Rae Lori's Blog, page 24

Stranded Review by Dani Pettrey ~ Stranded Blog Tour

Stranded  (Alaskan Courage Book #3) by Dani Pettrey

Format: E-book

Published September 1st 2013 by Bethany House Publishers



When her friend vanishes from a cruise ship, reporter Darcy St. James isn’t satisfied with their explanation that she simply left her job of her own accord. Something isn’t lining up, and Darcy believes the only way to find the truth is to put herself in Abby’s position. Within days, Darcy learns her friend wasn’t the only person to disappear mysteriously. Last summer, a woman vanished under almost identical circumstances.

Gage McKenna has taken a summer-long stint leading adventure excursions for the passengers of various cruise lines that dock for a few days of sightseeing. He’s surprised to find Darcy working aboard one of the ships, investigating a troubling report. Something sinister is going on and the deeper they dig the more Gage fears they’ve only discovered the tip of the iceberg.



I have to say I really enjoyed Stranded! As a newcomer to this series missing the first two books, I was a bit concerned that I would be lost. Although there are a few instances where I wish I had read the prior books to gain some more insight into the characters' connections, I was still hooked from the very beginning and appreciative when the author described the other characters, what they did and how they were related.



From the start, I was hooked into the story where a woman named Abby believes she is about to be murdered for learning some sinister information about the corporate cruise ship she is on. She tries to make a run for it but is caught at gunpoint.  Abby's disappearance spawns an investigation from her friend and our heroine Darcy St. James who puts her journalistic cap on to find out what happened to her friend and to see if she has anything to do with the unnamed person who went overboard. At the same time, Gage McKenna, our hero, takes a job aboard the same cruise line as he is trying to get over the death of his son. His faith in God is testy but he remembers Darcy's strength of faith and finds himself trying not to get close to the fiery woman despite the attraction.



I love how Stranded presented its characters. Both Darcy and Gage were likable characters I rooted for to get together. Although I felt sad for Gage (including during a failed rescue at the beginning of the book), I was a bit put off by his constant rejection of God but still hoped he found enough strength in himself to keep going and find answers for himself. I appreciated how Darcy, who suffered a loss herself, kept going in a somewhat opposite way that Gage did where her faith grew stronger. I loved seeing how they worked through their own interest in each other and this being a clean romance, I appreciated how the romance was developed on romantic terms. At times, Darcy would jump the gun or reveal too much about her investigation without being as careful as she could have been (which was a minor gripe of mine) but I loved her tenacity and strength as a character and I couldn't help but follow her on her journey to finding answers about Abby's whereabouts.



Ms. Pettrey did a good job on this book and I'm looking forward to hunting down the first two books in the series to catch up on the overall story and world of the Alaskan Courage series. I'll be checking out what other books Ms. Pettrey has available as I'm definitely hooked on clean romances (especially romantic suspense books) and their characters. We definitely need more of them in romance land!

A Good-Lookin' Man Blog Tour Spotlight

Tour Schedule






 A Good-Lookin' Man by Marcia Lynn McClure



Excerpt



However, in an instant—in less than a breath or the bat of an eyelid—the elusive pepper spray hiding somewhere in her purse was all but forgotten. For standing before her—right there before her, not three feet away—was the best-looking, most gorgeous, handsomest man she had ever seen in all her life!



“No, seriously,” she thought out loud with lingering bewilderment at how perfectly stunning the man standing before her was, wearing a worn pair of Levi’s, dusty cowboy boots, and a short-sleeved, plaid-print, snap-up shirt that hung open, revealing a bronzed, perfectly sculpted torso that was simply a mass of muscles. She was so unsettled by the man’s appearance that she wasn’t sure whether she was whispering aloud to herself or her car.



Either way, the man asked, “Beg your pardon, ma’am?”



“Oh…oh, nothing,” Fairlee said as she began rummaging in her purse again. But the man’s presence and appearance had entirely rattled her. As her awe-inspired brain obviously quit sending out instructions to the rest of her body, Fairlee felt her purse slip from her hands—watched in humiliated dismay as its contents tumbled out and scattered over the shoulder of the road.  

 


Amazon * Distractions Ink






Author Marcia Lynn McClure

Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.”



Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.





Website * Twitter






Blog Tour Giveaway





$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash



Ends 10/9/13



 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grammarly.com Review [Sponsored Post]

I use the plagiarism checker at Grammarly.com because the original is made of win and pwns all substitutes. ;-)



I was recently contacted by Grammarly.com's Nick Baron to check out their grammar checker program online. I really liked this program! I sent a short sample of my writing through and the program checked for:






Pronoun Agreement
Use of adjectives and adverbs
Confusing Modifiers
Verb Agreement
Verb Form Use
Commonly Confused Words
Spelling
Punctuation



and other misuses of articles.



