Do Over/Shannon Guymon

Synopsis:

    "Who wouldn't be tired of dating after falling for the wrong woman over and over again? Trey has decided to take a much-needed break from the fairer sex, until Iris tumbles into his life. Their romance will either be a disaster waiting to happen or the best fairy tale since Sleeping Beauty."

Review:

    I was pulled in just reading the prologue. Iris and Trey have sworn off the opposite sex, because all they have dealt with in life is heartbreak. When they meet each other in the frozen food section at their local grocery store, they both have their eyes set for the last chunky monkey ice cream, who will end up with it?         Iris has drastically changed her appearance to scare off men, but eventually realizes its doing the opposite. Trey needs help fending off his sister in law who is trying to marry him off. What is left for him to do, then find a fake girlfriend, and Iris just happens to come to mind.
    I enjoyed Iris and her spunky nature! She knows what she wants, and goes for it. I also loved Trey's protective nature. These two were meant for each other, even if they didn't realize it at first. All the other characters play some fun roles in connection to either Trey or Iris. Believe me when I say you will be hooked by the first couple paragraphs.
    I have a couple books of Shannon's already and this just adds to some great writing. This would be a great Valentines day read. I read it in just 4 hrs and is just under 200 pages. If you need some comedy and romance in your life, get this book!

Heart of the Ocean/Heather B. Moore

Synopsis:

     "Eliza Robinson has turned down the very pretentious Mr. Thomas Beesley’s marriage proposal. As a business partner of Eliza’s father, Thomas quickly discredits the family and brings disgrace to the Robinson name.

While her father scrambles to restore his good name in New York City, Eliza flees to the remote Puritan town of Maybrook to stay with her Aunt Maeve. Although relieved to be away from all- things-male and unforgiving gossip columns, odd things start to happen to Eliza, and she is plagued by a ghostly voice. Her aunt’s explanation? That Eliza is being haunted by a woman who died of a broken heart twenty years ago.

After Aunt Maeve is tragically killed, Eliza's life is put in danger as she tries to uncover the mystery of her aunt's death. She encounters Jonathan Porter in Maybrook, whose presence in the town seems suspicious, yet she finds herself drawn to him. When she discovers that Jonathan’s dark secrets may be the link between the dead woman who haunts her and her aunt’s murderer, Eliza realizes that Jonathan is the one man she should never trust."

Review:

     What a exciting read! I had to force myself to put it down halfway through so I could get some sleep and go to work the next morning! There is so much that happens in this book, so much mystery and intrigue. Eliza and Jonathan were destined to meet, but when they do, their lives are headed in different directions. With the help of a mysterious voice that haunts Eliza, The mystery starts to unfold about what happened to Jonathan's mother twenty years earlier, and Eliza's Aunts murder in the small town of Maybrook.
    In the middle I felt it drag a bit, only because the two main characters were off doing their own things for a couple of months. But without that, Eliza and Jonathan probably wouldn't have made the decisions that ended up leading them back to Maybrook, and each other.
    This is specifically an E-book, so go onto Amazon and purchase it, and join these interesting characters on a journey through loss and gain, love and hate, and a mystery waiting to be discovered.

Nobody's Damsel/E.M. Tippetts

Synopsis:

    "Chloe has finished her masters degree and taken a job as a forensic scientist back in her home town of Albuquerque, New Mexico, only the press will not leave her alone. They follow her to crime scenes and report on her every move, eager to show that her marriage to Hollywood A-lister, Jason Vanderholt, is on the brink of collapse. Millions of fans who dream of their own celebrity romance with him want this more than anything. This scrutiny comes at a particularly bad time as Chloe's first case is a crime against a child roughly the same age that Chloe was when she survived a homicide attempt.

    Now that she sees the case from an adult's perspective, she realizes it's much harder than she ever dreamed. It's even worse for Jason, who is two steps removed from the crime. He must watch and try to support his wife as she battles with past demons and tries to keep up with a nameless suspect who evades identification and capture. Never has Jason been more frustrated with his job, its frivolities, and its lack of connection to the real world. When he storms off the set of his latest movie, the press goes wild with conjecture. While he says he wants to work on a project that means something, his agent and manager fear this may be the end of his time in the spotlight. Perhaps he never was anything more than a pretty face after all.

    Together, Chloe and Jason must find their way past all the popping flashbulbs and through the dark maze of the criminal investigation to discover whether they can balance their professional goals with the demands of a celebrity marriage. The odds are entirely against them."

Review: 

    This is the sequel to Someone Else's Fairytale. This book gives you a glimpse of what it could be like to be married to someone famous, while still trying to live the life you have worked hard for. Tabloids and rumors are only part of Chloe Vanderholts life now. Jason pledged she was his soul mate, could he have been wrong? 
    I loved where Emily brought the characters from the first book. It hadn't been too long from when we last read about them. Chloe is finally finished with school, they are both transitioning, not just to married life, but to their different work and living arrangements. Drama is definitely a fixture in this novel, and just the right amount if you ask me. Emily would have no problem expounding on Chloe and Jason's lives. Even looking more into Kyra's life, and what in the world goes on in that girls head. lol
    Follow Chloe and Jason in another exciting adventure that has romance, drama, and tragedy. This book will be released January 5th. Make sure you pick up Someone Else's Fairytale before then and be ready for Nobody's Damsel when it comes out!
     
