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Giveaway

BOOK FEATURE: “A Jingle Valley Wedding” by Martha Reynolds

January 29, 2020 1 Comment

 
 
Join Us for this Tour from January 27-February 14!

BOOK DETAILS:
Book Title:  A Jingle Valley Wedding (A Happily Ever After Series Book 1) by Martha Reynolds
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+)
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Publisher:  CreateSpace Publishing
Release date:   November 2015
Tour dates: January 27 to February 14, 2020
Content Rating: PG + M:
No profanity, but it’s geared more for adults (there’s a one-night stand). No explicit sex at all.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 
New York executive Julie Tate knows what it takes to win in the financial world, but her big-city success could never prepare her for her latest career move. When her brother abandons the failing family farm, Julie hopes its salvation lies in transforming it into western Massachusetts’s newest premier wedding venue. With her social-savvy friend Freddy in her corner, Julie feels infallible. But as their bank account dwindles and one obstacle after another crops up, the business partners wonder if their venture is doomed for failure before the first bride walks down the aisle. Maybe the best way to succeed in a business based on romance is to find one.

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com

Add to Goodreads



MEET THE AUTHOR:
​

Martha Reynolds was raised in Rhode Island, spent a year of college in Switzerland, and is always planning a return visit. She completed an accomplished career as a fraud investigator and decided it was time to do something she really liked.
She now writes full-time and has set a personal goal of releasing a book a year until she dies. Her writing has appeared in Magnificat magazine and her very short poem was read by journalist Connie Schultz during NPR’s Tell Me More poetry challenge.
Her novel VILLA DEL SOL won the 2018 Book Award in Literary Fiction by the Independent Publishers of New England.

Connect with the author:   Website  ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram


TOUR SCHEDULE:
Jan 27 – Working Mommy Journal – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 27 – My Devotional Thoughts – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 27 – Books,Dreams,Life – book spotlight
Jan 28 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 28 – Ms. Cat’s Honest World – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 28 – I’m Into Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 29 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 29 – Chick Lit Goddess – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 30 – Over Coffee Conversations – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book spotlight / giveaway
Jan 31 – Celticlady’s Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 3 – b for bookreview – book spotlight
Feb 4 – The Avid Reader – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 5 – Corinne Rodrigues | Booksnista – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 6 – eBook addicts – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 7 – Bookmark and fork – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 10 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 11 – Library of Clean Reads – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 12 – Laura`s Interests – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 12 – 100 Pages A Day – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 13 – Viviana MacKade – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 14 – Read and Review – book spotlight / giveaway

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Filed Under: A Jingle Valley Wedding Tagged With: A Jingle Valley Wedding, Book feature, Books, Contemporary Romance, Giveaway, Martha Reynolds, Romance

BOOK BLITZ: “In the Swim of Things”

May 15, 2019 Leave a Comment

“In the Swim of Things” by Tracie Banister

Blurb:

A sexy, sun-soaked tale about a tail-wearing girl who makes a lot of waves—perfect for fans of Lauren Layne, Meghan Quinn, and Christina Lauren.

Ocean-loving Kyra Goodwin had to give up her dream of becoming the female Jacques Cousteau in order to take care of her father and brother, but being a mermaid at the Cape Cod Aquarium is pretty fintastic as far as alternative careers go.

Of course, life as a half-fish/half-woman isn’t all sunken treasure and Ariel twirls. Kyra has to deal with perpetually pruney fingers, eyes irritated by saltwater, and bratty kids on the daily, plus her glam alter ego can make dating really weird. (So many men have pervy siren-of-the-sea fantasies!) When she meets hunky surfer Cade, and he’s into her without knowing what she does for a living, Kyra thinks she’s finally won the romance lottery.

Unfortunately, Kyra’s plans for a carefree summer of catching waves with her new boyfriend run aground when Sea Star Beach, a place that holds great sentimental value for her, is taken over by a big-city developer who wants to build an exclusive resort. Kyra’s crusade to save her beloved beach threatens both her job and her relationship with Cade as does her growing closeness with her irresistibly broody merwrangler, Declan, whose precocious daughter is intent on playing matchmaker.

When a new family drama arises just as Kyra receives an offer that would turn her greatest desire into reality, she’s torn. Will she do what’s expected of her, or dive in and follow her heart?


**RELEASE BLITZ GIVEAWAY**

Purchase a copy of In the Swim of Things during the Release Blitz (May 15th – May 31st, 2019) and you could win an incredible prize pack inspired by the book’s mermaid heroine and its beachy setting in Cape Cod. People who purchased In the Swim of Things during the pre-order period are also eligible for the giveaway!

This prize pack includes:

You’ve Mermaid My Day Pedestal Candle Holder

3-Wick Salted Ocean Air Candle

Mermaid Squad Gift Set, inc. Travel-Sized At The Beach Ultra Shea Body Cream & Shower Gel & Beautiful Day PocketBac Hand Sanitizer

Mermaid Stemless Wine Glass with Inscription “It’s Okay to Drink

Like a Fish If You’re a Mermaid”

Mermaid Tribe Sea Glass Necklace by Lita Sea Glass Jewelry (seafoam-colored sea glass on 18” sterling silver chain)

Mermaid Key Chain/Purse Charm (antique gold mermaid pendant with stunning beads and a sassy tassel)

Bath & Body Works Shea-Infused Mermaid Socks

Mermaids in Paradise: An Artist’s Coloring Book

Crayola Colored Pencils (36 premium quality pencils)

**To enter this giveaway, e-mail Tracie Banister at traciebanister@gmail.com with your proof of purchase. Entries will be accepted until 11:59PM Eastern US time on Friday, May 31st when a winner will be selected via random drawing. This is an international giveaway, so anyone who buys In the Swim of Things within the allotted time frame is eligible to win. Good luck!


