to be a dumb blonde, but is able to show them that appearances are merely surface deep. I look forward to my next book by Fforde.

Book Jackets Summary:
When Flora Stanza's uncle dies unexpectedly, leaving her a 51 percent share in the family antiques business, it gives her the perfect chance to leave her glamorous but less than happy London Life for the quieter life of the country. Unfortunately, her cousin Charles and his fiance Annabelle don't seem pleased to find Flora and her very pregnant cat on their doorstep.
Flora knows almost nothing about antiques, but with her London apartment rented out, her cat about to burst with kittens, and a mysterious man warning her about Annabelle, Flora has little choice but to accept her cousin's offer to stay in their abandoned holiday cottage, miles from anything remotely like what Flora considers civilization.
Soon, though, Flora is fighting off dinner invitations from the devastatingly handsome Henry and hiding her eco-friendly ledger, William. Could it be that country life isn't so dull after all?

Society Girls by Sarah Mason


** 2 stars
This book was hard for me to get through. I keep looking at the page number to see how far I was in to see if it was far enough to see if it was going to grip me or not. I did finish it and it was ok. I don't feel I wasted time on it, but am not won over by it. I think that alot of it had to do with the Character Clemmie. She just didn't have any real depth for me. I know that alot of chick lit has very self absorbed characters and you tend to relate to some of their flaws and look forward to their goal. I just felt empty when finishing this book. I love to finish a book with the bare minimum of a smile. There were some cute sub-plots going and although you are able to see a couple of the hidden agendas early on, it did have some funny moments with her families pets.

Book Jacket Summary:
Clemmie Colshannon, a London art appraiser framed (pun intended)by her boyfriend and subsequently fired, retreats to the bosom of her eccentric family in Cornwall to recover. But no sooner has she unpacked her bags than her sister, Holly, an energetic reporter who lives to scoop, enlists Clemmie's derring-do on a juicy story.
It seems that Emma McKellan, who writes the society pages for the Bristol Gazette, has disappeared days before her lavish wedding. As Holly and Clemmie search for clues on the missing bride (relishing the prospect of delicious scandal), they inadvertently steer themselves directly toward trouble.
In times of crisis, the Colshannon clan is always in the thick of things-particularly Clemmie's drama-queen mother, who has an affinity for saving wild animals, and her brother, who goes to outrageous extremes to impress a certain girl and succeeds only in terrifying her. Whether she likes it or not, Clemmie always seems to find herself in the throes of adventure. And sure enough, the whole family is soon fleeting to the south of France...with an ex-convict in hot pursuit.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Fair Game by Liz Young


***** 5 stars
I love this author. The first book of Chick lit I ever read was "Asking for Trouble" by Liz Young and I was hooked. I was so excited to finally get a chance to read this book and it was all that I had hoped for. Harriet Grey is the main character, but there are so many other characters that you are pulled right in and never want to stop. I really loved Harriets' sarcasm and the way she wrestles with herself. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was sad to see it end. It is memorable and leaves you with a smile. Same goes for "Asking for Trouble". It has been years and I still can recall it clearly, which is hard to do, considering how many books I have read since.

Book Jacket Summary:
Up to her eyes with her friends' dramas, Harriet Grey has no time for her own. Let alone getting entangled with John Mackenzie. he might be the most gorgeous man she's met for ages. But he's entangled with someone else. Nina.
Glamorous Nina wasn't exactly Harriet's best friend at school but Harriet has principles. Still, surely one innocent little drink wouldn't hurt? Her friends aren't so sure.