Showing posts with label Pump Up Your Book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pump Up Your Book. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Undying Desire by Jessica Lee (4 stars)

About Undying Desire

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Jessica Lee
Publisher: Entangled Edge
Language: English
Pages: 233


Guerino Lombardi’s world just went to shit. Vampire and second in command of the Warriors of the Enclave, he’s put everything on the line to save his best friend from what has to be the worst blow a man can take. Kenric, his friend and master of the Enclave, has a daughter, something believed impossible in the vampire world, and word has it she wants her father and his Enclave dead. Guerin is determined to protect Kenric, keeping the secret from him until he knows for sure if this daughter really exists and if she wants revenge.


Eve Devonshire is a woman hiding in plain sight. Not completely human, but not quite a vampire, she’s accepted by neither race but is more powerful than either one. Her life has consisted of half-truths and disguises, never belonging or living in one place for any length of time. But now some have heard rumors of her existence and want nothing more than to trap her and dissect her like a lab rat.

To stay alive, Eve can’t trust anyone, including the alpha vampire with midnight eyes and a thirst for pain and submission. With her enemies nipping at her heels, Eve has Guerin cornered, and both are determined to get the answers they’re looking for or die trying…if they can fight their desires long enough.

Purchase a copy: Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Review

Even among the most powerful, there is a struggle to survive. Thus is the case for the Enclave, because there are enemies lurking. When Guerin learns that a new threat, one thought impossible, has emerged, he seeks it out on his own. 

Eve has always known danger and assumes the man asking about her is no friend, but she and Guerin share an immediate connection. Can she trust him? Soon, they are being tracked and both most face their pasts. As the danger intensifies, so do their feelings. 

To start, this book is steamy; it's an adult book, bordering on erotica (if not crossing over). There's no denying the connection between Eve and Guerin since the pages sizzle every time they are together. Plus, the fast-paced plot will leave you just as breathless. 

As it turns out, it was a bit too fast for me; I wanted more background on the Enclave and more insight into some of the characters. I kept getting the nagging suspicion I was missing something. Then, I discovered there are other books in the series. If I had understood better what everyone was fighting for, I would have been even more captivated than I was. 

In addition to interesting characters and strong connections between them, I found the weakness of these vampires--particularly from their own desires--fascinating. Not only did they face the dangers of those more powerful or feel beholden to their need to feed, their connection to their mates (or potential ones) was paramount to their existence.

For those who enjoy some heat along with a mesmerizing story, pick up a copy of Undying Desire today.

Rating: 4 stars

About the Author

Almost every author’s bio states they’ve been writing since they learned how to read. It’s what they’ve always wanted to do. Well, my journey wasn’t so straight and narrow. I was a nurse for over twenty years and hold a bachelor’s degree in science with a major in biology. So as you can see, my career path had originally gone in the opposite direction. I didn’t discover my passion for the craft until after I’d had my son and decided to work part-time.

I’ve always loved to read but had never read a paranormal romance. Then one night at work on break, I began reading Karen Marie Moning’s Spell of the Highlander. I couldn’t believe what I’d been missing, and I immediately fell in love with the genre.

I wanted to write like that. I wanted to create worlds where others could find the same escape and fascination I did when I read my first sensual paranormal romance.

And I hope that’s what I’ve accomplished in my work. Please dive in, hold on tight, and enjoy the adventure. Just be careful in the dark—you might find more than you expected waiting for you there.
Jessica Lee lives in the southeastern United States with her husband and son. She loves writing and can’t wait for that quiet time each day when her son is in school, and she can get lost in another place and world with the fantastical, sexy creatures in her head.

She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, FF&P, and Carolina Romance Writers.

Connect & Socialize on Twitter, Facebook, her website, and GoodReads.

Please visit other stops on the Undying Desire blog tour page.



Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour.

Friday, February 21, 2014

Shady Deals by Cindy McDonald Spotlight



Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Pages: 196

Purchase at AMAZON

Kate West and Dr. Holden Reese have put their troubled past behind them and are ready to set a wedding date. There;s only one thing in Holden’s way: a powerful drug Lord at Keystone Downs Thoroughbred Race Track has Holden under his thumb, and he’s not letting go!