About the author: An avid reader and writer, Tracie Banister has been scribbling stories since she was a child, most of them featuring feisty heroines with complicated love lives like her favorite fictional protagonist Scarlett O’Hara. Her work was first seen on the stage of her elementary school, where her 4th grade class performed an original holiday play she penned. (Like all good divas-in-the-making, she also starred in and tried to direct the production.)

Tracie’s dreams of authorial success were put on the backburner when she reached adulthood and discovered that she needed a “real” job in order to pay her bills. Her career as personal assistant to a local entrepreneur lasted for 12 years. When it ended, she decided to follow her bliss and dedicate herself to writing full-time. She is the proud winner of the 2017 Independent Press Award (Romantic Comedy) and a Bronze Medal in the 2017 Readers’ Favorite Awards (Chick Lit).

In the Swim of Things is Tracie’s sixth novel and thanks to this book, she can now check another occupation off her fantasy list. She has no doubt that writing about a mermaid is much easier than actually being one!

**CONNECT WITH TRACIE:

Author Newsletter – The Banister Buzz: http://eepurl.com/by0VAv

Blog:  http://traciebanister.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/traciebanister

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracie.banister

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traciebanister/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5448518.Tracie_Banister

Filed Under: In the Swim of Things Tagged With: Books, Chick-Lit, Contemporary Romance, Giveaway, In the Swim of Things, New Release, Romantic Comedy, Tracie Banister, Women's Fiction

3rd Annual Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop

December 6, 2018 Leave a Comment

The holidays are just around the corner, which means it’s time for Chick Lit Chat HQ’s annual Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop and this year it’s bigger and better than ever! 63 bestselling and award-winning authors in the Chick Lit and Romantic Comedy genres are participating in this fun-filled event and each one is doing a fantastic giveaway. Books, author swag, gift cards, and other assorted holiday treats are all up for grabs.

But wait! There’s much, much more. On the hop’s Facebook group page, you can enter to win our Grand Prize—a large holiday gift box filled to the brim with a fabulous variety of holiday and winter-themed goodies (the darling, KitschNStyle gingerbread house apron, Snoozies! sherpa socks, Calvin Klein cashmere pom-pom beanie in petal pink, Too Faced sugar cookie eye shadow purse palette, Sally Snowflakes mug by Bella Pilar, Well Read Women: A Reader’s Journal, and handmade chocolate soaps shown in the graphic below are just a few of the items included in the box!).


We’ll also be handing out four Runner-Up Prizes. Each one is a pair of Fitz & Floyd holiday mugs that will be accompanied by a canister of Williams-Sonoma classic hot chocolate as well as a tin of The Republic of Tea’s Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas Tea. So, you’ll have delicious, warm beverages to keep you cozy all winter long!

The celebration runs from Monday, Dec. 3rd through Sunday, Dec. 9th, so head on over to the Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop Facebook group for some lively conversation with both authors and readers, incredible prizes, and lots of holiday fun! You’ll find each day’s featured authors, along with the links to their pages/giveaways, in the pinned post at the top of the group. We look forward to seeing you there!

*The Grand Prize giveaway is open to US residents only. However, all of the individual author giveaways and the Runner-Up Prize giveaway are open internationally.

Monday, Dec. 3rd

Rich Amooi https://www.facebook.com/author.richamooi

Tracie Banister https://www.facebook.com/tracie.banister

Beth Carter https://www.facebook.com/authorbethcarter/

Susan Hatler https://www.facebook.com/authorsusanhatler

Holly Kerr https://www.facebook.com/HollyKerrAuthor/

Jennie Marts https://www.facebook.com/JennieMartsBooks/

Robyn Neeley https://www.facebook.com/RobynNeeleyAuthor/

Melanie Summers https://www.facebook.com/MJSummersAuthorPage

Avril Tremayne https://www.facebook.com/avril.tremayne/

Tuesday, Dec. 4th

Glynis Astie https://www.facebook.com/glynisastieauthor/

Christina Boyd, plus Yuletide anthology authors

https://www.facebook.com/TheDarcyMonologues/

Whitney Dineen https://www.facebook.com/Whitney-Dineen-Author-11687019412/

Jenny Gardiner https://www.facebook.com/jennygardinerbooks

Amy Gettinger https://www.facebook.com/Amy-Gettinger-Author-1412625005719904/

Virginia Gray https://www.facebook.com/Virginia.Gray.Author

Cassandra O’Leary https://www.facebook.com/cassandraolearyauthor

Jean Oram https://www.facebook.com/JeanOramAuthor/

Janice Williams https://www.facebook.com/booksbyjanicewilliams

Wednesday, Dec. 5th

Maggie Aldrich https://www.facebook.com/maggiealdrichwrites

Shanna Hatfield https://www.facebook.com/AuthorShannaHatfield/

Erin Huss https://www.facebook.com/authorerinhuss/

Julie Evelyn Joyce https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJEJ

Maida Malby

https://www.facebook.com/carpediemchroniclesbymaidamalby/

Kirsty McManus https://www.facebook.com/kirstymcmanusauthor/

Diane Michaels https://www.facebook.com/dianemichaelsauthor/

Becky Monson https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBeckyMonson/

Joslyn Westbrook https://www.facebook.com/JoslynWestbrookOfficial

Thursday, Dec. 6th

Traci Andrighetti https://www.facebook.com/traciandrighettiauthor/

Alex Bailey https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexBailey/

Kristina Beck https://www.facebook.com/krissybeck73/

Angie Ellington https://www.facebook.com/angienellingtonbooks

Hilary Grossman https://www.facebook.com/HilaryGrossmanAuthor/

Daisy James https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009889775019

