Speaking in Tungs by Karla Jay - Book Review

Speaking in Tungs by Karla Jay

Synopsis:

2018 Florida Authors and Publishers Association (FAPA) President’s Award in Humor and Chic Lit! In this entertaining first novel set in rural Pennsylvania, a young woman from San Francisco searches for her birth parents while beginning her first job as a home-health speech pathologist. She soon learns how hard one job can be as she navigates the backwoods of Tungston, (“Tungs”) trying to comply with the needs of her quirky patients, all the while being stalked by a violent fugitive, and finding herself unexpectedly falling for the charms of a small-town, including one hot fireman. Through no fault of her own, she exposes a criminal who has been safely hidden in the thick forest, and now as he tries to stop her from exposing him, her patients’ lives, as well as her own are in jeopardy.

Review:

After the death of her parents, Marleigh Benning, a young woman with a degree in speech pathology, discovers that she was adopted. She decides to search for her birth parents and takes an internship as a home health speech therapist. But, she soon realizes that her job isn’t going to be easy, as she traverses through the backcountry of Tungston, Pennsylvania. As she tries to meet the needs and deal with her quirky unusual patients, she is definitely out of her element in this rural town, being from San Francisco, California, she is miles away from home and in a completely different societal setting. However, she begins to not only fall for the town of Tungston, but also for a hot fireman. She also finds herself and her patients in danger, as she is being stalked by a hardened and vicious escapee that she has unintentionally exposed.

Speaking in Tungs by Karla Jay is an intriguing engaging story that follows the life of one young woman who finds herself in a part of the country that she is totally unfamiliar with. There are dirt roads, peculiar small town stores and residents that are completely different than what she is used to from living in the west. Marleigh is dependable and reliable, intelligent and very likable. She is attracted to the fireman and feeling very passionate. She is out of place but determined to be a part of the community and make her life work in this foreign place she now calls home. This is a hilarious story with emotional moments that will touch every reader’s heart.

Speaking in Tungs is a heartwarming story filled with twists and turns and bold unusual, yet realistic characters. This story has a very different premise with a speech therapist going to live, work and fall in love in a pastoral setting in Pennsylvania. It is a multi-genre piece. It’s a romance, a mystery, a laugh out loud humorous chick lit read and a lightly suspenseful novel. The characters in this fabulous book are quirky, colorful and well developed. They humored me and had me thinking that I would love to know them in person. I found myself being drawn towards them and really caring about them. I love it when a book has me really desiring to know the people and be a part of their lives and live where they live.

Karla Jay has an exciting unique voice and a way with words that draws the reader in from the very first chapter. Even the title of this book gives readers insight into her distinctive creative play on words. She grew up in the area that is the setting of the book and mixes facts with fiction well. Her descriptive writing is filled vivid scenes of the landscapes and woods and had me craving to visit that part of the country and to behold the beauty of the land with its lush green countryside that she often describes in her story.

Speaking in Tungs had me completely hooked from the very beginning to the final last satisfying page. It is one of the best novels that I have read in a long time. This was Karla Jay’s debut novel and she has written more since then. I will definitely be picking up and reading the sequel to this book entitled “Speaking of the Devil.” Chick Lit Café highly recommends Speaking in Tungs to all readers.

Purchase book @Amazon here.

100 Dates and a Wedding by Steph Tumba

100 Dates and a Wedding by Steph Tumba

100 Dates & a Wedding relates the dating tribulations of a young French divorcee named Valerie Duval. It narrates Valerie’s dating experiences in London and shares the lessons she learnt from them. Her disillusionments, her joys, and her own ambiguities are shared without concession questioning how to deal with a break up after a long relationship? How to believe in love again after being defeated? Doesn’t everyone kiss a few frogs before reaching their happy ending? But the questions every woman wonder: How many dates does it get to find the “One”? 100? How many shags? Valerie won’t tell. How many mistakes made? Certainly plenty. Should you play the Game?

Valerie never understood the rules. So how do you meet the right one then? After a few slaps on the face. The road to love is not easy, but when you find it, you realize that somehow you enjoyed the ride, but more so adored reaching the destination. We must all go through this, c’est la vie! 100 Dates & a Wedding will make your heart laugh out loud; it is filled with raw emotions and evinces an incredible honesty in terms of storytelling. 100 Dates and a Wedding is moving and charming, is the perfect novel for a female of any age to engross herself into and delve into self-discovery through Valerie’s inspiring journey.

