Saturday, November 30, 2013

This Reckless and Unreasonable Love by Kaley J. Higgins Book Blitz


This Reckless & Unreasonable Love
By- Kayley J. Higgins
Published By- SideStreet Cookie Publishing

Esmeralda Grant, or Esme as her friends know her, has spent all of high school waiting to get out of her house and live with her boyfriend Peter Campbell. Away from her drug addict mother and her abusive alcoholic boyfriend. Away from the hopeless life she’s lead. Then her world suddenly changes.  
Esme and Peter go see a local band play one Saturday night and the last song they play changes her. The band sings about Someone Who loves her, no matter what she’s done, and Who will always love her.  

As she learns more, she changes and so does everything and everyone around her. She loses friends and gains new ones. She begins to really care for herself and the life growing in her body. Her life is turned upside down but the new Constant in her life pushes her to become the woman she was designed to be. She holds on to the only thing pulling her out of the darkness, into the light: This Reckless & Unreasonable Love.


Clutch (Custom Culture #2) by Tess Oliver with Excerpt & Review


Clutch by Tess Oliver
Released: 5th November 2013

Synopsis:

When Taylor Flinn’s parents shipped her off to an aunt for her last year of high school, James “Clutch” Mason had convinced himself it was for the best. Taylor, the wild, impulsive and far-too-appealing seventeen-year-old had been driving him nuts. Her school girl crush on him had been the last thing he needed. Now he had time to concentrate on his booming classic car part business, his new found love-- drag racing, and keeping his twenty-year-old brother Barrett out of trouble. But when Taylor returns from her aunt’s more grown up, utterly seductive, and attached to another guy, Clutch realizes that the only thing he ever needed or wanted was Taylor Flinn.  

Teaser:

She came around the corner, unexpectedly and like a hurricane of stars. My mind went completely blank. I hung up and stuck the phone in my pocket.
Taylor’s long lashes curtained her smooth cheeks as she dropped her gaze.
The adrenaline rush left behind from getting my hands on a sixty-five Shelby morphed into an explosion of every emotion I’d ever felt. I lunged forward and grabbed her hand. She gasped as I dragged her around the back of the building. I pressed her up against the bricks and stared down at her.

My Review: 4 1/2 stars
This was a good story. I liked it because of the characters. I could understand where they were coming from and why they did most of the things they did.  I've always like muscle cars and have been around shops, so I'm familiar with the background of Clutch's work. Things are always complicated between Taylor and Clutch, in this case a little too complicated at times. But Clutch is a good guy. It's not his fault that he towers over everyone and that he's naturally intimidating to everyone or that he looks like a Nordic God. Taylor is young, but she's learning. She knows in her heart that she and Clutch belong together, she just wonders why no one else, including Clutch can see that. And that's where she's so wrong. He liked her too much when she was way too young, and now that she's back and an adult he wants her even more than before.I liked the fact that Clutch waited for Taylor. She was young and he was a few years older, but sometimes you just know when you meet your other half. The situation gets more complicated than before once they reach an understanding between themselves. There's a huge misunderstanding and that changes things for a lot of people. Clutch goes to great lengths to find Taylor to fix another misunderstanding that got way out of hand. Taylor is impulsive and she jumps into situations without looking, but she soon realises that Clutch will always be there for her - in every way that he can. Tess did a fantastic job with this book. I think it's a winner. I had to figure a few things out because I hadn't read the first book, but managed. I'm looking forward to more in this series to see where the characters go and what happens to them. 

Author Bio:

Tess Oliver is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of Freefall (Custom Culture, #1). She is also a full time teacher and lives in California with her husband, two kids, and a pack of pampered pets. She loves horses, chocolate, and Jane Austen books. She has a BS in Nutrition Science and a MA in Curriculum and Instruction.
 

