Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman & Giveaway (Int’l)

In Beth Hoffman’s trademark Southern charm she weaves a beautifully written and told story of family, love, loss, and hope in her newest novel Looking For Me. Beth is a natural born storyteller and in this story she incorporates her own love of animals and antiquing through her main character Teddi and in doing this she has created characters that burrow their way into your heart and stay there.

Teddi knew from a young age what she wanted to do with her life.  She wanted to own her own shop and restore furniture as she could see the beauty and history in the old and damaged pieces.  Coming from a farm in Kentucky it didn’t seem feasible and her mother never failed to point that out to her but her dad secretly supported her dream of the freedom to do what she wanted.  While selling a piece of her furniture on the side of the road one day Teddi meets an antiques dealer from Charleston and this man is someone who will end up changing the course of her life.

Needless to say Teddi eventually makes it to Charleston and realizes her dreams.  She has a career that she loves, some great friends, and even a romantic interest in Sam but still there is something missing.  Her brother Josh.  Even though he disappeared years ago after a fight at home Teddi has never given up the hope that he is still alive somewhere.  Teddi has left notes for him in the woods around their property in Kentucky for years and when signs begin to emerge that he may be alive she is determined to find out for sure once and for all.

I was lucky to have both a print copy and an audiobook of Looking For Me. I read half of the book before the audio showed up and what did I do – well I started all over of course! The audiobook is beautifully narrated by Jenna Lamia who has such a captivating voice and told this story in the perfect Southern tone. It was an absolute joy to listen to her and she really brought this wonderful book alive for me.  Looking For Me is a great story in all aspects.  You have a little bit of mystery, a little bit of romance, and a whole lot of heart.  I can guarantee you will fall in love with Teddi and all the other quirky and great characters in this book.  Most of all you will fall for this story which will entrance you from the very first page right through to the moment you have to turn that last page and feel the sorrow of a favorite read being over.

Beth’s books are comfort reads for me. I know when I have one in my hands that I need to get into my favorite chair with the dog and a cup of coffee because I’ll be there until I’m finished it.  There are some books that just deeply touch your heart and Looking For Me is one of them.  It’s at the top of my favorites list for this year and believe me it’s a must read folks!

Looking For Me  releases on May 28 and you can pre-order your own copy at:  Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N, iTunes, and IndieBound.  You can find Beth on her website as well as Facebook and Twitter.

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (Int’l)

I just happen to have an extra ARC copy of Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman to share with all of you and as it’s my own copy the giveaway will be open internationally.  To enter…

• For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
• For 2 entries follow my blog.  If you already do let me know and I’ll pass the extra entry on to you as well.
• Tweet, share on Facebook, or blog for 3 entries.

This giveaway is open Internationally and I will draw for the winner on June 3/13.  Good luck!

 

Source:  Review copy of printed book and audiobook was received from the author.  No compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

Guest Post with Cynthia Ellingsen, author of Marriage Matters & Giveaway (US/Canada)

Please welcome Cynthia Ellingsen, author of Marriage Matters, to the blog today.  This sounds like a really fun read that I hope to be able to get to soon but since I can’t I was happy to have Cynthia join us today to get the word out on her book.  There is all kinds of great information on the book so check it all out and be sure to enter for a chance to win a copy for yourself.  Relax and enjoy Cynthia’s guest post entitled The Comedy of Marriage where she tells us a bit about her novel…

Sharing a wedding with your mother and grandmother could be absolute chaos. But could it also be… a lot of fun?

Selected by Romantic Times Magazine as a Contemporary Must-Read in April 2013, Marriage Matters is a hilarious and heartwarming story about three generations and their influence on one another as they fall in love.

Chloe, the youngest bride-to-be, is so caught up in work and school that she barely has time to date, let alone think about marriage. So, when she’s swept up in a whirlwind proposal, she finds herself catapulted into a world of registering and wedding planning before realizing that perhaps, she’s engaged to the wrong man.

Kristine, her mother, has been married to Kevin for twenty-five years. Somewhere along the way, their relationship lost its spark. When Kevin suggests a vow renewal ceremony in an effort to improve their relationship, they are forced to confront the fact that the heart of a marriage has little to do with the ceremony.

