Blog Tour Review: A Timeless Romance Anthology: Annette Lyon Collection by Annette Lyon

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Jul 312015
 

Annette Lyon Collection25729345 Product Description
 Title:A Timeless Romance Anthology: Annette   Lyon Collection
 Author: Annette Lyon
Published: July 3, 2015, by Mirror Press 350p, 
Genre:Clean Romance
FTC, FYI: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by Sheila

Book Description:
The ANNETTE LYON COLLECTION contains brand new contemporary romance novella OUR SONG, as well as five hand-picked readers’ and reviewers’ favorites of Annette’s popular Timeless Romance Anthology novellas. Readers will love this selection of three contemporary and three historical romance novellas.

In OUR SONG, a charming romance novella, Cassie and Matt have been dating in the Yellowstone area for two years, and things are, well, average. When Cassie meets up with two college friends who are visiting, their love lives like sound like fairy tales: rose petals, chocolates, candles on the beach… Cassie goes home feeling like she’s missing out. After all, repeatedly watching Old Faithful erupt and walking through sulfur-smelling gases at Fountain Paint Pot don’t exactly say “romance.” Maybe things with Matt aren’t going anywhere, and it’s time to move on. Then she discovers that perception and reality are completely different things. Now she can only hope it isn’t too late to show Matt how much she really cares.

In the sweet novella GOLDEN SUNRISE, Natalie takes time out of her crazy schedule to fly to Vegas for her best friend’s wedding. Sierra and Jason, high-school sweethearts, are finally getting married. Fortunately for Natalie, her old high-school flame, Adam, has a work commitment and can’t be there as best man. But when she arrives at the wedding rehearsal—late and ragged—Adam is there. When Adam makes a wild suggestion, Natalie just may take him up on it, even though she knows he’s moved on. A single choice may mean Natalie is taking a shot at reclaiming the past—or that she’s putting her heart in harm’s way a second time.

FIRSTS AND LASTS, an enchanting novella, begins with Dani’s last week in New York. She’s failed in her dreams to catch a break as an actress and is now ready to return home and dust herself off. As she visits the places on her final to-see list, she meets Mark, another New York City transplant with big dreams. Except Mark hasn’t given up on his. As they spend the day together, Dani realizes that even though she hasn’t hit the “big time” she might be living her dream after all. Only problem: she has a one-way ticket back home.

In the compelling novella WAR OF HEARTS, Anna, a journalist, is desperate to escape the magazine where Pete, her now-former boyfriend, also works. Heartbroken and still in love with him, Anna snags an assignment to cover the Winter War in Finland. She arrives at a snowy Finnish battlefront only to discover that Pete is already there—as her photographer. She’s determined to be professional about the situation until a battle breaks out in camp, putting her and Pete in harm’s way and putting their love to the test.

The captivating novella BETWEEN THE LINES follows Jane Martin, who is intelligent but extremely shy, especially around men. When the Aid and Cultural Society proposes a letter-writing program, Jane signs up, hoping she can find true friendship. The program doesn’t run as smoothly as expected, and unknown to Jane, one of the men in her city becomes her writing friend. Thomas Allred has always known shy and quiet Jane, but reading her letters written to his secret persona, opens his eyes to what an amazing woman she is. The only trouble is, Jane doesn’t know that the man who she is falling in love with through letters is also Thomas, the man who is falling in love with her in person.

In the charming novella A TASTE OF HOME, we meet Claire Jennings, who’s on her way to spend Christmas with her family. As she rides the train with William Rhodes, who grew up across the street, memories of Christmases past flood her mind. He may be twenty-one now, but she can’t forget his torturous teasing from their school years. At the rail station, Claire discovers that her home is under quarantine because her little brother has measles. She’s stuck in town, away from her family, on her favorite holiday. William stays behind with her, and as Christmas Day approaches and her homesickness deepens, she discovers that perhaps he has changed in more ways than one.