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tessoliverauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tess_Oliver
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4178161.Tess_Oliver
Email: toliverbooks@gmail.com Blog: http://tessoliverauthor.blogspot.com/
Website: http://tessoliver.com/

Giveaway:

Tess is giving away two $10 Amazon Gift Cards
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

  Clutch Blog Tour Image

Songbird by Lisa Edward with Excerpt & Review




Blurb
Every relationship changes you, some for the better, others can shatter your confidence and almost destroy you.
For the musically talented, twenty-four year old Tara O’Connell, her relationship with Stephen almost broke her, until Tara found the strength to leave.
Now she is on the road to discovering that it is never too late to pursue your dreams and follow your heart.
As Tara’s self-belief grows, she meets two men she is instantly drawn to who will change her life forever.
Corporal Riley Hammond is a soldier in the Australian Military Special Forces. With his smiling sapphire blue eyes, Tara falls for him instantly. He is thoughtful and caring, and gives her the support and love she needs.
While Cole Michaels is the overconfident singer in a popular local band. His charisma, emerald green eyes, tattoos and piercing, have girls falling at his feet. But while Cole pushes Tara’s buttons, he also pushes her to reach for the stars.
Both men couldn’t be more polar opposites, but both offer Tara different qualities that she needs to fulfil her destiny.

As Tara continues her journey, she will discover fate can offer you more than one path. Her fate is in her own hands, and the choices she makes, will shape her life forever.

Excerpt: Cole’s tattoos
I helped bus the tables as I was pretty useless at pulling beers. I had lost track of time when I felt my phone buzz in my skirt pocket. I raced into the back room and just managed to answer the call in time. It was Riley and my heart melted at the sound of his voice.
“Where are you?” he asked, obviously able to hear the band playing in the background.
I told him excitedly about catching up with Jay and lining up the band to meet Marcus, and how I was now bussing tables at the bar. For some reason I felt the need to avoid mentioning Cole. But Riley could hear him singing in the background and commented on his voice.
“Ah, yep he does have a great voice,” I said, feeling guilty when I hadn’t done anything to feel guilty about.
Then I changed the subject and asked Riley what he had been up to. We had only been speaking for about fifteen minutes when the band stopped for a break, and then the door opened and Cole was standing there.
He could see I was on the phone but didn’t seem to care, as he came in and pulled off his sweat soaked t-shirt, before rummaging in a bag and pulling out a clean one.
I looked at his shirtless body in awe. Not only did he have the full sleeve of tattoos up his left arm, but he had angel wings, or was that eagle wings across his shoulder blades.
He turned around to face me and saw me looking at him, so stood still and cockily held his arms out to the sides so I could get a good look, watching my expression.
I couldn’t help it, I exhaled loudly at the sight of his ripped body.
Finally, I managed to tear my eyes away from his amazing body and turn my back to him. I heard him chuckle softly. Then realising that the bar would be busy with people buying drinks now that the band was on a break, I reluctantly told Riley I would have to go.
“I’ll see you in a week,” Riley said as he was getting ready to hang up. “I miss you babe, I think about you all the time.”
“I miss you too,” I said quietly into the phone. “I love you. See you next week.”
“I love you too.” Then he was gone.
“Hmm, I take it that wasn’t your mum,” Cole said. “Boyfriend not around at the moment?” he asked with a smirk.
“He’s in the army, based in Sydney,” I replied as I headed for the door.
“Must get lonely,” he said with a glint in his eye as he pulled his clean shirt on over his head.