Kate Kisset https://www.facebook.com/authorKateKisset/

Tracy Krimmer https://www.facebook.com/krimmerauthor/

Joy Norstrom https://www.facebook.com/joynorstromwrites/

Friday, Dec. 7th

Melissa Baldwin https://www.facebook.com/authormelissabaldwin

Aimee Brown https://www.facebook.com/authoraimeebrown

Annabelle Costa https://www.facebook.com/annabellecostaauthor/

Lindsay Detwiler https://www.facebook.com/lindsayanndetwiler

Patricia Fischer https://www.facebook.com/patriciawfwriter

Laura Heffernan https://www.facebook.com/lauraheffernanbooks

Beth Labonte https://www.facebook.com/bethlabontebooks

Monique McDonell https://www.facebook.com/MoniqueMcDonellAuthor/

Meredith Schorr https://www.facebook.com/MeredithSchorrAuthor/

Saturday, Dec. 8th

Laurie Baxter https://www.facebook.com/LaurieBaxterAuthor/

Laura Kenyon https://www.facebook.com/laurakenyonwrites

Cat Lavoie https://www.facebook.com/CatLavoieBooks

Nikki LeClair https://www.facebook.com/NikkiLeClairBooks/

Just Call Me “M” https://www.facebook.com/BooksbyJustCallMeM

Natalina Reis https://www.facebook.com/authornatalinareis/

D.L. Stewart https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDLStewart

Holly Tierney-Bedord https://www.facebook.com/HollyRecommends/

Maggie Wells https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaggieWells/

Sunday, Dec. 9th 

Roseanne Beck https://www.facebook.com/RoseanneBeckWrites/

Laura Chapman https://www.facebook.com/laurachapmanbooks/

Karen M. Cox https://www.facebook.com/karenmcox1932/

Rachel Cullen https://www.facebook.com/RachelCullenAuthor/

Hannah Ellis https://www.facebook.com/novelisthannahellis/

Ciara Knight https://www.facebook.com/ciaratknight

June Moonbridge https://www.facebook.com/JMoonbridge/

Kate O’Keeffe https://www.facebook.com/kateokeeffeauthor/

Stacey Wiedower https://www.facebook.com/StaceyWiedower.author

Filed Under: Chick Lit Chat HQ's 3rd Annual Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop Tagged With: Authors, Books, Chick Lit, Christmas, Giveaway, Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop, Women's Fiction

Chick Lit Chat HQ’s Pumpkins & Pages Hop

October 1, 2018 Leave a Comment


Fall is so pretty, but aside from Halloween, there isn’t much going on. If only there were something to tie together all the great elements of the season–the rich colors, the pumpkins (and pumpkin spice lattes!), wearing sweaters, walking through crunching leaves, curling up by the fire with a good book …OH, HOLD UP! There is something going on!

Chick Lit Chat HQ is continuing its tradition of hosting killer hops for Chick Lit and Romantic Comedy fans with our all-new PUMPKINS AND PAGES FACEBOOK HOP to get this season started right! From October 1st through the 7th, more than 50 Chick Lit and RomCom authors are banding together to bring you are most awesome event yet! Along with individual author prizes, we’ll be giving away grand prizes of a beautiful fall wreath by Twoinspireyou valued at $160* and THREE gift bags full of pumpkin-scented goodies from Bath & Body Works. PSLs, chunky sweaters, and crunchy leaves ain’t got nothing on this week-long party, so don your scarf and mittens and head on over to Facebook and join the CLC HQ events group to hang with authors and readers, find your next great fireside read, and enter to win all sorts of fabulous prizes! See you there!

*****

*The Grand Prize fall wreath giveaway is open to US residents only. However, all of the individual author giveaways and the grab bag giveaways are open internationally.

*****

Participating authors:

