Sample Sunday - Sweet Dreams, Miss England

Has another week really gone by?

Enjoy another little bit of SDME ..... and leave a comment if you liked it .... pretty please ?  :-)

Nicky was on her way to the hotel to see Daniel. He had rung her a few days earlier and as usual he didn’t want to leave a message on her answering machine, but drove her insane with his perseverance.

          “Hello.”

          “Hi there, it’s me.”

          “I sort of had an idea, Mr. Callaghan. Nobody else ignores my answering machine the way you do. It’s very late and I’m about to go to bed.”

          “I’m sorry, Miss England. I won’t take much of your time. I’ll be flying out to the States on Wednesday with a stopover in London. I thought I could come earlier and have that dinner I owe you.”

          “What about Alex?” Nicky asked.

          “Alex isn’t coming. He preferred to spend some time with Erin, so Sash is coming instead, which is great. He didn’t get the same flights, though, so I’ll be catching up with him in Chicago.”

          “Look Daniel ...” she started to say, but Daniel interrupted her.

          “Miss England, it’ll only be for dinner. And I’ll be a good boy, I promise.”

          Nicky sighed.

          “It’s just dinner,” he said.

          “Ok, Daniel. Only dinner and I will meet you there. There’ll be no flirting, no kissing and no whatsoever,” she said.

          “This is the second time you mention whatsoever. One day you really have to show me what it exactly is,” Daniel said with a smile in his voice.

          “You’re pushing it!” Nicky said.

 

J Gunnar Grey - Deal with the Devil, Part 1

Publisher: Astraea Press

ISBN: 978-1-936852-26-0

My rating: 4/5


Wehrmacht Major Faust has a dangerous secret: he likes England. But it’s May 1940 and his Panzers are blasting the British Army off Dunkirk’s beach, so he keeps his mouth shut even though it hurts. When the Waffen SS try to murder their English prisoners of war, Faust helps the POWs escape. Now it’s treason, with his neck on the line.

Then a friend gets him drunk, straps him into a parachute, and throws him out over Oxford during a bombing run. He’s quickly caught. Because he helped type the battle plan for the invasion of England, Faust cannot allow himself to be broken in interrogation. Two German armies depend on it. But every time he escapes, someone rapes and murders a woman and the English are looking for someone to hang. He’s risking disaster if he stays, someone else’s life if he runs, and execution by the Gestapo if he makes it home.

Major Stoner, professor turned British intelligence officer, sees three possibilities. Faust perhaps was joyriding in that bomber, as he claims. Or he’s on a reconnaissance mission for the German invasion. Or he’s a spy. Stoner must break Faust to learn the truth, no matter how it strains his old heart. He must save England, and his granddaughter.

Their battlefield is confined to a desktop. Only one of them can win. Someone must break. Someone must make a Deal with the Devil. (www.astraeapress.com)

My thoughts

Okay, if there's anything I DO NOT LIKE it's the words "To be continued..." :-(

Well, fair enough you've seen already that I've given this story 4/5, so yes, you obviously figured out , I did liked it.

I admit, this is so not what I usually read. The whole WWII thing, history - it's just not my cup of tea ..... and, okay I admit, I always feel WWII stories have a tendency to be lopsided in my humble opinion. BUT I'm glad I've read this one! I honestly am.

So in part one of the story (still can't get over that "To be continued..." fact) a German soldier, Major Hans-Joachim Faust (loved Hackney's comment "Whatever he just called you, I can't pronounce it") is captured in the English country side after a joy ride on a German plane goes terribly wrong. Now he's in the hands of English Major Stoner who is determined to find out what Faust's reason had really been to be on that plane.

It took me a few pages to get into the story. Initially all the descriptions irritated me, but once I sat back, re-read the start and concentrated on just those descriptions, I had the whole story in front of me and couldn't stop. The characters are great, the English very English and Faust, "the German" .... well, not really a WWII German soldier, but jeez, one of the most solid and interesting characters I've come across in a long time. The dialogue between the two men, Faust and Stoner, are interesting and intriguing to a point I felt like Grey was playing the same dialogue game with the me. It was a give and take of how much Grey wanted us to know about the characters, to learn and to like. Then we hear of the first murder and all the characters we have met and formed an opinion of are thrown up in the the air and as a reader we are left confused and not sure who to trust.