My Review: 5 stars
This book was just amazing. Lisa carefully crafted the characters so you knew them well. Lisa has just come out of a really bad relationship when she meets Riley. They are instantly attracted to the other, and move forward quickly in their relationship. Riley is sexy, confidant, so good for Tara's ego when she needs it, sweet and caring. Cole, is someone that Tara actually meets and is attracted to before she meets Riley, she just doesn't know how much until they actually do meet. Cole is arrogant, a rock and roll singer with charisma to spare, he's loud, and sometimes obnoxious; but that's what he shows you. 
This is a complicated story about love of all kinds, friendship, trust and just so much more. This is also a story about being in a long distance relationship, and what it takes to keep that going. Those are difficult enough, but when the distance is immediate and you don't really know the person that well - it just makes things harder for all involved. I loved Tara's friends for being there for her. I know it had to be difficult to watch Tara fall apart, especially when the breach of trust happened. That's when Cole stepped in and took care of Tara - as a friend, because that's what she wanted. 
But I can tell you now, things are only going to get more complicated. But I'm really looking forward to finding out what fate throws Tara's way. I really want to know everything about these characters. I had started off thinking that there would be no way that anything could come between Tara and Riley once they made the decision to move forward with their relationship. However, the more I read about Cole, the more I want to know.  I know from reading this, that there is far more to Cole than he lets everyone else see, but he let Tara see a side of him that I'm guessing not many get to see. I want to see more of that side of him!! The end of the book left me with so many questions, because there was a cliffhanger of a sort. This was definitely an excellent read, well worth the time. I can't wait to read the second and third books to find out what happens with them all. I really loved this book, and I'm finding that I really have a thing for Australian authors. I seem to love what they write!! 

Author Bio:
While Lisa Edward has called Melbourne Australia home for her entire life, she has lived and worked in England, and travelled through most parts of Europe and the United States. She loves nothing more than spending time with her husband and beautiful daughter, or curling up into the early hours of the morning with a great novel. By day, Lisa works in the analytical IT field, so relishes the opportunity to foster her creative side through writing. Her deep appreciation for literature was nurtured from a young age, being taught to respect books and get lost in their stories. She enjoys reading honest and realistic novels that are relatable, thought provoking and leave a lasting impression. She can’t write without music playing, using the emotions from different songs to invoke that of her characters. Lisa takes inspiration from her own life experiences, the people around her and those she has met in her travels.

Author Links:

Storm (Book One, Storm MC Series) by Nina Levine with Giveaway, Excerpt & Review





Release Date: 26th November 2013

Synopsis

Life can be a bitch but love can get you through any storm.

Madison Cole’s family is the Storm Motorcycle Club. Her father is the President and her brother is the VP. She grew up surrounded by bikers, crime and violence. Two years ago she walked away from her family and the world they live in. Her soul was shattered, her heart was broken and she had an addiction she couldn't shake. She picked up the pieces and put herself back together. Now her family wants her back. The club is being threatened and they send a club member to return her home to safety; the one person that could destroy everything she has worked so hard to build.

Jason Reilly has sacrificed a lot for the motorcycle club he calls family. Two years ago he made the biggest sacrifice of all; he gave up the woman he loved for them. Now he is being sent to bring her back and he is conflicted. He thought he was over her but discovers their connection is as strong as ever. Their love was all-consuming, passionate and fiery. It was also their undoing and he doesn't know if either of them is strong enough to battle the demons that ripped them apart, to find love again. 

Madison and Jason are brought back together by a force out of their control; one that pushes them to a breaking point. Can they overcome their past and discover a love worth fighting for or will the harsh reality of their world finally and completely break them both?


Buy Links:

Excerpt

I grabbed my purse and headed outside to go and buy lunch.  J was on the phone, but saw me come outside and signalled for me to wait.
“I’m going to buy lunch, J.  And I only get an hour so I don’t have time to wait for you,” I said, tersely.  He kept talking and scowled at me.  I turned and started to walk away from him, towards the cafe where I always bought lunch.
I could hear him muttering something into the phone and then he must have ended his call because he went silent.  Then, he barked, “Madison!”
The last thing I wanted to do was stop for him, but there was something in his tone; a ‘don’t fuck with me’ command.  So I stopped, and turned around to look at him.  Oh, my.  He was shitty. 
He stalked to where I was and got in my face.  “Why the fuck do you have to be so difficult about this?” He was fuming.
Well, I could see him, and raise him in his anger.  “Maybe it has something to do with the way Scott has gone about this.  And the fact that he sent you!”
He flinched.  It was only for a second, and most people wouldn’t have even noticed it.  But I knew J, and I saw it.  It surprised the fuck out of me.  “Well then, it looks like we’ve got some shit to sort out, babe, because I’m not going anywhere.”
“I don’t want to sort shit out with you.  That ship sailed two fucking years ago, J,” I spat.
He gripped my arm, pulling me closer, “No, it fucking didn’t,” he growled, eyes blazing, “And you can’t deny there’s still something here.  I feel it and I know you feel it too.”
I laughed.  No, actually, I cackled.  “You wanna fuck, J?  I can feel that, and, yeah, if you wanna go there, I’m all for it.  But don’t mistake my desire for your cock for anything else.”