I've only really used AutoCrit as an online editor in addition to my human editors and that worked really well to catch inconsistencies in my work. The price was a bit high as the longer text crits took from $47 to $100 but it seemed suited to creative text while Grammarly is more than ideal for non-fiction text and academic papers. You can get a monthly subscription for the heavy duty stuff (like papers and things) offline and as a macro for Word but for everyday mundane tasks like checking blog posts and such, you can download the free browser plugin.



Although nothing electronic can replace editing via human eyes (and reading aloud), Grammarly is a good backup to double check for a clean paper. Writers should definitely give this one a go and see how you like it! They have a free text editor on the site: http://www.grammarly.com/



If any of my writers out there try it, I'd like to know what you think!



Here are my results!

The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series

The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series 

Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors.



"Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love."



Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford

Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin

Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson

Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White

Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver

Book 6: Immersed in Love by Jennifer Griffith









Home Matters by Julie N. Ford



According to her mother, Olivia Pembroke was born to be a star. But how is she supposed to be famous when she can't even get a decent acting gig? Her lucky break comes when she lands an audition for a wildly popular home improvement show. Even though she has no design training and has never even held a power tool, she refuses to let that stop her. She's confident that her destiny is finally within reach.



When her affections are torn between her heartthrob co-host and the irritating, yet somehow endearing lead contractor, does she continue to reach for the stars? Or does she design a new happily ever after? One that leads not to the fading lights of fame and fortune, but to a love that will burn forever.









Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin



Drew Westfall wants nothing more than to forget what he had to do in the name of "smart" business. Cutting off all ties with his parents—including handing over the entire contents of his trust fund to a charity—he takes off for Bridger, Colorado where his best friend has an extra room for him. It doesn't take long for him to realize that his business degree won’t do him much good in a town as small as Bridger, but he's broke and has nowhere else to go.



Eden Torresi has every reason to wallow. Not only did she lose her mother, but she had to drop out of nursing school and is in a relationship with a guy unwilling to commit. But Eden isn't the wallowing type. Instead, she chooses to spend most of her time taking care of the seniors at Silver Linings Nursing home. When she learns that her boyfriend's new roommate is down on his luck, her caring nature makes her want to reach out to him and offer what help she can. But the more time they spend together, the more complicated things get, especially when the seniors of Silver Linings decide to play matchmaker.









Righting a Wrong by Rachael Anderson



Seven years ago, Cambri Blaine fled her small hometown of Bridger, Colorado after her senior year ended in a fiasco. Only Jace Sutton knew the real reason why—that she was a spineless coward. Now, seven years later, her father's been in an accident and needs help, and Cambr has no choice but to return home. So with trepidation, she takes a leave of absence from the landscape architecture firm where she works and boards a plane, hoping against hope that Jace is no longer around and that the past can stay where it belongs—in the past.



If only life worked that way.



Jace never expected to see Cambri again. After she’d led him on, bruised his heart, and left town without a backward glance, he was forced to pick up the pieces and try not to hate her for it. Eventually, he put it behind him and moved on, creating a life for himself in his beloved hometown. But now that Cambri is back and looking more beautiful and sophisticated than ever, some of those old feelings resurface, and Jake instinctively knows, for the sake of his heart, that he needs to avoid her at all costs.



If only it were that easy.







Lost and Found by Karey White



Lydia was supposed to have an adventurous and exciting summer. Instead she's done nothing more than read and eat takeout. Now it's time to go home, and what does she have to show for it? A big fat nothing. Unless, of course, her trip to the airport somehow turns into something more than just a flight home.



Blake feels like he's been sent on a wild goose chase. While work is piling up back in Denver, he's on the other side of the country, hunting for some mysterious box that his grandfather left him. Well, no more. Nothing inside that box could possibly be more important than the opportunity to make it as the youngest partner at his firm. So he's going home, and that's that. But that's before he discovers his flight has been cancelled.



When these two strangers meet at the airport, they make a split-second decision to search for the box together. Maybe with both of them on the hunt, Lydia can have her adventure and Blake can find the box. And maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll even find some romance.









Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver



Thirty seven year old Francie Davis, a recent widow and empty nester, gets to attend college at last. She’s sure her luck has changed when she also lands a job on campus that will pay her tuition, as administrative assistant to a history professor. When her handsome new boss yells at her on the first day of work, Francie worries she will never be good enough.



