The All-Star Antes Up -- Nancy Herkness A Review

ALL STAR ANTES UP

WAGER of HEARTS

**BOOK 2**

By

Nancy Herkness

SYNOPSIS:

“No strings, no rings.” That’s Luke Archer’s motto. As the champion quarterback for the New York Empire—not to mention a self-made billionaire—Luke has given up on serious relationships. Women only want him for one thing: the thrill of being with a superstar. And he can’t risk love distracting him from his next Super Bowl victory. But when his best friend announces he’s retiring from football to spend time with his wife and kids, Luke feels like he’s missing out on something much bigger than his career.

The assistant concierge in Luke’s luxury high-rise, Miranda Tate fled her family’s dairy farm to come to the bright lights of New York City. She works hard to move up and sends her spare earnings home to her brother. When she and Luke meet, there’s an instant attraction, but they’re in completely different leagues. Could Miranda be just the woman Luke needs to win the most important game of his life?

REVIEW

This, the All Star Antes Up, is the second installment in Nancy Herkness’ Wager of Hearts Series.  Her first work was a delightful surprise at my first read of one of her works.  After reading The CEO Buys In, I decided that it was a must that I follow this series through and see how all three wagers ended.  The second installment has not been a disappointment.  In fact, it has proven to be even meatier and have more depth to it than her first offering, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Unlike so many other romances where boy meets girl and “bang”, hearts and sparks happen, and the story follows an expected course; Nancy’s heroines are independent women who are not easily swayed by glitter and glam.  They are women who have a focus and have a reason to live.  They are outspoken, bright and know what they want for themselves and those they are responsible for.  They are self-sacrificing and will turn from the thought of a life of ease if it even has a shadow of having an ill-effect on their family or responsibilities.

At the same time the heroine has the propensity to love deeply and with great empathy, but not always the ability to allow themselves to be loved.  Be it for fear of potential hurt and abandonment or just fear of allowing themselves to open up to be loved back, it takes a very special hero and man to break through the restraints and barriers to reach the heart of Nancy’s heroines.  Once they do, it is pure euphoria, for the protagonists and the reader. 

The journey that Nancy takes you on through the pages of the novel to get to nirvana is like a wild ride through the mountains of West Virginia.  The emotional highs and lows of the storyline the wind through the pages dragging your heart along. She leaves you laughing, crying, and reaching for chocolate as you turn each page hoping that it will bring resolution to the twist or turn that the last page left the characters in.  Be it an emotional moment or an erotic encounter, Nancy has the ability to tie your emotions and heart-strings in knots.  It is this ability that keeps drawing me back to her books.  She makes me feel the extremes of my senses, all within a page or two, leaving me breathless.

The hero in the All Star Antes Up, was an interesting and complex character.  I enjoyed that Nancy gave depth and complexity to the hero, like the heroine, in that that was not just another rich “All Star Jock”.  We were allowed to see past the surface level and into the psyche of a man who had wars within himself that dated back to childhood.  Nancy allows her heroes to suffer, to have issues and to be human.  She also allows them to love softly, tenderly, and deeply.  What heroine, or reader doesn’t want to feel secure and loved, sincerely loved? 

Do I know Nancy, personally? No.  Did I ever have the opportunity to know other authors of note that made me be able to feel this same way, such as the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen? No.  But each of them have found the magic to lift us above the mundane, to transport us to a land where we can escape the cares of every day for a few hours and find a magical place to dream, much like we did as young girls.  A place where Prince Charmings really do come true, but Nancy’s are living and breathing, and just a little foil-able (wink).  Finding an author whose writing style and story-telling ability has connected with your heart dictates that you become like a kid at the book store.  I am no better.  I can hardly wait to read Nancy’s next installment, or her next series.  All Star Antes Up is a definite FIVE STAR winner in my book. 

ABOUT NANCY HERKNESS

Nancy Herkness is the author of the award-winning Whisper Horse series, published by Montlake Romance, as well as several other contemporary romance novels.  She is a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America RITA^® award. Her new series, Wager of Hearts, follows the romantic adventures of three very wealthy men who make a life-changing bet.

A member of Romance Writers of America, New Jersey Romance Writers, and Novelists, Inc., Nancy has received many honors for her work, including the Golden Leaf Award, the Maggie Award in Contemporary Romance, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award. 

Nancy graduated from Princeton University where she majored in English. In addition to her academic work in literature, she was accepted into Princeton's creative writing program, and her senior thesis was a volume of original poetry.