Review:

100 Dates and a Wedding is a fictional story based on author, Steph Tumba’s, real life events. In it we meet Valerie Duvall, a young French woman that has lived in London for three years now. She was married for seven years and is now divorced. Her two best friends, Camellia, sensitive and loyal, and Bianca, outgoing and sexy, help Valerie signup and create a profile on the dating site “match.com”. Valerie is reluctant at first but decides to give it a try and creates her profile in hopes to meet someone she can have a real relationship with.

As she looks at the profiles of the men online, she starts to relax and have fun. With so many men to choose from, she doesn’t know where to start. So she decides to send messages to all of the ones that caught her attention. Right away there is action on her profile. She receives a hundred emails and a 300 winks from the eager men that are hoping to find a date. With her friend’s approval, Valerie begins to date. Will she find the love of her life – her soulmate?

What follows is a humorous adventure in the world of online dating and matchmaking. It is the story of one woman’s life, her marriage and divorce, her career, her life in London and her experiences in online dating and finding the love of her life.

100 Dates and a Wedding starts out with a humorous bang right from the beginning, as Valerie is having her divorce and birthday party on the same day. The things that go on at the party are laugh-out-loud-funny.

Then she starts dating and has many trials and tribulations with her dates. She goes from one date to the next excited and confused. She actually seems to find some keepers but then as time goes on and she gets to know them for one reason or another things don’t work out. Will she ever find the one who she will fall in love with and get married? You must read the book to find out.

I couldn’t put 100 Dates and a Wedding down and read it almost straight through. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and I began laughing right away. It is engaging, fun and exciting. There are real moments when my emotions got caught up in the story, as it made me angry and sad at times too. But it’s mostly funny and definitely interesting, as the reader gets a peek into the author’s life. It is written very well with a bit of a French flair to it.

Author Steph Tumba did a magnificent job of describing the setting, which is in London, as I felt like I was there. I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters. They have interesting and quirky personalities. They are well developed and fleshed out and became real to me.

I know readers will enjoy 100 Dates and a Wedding, the story is original, creative, well written and composed. Because it is based on a true story of the author’s own experiences, it is very realistic and down-to-earth, yet very funny, amusing and especially entertaining. I loved the satisfying ending.

Chick Lit Cafe highly recommends 100 Dates and a Wedding by Steph Tumba to all romantic comedy lovers.

Purchase 100 Dates and a Wedding by Steph Tumba @Amazon Now

Can’t Stand the Heat by Peggy Jaeger

Can’t Stand the Heat (Will Cook for Love #3) by Peggy Jaeger

Synopsis:

With three successful TV series under her belt, including her cousin Kandy’s, executive producer Stacy Peters is ready to helm her own show. But to make that happen, she has to do her network boss one favor first—spend two months on a ranch in Montana wrangling the notoriously difficult director of Beef Battles. Apparently, he eats producers for breakfast. Yet all Stacy can think when she meets the lean, rugged man is how hungry he makes her . . .

Dominic Stamp—Nikko to his very few friends—has had enough interference from TV newbies. And when Stacy climbs out of the car in Montana, he’s not convinced she’s even old enough to drive, much less produce his show. But he can’t deny that the long-legged blonde with the stubborn will and the dazzling smile whets his appetite. And as Stacy proves her talent with the crew and the budget alike, Nikko vows to prove to her that love is on the menu for both of them . . .

Look for exclusive recipes in each book!

Review:

Peggy Jaeger’s book Can’t Stand the Heat is the third book in her “Will Cook for Love” series. The witty writing style is what captured my attention right away. It is a remarkable story filled with emotion and warmth.

Executive producer, Stacy Peters is ready to helm her own TV reality cooking series. But she must first prove herself by spending two months on a ranch in Montana with director Dominic Stamp. His friends call him Nikko.

While Stacy is charismatic and likeable, Nikko is arrogant, stubborn and difficult. At first it is hard to understand why these two are attracted to each other, but as the story progresses it becomes very clear and readers will find themselves rooting for this couple and enjoying their love story.