About the Author

Nina Levine is an Aussie writer who writes stories about hot, alpha men and the tough, independent women they love. You won't find any whiny, spineless women in Nina's books and you certainly won't find weak men. 

A warning though, you will find hot, dirty sex, lots of swearing, occasional violent encounters and men and women who live fast and love hard.

Nina's debut book Storm will be releasing in November 2013. It is based around the Storm Motorcycle Club and is the first book in an MC series.

Connect with Nina:  Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

My Review: 5 stars
What an excellent intro to the Storm MC. I really liked Madison and how she learned to stand up for herself in every way. I liked that J came for her after so many years and that they worked their differences out. I'm not giving anything away, but the end of this nearly wrecked me. I was not expecting it to be like that, but I am glad it ended the way it did. Club life is NOT for the faint of heart. You must be willing to give it your all and take orders, kind of like the military, except you're actually encouraged to have ink. I thought that Nina did a fantastic job of depicting Club life. I can only look forward to reading more about this interesting Club, and the characters that make it up and surround them. 

GIVEAWAY

Captured Lies by Maggie Thom with Giveaway, Character Bios, Writing Playlist & Excerpt



Book Info-
Title- Captured Lies
By Maggie Thom
Publication Date- October 17th, 2012

Blurb-
She was kidnapped not once but twice and now someone wants her dead because of it....
Her life was a lie!
Bailey knew her upbringing wasn’t normal but she’s worked hard to stabilize her life. At 29, she finally has a good business, a stable home; her life is miles from that of her childhood. Then suddenly her mother dies, leaving a gaping hole and a discovery that they may not even be related. If Guy, the private investigator is to be believed, her life is a lie. Using the skills she learned on the streets, Bailey travels back through a sketchy and dangerous past, to find answers. Dodging bullets, staying ahead of those who want her dead and convincing Guy she can do it alone, are making it difficult to discover not only the secrets of her mother’s past but that of a family claiming she is theirs.
Everyone seems to have a story... but who’s telling the truth? And who wants her dead? Is Guy part of the solution? Or part of the problem? To discover the facts, she’ll have to untangle a web of deceit, lies, and secrets, dating back over thirty years.

Links-
Sony Ereader store: http://bit.ly/WTuA9o
  

A short history/bio on each of the main characters:

Bailey is twenty nine and feels like she’s just getting her life on track. She has her own Interior Decorating business and she has lived in the same place for five years, a record for her. Her life has been anything but typical. She was raised by a single mom and moved frequently - sometimes during the day and sometimes at night. They lived in the seediest places and sometimes on the street. She never really had any friends, well at least not past grade two or three when they had managed to stay one place for long enough for her to make a friend. But then they moved suddenly and she never got to see her friend again. So she learned to be self-reliant and to look after herself. So when she’s told her life is a lie, she plans on getting answers... on her own.

Guy has gone into business with a partner and started Knight’s Associates, which is a private investigative business, mostly solving cyber crimes. He was trained to be a police officer and lasted a little over a year but soon realized he wasn’t cut out for it. He was raised by his step-grandmother who saved him from a life of foster homes at the age of nine after his mom died and his real grandmother decided to create a scandal and use him as a means for blackmail. Guy knows how lucky he has been to have been taken in not only by such a wonderful woman but a wealthy one. He never wanted for anything but he also never took advantage of it either. So when she asks him to find her granddaughter who had been kidnapped as a baby, he can’t say no.

Can you share the playlist you listened to when you wrote ‘Captured Lies’ ?
I love listening to music while I write. These are some of the songs I listened to while I wrote Captured Lies.