After graduating, Nancy had a varied career which included retail management and buying, COBOL programming, computer systems sales and marketing, and a brief stint as a receptionist at a dental office. Once her children were in school full-time, she sat down and wrote A Bridge to Love, her first romance novel to be published.

Nancy finds nothing odd about writing in the genre she calls “the “Rodney Dangerfield of the literary world. It gets no respect.”  She explains: “I was trained as a poet, but from the day my grandmother gave me my first Georgette Heyer novel I wanted to write romance. Romance is the genre of optimism, and that's why I like it.”

A native of West Virginia, Nancy now lives in suburban New Jersey with her husband, two mismatched dogs, and an elderly cat. She cheers loudly for the New Jersey Devils hockey team.

For more information, visit Nancy’s website: www.NancyHerkness.com

Or email Nancy at nancyherkness@comcast.net .

The Winemakers - Jan Moran

The Winemakers

By

Jan Moran

SYNOPSIS

1956: When Caterina Rosetta inherits a cottage in the countryside of Italy from a grandmother she’s never known, she discovers a long-buried family secret — a secret so devastating, it threatens the future of everything her mother has worked for. Many years before, her mother’s hard-won dreams of staking her family’s claim in the vineyards of California came to fruition; but as an old murder comes to light, and Caterina uncovers a tragic secret that may destroy the man she loves, she realizes her happiness will depend on revealing the truth of her mother’s buried past. The Winemakersis a sweeping, romantic novel that will hold you in its grasp until the last delicious sip.

“Absolutely adored THE WINEMAKERS.  Beautifully layered and utterly compelling.  Intriguing from start to finish.  A story not to be missed.” – Jane Porter, USA Today and NYT Bestselling author of It’s Youand The Good Woman

REVIEW:

I have read all of Jan Moran’s novels, to date. Each one of them are centered on strong women of their time. Each set in various time periods dating back to the early 1900s. What is interesting is that even the two major works she has written “Scent of Triumph” and “The Winemakers” have an essence of being tied into “The California Series” which about four young independent young women is making their way in the L.A. area and making their mark on the beauty industry.
In the Winemakers all of the strengths and fallibilities that we as women have, come into play and you find yourself in a world of secrets within secrets, as each of the central characters keeps her world wrapped up within pride to protect those she love around her. But as the leaves of truth start to peel back, the world they have always known starts to crumble around them into a thousand pieces like a dried out bouquet of flowers when crushed under foot. It is only the strong love of family and pride of who they really are that allows them to struggle through, to find the answers at the heart of the lies and secrets that the years have held close.
Jan has a way of drawing the reader into her stories. She takes a paint brush to her words and brushes a panorama across the pages. You find yourself falling into the scenes of the lands and places that she builds for her stories to take place. The smells, sights and sounds accost your senses as you find yourself peering through the eyes of the characters and seeing a world unfold before you.
This is not limited to just her scenery, but also to the very fiber of her story lines. They live and breathe as you find yourself flipping the pages to keep up with the characters, wiping tears of sadness or laughter. Suddenly a page turn will bring a catch of breath that forces you to set down the book till you can breathe again…forcing you to think back, re-access and draw on your own strength to go forward with the young heroine.
Once again Jan has given us a glimpse behind the shutters of the wealthy and high born to show us that all who live have lives that can be fragile. All who breathe can suffer great loss and hold great secrets that seem unbearable. Wealth and breeding do not make people immune to the bad things that can and do happen to families. Evil is evil, no matter the last name. Kindness, generosity, and love come from within and cannot have a price tag attached.
Jan has also shown the struggles that independent strong minded women have endured during the early part of the 1900s. She included the prejudices against women in business within her storyline. I deeply appreciated this. We forget how much our mothers and grandmothers fought to make our lives better for us. How we must continue to strive to make the way better for our daughters and grand-daughters who follow behind.
Jan Moran has written stirring and remarkable works from her first novel, Flawless, but with each offering, she has shown continued growth in her craft. The Winemakers is a novel worthy of note and one that is sure to make many lists and take awards for 2016. I give The Winemakers a FIVE STAR rating for craftsmanship and entertainment. This is a must read for 2016.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jan Moran is an author of historical novels for St. Martin’s Press (Scent of Triumph,; The Winemakers). She also writes the Love, California contemporary series, which includes Flawless, Beauty Mark,Runway, and other upcoming titles. She wrote Fabulous Fragrances I and II, which earned spots on the Rizzoli Bookstore bestseller list, and Vintage Perfumes. She is represented by Jenny Bent at The Bent Agency. Books are also translated into German, Portuguese, Turkish, Italian, and other languages.