My Review:
I love the Timeless Romance Anthologies. The novellas have grown on me, and I look forward to having short stories to read when I don’t have a lot of time.

In this anthology, author Annette Lyon has written all six of the novellas. The first one is brand new and the other five novellas are some of her best from other anthologies. The first three novellas are contemporary and the last three are historical fiction. It’s really hard to pick just one that stood out for me, because there was something to like about each novella.

Annette always writes great characters, and I especially loved Claire and William from the novella, A Taste of Home and Anna and Pete from the novella, War of Hearts. Their stories made me wish to read more about them and what happened later. One common thing you’ll find in all of Annette’s stories, is that your heart will be touched by what you read. You are pulled in quickly and care about the happiness of the couple and how they will eventually get together. You can also be assured of a nice, clean romance, that is still filled with kisses that will make you melt. The overall message from these stories is to open your eyes and embrace love when its there right in front of you.

This book is one more I recommend you put on your summer romance reading list.

Amazon * Barnes and Noble

If you want to read about other Timeless Romance Anthologies go to this site
Timeless Romance Anthologies

 

Meet Author: Annette Lyon
Annette Lyon is a Whitney Award winner, the recipient of Utah’s Best in State medal for fiction and the author of ten novels, a cookbook, and a grammar guide as well as over a hundred magazine articles. She’s part of the Timeless Romance Anthologies line of sweet romance stories, a senior editor at Precision Editing Group, and a cum laude graduate from BYU with a degree in English. When she’s not writing, editing, knitting, or eating chocolate, she can be found mothering and avoiding the spots on the kitchen floor.
Website * Facebook * Twitter
Tour Schedule:
July 27th
Katie’s Clean Book Collection http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/
Bookworm Lisa http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/
I Love to Read and Review Books http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/

July 28th
Lindzee Armstrong http://www.

The Kiss That Launched 1000 GIFS by Sheralyn Pratt-Blog Tour Review

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Jul 212015
 
The kiss25763490Product Description
Title: The Kiss That Launched a 1000 GIFS
Author:Sheralyn Pratt
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Wicked Sassy
Published: July 6, 2015
ASIN: B00ZONLBVK
FTC, FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by: Sheila

 
Book Description 
Each weekday from 2:00-4:00 p.m., Grace and Ashton cohost Battle of the Sexes, a radio program arguing the he-said/she-said issues of the day. Their fiery debates often have listeners wondering if there’s more to their relationship than just talk, even though Grace has been dating Phillip, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Perfect, since long before she ever met Ashton Miller. Yet when news comes that Battle of the Sexes is on the bubble for cancellation, Grace and Ashton need to step up their efforts to engage their audience to keep the show alive. When a charity organization approaches them and proposes that the two of them kiss for a fund raiser, Grace and Ash agree to kiss for a good cause. A kiss is just a kiss, right? 

My Review:
This romance has strong characters that is the key to pulling you into this story. From the very first chapter you are hooked and wanting more of the banter that is between Grace and Ashton, co-hosts of a talk radio show called, Battle of the Sexes.

The thing I love even more in this book is Ashton’s relationship with his 15 year old niece, Megan. He has helped raise her and is a true parent figure in her life. her mom, Ashton’s sister hasn’t always been there for Megan. This truly showed what a great guy Ashton is. He even made her put an app on her phone that will track her whereabouts so if she needs him to come help her, he’ll be there. There are so many reasons to love the man Ashton is in this story.

Getting back to the romance…it takes a lot of tension and fiery interaction between Grace and Ashton before they give in to the attraction that has always been there between them. Oh, there is a certain kiss in the middle of the novel that is…Wow!

I read this book in just a few hours because I could not put it down. I loved the ending and the epilogue was sigh worthy. If you are wanting to read a cute romance, with humor, and also playing out the ups and downs of a relationship, The Kiss That Launched a 1000 GIFS is the one for you. I would recommend this book for anyone 18 and older because of some subject matter that is discussed on their talk show. This book gets 5 stars***** from me! This modern day romance needs to be on your Summer reading list and moved to the very top.

