Second Chances by Melanie Jacobson

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Mar 252013
 

secondchancesSecond Chances

Author: Melanie Jacobson

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: March 2013

Softcover: 272 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

ISBN# 978-1621083443

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary

After walking out of a thankless job at a prestigious marketing firm, feisty California entrepreneur Louisa Gibson is going into business for herself. Lou’s pioneering venture, The Mormon Bachelor, is a reality dating web series sure to be fabulous advertising for her new marketing firm. And as a bonus, she can solve a problem close to home: while Huntington Beach is crawling with eligible, sun-bronzed Saints, they’ve forgotten the vital skill of dating. Lou hopes the reality show will finally inspire this group of hangout enthusiasts to pair off. But shortly before filming begins, the unthinkable happens — Trentyn, a.k.a. The Bachelor, gets a girlfriend. And Lou needs a new leading man — fast.

Enter Nick, Lou’s devastatingly handsome ex-boyfriend. He’s the stereotypical actor: shallow, self-serving…and perfect for the job. A whirlwind of dating ensues, with Nick at the center of it all. Things are going according to plan — that is, until Lou is forced to step in as a substitute bachelorette, becoming an unwitting cast member on her own show. Despite Nick’s attempts to reestablish their friendship and the growing spark between them, Lou is determined to keep her distance. The show must go on — but what’s a girl to do when the Mr. Wrong of the past just may be the Mr. Right of the future?

Review

Louisa is the proud-but-poor new owner of her very own ad agency. After an enlightening girls’ night watching the final episode of “The Bachelor,” she is inspired to start an LDS online version called “The Mormon Bachelor.” Her mission is two-fold: attract business for her ad agency, and show the local guys that dating is more than just hanging out.

When her star bachelor gets a girlfriend days before filming is scheduled to start, a serendipitous commercial (and a bold email sent by her friend/only employee) results in Lou coming face-to-face with her actor ex-boyfriend, Nick Westman. He’s willing to participate and she is desperate.

It doesn’t take long for Lou to see that Nick has changed during the last three years. She finds herself torn between building her new business and her rekindled attraction to Nick. He’s hit it off with a couple of the bachelorettes and Lou is unsure of his feelings toward her. She has reservations about his choice of career. He is always a gentleman but keeps his emotions guarded. Louisa’s control-freak tendencies and Nick’s reluctance to open up are issues that continue to create distance between them. Will Nick find love on the show? Will Louisa survive it if he does?

Second Chances was a fun read. Melanie’s writing is smooth and conversational, making it easy to get into the story and keep turning pages. The characters are dimensional and real. The setting made me want to visit Huntington Beach next time I’m in California.

Louisa is hard-working, talented, stubborn and blind to her control-freak perfectionism. Nick put me off a bit initially but grew on me and quickly became a favorite. I enjoyed watching both Nick and Louisa change and grow throughout the story. There were several eye-opening experiences for Lou regarding her tendency to judge others prematurely, as well as her unrealistically high expectations of people. These issues made Lou a bit of a brat but also more relatable as a character.

I’m grateful that Melanie is a consistent writer because I look forward to her novel releases like holidays. Reading one of her books is like taking a little vacation and I appreciate the escape. I enjoyed the peek at the LDS dating scene in a place far from Utah. I loved the Matt and Ashley cameos.

Readers who enjoy clean romance will like Second Chances. Fans of Melanie’s other books (and “The Bachelor”) will not want to miss this one. I am happy to add another of Melanie’s books to the “Favorite Romances” section of my bookshelf.

Visit Melanie:  WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER

Find Second Chances:  AMAZON  |  DESERET BOOK  |  SEAGULL BOOK  |  GOODREADS

 

Smart Move by Melanie Jacobson – Countdown to Christmas 2012

 Posted by  Countdown to Christmas, Special Features
Dec 202012
 

 5 days until Christmas

 

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 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. Her fourth novel, Smart Move, hit shelves in October.

Visit Melanie:  WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

* * * * *

LDSWBR: Do you top your Christmas tree with a star, angel, or something else? Does it have special meaning to you?

MELANIE: We have an angel on top of our tree. I just couldn’t find a star that was simple enough, but now we have an angel I really love and the kids love seeing it up there.

LDSWBR: What is your favorite Christmas movie? Why is it your favorite?

MELANIE: Elf! We just have so much fun watching it as a family. It’s one of the few movies I don’t get sick of watching over and over, and we watch it the first Sunday after Thanksgiving so it kicks off our Christmas season.

LDSWBR: What Christmas gift have you been most excited to give?

MELANIE: I was really excited to give my husband a wood turning lathe. It’s turned into a passion for him over the last four yeas and now I have lots of beautiful wood bowls decorating my home.

LDSWBR: Thanks, Melanie!

* * * * *

Purchase Smart Move: 

AMAZON | KINDLE | DESERT BOOK | DB BOOKSHELF | SEAGULL BOOK

The spark was undeniable the night Sandy Burke met the devastatingly handsome Jake. Conversation had flowed easily, so after they’d parted, she’d 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 heart wrenching 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?