Haven’t Met You Yet by Michael Buble
How you Remind Me by Nickelback
Viva La Vida by Cold Play
Only Girl in the World by Rihanna
From this Moment On by Shania Twain and Bryan White
Firework by Katy Perry
I will Always Love You by Whitney Houston
Son of a Son of a Sailor by Jimmy Buffet
River Driver by Great Big Sea
Sea of No Cares by Great Big Sea
About The Author-

Maggie Thom took the challenge and leapt off, leaving a full time twenty year career in management, to write full time. After her initial panic that she might need a straight jacket, she published her first book Captured Lies, October 2012. And now is excited to release her second novel, Tainted Waters, April, 2013. Her third book, Deceitful Truths (sequel to Captured Lies) available fall of 2013. An avid reader and writer her whole life, she decided to break the monotony of wishing to be an author by making it happen. Married to her best friend, she is learning that humor, love and patience help her navigate her way through her twins’ teen years.
Her motto: Escape to read and Read to escape. "Maggie Thom writes a fast paced thriller laced with romance that keeps the reader interested and on edge!" InDtale Magazine

Author Links-


Friday, November 29, 2013

Perfectly Able by Suzannah Daniels Release Day Blitz with Giveaway


SYNOPSIS:
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TAKE A GUY WHO IS AFRAID OF FAILURE...

Ridge Sutherland has his life planned to a tee. Now that he's graduated from college and gotten a job as an engineer, he plans to escape to a week of blissful solitude in the Tennessee mountains to train for his next goal: complete a triathlon...but that was before he realized that his meddling, little sister and her matchmaking friend had other ideas.

...AND A GIRL WHO IS STRUGGLING TO FIND HERSELF...

Ava Nottingham knows all about challenges. Life has thrown her an unexpected one. If she’s learned anything in the last five years, it’s to live every moment to its fullest. But that was before life knocked her to her knees once again. Now, she just needs some time to pull herself together. When she finds herself sharing a cabin with a handsome stranger, she must choose between facing her insecurities and admitting defeat.

...AND TEACH THEM THAT SOMETIMES THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE TOTALLY UNEXPECTED.

Ridge has no time in his schedule for a serious relationship, and the last thing Ava needs is a man who will break her heart. Will their growing attraction demand more than they can give, or are they both perfectly able?


Author Bio:
Suzannah Daniels has had an affinity for words for as long as she can remember. She grew up in North Georgia with four brothers, so she learned at an early age to admire snakes and motorcycles. When she wasn't pestering her brothers, she could usually be found reading or writing.

She has an Associates Degree in Electrical Engineering, but her passion is writing.

She is the author of Viking's Embrace, a historical romance, and Ghostly Encounter, Book One of her Ghostly series (young adult paranormal romance).

Currently, she lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband and her teenage daughter. Her son lives nearby. The family pets include a Lab mix, a Basset Hound, a Shih Tzu, and a sweet, little kitty.

She loves to hear from her readers. Her email address is SuzannahDaniels@epbfi.com.

Giveaway:

Link to Rafflecopter:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NTAzMzNiMDBlNGU0YmMxY2Y3NDg2NmQyMDE1YTAxOjM4/

Just Desserts by Barbara Bretton with Giveaway, Excerpt & Review



Just Desserts
Barbara Bretton
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: originally Berkley; this is a digital indie reprint
Date of Publication: print 2008; digital 2013
Cover Artist: Erin Dameron-Hill

Smashwords     Amazon    iTunes    BN

Book Description:

Hayley had sworn off bad boys until Finn Rafferty set out to win her heart...

Once upon a time, Hayley had believed that a good woman (her) could turn a bad boy (her ex) into a knight in shining armor (pure fantasy). Ten years of marriage had finally drummed the truth into her head. In the real world bad boys didn’t turn into knights in shining armor. Bad boys grew up to be even worse men and the world would be a much happier place if little girls were taught that basic fact along with their ABCs.

Hayley Maitland Goldstein knew all about how these things worked. First a girl giggled, then she sighed, and the next thing you knew she was in Vegas taking her wedding vows in front of a red-haired Elvis with an overbite. You knew you had made a bad choice when Elvis slipped you his divorce lawyer’s business card while you were still shaking the rice from your hair.