On the set and off, the couple bump heads and the tension is thick. Stacey knows her way around the set and is extremely likable. While Nikko is the opposite, he is demanding and pushy. As we come to understand more about Nikko and his past, we learn to love him as well and can see why Stacy falls so hard for him. I loved the way author Peggy Jaeger wrote the dialog between Stacy and Nikko. It is witty, natural and humorous. Nikko has a teenage daughter that is snarky and somewhat unruly. She is a great secondary character that is well developed and has an essential position in the storyline. She brings with her a lot of emotion and sentiment. The interaction between her and her father Nikko will cause readers to feel things that are familiar and touching.

The setting, being in Montana on a ranch, made this story very interesting and enjoyable. The descriptions of the surroundings, the people and the food made this story wonderful.

The characters are all well developed and fleshed out. They are interesting and very realistic. They have strengths and flaws that are relatable.

Peggy Jaeger has written an especially essential message within the pages of this story. The characters joys, sadness’s and difficulties really moved me.

Can’t Stand the Heat is an engaging, compelling and moving love story with a lot going on. It is unique and different. I found the idea of having the storyline revolve around a television reality series to be fresh and unique. We get to learn about the makings of such shows and get a keen insight into that particular industry.

This is the third book in Peggy Jaeger’s series “Will Cook for Love” but it is also an exciting standalone book. I’m looking forward to reading the first two instalments of the series. And I highly recommend this one, Can’t Stand the Heat.

Reviewed by Chick Lit Cafe

Purchase Can’t Stand the Heat by Peggy Jaeger @Amazon Today

Minnie’s Antique & Curiosity Shoppe by Lucinda Stein

Minnie’s Antique & Curiosity Shoppe by Lucinda Stein

Synopsis:

When you least expect it, life can turn upside down! With a suitcase in each hand, Liza Murphy stares at the display window that touts Minnie’s Antique and Curiosity Shoppe. After growing up in the back of a secondhand store—where her graduation reception was advertised to the public, Liza swore she’d never return. But twenty-three-year-old Liza has lost all sense of direction after her divorce. Her mother, Minnie, a product of the hippie era, now resides in an antique store, her eccentricity known to all in the small Midwestern town. To Liza’s chagrin, she’s once again living in a store. When a toddler is abandoned among the antiques, Liza takes in the child she calls Sweetie, hoping the young woman who left her will return. Liza soon finds her priorities change. She falls in love with the child and refuses to report Sweetie to the authorities. When the young woman who abandoned the child returns a year later, Liza is forced to make a decision—give up Sweetie or go on the run.

Review:

Heartwarming, engaging and compelling!

Liza Murphy is excited to leave home and leave her eccentric dominating mother. Her mother owns and lives in her antique shop called Minnie’s Antique and Curiosity Shoppe. Liza moves to the city with determination to make it and never to return to the small town where she grew up. There she meets a man and falls in love and marries. But her marriage to cheating Taylor, doesn’t last long and Liza finds herself broke and busted. She is forced to move right back to where she started…Minnie’s Antique and Curiosity Shoppe. There Liza must face up to her past, learn to forgive and plan a new future.

But then a surprise comes knocking at her doorstep in the form of an abandoned toddler. Lisa takes it upon herself to become a mother to the child, for a while. After sometime, Liza falls in love with the child and on purpose fails to report the missing child to the authorities. After about a year, a young woman returns to claim her child. Liza, unwilling to give the child up, must make a decision whether to break the law and run for it, or turn the child over to the young woman. But it isn’t such an easy choice because she feels she must do what’s best for the child too. Liza feels she has a second chance with this young child. What will she do?

Lucinda Stein has written a beautiful story of one woman’s struggles in life, only to find that there is hope in having a good life no matter how unexpected. It’s a story of second chances and salvation.

Minnie’s Antique and Curiosity Shoppe by Lucinda Stein is a heartwarming story filled with many of life’s trials but also life’s celebrations. The storyline is definitely unique and different in such a good way. I couldn’t put it down and turned the pages quickly to find out what would happen next. There are many surprises that are unexpected, which keeps the reader’s interest peaked.

The eccentric characters have unique personalities and are extremely well developed. They are all well fleshed out and detailed. Readers will love the characters as there is much persona put into them. They are very relatable. Although, the plot is somewhat unexpected and different, it is very relatable and enjoyable. It is engaging, captivating and absorbing.