What homemade gift holds a special place in your heart?

* * * * *

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

Be sure to comment on each Countdown to Christmas 2012 post for more chances to win. Please click through to the website as only comments submitted directly on this post will be accepted.

Prizes include a $50 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 below.

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 Christmas 2012. A link posted to your friends and family either in email or on your favorite social network would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks!

By leaving a comment and entering the Countdown to Christmas 2012, you agree to the contest rules below:

**NOTE: Deadline for commenting and entering has been extended to Midnight December 25, 2012 Mountain Time.**

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY; entrants must be 18 years or older; open to residents of continental US only; giveaway begins December 3, 2012 and all entries must be received by 12:00 Midnight December 25, 2012 Mountain Time; to enter, complete the required entry on each post and any additional entries of your choice if listed; LDS Women’s Book Review reserves the right to determine what is considered a thoughtful comment as per each posts required entry; giveaway prizes include a $50 Amazon gift card and a variety of book prizes donated by featured authors; the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning; LDS Women’s Book Review is not liable for technical problems which may affect entry into the giveaway; winner identity will be verified by email address; winner will be selected December 27, 2012 by use of a sequence generator on random.org; winner will have until January 3, 2013 to claim their prize; if any prize winner forfeits or does not claim prize, prize will be re-awarded to next winner in sequence; all prizes will be awarded; limit of two prizes per entrant; this contest/giveaway is not associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other entity unless otherwise specified; by entering the giveaway you give LDS Women’s Book Review the right to publicize your name on the LDS Women’s Book Review blog; winner agrees to release LDS Women’s Book Review from any liability as a result of winning; email comments & questions to LDS Women’s Book Review – ldswbr (at) gmail (dot) com; giveaway subject to Utah regulations; VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Book Prizes (as of December 20, 2012 – more to be added to this list!)

  • Tres Leches Cupcakes by Josi S. Kilpack (signed paperback copy)
  • Not Your Average Fairy Tale by Chantele Sedgwick (paperback or ebook)
  • Deadly Undertakings by Gregg Luke (personalized paperback)
  • Turning Pages by Tristi Pinkston (personalized paperback)
  • Athena by Heather B. Moore (autographed paperback)
  • The Kindling by Braden Bell (paperback, signed if desired)
  • Sudden Darkness by Margot Hovley (personalized paperback)
  • Code Word by Traci Hunter Abramson (paperback)
  • The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson (ebook)
  • The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back by Sariah Wilson (ebook- PDF/.mobi)
  • Lady Outlaw by Stacy Henrie (signed paperback)
  • A Note Worth Taking by Lu Ann Staheli (Kindle)
  • When Hearts Conjoin by Lu Ann Staheli (paperback)
  • Paige by Annette Lyon (signed paperback)
  • All Fall Down by Julie Coulter Bellon (personalized paperback)
  • Smart Move by Melanie Jacobson (signed & personalized paperback)

Previous Countdown to Christmas 2012 posts:

 

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.

Twitterpated by Melanie Jacobson – Countdown to Summer 2012

 Posted by  Countdown to Summer, Special Features
Jun 302012
 

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. Her third novel, Twitterpated, hits shelves in March.

Follow Melanie: WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER

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

MELANIE: SO MUCH HARDER. It’s mainly because my littlest one just gave up naps and that was my sacred writing time, but it’s also because we don’t have a set daily routine where I’ve blocked out writing time. I don’t want to drag my kids back early from the beach just so I can write. It also doesn’t help that I’m in between projects right now, but I’m about to start outlining a new novel next week, so maybe I’ll hit my groove soon!

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

MELANIE: Next to the pool, hands down. I’m always tucked up under my big, shady umbrella avoiding the splashes while I watch my kids play. I’ll go out if my toddler insists but I’d much rather not. Now, if I could just drift on an air mattress without small child water disturbances, that would be a different story.

LDSWBR: Ice cream or slushie? What flavor?

MELANIE: Ice cream. Butter pecan. Or maybe cookies and cream. Although mint chip is great in the summer. Then again, I kind of love straight up vanilla. Um, I guess ALL THE FLAVORS. But not chocolate. I don’t like chocolate ice cream or cake or milk. But I love chocolate everything else.

LDSWBR: Thanks, Melanie. Enjoy your summer!

Twitterpated by Melanie Jacobson

AMAZON | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK

Jessie Taylor is furious when her roommate secretly posts her picture on the dating website LDS Lookup — furious, that is, until she spends all night instant messaging Ben Bratton, a man whose wit and warmth just might make Jessie forget the train wreck of her last romantic relationship. Their first date is a smashing success (literally), but Ben’s overall awesomeness can’t save Jessie from having to deal with Craig, her competitive coworker whose baiting behavior sets new standards for obnoxiousness. Determined to beat Craig at his own game, Jessie spends long office hours finishing projects and putting out fires, but while her performance wows her boss, it only makes Ben skittish— after a failed engagement to an up-and-coming lawyer, he’s not about to pair up with someone who’s married to her job. Will Jessie figure out how to be true to herself and take her big chance at love before it’s gone with a click of the mouse?