Excerpt

“Good afternoon, and welcome to the newest edition of Battle of the Sexes,” Grace said, starting off the show. “With me today is the man who has just proven that the Instagram app is truly foolproof—my no-longer-technically challenged cohost, Ashton Miller.”
Ash leaned forward into the mic. “And with me is the woman I’ve recently learned feels compelled to alert the world via photograph every time she finds a pair of shoes she likes—the woman who takes the ‘anonymous’ out of Shopaholics Anonymous—my lovely cohost, Grace Vasquez.”
Grace was unapologetic. “A good pair of shoes is worth sharing.”
“Oh? Does that mean I should post pictures of my shoes?” Ash asked, picking up his phone and pressing the camera icon.
“You’re wearing hiking boots.”
“That’s right,” Ash said, putting his shoes up on the table and snapping a picture. “These are Salomon Quest 4D GTXes. I wear them any time I go on a shoot that requires some hiking. They’re light, durable, and provide great stability. Is that the sort of thing you share on Instagram?”
“Not really,” Grace said. “But I’m sure Salomon doesn’t mind the free advertising you just handed them.”
“Well, I’m totally posting a picture,” Ash said, in his best valley girl tone. “It’s not every day a man finds comfort, function, and fashion all in one shoe.”
“Indeed,” Grace replied. “I’m still waiting for that day to happen for you.”
Ash smiled against his will and set his phone to the side. He’d post the photo later. Grace was clearly in a mood that required his full attention. “So what are we talking about today? And, please, don’t let it be shoes!”
Grace glanced at her computer screen, giving Ash a view of her stunning profile. Seriously, how was her skin so smooth?
“Today the most up-voted topic is…” She blinked, looking confused. “Huh.”
“Huh?” Ash echoed, intrigued by the look of confusion on Grace’s face.
“Cupcakes,” she said.
“Cupcakes?”
Grace nodded and frowned at her monitor. “Why do men hate cupcakes? is the trending topic at the moment.” Grace looked Ash’s way, visibly confused. “Do men hate cupcakes?”

Purchase your copy

Meet Author Sheralyn Pratt

Sheralyn’s first job was as a karate instructor, which taught her that practice does not make perfect; practice makes habit–good or bad. Martial arts also taught Sheralyn that a master is simply a person who can effortlessly do all the actions a beginner finds difficult or maybe even impossible. Sheralyn has worked in many fields throughout her life, but her 12 years as a karate instructor have shaped how she does everything, including writing and mentoring. She likes to keep things light and fun, but she’s also aware that life is journey and that if you’re going to buy a book, your life should better for it. So, fiction or nonfiction, know that each of Sheralyn’s books are designed to take you to a new place. Maybe that book is designed to help you escape for a few hours, or maybe it’s a book designed to teach you a new skill. Either way, Sheralyn hopes it’s unforgettable…in a good way. ;)

A Timeless Romance Anthology: Love Letter Collection by Karey White, Krista Lynne Jensen, Diane Darcy,Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore-Review

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Feb 092014
 

 

Product Details

  • Title: Love Letter Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology)
  • Authors: Karey White, Krista Lynne Jensen, Diane Darcy, Sarah M. Eden, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore
  • File Size: 2022 KB
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Publisher: Mirror Press (January 22, 2014)
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00I20ABJU
  • FTC FYI: Received a review ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description:

Just in time for Valentine’s Day…  
 LOVE LETTER COLLECTION
Three Contemporary Romance Novellas
& Three Historical Romance Novellas
in one anthology

 

In Maggie’s Song, a charming story by Karey White, Maggie Jensen is part of a trio of best friends with Lucas and Dan. Together, they own and run Wild Country Hiking Tours. When Lucas returns to the company after getting his college degree, Maggie realizes that the crush she had on him as a teenager has now blossomed into so much more. But Lucas still treats her as one of the guys, and Maggie worries that if she tells him her real feelings, their relationship will be damaged forever.