As a fragrance and beauty expert, she has been featured in numerous publications and on television and radio, including CNN, Women’s Wear Daily, Allure, InStyle, and O Magazine. As an editor and writer, she has covered fragrance, beauty, and spa travel for a variety of publications such as Cosmopolitan, Costco Connection, and Porthole Cruise.

VISIT JAN

http://www.janmoranwrites.com/

WHERE YOU CAN BUY

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SILENT SENTRY - Theresa Rizzo - A Book Review

SILENT SENTRY

By

Threresa Rizzo

SYNOPSIS

The Scarfilis and Donnatellis love deeply and protect fiercely. "Family takes care of family" is the code they live by.

So when a hacker threatens Gianna Donnatelli's life, Dr. Joe Scarfili is determined to keep her safe, only he has no police or tech experience, and Gianna's penchant for aiding Detroit's underprivileged is the same kind of altruism that got his wife killed. Gianna protects Joe with the same unyielding resolve.

Gianna pushes all his insecurity buttons. Joe tries her patience like no other. But together they'll fight to save each other and their love... Or die trying.

REVIEW

I have read and studied medieval literature and Shakespeare , but why or why did I keep thinking about a twisted Romeo and Juliette when I read this delicious novel?  Except in this novel, Romeo and Juliet were not suicidal, star-crossed teenagers, like the original lovers were.  In fact, they weren’t suicidal at all.  They were well educated, adults who had known each other as children, or should I say as teenage and child?

That aside, once again, Theresa takes up another social issue to address in her newest novel.  But this time, she lands her heroine in the inner city of Chicago where the poorest of the poor cannot fend for themselves against the riff-raff of the gangs and warfare that wage around them.  Enter a young entrepreneur and a young doctor and you have two warring stories flying across the pages.  No make that three, for there are truly three distinct storylines that are tightly interwoven through this book.  Each one is breathtaking unto itself as you try to figure out who will win in the fight between good and evil, the will to overcome.  With a heavy dose of romance thrown in to lighten the overtones and undertones of the social justice that is being addressed between the lines. 

Oh, no, I didn’t forget about those pesky Italians from Shakespeare.  They are there in their 21^st century garb and just as nasty and just as willful.  But the world has got much larger than it was in the fifteen and sixteen hundreds.  It seems to have permeated globally.  For some reason, it seems that it is the young, and the innocent who always get caught in the cross-fire of the warfare for money and power.  Nothing ever changes. 

No, don’t get me wrong.  This story is enjoyable.  It is fast-paced. There is laughter, and love, but there is a much deeper message to be had, if you peel back the words and the pages and let it sink in a little.  Great job, again, Theresa.  Your story craft continues to grow.  You brought many a smile to my face as I rifled through the pages of this novel.  There was no leisurely reading allowed.  I give this one a great FVIE STAR review!!!!  Well worth the read!

This book was provided to this reviewer at no cost to read and assess for other readers in exchange for a fair and honest written review of the novel.  Shade Tree Book Reviews aka Blogging Under the Shade Tree is not associated with the Author or publisher of this novel.

ABOUT THERESA

Biography

I was born and raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Growing up in an Irish-Italian family was never dull or quiet. I have four siblings, two sisters and two brothers. My mother was a nurse and my father a general surgeon, so my interest in medical issues is hardly surprising.

As a youngster, I struggled with mild dyslexia. I couldn't read until third grade, but after years of remedial work, the wondrous world of books opened up to me and I've been a voracious reader ever since. Though possessing a fertile imagination, my practical side never even considered pursuing a writing career, because I'm too fond of eating. So I became a registered nurse.

After college, I married my high school sweetheart and had four children. Though I adore my kids and am very proud of them, parenting requires a lot of patience-- not exactly my strength, so I began writing. Writing gave me a creative, intelligent outlet that I needed, and it was far less expensive than therapy and a defense attorney. Writing allows me to create wonderful characters who, if they disappoint me, I can make their lives miserable--literally-- or simply kill them off, without going to jail! How great is that?

We lived in the Chicago, then San Diego, before settling in beautiful Colorado. We absolutely love the mountains! When not skiing, hiking, or writing in the mountains, I love to play tennis, take long walks, work in my gardens, decorate our house, read, work with my tile mosaics, and crochet.

It's true that writing is a lonely endeavor. Learning the craft and the publishing industry is a lengthy, complex process made much more fun when I joined the Romance Writers of America, and later, the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writersand the Crested Butte Writers.

I've been fortunate to make friends with many interesting people. Writers are a remarkable, entertaining breed who possess quick wits and huge hearts. They've enriched my life immensely and I'm very grateful to each and every one as you can see is you watch my writing journey video.