Lucinda Stein is a magnificent, superb writer with words that flow off the page. Minnie’s Antique and Curiosity Shoppe is a creative story and beautifully written. It is a real page turner and a book that I recommend to all women readers. It is very enjoyable, moving and touching. Readers will be cheering for Liza as she struggles to keep the toddler she calls “Sweetie.” You must pick up a copy of this book to find out what transpires and to find out if Liza gets to keep the child in the end. The ending is very good and satisfying, you won’t be let down.

Chick Lit Cafe gives Minnie’s Antique and Curiosity Shoppe a big 5 stars!

Purchase Minnie’s Antique and Curiosity Shoppe @Amazon Today

The Ex Chronicles – A Short Story by Maura Beth Brennan

The Ex Chronicles – A Short Story by Maura Beth Brennan

Angie thinks she has found the love of her life. All goes well until she starts getting phone calls from a sultry woman and realizes her man is cheating. She decides to take matters into her own hands and confront the two lovers. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

Review:

Angie likes to daydream about movie stars and films. She is a movie buff and is constantly comparing her life to those in the limelight. One day as she is having car trouble, she meets a handsome hunk named Bryce. They hit it off and begin dating. They even move in together.

Everything is wonderful, and she thinks he is the love of her life and that it will last forever. Or so she thinks. But then the unthinkable begins to happen. She begins to receive phone calls from a sultry voiced woman and fears that Bryce may be cheating on her.

What ensues is a hilarious, yet sad, turn of events. Is Bryce cheating on her? And if so, will she catch him in the act? Will her mother say, “I told you so?”

In  the short story, The Ex Chronicles by Maura Beth Brennan is a short story filled with humor and crazy antics. It is a lighthearted romantic comedy. Angie is a fun and humorous character that is always thinking about romantic movies and comparing herself to movie starlets. She dreams of meeting and loving men like Jude Law, Ryan Reynolds and Channing Tatum. When she meets the extremely handsome and muscular Bryce, she is over her head with excitement and falls hard for him. Her mother is always giving her advice and tells her that she shouldn’t be giving it away so easily. Angie thinks her mother is old fashioned, until she realizes that she may be right.

I loved The Ex Chronicles- A Short Story by Maura Beth Brennan. It is the story of a typical short love affair gone wrong. It is very relatable and Angie is a character that many women will see themselves in. I certainly did. This book is so funny and amusing. It is decidedly entertaining and easy to read. I was initially attracted to the book cover. It’s flirty, enticing and artistic. And, the book did not disappoint, as it is flirty, enticing and creative too.

Maura Beth Brennan has done an extraordinary job of putting a lot of action and hilarity into one short story. The characters are fabulous and well established. They are certainly relatable and likable. I was impressed by how she was able to create multifaceted characters with such few words. The plot is engaging and absorbing. Readers will love the quick scenario and the satisfying fun ending. The Ex Chronicles is a perfect short chick lit style read. I read it through quickly and loved every word and the entire storyline. If you love short romance stories and chick lit reads, you will love The Ex Chronicles. It is fulfilling, gratifying and hilarious.

Chick Lit Cafe highly recommends The Ex Chronicles, a short fun romantic story.

Purchase The Short Story The Ex Chronicles by Maura Beth Brennan @Amazon Today

Best Foot Forward by Bea Stevens

Best Foot Forward (The Liberty Lawrence Series Book 1) by Bea Stevens

Synopsis:

Liberty ‘Libby’ Lawrence adores designer labels – even though she can’t afford many. And she especially loves shoes. Her favorites are Christian Louboutin’s – though not those fake ones Bianca Morrison-Wright gets from the market (the red paint rubs off the soles and everything!)
She’s working as a manager (albeit junior manager) at a London hotel, when the boss announces that there has been a theft from his office. Libby couldn’t help noticing some strange marks on his carpet when she was called in for a reprimand recently (not that it was her fault, or anything) which lead her to surmise who the thief is.
Detective Sergeant James Harper, the hunky policemen who is assigned the case, seems interested in her theory – until she names her number one suspect. Libby is devastated, not only because he doesn’t believe her but – more importantly – that this guy knows NOTHING about shoes!
As Libby struggles to convince the sergeant that her hunch is right, her boss that she’s ready for promotion and herself that she’s not really falling for the gorgeous copper, she realizes that maybe she’s wrong about the theft, she’s not suited to the hotel industry and that the handsome hunk is married!