Kate’s family is determined to get to the bottom the of horse drugging ring, and when the West’s get too close to the truth the Drug Lord sends them a brutal message that can’t be misinterpreted.  Now Holden is on the run, and he’s dragging Kate with him.

Can he escape his indiscretions?

How long can he keep Kate in the dark?

Excerpt

“Take your clothes off.” Dr. Holden Reese said, as he closed the door to his veterinarian office at Keystone Downs Thoroughbred Racetrack. His hot gaze slid over Kate West’s slender curves. He dropped the deadbolt into the locked position. A shiver skittered down Kate’s spine as she turned to him. She wore a red tank top and a pair of tight Levi Jeans. Her long blonde tresses were pulled back into a ponytail. The florescent lighting glinted off the silver hoop earrings that dangled from her ear lobes.
While her full lips parted, her eyebrows rose. “Ever heard of sexual harassment, Dr. Reese?” Kate put in.
He strode toward her unbuckling his belt. He took the vet box from her hand to set it on a nearby shelving unit, and then pushed her against the block wall. Holden was six-foot-two of solid muscled male. His deep brown eyes burned into her baby blues. Caging her between his arms, he reached back to pull the band that held her hair letting it spill like a golden waterfall about her shoulders. He fisted his fingers through the locks tilting her head back to hold her in place. He said, “Oh, I’ve heard of it, Miss West, and I have every intention of taking you on my desk,” he nipped at her earlobe making his way slowly down her neck, “do you want to scream?”
Kate’s fingers splayed wide on the wall that she was pinned against. Everything female in her clenched at his teasing nips and licks and the way he smoothed his lips over her heating skin. She could feel her nipples pushing to stiff peaks against the inside of her bra. She swallowed hard letting go of a groan from deep in her throat. She rasped, “Do you want me to scream, Dr. Reese?”
Holden smiled against her shoulder. He whispered, “When I make you come.” He pressed his lips to hers pushing his tongue into her mouth savoring the taste of her, tangling his fingers tighter through her hair, possessing her. Kate wrapped her arms around his waist pushing up on her toes to capture more from the kiss, when suddenly Holden let go of her hair grabbing her by the shoulders. Kate blinked back, astonished that the kiss had ended so abruptly.
“You were stripping...” he said, stepping back to take in the show about to start. Kate planted her hands on her hips, biting her lip. His gaze never wavered as he unbuttoned his jeans, while urging, “the desk is waiting, my pretty little assistant.”
“And if I refuse? Will you fire me?”
He lowered his zipper with slow unerring precision, “You won’t refuse.” He stated. He whipped his T-shirt over his head tossing it to the floor, baring his sculpted biceps and abs, while sporting a sinful come-on look that should’ve been in the category of a felony.
“That’s not fair!” Kate blurted.
His mouth curved into a wicked smile. “I’ll use whatever weapons at my disposal to get you naked. I’ve been fantasizing since yesterday about doing it on my desk with my sexy little employee.” Glancing at the desk, Kate noted that it had been cleared for the event. Holden added, “You won’t mention this to your boyfriend, will you?”
Kate rolled her eyes at his suggested role-play. Quirky. What fun. She went along. “He’s the jealous type, you know. Not to mention that he could probably beat the snot out of you.”
“I’ll take my chances.” Holden rolled his right index finger in the air at her, “Let the stripping commence.”
Knowing that he rather enjoyed a demure display, she peeked at him through her lashes. Kate slowly slipped her tank over her head, tossing it to the floor, leaving him to ogle her dainty blue lace bra. She unbuttoned her jeans, lowered the zipper bit by bit, and then she shimmied her hips until they slipped down her legs to pool at her feet, swiftly she kicked them aside. She could see the column of his erection bulging from his boxer brief through the open fly of his jeans, as she stood before him in a tiny lace thong and the lace bra. He licked his lips. She was driving him crazy. She liked it. Her lips curled at his delicious anticipation.
Slowly she reached back to unhook the bra, but rather than allowing it to fall to the floor, she cupped her breasts in her palms holding the bra in place. Holden sucked in a deep breath while he watched her bite her lower lip as she kneaded her breasts in a circular motion, until she slowly let the bra slip down her arms to fall at her feet.
Holden grabbed her hands restraining them behind her back before she could hook her thumbs through the bands of the thong. Sealing his mouth over hers, he kissed her hard while pulling her against his arousal. “Leave a little for me,” he snarled, releasing her hands to grab her buttocks and lift her until she wrapped her legs around his waist. Lips locked, he carried her to the desk, setting her down gently. He murmured, “I don’t want to hurry my fantasy. I want to savor it, baby.”
Kate pulled away from the kiss. She whispered, “I don’t know, my boyfriend will be coming to pick me up soon for the bonfire party at our farm tonight. He doesn’t like it when I’m late.”
Holden’s eyes brightened. “I almost forgot about that,” he brushed a lock of hair from her cheek with the pad of his thumb. His eyes narrowed when he asked, “Is the whole party taking place outside?”
Kate cocked her head, confused by the question considering the position they were presently in. She answered, “Yes...”
“No one will be in the barn?”
“No...”
Carefully he laid her across the desk admiring her dusty pink nipples standing at attention waiting for him to nip. Thoughtfully, he ran his fingers along the inside of the elastic band that secured her thong. Kate’s tummy tightened at the sultry tickle. The sinful grin returned to his handsome face. “Mmmm, another fantasy just came to mind, Miss West: The rugged cowboy breezes into town and seduces the sassy cowgirl in the hayloft. At first she isn’t willing, but soon she succumbs to his cowboy charms.”
Shaking her head, Kate chuckled, “Please, one fantasy at a time or I won’t be able to keep up, cowboy.”
She was right. So he decided to fulfill this fantasy right now. There would be plenty of time this evening for the other—if he could get her alone in the loft. He smiled to himself thinking of a clever way to lure her into the barn loft of her father’s Thoroughbred farm, Westwood.
 Dropping both of his hands on either side of her, he lowered his face to kiss her between her breasts, when the cell phone in his hip pocket began to ring and vibrate. He groaned.
Kate giggled. “That’s a mood killer.”
“Not for me,” he said, running his tongue over her stiff nipple.
“Aren’t you going to answer it?”
“No.”
“Holden, someone could need the vet. You should at least look at the number.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“See, I knew there was a good reason that I proposed to you. You keep me on track. By-the-way, have you told the family about our engagement?”
“Answer the phone, Holden.”
He let out a frustrated sigh as he yanked the phone from his pocket to look at the screen: Chip Walker. Shit. Reaching across her body, he grabbed the handle to the middle drawer of the desk, pulled it open, flipped the phone in, and then slammed the drawer shut.
“It’s nobody important enough to interrupt this moment.” He looked into her crystal blue eyes full of desire. Raking his fingers through her hair, he said, “Nothing is more important than you are.” His fingers slipped from her hair, down her neck until he cupped her breast in his hand. “Now where was I?”

