Twenty-Something, A Collection

by Samantha March, Cat Lavoie, Laura Chapman

The first collection from Marching Ink features three full-length novels in Twenty-Something. From the good girl that is tired of playing by the rules in the new adult novel from Laura Chapman, to the friendship between two women that isn’t what is seems in the women’s fiction novel from Samantha March, and then the loveable Roxy that will give us plenty of laughs and touching moments in the chick lit novel from Cat Lavoie. While all characters are indeed Twenty-Something, we believe this collection can be enjoyed by readers in a variety of ages.


Hard Hats and Doormats by Laura Chapman
After losing out on a coveted promotion at work, Lexi Burke is done playing the nice girl. Her first order of Giving in to her longtime workplace crush. But Lexi soon learns that balancing a workplace romance and her job might be harder than she anticipated.


A Questionable Friendship by Samantha March
While Brynne and Portland seem to have an ideal friendship, cracks are starting to show as their lives take a turn for the complicated. Not willing to go to one other with their secrets, one woman begins to feel shut out and the other enters into a web of lies to protect herself. Their journey will explore several questions of friendship, and show that happily ever after might not be in the cards for everyone.

Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie
When Roxy Rule shares a passionate kiss with her lifelong best friend, she must come to terms with her feelings for him while dealing with two sisters in full crisis mode, a boss who makes her want to stab herself with a letter opener and a fiancé who can’t wait to walk down the aisle. Can she keep it together–or will she break under the pressure?

690 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 14, 2015

About the author

Samantha March is a published author, blogger, and has been passionate about creating stories since a young girl. After starting her blog ChickLitPlus in 2009, she set out to make a childhood dream a reality, and published her debut novel in 2011. She now has six published novels – Destined To Fail, The Green Ticket, Up To I Do, A Questionable Friendship and Defining Her – and one holiday novella, The Christmas Surprise, and Kristy, book 1 in The Six series. In addition to her bookish pursuits, she is also a beauty blogger with a growing Youtube channel and shares her love for makeup and beauty in review and tutorial videos. When she isn’t reading, writing, or creating videos, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs. Samantha currently lives in Iowa with her husband and Vizsla Aries.

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed each of these novels for different reasons. Here's a breakdown of each of them (Sorry if it's a bit long):

Hard Hats and Doormats; Laura Chapman:
Lexi Burke seemed to have a stressful job considering all the responsibility that she takes on, and I wouldn't like to have her work schedule; I most certainly wouldn't go out for drinks after work simply because I'd be too tired; I really liked the fact that Lexi wanted to do the harassment case properly; and sometimes there's a cost to independence. The author seems to know how to handle the job aspect of the novel. If Lexi and Jason Beaumont permanently worked together, they'd make a good team. I loved reading about Lexi and Jason's relationship; and seeing a deeper side to Jason was nice as well; I laughed when Jason threw Lexi into the pool. The highlight of the novel for me was the conversation Jason had with Lexi before she walked out her office for the last time. It was strange reading how Dana, Dustin and Dale would want to be at Lexi's farewell party. Dana struck me as more intelligent than to go for the likes of Dustin. Garret Kirby didn't seem like the gay type to me, and that was refreshing. It was nice to read that other people in the HR world enjoyed their work and was successful. I was really intrigued by Kara DeWitt's relationship with Tyler Taylor. The character that I really liked and wish there was more of in the world was Jason.

A Questionable Friendship; Samantha March:
I loved Emmy Jo's nickname of EJ. Portland and Trent Dolish's marriage wasn't everything it appeared to be. I find that Brynne Ropert is really perceptive; and I found it strange how Brynne think's Portland's marriage is perfect when the reader gets the opposite impression; they also sometimes didn't view each other in the correct light. I most certainly wouldn't like to be on Portland's bad side. Reading about the two friend's every day ongoing's was really interesting; along with their thoughts. I would have liked if there's been a little bit more history as to how Trent got involved with drugs.

Breaking the Rules; Cat Lavoie:
I loved reading about Roxy Rule's friendships with Natalia Fedarova, Emma Halpert and Adam. Roxy is really cool-headed in her job environment. I found it really amusing when Steffi nicknames her unborn baby Peanut. At first I didn't think that Ethan suited Roxy, but the more I read about him, the more I thought they were suitable together, even though they went their separate ways in the end. Unfortunately I didn't agree with how this particular novel ended; even though the decision that Steffi and Oliver Frost was a drunken one on that New Year's, I felt that Oliver should have gone with Steffi, even though she wasn't the one he loved.