For Professor Alex Diederik, life is going downhill fast. Not only is his bitter ex-wife trying to poison their only daughter against him, but now his one place of solace—his work environment—is being complicated by his attractive new administrative assistant. She drives home his feelings of failure as a husband and father, and Alex wonders if hiring her was the right thing to do.



Francie will have to put aside her hurt and insecurities or risk her dreams, while Alex must look outside himself if he’s to mend the breach with his daughter. And, perhaps, find someone who can help heal his pain.







Immersed in Love by Jennifer Griffith



Lisette Pannebaker speaks five languages and has a brilliant business plan—personal language immersion. Clients can hire her to shadow them and speak all day in any language they need to learn for business or travel—whatever.



But there’s a major hitch: she’s far too pretty. Clients with less than honorable intentions sign up just have Lisette at their side. Solution? A make-under. Way under.It works like a charm. None of her male clients show her the least bit of interest.



Until… Erik.



Erik Gunnarsson is charming, kind, and smart—everything she’s ever looked for. Even though he seems to have a secret and she swore she'd never date a client, Lisette is tempted to shed her disguise—even if it means jeopardizing her career.







Giveaway Details

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 10/31/13



Bloggers who put up a spotlight post about these books on their blog can enter to win an additional $25 gift card or paypal cash.  See details in the Rafflecopter.



Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.





a Rafflecopter giveaway

An Interview with Author, Annabelle Blume ~ Melted Tears Book Tour

Publisher: Inkspell Publishing

Genre: Sci-Fi Romance

Novella

Release Date: 9th September 2013







Two lovers face off
against a government determined to keep them apart. It’s only brave if it’s
hard.    




After a decade of
being alone in the wilderness, Cressenda is still adjusting to life with the
man of her dreams. When Beckett hatches a plan to break her parents out of The
Affinity prison work camps, Cressenda must make the biggest sacrifice of her
life; trading her freedom for her parents’. Cressenda’s fortitude is tested at
every turn, from surviving the conditions of West Fallen work camp to believing
in Beckett’s dedication to their plan and their love, even when it looks like
all hope is lost. With the help of a unlikely ally, Cressenda learns to stop
fighting against her fears and embrace the power of fighting for her dreams.






Will trusting Beckett to take down The Affinity be the ultimate show of
faith or a fatal mistake? 


We're here to celebrate the Melted Tours Book Tour with SF & UF Romance Author Annabelle Blume! I'm so excited because I'm a huge fan of SF Romance and Frozen Heart (book 1 in the series) is on my TBR shelf. Melted Tears sounds like it's right up my alley to continue the story. Annabelle joined us for a wonderful interview to share some insights into her writing world and to let us know what she has in store next for her readers. So grab a cup of your fave drink and settle in!




AWD: What are your main concerns as a writer?




AB: My main concern as a writer is creating characters I can be
proud to introduce to readers. In my experience, if your readers connect with a
character, they will love your books. Devoted readers are earned with great
characters.




AWD: How have your personal experiences influenced the
direction of your writing?




AB: I like to write stories of triumph, of overcoming obstacles
and personal growth. These are the things I focus on in my own life, what I
value in others, and what I find interesting for a storyline.




AWD: What would you say are the biggest challenges that you
face?




AB: I have a hard time getting started on a book. I get caught
in the “what’s the use” mindset. It’s a big, crowded world in publishing.
Sometimes I feel defeated even before I start.




AWD: How do you deal with these challenges?




AB: When I am in the “what’s the use” phase, I have a few close
friends I can have my little breakdown with and they talk me off the ledge. I
remind myself that yes, it is a big, crowded world, but opportunity abounds.
And out there is one person who doesn’t just want to read my words, but needs
to read my words. That my words will touch that person and change something in
them forever. Then I write my story for that one person.




AWD: Which aspects of the work that you put into the book did
you find most

difficult?




AB: Dialog. Dialog is so hard! Each sentence is carefully
crafted. I spend a tremendous amount of time making sure the dialog fits the
character, sounds realistic, conveys the intended emotion, and delivers
information to progress the story. My books are not dialog heavy, but what they
say is important.




AWD: Which did you enjoy most?




AB: I really enjoyed creating a larger cast of characters than I
had in Frozen Heart. Some of them were horrible people and some were wonderful
people and some were in between but all of them were exciting to write.




AWD: What will your next book be about?




AB: I’m currently working on a New Adult Urban Fantasy. It’s top
secret right now but I will say that I’m excited to be putting a new spin on
angels and demons.







Check out more about the author online!