TO ORDER BOOK

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Broken Things to Mend - a Blog Tour

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Broken Things to Mend by Karey White Celia is in desperate need of a change--a change of scenery, a change of pace, and a complete redo of all relationships. Not knowing what else to do, she opens a map, closes her eyes, and lets fate decide her future. Then she packs her meager belongings and buys a one-way ticket to a little town on the fringes of Oregon's Deschutes National Forest called Sisters. She's wanted a family for years. Will she find one in Sisters? What Celia doesn't plan to find is a strange Chinese woman whose meddling ways keep throwing her in the path of a handsome, but reserved, forest ranger. But no matter how kind or dependable Silas seems to be, there are some things in Celia's past that neither of them can escape, and this time, the damage might be too much to mend. REVIEW Women’s Literature is a wonderful genre.  Novels in this genre are filled with angst, with longing, with feelings and situations that only women can fully understand and bond with.  Reading a well written piece, by a caring author reminds us that we are not alone, that others out there suffer the same problems go through the same dilemmas and have the same broken and mended hearts hidden beneath our breast. Karen White did a beautiful job of not only sharing the story of a young girl who had been beaten down, who had refused to let life destroy her.  Even the worst of the scenes was written well enough so that it would not offend gentle spirits, but still get the horror of the offense across to the reader.  She also gave us a beautiful glimpse at the heartache and hidden desires of the male protagonist.   It was interesting how each person deals with great tragedy so differently and the mechanisms they use to be able to continue forward in life. The back-stories for both of the central characters were well developed, leaving the reader with a sense that they were central characters and friends in the storyline, themselves.  The old Chinese matchmaker who started the story and ended the story was a wonderful segue for bringing the two characters together.  I loved the timelessness of her character.  I am hoping that one of the future book installments this year will provide more back-story to this wonderful lady. I would highly recommend this story as reading for a leisurely Saturday/Sunday afternoon.    You will not be disappointed.  This book was provided to me at no charge in exchange for an honest and fair review.   Author Karey White Karey White grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist. She loves to travel, read, bake treats, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four great children. She teaches summer creative writing courses to young people and is currently working on her next book.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

      Blog Tour Giveaway - $50 Amazon Gift Card or $50 in Paypal Cash Ends 2/2/16 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

HER PIRATES HEART - LISA ANN VERGE

HER PIRATE HEART

By

Lisa Ann Verge

For the last few years we have been delighted by the mesmerizing works of Lisa Verge Higgins and her works in the Women’s Fiction genre.  Her stories have been poignant, hitting close to home and heart of the women who read her novels.  Little did many of us know of a lighter and bawdier side of Lisa. 

During her college years she started writing historical novels that would curl the toes of the staunchest church goer.  But the novels were not devoted to heavy breathing, they were living works to a time before ours.  She wrote novels that believed the women were not chattel, that they were capable of having a voice and controlling their destiny.

SYNOPSIS

Another sexy, adventurous romance from the RITA-nominated author of seventeen novels, Lisa Ann Verge 

"A rousing swashbucker . . . a wonderful read!" --RT Book Reviews 

"Sweaty, gritty, and suspenseful. Don't miss it!" --Rendezvous 

"Verge is a tale-teller whose writing is stunningly real." --Affaire de Coeur 

WINNER Best Swashbuckler of the Year -- RT Book Reviews 

When the ravages of war destroy her world, newly-orphaned Adriana Joubert binds her chest and slips into the disguise of a sailor boy. With nothing left to lose, she’s determined to sign on to the boldest pirate ship in Saint Malo Bay. She figures she’ll help the captain capture a few rich prizes, and a lifetime of security will surely follow. 

But the notorious Captain Wolfe has better things to do than hunt English ships and Spanish galleons. He launches his motley crew clear across the world in pursuit of a man who owes him blood. He soon unmasks the smart-mouthed, dirty-faced ship’s-boy and, for her protection, confines her to his own cabin. But as mutiny brews and his enemy comes into sight, Captain Wolfe realizes that his greatest battle will be to win Adriana’s heart. 

REVIEW

Her Pirate Heart is a new work, but stays true to her earlier style of writing.  The only differences show in Lisa’s growth and maturity as an author.  This can be seen in the depth of development of her core characters as the live, breath and walk across the pages of the novel.  The storyline and plots of the book are full of twists that don’t allow the reader time to take a breath before sending them off on another hair-raising turn. 