                                                                 ****

Chip Walker thumbed the END button on his cell phone, hard. Doc Reese hadn’t answered his calls or his texts in three days. Reese was getting too independent. He wasn’t respecting his authority. Reese could blow his whole operation to smithereens. The operation had been compromised six months ago, but he had managed to dodge that bullet. He couldn’t afford another mishap. Reese needed to conform. Reese needed to fall in line. Immediately. 

And how damning will the truth be when it’s finally revealed?

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

About the Author

For twenty-six years Cindy Mcdonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance: She was a professional dancer/choreographer for most of her adult life and never gave much thought to a writing career until 2005.Suddenly, she felt drawn to her computer to write about things she have experienced (greatly exaggerated upon of course) with her husband’s Thoroughbreds and the happenings at the racetrack.

Why didn’t Cindy write about my experiences with dance? You might ask. “Eh, believe it or not life at the racetrack is more…racy.” Cindy says. “The drama is outrageous—not that dancers don’t know how to create drama, believe me, they do but race trackers just seem to get more down and dirty with it which makes great story telling—great fiction.”

Cindy didn’t start out writing books, The Unbridled Series started out as a TV drama, and the Hollywood readers loved the show. When the series didn’t sell, Cindy recalls, “One of the readers said to me, ‘Cindy, don’t be stupid. Turn your scripts into a book series.’” And so she did!

In May of 2011, Cindy took the big leap and exchanged her dancin’ shoes for a lap top—she retired from dance. “It was a scary proposition,” Cindy confesses. “I was terrified, but I had the full support of my husband, Saint Bill. It has been a huge change for me. I went from dancing hard five hours a night to sitting in front of a computer. I still work-out and I take my dog, Harvey, for a daily run. I have to or I’d be as big as a house.”