Facebook - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5818143.Annabelle_Blume




Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5818143.Annabelle_Blume




Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnnabelleBlume




Frozen Heart - http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/1/post/2012/08/happy-book-birthday-annabelle.html




Pre-order Melted Tears
http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/1/post/2013/07/cover-reveal-melted-tears-by-annabelle-blume-pre-order-your-copy-today.html



About Annabelle



Annabelle
is a Science Fiction and Urban Fantasy Romance author, that is, when she's
not checking homework or begrudgingly cooking dinner. Wife, mother, and
creator of alternate worlds, Annabelle has a penchant for that which is
outside the norm.


Her Sociology degree has given her the ability to construct worlds that exist
only in her head and translate them passionately to the page. The time spent
studying individuals, interpersonal relationships, and particularly, women,
within the constraints of our society led to Annabelle's unabashed ability to
talk about sex as it fits into our modern lives.








She's also the
author/personality of The Bombshell Mommy at Vitacost.com, where she expounds her knowledge
of being a vixen clad in sweatpants.



A serial book monogamist, Annabelle is deeply devoted to the literary love of
her life until the next amazing book falls into her clutches and she obsesses
anew.




Annabelle’s official
author page http://www.annabelleblume.com/






http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc6f9439/" 

Stranded Book Blast

Stranded (Alaskan Courage #3)



When her friend vanishes from a cruise ship, reporter Darcy St. James isn't satisfied with their explanation that she simply left her job of her own accord. Something isn't lining up, and Darcy believes the only way to find the truth is to put herself in Abby's position. Within days, Darcy learns her friend wasn't the only person to disappear mysteriously. Last summer, a woman vanished under almost identical circumstances.
Gage McKenna has taken a summer-long stint leading adventure excursions for the passengers of various cruise lines that dock for a few days of sightseeing. He's surprised to find Darcy working aboard one of the ships, investigating a troubling report. Something sinister is going on and the deeper they dig the more Gage fears they've only discovered the tip of the iceberg.



















Amazon * Barnes & Noble









Author Dani Pettrey



Dani Pettrey is a wife, homeschooling mom and author. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of one’s faith and plenty of romance. She’s a huge fan of dark chocolate, is always in search of the best iced mocha and her dream is to one day own a little cottage on a remote stretch of beach. She and her husband reside in Maryland with their two teenage daughters.








Website * Twitter * Facebook










Tour Schedule






 

 



BookBlast Giveaway



$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash



Ends 10/6/13

 



Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Good-Lookin' Man Book Blast - September 5th to 11th

A Good-Lookin' Man by Marcia Lynn McClure (novella)



 However, in an instant—in less than a breath or the bat of an eyelid—the elusive pepper spray hiding somewhere in her purse was all but forgotten. For standing before her—right there before her, not three feet away—was the best-looking, most gorgeous, handsomest man she had ever seen in all her life!



“No, seriously,” she thought out loud with lingering bewilderment at how perfectly stunning the man standing before her was, wearing a worn pair of Levi’s, dusty cowboy boots, and a short-sleeved, plaid-print, snap-up shirt that hung open, revealing a bronzed, perfectly sculpted torso that was simply a mass of muscles. She was so unsettled by the man’s appearance that she wasn’t sure whether she was whispering aloud to herself or her car.



Either way, the man asked, “Beg your pardon, ma’am?”



“Oh…oh, nothing,” Fairlee said as she began rummaging in her purse again. But the man’s presence and appearance had entirely rattled her. As her awe-inspired brain obviously quit sending out instructions to the rest of her body, Fairlee felt her purse slip from her hands—watched in humiliated dismay as its contents tumbled out and scattered over the shoulder of the road.







Amazon * Distractions Ink



Author Marcia Lynn McClure

Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.”



Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.









Website * Twitter




 

 






Tour Schedule






 





BookBlast Giveaway



$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash



Ends 10/5/13

 a Rafflecopter giveaway







Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Working it Out Blog Tour ~ An Excerpt

Tour Schedule




An Excerpt of Working it Out by Rachael Anderson

Seth flipped
through a magazine, completely oblivious to the fact that he was about to get
reacquainted with the woman he’d outbid and kissed.






Grace suddenly
wanted to duck back through the door and tell her receptionist that Seth Tuttle
would have to reschedule with a different therapist in a different office, and—if
possible—a different state. Grace didn’t want to be anywhere near the aftermath
of the chaos he was bound to cause.




As if sensing
her presence, Seth lifted his head and met her gaze with striking blue eyes. She
stiffened, waiting for the recognition to come.




“Are you
Grace?” he said, all innocence, as though he’d never seen her before.