Review:

Liberty Lawrence is in love with designer labels, fabulous clothes and shoes especially. She can’t really afford them, as her income as a junior manager at a London hotel, won’t permit. But that doesn’t stop her from loving and wearing the rich looking assembles. One day her boss announces that someone broke into his office and stole from him. Libby had noticed some strange looking marks on his office floor and suspects a certain someone as being the thief. When she tells the hunky and handsome detective James Harper her theory, he seems to be interested until she tells him who she suspects. Liberty is distressed because he doesn’t believe her and more importantly because he doesn’t know anything about designer shoes, which Libby is obsessed with.

While Libby tries to convince the detective of her theory, she is also trying to convince her boss that she deserves a promotion. She is also trying to convince herself that she isn’t attracted to detective-policeman James Harper. She eventually begins to question herself by telling herself that maybe she shouldn’t be working in the hotel business, and maybe she is wrong about her theory regarding the theft and maybe detective James Harper is married. With so many doubts looming, Libby must put her Best Foot Forward.

Best Foot Forward is a laugh out loud romantic comedy. I couldn’t put it down, as it held my attention throughout the entire book. Libby is fun and a bit clumsy too. It is hilarious to read about her antics and her light hearted personality. She loves shoes above all, but is caught off guard with the handsome detective James Harper. She becomes intensely attracted to him. She is a great character that is relatable and intriguing. There is plenty of physical comedy in this story that will keep readers laughing.

The storyline and plot is engaging, interesting and uplifting. There is a lot of emotion, including sadness. For women that love fashion, this is right up their alley. Libby, although clumsy, approaches life and situations in an expensive style with her designer heels. I loved the descriptions of the shoes and clothes and other things, like the settings.

In Best Foot Forward, the characters are very fun and appealing, especially her co-workers. They are well developed and thought out and suited to the storyline. Libby, herself, is a great character and very relatable. Readers will love her funny antics and her spirit. They will also be sad for her at times, Best Foot Forward is a wonderful chick lit read. It has all the important components of a special women’s fiction book. I couldn’t put it down. It is one of the best chick lit novels I have read in a long time.

Bea Stevens has a way with words. I loved the dialog between the characters. She writes in a simplistic, yet smart manner. Readers will be delighted with Best Foot Forward. It is one amusing, entertaining and captivating chick lit read. I loved it and I am sure all women readers of chick lit and beyond will find it very appealing and satisfying. The ending was wonderful, and I am looking forward to the next installment in the Liberty Lawrence series. I want to find out what exciting job Libby finds herself in next and what antics she gets herself into.

Bea Stevens is a great writer and should be noted as so. Pick up a copy of Best Foot Forward by Bea Stevens, you will love it as I did.

Proudly Reviewed by Chick Lit Cafe

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Dating Daisy by Daisy Mae - Book Review

Dating Daisy by Daisy Mae

Hello everyone, I am Daisy. I am a doctor, a writer – oh and an amateur ballroom dancer! I am just publishing my first novel Dating Daisy which is a romantic fiction novel all about internet dating over 50.

Synopsis:

What do you do when you’re a newly divorced 52 year old mother, keen for a second chance of romance? Why internet dating of course! Daisy Mae_224 embarks on the internet dating process with trepidation. Having not been on the dating scene for nearly 30 years, and with fairly rudimentary computer skills, she finds herself embroiled in a series of haphazard and hilarious situations.

Daisy keeps a diary of her internet dating life and reveals detail by detail, the ups and downs of her midlife dating extravaganza. Soon after starting out, Daisy realizes her true mission. With no past experience and no-one/nothing to guide her, she needs to produce – Internet Dating lessons. Read on to find out about PLONKERS, Muppets and MAWDs, and a whole host of amusing anecdotes, tips and ideas. Working by day as a Sexual Health doctor, the story as it unfolds contains accounts of Daisy’s clinical experiences with patients in the Sexual Health clinic.

