Of Grace and Chocolate by Krista Lynne Jensen – Countdown to Summer 2012

 Posted by  Countdown to Summer, Special Features
Jun 252012
 

 

I have lived my entire life in the Northwestern United States surrounded by mountains, rivers, and lakes. I’m passionate about writing. And chocolate-covered cinnamon bears. I’m busy with my family and trying to keep up with the stories playing out in my head while ignoring the dishes and laundry. I have three books under contract with Covenant Communications. I am so excited I can hardly speak. Thus, the writing. The Orchard. The Inn. My debut novel, Of Grace and Chocolate, coming 2012. Skipping around the room.

Follow Krista: BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

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

KRISTA: So far writing in the summer is more difficult. I have four kids aged 10-19 and a husband who is home 6 weeks of the season, which is all wonderful, but very distracting. I like to sneak away to my hammock and write or read, but last year my hammock broke. Help me.

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

KRISTA: It depends. How is my tan coming along? Is it super hot? Did I just swim five laps? Have I ever swum five laps? Is there a floatie? Has it been 30 minutes since I last ate? Am I fully dressed? There are a lot of things to consider.

LDSWBR: Ice cream or slushie? What flavor?

KRISTA: ICE CREEAAAAAM. Today I just had Cherry Bordeaux at The Mercantile in Pasco, Washington. I also sampled 4 other kinds before making my decision. I chose well.

LDSWBR: Thank you, Krista!

Of Grace and Chocolate by Krista Lynne Jensen
AMAZON | DESERET BOOK | SEAGULL BOOK

Jillian Parrish likes to keep things predictable. After working for a local publishing company, she returns alone to a spotless apartment, a little dog, and a heavenly chunk of 70 percent cacao and sugar. By design, the closest Jill gets to messy complexities is in the pages of the novel she’s writing. But her carefully arranged life is turned upside down the day she loses her keys and her phone and her flash drive and then is nearly run over by the man who has taken them, Scott Gentry, who mistakenly thought this little trick would be a charming way to get her attention. Barely appeased by Scott’s apologies, Jill goes home only to find another surprise on her doorstep: Evie, Jill’s long-lost sister, a young woman whose addiction-filled, troubled life can only bring harm to the infant in her arms. Yet, Jill is hardly relieved when Evie disappears the next morning, leaving baby Shiloh in Jill’s inexperienced care, and a whole lot of trouble at her door. Within three days, Jill wonders if chocolate will ever be enough to bring balance to her life again. Granted temporary custody of the child, Jill launches a determined search for Evie and begrudgingly accepts Scott’s help and support. As Scott stumbles, crashes, and falls into Jill’s guarded world, he finds himself willing to do anything for the woman he discovers is not made of stone but of strength. But just as guarded hearts begin opening to sweet new possibilities, Evie’s trail leads Jill and Scott into harm’s way, bringing wounds that only grace can heal.

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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

Of Grace and Chocolate by Krista Lynne Jensen

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Feb 202012
 

Of Grace and Chocolate

Author: Krista Lynne Jensen

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: January 2012

Softcover; 194 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

ISBN# 978-1-60681-865-1

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: review copy in exchange for honest review

I realized that I haven’t posted my official review of Of Grace and Chocolate yet, so let me do it now.

Of Grace and Chocolate is Krista Lynne Jensen’s debut novel. She currently has two more books under contract with Covenant, so we have more to look forward to from her.

Summary

After a childhood of neglect and abuse, Jill has created a new life for herself. The order and routine make Jill feel safe and secure–until the day Scott, a man from Jill’s past who doesn’t remember her, steals her phone and keys to get her attention. All he wants is a date, but Jill isn’t interested, knowing that he doesn’t remember her and how he hurt her.

But Jill’s day isn’t over yet. Her runaway sister shows up on her front porch, setting Jill’s highly ordered life onto a path that will change her forever.

My Review

Of Grace and Chocolate is a story full of emotion, choice and consequence, suspense, forgiveness and love. I’ve read it twice, and cried both times. Jill and Evie’s story touched me, and my heart broke for their past suffering.

I appreciated how the relationship between Jill and Scott developed with an emotional maturity not often seen in a romance novel. Great story, clean writing, engaging characters, and some really nice kisses all add up to an unforgettable read that comes highly recommended from me.

5 stars out of 5. I can’t wait to read more from Krista.

Visit Krista’s BLOG.

Buy Of Grace and Chocolate: SEAGULL BOOK | DESERET BOOK

 

 

 

Only three days left to win!

 Posted by  Contests, Special Features
Jan 252012
 

If you haven’t entered to win a copy of Of Grace and Chocolate by Krista Lynne Jensen, what are you waiting for?

Of Grace and Chocolate is one of the best books I’ve read in the last few months. Don’t miss out on your chance to win an autographed copy!

Contest details can be found in this post, so click on over and enter right now.

Happy Reading!