Grace blinked
as realization struck. He didn’t recognize her. She should be thrilled by that
knowledge—elated, even. Not only did it give her the opportunity for a fresh start,
but it gave her the upper hand, in a way. Yet her annoyance won out. All this
time, she’d stewed about that night, relived it over and over in her mind, trying
to figure out where she went wrong and how she could have handled things
differently. While Seth, on the other hand, had apparently forgotten all about
her the moment she’d walked away.




She forced her
feet forward and lifted her chin. “I take it you’re Seth Tuttle?”




“I am.” He
grabbed the crutches at his side and hoisted himself up easily. Shooting the
receptionist a look, he said, “Hey, my friend’s parking the car right now. When
he comes in, would you mind telling him I’ve already gone in?”




“Of course. I
can send him back if you’d like.”




“No, I’m sure he’d
rather wait here.” Seth turned his attention to Grace and smiled. “So, you’re
Grace Warren. Dr. Ross tells me you’re the best PT in the Seattle area, which
I’m hoping is true. I want my knee back as soon as possible and need a PT who
can bring it.”




Whether it was
because he didn’t recognize her, or because he questioned her professional
skills, Grace bristled. “Dr. Ross is wrong.”




Seth raised
his eyebrows in question.



























“I’m the best physical
therapist anywhere, including Seattle.”
With that, she turned on her heel and walked back through the self-closing door,
not bothering to hold it open for him like she usually did for patients with crutches
or wheelchairs. When the sounds of Seth struggling to get through the door
reached her ears, a smile tugged at the corner of Grace’s mouth. He did say to
bring it.














Author Rachael Renee Anderson



Rachael Anderson is the author of five novels (Working It Out, The Reluctant Bachelorette, Minor Adjustments, Luck of the Draw, and Divinely Designed) and two novellas (Twist of Fate, from the All I Want anthology and The Meltdown Match from The Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer Wedding Collection). She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.





Blog * Facebook * Twitter





















Working It Out



A chance encounter . . . 





Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.









A chance for love . . . 





Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

 







Amazon * Amazon Kindle




Add to Goodreads







Blog Tour Special Price Drop!




Grab a copy of Working it Out for just $2.99!










Blog Tour Giveaway



$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash



Ends 9/10/13


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hooked by Liz Fichera ~ A Review

When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done. 

But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.

But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile...

GET HOOKED ON A GIRL NAMED FRED.



Although the cover screamed 'New Adult sexy read', the blurb for Hooked by Liz Fichera caught my eye. I remember Ms. Fichera's first book Captive from Carina Press and I was eager to read more of her Native American heroines. In a genre that's not so culturally diverse, it's awesome to see heroines of color who are living and loving in various stories. Bonus for Hooked for having an NA heroine who plays golf!




I LOVED the first part of Hooked. Getting to know our heroine Fred Oday was a treat and as Ms. Fichera described the scenery of Arizona, I couldn't help going "ahh" at all the locations and names that I remembered from the time I lived there. I sympathized with Fred and rooted for her even through all her adversity as she was seen as the 'other'. Sadly, some of the characters from Hooked were familiar in my own real life (but thankfully none I went to school with).




Although I started out liking our hero Ryan Berenger, things tended to change as the story went on. He wasn't as bad as his best friend (resident villain Seth) who was thrown off the golf team to make room for stellar player Fred, he took a back seat to his friend's antics even as they bordered along cruel. I recognize the fact that this is a YA read and much of the younger characters in this genre tend to stay on the sidelines as spectators in such situations but I would have loved to have seen Ryan stand up more for Fred. Even in the end when he confronts his former girlfriend Gwyneth, he isn't as forceful as he should have been. I also felt that Fred could have stood up for herself more after taking so much bullying and going back and forth with Ryan. The book has a good amount of the big misunderstandings found in romance novels and in romance novel speak, Ryan should have done much more grovelling to win Fred back after all he put her through.




I also wanted to see more of a conclusion to the story at the end. After Fred almost loses her father, I had hoped to see them chat again since most of the book goes to lengths to show how close they are and how much she loves him. I also would have loved to have seen Ryan set Seth straight even after he and Fred helped him out at the end. A few things were left up in the air that I hope have answered in the next book 'Played' or at least in a short story featuring Ryan and Fred.



All in all I enjoyed 'Hooked'. There were a few instances of harsh language used that I could have done without but I appreciate the subject matter of prejudice, hate, love and acceptance among other issues being addressed in the story. I recommend this for readers like me who are looking for more diversity in their YA reading and also for teens who love contemporaries.

Working It Out by Rachael Anderson ~ Book Blast

  Working It Out 





 
A chance encounter . . . 





Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.









A chance for love . . . 





Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

 




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Author Rachael Renee Anderson



Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.















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