*  *  *

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. Please click through to the website as only comments submitted directly on this post will be accepted.

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

Espionage by A.L. Sowards

Twitterpated by Melanie Jacobson

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Mar 192012
 

Twitterpated

Author: Melanie Jacobson

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: March 2012

Softcover; 247 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

ISBN# 978-1-60861-065-5

Reviewed by: Shanda

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

Goodreads Summary:

Jessie Taylor is furious when her roommate secretly posts her picture on the dating website LDS Lookup — furious, that is, until she spends all night instant messaging Ben Bratton, a man whose wit and warmth just might make Jessie forget the train wreck of her last romantic relationship. Their first date is a smashing success (literally), but Ben’s overall awesomeness can’t save Jessie from having to deal with Craig, her competitive coworker whose baiting behavior sets new standards for obnoxiousness. Determined to beat Craig at his own game, Jessie spends long office hours finishing projects and putting out fires, but while her performance wows her boss, it only makes Ben skittish — after a failed engagement to an up-and-coming lawyer, he’s not about to pair up with someone who’s married to her job. Will Jessie figure out how to be true to herself and take her big chance at love before it’s gone with a click of the mouse?

My Review

How many ways can I say “I LOVED Twitterpated?”

I have enjoyed every one of Melanie’s books, and Twitterpated was just as much fun as her other novels.

I liked Jessie. She’s spunky, hard-working and a good friend. I loved Ben. He’s a good, down-to-earth kind of guy with a hint of geek that I can’t resist. I don’t know how Melanie does it, but she captures the occasional awkwardness of dating without making it uncomfortable or cheesy. Sometimes I felt a little embarrassed for the character, but it only succeeded to endear them to me.

I enjoyed watching Jessie take the high road (for the most part) with her infuriating co-worker, Craig. She sticks to her guns and her morals when she has opportunity to choose otherwise. There was one scene with Craig where I almost screamed out loud in frustration for Jessie, but she manages to keep her cool. Barely. I appreciated watching Jessie’s struggle to find balance between success at work and success in life.

If you enjoy fun romance that is clean but still toe-curling, I highly recommend Melanie Jacobson’s books: The List, Not My Type and Twitterpated. She has easily earned her spot on my favorite romances bookshelf. Whatever you do, Melanie, DON’T STOP WRITING.

Read Melanie’s Guest Author Thursday post HERE.

 

Guest Author Thursday: Melanie Jacobson

 Posted by  Guest Author Thursday, Special Features
Mar 152012
 

It’s time for another Guest Author Thursday post and I’m excited to have one of my favorite romance authors on the blog today.

Melanie Jacobson is the author of The List, Not My Type, and the newly released Twitterpated. Melanie not only writes entertaining novels, but her blog and Twitter posts make me laugh on a regular basis. Watch for my review of Twitterpated next Monday.

Connect with Melanie: WEBSITE | BLOG | TWITTER

Twitterpated is on sale (25% off) now at SEAGULL BOOK.

*  *  *  *  *

Top Ten Reasons I Write

I get a lot of questions when people find out I’m an author, and mostly they’re the same questions. “How do you find time to write?” “Where do you go to write?” But they don’t really ask the question that would slice right through to the heart of all my neuroses (oh, yes, mine are plural) and reveal all my inner cogs and gears: “Why do you write?”

Lucky you, you guys didn’t even ask and I’m going to tell you because it’s on my mind right now after a hard day (let’s just say “bodily fluids” and leave it at that), when it’s almost my bed time, and I’m still trying to meet my word count, THAT IS THE QUESTION I’M ASKING MYSELF.

So I really hope I come up with some good answers. I need a reminder as to why I embrace the crazy.

10. It’s the pressure valve for my head. If I didn’t have my writing, I’d probably post in insane number of inappropriate, rambling Facebook status updates.

9. It’d be really hard to think of other reasons for why I didn’t get to the laundry.

8. My mild social anxiety comes off as eccentric and artsy instead of alarming.

7. I’m a glutton for punishment.

6. Without this outlet, I’d probably spend all my time describing my weird dreams to people in painful detail.

5. It keeps me from using all my time writing angry letters–to the newspapers, the school board, the makers of my defective hand slap chopper. (I’m not kidding about this one.)

4. I’m genetically coded to do this. It’s a Louisiana thing. We can’t help but tell stories.

3. I love the sound of keys clacking while I type.

2. I get a do-over on all past relationships if I want one. But mostly I just get revenge. Every jerky guy or girl you see in my books? Probably rooted somehow in reality.

1. I love it. And I am more me when I do it, the me I hope my Heavenly Father expects me to be as I try to share my talents.

 

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