June, the grandmother, is given a second chance at love when her widowed neighbor sweeps her of her feet. This time, June is determined to have the wedding of her dreams… even if that means meddling in her daughter and granddaughter’s relationships to make it happen.

Thank you so much for reading Marriage Matters. I hope you’ll recognize some of the relationships as similar to your own and that it will be a book you’ll want to share it with your mother, your grandmother and every bride you know. Happy reading!

 

About Marriage Matters (from Amazon)

She barely has time to attend a wedding, let alone plan one, but Chloe has just caught the bouquet. So has her married mother… and her widowed grandmother. With three generations set to walk down the aisle, each “I do” sounds more improbable than the last.

On top of grad school, clinical hours, and part-time work, Chloe is surprised to find a ring on her finger. Sharing the news about the engagement is easy, except with her best friend. Their relationship has always been platonic…so why is Chloe so afraid he is going to object?

Kristine is successful at running her travel bookstore, but her twenty-five year marriage is on the rocks. When her husband suggests a vow renewal ceremony, she agrees to say I Do…until a tempting employee makes her wonder whether or not she wants to be married at all.

June knows what’s best for her and everyone around her. Given a second chance at love, she’s delighted to plan the family wedding of her dreams. But when June gets a little carried away in her enthusiasm, she risks losing more than the love of her life… she risks losing her family.

In Cynthia Ellingsen’s heartwarming and hilarious novel of first loves, second chances, and unexpected twists, three generations of brides-to-be discover that love is always better as a family affair.

Buy at: Amazon, Amazon Canada, and B&N

 

Book Excerpt

Chloe, the granddaughter, has not heard from her grandmother in three days. Concerned that June has had a heart attack or fallen, Chloe enlists the assistance of her fiancé, Geoff, to search her grandmother’s house.

Geoff searched the entire house from top to bottom. Nothing. In the kitchen, he walked over to the counter and eyed an apple on the cutting board. “This seems . . .” A note of hope crept into his voice. “Decently fresh.” He held it up. The apple was cut in half and only slightly brown at the edges.
Chloe’s heart pounded with relief. There might still be time to save her.
Geoff’s eyes darted to the window. “I think I just saw something move outside.”
Of course! June would have been working in her garden. Maybe she’d fallen out there. Chloe rushed for the back door. It was dark outside and she couldn’t see a thing, but she could hear the faintest muffle of laughter. “Grandma?” she called.
Abruptly, the laughter stopped. There was the sound of shuffling and nervous whispers. Chloe squinted. Through the dark night, she could swear she saw Charley Montgomery dart across the lawn. But he wasn’t wearing a shirt. And his hands were crossed in front of his . . .
Chloe froze. Her eyes fell on the wrought-iron table where her grandmother typically ate her breakfast. A checkered gardening shirt was neatly draped across it like a napkin. A few feet away, something white was suspended over a rosebush. Chloe put her hands over her mouth.
It was a brassiere.
She gasped in horror. No. This couldn’t be . . .
Geoff rushed into the yard, the beam of a flashlight bobbing in front of him. “Did you find her?”
With one hand, Chloe shielded her eyes. “Yes,” she whispered. “But something terrible is happening. Please turn off the . . .”
“Chloe?” June called, her voice high pitched and nervous. “Is that you?”
Geoff shined the light in the general direction. June was peeking out from behind a tree, a branch pulled over her form. Even though the tree was covering her, it was perfectly obvious that she was naked.
Chloe dove for the flashlight, turning it off. “Oh, no.” She clutched it in her fist, maintaining eye contact with Geoff, afraid of what else she’d see if she dared to look away. “Oh, no.”
“Chloe?” June called again. The leaves on the tree rustled.
“Don’t,” Chloe shrieked. “You stay right there!”
Geoff’s eyes widened as he, too, finally figured out what was happening. “Oh, no.”
Chloe closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Apparently,” she said, “my grandmother is not dead. Not even close.”
There was silence. Out in the garden, both June and Charley chuckled.
“Sorry,” June sang. “Didn’t mean to scare you. We just . . . um . . .”
“Got attacked by fire ants,” Charley said. “Had to wash the clothes out. But I think everyone’s okay now.”
“Yup.” June’s voice was cheerful. “Doing just fine.”
A small smirk settled at the corner of Geoff’s mouth. Raising his eyebrows, he said, “Fire ants. Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