Great stuff, great read and I can't wait for Part 2 to make its way onto my desk. Well done, J Gunnar Grey !!!!

Sample Sunday - Sweet Dreams, Miss England

And another Sunday .... Another Sample .... Enjoy .... and leave a comment if you liked it :-)

          Nicky followed Siobhan’s directions to find Daniel. The door was open and she watched him as he lay on the couch with the blanket just covering his lower part of his body. Nicky quietly cursed Siobhan for putting her in this situation. She gazed at his well-trained chest rising with every breath. There it was again, this feeling she couldn’t control. All she wanted was to touch him, but all she was hoping for was for someone to get her out of this room. How could she find the strength to resist him when his nearness alone confused her?

          She gave a quick intake of breath for courage and went over to Daniel to sit on the little tea table nearby. She quietly said his name, but there was no response. She carefully touched him and said his name again. There was a moan and he started to wake up. He rubbed his hands over his face to help him open his eyes. As soon as he saw Nicky though, a big smile appeared on his face.

          “Good morning, Miss England.”

          Nicky, still a bit hesitant, smiled back at him. “My little Emily usually wakes me with a coffee and a kiss,” he said cheekily.

          Nicky smiled and shook her head as she straightened up. She went back into the kitchen, and grabbed a cup and some coffee.

          Siobhan looked across the room at her. “Don’t ask! Apparently there’s a right way to wake up Mr. Callaghan.”

          She was about to go back into Daniel’s room, when Siobhan gave her two biscuits. “He loves his HobNobs.”

          Daniel hadn’t moved an inch, but sat up when he saw Nicky. She smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

          “I had no idea, I had such strong competition,” she said, giving him the cup of coffee and the biscuits.

          “Are you flirting with me, Miss England?”

          “I wouldn’t like to hurt Emily’s feelings. So, no, I’m not. I just do things the way they’re done around here,” she said cheekily.

          “She usually rubs my back in the bath as well,” he grinned.

          “Don’t push it, Mr. Callaghan,” Nicky replied on her way out. “And you’d better get ready if you want to give me a lift to the airport.”

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - This Heart of Mine

Publisher: Avon

ISBN: 978-0060188030

My rating: 4 / 5

Molly Somerville (IT HAD TO BE YOU) loves her career as the creator of the  Daphne the Bunny children's book series, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. Then there's her long-term crush on the quarterback for the Chicago Stars football team her sister owns—that awful, gorgeous Kevin Tucker (NOBODY'S BABY BUT MINE), a man who can't even remember Molly's name! Molly and Kevin battle their attraction and each other as they face one of life's most important lessons. Sometimes love hurts, sometimes it makes you mad as hell, and sometimes—if you're lucky—it can heal in a most unexpected way.
Chicago Stars Book #5    (www.susanelizabethphillips.com)


My thoughts

She does not disappoint, does she! Another wonderful book, which I read within only a few days - boy I love those men from the Chicago Stars! AND their women.

The story is pretty much straight forward. Molly, who we got to know from "It Had to be You" is now in her mid-twenties, author of the Daphne children's book series and owner of a big crush for Kevin Tucker ("Nobody's Baby but Mine"). These two coincidentally end up in a cottage together and because of circumstances better not told her, they get married a few weeks later. Okay, now this is a bit worn - they "have" to get married. Yet, in true SEP-style they fall in love. The campground is a wonderful setting and I envy SEP for her ability to put so many metaphors into the story as well as the way she lets the characters "grow" so subtly. Molly and Kevin are a wonderful couple, each with their insecurities and troubled past, I'm sure everyone else will like them as well. The witty and funny dialogue between them made me laugh out loud quite a few times. One of the funniest parts of the book was near the end when Kevin took Molly to the lake to show her "how romantic" he can be.
The subplot is about Lilly, an aged TV star in her 50s, who happens to be connected to Kevin and when she finds out about his marriage, makes her way to the campground as well. And that's where she meets Liam, a brilliant artist. I've also got to say a big Hooray to SEP for so beautifully addressing the issue of the aging female body. It was a delight to read Liam's comments about Lilly's looks!

Now having said all that - it should be a 5/5. But sorry I can't! Being a writer myself I do know that we sometimes have to stretch certain "plots" to find a start, or even ending, but somehow deep in my heart -even though it's a book - I cannot go past the reason why Molly and Kevin had to get married. It seems wrong to me.