She also reflects on her past life with Voldemort (the dreadful ex-husband). With advice and encouragement from Imogen, her 17 year old daughter, her surrogate parents known as the Amigos, with a big house and swanky swimming pool, her friend Pinkie and from Jeannie, her nonagenarian friend from the Nursing Home, Daisy resiliently persists in her quest to find a long term partner. This is a heartfelt story that will ring bells with anyone who has ended a long term relationship and now wants to find somebody new. It is humorously written, full of emails, poems, limericks, and even a recipe! Daisy can’t resist her pages of advice on topics like “Kissing” and “Anti-Snoring.” It is a unique and highly amusing book, which will make you laugh out loud! So read on and see. Will Dating Daisy find her “prairie vole?” Or will the whole process end in disaster?

Review:

Daisy Mae is newly divorced. She is a young 52 years old. She longs for a new companion, but has no idea how to find one. Then she turns to the internet. She decides to try her hand at online dating.

First, she has to make a profile. A daunting and rather difficult task at hand. What should she say about herself? She can’t over sell herself as many of the online men she encounters have. With basic computer skills she sets off and creates her profile.

She decides to keep a diary and makes up rules for her journey. Daisy is a Sexual Health doctor by profession. She gets advice from her seventeen year old daughter, but midlife internet dating is an intimidating endeavor. Daisy has friends in her life that are amusing and helpful. She forges ahead in her quest to find a lifelong partner even though there is ups and downs and trials and tribulations. Will Daisy find the love of her life?

Dating Daisy is an engaging humorous look at one woman’s search for a new love online.

It is full of funny narratives, tips and ideas on finding a man online, and tales of her job as a Sexual Health doctor. Author, Daisy Mae, brings humor to events that are hard to believe. She tells of the good, the bad and the ugly of the internet dating scenario. She has a great talent for quips and one liners. Daisy thought she was married for life. But that not being the case, she has to bravely enter the world of dating again.

Daisy Mae has a gift for writing. She is hilarious and poignant at times. She has a way with words that keep the reader compelled to read on. She uses amusing anecdotes regarding her daily work as a Sexual Health doctor. I laughed out loud on more than several occasions. These are real events, although it is a fiction story, that are so funny and so touching that I couldn’t put the book down.

Daisy goes through the gamut of online male daters. She quickly learns that they are not all they say they are. Her standards as to the type of man she is looking for are rather high or I should say specific. So I kept wondering if she would truly ever find Mr. Right.

Dating Daisy is a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, joy, sadness, disappointment and victory. Daisy’s determination is inspiring. For women that are middle aged looking for a second chance, this is a must read. Especially if they are considering online dating.

Daisy gives us the low down on internet dating. She keeps a diary and writes poems. All very entertaining and mostly amusing. It is a very realistic story, with realistic characters.
The characters are likable and well developed with multilayered personalities.

The storyline and plot is unique and entertaining. I loved Dating Daisy. I think readers of all ages will love it too. I loved the stories of her profession as a Sexual Health doctor. She gives us a glimpse into that area and it is mostly funny. It’s also amusing how she breaks her own rules at times especially when it comes to dating men that don’t post a picture of themselves. Her 26 year marriage to Voldemort is touched on as well.

Overall, Dating Daisy is a fun look at one woman’s quest to find a new love online. It is realistic, humorous and filled with real life advice on internet dating. Readers will be fully entertained by this fabulous book. I’m looking forward to reading more books written by Daisy Mae, a talented writer with a fresh new voice.

Chick Lit Cafe highly recommends Dating Daisy by Daisy Mae!

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Lost by Priscilla Audette

Lost by Priscilla Audette

Synopsis:

After suffering a blow to the head that robs her of herself, the aptly named Faith struggles against almost insurmountable odds to reclaim herself and her life as she knew it.

First, a disclaimer: although the protagonist in this novel suffers an injury, Lost is not a medical or health book. Rather, it is a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit that can rise like the proverbial phoenix after suffering a nearly lethal trauma. Faith is a character who finds herself in a situation that will be identifiable to many readers. Who hasn’t known someone who has suffered a concussion or worse? To find oneself lost in the labyrinth of the mind because the brain has been injured is taking the hero’s journey to a new and challenging level. The hero’s journey resonates in all our psyches and that is why stories like The Wizard of Ozor Star Warsgrab at us on a visceral level. Faith’s “Call to Adventure” is a car accident. She doesn’t have the choice of refusal; instead, she is sucked into a new and scary world when life as she knows it disappears. She finds mentors, is tested, and ultimately fights her way back not to her old self, but evolves into someone who has gained knowledge and is better for it. To come to know Faith is to become her cheerleader. Readers will keep reading not only because the writing is compelling but because they want her to succeed. On some level, her successes will be their successes no matter what different and challenging paths their own lives follow. Just like Faith, we all deal with the trials and tribulations life tosses our way, and we are usually better for the experiences. Faith is every woman.

