Fairy Godmothers, Inc. by Jenniffer Wardell – Blog Tour

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Apr 222013
 

Fairy Godmothers, Inc.Fairy Godmothers, Inc.

Author: Jenniffer Wardell

Publisher: Jolly Fish Press

Published Date: April 27, 2013

Hardcover: 302 pages

Genre: Fairytale Romance

ISBN# 978-0-9886491-4-9

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: received an uncorrected digital proof in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary

In a world where fairy tale situations are as much a fact of life as death and taxes, everyone knows hiring Fairy Godmothers, Inc. is the best way to assure that your beautiful daughter or enchanted frog of a grandson will get the happily-ever-after he or she deserves. Sure, sometimes a little love potion is required to make sure those quotas stay up, but what Prince Charming doesn’t know won’t hurt him. 

Kate, an experienced Fairy Godmother, who’s enough of a romantic to frustrate her rigidly rule-bound boss, has just received a specialty assignment from one of the company’s board of directors. Cinderella—Rellie for short—was placed with an appropriately wicked stepfamily years before, and now needs the dress, ball, and handsome prince to complete her happily-ever-after. The fact that Rellie isn’t sure this is her dream come true—balls are fun, but princes tend to be less interesting than fluffy bunnies—isn’t something management considers a problem.

Complicating things a bit is Jon, the youngest son of the royal family, who meets Kate, and is smitten, but isn’t quite ready yet to reveal his true identity. After all, it’s his older brother Rupert who’s supposed to marry Rellie, which means pretending to be a lowly civil servant will give him the chance to spend more time with Kate. (As long as he can get the ball arranged, and stop Rupert from getting himself into trouble over his “self-actualization” business, he should have the perfect opportunity to explain everything and get started on making a little magic with the Fairy Godmother of his dreams.) 

But, of course, things never ever happen as planned.

Review

Fairy Godmothers, Inc. was such a fun read. I was entertained from the first chapter to the last. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion. I loved Jon, Kate, Lawton, and even Rellie by the end. As a romance, I knew Jon and Kate would eventually end up together, but there were a few unexpected twists with other characters I didn’t see coming and I wasn’t sure quite how things would work out until the very end.

I read Fairy Godmothers, Inc. pretty much straight through. (The kids had to eat and I had to sleep, at least for a few hours.) Even though the  book is approximately 300 pages long, it moved at a good pace and didn’t seem overly long. I was pulled into the story and thought it was well-written and pretty clean overall. The characters were interesting (Bubbles was effectively intimidating, considering her name), and I cared about what happened to them.

It’s obvious that the author had fun writing this story. A lot of fairytale, a bit of magic, some intrigue and a generous dose of romance all combine to make Fairy Godmothers, Inc. easily one of my favorite reads this year.

Content: There is some mild innuendo; a few side characters consume alcohol but I don’t recall the main characters ever partaking; one mild “curse” word; older teens and adults will probably enjoy this book

Visit Jenniffer Wardell: 

BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOOGLE+ | GOODREADS

Find Fairy Godmothers, Inc.:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOODREADS

 

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

 

The Guy Next Door by Kate Palmer

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews
Jan 232013
 

The Guy Next Door

Author: Kate Palmer

Publisher: Covenant

Published: September 2012

Paperback: 235 pages

ISBN: 9781608612

FTC FYI: I received a paperback copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

On the surface, Eva Black’s life seems practically perfect. The small-town kindergarten teacher is set to wed ambitious lawyer Sean Langley, and their plans for a dream wedding are well underway. Eva accepts that she will soon live life in the spotlight as a member of the prestigious Langley family, but can she overlook her fiancé’s tendency to dominate the details of her life and push the limits of her standards?

Mere weeks before the wedding, Eva is thrown into a traumatic, life-changing event that changes her view of family commitment and creates a sharp contrast between her ideals and Sean’s. With her engagement to Sean in jeopardy, Eva finds herself relying on the support and encouragement of Peter, her kind and attentive next-door neighbor. Faced with a choice between her penitent fiancé and the increasingly mysterious Peter, Eva is unprepared for the consequences—and peril—that come with her decision.

My Review — Possible Spoiler

I really enjoyed this book.  I would say my one complaint was Sean.  He was such a jerk.  Some very tragic events occur in Eva’s life, and what she has to cope with is big and life changing.  Sean treats her poorly, and she doesn’t see it as first.  Only when Peter comes into her life, is when things start to change with their relationship.  However, Peter has some secrets of his own.  Although I didn’t like that one character, I really liked Eva, Peter, and the other supporting characters.  Through the time when Peter and Eva were getting to know each other, while he was away for work, Peter would send Eva notes.  I really liked how he saw her and the way their relationship developed.  Eva goes through a lot in the book, and I really enjoyed what she learned about herself, too.

3 1/2 stars.  I was on the edge of my seat at times, wondering what would happen to these characters.  The Guy Next Door is well written and an enjoyable, fast read.

