Nicola Marsh's Blog, page 50

My Top 5 favourite reads 2011

When USA TODAY asked me to list my top 5 favourite reads of 2011, I had a momentary panic.



I read so many great books this year, how to choose only 5?



After much teeth-gnashing, I did it.  Then again, these books were stand-outs for me so when I really put my thinking cap on, it wasn't so difficult to choose after all.



So here are my top 5:



1. How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal

(lush, evocative, made me cry & I rarely cry with books!).



2. Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (never want to put the book down, love the characters, the humor, the warmth).



3. The Goodbye Quilt by Susan Wiggs (realistic, character-driven, tugged on my heartstrings. And made me bawl.).



4. Dancing Backwards in High Heels by Christine Darcas (fascinating real-life dilemma any woman could identify with, thoroughly enjoyed it).



5. Red-Hot Renegade by Kelly Hunter (exotic locale, well-developed characters, sizzling tension).



You can see other author recommendations on the USA TODAY Happily Ever After blog.

Best South Asian Fiction 2011...and I'm on it!

I'm absolutely thrilled to announce BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD made the Top 5 Best South Asian Fiction for 2011.



Here's what Divanee had to say:



"Romance lit you can read without guilt. Clever, funny and romantic enough to appeal to the Bollywood-lover in all of us."







As the sole romantic novel alongside literary fiction, I'm doubly stoked!



Check out the full list here



If you want to buy the book, check the list of suppliers here

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a merry Christmas and happy holidays.



Whatever you're doing, stay safe.



(and may Santa fill your stockings with loads of fabulous books!)

Busted in Bollywood on YouTube!

I'm beyond thrilled that Rachel Firasek enjoyed BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD so much that after finishing the book yesterday she made me this book trailer. (Thanks again, Rachel!)



I love it!



And I dare anyone not to dance around the house to that fab Bollywood tune!

Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire? winners

Thanks to those who participated in the Intoxicated by Books blog hop (and welcome to my new followers!)



The 3 winners of WHO WANTS TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE? are:



-Dinda_Sl

-Carol L.

-Lora 1967



Please email me with your details to collect your book prize!

Confessions in Bollywood

For something a little different today, I'm not being interviewed about BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD.

Shari, the main character, is!



Also featuring the last BOLLY-BITE for 2011, delicious vegetable pakoras.

A fantastic party snack and a great way to get kids to eat veggies.



Check out CONFESSIONS OF A VI3TBABE for the lowdown.



And it's the last day to win 3 copies of my upcoming release right here on this blog!

Manga Maniac Cafe

Today is your last chance before Christmas to win a copy of BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD so come visit me at Manga Maniac Cafe for an interview.



And only 2 more days to win 3 copies of my upcoming release WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? right here on this blog.

USA TODAY loves Busted in Bollywood

I'm absolutely stoked USA TODAY gave BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD  a sensational review.



Here's a snippet:



In her interview with HEA, Nicola Marsh mentions she didn't actually travel to Mumbai to conduct her research for Busted in Bollywood. This astonishes me, since she writes of the city with such fascination and respect, and her descriptions are so personal and vibrant, it never occurred to me that her experience could be anything but firsthand. The food, the people, the traditions, the colors and chaos of India are all lovingly represented. Mumbai and its cuisine are so well-represented, in fact, that at times the book hovers dangerously close to travelogue territory. But the energy of Marsh's prose makes that easy to excuse.






And it's not just the story's locale that deserves the freshness award. I was pleasantly surprised when Shari's deception lasted no longer than it took Rita's fiancé to say "I know." Marsh also provides a cliché-defying twist to the engagement Drew was supposedly hiding...I couldn't help but be emotionally invested in the situation, and I actually felt nervous as Shari prepared to sit down with Drew and his mother for their "talk." Stirring that kind of physical reaction in a reader takes some killer writing.





Busted in Bollywood is a fun, flirty story with a snarky, mischievous tone and an underlying theme of self-discovery. The book is lush with humor, sensuality and lively characters who wouldn't know a cliché if it handed them a masala chai.



Read the full review here (& thanks Kathy Altman.)



Woohoo!

This review also made CELEBRITY WIRE alongside a host of super famous celebs!



Want to read the book?

Check out the buy links: AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, BOOKDEPOSITORY

Minding Spot

Another interview & BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD giveaway over at MINDING SPOT today.



And keep your entries coming for my 3 book giveaway below.

Totally Bookalicious

More BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD print copies up for grabs.



Check out my kulfi (amazing Indian icecream!) recipe and fab review at TOTALLY BOOKALICIOUS.



Also another interview and giveaway at SUGARBEAT'S  BOOKS.



Don't forget the 3 book giveaway in the blog hop below!