Monday, October 1st

Tracie Banister

https://www.facebook.com/tracie.banister

Rachel Cullen
https://www.facebook.com/RachelCullenAuthor

Lindsay Detwiler
https://www.facebook.com/lindsayanndetwiler

Laura Kenyon
https://www.facebook.com/laurakenyonwrites

Beth Labonte
https://www.facebook.com/bethlabontebooks

Melissa McClone
https://www.facebook.com/MelissaMcCloneBooks/

Kate O’Keeffe
https://www.facebook.com/kateokeeffeauthor/

Meredith Schorr
https://www.facebook.com/MeredithSchorrAuthor

Stacey Wiedower
https://www.facebook.com/StaceyWiedower.author

Tuesday, October 2nd

Melissa Baldwin

https://www.facebook.com/authormelissabaldwin

Laurie Baxter

https://www.facebook.com/LaurieBaxterAuthor/

Aimee Brown

https://www.facebook.com/authoraimeebrown

Karen M. Cox
https://www.facebook.com/karenmcox1932/

Laura Heffernan
https://www.facebook.com/lauraheffernanbooks

Tracy Krimmer
https://www.facebook.com/krimmerauthor/

Monique McDonell
https://www.facebook.com/MoniqueMcDonellAuthor/

Natalina Reis

https://www.facebook.com/authornatalinareis/

Wednesday, October 3rd

Traci Andrighetti
https://www.facebook.com/traciandrighettiauthor

Poppy Blake
https://www.facebook.com/poppy.blake.395

Annabelle Costa

https://www.facebook.com/Annabelle-Costa-894496980704700/

Angie Ellington

https://www.facebook.com/angienellingtonbooks

Amy Gettinger
https://www.facebook.com/Amy-Gettinger-Author-1412625005719904/

Cat Lavoie

https://www.facebook.com/CatLavoieBooks

Nikki LeClair

https://www.facebook.com/NikkiLeClairBooks/

Gail Olmsted
https://www.facebook.com/gailolmstedauthor

Denise Stout
https://www.facebook.com/DeniseStoutAuthor/

Thursday, October 4th 

Christina Boyd
https://www.facebook.com/TheDarcyMonologues/

Whitney Dineen
https://www.facebook.com/Whitney-Dineen-11687019412/

Holly Kerr
https://www.facebook.com/HollyKerrAuthor

Heidi Renee Mason

https://www.facebook.com/HeidiReneeMason/

Becky Monson
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBeckyMonson

Mel A. Rowe
https://www.facebook.com/MelARowes/

Melanie Summers

https://www.facebook.com/MJSummersAuthorPage

Mae Wood
https://www.facebook.com/authormaewood/

Friday, October 5th

Rich Amooi
https://www.facebook.com/author.richamooi

Glynis Astie

https://www.facebook.com/glynisastieauthor/

Rachael Eliker
https://www.facebook.com/rachaeleliker/

Sarah-Jane Fraser
https://www.facebook.com/sjfraserauthor

Jenny Gardiner
https://www.facebook.com/jennygardinerbooks

Elizabeth Grey

https://www.facebook.com/elizabethgreyauthor

Erin Huss

https://www.facebook.com/authorerinhuss

Jennie Marts
https://www.facebook.com/JennieMartsBooks

Melanie Moreland
https://www.facebook.com/authormoreland/

Saturday, October 6th

Amanda Aksel
https://www.facebook.com/AmandaAksel

Renee Conoulty
https://www.facebook.com/ReneeConoultyAuthor

Hilary Grossman

https://www.facebook.com/HilaryGrossmanAuthor/

BJ Knapp
https://www.facebook.com/bjknappauthor/

Robyn Neeley
https://www.facebook.com/RobynNeeleyAuthor/

Carol Maloney Scott
https://www.facebook.com/carolmaloneyscottauthor/

Joslyn Westbrook
https://www.facebook.com/JoslynWestbrookOfficial

Janice Williams

https://www.facebook.com/booksbyjanicewilliams

Filed Under: Guests Authors Tagged With: Books, Chick Lit Chat HQ's Pumpkins & Pages Hop, Fall season, Giveaway, Halloween, Holiday, Romance Authors

BOOK & AUTHOR FEATURE: Cat Lavoie, author of “Messing With Matilda”

April 15, 2018 2 Comments

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Cat Lavoie – Messing With MatildaMessing With Matilda by Cat Lavoie
Published by Cat Lavoie on April 4, 2018
Genres: Chick Lit, Romantic Comedy

As a professional organizer in New York City, Matilda Hart wages war against chaos and clutter on a daily basis for her clients—and she vows to never let it invade her own well-ordered world.

But when her boyfriend decides to deviate from the path she’s been planning for them, Matilda’s perfectly structured life begins to crumble. She reluctantly finds herself back in the tiny hometown she fled a lifetime ago—determined to lay low and avoid running into anyone she used to know. So why is she reconnecting with her former best friend and putting up with the bridezilla antics of Amber, her high school nemesis?

When Matilda is tasked with keeping the bride-to-be’s heartbroken ex away from the ceremony, she discovers she has history with the man who’s trying to sabotage the wedding. Matilda quickly realizes that teaming up with cute and quirky—but hopelessly devoted—Silas Flynn could be mutually beneficial. He needs help wooing the woman he considers the love of his life and Matilda can’t pass up the chance to finally get back at the meanest of the mean girls by assisting Silas in his attempts to disrupt her wedding.

Will everything go according to plan for this mismatched pair? Or will working so closely together make uptight Matilda and laid-back Silas lose sight of their common goal?

One thing’s for sure—things are about to get messy.

*****

Excerpt:

I don’t want to go home. Facing an empty apartment—one I now know I’ll be living in for the foreseeable future—is too much to handle right now. But I can’t stand on the sidewalk forever while strangers walk around me giving me annoyed looks. I can’t be mad at them—if the situation were reversed, I’d be one of those strangers wondering why the idiot in the black cocktail dress isn’t moving.

So I start moving.

Since home isn’t an option, I decide to walk to Hart Your Space and partake in one of my favorite activities—ordering office supplies. My newest obsession is colorful paperclips and I feel like ordering two boxes today—look at me being all reckless with money. I also have a few follow-up appointments next week and I should look over my notes again just to make sure I’m adequately prepared. I could schedule a lunch date with Dr. Paxton too, but none of these things are urgent and just thinking of the word “date” makes me want to throw up what little dinner I ate.

I take out my phone and see a new voicemail from my mother and two emoji-filled texts from Evie with a series of hearts, keys, and question marks. It’s like she knows something’s going on. Ignoring my messages, I fish my headphones out of my bag and connect them to my phone. Inserting the tiny white buds into my ears, I open up the podcast app on my phone and find the episode I was listening to earlier. The smooth voice of the narrator blasts into my ears—blocking out most of the traffic noise and the random conversations of the people walking past me—and I sigh with relief.

“It was a gruesome crime scene, and I was the first police officer who responded to the call. Even twenty years later, I can still remember every single detail. They are etched into my memory, and I still become emotional when discussing the events of that day.”

You wouldn’t think that listening to Crime Stalker with Jake Deno—a podcast about an NYPD homicide detective and his most memorable cases—would have a calming effect on anyone, but I’m completely fascinated by it, downloading each episode onto my phone as soon as it’s released. I listen to it at the gym, during my commute when Evie isn’t with me, and when I need to become immersed in someone else’s gory reality to escape my own.

#

Forty-five minutes later, I’m a few steps away from my office, and I’ve already decided that I’m taking a cab home when I’m done here. My feet are killing me, and I can’t wait to collapse on my desk chair and kick off the uncomfortable shoes that are giving me blisters. If I had known I’d be storming out of my date with Arthur, I would have worn the orthopedic shoes he prescribed to me after diagnosing me with flat feet, or pes planusas they say in the foot business. The heel is so chunky, it would have been perfect to throw at Arthur’s head when he started talking about Fiona and Boston. I try to forget about those two idiots as I rip the buds out of my ears.

*****

REVIEW: Being a huge fan of Cat Lavoie, I knew I had to read this book!