Review:

After a car accident and a severe blow to her head, Faith is highly challenged and must relearn many things that were lost due to her brain trauma. She faces many trials and tribulations and suffers much during her recovery. Her old life has disappeared and she must now regain her mind and learn all over again. She has the help of friends and mentors to make her way back to who she was. However, she doesn’t fully regain her old self, but learns and evolves into a whole new person with new knowledge and experiences. Perhaps a better self.

Lost by Priscilla Audette is a compelling engrossing read. Although most of us have not had a brain injury, Faith is still a very relatable character. Her journey is one of strength and hope. Many women will relate to Faith as she charges ahead to recovery and acceptance.

Readers will fall in love with Faith and the other characters in this engaging, heartwarming read. Priscilla Audette has done a fabulous job creating a story that is unlike many. This is a tough topic to tackle and she has done a beautiful job showing readers what it is like for the brain injured person. A lot of research had to have been put into this story. The characters are all likable, relatable and fully developed. Faith’s personality is multidimensional and lovable.

The storyline flows beautifully and is captivating and enthralling. I was held spellbound from the very beginning and couldn’t put the book down, turning the pages quickly, rooting for Faith. Her struggles and triumphs are universal to every woman’s struggles and triumphs. Life is challenging for women. That’s why I found this book so good and relatable.

Lost is also a good story about relationships and the interactions between friends and people. I found that the author has much insight and experience in that area of life, the complexities of relationships.

Gently woven within the storyline are the descriptions, and they are fabulous, vivid and visual. I thoroughly enjoyed everything about Lost by Priscilla Audette. She is a phenomenal writer and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books.
Lost by Priscilla Audette is highly recommended by Chick Lit Cafe.

Purchase Lost by Priscilla Audette @ Amazon

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Nate: The Search by Dorothy May Mercer

Nate: The Search by Dorothy May Mercer

Synopsis:

A surrogate pregnancy goes horribly wrong. Terrorists concoct a weird scheme to take down a passenger plane. What happened to Sally Miller? Caught. In trouble with the FBI. Trapped. In love with the wrong man?

It has been more than twenty years since his newborn daughter was kidnapped out of the hospital nursery. Nate’s first wife never recovered from that disaster. Even though Nate healed and made a life for himself with a new family, he has never stopped looking for his firstborn.

Since then, life has treated him well. He has no reason to complain; he works hard at a very interesting, sometimes exciting and dangerous job, and takes pride in his family. Still, he sometimes wonders what happened to Sally Miller. Where is she, and what does she look like? Is she in trouble?

As the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for.”

Review:

Nate Goodrich and his wife Ethel use a surrogate to have a baby. When that baby is born, she is kidnapped. Her name is Sally Miller. Nate and Ethel grieve her loss wholeheartedly. Ethel takes it harder than Nate and she begins to fall apart and weaken. But, little do they know that Ethel also has cancer and she eventually dies.

Twenty years later, Nate is remarried with two beautiful teenage children and a wonderful wife.

Life is good for Nate, but he can never forget his first born daughter, Sally. His search for her is endless. Nate’s job is interesting and dangerous. He is a Federal Air Marshal. He works hard and is flying often for days on end.

Across the country Sally, lives her dream life as a flight attendant. But she is more than just a stewardess, she has a part time job collecting information and pictures of certain passengers. She doesn’t really like her part time job, but it pays well and it isn’t dangerous or illegal, so she thinks.

Will fate bring Nate and his kidnapped biological daughter, Sally, together?

Nate: The Search is a fast paced exciting read filled with drama, intrigue and action. The theme has to do with terrorism and it is well researched and written. Each chapter goes back and forth between the main characters and what is going on with them. Eventually their lives all collide in an incredible, devastating and climatic way.