I'm grateful that I got the opportunity to read these novels, and thought that each of these authors are exceptionally talented.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: TWENTYSOMETHING 

This carefully collated collection presents three stories in the chick lit category, but not just for chick lit devotees! Utterly enjoyable, smoothly written, and posing some serious questions and issues of human interaction, TWENTYSOMETHING is well worth reading, and will provide several hours of reading enjoyment [and pondering] and an excellent introduction to these three authors:

Samantha March
Cat Lavoie
Laura Chapman

Enjoy!!

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful read for the weekend that can be enjoyed in one sitting, especially during the holidays! Very sweet and lighthearted story about the perils of a decade long marriage. My fingers were crossed that Juliette's husband was not cheating. The emotions felt real resulting me feeling immersed in the story to the point that I did not want to put it down.

I received a free reading copy of this book and voluntarily read it.

[Celia Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of three full-length novels. Each author has an opportunity to shine as they show their fullest potential. I've been fortunate enough to read their work previously and was delighted to see they'd joined forces.

Ms. Chapman and Ms. Lavoie's work teeter on the edge of Women's Contemporary Romance and Chick Lit (I think it depends on how the reader defines each genre), while Ms. March's book is definitely Women's Contemporary Fiction.

Ms. Chapman's work, Hard Hats and Doormats was a great read, I thoroughly enjoyed the evolution of Lexi Burke's character. If I had half of Lexi Burke's dedication when I was Twenty-Something who knows where I'd be today. She represents all that we think we need to be when we are making a name for ourselves - but then what happens when we try to find balance? To have it all?

A Questionable Friendship, by Samantha March blew me away the first time I read it, and after reading it a second time, it was every bit as powerful. I found myself trying to find the places in the book where we get clues about the twist that is to come. A definite must read, and re-read. For my full review on this book, please look it up individually. I promise this is a powerful read that will leave you wondering about your life choices.

I cannot praise Cat Lavoie's book enough. It is charmingly Chick Lit, but then she throws in a major curveball which knocks it out of the Chick Lit arena and straight into Women's Contemporary Romance. Roxy Rule is a gentle, freakishly patient, somewhat confidence-lacking young woman, who thinks life is as good as it can be for her, for now. But when faced with life altering challenges, she allows her life to be disassembled and faces the confidences with humor and courage that left me cheering!

I would heartily recommend this book and any others by these three authors. They write well-crafted, highly developed characters, that will pull you in.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Samantha March's books, so, of course, I accepted an ARC of "The Christmas Surprise." This 77-page novella jumps right into the action, where Juliette wonders if her husband is having an affair. I really hoped it wasn't true, but when she stumbles on incriminating evidence, I found it hard not to wonder if it was true. Thankfully, she has a great friend who supports her, along with Colin, her adorable son, who she would do anything for, to distract her.

I loved how even with the possibility that her family could be falling apart, Juliette focuses on giving to the less fortunate, helping keep one's memory alive, and trying her best to make her life the best it could, especially during the holiday season.

When the truth comes out on Christmas morning, Juliette is overcome with joy and amazement that her husband could put together something so special for her, my heart melted, loving how her husband put so much effort in something so special.

If you're looking for a sweet, lighthearted, Christmas novella, which will get you into the holiday spirit, then I would definitely recommend "The Christmas Surprise."

I give this book 5 stars!

[Megan | A Page to Turn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very short, sweet, holiday chunk of Juliette and Christopher's 10 year marriage! Just 10 chapters dedicated to one amazing moment in their lives. I adored these two and would love to read more of their long-term story one day; Juliette is a lot like I am - a dedicated stay at home Mom, just trying to keep busing making those in her life happy. She finds herself getting a little bored and a little paranoid about her husband and his working overtime... the story ends in a great way, exactly how I predicted it to from the very beginning, but that didn't stop me from reading it.

[Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story. I loved it, even though I wanted to smack Juliette across the face & yell "wake up!". She's so paranoid. I need a Christopher in my life. And Colin is adorable! I loved reading the parts with him. Great job Samantha!

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can read my full review here.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I couldn't tell where it was going but it was fun to follow this nice story.