BUT if you can see past that - definitely a book I'd wholeheartedly recommend to anybody who likes a nice and solid romance! Susan Elizabeth Phillips has delivered again !

Favourite Quote
"Did anybody tell you that you're a few french fries short of a Happy Meal?"   

Sample Sunday - Sweet Dreams, Miss England

Enjoy - AND don't forget to leave a comment :-)

          She was still puzzled by Shane’s plans to have them over, so she rang Jamie after dinner. She apologised for ringing the night before Chris’s birthday, but Jamie just laughed. He had gone out with friends. Nicky shook her head. She should have known. Chris took every opportunity to have a drink with his mates. Both women went through the details again for the next day, when Jamie noticed that there was something Nicky wanted to talk about.

          “What’s up, Nicky? I have a feeling something’s bothering you.”

          “You just know me too well, Jamie.” Nicky giggled.

          “This, in itself, is a huge accomplishment, you have to admit. Anyway, what’s up?”

          “It’s the holidays again. I’m sorry to bring it up before Chris’s birthday, but it’s really bothering me.”

          “I have noticed, but I really cannot understand why.”

          “Jamie, the reason we came back to London was that I was always on my own or with the kids. Shane was constantly somewhere else, and when he was at home, it felt like he wasn’t really.”

          “Nicky, perhaps he knows that, and just wants to have a good holiday.”

          “There’s something else.” Nicky was silent for a while and Jamie wasn’t really sure whether to push the issue or just wait for Nicky to keep on going.

          “What is it, Nicky?” Jamie finally asked carefully.

          “I’ve met someone. And I shouldn’t tell you, because nothing happened. I only met this person, but the thing is I cannot get him out of my mind.”

          Jamie was quiet.

          “Are you still there, Jamie? Please tell me you’re not going to give me a lecture or anything.”

          “I assume he’s from Ireland.”

          “Yes.”

          “Did you meet him in Dublin?”

          “Yes.” Nicky told Jamie the whole story about how she had met Daniel, but stopped short of the kiss. Jamie listened and absorbed each detail of the story unfolding in front of her. She had had no idea.

          “They invited me to come over again in two weeks for a festival, and I would love to go,” Nicky finished her story.

          “Wow, just let that all sink in first,” Jamie said.

          “I’m sorry, really sorry to dump this on you,” Nicky said timidly.

          “Ok, so you’re obviously having a great time with these folks and I’m sure we can look after the girls for that weekend if, and only if, you promise me not to do anything foolish with Daniel. But I still have no idea what’s that got to do with going to L.A.”

          “I don’t know either. I’m all confused. I suppose I can only think of the six months we spent there last year which was quite a debacle. I sometimes wonder if Shane likes the girls at all or whether he still loves me.”

          Jamie tried to console her best friend. She thought that Shane did indeed still love her otherwise he wouldn’t have wanted her to come over. He might still have some castings planned, but not each day. She asked Nicky for her word that she would look into it again and possibly see a travel agent to have a few trips organised for her stay in the U.S.

          “How about the weekend?” Nicky asked shyly.

          “You’re a dag, my best friend,” Jamie was laughing. “Yes, you can go to Dublin and, no, I will not tell a soul.”

          “Oh, I just love you, Jamie Carter.”

          Jamie grew serious. “Nicky, if I find out that you’re not sticking to the deal, trust me, you will be in deep trouble.”

          “I’ll be a good girl,” Nicky promised. “I’ll see you tomorrow, nice and early.”

          Nicky went to bed, very content to know she was going to Dublin again and, quite to her surprise, there was no apprehension and unsettling nerves, just sheer excitement in her.

Get the story now for only 99c on Kindle or $1 as a pdf version

Sweet Dreams, Miss England - .pdf

AU$1.00

My Quote for today

"While we try to teach our children all about life

 our children teach us what life is all about."

(Angela Schwindt)

Do you have a favourite quote? Tell me in the comment box.

Another Giveaway on Goodreads :-)

For shipping within Australia only - sorry folks!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Sweet Dreams, Miss England

by Iris Blobel

Giveaway ends August 31, 2011.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Interview with Author Samantha Combs

As many of you know I have recently signed up with Astraea Press. One reason for my excitement was that I am now amongst a wonderful group of very, very talented writers.