Right from the beginning, I could definitely relate to Matilda! Not only is she fun and quirky, the most important thing about her is that she’s real. Through the ups and downs in this laugh out loud romantic comedy, the author had me swiping pages on my iPad as fast as I could, and I was sad when it was over. I won’t give any spoilers, but I can definitely say that this book will stick with me for a long time.

If you’re looking for a book that will make your eyes bug out with surprise and your heart swoon, then “Messing With Matilda” is definitely something you will not want to miss reading!

I give “Messing With Matilda” 5 stars!

*****

INTERVIEW:

Describe your writing style in five words: Quirky chick lit with cattitude!

What is something that would surprise people to know about you? I’m a little bit allergic to cats. (I sometimes get itchy, watery eyes when I’m around a long-haired cat—but I never let that stop me!)

Salty or sweet? Can’t choose–can I have both?

What’s on your nightstand? A notepad and pen. Stuffed hippo given to me by a friend. My Kindle. A few of Paddington and Molly’s cat toys.

What was your writing/editing/publishing process like for “Messing With Matilda”? I write really slowly, so completing the first draft took ages. Thankfully, the finished draft didn’t need too much editing so that part of the process was quicker. Messing with Matilda is the first novel I’ve self-published (my first three novels were released by a small press.) It was a lot of work, but I’m really proud of the finished product!

Have you ever been star struck by anyone? Definitely. I’ve had the chance to meet a few musicians and stand-up comics that I adore. I’d like to say I stay calm, cool, and collected when I meet a famous person, but I freeze and can’t speak.

Where did the idea for “Messing With Matilda” come from? I knew I wanted to set another book in the fictional town of Messina and I loved the idea of writing about someone who grew up there and unwillingly comes back to visit.

Who inspires you to write? The book world inspires me—writers, readers, bloggers. It’s so much fun to be a part of such a vibrant and supportive community!

If “Messing With Matilda” was turned into a movie, who would you want to play the characters? My dream cast would be…

Matilda: Jenna Coleman
 http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1982510/

Silas: Johnny Flynn
 https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1926865/

Evie: Krysten Ritter
 https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1269983/

Amy: Sarah Hyland
 https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0405103/

Amber: Anna Camp 
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2319871/

What are people’s reactions when they know you’re an author? People typically have a lot of questions about how long it takes to write a book and what kind of books I write. They also ask me if I’m going to write a novel in French one day, since French is my native language. (The answer? Maybe!)

What is your favorite quote?I have always loved this quote from Oscar Wilde:“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”

What are you working on right now? I’m in the early stages of plotting and researching my next novel. I love getting to know new characters, even though I kind of miss Matilda and Silas.

*****

**GIVEAWAY**

^^^ Click to Enter! ^^^

About Cat Lavoie

Cat Lavoie

Cat Lavoie is a chick lit writer from Montreal, Canada. She loves writing fun and quirky romantic comedies and is the author of BREAKING THE RULES, ZOEY & THE MOMENT OF ZEN, PERI IN PROGRESS and MESSING WITH MATILDA.

A fan of all things feline, Cat loves cats and hopes to someday have a house full of them in order to officially become a crazy cat lady. (But one or two cats will do for now.)

If she isn’t reading or writing, Cat enjoys listening to podcasts (mostly comedy and true crime) and watching way too much TV. She fell in love with London many years ago and hopes to go back one day. Cat is currently at work on her next novel.

To connect with Cat and find out more about her books, visit CatLavoie.com and follow @CatLavoieBooks on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Filed Under: Messing With Matilda - Excerpt & Review Tagged With: Author Interview, Books, Cat Lavoie, Chick Lit, Excerpt, Giveaway, Messing With Matilda, New Release, Romantic Comedy, Women's Fiction

Sweet Treats & Yummy Reads Hop

February 8, 2018 Leave a Comment



Are you excited about Valentine’s Day? The authors at Chick Lit Chat HQ are, and we know quite a bit about romance, not to mention gorgeous guys and swoonworthy storylines, which is why we’ve put together a fun-filled event that celebrates all these wonderful things.

That’s right, book lovers, it’s time for the Sweet Treats & Yummy Reads Hop! Starting February 12th, 40+ Chick Lit and RomCom authors will be throwing a fabulous, Valentine-themed bash on Facebook and each of them will be offering a GIVEAWAY–books, gift cards, author swag, and lots of other wonderful prizes will be up for grabs!

But wait, there’s more! You know we have the “yummy reads” covered (this group is nothing if not crazy talented), but what about the “sweet treats?” Hold on to your hats, peeps, because CLC HQ has outdone itself this time. We’ll be giving away not one, not two, but THREE Grand Prizes for this hop and each of those lucky winners will receive a 6-pack of Wicked Good Cupcakes!* And the best news of all? You get to choose your own sinfully delicious flavors. (Commence happy dance now.)

So, what are you waiting for? Head on over to the Sweet Treats & Yummy Reads Hop on Facebook and join the group page where you can meet and chat with fellow readers, as well as some of the most popular authors in your favorite genres, plus find the lists of participating authors and enter to win one of the Grand Prizes. We look forward to seeing you there!


*Wicked Good Cupcakes only ships to destinations in the United States, so the Grand Prize portion of this hop will not be open to international entrants. However, the 40+ individual author giveaways will be open internationally.

Filed Under: Isabella Tagged With: Books, Chick Lit authors, Giveaway, Prizes, Romance Authors, Sweet Treats & Yummy Reads Blog Hop, Valentine's Day

COVER REVEAL: “Something Just Like This”

November 20, 2017 1 Comment

Today is the cover reveal for Something Just Like This by Tracy Krimmer. This cover reveal is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours.

Something Just Like ThisSomething Just Like This
By Tracy Krimmer
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Age category: Adult
Release Date: February 14, 2018

Blurb:
Love? Second chances? That crap is for romantics, not realists like Juliette. She has a bad attitude about love and an even worse one when it comes to second chances. And she may dress like an elf for a few weeks out of the year, but that doesn’t mean she loves Christmas.