Season 6 Episode 1: Photos, a Contest and a Podcast

 Posted by  2012 Podcasts, Podcasts
Jan 192012
 

We’re back!

Instead of a Guest Author Thursday blog post we recorded a podcast! In Season 6 Episode 1, Sheila and I welcome debut author Krista Lynne Jensen. Her book Of Grace and Chocolate was released this month. Read on to find out how to win a signed copy!

Krista shares her inspiration for Of Grace and Chocolate, what she’s working on now, her experiences with revising, and gives us a copy of her book to give away.

To enter to win Of Grace and Chocolate, find the answers to the following questions in the podcast (each correct answer gets you an entry) then email the answers to ldswbr (at) gmail (dot) com. The contest ends at midnight MST on Friday, January 27, 2012.

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1. Who provided inspiration for Scott in Of Grace and Chocolate?

2. What did Krista have to draw out on butcher paper?

3. What specific chocolate-covered treat has a role in Of Grace and Chocolate?

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Book Launch Photos

Sheila and I were fortunate enough to attend the book launch for Sarah M. Eden’s Friends and Foes and Krista Lynne Jensen’s Of Grace and Chocolate. We’ve posted some photos below for you to enjoy while you listen to the podcast.

Happy listening!

(Click through to the blog to listen to the podcast if you can’t see the play button below. You can also find LDS Women’s Book Review Podcast in iTunes.)

[podcast]http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/shows/2012-01-18/ldswbr_season6episode1_01-18-12.mp3[/podcast]

Erin & Robison Wells, Sarah M. Eden, Shanda, Krista Lynne Jensen and Howard Tayler

 

Sarah, Shanda, Sheila and Krista

 

Sheila, Aubrey Mace, and Shanda

Guest Author Thursday: Krista Lynne Jensen

 Posted by  Guest Author Thursday, Special Features
Jan 052012
 

Happy 2012!

 

I can’t wait to tell our LDSWBR readers about a new feature on the blog this year. We are so excited to announce Guest Author Thursday, where we will be honored to present a blog post written by a guest author.

Here to start us off in the new year is Krista Lynne Jensen, debut author of Of Grace and Chocolate being released January 2012.

I had the opportunity to beta read Of Grace and Chocolate for Krista, and I LOVED-LOVED-LOVED it. (It even made my Top Ten Reads of 2011 list despite not having been published yet.)

If you enjoy Krista’s post, please leave a comment below and let her know!

Watch the book trailer for Of Grace and Chocolate at the end of the post.

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From Krista: Riding in a Mine Car

I’ve been sorting through the Christmas cards and letters. I keep up the family pictures for a while; make sure everyone has read the update letters before letting them go, keep the super-pretty cards for whatever reason in a box labeled Super-Pretty Christmas Cards.

So many friends have written things like, “So excited for all your success!” “Happy for all the good things you are experiencing!” Some of them are referring to my book and its launch in just a week or so (grinning). But holy wow, November and December have kicked my tush. The “good things” are definitely worth clinging to, because I feel like I’m riding in one of those mining cars on a rickety rail in an old abandoned mine, like in Temple of Doom, or The Apple Dumpling Gang, or Harry Potter in Gringotts, with cave walls collapsing and the tracks falling away and Indy is nowhere in sight and there’s a dragon chasing me and stalactites drop and WHERE’S MY INVISIBILITY CLOAK?

Okay, that may be exaggerating a bit (writer), but our family has been hit with all kinds of not-fun stuff the last several weeks. Things that might discourage me. Things that have worn me down. Health, job, kids, parents, friends. Things that have those close to us throwing up their hands and saying, “Are you kidding me?!”

Things that have me saying, “Oh, I am SO supposed to be writing.” Because alongside all of this weight, good stuff is happening with my writing. Good stuff that both scares me and thrills me. And I’m not discouraged. There’s a saying: “Be the kind of woman that, when your feet hit the floor each morning, the Devil says “Oh crap, she’s up!”

Maybe, with me, it’s when I open my doc. Maybe my words are where I can be strong. I can be a force. I’m supposed to do this.

Honestly, if you are compelled to write, whether it is a personal history, a short story, a novel, then write it. Figure it out. If it’s something you begin, and you’re hit with a barrage of “No-you-can’ts”, well, maybe that’s because yes-you-can. And you should. And you don’t know how many amazing things will come of it. Weather it out. Hold your chin up. Square your shoulders. Think of your favorite authors and how they didn’t give up. Surround yourself with people who shout, “Go, Krista!” or, you know, your name.

And hang on. That ride in the mine car is a doozy. *ducks*

Krista Lynne Jensen’s debut novel, Of Grace and Chocolate, will be on shelves anytime now at an LDS bookstore near you. Come join her and author Sarah M. Eden at their Double Book Launch, Saturday, January 14th at the Fort Union Deseret Book in Midvale, Utah from 11:00-1:00. There will be chocolate and wonderfulness.

 Connect with Krista: WEBSITE | BLOG | Twitter | Facebook