Lisa’s ability to raise the temperature in the room has not disappeared with time, either.  While ramping up the temp and the hormones, she manages to accomplish it without embarrassing and tipping the scale to the more genteel side of the bedroom scene. (For once, maybe I didn’t quite skip over the “good” parts… lol.)

I love that Lisa chose to write about a lesser known time and area of early American, English, and French history as a historical novel.  The Carolinas and early settlement, including stories about early settlement of the Huguenots is not front shelf material at the library.  I love it, because it is part of my family history, at least the Huguenot portion of it.  Except my family immigrated straight to New Orleans instead of the Carolinas during that time.  Life if interesting.

Lisa, I hope to see more of your historical novels, along with your contemporary women’s fiction works in the future.  The each command and fill a much needed void in the shelves of today’s literature.  I think that you have proven, that a good story-teller transcends genre.  It would be interesting to see where your lively and lovely imagination might take us next.

You can acquire your own copy of Her Pirate Heart  at Amazon

ABOUT LISA ANN VERGE

Lisa Ann Verge is the critically acclaimed RITA-nominated author of seventeen novels that have been published worldwide and translated into as many languages. She started her career writing emotionally intense romances about hot men and dangerous women, and now she also writes life-affirming women's fiction under the name Lisa Verge Higgins. A finalist for Romantic Times' book awards five times over, Lisa has won the Golden Leaf and the Bean Pot, and twice she has cracked Barnes & Noble's General Fiction Forum's top twenty books of the year. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and their three daughters, who never fail to make life interesting.

Connect with her at:

Website: www.lisavergehiggins.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lisaannverge
Twitter: @lisaannverge
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LisaAnnVerge

Danger Wears White - Lynne Connally - a Review

Danger Wears White

By

Lynne Connally

SYNOPSIS

Hoping to live down her family’s connections to the traitorous Jacobite cause, Imogen wants nothing more than a quiet life in the country. When she stumbles upon a wounded man, the white cockade in his coat tells her he’s a Jacobite, and a danger to the crown. Yet there’s something about him she can’t resist . . .

In search of a document on behalf of his powerful family, Tony is shot and left for dead. Secreted away to a hidden chamber, he finds himself both a guest and prisoner of a beautiful but mysterious woman. What she wants and who she serves, he cannot know. But what he does understand is the desire burning strongly between them. And that neither of them will be spared until their lust is sated.

When the action moves to London, suddenly it’s Tony who has to act to save Imogen. Forced to become a lady in waiting to Princess Amelia, she is in peril from the Jacobites, who are convinced she is their salvation. Only the strength of Tony and Imogen’s love can save them now.

REVIEW

Sometimes historical fiction should be just good fun to read.  The settings, the immersion into the life of living in the period and as a member of the “fallen” ton was wonderful.  I could almost feel a small sense of Cinderella in the fine print, as Imogen fights to just keep her home out of the clutches of the warring factions of the Royals and the Jacobites, who are determined to once again sit on the throne of England. 

Part of what is so much fun, is the intrigue, and the cloak and dagger of the fighting.  All this, while appearing gentile and extremely civilized, as society demands.  The only person who doesn’t seem to know what the fighting is really about is the center of it all, and the innocent of the day, Imogen. 

Lynne does a wonderful job of slowly rolling out the scroll, and laying the picture out for us all to see and take in, much like a large panorama map across a desk.  Accept, she is whisking us through the pages of her novel at break-neck speed as she paints the picture with broadening strokes.  Just as you think you have it all figured out, Lynne throws in a curve and adds more depth and texture to the scene and characters. 

What could have otherwise been a light summer read, was given more depth by the complex character development she gave to her central characters.  It kept you turning the page to see if you had it right, or if  the next discovery would turn Imogen’s world upside-down, again.

All this intrigue was wrapped and intertwined with a love story, much like a twisted Cinderella tale.  Personally, I read and saw the Cinderella story as the central thread through the entire novel.  It made it endearing and charming, in the middle of the cloak and dagger and everything else going on.  I love a good Cinderella, smile.

As to the historical, there seemed to be no ties to documented history, but the atmosphere, and character development were spot on for the time period and setting.  Fabulous job.

I would give this novel a good FOUR STAR rating.  A copy of this book was provided by Net Galley for my reading and reviewing of the novel, thank  you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynne Connolly writes historical romance, paranormal romance and contemporary romance. She loves the conflicts and complications that come about if someone lives their life to the full.
She has her own blog, but she also blogs for The Good, The Bad and The Unread, the UK Regency/Georgian writers' blog and The Raven Happy Hour.
She lives in the UK with her family and her mews, a cat called Jack. She also enjoys making and decorating dolls' houses. She visits the US at least once a year, attends conferences and has a great time.
Her website is at http://lynneconnolly.com

The Martian - Andy Weir

SYNOPSIS

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

REVIEW

Space, the final frontier.  I have been a die-hard fan of flying to the stars for as long as I can remember.  My dad took me down to the Capital in Santa Fe, when I was five, so I could see the space capsule and shake the hand of the astronaut who flew into space (around the world a couple of times).  He gave me a signed postcard and a little flag.  My dad still has them and I still have the vivid memories. 