 

 

 

In Just Fly, Krista Lynne Jensen’s captivating novella, Wren is faced with the devastating news of her grandfather’s death. But when her mom finds a mysterious letter from a woman named Dot in Seattle, Wren decides to visit the woman herself to deliver the news in person. Wren learns of the bucket list Dot and Gramps had put together with the help of Dot’s grandson, Seth, and Dot challenges Wren to take her grandfather’s place in completing the list. Before the week of adventure is over, Seth has impressed Wren in more ways than one. But is that enough to overcome Wren’s fear of losing those she loves?

 

 

 

How to Rewrite a Love Letter, an enthralling novella by Diane Darcy, high school teacher Julie Ashburn believes she’ll never live the “event” down in which she wrote her true feelings in a love letter to Principal Dane Parker, and he laughed out loud, mocking her. Now that her honors English students want to write love letters for the school fundraiser, Dane turns down the idea flat. Julie tries to convince him that it was her students’ idea and not any sort of payback. But when a student writes a fake love letter from the principal to Julie, everything gets even more mixed up, and both Julie and Dane are caught up in a series of misunderstandings that might be impossible to sort out.

 

 

 

In Sarah M. Eden’s delightful story, A Thousand Words, Shannon Ryan has been waiting half a year to be reunited with her fiance, Patrick, with only the letters between them keeping their relationship alive. He finally sends for her after securing a good job with the Sidney newspaper, and she can’t wait to be reunited with him, swept up in his arms and thoroughly kissed. And of course, married as soon as possible. But when she arrives at the train station, there is no Patrick waiting for her. Shannon must discover if the man she loves still has feelings for her.

 

 

 

Between the Lines is a sweet romance by Annette Lyon. Jane Martin is intelligent but extremely shy, especially around men. When the Aid and Cultural Society proposes a letter-writing program, Jane signs up, hoping she can find true friendship. The program doesn’t run as smoothly as expected, and unknown to Jane, one of the men in her city becomes her writing friend. Thomas Allred has always known shy and quiet Jane, but reading her letters written to his secret persona, opens his eyes to what an amazing woman she is. The only trouble is, Jane doesn’t know that the man who she is falling in love with through letters is also Thomas, the man who is falling in love with her in person.

 

 

 

In the enchanting novella, Blackberry Hollow, by Heather B. Moore, Lucy Quinn travels to England to inspect her inherited estate. Unfortunately, as a resident of New York and nearly engaged, Lucy needs put the house on the market. But first, she wants to learn more about her ancestors. What she doesn’t expect is Calvin Bevans, the man living next door. The two families have been divided by a misunderstanding decades old, and when Lucy discovers a set of love letters, she learns the truth. As Calvin helps her unravel the hidden secrets between the two families, Lucy finds that she has more reasons to stay in England than to return to New York. And Calvin is at the top of that list.
 
 My Review:
 
The new Timeless Romance Anthology, The Love Letters Collection, is a perfect read for Valentines Day. I loved the combination of contemporary and historical stories. There is a story to fit your every mood and reading tastes. The unique thing that binds all six stories together is that there are love letters in every novella. From the first story, Maggie’s Song, where two best friends finally confess their love through some letters (This happy ending gave me chills and I gave a huge sigh) to the last story, Blackberry Hollow where two great grandchildren of former lovers become close themselves(and maybe more…you need to read it yourself!). These romance stories are high on the clean factor and zero on anything erotic. All of the stories are written with appealing characters whose stories stayed in my mind days after reading them.
 
I love how each of these stories are told. I have become a true lover of these novellas. The Timeless Romance Anthologies are always quick easy reads. They never fail to make me smile. As a busy woman I like to be able to read a story and have it resolved quickly. A full length novel doesn’t always work with my busy schedule of working full-time and being a single mom. 
 