Today I have the pleasure to introduce you to Samantha Combs, author of "Spellbound". The blurb reads:

Logan Daniels has always led a sheltered life in sleepy, predictable Lancaster, New Hampshire. But when beautiful Serena suddenly appears at school one day, his comfortable existence becomes anything but as he finds himself falling in love with her. There’s something special about Serena Starr. He realizes what it is when he sees her unleash her spells. Soon, a mysterious and foreboding presence settles over his placid home.

Logan and Serena find themselves battling darkness and evil with an ominous mission: it wants Serena and will stop at nothing to have her. Tearing apart Logan’s town, threatening his friends, even causing harm to his family, the demon will spread its doom over every facet of Logan’s once placid life. Logan matures in ways he could never have imagined as he struggles to protect those he loves, including Serena. But he can't do it alone.

Serena hails from a long line of able and powerful women who will aide in the battle and perhaps settle a score of their own. The strength of the coven and Serena's love will be behind him, but ultimately this is Logan’s fight to win. But, will he?

Q: Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that?

A:  My five year old kept telling me she wanted to marry Edward the vampire! LOL. I got tired of hearing that so I asked her what if mommy wrote a book, what should I write about? Without hesitation, she goes “Witches, momma!” So I sat down and intended to write her a little story for bedtime. I guess the muse was lurking and waiting to pounce. Once I started writing, she grabbed me, unleashed the characters, they all got in the car and took over.

Q: How did you get interested in writing this particular genre?

A: I don’t feel like a forty-something mom. In my head I feel like a teen so I guess that's why the genre, YA, comes to me naturally. Also, there is absolutely nothing paranormal ANYTHING in my life, so the idea of something supernatural and fantastical is so delicious, its so fun to write about it.

Q: Did you have to do any kind of research for this book?

A: This book is set in Lancaster, New Hampshire and I visited there once (to visit an old boyfriend, whatever, move on), so the only research I actually had to do was remembering the names of some of the places and street names. Most of the rest of it I have personally visited. And I have actually been to the Old Man in the Mountain before the natural accident caused the face to fall off. (now those of you from the Northeast know I am telling the truth about my age!)

Q: What is the hardest part of writing for you?

A: Sometimes it is giving myself over to the idea that I don’t know where the story arc is going. I am what is called a “pantser” writer, or a seat-of-the-pants writer, meaning I don’t outline or plot my story. I basically think I know where I want the story to go, sit at the laptop, then sort of come to a couple hours later. I read over what I wrote and am amazed the story went NOWHERE where I thought it might, yet I am thrilled with the direction. Sometimes I think that sounds slightly insane, but aren’t all writers a bit nuts anyway? As solitary an endeavour as writing is, don’t we all pace, and mutter to ourselves and celebrate our victories when no one is in the room? (Please all say yes!)

Q: What’s the best thing about being an author? 

A: Having a thought or feeling or idea and being able to express it so perfectly in words that it almost brings you to tears.

Q: What are you working on now? 

A: Two YA paranormals at once, one about a vampire hunter (not done to death yet!) and one about a girl whose father was a sea creature. I write in whichever one I feel like. It’s like shoes. I decide which one I want to put on that day. Otherwise I get bored and start to hate the one pair.

Q: What advice would you give aspiring writers?

A: If you don’t write every day, don’t beat yourself up. It means you’re not supposed to. If you force it, you will just end up deleting it the next day and be that much farther behind. I write when I am moved to. Happily, I am moved to a lot. My muse is a bitchy, slave driving sort. LOL

Q: Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books?

A: I love Stephen King. My current favourite book is Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, by Beth Hoffman. I screamed with laughter.

 
Q: What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question? 

A: I always wanted to be asked in an interview what would be the most wonderful thing to happen to you as an author? Here is the answer: To be in a book reading attended entirely by children and have a mom come up to me and say “My child never liked reading until he/she read your book. Thank you for introducing my child to books.”

Thank you very much, Samantha, for taking the time to take part in this interview. I love your last answer - it is so true!

Samantha Combs' "Spellbound" is available at Astraea Press, Amazon and other online bookstores. Please spare a few minutes to check out this wonderful book - I'm sure you won't regret it!

I would also like to congratulate Samantha on her second book (WIP - Juice and the High School Ghost) which is going to be released with Astraea Press as well and selling another book to Aspen Mountain Press, through their new imprint Aura Spec-fic.

Sample Sunday - Sweet Dreams, Miss England

Okay - I'm getting the hang of this.

