May 162014
 

 

 

 

 

Product Details

 

  • Title: Second Chances 101
  • Author:  Donna K. Weaver
  • Series: Ripple Effect Romance
  • Paperback: 132 pages
  • Publisher: HEA Publishing (March 7, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1941363040
  • FTC, FYI:  I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description:
Thirty seven year old Francie Davis, a recent widow and empty nester, gets to attend college at last. She’s sure her luck has changed when she also lands a job on campus that will pay her tuition, as administrative assistant to a history professor. When her handsome new boss yells at her on the first day of work, Francie worries she will never be good enough. For Professor Alex Diederik, life is going downhill fast. Not only is his bitter ex-wife trying to poison their only daughter against him, but now his one place of solace—his work environment—is being complicated by his attractive new administrative assistant. She drives home his feelings of failure as a husband and father, and Alex wonders if hiring her was the right thing to do. Francie will have to put aside her hurt and insecurities or risk her dreams, while Alex must look outside himself if he’s to mend the breach with his daughter. And, perhaps, find someone who can help heal his pain

EXCERPT

 

The door burst open and a pretty girl with long strawberry blond hair stomped out. Her headlong rush drove her right at Francie, who squeezed against the wall, almost out of the way. Their shoulders hit, and they both stumbled. As Francie steadied herself, she could see tears in the girl’s heavily made up eyes. Staggering for a couple of paces, she managed to stay on her feet and then ran down the hallway.
 
“Come back here,” a man yelled from inside. He dashed out the door and halfway down the hall before it was obvious the student had made her escape.
 
Yelling at a student and chasing her down the hallway? That can’t be my new boss.Francie couldn’t help staring at the compact but solidly built—almost buff—man who stood with his back to her. The angry energy came off him in waves, and she had to fight a primal instinct to run and hide. Giving a quick glance over her shoulder, Francie began to edge away. Maybe she could pretend she hadn’t seen. Suddenly the man swore and spun around, seeming to see Francie for the first time.
 
“What are you doing there?” he growled. “Eavesdropping?”
My Review: 
I was so happy to see a story in this series dealing with a couple that was a little older. I embraced the main character, Francie instantly. She is a recent widow who’s only child has left home for college. I loved her sweet disposition and bravery to go back to college herself after many years. I also liked the male main character Alex. He is a divorced man who is STILL dealing with an ex-wife who makes his life miserable. He also has a college age daughter who is dealing with problems. This storyline is so good and the characters were terrific. I only wish that this story had been a full length novel. There was so much storyline to work with that I felt so sad when it ended. I wish Donna could go back and write the long story version of this wonderful couple. Donna truly knows how to write memorable characters that you grow attached to quickly. I just didn’t want this story to end. I can’t wait to read the next novel by this author. I recommend this book and series to those who love romance and great characters.

 

 

Meet Author Donna K. Weaver 
Donna K. Weaver has always loved reading and creating stories, thus she’s been ever entertained. An avid cruiser, she’s sailed the Pacific five times. Wife-mother-grandmother-Army veteran-karate black belt-Harry Potter nerd. 

You can learn more about Donna here…

May 122014
 

Marriage_Isnt_For_YouMarriage Isn’t For You, It’s for the One You Love

Author: Seth Adam Smith

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published: May 6, 2014

Hardcover: 48 pages

Genre: Marriage/Inspirational/Gift Book

ISBN# 978-1-60907-902-4

Reviewed by: Shanda and Marlow (Shanda’s hubby)

FTC FYI: free review copy in exchange for an honest review

Summary (Deseret Book)

What is the best marriage advice you ever received?

For author Seth Adam Smith, it was the advice from his father, who said, “Marriage isn’t for you. It’s about the person you marry.” These few words completely change the way Seth looked at his relationship with his wife. His thoughts on the subject became an online phenomenon. Paired with beautiful images, they are now available as a book—the perfect gift for newlyweds, those who are celebrating an anniversary, or anyone who wants to learn how to make a relationship stronger.