 

 

About Cynthia Ellingsen (from Cynthia’s website)

Your road to “authordom” is fabulous​. Can you tell us about it?​​ – Barnes and Noble, April 2013

​I always wanted to be a writer, but didn’t even know where to begin. When I was living in Hollywood, trying to break into the entertainment industry, my roommate convinced me to write a screenplay with her. It ended up getting optioned by a production company, along with our next script.
Around this time, my future husband moved across the country for a job. I had a huge decision to make: chase the dream in Hollywood or follow true love. I opted for the love, which was the best decision I ever made.
Since I didn’t know anyone in my new city, I spent my time writing The Whole Package. From there, I found my awesome agent and after submitting, submitting, submitting, ta-dum! I was so happy, I cried. Then, told my agent never to tell anyone that I cried.

​…Is there anyone else you would be a total crazy fan girl over if you met them in person? – National Bestselling Author Sharla Lovelace, November 2012

​​I think I’d probably get gaga over any author I read all the time when I was young. Judy Blume, obviously. Beverly Cleary, for sure. Ann M. Martin, no question. I’m sad that I never had the opportunity to meet Maeve Binchy. Her ability to get readers to emotionally invest in characters was enviable.

​​What do you like most and least about the writing profession? – Authorlink, 2011

​Nothing gets me happier than thinking that someone having a hard time or a bad day might be reading my books and suddenly, smile again. That’s such a great feeling. The thing I like the least is the idea that, because there are so many books in the world, tons of women who would love reading The Whole Package or Marriage Matters might not ever even know they exist! Getting the word out is the biggest challenge. I always ask my readers to please tell five women they know about the book – I couldn’t do it without them!

Cynthia’s website
Friend Cynthia on Facebook
Follow Cynthia on Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US/Canada)

I have one copy of Marriage Matters by Cynthia Ellingsen to share with my readers.  To enter…

• For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
• For 2 entries follow my blog.  If you already do let me know and I’ll pass the extra entry on to you as well.
• Tweet, Share on Facebook, or blog for 3 entries.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on June 1/13.  Good luck!

 

Finding Lily by Lisa D. Ellis

Finding Lily by Lisa D. Ellis is a very emotional story that is very likely to break your heart and yet ultimately offer hope.  Claire and her husband Jim had anxiously awaited the birth of their first child Lily and are devastated when they lose her shortly after she is born.  Everywhere Claire turns there are reminders of her baby girl and she outwardly grieves.  She cries and is unmotivated to do anything at all.  In contrast her husband Jim throws himself into his work and tries to move on.  Needless to say this infuriates Claire who feels if he can’t outwardly grieve their daughter, then he must not have loved her.  Not knowing what else to do Claire escapes to a live for a while in a lighthouse that she had visited and loved as a child.

When Claire arrives she revels in the solitude thinking it exactly what she needed.  There are no reminders of Lily here.  The time there will give her the space she needs to sort through her grief and her feelings on her marriage.  As the weeks go by Claire feels certain she can feel her daughter’s presence there with her and it comforts her.  When she discovers some old love letters of the woman who lives there year round they cause her to reflect on her own marital problems.  Yet she also remembers meeting her husband on this very island and falling in love with him.  Does the loss of their child also mean the loss of their marriage?  Claire just doesn’t know.

Finding Lily isn’t the easiest book to read at times.  I can’t imagine losing a child as I barely survived losing my dog.  I did relate to this book in a lot of ways because many, many years ago one of my best friends lost her first baby as he was stillborn.  I was there for his birth and later witnessed much of the same emotions that Claire experiences and it was heartbreaking.