Do yourself a favor and pick up this new collection of romance stories. They are well written by authors I’ve come to trust, and they know how to deliver a great story. 
 
You can purchase your copy here at Amazon.
 
 

Blog Tour Review and Giveaway for Smart Move by Melanie Jacobson

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Oct 192012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Smart Move
  • Author: Melanie Jacobson
  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc; 1st edition (October 1, 2012)
  • Genre: Romantic Comedy
  • ISBN-10: 1608615685
  • ISBN-13: 978-1608615681
  • FTC FYI: I was given a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

 

Book Description:

Publication Date: October 1, 2012
The spark was undeniable the night Sandy Burke met the
devastatingly handsome Jake. Conversation flowed easily, so after they
parted, she waited eagerly for his call. It never came. A high-powered
career woman at the ripe old age of twenty-seven, Sandy feels she has
had her heart broken one too many times, and now the redheaded
trendsetter is facing a major quarter-life crisis. After some
introspection, Sandy determines that helping others may be the key to
helping herself. When she’s presented with a job offer in Washington,
DC, as the director of New Horizons, a nonprofit organization benefiting
women in poverty, it seems providential. But now that she’s moved, two
major obstacles threaten the success of her first assignment: The first
is her mother and her constant fog of less-than helpful New Age advice.
Secondly, plans to build another New Horizons outreach center have come
to a screeching halt, thanks to the interference of a pesky lawyer and
his attempts to reverse zoning approval for the building project. After
weeks of verbal sparring over the phone, Sandy is in for a shock when
she comes face-to-face with her foe. The smooth voice at the other end
of the line is a heartwrenching blast from the past. In this twist of
fate, Sandy sees the perfect opportunity to ensure the success of the
outreach center and to enact a little payback on this man she thought
she’d left behind. And so the battle of wits begins. Will Sandy’s
flirt-to-convert plot sway her nemesis’s determination to block the
center, or will his charming and undeniably attractive ways convince the
sassy redhead to give love a second chance?

My Review: 

Sandy’s heart was broken a year ago. With her new move back East to the Washington D.C. area she has a chance to start anew in her life. Little does she know the reason for her heartache has also moved back East to the same town. They soon meet again and sparks fly as they clash in business and in love.

Melanie Jacobson has written a strong character in Sandy Burke who is confident in life, but not necessarily in love. Sandy grew up with a distant mother and an absent father. Trust issues are huge for her and she has built a wall around her heart. Along comes Jake who with his good looks, impeccable style and brains to boot, and this successful lawyer will do anything to win her heart.

I always love the humor that is infused in Melanie’s books. Even with serious issues, her characters seem to find funny things happening to them. One of the most humorous things in the book is when Sandy gets stuck in a cabinet with her behind sticking out.

Ten seconds later, Magdalena’s voice,sounding strangely hollow to her inside the cabinet, asked, “Why is your bottom sticking out of the cabinet Sand Dollar?”

Please let her be alone, Sandy begged silently.

A choking noise that masked a laugh told her that her Ridiculous Situation guardian angel was currently off duty.

“Yes, Sand Dollar,” Jake said from above her. “Why? And how can we help?”

A burn crept up her neck and face. “I’m dusting.”



The other thing I loved in this book was the witty dialogue between Sandy and Jake…



She offered him a slow, mysterious smile, determined to restore some lightness to the evening. “If it makes you feel better, being near you does cause me some serious issues.”

He leaned closer and coked his head, morphing in an instant from goofy to sexy. “Like what, ” he drawled. 

She closed the gap between them until a mere breath separated them. “I have to tell the truth,” she whispered. “being this close to you is hard. I feel this overwhelming urge to…”

“What?” he whispered back.

“Kick you.”

There was a moment of silence, and then he burst out laughing again. When he pulled himself together, he gave her hair a playful tug. “Leave it to me to find the perfect woman and have her hate me.”


