Weak at the Knees By Jo Kessel ~ PUYB Blog Tour, My Review, & GIVEAWAY

Today, I'm happy to be part of the Weak at the Knees Blog Tour, sponsored by Pump Up Your Book! There is an awesome giveaway going on! Look for the Rafflecopter below to enter.

Pump Up Your Book is pleased to bring you Jo Kessel’s Weak at the Knees virtual book tour October 7 – January 17! Jo’s tour is part of a $100 Amazon Gift Card & Gift Basket giveaway. See details below on how you can enter to win!

Weak at the Knees by Jo Kessel 

Publication Date: September 20, 2013 
Publisher: CreateSpace 
Pages: 292 
ISBN-10: 1490397604 
ISBN-13: 978-1490397603 
Received: an e-copy from Pump Up Your Book 
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

"We got so busy living life that we forgot to live our dreams."



Book Blurb:

Danni Lewis has been playing it safe for twenty-six years, but her sheltered existence is making her feel old ahead of time. When a sudden death plunges her into a spiral of grief, she throws caution to the wind and runs away to France in search of a new beginning.

The moment ski instructor Olivier du Pape enters her shattered world she falls hard, in more ways than one.

Their mutual desire is as powerful and seductive as the mountains around them. His dark gypsy looks and piercing blue eyes are irresistible.

Only she must resist, because he has a wife – and she’d made a pact to never get involved with a married man.

But how do you choose between keeping your word and being true to your soul?

Weak at the Knees is Jo’s debut novel in the new adult, contemporary romance genre – a story of love and loss set between London and the heart of the French Alps.

My Review:

Danni’s life is good, but not what she dreamed. She’s been with Hugo for nearly 11 years. They have a very comfortable relationship. But is it enough? Danni remember’s back to her Polish grandmother telling her, “If a man ever makes you very dizzy when you kiss him, make sure you never let him go.” Something Danni has never felt with Hugo.

When Danni’s best friend dies, Danni decides it’s time to follow her dreams. She leaves Hugo, and lands a dream job in France at a ski resort in the French Alps. It’s here she meets Olivier. He takes her breath away! The only problem ...he’s married. And Danni made a death bed promise that she would never date a married man. Danni is finding this a hard promise to keep.

Danni is trying to figure out what to do with her life through most of the story. I didn’t agree with some of her decisions, but I was glad she was doing something with her life. While she was with Hugo, she was in limbo. Her decision to date Olivier didn’t sit well with me. Besides the fact that he IS married, her best friend just died! I would think that her promise would be too fresh for Danni to break.

The beginning was kinda slow. I felt like Danni was telling me about her life; her relationship with Hugo and how it lacked sexually. About her life long friendship with Amber. What she is doing with her life, or better yet, the lack of what she is doing with her life. It took a long time to get to the romance, and then that kinda fell flat. 

Weak at the Knees was an interesting read for me. Although I struggled with a couple of issues, I was drawn into it by the end. I think it would appeal to someone who likes Women’s fiction.

Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy of the book for my honest review.

Buy a copy: Amazon • Amazon.co.uk

Discuss this book in our PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads by clicking HERE.

ABOUT JO KESSEL

Jo Kessel is a journalist in the UK, working for the BBC and reporting and presenting for ITV on holiday, consumer and current affairs programs. She writes for several national newspapers including the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, the Guardian and the Express and was the anonymous author of the Independent’s hit column: Diary of a Primary School Mum.

When Jo was ten years old she wrote a short story about losing a loved one. Her mother and big sister were so moved by the tale that it made them cry. Having reduced them to tears she vowed that the next time she wrote a story it would make them smile instead. Happily she succeeded and with this success grew an addiction for wanting to reach out and touch people with words.

P.S Jo’s pretty certain one of her daughters has inherited this gene.

Other books by Jo Kessel include Lover in Law.

Her latest book is the new adult novel, Weak at the Knees.

Visit her website at www.jokessel.com.