Shanda’s Review

Reading Marriage Isn’t For You literally took me five minutes, yet within that five-minute read is a message that has impacted millions. Such authenticity and honesty carries power, perhaps because those qualities are rare these days. Despite having “marriage” in the title, this book applies to relationships of all types.

While Marriage Isn’t For You would make a great gift for every new couple, make sure you buy a copy for yourself first and keep it visible. When things get tense (and they will), when frustration sets in (because it does), when anger threatens to overwhelm, pick up this book and take a five-minute time-out. Read it and remember: Marriage Isn’t For You, It’s for the One You Love.

Marlow’s Review

When my wife first showed me this book, I was a little surprised by the title. It wasn’t until I read the full title “Marriage Isn’t for You, its for the One You Love” that I began to understand. It is an excellent reminder on my role as husband and father. I’m not here just for myself. I am here to support, sustain, and bless the lives of my wife and kids.

This book is a very quick read and has good advice. It emphasizes the need for less selfishness and more selflessness in marriage. It contains a much needed reminder for all marriages and, if followed, will result in stronger and happier relationships.

I encourage all husbands (and future husbands) to read and ponder the messages in this book.

Visit Seth:

WEBSITE/BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Find Marriage Isn’t For You:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | DESERET BOOK

***GIVEAWAY***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

May 022014
 

 

 

 

Product Details

 

  • Title: Lost and Found
  • Author: Karey White
  • Paperback: 144 pages
  • Publisher: HEA Publishing (March 7, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1941363032
  • FTC, FYI: I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Description: Lydia was supposed to have an adventurous and exciting summer. Instead she’s done nothing more than read and eat takeout. Now it’s time to go home, and what does she have to show for it? A big fat nothing. Unless, of course, her trip to the airport somehow turns into something more than just a flight home. Blake feels like he’s been sent on a wild goose chase. While work is piling up back in Denver, he’s on the other side of the country, hunting for some mysterious box that his grandfather left him. Well, no more. Nothing inside that box could possibly be more important than the opportunity to make it as the youngest partner at his firm. So he’s going home, and that’s that. But that’s before he discovers his flight has been cancelled. When these two strangers meet at the airport, they make a split-second decision to search for the box together. Maybe with both of them on the hunt, Lydia can have her adventure and Blake can find the box. And maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll even find some romance. 

Excerpt:
Blake and Lydia stayed in their seats as the area around them cleared and a line formed. Finally, Blake stood, picked up his duffel bag and briefcase, then waited while Lydia gathered her things. They took a spot at the back of the line. After a minute, Lydia spoke.
“Since you have to change your flight anyway, maybe you should stay another day or two and try to find the box.”
The corner of Blake’s mouth twitched. “Maybe you should stay a couple of days and have an adventure.”
“Touché. I guess if the plane had gone down, I’d have had an adventure to tell about. Or not tell about.”
The line moved slowly. “You know,” Blake said. “Maybe your adventure could be staying and helping me find my grandfather’s box.”
Lydia nearly choked on her last bite of brownie. Was he joking? They didn’t even know each other.
“I have to be back for teacher’s meetings. And I need to get my classroom ready for school to start. The desks are all stacked up in a corner of the room and I need to get them set up and organized and I’ve got to put up a couple of bulletin boards. And I have to get papers for the parents copied for back to school night and…” Blake’s smile widened as she spoke. “And I’m babbling, aren’t I?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. I should get back to the office anyway. It was a crazy idea.”
“Yeah,” Lydia said, relieved. A few minutes passed, and they neared the front of the line. A voice in Lydia’s head wouldn’t be quiet. You’re a coward. You don’t really want an adventure. You’re all talk. You could kill two birds with one stone. Have an adventure and help this guy find the box from his grandfather. But you’re too big of a wimp. She wanted to tell the voice to mind its own business, but it wouldn’t shut up. Chicken. Scaredy cat. But this wasn’t about adventure. This was about good, common sense, right? It wouldn’t be smart to stay with this man she didn’t know. And yet her instincts told her this guy was safe, that she didn’t need to fear his intentions.
It seemed the only way to stop the nag in her head was to speak. “It wasn’t a crazy idea. It was an adventurous idea. And I came here for adventure. I need something to tell Cambri when I get home, right? And you need to find that box or you’ll miss out on something important. And I don’t technically have to be back until Wednesday morning, so…”
“Really? Are you just talking a big game?” Blake teased.
“You’re not a psychopathic killer, are you?”
“No. But I certainly wouldn’t tell you if I was.”
“That’s true. That would really up the whole adventure factor, though.”
“See, you’re braver than you thought.”
My Review: 
Lost and Found is the novella with the deepest storyline in The Ripple Effect Romance Series so far. I have loved all of the novellas, but this one seemed to have struck home and made me think more about my life. Once again the characters in the previous novella are mentioned or seen in this current one. I have absolutely loved how interconnected all of the novellas are! 
The story starts out with Blake and Lydia waiting in the airport for a flight back home to Denver. Once the flight is cancelled they end up planning an adventure together. Without giving too much of the story away, it is darling how they get together. The interaction between these two characters is one of the sweetest and most real I’ve read in awhile. Kary has struck gold with this novella, writing about two people, too busy or too afraid to live life and find love. Through the letters of long dead lovers, Blake and Lydia learn some much needed life-lessons.  This book will make you think more about taking chances and evaluating what is most important in your life. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lost and Found and I know readers of great romance will not want to miss reading this one.