There is so much more for you to read, enjoy and laugh about. There are some serious moments as she tries to heal her relationship with her new-age mother, Magdalena. Smart Move is different from Melanie’s other books in that the characters seemed more mature, but this didn’t take away any of the appeal that is always there in a Melanie Jacobson book.  I liked this novel and every fan of Melanie’s will love this new book too!

Guess what? USA readers have a chance to win a paperback copy of Smart Move. I know it’s hard to contain your excitement! I felt the same way when Melanie asked me to be part of the blog tour! Enter in the Rafflecopter form below and good luck!a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Purchase your own copy of Smart Move here.

About the Author:

Melanie Bennett Jacobson is an avid
reader, amateur cook, and champion shopper. She consumes astonishing
amounts of chocolate, chick flicks, and romance
novels. After meeting her husband online, she is now living happily
married in Southern California with her growing family and a series of
doomed houseplants. Melanie is a former English teacher and a popular
speaker who loves to laugh and make others laugh. In her down time
(ha!), she writes romantic comedies for Covenant and maintains her
humorous slice-of-life blog. Visit Melanie on her website or blog.

Blog Tour Review of, Autumn Winds by Charlotte Hubbard

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Sep 282012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Autumn Winds(Book 2 in the Seasons of the Heart series)
  • Author: Charlotte Hubbard
  • Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Zebra; Original edition (September 4, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1420121707
  • ISBN-13: 978-1420121704
  • FTC FYI: I was given a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description:

Release Date: September 4, 2012 | Series: Seasons of the Heart
Winds of change are blowing through Willow Ridge, and
they’re bringing a stranger to the Sweet Seasons Cafe. At first, widowed
Miriam Lantz has misgivings about Ben Hooley, a handsome but rootless
traveling blacksmith. But as she gets to know the kind-hearted newcomer,
she wonders if his arrival was providential. Perhaps she could find
love again – if only there weren’t so many obstacles in the way. With
Bishop Knepp relentlessly pursuing her hand in marriage and the fate of
her beloved cafe at stake, Miriam must listen to God and her heart to
find the happiness she longs for, and the love she deserves.

 

My Review: 

 When was the last time you read a book where you just smiled a lot while reading? This is how it was last weekend when I read Autumn Winds. This is the second book in the series. It continues the story of the Lantz family, but this time the spotlight is on the mom, Miriam.We follow along as she meets the handsome Ben Hooley who precedes to court her, despite Bishop Knepps never ending attempts at forcing her to marry him. We also get to see the continuing romance of Rachel Lantz and Micah Brennemen which started in the first book.


Things I loved:-I loved the interaction between Miriam and Ben. It was sweet and real. The attraction was so strong, without unnecessary sex.(Why can’t the world leave that in the bedroom where it belongs?)

-I love how Charlotte Hubbard writes a strong woman, even if she is Amish.

-I appreciate reading a romance with people that are older than 30. Miriam is 40 and Ben is 35. It is refreshing to read about older people finding romance. As an older woman,(in my 40’s) it makes for a good read.

-The story again takes place in the Sweet Seasons Bakery. Oh wow! The food that they make and eat in this book are unbelievable! The best part is that Charlotte has included the recipes at the back of the book. Some of them I’m excited to try are…

  •  Pumpkin Blueberry Muffins
  • Apple Walnut Coffee Cake
  • Whole Wheat Banana Bread
  • Overnight Sensation Salad
  • English Muffin Bread and
  • Turkey Cheese Chowder 

 -My favorite part of the book is the humbling that takes place by one of the most pompous males in the book. I actually cheered out-loud to see this take place.


The Seasons of the Heart series is becoming one of my favorite Amish series. As I have stated before, I have always loved Beverley Lewis’s Amish stories, but Charlotte has become my favorite new author of this genre. If you are looking for a clean romance, strong characters and a happy ending, this book and series is for you.