Stability? Purpose? Landon is surfing a pleasant wave of both until he’s fired. Devastating news from his sister certainly doesn’t help. At least he has the holidays to look forward to.

When Landon shows up at the mall and Juliette prevents a disaster, he can’t stop thinking about that sweet elf. Juliette doesn’t believe in the spirit of Christmas, but she can’t help but wonder why Landon was in her line that day. Could Landon deserve one of those second chances she’s so unwilling to give?

You can find Something Just Like This on Goodreads

You can pre-order Something Just Like This on Amazon for only $2.99 through February 15.
It will be available in Kindle Unlimited after release day.

Excerpt Something Just Like This by Tracy Krimmer

“Don’t be a Grinch!”
“Huh?” I lift my gaze and my best friend and co-worker Carly stands in the doorway, the smile so bright on her face it almost blinds me. “What do you mean don’t be a Grinch?”
“Oh, you know,” she says as she makes her way into the room, planting herself in my chair. “Like you are every holiday season.”
“I’m not a Grinch.” Maybe I am. I try my best not to show it. It’s possible I don’t have a convincing poker face. Poker was never my game, anyway.
“You most certainly are. Every Christmas party you sulk at the table drinking gin and tonic and refuse to join in on anything. This year, you are in. You’ll be the life of the party.”
“Over my dead body.”
“Shit, Jules, your stiff body would be a better time than you are alive at these functions.”
She’s right, and I know it. Why is she always right? I want to take offense but it’s no secret I’m not Christmas’s biggest fan. I may be the only elf working at the mall that despises it. The elf job isn’t for me, though. I do it for others. That’s festive, isn’t it? Isn’t Christmas about giving? I do plenty of that.
“Leave me alone. And why are you so bubbly? Did you drink a bottle of bubble bath or something?” I grab the container of pens, staples, and paperclips out of the box and place them on the desk. This is much easier to deal with than the picture of my family with our fake smiles.
“Oh, I don’t know.”
She dots her face with her fingertips, moving them around from one side to the other. Why is she acting so weird? “Wait.” I stop when I see it. “Are you wearing an engagement ring?”
She squeals and pops out of the chair, rushing over to show me. Her hand misses smacking me in the face as she shows off her princess cut ring, sparkles and all. “Pretty.”
“Pretty? Are you kidding me right now, Jules? This ring is gorgeous and fit for the fairest princess in the land.”
“Which is you, I assume.”
“What crawled into your pants this morning? Or should I ask who didn’t? Another bad date, huh?”
I shrug, not in the mood to discuss my date with Romeo. No joke. My cousin Dana claimed she found the perfect guy for me, and I said yes to a blind date. His name was Romy, like Mira Sorvino in that movie Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion. I’d only ever heard the name Romy from that movie. It turned out he used Romy as a nickname for Romeo. Yeah. Dana set me up with a Romeo because of course we’d be Romeo and Juliette. Barf. I don’t even spell my name like the Shakespearean character, and the last thing I would ever do is poison myself over a man. Dana had her fun. I did not. She’s never setting me up again.
“Let’s say I got home very early, watched an entire movie, and was asleep by ten.”
“Ouch. That is a bad date.”

Tracy KrimmerAbout the Author:
Tracy Krimmer loves coffee, popcorn, Drew Barrymore, and the movie Saving Silverman. She enjoys reading great books (of course) and writing realistic characters for you to enjoy. When she listens to music she prefers the 80s and 90s music she grew up on. In a typical day you’ll find her writing at one of her favorite spots–on the couch, at the kitchen table, or at her favorite hometown coffee shop.

You can find and contact Tracy here:
– Website
– Twitter
– Facebook
– Reader Group
– Goodreads
– Amazon
– Bookbub
– Instagram
– Newsletter

Giveaway
There is a cover reveal wide giveaway for the cover reveal of Something Just Like This. One winner will win a $10 Amazon Gift card.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Something Just Like This-Cover Reveal Tagged With: Chick Lit, Coming Soon, Contemporary Romance, Cover Reveal, Giveaway, Romance, Something Just Like This, Tracy Krimmer, Women's Fiction

BOOK FEATURE: “Two Last First Dates”

September 6, 2017 Leave a Comment

 

“Two Last First Dates” by Katie O’Keeffe

Blurb: To Paige Miller, Two Last First Dates sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

Paige is having a rough time. She’s unhappy in her career and her One Last First Date ended in total disaster. Now, she has to figure out what to do professionally and personally. Life as a spinster with fifteen cats doesn’t sound too bad, though.

Deciding to give up on love, Paige begrudgingly befriends Josh Bentley, the friendly coffee delivery guy, while helping out at the Cozy Cottage Café. His T-shirts make her eyes roll, but their runs have become an important part of her day and a blessing to her waistline, because Bailey’s cakes are too good to pass up.

Meanwhile, her best friends offer to find Mr. Right for her, and all Paige has to do is let them. Then, the man of her dreams walks through the door. Marcus Hahn is as good-looking as he is charming, and any thoughts Paige had of being alone with those fifteen cats, fly out the window. Now, she just has to hope her friends choose him as her Last First Date.

But in the end, are Two Last First Dates enough to find The One?

**While this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone or as part of the series. The protagonist is different from book one, although all lead female characters appear in each of the books.

EXCERPT

“I’ve got some paperwork to get through, and then we need to talk about finding you your Last First Date.”

“Ah, no, we don’t,” I said, shaking my head. Had she forgotten my decision? It was infinitely better to die an old-maid-slash-reclaimed-virgin than go through that heartache again.

“Yeah, we do. Marissa and I had a meeting and we’ve decided—”

“You had a meeting?” I asked, incredulous, my eyes wide.

“We’re going to do this properly, Paige.”