Does Cindy McDonald miss dancing? “Sometimes I do,” she says. “I miss my students. I miss choreographing musicals, but I love my books and I love sharing them with readers.”

Visit her website at www.cindymcwriter.com.

Connect & Socialize with the Author: Facebook & Twitter.

Please visit other stops on the Shade Deals blog tour page.


Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Napolean (Layers of Veronica, Book 1) by Emilia Rutigliano (3 stars)


About Napolean (Layers of Veronica, Book 1)

Title: Napoleon
Genre: Women’s Fiction with an Attitude
Author: Emilia Rutigliano
Publisher: Emilia Rutigliano
Pages: 387
Language: English
Format: Kindle


They say that when a student is ready, a teacher appears.

What they don’t say is where to register, and how to matriculate in that teacher’s class.
That is a divine gift.

Veronica had it all:  the looks; the brains; the personality; and the wardrobe.  Not to mention a perfect husband, a fabulous career and two adorable children, until the perfect husband leaves her for another woman.

Thus begin the daily routines of a typical New York City immigrant with ambition whose teachers keep appearing, and for whom divine interventions keep affording new opportunities.

Though it starts like ordinary connections going through the tried and true, each relationship continues to delve into parts of her own universe that Veronica didn’t know existed.  A universe that is suddenly open to her.

This is a different kind of heroine…

Welcome to the New American Dream, Dare to Dream…

Purchase on Amazon

Review

Since I have many layers of thoughts about this book, I'm going to skip the quick summary (the author did an excellent job above), and go straight to my review. 

First, Veronica is a complex character with, as the series titles suggests, many layers that unfold throughout the story. She's a well-respected attorney, a woman who appreciates sex, a mom, and a true friend--just to name a few. She's tough and not afraid to fight for what she believes in.

The layer that was missing for me was softness. Nothing about her, including her sex preferences, was anything but intense. I love strong female characters, but I wanted some aspect of her to be soft. Even her kids didn't seem to bring that out in her nor a story twist involving a molested young girl. Everything seemed to showcase strength. 

All of that being said, I was intrigued. I never stopped reading because I was hoping for this layer to develop, to put the story and her character over the top--not just interesting, but compelling and captivating. 

Every reader takes away something different, and another reader might completely disagree with me. I would definitely give Book 2 a chance and hope for that element, a key one for me, to be revealed.

(Side note: although listed as women's fiction, there was something harder--for lack of a better word--about this to me. Not quite erotica, but even the sex wasn't sweet or romantic. Maybe I'm just a softie.)


Rating: 3 stars
Other Books in the Series


About Fairytales (Layers of Veronica, Book 2)

Veronica’s story continues.

Ever wonder why there is so much gore in the storybooks that we read to our children?  Is it because it is appropriate preparation for life?

Amidst the balls, and gowns and champagne … there are evil stepmothers and death and disease.  There are also valiant princes, and kindly matriarchs and enchanted lands.  There is no alternate reality though.  It is still modern day New York… and Paris, of course.

Still, Veronica needs to get up and go to work, and take the kids to school, and play nice with the ex’s new wife.  But each layer is enchanted with its own romance… and its own lover becomes a benevolent wizard.  There’s Ben… and Jeremy… and Edmonde.  And then there’s KD.  Why choose?

These are the games your mama never taught you.  These are men’s games played by a woman.  And a woman is only eligible to play when she is taught to see the world differently.  It isn’t just a matter of calculations… it is a matter of nobility.  What Jeremy taught in NAPOLEON, becomes a world of experience in FAIRTYATLES.

They say you only love once… but that isn’t a fact for Veronica.   Each of her bedmates offers her and demands from her something different.

What starts out as a parochial life, with known participants and variables, is unveiled with more and more opportunities.  Each comes with a privilege and an obligation – and Veronica has never shirked an obligation.  Not even in a fairytale.

It’s all connected… just on a higher layer.

Purchase on Amazon


About Petals (Layers of Veronica, Book 3)

Veronica’s story continues.