So last week you've read about the shopping. Today's Sample is the same day later that evening.

ENJOY!

On her way back to the group she bumped into Daniel when she was casually brushing off some crumbs from the chips she had been nibbling.

          “You’re making a habit out of this, Miss England,” he said.
          “It’s not really my fault that you have a tendency to always be in my way, Mr. Callaghan.”
          Daniel laughingly shook his head. “By the way, thanks for a great day!”
          “I don’t believe that one bit. Going shopping all day must be a man’s worst nightmare.”
          “I have a feeling it was for you as well. You don’t come across as a big shopper. So thanks!”

          Nicky blushed, but tried to cover it up by brushing the rest of the crumbs off her shirt. She felt his finger under her chin. He lifted it up gently and moved forward towards her. She heard his quiet words, “I could go shopping every day with a guide like you,” and then he gently kissed her lips. Nicky’s heart raced but instead of pulling away she opened her lips under his, inviting him to move ahead. For a very brief moment the world around her didn’t exist and she was overwhelmed with a rush of emotions.

         “Hey, DJ.” Daniel immediately moved a step back, and turned towards Alex.

          Nicky a bit unsure, and still in a daze, went back to brushing off non-existent crumbs.
          “This really stinks. DJ, have you got any change of English pounds? I swear they’d be better off with Euros.” Daniel laughed. It was so typical of Alex to be short of money.
          “Sorry, mate, I just have this ten pound note. Will that do?”
          “Hey, guys, did I just interrupt something?” Alex’s smile turned into a grin.
          Nicky said, “I’d better go back to the girls.”
          “Sorry, girls, but I’ve really got to go home. It’s kind of late and I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow. Not to mention a long way back to the car.”
          “Oh, really? Already?”
          “Yes, I’m sorry. I still have to catch the train to the car, which will take me a while. But it was great catching up with you guys. Thank you so much for calling and inviting me. I had a great day.”
          “So did we. Do you want us to come with you?”
          “No, you’re fine. You better celebrate Erin’s birthday in style.”
          “Thank you so much for being our guide; it was great. We definitely have to show you around Dublin next time you’re over.”
          Siobhan added, “There’ll be the Kildare Derby Festival soon, and DJ’s party. You just have to come then. Bring the girls. Mark will look after them. No worries.”
          “It’s not that easy. Shane wants us to come to L.A. over the summer.”
          “Oh, wow, send the kids over and you can follow later. Honestly, you don’t want to miss this.”
          “And I have a feeling DJ would love your company as well,” Erin said with a grin.
          Nicky waved off the comment. “You two are watching too many daytime soaps. I’ll let you know next week.”

          She gave both a hug. Daniel and Alex were still at the bar, so she waved them goodbye. Daniel quickly struggled through the crowd over to her.

          “So you continually bump into people, but you also have a habit of leaving on the drop of a hat as well.”

          “Sorry, but I have to go.”
          “Will you come for breakfast tomorrow?”
          “Sorry, I can’t. I have to get a few things organised for the week.”

          “I’d like to see you again. I still owe you a dinner.”

          “Daniel, I’m married. It’s not that easy.”

          “Things are what you make of them. Things are never easy if you don’t face them.”

          Nicky tried to avoid looking at him, but Daniel lifted her chin. “There’s the Derby Festival in ….”

          “….. in Kildare in a few weeks, I know.”

          “You know about it, so you’ll come, won’t you? You can camp at my place – I’ve got a spare bedroom,” he said with a grin.

          Nicky just sighed, gave him a quick kiss and left. Once she felt the cool summer air outside, she wasn’t able to hold back the tears. How could she let herself get into a situation like this? She should have known better, but she still did. She definitely had to talk to Jamie!


Liked it? Don't be shy - leave a comment! :-)

Janet Evanovich - Smokin' Seventeen

Publisher: Random House, Inc

ISBN: 978-0-345-52768-4

My rating: 2/5

Where there's smoke there's fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum.

Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie's name is on the killer's list.
Short on time to find evidence proving the killer's identity, things get even more complicated for Stephanie when family and friends decide it's time for her to decide between long-time off-again-on-again boyfriend, Trenton cop, Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert, Ranger. Stephanie's mom is encouraging Stephanie to dump them both, and choose a former high school football star who has just returned to town. Stephanie's sidekick, Lula, is encouraging Stephanie to have a red-hot boudoir "bake-off". And Grandma Bella, Morelli's old world grandmother, is encouraging Stephanie to move to a new state when she puts "the eye" on Stephanie.
With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men and  a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie's life looks like it's about to go up in smoke. (www.evanovich.com)


My thoughts

See - I have no idea what to write or for that matter what to think about "Seventeen". I thought it was boring, confusing and here and there an affront to the readers.

I read a review on goodreads the other day and even though slightly harsh, it pinpoints more or less what I've been thinking. Click here to read the review.

So, okay, there was lots of Ranger, I always like that. He's my favourite without a doubt! Morelli is a sex addict who is not interested in spending any time with SP if it doesn't end up in the bedroom. Anybody else who finds that irritating?  Lula is slightly funny and Grandma Mazur is being neglected. As for Steph - the Vordo thingy is ridiculous and not enough reason for hopping into bed with the two men in her life within a day!

Anybody else who had figured out the killer half way through the book? Yup, it was too obvious, I thought.

Read it if you're a die hard Plum fan, otherwise, read the first few installments - They're brilliant!

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Dream a Little Dream

Publisher: Avon

ISBN: 978-0380794478

My rating:  5/ 5


(This is not an official Chicago Stars book, but continues the story of the Bonner family.)

After the discovery that her late husband, a popular televangelist, embezzled five million dollars from his ministry, Rachel Stone, the televangelist's widow, is an outcast—broke, unemployed, with a five-year-old son to raise. Fate and a dead car engine leave her at a shabby drive-in theater owned by Gabriel Bonner, the hostile black sheep of the town's most prominent family. Welcome to Salvation, North Carolina, where a man who's forgotten what tenderness means meets a woman with nothing to lose.
Chicago Stars Series Book #4  (www.susanephillips.com)


My thoughts

BINGO !! -  LOVED. IT !!!


I always wondered what a book would be like that I'd rate 5/5. "Dream a little Dream" is very, very close to just that, but I couldn't give it any less than 5 because of the way it got me glued to the pages for two full days and got the emotions going non-stop.

The story tugs at your heart from the very page and it doesn't stop for quite a while. I had this book read within just a few days and am very glad I did.

With only a few dollars left in her pocket, Rachel's car breaks down in Salvation - the place she left only years early when her televangelist husband is killed in an accident. Rachel is now determined to find the five million dollars, the money her husband stole from the congregation - with good intentions in the back of her mind, as well as the intentions of providing her five year old son with a better future. Then she meets Gabe - Cal Bonner's brother (from Nobody's Baby But Mine) who is still grieving for his late wife and son.

The characters, mainly Rachel and Gabe, are real to the bone - with their flaws and their goodness at heart their daily struggle to survive what life throws at them is a wonderful read and in my opinion couldn't have been put into words any better.
Ethan, Gabe's brother, is a hoot, especially when he finally figures out his feelings for Kirsty and I really enjoyed their story, which got me laughing within all the tears I shared with Rachel - I would've loved for SEP to give them a book in their own right.

The only aspect I didn't like the mean-spirited portrait of Cal. I loved him in Nobody's baby but mine and thought, even though he was the protective older brother, his actions were uncharacteristic for him.

All in all .... LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED and will place it underneath all the books on my desk so I can read it again soon !

Go and get it if you love a nice romance with oomph!

Sale !!!! Don't miss out

Sweet Dreams, Miss England - .pdf

AU$1.00

Janet Evanovich - Wicked Appetite

Publisher: St Martin's Press

ISBN: 0312652917

My rating: n/a


Seven Stones of Power. No one knows when they were created or by whom, each said to represent one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
For centuries, treasure hunters have been eager to possess the stones, undeterred by their corrupting nature. The list is long -- Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, to name a few. Now the Stones have found their way to Salem, Massachusetts, and so has Gerwulf Grimoire, adding himself to this rogues' gallery of power seekers. He's an uncommonly dangerous man, with a hunger for the forbidden, and a set of abilities that are way beyond ordinary. Abilities that he feels entitle him to possess anything he might desire.

That would include Elizabeth Tucker, the woman he needs to find the Stones. She's freshly transplanted from New York City to Boston's North Shore. With a new job as pastry chef at Dazzle's bakery and an old house inherited from her Aunt Ophelia, her life is pretty much on track …until it's suddenly derailed by a guy named Diesel, a rude monkey, and a ninja cat.