Start reading Autumn Winds (Seasons of the Heart) on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

About the Author: Charlotte Hubbard  

Many moons ago—like, in 1983 while I was still a school librarian—I
sold my first story to True Story. This launched me into writing about
seventy of those “true confessions” stories over the years, and I’ve
been a slave to my overactive imagination ever since.

The next big step was selling my first historical romance in 1990, a
Zebra Heartfire called COLORADO CAPTIVE. I quickly sold five more in
that genre—and if you prefer my Christian romances, these historical
Westerns won’t be your cup of tea! They’re all out of print now, but
available from used book stores or on Amazon.com. I’m bringing them back
in digital format with beautiful new covers, which you can see on my
Books page.

After a long dry spell that entailed major changes in the publishing
industry and an agent who fritzed out on cocaine, I resurfaced in a new
genre, with a new publisher, editor, and agent who were so excited about
my Angels of Mercy series! These four faith-and-family stories
are also out of print now, but available online as e-books. With THE
LOVE SECRET, I moved into new territory once again—and once again the
setting is a place I love to spend time: the Oregon Coast.
Unfortunately, this series was doomed before it even got off the ground,
so only this one book got written. That happens in the publishing
business.

Being an author is great fun when you’re selling, but it’s best to
have a hide like a rhinoceros and a spouse who gets a regular paycheck!
Patience, persistence and just flat-out luck have given me this
opportunity to reinvent myself yet again. Those angels I write about
keep pulling me through, and are often my friends and family—but I owe a
lot to the heavenly beings who bear me up on their wings, as well!

My stories invariably take on a life of their own, different from the
way I’ve proposed them: I love it when unforeseen characters and plot
twists come along, because they keep me guessing right along with my
readers!

I have often presented workshops at my RWA chapter in St. Louis, and at conferences. I also belong to Novelists, Inc..

I love touring historic homes, trying new recipes, crocheting, and
playing with Ramona—although it’s humbling, having a dog smarter than I
am! I’m an ordained Presbyterian deacon, and I devote a lot of time to
singing in my church choir and to practicing/performing with our
percussion ensemble. I’m celebrating more than thirty-five years with my
husband, who—bless him—has never once suggested I get a real job!

 

Blog Tour Review of, Reality Check by Karen Tuft: Reminder…Enter to Win Your Own Copy!

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Sheila's Reviews
Jul 202012
 

Product Details:

  • Title: Reality Check
  • Author: Karen Tuft
  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc.; 1st edition (June 1, 2012
  • Genre: Romance
  • ISBN-10: 1608613976
  • ISBN-13: 978-1608613977

 

 

 

 

 

Book Description:

Publication Date: June 1, 2012
 
After college graduation, Lucy Kendrick heads home with
big plans for work, travel, and relishing her freedom which means no
romantic entanglements. But her two best friends have other ideas. Lucy
is seriously steamed when she realizes they’ve signed her up to be a
contestant on the reality dating show Soulmates, but she decides not to
renege and soon finds herself in Los Angeles a small-town Mormon girl
vying for the love of millionaire bachelor Ethan Glass. At first this
cute, smart, fun young woman, who would rather pray than party,
bewilders Ethan. But his interest and admiration grow with every
encounter. However, the conniving associate producer is determined to
stir up some made-for-TV drama and takes strides to make this reality
television show anything but real. When the show finally airs, Lucy has
been recast as someone she unquestionably is not. Lucy is left
humiliated in front of the world, and Ethan is left wondering who the
Lucy is that he was falling in love with. Will the duplicities that have
created this humiliation ever come to light? And will the truth emerge
too late for the would-be soul-mates?
My Review:   
Reality Check is the story of an LDS young women who becomes a contestant on a reality TV dating show. As my post last Saturday showed, I do watch the Bachelor and Bachelorette. Sometimes I watch it because of liking someone on the show and wanting to see how far my favorite actually advances. Other times I watch to get a good laugh at how crazy people act when they are on a show like this. Well, Reality Check was like watching the TV show, but better. Yes, there were drama queens and wacko contestants, but the main characters added some much needed depth you usually don’t get in the TV show. 