The prettiest of blooms commence with the nurturing of the seed?  In PETALS… Veronica’s life goes global, and she unites her family with the aristocracy around her, without self- betrayal.

Physical recovery post trauma is not the difficult part.  How do you heal the other parts of you?   And what if you were stupid enough to throw out the healer in your life?
Every relationship takes work.  Every relationship is a lesson.  Each has a depth.

Where NAPOLEON and FAIRYTALES opened a magical kingdom dominated and ruled by men… PETALS reveals the same monarchy ruled by women.   There is a new perspective on the same world, and the same characters.  Relating to women, and taking your place among the nobility requires a lot… and not at all a marriage or blueblood.

But of course it wouldn’t be Veronica’s life…if there weren’t more lovers, more galas, more jewels and of course… more heartbreak…

It is a fun journey.    What it isn’t — is a known destination.

Purchase on Amazon

About the Author

Emilia I. Rutigliano scored fiftieth percentile on her SATs… and on her LSATs… and on her BAR…Sigh…

But she nevertheless survived, and seems to be doing OK. She practices Law read lore) in Brooklyn, New York (read Nu Yawk). She was born in the former Soviet Union, and emigrated in 1979. She is happily married to the same crazy Italian she’s been with since college, who suffers from a severe addition to travel (still in acute form). Together they are doing a somewhat passable job with their three precious darlings (who are now teenagers, thus elaboration is not necessary).

Which is why Emilia writes about Veronica. Veronica, though… is interesting. And Emilia knows interesting.

So she weaved the tale about the interesting characters, places and events from her own life. It is remarkable how if you choose to view a subject objectively, it becomes downright artistically gorgeous. So Emilia views and shows Brooklyn Russians as gorgeous, and the Barese intricacies as gorgeous, and she even tolerates Paris, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia for the reader’s interests.

Thank you, dear reader, for tolerating these scenes….

LAYERS OF VERONICA IS ON FACEBOOK…LIKE US.

Her first book in the Layers of Veronica series is Napoleon.

Visit Emilia Rutigliano’s website at www.layersofveronica.com and connect on Twitter and Facebook.

Please visit other stops on the Layers of Veronica blog tour page.


Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour.

Note: I received a complimentary copy from Pump Up Your Book for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Becoming Josephine by Heather Webb Spotlight & Giveaway


Title: Becoming Josephine
Author: Heather Webb
Publisher: Plume
Pages: 320
Language: English
Genre: Historical Fiction


Readers are fascinated with the wives of famous men. In Becoming Josephine, debut novelist Heather Webb follows Rose Tascher as she sails from her Martinique plantation to Paris, eager to enjoy an elegant life at the royal court. Once there, however, Rose’s aristocratic soldier-husband dashes her dreams by abandoning her amid the tumult of the French Revolution. After narrowly escaping death, Rose reinvents herself as Josephine, a beautiful socialite wooed by an awkward suitor—Napoleon Bonaparte.

“A debut as bewitching as its protagonist.” —Erika Robuck, author of Hemingway’s Girl and Call Me Zelda

“Vivid and passionate.” —Susan Spann, author of The Shinobi Mysteries
Rose Tascher sails from her Martinique plantation to Paris to trade her Creole black magic culture for love and adventure. She arrives exultant to follow her dreams of attending Court with Alexandre, her elegant aristocrat and soldier husband. But Alexandre dashes her hopes and abandons her amid the tumult of the French Revolution.

Through her savoir faire, Rose secures her footing in high society, reveling in handsome men and glitzy balls—until the heads of her friends begin to roll.

After narrowly escaping death in the blood-drenched cells of Les Carmes prison, she reinvents herself as Josephine, a socialite of status and power. Yet her youth is fading, and Josephine must choose between a precarious independence and the love of an awkward suitor. Little does she know, he would become the most powerful man of his century- Napoleon Bonaparte.

BECOMING JOSEPHINE is a novel of one woman’s journey to find eternal love and stability, and ultimately to find herself.