I bit the inside of my lip. “Look, I told you at the beach. I don’t want to find a man. I’m over the whole Last First Date thing.”

Bailey looked at me, a smile on her face. “Is that so?”

“Yes!” Why was she persisting with this? My mind was made up; I had given up on love.

“Hold that thought,” Bailey said as she jumped out of her chair.

I’d been too lost in exasperation to notice there were a couple of customers standing at the counter, perusing the cabinet food. I stood up, collected our plates and coffee cups—with two hands and not Bailey’s skillful one yet—and headed to the kitchen.

Once behind the counter, I looked across at the customers to give them a welcoming Cozy Cottage Café smile. My eyes met a man’s at the counter, and I swear the breath was sucked right out of me.

Oh. My. God.

This guy was beautiful. Tall, broad, his olive skin set off by his crisp, white, open-necked shirt, cropped black hair, and an I’m-sent-down-by-the-Greek-gods face. Angels sang, harps were strummed, and everything around me fell into nothingness as I stared into his dark eyes. He smiled back at me, holding my gaze for a beat, two. I could hear my heart thudding in my ears, and I had to stifle a nervous, girly giggle.

Too late, I felt the crockery in my hands begin to wobble. I took a step, tried to right them, but both my hands were full. The dishes came crashing to the floor, smashing into one hundred pieces, the dregs of our coffee splattering against my legs and the floor.

Uh-oh!

I quickly squatted down and began collecting up the shattered crockery, my face burning. This was mortifying!

“Paige! What happened?” Bailey looked at me down on the ground, startled.

“Sorry. I . . . I don’t know.” Which was, of course, not entirely true. I knew exactly what had happened. I’d been too busy staring at Adonis Guy and not concentrating on carrying the dishes to the sink. I shook my head, angry with myself.

I’d let womankind down miserably; my lack of multitasking ability was clearly equal to a man’s.

A dark head poked over the edge of the counter. “Are you all right down there?”

I stopped what I was doing and looked up into those mesmerizing eyes once more. My mouth went dry. “I . . . yes, thank you.” I stood bolt upright as the heat in my cheeks intensified.

Adonis Guy pushed himself up off the counter and shot me a gorgeous grin. “What did those dishes ever do to you?” He turned to his friend. “Is this the reason you like this place? The hot waitresses throwing dishes around?”

Adonis Guy just called me hot?

Bailey laughed. “Usually we just try to dazzle you through our excellent coffee and food. So that was two lattes. Anything to eat?”

Adonis Guy looked back at me. I hadn’t moved an inch. “What do you recommend?”

“Oh, ah, me?” My blush deepened. “The, ah, carrot cake with the cream cheese frosting is out-of-this-world good.”

“That sounds delicious. Sold.” He turned to Bailey. “I’ll have a slice of that, thanks.” Adonis Guy returned his gaze to me.

His much less godlike friend shook his head good-naturedly, watching Adonis Guy quite obviously flirting with me. “I’ll grab one of those spinach and feta muffins.”

Bailey rang up their order. “I’ll get this, Marcus. I owe you one,” Non-Adonis Guy said.

I squatted down to collect the remaining broken dishes in my hands. Try as I might, I couldn’t get my heart rate to return to normal, and you could have roasted s’mores on my cheeks, they were so hot.

Marcus. His name was Marcus.

“Thank you. We’ll bring those over for you,” I heard Bailey say from my position on the floor.

I peeked over the top of the counter. Marcus and his friend had walked over to the window and were now sitting down at Marissa’s, Cassie’s, and my usual table. Of all the tables in the café, he chose my favorite. Was it a sign?

No, it’s not. I’d given up on love. I needed to remember that, difficult as it may have been in the presence of such manly perfection.

While Bailey expertly worked the coffee machine, I put the fragments of the dishes onto some newspaper, wrapped them up, and placed them in the trash. Once I’d swept up the shards, I washed my hands and paused, deep in thought. I may have given up on love, but I was still a woman. And women liked to look good, right?

I pulled my lipstick out of my bag and slipped the lid off. I held it up to my lips, peering in my small compact mirror, and stopped dead. What am I doing? One hot guy shows an interest in me and I’m throwing that all away? Talk about being flakier than one of Bailey’s cheese filo puffs.

I snapped my compact shut and wound my lipstick down, unapplied, returning it to my makeup bag. I couldn’t let the first cute guy I saw dissuade me from my new path. I’d made up my mind; I was a man-free zone.

My jaw clenched, I returned to the counter. “I’m really sorry about that, Bailey. I don’t know how it happened. You can dock my pay.”

The steamer on the coffee machine made a loud screech as she fluffed the milk for the coffee in a jug. “Don’t worry about it, Paige. Accidents happen. Just don’t let it happen too often, okay?”

“Of course.” I pulled out a couple of plates and put a slice of the cake and a muffin on each. I glanced over at Marcus. He and his friend appeared to be deep in conversation.

Bailey nodded at the plates. “Can you please take those over? I’ll bring the coffees when they’re done.”

Part of me wanted to leap at the opportunity of talking with Marcus again. Another part of me wanted to squirm out of it, come up with some sort of an excuse to avoid the temptation. I told myself I needed to be strong. It was inevitable I was going to meet cute men. I simply needed to learn to deal with them. My inevitable spinsterhood demanded it.

After all, my track record with men had been a miserable failure.

I smoothed my shoulder-length hair behind my ears, took a deep breath, and walked out from behind the counter over to the men’s table. “Here you go, gentlemen,” I said brightly as I placed their respective treats in front of them on the table.

“All recovered from your plate smashing ordeal?” Marcus asked with a cheeky half smile on his face, looking up at me from his seat.

“Oh, yes. It’s all fine, thank you.” I tucked my hair behind my ears. “Right. I’ll leave you to it.” I turned on my heel without a second glance and walked on wobbly legs back to the counter.