Lizzy can handle the monkey and the cat. She's not sure about Diesel. He's offering up his own set of unusual talents, promising to protect her from Grimoire. The kind of protection that Lizzy suspects might involve guarding her body day and night.

The Seven Deadly Sins are pride, greed, lust, envy wrath, sloth and gluttony. That pretty much covers everything that is wicked. Diesel thinks it also pretty much covers everything that's fun. And Lizzy thinks Diesel and the Seven Deadly Sins cover everything her mother warned her about. (www.evanovich.com)

My thoughts

I honestly have to admit that I respect Janet Evanovich to much as a writer to give this any bad marks, because, it was clearly not my "cup of tea" and thus it wouldn't be fair to judge it.

The few points I would make would be: I honestly thought I was reading another in-between with Stephanie and got all confused with the names - we had Diesel , the bad guy Wolf AND even Carl the monkey.
The rest is literally all the same: we have the same amount of eyerolls, same cars, same attraction between the main characters, lots of food, "the finger" from Carl and the list goes on and on.

I'm sure there's an audience out there for this kind of book, but no, I'm not one of them. So I'm afraid you need to make up your mind yourself.

Sample Sunday - Sweet Dreams, Miss England

Okay - so it always takes me a little longer to find out the good things .... But this one sounds nice. Check out here where I got the idea from.

So - this is my first Sample Sunday and I hope you like it.

Nicky is my main character. She lives in London with two young girls. She's just made friends with tow Irish women who are in London to enjoy the sights with two of their -male- friends.


          While Erin and Alex went off to the Disney store for a few souvenirs for Erin’s daughter, and Siobhan to check out some gift shops, Daniel decided to join Nicky to have a break and watch some street performers.

          “I just loved that toy store,” Daniel broke the silence between them.

          Nicky started to laugh. “Yes that was pretty obvious.”

          “You should laugh more often, it suits you.”

          Nicky looked away, realising that she couldn’t remember ever laughing so much, not even with Jamie, and particularly not with Shane.

          “Tell me about Mr. England,” Daniel said.

          Nicky was quite surprised by the words and wasn’t sure why he wanted to know.

          “There’s not much to tell about Shane. I suppose you would have heard more from the girls and the website than I can tell you.”

          “You’re kidding me, that’s Mr. England?”

          Nicky was stunned by the question and wasn’t sure whether he was serious or not.

          “Yes, that’s my husband.”

          Daniel raised his eyebrows. “I had no idea, honestly. So he’s in the States and you’re living here with your kids?”

          “Yes.”

          “Do you still love him?”

          Nicky hesitated. She was quite tempted to give him an honest answer, an answer she thought he deserved, but she had no idea where he was going with this questioning, so she lapsed back to her old self and put up her safety wall.

          “This is none of your business.” Nicky was about to stand up when he took hold of her hand and held her back.

          “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I am really sorry,” he said.

          She looked at him and knew he was sincere with his apology. “Sorry, Daniel. People have been digging into my private life for such a long time and so often, purely for gossip and financial reasons, it has become very difficult to trust people.”

          Nicky sensed Daniel’s look on her. She was expecting him to comment on what had just been said, but he remained silent. It was an odd feeling, a feeling as though he was about to take her in his arms, but the moment soon passed. She was relieved, because the friendship and the trust that came with it were still too new. He was still holding her hand, though, and Nicky made no attempts to take it away. She liked to feel his gentle hands on hers.

           “Love is such a big word,” she said. “People just use the word, without even thinking what it actually means. Most of us don’t even know what it means, until we’ve found our true love. ”

          “My grandfather always says: ‘you know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.’”

          Nicky smiled at the sentiment. “I think I might like your grandfather.” She was well aware of the fact that Daniel had caused her many sleepless nights over the last few weeks.

Liked it ? Leave a comment .... :-)

Winner !! of the Book Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter this giveaway. It was nice to have a few responding to it!

After we did the it oldfashioned way and placed all entries into a little bucket we picked a winner.

quixoticdreamer

Congratulations. I will contact you via email to get the details for posting the book!

Reminder - Book Giveaway "Sweet Dreams, Miss England"

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"Win! I am giving away one free copy of my book 'Sweet Dreams, Miss England' to one of you lucky blog readers. It's Easy ! ..."

 

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