“Webb adds new frisson to the often fictionalized travails of an unlikely empress…Although the book covers the same ground as many other treatments of Josephine’s life and times, Webb’s portrayal of the range of Josephine’s experience—narrow escapes from bloodshed and disease, dinner-table diplomacy, and her helpless love for Napoleon, her children and a small dog—is exceptionally concise and colorful. A worthy fictional primer on Empress Josephine.”–Kirkus Reviews

Purchase your copy:

amazon2

About the Author
 
 
As a former military brat and traveling addict, it was tricky choosing a landing pad. At last, I settled in a rural town in New England. For a decade I put my degrees in French and Cultural Geography to good use teaching and coaching high school students.
 
Currently, I am a historical novelist and work as a freelance editor (For rates, check my EDITING page.) You may find me lurking at the popular RomanceUniversity.org where I contribute to their blog with editing advice, and at the award-winning site, WriterUnboxed.com, where I pose as Twitter Mistress (@WriterUnboxed). I also kick around a local college teaching classes called “Write to Publish” and “Crafting Your Novel”.

When I’m cross-eyed from too much screen time, I flex my foodie skills or geek out on history and pop culture. My debut historical novel BECOMING JOSEPHINE will be published by Plume/Penguin on December 31, 2013. (See my BOOKS page for more details.) I am represented by agent Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management. – See more at: http://www.heatherwebbauthor.com/author/#sthash.r3MSVxon.dpuf 

Connect & Socialize with Heather!

 
 Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please visit other stops on the Becoming Josephine blog tour page.

 
Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Dear Friend: The Power of Pen Pals and Journaling by Cheri DeGroot Spotlight

Title: Dear Friend
Genre: Non-fiction humanities
Author: Cheri DeGroot
Publisher: iUniverse
Pages: 60
Language: English
ISBN – 978-1-44016-146-9


Are you looking for a way to meet new people from all over the world, make new friends, and help others? The solution is simple and affordable—become a pen pal. In Dear Friend, author Cheri DeGroot shares the joys and rewards of becoming a pen pal and provides tips on sharing friendships through handwritten letters.

Based on fifty-three years of personal experience as a pen pal, DeGroot details how her lifelong passion for pen palling began and how her friendships with people from all over the United States have helped her through life’s good and bad times. This guide demonstrates the positive aspects of pen palling—from sharing news of family, hobbies and emotions to expanding their knowledge by learning about different cultures and different people.

Stressing the importance of communication, Dear Friend reveals how becoming a pen pal can help those who are lonely to find friendship, love, and happiness through the power of the written word.

Purchase your copy

iuniverse

About the Author
 
Cheri DeGroot loves writing letters and journals of her life. Pen palling helps her make new friendships by reaching out through written letters and by computer. DeGroot has initiated several pen pal clubs. She has three grown children and seven grandchildren and lives in Milverton, Ontario, with her husband, Joe.
 
Pump Up Your Book and Cheri DeGroot are teaming
up to give you a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Amazon Gift Certificate
  • This giveaway begins December 11 and ends on December 25.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on Thursday, December 26, 2013.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN HERE!

Please visit other stops on the Dear Friend blog tour page.
 
Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Maggie's Turn by Deanna Lynn Sletten (4.5 stars) -- Review & First Chapter Reveal


About Maggie's Turn

Maggie Harrison is a devoted wife and mother, always putting the needs of her family ahead of her own. Then, one day, without planning to, she drives away, leaving behind an indifferent husband and two sulking teenagers. Maggie goes off on a quest of self-exploration, enjoying adventures, meeting new people, and rediscovering her passions. For the first time in years, she dreams about what she wants out of life, and she realizes that her deteriorating marriage can no longer continue as it is. Can she and Andrew repair their floundering relationship, or is their marriage over?

Andrew Harrison likes his life to be in perfect order. He enjoys his work and status in the community, leaving Maggie to take care of everything at home. He knows his marriage isn’t perfect, but after twenty-three years and two kids, whose marriage is? When Maggie leaves without a word, he is forced to start paying more attention to his home life and his almost grown children, and he begins to do a little self-exploration of his own. Slowly, he begins to understand what drove Maggie away, and how important she is in his life. Is it too late to resolve their differences and save their marriage? Or will Andrew lose Maggie forever?

Purchase your copy at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Author: Deanna Lynn Sletten
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 246
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1491277289
ISBN-13: 978-1491277287


Review

Maggie Harrison gives everything to her family and friends. So much so, that she forgets to take care of herself. When she reaches her breaking point, as much a surprise to her as everyone else, she takes off and keeps going.