But then Finn Rafferty came into her life and everything changed.

Hayley should have seen the kiss coming but it surprised her just the same. He had been looking at her with a crazy kind of unfocused intensity and she had been about to ask him if he was having a stroke when she realized she was about to be kissed by a man she actually wanted to kiss back.

Every now and then life handed you a perfect moment but the secret was figuring out how to make it last.

  
Praise for Just Desserts

"Very few romance writers create characters as well developed and realistic as Bretton's. Her books pull you in and don't let you leave until the last word is read."—Booklist (starred review)

"Once again Bretton produces a wonderful, heartwarming story full of strong emotion, humor, charming pets, delightful characters and a lovely romance. There's also a poignant secondary romance. The way Bretton brings all this to life and pulls it all together for a satisfactory conclusion are what make her a wonderful storyteller."   --Susan Mobley, ROMANTIC TIMES

"Good pacing and dialogue make this warm-hearted story one that readers are sure to relish. The romances have both serious and funny elements. If you like light-hearted, feel good, romantic tales, you are sure to enjoy reading JUST DESSERTS."  --Marilyn Heyman, ROMANCE REVIEWS TODAY

"There are surprising, funny twists to this story and a lot of touching episodes to pique the emotional side. I found Barbara Bretton's JUST DESSERTS to be highly entertaining, cleverly written and hard to put down. Being a witty and warm read, I recommend JUST DESSERTS and look forward to reading other novels by this author." --Kay Quintin, FRESH FICTION

"If you've not ever read Ms. Bretton then you are in for a real treat with Just Desserts." --Sandi, A Romance Review

"Just Desserts is a fun, romantic read. I enjoyed it and recommend it for all those who like a great story filled with humor and romance."--Victoria Kennedy, Midwest Book Review

"JUST DESSERTS is a warm family drama filled with tender humor . . . Fans will appreciate Barbara Bretton's invasion of South Jersey as everyone receives their JUST DESSERTS." --Harriet Klausner, Genre Go-Round Reviews

"Ms. Bretton gives her readers an easy, yet not bland, story with wonderful, vibrant characters and wholly believable situations. You'll want her backlist in your library, if it's not there already."--Amanda Killgore, Huntress' Book Reviews

