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:

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 BugTour 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 BugUpdate 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.**
Jun 182012
 

It’s time for the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2012!

Actually, it’s a little late, since the first day of summer is only days away, but that’s not going to stop us from featuring a ton of authors and their books. We’re just going to extend the countdown beyond the first day of summer to the end of June.

We will announce the winners of the $25 Amazon gift card and books donated by their authors on July 5, 2012, so all entries into the drawing must be received by July 3, 2012 before 12:00 midnight Mountain time. Book prizes can only be shipped within the United States. Participants must be 18 years or older. See all rules and restrictions on the Countdown to Summer 2012 page HERE.

See below for details on how to enter!

*  *  *

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 has spent countless hours backstage and in orchestra pits for theater productions. 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.

Visit Karen on Facebook and her blogs HERE and HERE.

LDSWBR: Do you find it easier or more difficult to write during the summertime? Why?

KAREN: I always think it’s going to be easier to write in the summer, when I’m not helping my kids with school papers or running to the next high school band or choir concert. But then summer hits and our schedules go a little nuts—in a good way. So, really, I’m just exchanging one type of chaos for another. Makes things pretty much the same year round, I guess.

LDSWBR: Would you rather be in the pool or next to the pool?

KAREN: I am definitely next the the pool. I swim like a rock. (As a result I made sure that all of my kids learned to swim. I wanted them able to rescue me in case of a water emergency.) I sit next to the pool and get sunburned and have fun watching them having fun.

LDSWBR: Ice cream or slushie? What flavor?

KAREN: I scream you scream we all scream, et cetera. Ice cream for sure. And the flavor can be anything as long as it includes chocolate in a major way.

LDSWBR: Thank you, Karen. Enjoy your summer!

*  *  *

Reality Check by Karen Tuft

AMAZON | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK

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 soulmates?

*  *  *

To enter the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2012, leave a thoughtful comment below.

Be sure to comment on each Countdown to Summer 2012 post for more chances to win.

Prizes include a $25 Amazon gift card and the author-donated books listed below. This is raffle-style drawing where all entries throughout the contest period are entered into the same “hat” for all prizes. US only. 18 years and older please. See all contest rules and restrictions HERE.

If you don’t already follow LDSWBR through email, Facebook or Twitter (those cute little book buttons on the sidebar) you may want to consider doing so during the contest so you don’t miss any posts or chances to enter the drawing. Following LDSWBR is not required but it is nice to know that our book reviews are useful to other readers. :)

If one of our LDSWBR reviews has ever helped you find a book you enjoyed, perhaps you would consider helping us spread the word about the LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2012. A link posted to your friends and family either in email or on your favorite social network would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Book prizes donated by the authors include:

Reality Check by Karen Tuft

Cold Justice by Kathi Oram Peterson

Journey to the Fringe by Kelli Nielsen

Dangerous Favor by Joyce DiPastena (choice of print, Kindle or Nook)

Twitterpated by Melanie Jacobson

Of Grace and Chocolate by Krista Lynne Jensen