 Purchase at……

Karey   
Meet Author Karey White:
Karey is a USA Today best-selling author. She grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist. She loves to travel, read, cook, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four wonderful children.   
Find more about Karey here…

Updated Ripple Effect

The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series
Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors. “Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love.” Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver Book 6: Immersed by Jennifer Griffith

 

 

Tour Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/12/14

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Apr 232014
 

2013finalistschallengeorigx250Another “Read ’em All” Challenge has come to an end. Whitney Awards will be handed out this weekend after the LDStorymakers Conference. There are 40 really great books by amazing authors that are awaiting the results of Whitney Academy voting.

I love reading Whitney finalists. Reading is the fun part. Voting, not so much. Each year, the voting becomes more difficult. Most times, my deliberations take days. As tortuous as voting is to me, the struggle to rate each book in a category is a sign that the quality of writing by LDS authors is continuing to improve in marvelous ways.

The “Read ’em All” 2013 Finalists Challenge has been a lot of fun this year, especially collaborating with Karlene at the New LDS Fiction blog. The random drawings were fun to come up with and give away. We hope that those of you who participated enjoyed the “Read ’em All” Challenge as well.

What do you think? Should we do it again next year?

Now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for…

The winners of the Amazon Gift Card Grand Prizes are…

 

$75 Amazon Gift Card – ROBYN MATTHEWS!!!

&

$50 Amazon Gift Card – JORDAN MCCOLLUM!!!

 
Congratulations Robyn and Jordan! We will be in contact with you soon.

Thanks again to all of you who participated. If you’re going to be at the LDStorymakers Conference this year, be sure to say hello if you see me (Shanda), Sheila, or Mindy. We love to chat with our book-loving friends!

Apr 222014
 

2013finalistschallengeorigx200

It’s time to announce the winner of the last “Read ’em All” 2013 Finalists Challenge random drawing!

ReadEmAllfinaldrawingprizeIn honor of spring, I am giving away this cute flower pen and clipboard. And yes, I bought a set for me too. Just look how fun that little clipboard is! It would be perfect for To Do lists, or phone messages, or shopping lists, or decoration…

The winner also gets a couple of bags of candy because they will need something to supplement them after all the Easter candy is gone. ;)

And the winner is…..

LEXIE HOGAN!!!!

Congratulations, Lexie!

Thank you to everyone who signed up to participate in our “Read ’em All” 2013 Finalists Challenge. We hope you had as much fun with it as we did.

We still have the two grand prizes to announce, so don’t go anywhere!

Karlene over at New LDS Fiction also gave away one final random prize on her blog today. Go check out what they won!