Excerpt: 
Trish, one of the high school girls Hayley was currently mentoring, burst into the kitchen looking like she had just bumped into Justin Timberlake and then ricocheted off Johnny Depp.
“There’s two guys outside who want to see you and they’re unbelievably hot!” Trish was seventeen, the age when the arrival of any biped with a Y chromosome rated a breathless announcement. “One of them looks like a rock star from, you know, way back in the eighties.”
Ouch. She had been Trish’s age in the eighties.
“A rock star?” she asked, lifting a brow. Rock stars were in short supply in Lakeside.
“A rock star,” Trish confirmed. “And he’s wearing leather.”
There was only one reason an aging leather-clad hottie would show up at Goldy’s Bakery at three o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon and it had nothing to do with brownies, cheesecake, or bagels.
“Tell him Mr. Goldstein doesn’t live here anymore.” And that Mrs. Goldstein couldn’t be happier about it. Not even sending him his monthly share of the store’s profits dimmed her joy.
“But he didn’t ask for Mr. Goldstein. He asked for you.”
Why did that surprise her? She was the Goldstein with a bank balance, after all. It had been a while since someone had come looking for her ex but the knot in her stomach was painfully familiar. The faint stench of danger still lingered in the air. She wished she had a dollar for every angry enabler who had shown up at Goldy’s in search of the reluctant Mr. Goldstein. She’d be able to buy him out once and for all and still have money to spare.
“Then tell him I’m not here.”
“But, Mrs. G., I already told him you were.”
“Then tell him the truth,” she said. “I’m busy working on a cake that should have been finished an hour ago. I can’t spare a second.” And here she’d thought her life would settle down after Michael moved to Florida to mooch off his mother. The man’s problems had the half-life of uranium.
Trish rearranged her pretty features into an even prettier frown. “He really wants to see you, Mrs. G. Maybe—”
Hayley could feel the hot breath of the Cumberland County Association of Female Realtors on the back of her neck. She whipped out The Look, the same look every mother on the planet had down cold, aimed it in Trish’s direction, then hoped for the best.
“I’ll tell him,” Trish mumbled, then pushed through the swinging door to deliver the bad news.
The Look had stopped working on Lizzie when she was seven, but it was nice to know she still had enough maternal firepower at her command to keep her young staff in line.
She pressed her ear against the swinging door but she couldn’t make out Trish’s words, just a high apologetic string of female sounds that was followed by a male rumble. Leather Boy had a good voice, baritone, a little smoky. She couldn’t make out his words either but Trish’s answering giggle conjured up some painful memories of herself at that age.
First a girl giggled, then she sighed, and the next thing you knew she was in Vegas taking her wedding vows in front of a red-haired Elvis with an overbite. You knew you had made a bad choice when Elvis slipped you his divorce lawyer’s business card while you were still shaking the rice from your hair.
She listened closer. Trish said something girly. Leather Boy rumbled something manly. This time Rachel, her other counter girl for the week, giggled too, a sound that sent Hayley’s maternal early-warning system into overdrive.
Rachel Gomez was a serious straight-A student bound for Princeton next year on full scholarship. She needed the paycheck more than any mentoring Hayley might have provided her. Rachel had probably never giggled before in her life.
If Rachel giggled, then even Lizzie might not be immune. Fourteen was when it started, that fizzy sensation in your veins, the yearning for things you couldn’t define, the sudden realization that boys were infinitely more interesting than global warming or the fate of the humpback whale.
Fourteen was also when young girls parted company with their self-confidence and traded in their love of math and science for a date for the prom.
Sometimes she wanted to lock Lizzie away in her room with her computer, her books, and a cell phone (maybe), and not let her out again until she was twenty-one. Thirty sounded better but even fantasies had their limits. The advisor at Olympia Prep had suggested that Lizzie might be better served intellectually by skipping the rest of high school and starting college in the fall but Hayley was dead set against it. Lizzie might be brilliant when it came to science but when it came to life, she was still only fourteen.
The world could be a scary place. A mother did her best to protect her kid from fast cars, drunk drivers, broken bones, flu, the common cold, but there was nothing she could do to protect her kid from growing up. No matter what you did or how well you did it, your little girl wasn’t going to stay a little girl. Right before your eyes she was going to grow up on you anyway and all you could do was pray she didn’t follow in your foolish footsteps.
Once upon a time, Hayley had believed that a good woman (her) could turn a bad boy (her ex) into a knight in shining armor (pure fantasy). Ten years of marriage to Michael Goldstein had finally drummed the truth into her head. People didn’t change with time. They just became more of who they were to begin with.
In the real world bad boys didn’t turn into knights in shining armor. Bad boys grew up to be even worse men and the world would be a much happier place if little girls were taught that basic fact along with their ABCs.
Why didn’t women teach their young how to cope with the things that were really important instead of how to walk in their first pair of heels? Why didn’t they make a point of sitting their girl children down and telling them the truth about men instead of letting some guy in a leather jacket seduce them over a tray of black-and-white cookies?
That was one of the many reasons why she had helped institute the mentoring program at the high school. Lizzie claimed her overflow worrying needed an outlet but it went far deeper. She saw herself in those girls, insecure, struggling, hungry for love, and ready to hand over their futures to the first guy who came along.
Those idiot girls out there were like ripe fruit on a very low-hanging branch. The slightest breeze would be enough to shake them from the tree and into the waiting arms of Leather Boy or someone just like him and their entire lives would be changed forever.
Except it wasn’t going to happen on her watch. With apologies to the good real estate agents of Cumberland County, it was time to prepare for battle.