Connect & Socialize

twitter • facebook • goodreads

Pump Up Your Book and Jo Kessel are giving away a $100 Amazon Gift Card & a French Gift Basket of French gift basket that includes a whole lot of goodies associated with the book, including a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a famous wine from the Rhône wine region of southeastern France!

Terms & Conditions:

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $100 Amazon Gift Card and one winner will be chosen to win the gift basket.
• This giveaway begins October 7 and ends January 18.
• Winners will be contacted via email on Monday, January 20, 2014.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, October 7 – First Chapter Reveal at Pump Up Your Book

Tuesday, October 8 – Interview at Blogcritics

Wednesday, October 9 – Interview at The Writer’s Life

Thursday, October 10 – First Chapter Review at A Little Bit of Spice

Thursday, October 10 – Book Feature at Icefairy’s Treasure Chest

Friday, October 11 – Guest Blogging at Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

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Monday, October 14 – First Chapter Reveal at Margay Leah Justice

Tuesday, October 15 – Guest Blogging at Rainy Days and Pajamas

Tuesday, October 15 – Book Feature at The Fiction Enthusiast

Wednesday, October 16 – First Chapter Reveal at Rainy Days and Pajamas

Wednesday, October 16 – Character Guest Post at The Fiction Enthusiast

Thursday, October 17 – Book Feature at Confessions of a Reader

Friday, October 18 – First Chapter Reveal at Reader Girls

Friday, October 18 – First Chapter Reveal at Moonlight Reader

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Monday, October 21 – Book Feature at Sweeping Me

Tuesday, October 22 – Interview at The Book Connection

Wednesday, October 23 – Guest Bogging at Carol’s Notebook

Thursday, October 24 – Interview at Fantasy Pages

Friday, October 25 – Interview at Examiner

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Monday, October 28 – Book Review at So Little Time…

Tuesday, October 29 – Interview at Authors to Watch

Thursday, October 31 – Character Interview at Beyond the Books

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Monday, November 4 – Character Guest Post at The Writer’s Life

Tuesday, November 5 – Interview at Read 2 Reviews

Wednesday, November 6 – Interview at Review From Here

Thursday, November 7 – Guest Blogging at The Story Behind the Book

Friday, November 8 – Interview at Mia Downing

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Monday, November 11 – Book Review at Bibliotica

Monday, November 11 – Book Feature at The Road From Here

Tuesday, November 12 – Interview at I’m Shelf-ish

Wednesday, November 13 – Character Guest Post at Books Books the Magical Fruit

Thursday, November 14 – Book Review & Character Guest Post at Urban Girl Reader

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Monday, November 18 – First Chapter Reveal at Reader Girls

Tuesday, November 19 – Interviewed LIVE at Blog Talk Radio’s A Book and a Chat

Thursday, November 21 – Book Review at Dr. Pepper Diva

Friday, November 22 – First Chapter Reveal at Literary Winner

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Monday, November 25 – Book Feature at Queen of All She Reads

Wednesday, November 27 – First Chapter Reveal at Read My First Chapter

Friday, November 29 – Interview at You Gotta Read Reviews

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Monday, December 2 – Book Review at Sweet Southern Home

Tuesday, December 3 – Interview at Literarily Speaking

Wednesday, December 4 – Guest Blogging at As the Pages Turn

Thursday, December 5 – Interview at Between the Covers

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Monday, December 9 – Interview at Straight From the Author’s Mouth

Tuesday, December 10 – Book Review at Moonlight Reader

Friday, December 13 – Book Feature at Moonlight Reader

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Monday, January 6 – Interview at Book Marketing Buzz

Thursday, January 9 – Book Review at Melissa’s Midnight Musings

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Monday, January 13 – Book Feature at Plug Your Book

Tuesday, January 14 – Interview at Red Room

Wednesday, January 15 – Interview at Pump Up Your Book

Thursday, January 16 – Book Review at Celtic Lady’s Reviews

Friday, January 17 – Book Feature at Rose & Beps Blog

Friday, January 17 – Book Review at Bookingly Yours

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Any thoughts? Comments are alway welcome!