Dorothy May Mercer has crafted an exhilarating, action packed story. The plot is well thought out and fully researched. The scenario is married with the characters flawlessly. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader excited and flipping the pages quickly. Overall, it is powerful, emotional and gripping.

The characters are multidimensional and well developed. The interaction and dialog between the characters is well written, natural and realistic. The story itself is also very convincing. I loved it from beginning to end. It starts off fast and kept my attention intently throughout the whole book.

There is plenty of sentimentality, tenderness and nostalgia.

Nate: The Search has it all. It is fun, emotional and filled with elements of danger.

The ending is satisfying and fulfilling. I cried at the finish and smiled as well.

Dorothy May Mercer is an excellent writer and should be noted as so.

I’m looking forward to reading more by this very creative, credible and exceptional author, Dorothy May Mercer

Purchase Nate: The Search @ Amazon

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A Dress the Color of the Sky By Jennifer Irwin

Synopsis

For too many years, Prudence Aldrich has been numbing the pain in her life with random sexual encounters. Her marriage to cold, self-centered Nick is, not surprisingly, on the rocks. But after several dangerous experiences with strangers, Prudence finally realizes she needs therapy to stop her self-destructive behavior, and so she checks into the Serenity Hills rehab center.

Prudence blames herself for her irresponsible behavior and is filled with self-loathing. She's convinced she is completely at fault for Nick's manipulative attitude and believes with therapy, she can return their relationship to its idyllic beginnings. However, her therapist and the other members of her rehab group see the person behind the pain. As Prudence learns more about herself and the reasons for her behavior, including startling revelations about her childhood, she begins to understand the basis for her lack of sexual self-respect. She also learns she is not entirely to blame for the failure of her marriage. With the positive reinforcement of everyone at Serenity Hills, Prudence learns not to define herself by her past. But moving forward would mean letting go of Nick for good, and Prudence isn't sure she can.

Review:

Beautiful, moving and authentic!

A Dress the Color of the Sky is impressive beyond reasoning. It is filled with both heartwarming and heart-rending emotion. From start to finish author, Jennifer Irwin, captures the reader’s heart and tugs deeply. She has tackled a sensitive subject based on reality, and accurately brought it to life with intensity, passion and drama.

The main character, Prudence Aldrich, lives life dangerously and on the edge of instability.

Her random sexual encounters are nothing more than an addiction to numb the inner pain that she is living and struggling with.

Her life is complicated and she needs help before her self-destructive behavior catches up with her and causes her real harm.

She checks herself into Serenity Hills rehab facility and begins her journey from self-hatred and addiction to self discovery, healing and freedom.

Prudence is a likable strong character. She is resilient and multi-faceted. Jennifer Irwin has done a remarkable job of writing and developing this character and the others as well.

All the characters are well written with purpose and forethought. Their interactions with one another are believable and pertinent. Jennifer Irwin has a way with words unlike many other authors. She has a gift for writing dialog and giving the plot depth and interest. The way she describes the characters,  surroundings and the many details gives the reader a sense of being there and experiencing everything for themselves. It is perfectly delightful and nearly discomforting at the same time.

I absolutely loved A Dress the Color of the Sky. It is brimming with life. It caused me to smile, laugh, cry and even get angry. I love that it brought me, delightfully, out of my comfort zone. It touches on the human condition and issues that are normally hidden from society but never the less real, and I suspect somewhat common these days. That’s why this novel is very timely and relevant.

I was specifically impressed by how the author was able to show that Prudence’s problems stem from many negative incidents, including her childhood. I believe that many readers will relate to this fact in the story. I felt as though I was being challenged to take a closer look at my own life and while reading it, I experienced being undone and put back together again, for the better.

What a remarkable novel! So personal, touching and moving!

A Dress the Color of the Sky By Jennifer Irwin is a praiseworthy work of contemporary fiction. Jennifer has emerged as a fresh new voice in the writing community. One would never guess that this is her debut novel because it is unquestionably written with skill, creativity and real talent. It’s not at all surprising that A Dress the Color of the Sky is already chosen and set to become a full feature movie.

Pick up a copy and read it before the movie comes out. You will be thrilled and glad you did.

Amazon A Dress the Color of the Sky
Reviewed By Chick Lit Cafe