I still have the vivid memories of my dad waking us up so we could witness Neil Armstrong landing on the moon and taking those first steps.  “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.  It was an old black and white TV and the reception wasn’t the best, but we were watching history for mankind, and I felt the import of the event.

Sending men to Mars is not too much farther in my mind for us to do.  Come on, how far have we gone with Star Trek? Star Wars?  But really, even now, we have managed to get a space vehicle to go to Pluto with only a four hour delay in transmission.  WOW!!!!  That is so far beyond my thinking of the speed of what I thought we were capable of.

And then we land a man on Mars and he gets taken out by a sandstorm, not a meteor shower, or a capsule blowing up, but a sandstorm… man, we had sandstorms in Texas that could take out houses…

Can you imagine?  Stuck on Mars?  And no ride home?  At least not for three or four years.  Boy, time for creative thinking.  I have a year’s worth of food and no water…hm.  Well, of all the guys to get stranded, the lucky dog would be the farmer.  And to make matters even better, he was also the tinker man. 

I grew up with the expression being bounced around “nothing that bailing wire and duct tape won’t fix.”  Between a botanical degree, and the ability to disregard box-style thinking, Mark managed to create a biosphere from Martian soil, his waste, and figuring out how to suck water out of some Hydrogen fuel tanks.  He also created enough food to survive utilizing a few fresh food items he discovered on-board and growing them in the created biosphere. 
What kept the book, Mark, and me rolling, was the rollicking, tongue in cheek journal entries that were a caustic slap schtick.  He had the ability to laugh at his perilous situation and mock his tenuous hold on life out in the wilds of Mars --- alone.

In its interesting way, the book truly gave us a look at the kind of personality and tenacity that it demanded of an person who commits to a long term program of isolation and stress.  The demands needed to think on his feet, to be flexible, to be creative, to work through, around, over, and rework problems and solutions till answers are found. 

The other storylines of how NASA back on earth, and the astronauts returning home in the spaceship were handing the incident were also quite interesting.  While Mark was focused on survival, survival, survival, back at NASA politics and petty hierarchies seemed to take preferences, at times to the actual goal of getting Mark back home. 

The book was written in a journal format and in the first person.  The sections where there were flash-overs to NASA and to the other space craft (rocketing back towards earth), was written in a third person voice, as you observed what was happening, much like a fly on the wall.

Back story and depth was skillfully played out through Mark’s reflections in his log.  At one point, once he realized that NASA knew he was alive, he made the sarcastic remark that he was going to have to go back and clean-up and delete some entries on the journal, now that he knew it would be read.  I cracked-up.  Ooops….

I have always been one who says give me the book, maybe I’ll watch the movie, but this time around, Andy did such a wonderful job of building the world that Mark had to survive in, that I am now dying to see how it is visualized on the big screen this fall when the movie comes out. 

I loved this book.  It was a wonderful lite read that left me laughing.  The technical jargon was part and parcel and made the book work.  I give this book a full FOUR STAR RATING.  A great weekend read.  And a must read before you see the movie!!!!!

Net Galley provided a copy for me to read and review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ANDY WEIR was first hired as a programmer for a national laboratory at age fifteen and has been working as a software engineer ever since. He is also a lifelong space nerd and a devoted hobbyist of subjects like relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight. The Martianis his first novel.

The One I Want - A Book Review and Interview with Marilyn Brant

SYNOPSIS

THE ONE THAT I WANT is Book 2 in Marilyn Brant’s Mirabelle Harbor series, but this story and all of the contemporary romances in this series can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels.

The summer after her beloved husband died in a car accident, Julia Meriwether Crane is still picking up the pieces of her life in Mirabelle Harbor and trying to help her ten-year-old daughter adjust to this difficult new reality.

After her best friend Sharlene—one of the well-connected Michaelsen siblings—talks her into finally going out on the town again, Julia finds herself stunned to be the object of interest of several different men: The boy who’d broken her heart back in high school. The college ex she’d left behind. And most surprising of all, the movie actor she’d always fantasized about but had never met in person...until now. Can one woman have more than one “great love” in the same lifetime? And, if so, how can she be sure which man that’ll be?