Done. Easy. Well, okay, not easy exactly, but done all the same.

As Bailey took advantage of the lull and got on with some paperwork, she left me to clean up the counter and wipe down tables before my shift ended. There was only Marcus and his friend in the café, ­and I was thankful they were so deep in conversation they ignored me, so I had free range to make the place spick and span, ready for us to do it all again tomorrow.

I was putting some things under the counter when someone cleared their throat next to me. I bobbed up, ready to serve like the good Cozy Cottage waitress of almost two days I was. My tummy did a flip when I saw who it was.

“Just checking you’re not abusing any more defenseless crockery down there,” Marcus said with a fake brow furrow.

My blush returned faster than you could say hot-guy-flirting-with-me. I let out a laugh. “No, no.”

“That’s good to hear. I’m from the Society for the Protection of Dishes, and we take these matters very seriously, you know.” His face broke into a grin.

Wow, this guy looked like Channing Tatum when he smiled. This was so not a good thing right now.

I let out a light laugh, putting my hand on my heart. “I swear to give the dishes the respect they deserve in future.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

“Oh, I think you already paid,” I said.

By way of response, he offered me his business card. Dumbly, I took it in my hand, looking down at the words. Marcus Hahn, Attorney-at-Law.

“I would urge you to get in touch if you have any dishes-related concerns.”

“Oh, I . . . thank you . . . Marcus.” I blushed as I said his name.

He flashed me his Channing Tatum grin once more and I swear my legs ceased to function for a moment there. I watched as he sauntered out of the café, turning to shoot me one last smile before he disappeared out onto the street.

Resisting this guy was going to be trickier than I thought.

*****

**GIVEAWAY**

**Click HERE to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!**

*****

**About the author: Kate O’Keeffe is an award-nominated author of fun, feel-good romantic comedies. She lives and loves in beautiful New Zealand with her family, two scruffy dogs, and a cat who thinks he’s a scruffy dog too. He’s not: he’s a cat.

To date, Kate’s written the chick lit series, the Wellywood Romantic Comedy Series, and the new Cozy Cottage Café Series.

**Contact Kate: Website   Goodreads   Facebook   Twitter   Instagram   Amazon Author

Newsletter Signup

*****

**Read the Cozy Cottage Cafe series:

Book 1: “One Last First Date”   Book 2: “Two Last First Dates“

Book 3: “Three Last First Dates” – coming October 31, 2017, click HERE to pre-order!

Book 4: “A Final Last First Date” – coming early-2018

Filed Under: Two Last First Dates Tagged With: Book feature, Chick Lit, Excerpt, Giveaway, Kate O'Keefe, Romance, Two Last First Dates, Women's Fiction

BOOK REVIEW: “Write Naked: A Bestseller’s Secrets to Writing Romance & Navigating the Path to Success”

July 27, 2017 1 Comment

Write Naked: A Bestseller’s Secrets to Writing Romance & Navigating the Path to Success

Blurb: Learn how to transform your passion for writing into a career. New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Probst reveals her pathway to success, from struggling as a new writer to signing a seven-figure deal. Write Naked intermingles personal essays on craft with down-to-earth advice on writing romance in the digital age. Probst will teach you how to:

  • Commit to your current work-in-progress, get focused, and complete it on schedule
  • Reveal raw emotions and thoughts on the page to hook your readers
  • Assemble a street team to promote and celebrate your books
  • Overcome writer’s block with ease
  • Develop themes that tie together your books and series
  • Write the most difficult elements of romance–including sex scenes–with skill and style
Regardless of the genre, every novelist faces a difficult task. Creating authentic characters and an engaging plot are challenging enough. But attempting to break into the hotter-than-ever romance genre, which is constantly flooded with new titles and fresh faces? It can feel impossible. This is where Probst’s Write Naked comes in. To survive–and thrive–you need the help and wisdom of an expert.
Written in Probst’s unmistakable and honest voice, Write Naked is filled with the lessons and craft advice every writer needs in order to carve out a rewarding career.
My Review:  I cannot tell you how many self-help books I have on my bookshelf that are to help me with writing, though, when I try to start them, it’s hard to get through the first couple of pages. Everyone always says, “do it this way,” “this will work,” and so many more promises that will get you writing and on the bestseller list.
However, “Write Naked” is not a self-help, book, but rather a book of inspiration. Having decided to get back to my writing in July, the timing couldn’t have come better for me to read this book. I bought the paperback version, which means I have countless page turned down so I can go back and read them when I’m at a loss or am needing direction. I highly recommend this book for any romance writer, because I am guaranteed this it will inspire you. Not only does Jennifer share personal stories that you will be able to relate to but you will also finish this book feeling more ready to write, knowing that it’s normal to talk to your characters, have them tell you what they want, along with numerous other crazy to some, but normal for author thoughts. (I know I’m a crazy author person, and Jennifer made me feel okay with that!)
This is a book that I will never forget, and I know that it will be by my side for each book I write.
I give this book 5 stars!
**Reviewer note: If you have a paperback version, keep a highlighter next to you so you can highlight quotes and/or ideas that inspire you!
*****
**About the author: Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.

She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon’s Best Books for 2012, and spent 26 weeks on the New York Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a million copies, and was dubbed a “romance phenom” by Kirkus Reviews.

She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

Sign up for her newsletter at www.jenniferprobst.com/newsletter for a chance to win a gift card each month and receive exclusive material and giveaways.

*****

**GIVEAWAY**: **Click HERE for a chance to win a Kindle version of “Write Naked”!

Filed Under: Book Review, Write Naked: A Bestseller's Secrets to Writing Romance & Navigating the Path to Success Tagged With: #GoddessLit, Book review, Giveaway, Jennifer Probst, Romance Authors, Success, Write Naked: A Bestseller's Secrets to Writing Romance & Navigating the Path to Success, Writing

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