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Review

RELEASE DAY and REVIEW of “Plan Bea”

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It’s release day for “Plan Bea” by Hilary Grossman

Blurb: How well do you really know the people in your life?

Annabel O’Conner has the perfect husband, two adorable children, an amazing job, and the mother from hell! Annabel doesn’t like it but has come to terms with the fact that her relationship with her mother, Bea, deteriorated to the point of forced and strained communications. However, an unscheduled call from Bea turns her world around and makes Annabel question everything she believed about her life.

Despite the fact secrets, lies, and misplaced blame have destroyed the women’s relationship; Annabel reluctantly agrees to help Bea plan her wedding. Little does Annabel know the impact of her decision.

In this Women’s Contemporary Fiction novel, Hilary Grossman explores the complex relationship that exists between mothers and daughters in a light-hearted and relatable manner.

My Review:

When I first read the blurb of Hilary Grossman’s second novel, my interest was very piqued. After all, I enjoy her first book, “Dangled Carat,” so I knew I was going to like this one, too. Well, I ended up loving it!

I would love to be friends with Annabel, her husband, and of course, her two little ones. Hilary’s writing is so powerful that I was easily drawn to Annabel’s mother, Bea, even though she was sarcastic and witchy, at times, though, at the end, I understood why.

“Plan Bea” was an amazing book, one I will never forget. With all the twists and turns in this book, it wasn’t predictable, but rather a quick page-turner. If you’re looking for a book that will make you wonder if repairing a mother/daughter relationship is possible, I highly recommend this book. It makes you wonder what you can learn by communicating, especially when secrets and horrible events take place, only to discover that years could’ve gone by without so much pain and hurt.

While I’m blessed to have a wonderful and loving relationship with my mom, I could often relate to Annabel’s feelings, and was happy she had her loving husband and his family to lean on. **Warning, when reading this book, it’s a must that you have tissues next to you. I can’t tell you how many times I cried, and cried, and cried even more.

I give “Plan Bea” 5 stars!

**Find “Plan Bea”: Amazon US   Amazon UK   Barnes & Noble   Goodreads

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HilaryGrossman**About the author: Hilary Grossman loves to find humor in everyday life. She has an unhealthy addiction to denim and high heel shoes. She likens life to a game of dodge ball – she tries to keep as many balls in the air before they smack her in the face. When she isn’t writing, blogging, or shoe shopping she is the CFO of a beverage alcohol importer. She lives on the beach in Long Island.

**Contact Hilary: Website   Facebook   Instagram   Twitter

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**GIVEAWAY**

**Click HERE to enter to win a $25 Bath & Body Works Gift Card

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To help celebrate Hilary’s new release, she’s put her debut novel, “Dangled Carat” on sale for $0.99, until Sunday, so click HERE to get your copy now, (US only)!

**Click HERE to see my review of “Dangled Carat”!

Dangled Carat

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“Dangled Carat” by Hilary Gorssman

Blurb: Hilary had gotten used to dating the commitment-phobic Marc, thirteen years her senior. They had a great relationship–why rush into things? She saw no need to pressure him for marriage, believing that when the time was right, he would propose. But after they had been together for four years, their friends decided to take matters into their own hands, pushing Marc to propose and making Hilary realize how much she really did want to marry the man that she loved. Unfortunately, Marc still wasn’t ready–and their friends’ meddling in the form of a faux engagement party led to a disastrous New Year’s Eve that brought their relationship to an inevitable turning point.

My Review: After I featured an excerpt of “Dangled Carat” as part of a Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour, (click HERE to see the excerpt), I received an email from the author asking if I’d like to read and review this book. With my review schedule, I didn’t think I would be able to get a review out until May. However, it was a lazy weekend, so I decided to start “Dangled Carat”, even though I was reading two other books. Once I did, I literally could not put this book down, and was sad when I had to stop to go to dinner with friends that night. All I wanted to read was this book, wanting to see if Marc would finally propose.

The blurb hooked me right away. My fifth wedding anniversary is coming up, but I was with my husband for 6 years (YES, SIX) before he proposed, so I felt that I could relate to the main character, Hilary. It turns out that she and I are very similar. We both loved our men, they just wouldn’t put a ring on the finger, no matter how many times their friends nudged them about it.

There were some scenes where I cringed (the New Year’s Eve party especially), feeling sorry for Hilary, but she handled it like a pro, (I wouldn’t have). Hilary and Marc’s characters are very believable, and written very well. I liked that the author wrote scenes during their years together, making it nice to see how their relationship evolved over the years. The only thing that I thought this book was missing was more of Hilary and Marc together — I wanted to feel physical chemistry between them during the present time, because at times, I felt like they were just roommates, not lovers who have been together for so long.

If you’re looking to read an awesome book, one that you won’t want to put down, I highly recommend “Dangled Carat”! No matter what stage you’re at in your love life, you will truly enjoy this book!

I give this book 5 stars!

**Reviewer note: While “Dangled Carat” is a memoir, it doesn’t read like one, and you will not be disappointed! 🙂

HilaryGrossman**About Hilary Grossman: Hilary Grossman dated a guy so commitment-phobic that she was able to write a book about their relationship. She is currently the CFO of a beverage alcohol importer and lives on Long Island.