I think one of the biggest things to note is not everyone deals with grief the same way in a marriage and this novel portrays that perfectly.  While Claire wears her emotions on her sleeve, Jim does not and neither way is wrong but it’s easy to see how it can cause conflict in a marriage.  The person literally falling apart simply cannot understand how their partner can go on and live each day as they did before.  I’m one of those falling apart people so again I identified with Claire.  Ultimately I think Finding Lily is a novel of hope and healing.  It’s weird to say I enjoyed a book that broke my heart but I did.  I would say that this would make a fantastic book club pick as there is a lot to discuss from losing a child to the effects it has on a marriage.  Finding Lily is well worth reading but have a box of tissues nearby.

 

 

Finding Lily by Lisa D. Ellis is on tour with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours so be sure to check out the other tour stops for more thoughts on the book.  You can connect with Lisa on her website, Facebook, and Twitter.  Your own copy of Finding Lily can be purchased at Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N, and SoulMate Publishing.

 

Source:  Review copy provided by Virtual Author Book Tours and the Publisher.  No compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

The Mango Bride by Marivi Soliven: Book Spotlight & Giveaway (US only)

The Mango Bride by Marivi Soliven sounds like a book I’m going to really enjoy.  I love stories of people, especially women from a different culture trying to make a life in America.  I love the cover on this one as well – it’s very pretty.  Needless to say I didn’t have time right now to read this one as it’s hard enough keeping up to what I am reading but I sure did want to share a copy with my readers.  Check out what the book is about and then you can enter to win a copy for yourself!

 

 

About The Mango Bride (from Marivi’s website)

TWO WOMEN, TWO CULTURES AND THE FIGHT TO FIND A NEW LIFE IN AMERICA, DESPITE THE SECRETS OF THE PAST…

Banished by her wealthy Filipino family in Manila, Amparo Guerrero travels to Oakland, California, to forge a new life. Although her mother labels her life in exile a diminished one, Amparo believes her struggles are a small price to pay for freedom…

Like Amparo, Beverly Obejas – an impoverished Filipina waitress – forsakes Manila and comes to Oakland as a mail order bride in search of a better life. Yet even in the land of plenty, Beverly fails to find the happiness and prosperity she envisioned.

As Amparo works to build the immigrant’s dream, she becomes entangled in the chaos of Beverly’s immigrant nightmare. Their unexpected collision forces both of them to make terrible choices and confront a life-changing secret, but through it all they hold fast to family in all its enduring and surprising transformations.

Buy at: Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N, and IndieBound

 

About Marivi Soliven (from Marivi’s blog)

Marivi Soliven has taught writing workshops at the University of California, San Diego and at the University of the Philippines. Her writing first gained recognition with silver medals for children’s fiction at the 1992 and 1993 Palanca Awards for Literature. In 1998 her short story “Beaux Café” won the Philippines Free Press Grand Prize for fiction. Suddenly Stateside, a collection of essays about the Filipino diaspora and the immigrant experience was an instant bestseller when it was first released in Manila in 2002. It has gone through multiple printings and is now available in both Kindle and Nook digital editions at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com.

Short stories and essays from Soliven’s 15 books have appeared in Philippine anthologies and textbooks on creative writing. Other essays and flash fiction have been featured in Where Are You From? An Anthology of Asian American Writing (Oregon) and The Journal of Post Colonial Studies (0hio). Her short story, “Talunang Manok,” was adapted for a short film in December 2011.

In 2012, Soliven won a spot in the highly coveted Hedgebrook’s Writers in Residence program, one of 41 fellows chosen from a field of 1,000 applicants. The grant provided her with a two week writing retreat at the Hedgebrook estate on Whidbey Island in 2012, in the company of other writers, most notably Gloria Steinem.

Marivi’s website
Marivi’s blog
Find Marivi on Facebook
Follow Marivi on Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US only)

I have one copy of The Mango Bride by Marivi Soliven to share with my US readers.  To enter…

• For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
• For 2 entries follow my blog.  If you already do let me know and I’ll pass the extra entry on to you as well.
• Tweet, share on Facebook, or blog for 3 entries.

This giveaway is open to US residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on June 1/13.  Good luck!