Sometimes the person you think will be best for you isn’t the one you really want. THE ONE THAT I WANT, a Mirabelle Harbor story.

REVIEW

Over the years, the books I have come to enjoy the most have been the ones that I could personally connect with at some level.  No matter the genre, if there was a character, storyline, location, whatever, that connected with a personal experience (be it positive or not so positive) this seemed to give me ownership to the story I was reading.  It always allowed me to sink my literary teeth and let me create an emotional bond with the story and characters just a little deeper.  Suddenly I would no longer be holding a book, turning pages and reading a story, much like Alice and the rabbit hole, I was suddenly sucked down into the page and into the words of the author and living in the world between the covers of that hardbound book.  It seemed like I could see, smell and feel every nuance as the storyline would move forward around my character.

Oh yes, I would have arguments with the other characters in the book, and with many an author for writing or not writing a scene or character a little different.  Whatever it was that the author had originally written to trigger the memory that allowed me to connect with the book they wrote gave me license to become one of the cast and to make the book my own.

Marilyn Brant opened a rabbit hole for this reader with The One I Want.  She made her characters breathe, she gave them life and placed her protagonist in a situation that this reader was able to identify with.  She did it so well, that this reader fell down the proverbial rabbit hole into the story and wasn’t able to find her way out again till the conclusion had been reached.

Marilyn managed to drag this reader through the emotions of struggling with loss and trying to go forward.  Even though I have never suffered that horrendous loss, I felt it between the pages of this book.  Struggling to let go, striving to go forward, but Marilyn never left you dangling in tears and a deep morass of damp tissue.  Instead, she dumped you into impossible circumstances that many of us girls can only dream about. Sigggghhh.

Why does it always seem like the good one gets away?  Or does he?

I discovered that following Marilyn’s characters through the pages and listening in on the internal confused dialogue of the lovelorn and misunderstood friends who would much rather be much more but are afraid that it’s too soon and the other isn’t serious about them…  Sounds just as confused as I did when I was dating a million years ago.  Lol.

Reading one of Marilyn’s books has always been good for the soul and this one was no exception.  The story appealed to the romantic in me, while at the same time it reached out and touched the “nurture” side with the storyline of the young widow and her daughter struggling to let go of their grief and move forward.  Most of all I loved the romantic comedy which softened the story of loss.

The characters in The One That I Want are well developed.  Marilyn took the time to also develop back stories for several of the supporting characters, as well as the main characters, weaving their stories through the fabric of the main storyline.

This is one delightful story that is well worth the read.  It leaves you hungry for more – chocolate brownies and other goodies, lusting after a few good looking hunks along the way, and longing for a special relationship that has hope to last into forever (mine did J).

I would give this special book a very special 4.5 STARS.

CONVERSATIONS WITH MARILYN

Why did you reach out to write a story about recovering from loss?  Okay, in the romantic comedy venue?

Thanks, Karen! You’ve asked a wonderful question... The answer has a lot to do with what “recovering from loss” means to me personally. I think when we experience something devastating, it can take a while to reach a point where we find *anything* funny. Some of us might see all the world through a sad and serious lens for much longer than we’d like. And I believe it’s important to take the time to really grieve. But I’ll never forget the day I received the tragic news from a good friend that her brother-in-law (a guy I knew) and his new fiancée had died on impact in a winter car crash. After I expressed my shock and sadness, though, it was what my friend said next that had the greatest impact on me. She told me that in the week since the accident, she and her husband (who was the brother of the man who died) had found some bright memories to make them smile. That they’d even been joking about things the young couple might have said, had they lived. And I remember appreciating this gift that they’d given to each other and me, too...both honoring the people they’d lost but, also, demonstrating that they knew we’d all have to accept what happened, move on, and find a way to be happy again. So, for me, I see a restoration of one’s sense of humor as a sign that we’re on the road to recovery. Not that we don’t still acutely feel a loss or that we don’t have sad moments, too, just that we recognize that we can tap into a sense of hopefulness again. In my opinion, that’s a real turning point, and it’s one worthy of exploring in fiction.

What is your favorite Chocolate Brownie?  Recipe?

Ohhhh, I love ALL brownies! Truly... But my favorite? That would have to be an exceptionally moist one with ribbons of caramel in it and semi-sweet chocolate chips. In The One That I Want, two of the characters get to eat what I call “the best brownie in North America,” which isn’t something I’ve had recently (unfortunately! I’m trying to eat a little less sugar!), but I have tasted a few that could be in the running for that title. Here’s a picture of one of them and a link to its recipe at “Taste of Home.” YUM! http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/caramel-brownies

Any new books in the works?