 

 

 

Apr 182014
 

 

 

Righting a wrong

 

 

Product Details

 

  • Title: Righting a Wrong
  • Author: Rachael Anderson
  • Series: Ripple Effect Romance
  • Paperback: 144 pages
  • Publisher: HEA Publishing (March 7, 2014)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1941363024
  • FTC, FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description for Righting a Wrong 
Seven years ago, Cambri Blaine fled her small hometown of Bridger, Colorado after her senior year ended in a fiasco. Only Jace Sutton knew the real reason why—that she was a spineless coward. Now, seven years later, her father’s been in an accident and needs help, and Cambr has no choice but to return home. So with trepidation, she takes a leave of absence from the landscape architecture firm where she works and boards a plane, hoping against hope that Jace is no longer around and that the past can stay where it belongs—in the past. If only life worked that way. Jace never expected to see Cambri again. After she’d led him on, bruised his heart, and left town without a backward glance, he was forced to pick up the pieces and try not to hate her for it. Eventually, he put it behind him and moved on, creating a life for himself in his beloved hometown. But now that Cambri is back and looking more beautiful and sophisticated than ever, some of those old feelings resurface, and Jake instinctively knows, for the sake of his heart, that he needs to avoid her at all costs. If only it were that easy. 

Excerpt

 

    She rested her hand on his arm, but when he tensed, she pulled it away. “University Park and Charlotte are beautiful cities with so much to offer, but Bridger isn’t without its charms. Coming back here is like entering a different world.”

 

    “An archaic world.”

 

    “That’s not what I’m talking about,” said Cambri. “People here know and care about each other. When you walk down the street, you pass friends instead of strangers. The air is cleaner, the pace slower, and the world calmer. I’m pretty sure the sky is even bluer.”

 

    Jace slung his bag over her shoulder and leveled her a hard look. “Actions speak louder than words, Cambri. Or are you forgetting you left for bluer skies six years ago?”

 

    Her gaze held steady. “Sometimes it takes seeing other skies to know which is bluer.”

 

    One eye brow quirked as he considered her words. “What are you saying? That you’ve had your fill of city life and want to move back?”

 

    Cambri looked away. Was she saying that? No, of course not. That would be crazy. She was happy in Charlotte. “All I’m saying is that I appreciate Bridger a lot more than I used to.”

 

    He let out a low chuckle that didn’t sound even close to humorous. “Like I said, actions speak louder than words.” He started to walk past her, then paused, looking beyond her to the back door. “You talk of passing friends instead of strangers, but in my experience, friends are really just strangers disguised as familiar faces.” His arm brushed against her shoulder as he left, and an uncomfortable, almost palpable, sensation spread down her arm and landed with a thud in her gut.

 

 

My Review:

 

 It’s always a pleasure to read something written by Rachael Anderson. She writes such great characters, even the grumpy Harvey, father of main character Cambri. Once again this story has characters that we have previously met in the Ripple Effect Romance that we read previously. Readers get a glance at Drew and Eden and what’s happening in their life now. 

 

 

I was happy to get to know Jace better in this book. I really liked him in the last book and wanted to see him find his own love after losing Eden to Drew. I like the realistic scenario of how Jace and Cambri reacted to each other after not seeing each other for six years. There were hurt feelings on both sides after Cambri’s hasty departure from Bridger and after a first kiss with Jace. It was fun to see how they rebuilt their friendship and their love. It was also VERY satisfying to see Cambri rebuild her relationship with her estranged father. It took awhile for them to reconnect, but it felt so good when they did. 

 

 

There are so many things to love about Righting a Wrong, the likable characters, the great dialogue, the build up to the romance and the happy ending. I’m realizing that this series of clean romances will be kept in my favorite’s list. I haven’t read one yet that I don’t like. I’m all ready to go back and read them again. If you haven’t read this series yet, go back to the first and read them in the right order. Then you too can see the Ripple Effects that we have in each others lives. Kudos to all of the authors of this series. I can’t wait to read the next three in the series.

 

Rachael 

Meet:Author Rachael Anderson
 A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Updated Ripple Effect

The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series
 Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors. “Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love.” Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver Book 6: Immersed by Jennifer Griffith

 

 

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/28/14

a Rafflecopter giveaway