Author Links

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / Seagull / Deseret Book

Playing At Love by Ophelia London

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews
Dec 052012
 

Playing at Love

Author: Ophelia London

Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Bliss)

Published: September  24th, 2012

ebook

ISBN13: 9781622669875

FTC FYI: Received a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

Show choir teacher Tess Johansson loves three things: music, her job, and sharing that passion with her students. But when a school budget crisis forces funding to be pulled from either the sports or music programs, she finds herself going head to head with Jack, the gorgeous new football coach who broke her heart fifteen years ago.

Jack Marshall wants two things: to be closer to his young daughter and to make his mark as a football coach. Taking the new job, with the promise that he’d have time to build a solid team, gave him both. But now he must win the season with a group of boys who aren’t anywhere near ready or he’ll lose everything he’s worked so hard for. Being pitted against Tess, the summer love he never forgot, is like being fourth and long with only seconds on the clock.

On opposing sides of a fierce battle and with everything at stake, Tess and Jack find themselves torn between doing what it takes to win and doing what it takes to be together.

My Review

I found out about this book from an email I got regarding recent releases.  I was immediately impressed with the cute cover and description of the book. I emailed the author right away, and asked her if she was interested in a review. Luckily, she was, and here we are.

Tess is a hometown girl who has been hurt before by love, and has a hard time trusting. She is the school’s show choir teacher. Jack just moved into town and is the football coach. In a morning staff meeting, they see each other from across the room and immediately sparks fly. But, there is problem. Tess recognizes him as the guy who broke her heart years earlier. After the meeting they both are asked to meet with the principal, there is a situation with the budget, and either football or show choir has to go. Jack can’t believe it, he just got hired as the coach. Tess is heart broken because she has a lot riding on this job for family reasons. What will become of their relationship, and can Tess forgive and forget? How can they get past one of them losing their job?

I really enjoyed this book!  Ophelia’s writing style is fresh and fun.  I liked the characters very much, too. Tess’s best friend Mac, made me smile a lot. I am a huge fan of POV switching by main characters. I love seeing the other side of situations, and the author did a great job with that. There is humor and heart to this book, and I was really happy with the ending.

4 out of 5 stars. This is the author’s first book.  Ophelia has another book coming out March of next year, Abby Road.

Here is more information on her from her Goodreads Bio: Ophelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas and she’s lived in Dallas ever since. A cupcake and treadmill aficionado (obviously those things are connected), she spends her time watching arthouse movies and impossibly trashy TV, while living vicariously through the characters in the books she writes. Ophelia is the author of PLAYING AT LOVE, SPEAKING OF LOVE… and ABBY ROAD. Visit her at http://ophelia-london.blogspot.com. But don’t call when The Vampire Diaries is on.

In emailing her back and forth, I can tell that Ophelia is a sweet heart, with lots of humor and a great personalilty. It really shows in her writing style.

Content

There is a little bit of language, nothing that I was offended by, just a heads up. Also the main characters do have sex, but there are no details. There is a mention of a teen pregnancy in conversation, recalling a memory.

Author Links

Blog / Facebook / Twitter

Purchase Links

AMAZON / BARNES AND NOBLE

 

For What It’s Worth by Karey White

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Dec 042012
 

For What It’s Worth

Author: Karey White

Publisher: Bonneville Books/Cedar Fort

Published Date: December 2012

Paperback; 240 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

ISBN# 978-1-4621-1066-7

Reviewed by: Shanda

FTC FYI: free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review

***NOTE: The For What It’s Worth launch party is tomorrow night, Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at The King’s English at 6 PM. Go HERE for more details. ***

Summary

Twenty-four year-old, Abby Benson has dreams of owning her own wedding cake shop. An inheritance from her aunt gives her the ability to make those dreams come true. She hires Dane, a handsome contractor, to help her get the bakery up and running and soon they’re moving toward their own happy ending.

Unsure what to charge for her cakes, Abby has a crazy idea to let the customers decide what they think their cake is worth. This plan has its ups and downs, but the novelty of the idea makes her a local celebrity. When she is interviewed on television about the unusual idea, business booms and Abby has cake adventures she never dreamed possible. But as her fame grows, Abby is swept up in a whirlwind that threatens everything she values. With the challenges that face her, will she be able to determine what is worth the most?

Review

For What It’s Worth was an enjoyable read about Abby, who opened a wedding cake bakery with a generous inheritance from her Aunt Grace. I really liked Abby. In fact, I liked all of the characters, though it took a while for me to feel like I knew Dane very well. During the last half of the book is when I felt Dane developed into a great character and became one of my favorites.

One of the best parts of For What It’s Worth, at least for me, was watching Abby as she experienced the unexpected success of her bakery and came face to face with evaluating what was most important in her life. She learned a lot about herself and the need for balance and priorities. Maybe it’s because I’m impatient, but once Abby realized what she needed to do and did it, I was wishing she would have been the one to make an important first move and sooner.