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My Review: 4 1/2 stars
This was definitely a feel-good book. Right from the beginning, Hayley and Lizzie are just down to earth people making it through life. They've got each other, and that's more than most people have. Enter Finn and Anton on behalf of Tommy, and thing start to get complicated. Tommy's a rock star and he needs Finn to find out if Hayley is his daughter,and Lizzie his granddaughter. That's how it all starts, and from there it's a wild ride. Lots of family, because Tommy has lots of ex-wives and children and loves them all. Then there's Hayley's Mom, Jane, who has been on a trip and comes home with a few news items of her own. It's an adventure filled with love, laughs, adventure, a bit of uneasiness and awkwardness; but mostly growing love of all different kinds. Hayley and Finn had a connection from the beginning, and it was nice to see the initial spark grow into something more and beyond. Barbara did a great job with the storyline, and the characters were something else! I really enjoyed reading this. 

About the Author: 

Oh, how I hate bios! All of that deadly dull information about name (Barbara Bretton) and date of birth (June 25) and geographical data (born in New York City; lives near Princeton, NJ), marital status (many years married), and hobbies (who has time??). How do you gather up all of those dull, dry facts and turn them into something interesting?

No wonder I tell lies for a living.

I considered weaving a story for you about life on a houseboat on the French Riviera. Or maybe my years as a concubine, hidden away in a golden pleasure palace in the shimmering desert. Then I decided to do the unthinkable and tell you the truth.

When I sold my first book and my life changed forever. I sent in my manuscript on Thursday February 21, 1982 and four days later the telephone rang and I heard the amazing words, "We want to buy your book." How I wish you could have seen me. I was standing by the kitchen door of our North Babylon house, the picture of cool sophistication, as I listened to Vivian Stephens explain the terms of the deal to me. You would have thought I'd sold a first book every single day of my life. Yes, I said. Sounds wonderful. Thank you so much for calling. I look forward to our association. That cool sophistication hung on until I hung up the phone, took a deep breath, then promptly threw up on my shoes.

I was thirty-one years old, unagented, unschooled, unfamiliar with anything to do with the business of publishing. To put it mildly, I was in shock. My husband was working in Manhattan at the time (and finishing up his degree at night) so it would be hours until I could break the news to him. This was too exciting to waste on a phone call. I wanted to see his face when I told him that my dream had finally come true -- and came with a $6000 advance!

He pulled into the driveway at midnight. I was waiting in the doorway, holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses. I didn't have to say a word. He knew right away and the look of joy and pride in his eyes warms me now, years later, long after the advance faded into memory.

A lot has happened to me in the years since that first sale. I've learned that this is a difficult and demanding business (it takes a tough writer to write a tender book) and that I am happiest when I am most ignorant. I've also learned that a good friend, a writer and pal who truly understands, is worth her weight in good reviews and royalty checks.

I fell madly in love with Skye O'Malley in early 1982 and wrote an unabashedly gushy fan letter to our beloved Bertrice Small. By the time Sunny answered, I had joined the ranks of the published and Sunny became friend and mentor, guide and confidant. She has held my hand through broken dreams, disappointments, family illnesses, and accepted my bizarre need to go underground from time to time with great affection and understanding. Over the years I've come to understand the difference between the writer and her work, that loving the book doesn't guarantee that I will love the author. But what a joy it is when you discover that the author of a beloved favorite is even more wonderful and witty and wise than the characters she creates.

So this bio is for you, Sunny, for being the best of friends during the worst of times and -- even more wonderful -- during the good times as well.

And now for the statistics:

Barbara Bretton is the USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of more than 40 books. She currently has over ten million copies in print around the world. Her works have been translated into twelve languages in over twenty countries.

Barbara has been featured in articles in The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Romantic Times, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Herald News, Home News, Somerset Gazette,among others, and has been interviewed by Independent Network News Television, appeared on the Susan Stamberg Show on NPR, and been featured in an interview with Charles Osgood of WCBS, among others.

Her awards include both Reviewer's Choice and Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times; Gold and Silver certificates from Affaire de Coeur; the RWA Region 1 Golden Leaf; and several sales awards from Bookrak. Ms. Bretton was included in a recent edition of Contemporary Authors.

Barbara loves to spend as much time as possible in Maine with her husband, walking the rocky beaches and dreaming up plots for upcoming books.