Karen Tuft’s new novel is fun, fast-paced and hard to put down. This is another book that I read late into the night. Once Lucy’s friends trick her into going onto the show Soulmates,  you are hooked. You really want to see what will happen. I had to LOL when Lucy told herself she probably wouldn’t make it past the first night, then she would get to visit Disneyland for the first time. I laughed at this because it’s truly something that I would think and plan! The biggest thing you will notice in the story, is how different Lucy is from the other girls. She stands out because of her standards and morals. The “bachelor” on the show, Ethan Glass, notices her on the first night because of how modestly she is dressed.This story would be considered an LDS romance, but it never shoves anything in your face religiously. It is all presented in a way that you cheer for Lucy as she stays true to herself and her religion. I loved the character of Ethan Glass and how he was in this contest for all of the right reasons. Females will find him “Awww”” worthy and wanting an Ethan in their own lives; or wanting their husbands to follow Ethan’s lead. 

Reality Check is a great first book from Karen Tuft. This is another book, that you must tuck away in your bag, when you go on vacation. You will finish reading this book feeling like maybe, just maybe, soul-mates are truly real.
 
 You can purchase Reality Check here:

Karen Tuft

Best Price $13.00

or Buy New $16.99

Remember that Karen is hosting a giveaway in conjunction with the blog tour. Here again are the details.
Giveaway Information:
Karen is generously donating a paperback copy of Reality Check plus a starfish charm bracelet to one lucky reader. All you have to do to gain entries is to leave a comment on any of the tour stops. Each comment will gain you an entry. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! Here is a full list of the tour stops .
For those readers who prefer a non-LDS read, she is also giving away an ARC copy of
The Selection by Kiera Cass. It is such a cute book with a reality
based dating show as well.

Make sure you leave your email address and
which book you are entering for in your comments (i.e. Reality Check, The
Selection, or Both).
Also, go visit Karen’s blog for more information.

http://kktuft.blogspot.com/2012/06/where-did-you-have-reality-check.html

Schedule:

July 9: Book Bug – Tour Kickoff + Sneak Peek + Giveaway + “Bachelorette” Polls

July 9: “Bachelorette” Episode – The
Final 3

July 10: Getting Your Read On
– Review

July 11: A Tuft Act to Follow – “Bachelorette” Episode Recap

July 12: Book Bug – Update and “Bachelorette” Thoughts

July 12: Getting Your Read On
– “Bachelorette” Post

July 13: Fire and Ice – “Bachelorette” Post

July 14: Why Not? Because I Said So!
– “Bachelorette” Post

July 16: Book Bug – “Bachelorette”
Post

July 16: “Bachelorette”
Episode – The Men Tell All

July 17: Bookworm Lisa – Review + Author
Guest Post

July 18: A Tuft Act to Follow – “Bachelorette”
Episode Recap

July 19: Fire and Ice –
Review

July 20: Why Not? Because I Said So!
– Review

July 22: “Bachelorette”
Episode – Finale and After the Final Rose

July 23: A Tuft Act to Follow – “Bachelorette”
Finale Recap

July 23: Book Bug –
Review

July 24: I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
– Author Interview

July 25: Book Bug – Wrap Up

 

About the Author:

Karen Tuft was born with a healthy dose of curiosity about pretty much everything, so as a child she taught herself to read and play the piano. She studied composition at BYU then graduated from the University of Utah in music theory as a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda honor societies. In addition to being an author, Karen is a wife, mother, pianist, composer, and arranger. She as spent countless hours backstage and in orchestra pits for theater productions along the Wasatch Front. She also has a 75 percent success rate when it comes to matchmaking and is a big believer in happy endings. Among her varied interests, she likes to figure out what makes people tick, wander through museums, and travel, whether by car, plane, or paperback.

**I was given a review copy of Reality Check. In no way did this influence the honest review that was given.**
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