The recipes at the beginning of each chapter all looked delicious, and there were a few clever ones in there as well. I’m excited to try some of them, especially the homemade corn tortilla recipe. Oh, and the BLAT Sandwiches, too. The dessert recipes sound amazing. I don’t even know where to begin choosing what I would make first.

For What It’s Worth is a sweet, clean LDS romance that will be enjoyed by many readers. And don’t be surprised if you start craving cake.

About the Author

Karey White 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, bake treats, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four great children. She teaches summer creative writing courses to young people and is currently working on her next book. Find out more about Karey at http://kareywhite.com.

Visit Karey: BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Find For What It’s Worth:

GOODREADS | THE KING’S ENGLISH | AMAZON | DESERET BOOK

 

All I Want by Jolene Perry, Kaylee Baldwin and Rachael Anderson – Blog Tour

 Posted by  Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Dec 032012
 

All I Want: Three couples. Three stories. One Holiday.

Authors: Jolene Perry, Kaylee Baldwin, Rachael Anderson

Publisher: HEA Publishing

Published Date: October 2012

Paperback/Kindle; 225 pages

Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance

ISBN# 978-1480115231

Reviewed by: Shanda

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

***See below for summaries of each story and giveaway details.***

Review

I love Christmas romances. As soon as Thanksgiving is over I start looking forward to all of the holiday romance movies on the Hallmark channel. I know, but I can’t help myself.

I was so excited to take part in the All I Want blog tour. Three Christmas romances written by three authors whose past books I’ve read and loved? Count me in!

I read All I Want straight through. All three stories are enjoyable and well-written. It was fun reading and recognizing the style of each author. These women are talented storytellers and I appreciated the toe-curling yet clean romance in each story.

I loved each hero. I couldn’t begin to pick a favorite. I really liked the heroines, too. While Pretty Near Perfect, Six Days of Christmas, and Twist of Fate are all novellas, they were so well done that at the end of each I felt as if I’d read a full-length novel.

I highly recommend All I Want to anyone who enjoys a good romance. It’s a bargain at $2.99 on Kindle. I am adding All I Want to my list of Favorite Christmas Reads, though I’m definitely not waiting until next Christmas to read them again.

Tour Schedule

 

ALL I WANT

THREE COUPLES. THREE STORIES. ONE HOLIDAY

Pretty Near Perfect

by Jolene Perry

The last thing Norah needs is to be attracted to anyone – especially in her deceased fiancé’s parents’ home. Collin’s starting a new career, and has no business getting involved – especially while staying with his roommate’s family, who very kindly offered to take him in for the holidays. Unfortunately, you just don’t always pick the most convenient time and place to fall for someone.

Six Days of Christmas

by Kaylee Baldwin

When Natalie goes home with her best friend for Christmas, she expects plenty of quiet time to work on a winning ad so she can turn her dream internship into her dream job. Instead, she gets time-consuming Christmas festivities, a house full of children, and Jimmy, her best friend’s brother – someone who makes her question everything she’s always thought she wanted.

Twist of Fate

by Rachael Anderson

When a postcard meant for Kenzie winds up in Ty’s mailbox, Ty’s faced with a decision. Should he tell her that her fiancé is breaking up with her and let it ruin her favorite holiday, or should he do what he’s wanted to do since he met her – make a move and hope that he can win her over before she discovers there won’t be a wedding after all.

Purchase All I Want

 Kindle Ebook * Paperback

 

Author Jolene Perry

Jolene Perry is an enigmatic figure. She is most often seen behind her laptop, staring at the words flying onto the screen with reckless abandon.

She survived growing up in rural Alaska, driving like a lunatic, and her husband’s careers in the military, as a perpetual student, and an Alaska State Prosecutor. She also survived as a middle school math teacher using her degree of Political Science and French.

One day Jolene was playing her guitar (probably some-thing juvenile for her kids) when she wondered what it would be like to write a song for a rockstar, and her first book was born. (that book is shelved)

She now lives a very glamorous life as a stay at home mom, elbow deep in dirty dishes and peanut butter sandwiches. She doesn’t even attempt to keep up with the laundry because non-writing time is precious, and her family is sorta awesome.

Links:

Website * Twitter * Blog * Facebook

 

Author Rachael Anderson

Rachael Anderson is the author of four contemporary romances: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She’s the mother of four, 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.

Links:

Facebook * Website * Twitter

 

Author Kaylee Baldwin

I grew up in Mesa, Arizona, and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in English literature.

I currently live in southern Arizona with my husband, Jeremy, and our three children. When I am not writing, I enjoy reading, starting new craft projects, and spending time with my family.

Links:

Facebook * Website * Twitter

 

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card

Ends 12/24/12


Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com
Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase
necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent’s permission. The winner will be chosen
by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new
winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any
other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of
winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


A Rafflecopter Giveaway
 

Official All I Want Blog Tour Schedule

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