Yes! The first two books in the Mirabelle Harbor series -- Take a Chance on Me (book 1) and The One That I Want (book 2) -- are coming out at the end of July within days of each other. As soon as the release week whirlwind slows down a bit for them, I’ll get back to working on the next two novels in the series -- You Give Love a Bad Name (book 3) and Stranger on the Shore (book 4). All of the stories in the series are stand-alone romances, but certain characters find themselves to be regular players in multiple books (especially the members of the Michaelsen family!) and, of course, the community of Mirabelle Harbor connects them all, too.

How did you and your husband meet?

It was my 23rd birthday, and he was my present! Well, that’s the truth as I see it. :) I’d moved to Illinois only a month before to accept a teaching position in the northern Chicago suburbs, and a new friend I’d made from the school district, Mary, took me out to dinner for my birthday. We went to a local place that was known for their sandwiches and burgers -- a spot neither of us had been to, but it was recommended to us by a guy we knew from our apartment building, just as we were walking into town. So it was a very random choice. While inside, we were seated near another table with three people who turned out to be teachers as well. They were from another school district, though, so Mary and I didn’t know any of them. Again, very random! For some reason, my friend and the lady at the other table started chatting. Then one of the guys got up to make a phone call. So that left me and the remaining man to either talk to each other or stare at our sandwiches. We decided to talk, and within a few minutes, he’d asked me out, LOL. (Hey, he was smart, charming, and he made me laugh!) We’ve been married for over 22 years now...

Marilyn, thank you so much for joining us here, just days before the release of your fantastic new novel, THE ONE I WANT.  We look forward to watching the fantastic reviews pore in, as readers have opportunity to read this poignant, but uplifting newest work.

* * * * * 

To make sure you get your copy as soon as it come available, you can go to any of these Pre-Order Links:

AMAZON

SMASHWORDS

KOBO

B&N and Apple links coming soon!

Social Media:

The Lounge (New! The Mirabelle Harbor page on Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/groups/MirabelleHarborLounge/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25649961-the-one-that-i-want

COVER REVEAL AND NEW BOOK RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

Welcome to Mirabelle Harbor! In this scenic suburb on Chicago’s North Shore, overlooking the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan, the Michaelsen family has made their home for generations. Although their parents and grandparents are now gone, siblings Derek, Blake, Sharlene, and the twins—Chandler and Chance—all have fond memories of growing up in town, and most still live there.

Chance Michaelsen, the youngest member of the family (by two minutes) and the quietest (by far), is a dedicated twenty-eight-year-old personal trainer at the local gym. While he might not say much, Chance has made it clear that he’s not a fan of toxic people, unhealthy habits, or sharing too many of his emotions. With anybody.

Enter Antonia “Nia” Pappayiannis—the prettiest member of the loudest and most overly demonstrative family in town. They’re also the owners of The Gala, a Greek restaurant and bakery known for its decadent pastries and located just a few steps from Chance’s gym. He considers their entire family business to be the enemy of good health, but he can’t quite shake his attraction to Nia, who doesn’t seem nearly as impressed with him or his sculpted physique as most of the women around Mirabelle Harbor.

Unfortunately, between her doctor’s orders and the interfering ways of Chance’s crazy-making ex-girlfriend, who just happens to be one of Nia’s long-time friends, Chance gets assigned to be Nia’s fitness coach for the month. Pure torture. And if his ex weren’t already causing enough problems, he also has to deal with Nia’s current boyfriend—some hotshot Chicago CEO who talks big but, in Chance’s opinion, is as fake as a Styrofoam barbell.

The road to romance is going to be a rocky one, and though Nia has her doubts about moving forward, Chance has a well-developed competitive streak and might just be willing to give it a shot...if he can convince her to do the same.

In matters of the heart, would you risk it all? TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, a Mirabelle Harbor story.

**TAKE A CHANCE ON ME is Book 1 (a novella) in Marilyn Brant’s Mirabelle Harbor series, but this book and all of the contemporary romances in this series can be enjoyed as stand-alone stories.**

To be released shortly at Amazon.com

ABOUT MARILYN BRANT

Marilyn Brant is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction, romantic comedy & mystery. She was named the Author of the Year (2013) by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She loves all things Jane Austen, has a passion for Sherlock Holmes, is a travel addict and a music junkie, and lives on chocolate and gelato. Look for all of the contemporary romances in her new Mirabelle Harbor series, beginning late July 2015! Visit her website: www.marilynbrant.com