Her husband, Andrew, is initially blindsided. But once his anger begins to fade and he sees everything crumbling without his wife, he realizes he's about to lose the best thing that has ever happened to him. But is he too late?

Although a simple story, one that doesn't requite twists and turns and shock value, Maggie's Turn packs an emotional punch. It really spoke to me. As a reader, I can't predict where other people are when they read something, but I was in a place to really immerse myself in Maggie's life. Character-driven stories appeal to me, especially when I care about what happens to them.

Sometimes a real story, one with everyday feelings and emotions, is like a warm chocolate chip cookie for the soul. Maggie's Turn is that story. At least, I can honestly say it touched my heart and reminded me to live every day to its fullest.

Rating: 4.5 stars

First Chapter Reveal

It had not been a good morning at the Harrison household. At least not for Maggie. Her nineteen-year-old son, Kyle, had slept in late, which meant he was late showering and would be late to one of the four college courses he was intent upon failing. Because he was running behind, her fourteen-year-old daughter, Kaia, was late getting ready for school, which meant Maggie’s husband, Andrew, had to rush to shower for work. And, of course, Maggie had to rush too since she was always the last person to use the bathroom.

Kaia was pouting and stomping around, because she’d wanted to get to school early to “hang” with her friends. Kyle rolled his eyes as he went out the door to his rusted pickup truck, mumbling that it really didn’t matter if he made it to class or not. And Andrew ran through his schedule with Maggie as he rushed out the door to work.

“Remember, I have a seven o’clock meeting tonight, so make sure dinner is on time so I’m not late,” he instructed Maggie and was gone a second later.

All Maggie had time for was one long sigh as she slipped a light sweater over her head, pulled on khaki pants, and grabbed her short, red wool jacket and purse, then ran out the door, hoping Kaia wouldn’t be late for school.

Maggie stole a glance at her sulking daughter as she maneuvered her minivan through the morning traffic. Kaia was a pretty girl with long, thick auburn hair and brilliant blue eyes. Her clear skin was still lightly tanned from summer vacation. She’d be even prettier, Maggie thought, if she’d smile once in a while. Maggie couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Kaia smile. Or joke, or tease. It seemed, in one instant, she’d gone from a happy, young girl to a sulking teenager. But Maggie couldn’t complain. Despite Kaia’s constant irritation with her, she was a good student, had nice friends, and wasn’t a troublemaker. Maggie knew she was fortunate for that. Both her children had turned out to be decent people, if not a little confused about life. But who wasn’t confused at their ages? Fourteen and nineteen weren’t easy. Maggie tried to understand and give them room to figure things out, but sometimes, it was so difficult. Kyle had gone from a high school honor graduate to a flunking college student, and he didn’t seem to care one bit. All he seemed to enjoy was his part-time job at the local motorcycle shop. Seven-fifty an hour seemed fine to him. He had no financial obligations other than keeping gas in his pickup and going out with friends. Maggie sometimes wondered how he thought he’d make it on his own without a decent education, but she forced herself not to obsess over it. She had so many other things she could choose to worry about.

The traffic was heavy despite the fact that Woodroe was a small, northern Minnesota town of about twenty thousand people. Maggie couldn’t help but sigh again as she followed the parade of parents in minivans and SUVs in a rush to drop their children off at school. It was only the third week of school, and she was already tired of the morning traffic in and out of the much-too-small middle school parking lot. There was no doubt at all in Maggie’s mind, parents in minivans and SUVs were the worst drivers on the planet. She found herself in near-accidents at least three times daily upon entering or driving through the parking lot. Everyone had somewhere better to be and needed to get there faster than the next person. It was the same old story, year after year.

Maggie followed the other parents in the long line entering the parking lot, waiting her turn to drop Kaia off at the front entrance. Country music blared from the minivan’s speakers—Kaia’s choice. Maggie always let Kaia choose the music when they rode together. It was much easier than fighting over the radio. Soon enough, Maggie would be able to pop in the CD of her choice as she headed home.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t get here earlier,” Maggie offered, as they pulled up in front of the school and stopped.

“Whatever,” Kaia said under her breath, as she gathered her book bag and tennis racket. “Remind Dad to pick me up after tennis practice tonight,” were her last words before slamming the van’s door and stalking off. She didn’t give her mother time to say goodbye or even wish her a good day.