   

Athena/Heather B. Moore

Synopsis:

    "Self-proclaimed bachelorette Athena Di Jasper is at the top of her game. Her online magazine is thriving, and she's in a comfortably static relationship, free of the kind of commitment that could lead to marriage—she's seen her parents' rocky union, and it's not for her. When her on-again, off-again boyfriend Karl wants to move their relationship to the next commitment level, Athena's obvious dismay leads him to challenge her workaholic tendencies. His accusation is true: she hasn't even paused to read a novel in years. Determined to prove Karl wrong, Athena takes a break from her hectic schedule to peruse a used bookstore, where she meets Grey, the intriguing—and single—propietor. Her quest for change and her desire to see more of Grey leads Athena to stray from her to-do list and join the Newport Ladies Book Club.
When Athena's world is turned upside down by a family tragedy, she's left to care for her terminally ill father. Juggling the demands of attending to an ailing parent and running her business, Athena comes to value the friendships of the book-club members, and she find herself relying more and more on Grey's support. When she stumbles across an old shoebox in her mother's closet, she's stunned by its contents, which hold unexpected truths about her parents' relationship. As Athena delves into a past that defies her judgment about her parents' marriage, she is forced to reevaluate her views on life and love."

Review:

    Accused of being a workaholic and hermit, Athena takes that as a challenge to change some things in her life. First and foremost to read a book other then her magazine. That's when she meets Grey (Owner of a little bookstore). He brings new insight into Athena's world. With her Mother's passing and now having to take care of her ailing father, will she muddle through somehow by herself, or will she let others in, who are willing to help her drastically changing life?
    I loved this fourth addition from the Newport Ladies Book Club! I learned so many new things about Athena, and was pleased with the outcome! Each book held something great. I can most relate to Athena being close to her age. I loved seeing her relationship grow with the other ladies and how supportive they all are for each other, even though they didn't know each other at first. I have never heard of the books that they read in the book club (except for the last (The Help) that they actually didn't start to read yet) but I enjoyed how each book had an impact on each reader. I may need to read those books now.
    This isn't the end of the Book Club series. Keep a look out for the next 4 books, which will come out at different times next year. With all new point of views from  Ruby, Shannon, Ilana, and Victoria. We of course have met these women in this first set of 4 already out. It will be fun to see what they all have to share in their own lives.
    Pick up Olivia, Daisy, Paige, and Athena today and get caught up!
   

Secrets of the Red Box/Vickie Hall

Synopsis:

    "Bonnie has secrets to keep - secrets with the potential to destroy lives, including her own. Running from her destructive and pain filled past, she recreates herself, believing she has escaped the damning evidence hidden in the red box. When her former life is revealed by a cruel twist of fate, Bonnie faces losing everything, including Glen, the only man she’s ever loved. But is Bonnie the woman he thinks she is?"

Review:

    All the way through this book you try and imagine, what in the world is Bonnie hiding in that red box of hers? Seriously it cant be that bad, can it? It took me by total surprise. I was thinking, ok she killed someone or something along those lines, boy was I wrong. This book is based in the 1940's and close to the end of WWII. Glen is off fighting the war, while Bonnie is fighting a war of her own back in the States.
    I did find it a little hard to like Bonnie's character, and maybe it was done on purpose that way, but I feel the story didn't really start until her and Glen finally met. Overall I did like the book, but it did take me longer to get through it then most. I think the end was the perfect outcome and made me even look at Bonnie in a better light. I loved how Glen changed her, even if he has to lose her in the process. You will just have to read the book to know what I am talking about!

Refuge/Carole Rummage

Synopsis:

    "Laney Lowell moved across the country to escape her past, not to fall in love. But when she becomes friends with Gabe, a handsome artist plagued by a mysterious disease, she'll have to decide between facing his dark truth or walking away from him forever." 

Review:  

    Laney feels lost and alone when she moves in with her Aunt and Uncle, this is until she decides to run one morning in the forest nearby. Named the Refuge for the red wolves the town is trying to save from being extinct. Laney meets Gabe while he is out getting inspiration for his next art project. He and Laney find out they have much in common, save for the disease Gabe and his older brother have. What disease, no one knows. 
    This is a Young Adult novel. I think that if you enjoyed Twilight, or other books in that field, then you will like this book. For me I figured out what the disease was quite early on, but for Laney it took her until almost the end of the book to figure it out. I loved the roles of her Aunt and Uncle, and how opposite they are from one another, yet they are the perfect match. 
    This book also puts into perspective that tragedy can strike when you least expect it, and your life can change quite drastically. Spend every day living like it could be your last, cause who knows who or what will be taken from you when you least expect it.

Jeremy's Christmas Journey/Scott Johnson

Review:

    Make sure you watch the video above to get the Synopsis of this book. This book comes with a CD that holds the Testimony's of Mary (the mother of Jesus), James (brother of Jesus), and many more. Jeremy is a boy who has gone through a lot in his still so young life. Feeling bitterness against others for the fate that has befallen him, he has lost his Faith in Christ and his miracles. Then one Christmas Eve Jeremy is taken on a journey that could change his begrudging soul.
    This was a fun book, Especially having the actual music and words to listen to while reading through it. The Testimony's in the book are all put to music, which makes it that more emotional. I would really love to see this book come to life, like The Forgotten Carols (that's what it reminds me of), so if you enjoy the music from that, then I am pretty sure you will love this book!
    This would be a great Christmas gift and a wonderful story to make a tradition of reading each year, just like the Christmas Story. The Author, not just of the book, but those who wrote the music and those who performed them should get a big pat on the back. Fantastic!
    Here are some links for you to check out:

 YouTube channel has trailers and samples of the music from the CD: http://www.youtube.com/user/sjohnson2221

Author website: authorscott.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/AuthorScott

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/JeremysChristmasJourney

Twitter: DocScottJohnson

Amazon: Jeremy's Christmas Journey: Book and CD

Barnes & Noble: Jeremy's Christmas Journey: Book and CD