Maggie tried not to take it personally, but her heart felt heavy as she turned AM to CD on the stereo and listened to Bob Seger sing “Roll Me Away”, a song about escaping down a western highway on his big two-wheeler. Maggie had bought the CD on a whim two weeks ago, remembering how much she’d loved listening to Seger years ago, before marriage, before kids, and before life took control of her instead of the other way around. His music had a freeing effect, and she’d been listening to it continuously ever since.

Maggie dutifully followed the line of cars out of the parking lot to go home. She was relieved she didn’t have to work today. Three days a week, she worked at a group home with developmentally challenged adults. It was gratifying working with her challenged friends, and she enjoyed it, but sometimes, it was exhausting meeting their needs all day, then going home to care for the needs of her family. Lately, she’d felt overwhelmed by it all—home, work, Andrew, and the kids. There never seemed to be a break in everyone’s needs and wants.

Once, a long time ago, Maggie had dreamt of being a professional photographer and owning her own shop, where she could sell photos and artwork by area artists. When she and Andrew were newlyweds, they’d talked about this often, and Andrew had said that once they were settled and had some money, it might be a possibility. But the years went by, and Maggie became so enveloped in the children’s lives, and in Andrew’s, that her dreams had been put on the backburner, long forgotten. Today, though, as Maggie sat in traffic behind other mothers and fathers leaving the middle school, she thought about her old dreams and wondered if they would ever come true.

As the music played and traffic crawled along, she let her mind drift back to the morning rush at home. Andrew hadn’t kissed her goodbye. Not even a peck on the cheek. When was the last time he had? She really couldn’t remember. Was it a year ago, two years ago? The heaviness in her chest swelled. Their relationship had changed greatly in the twenty-three years they’d been married. She remembered back to when they first began dating in college in Seattle, Washington. He’d moved there for school to experience something different from his small-town upbringing. Her father had been stationed there at a military base. Andrew had been a communications major, and she’d majored in art, focusing on photography. He’d been very conservative then, but her impulsive nature had brought out the fun side in him. She’d planned trips on a whim, dragging him along with her and her camera to rocky cliffs, sandy beaches, and romantic parks on Puget Sound. Sometimes, they drove to Lake Tahoe and stayed the weekend without even a second thought. She made him promise on the day they married that they would always allow a little wanderlust in their lives, no matter how conventional they became. And she’d believed him when he said they would.

Maggie pulled up and stopped at the red light where she was to turn north to go home. She hit the back button on the stereo to once again play “Roll Me Away”. She didn’t switch her right blinker on to signal her turn. She just sat there, looking straight ahead. The lane headed west, just as Bob said he was doing in the song. West, across the plains, over the mountains, to the ocean. She glanced at the back seat, where her Cannon camera lay in its case. Beside it, her laptop computer also sat. Wouldn’t it be fun, just for a little while, to drive a different direction and take a few snapshots? Just a few miles, not too far, not for too long. Maggie’s heavy heart lightened at the thought, and a smile lit up her blue eyes. North or west? One direction meant home, the other, adventure. North or west?
The light changed to green, and Maggie didn’t give it another thought. She turned up her stereo, smiled wide, and said out loud to no one but herself, “Roll me away.” And she rolled clean out of sight.

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About the Author


Deanna Lynn Sletten writes women’s fiction and romance novels that dig deeply into the lives of the characters, giving the reader an in-depth look into their hearts and souls. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime.

Deanna’s romance novel, Memories, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review’s Best Indie Books of 2012. Her novel, Sara’s Promise, was a semifinalist in The Kindle Book Review’s Best Indie Books of 2013 and a finalist in the 2013 National Indie Excellence Book Awards.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her northern Minnesota home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing in the boat on the lake in the summer.

Her latest book is the contemporary women’s fiction, Maggie’s Turn.

Visit Deanna at her website at www.deannalsletten.com. Or, you can connect via Twitter and Facebook.

Please visit other stops on the Maggie's Turn blog tour page.



 
Thanks to Pump Up Your Book for including me on this blog tour.

Note: I received a complimentary copy from Pump Up Your Book for review purposes. No other compensation was received. A positive review was not guaranteed or requested; the views expressed are my own.