W... W... W... Wednesdays ~ September 25, 2013

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. To play along, just answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll be reading next?

What am I currently reading? This week, I have been busy sewing my regency gown and have not had much reading time. As a result, I am still reading Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was by Carol Cromlin. I am enjoying watching Darcy grow up. 

What did I recently finish reading?  I finished reading The Heart Does Whisper by Cynthia Ingram Hensley. You can read my review here. You can also enter a giveaway of the book along with the first, Echoes of Pemberley. 

What do I think I'll be reading next? Up next is The RED Chrysanthemum by Linda Beutler. I'm looking forward to reading this! Sounds as if it might be full of flowery metaphors. I'm curious to see how that goes! 

Sorry, nothing has changed from last week. Hopefully you've been able to enjoy a book or two! So tell me...What are you reading?

The Heart Does Whisper by Cyntha Ingram Hensley ~ Review and GIVEAWAY

The Heart Does Whisper by Cynthia Ingram Hensley 

Publication Date: July 29th 2013 
Publisher: Meryton Press 
Paperback: 302 pages 
Received: paperback from author 
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

"Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her." ~ Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

 

I loved The Heart Does Whisper!  It is the sequel to Echoes of Pemberley; a modern Pride and Prejudice inspired story (more like a continuation of P&P as it is about the descendants of Elizabeth and Darcy). 

After four years of dating Sean and Catie get married! Sean has finished school at the university and has accepted an internship at Norbury, a boys school in Savannah, GA. They will begin their married life in America - far away from family and friends. Catie has a lot to learn about being a wife and living on a budget! Sean, also, has a lot to learn about being a husband. He’s a proud man and doesn’t like the idea of living off his wife’s money - not even a little bit.  There is also his new job, which is going to be a little harder emotionally than he thought it would be. You see the school takes in boys that come from abusive backgrounds. 

I love all the secondary characters in this story! I found the wealthy Miss Montague, Norbury’s chief benefactor, to be an interesting lady. She has a few secrets that need to be told. She reminded me a little of Lady Catherine when she said, ”I detest conversation I have no part in.” Then, there is the cook Catie hired (without discussing it with Sean first), Etta Oliver. She’s a no nonsense kinda of lady! I loved her! 

There are some heartbreaking stories surrounding the boys at Norbury. One boy, Toby, who was brutally wounded, holds the secret to his scars, but he’s not talking. Sean feels compelled to find out what happened, and try to help him with his plight. 

Not only do we hear Sean’s beautiful Irish brogue throughout the book, but we are also treated to the occasional southern draw. And some yummy southern cooking! 

I was really glad that Sean and Catie spend their first year away from Catie’s brother Ben. Even though Ben loves Catie very much, he can be a bit controlling, and I don’t think he would let them work out their problems on their own. 

The Heart Does Whisper is a great read! I would recommend it to anyone whether they are a Jane Austen fan or not!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author for my honest review.

Buy a copy here.

Add to goodreads.

Connect with Cynthia Ingram Hensley:

twitter • facebook • blog • Meryton Press • goodreads

~ BOOK CLUBS ~

For those of you who would like to read either of Cynthia's books with your reading group, Cynthia is available for live chats or appearances (if within driving range). For details click here!

~ * ~ * ~ GIVEAWAY ~ * ~ * ~

Cynthia Hensley's has generously offer to giveaway a set of her books, 

Echoes of Pemberley and The Heart Does Whisper 

(paperback) US only

OR 

one e-copy of 

The Heart Does Whisper 

(Internationally) 

to one lucky person! 

To enter fill out the Rafflecopter below. 

The last day to enter is September 30, 2013.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you! Remember to enter the giveaway you MUST fill out the Rafflecopter above! 

Romancing the Million $$$ Ghost ~ Cover Reveal and GIVEAWAY!

Hey Everyone! I'm happy to be part of the Romancing the Million $$$ Ghost Cover Reveal tour! Looking for a little spooky romance to read this October? You might want to give this one a try! 

About the Book:

Eccentric tobacco tycoon Rodger Hawthorne III can have anything his heart desires except his dead wife, Sarah.  Feeling responsible for the car crash that killed her twenty years earlier, he offers one million dollars to anyone who can find her spirit and bring it to him within one week or the money is forfeited.  Six spiritually-challenged—but highly intuitive—women find his ad over the Internet and accept his challenge only to embark on a journey they didn’t quite expect that covers astral traveling, past life regressions and spiritual encounters of the unworldly kind.  While this book is lightly based on a true story of a real man who is offering one million dollars to anyone who can prove that spirits exist, this story is purely fictional.  Or is it?

Coming October 2013!

About the Authors:

HEIDE AW KAMINSKI

HEIDE AW KAMINSKI is the mom of three very successful children, and she lives in southeast Michigan with her partner, her son and her stepson. She teaches English in a high school for juvenile delinquent boys, as well as co-directs the Sunday school program for an Interfaith Center. She is also the editor-in-chief for the Interfaith Center’s monthly 16-page newsletter.  She is currently the author of five books, ADHD and ME , Get Smart Through Art, The Ability Gang (a novel for upper elementary readers), Von Riesiggross bis Klitzeklein (a German children's book), and South of Eden (a not so serious novel about life in Heaven). She has also published stories in 15 anthologies, including Chicken Soup for the Divorced Soul.

Kaminski was born and raised in Germany, and after spending a year as an exchange student in the USA, she ended up marrying an American and has been a permanent resident in the U.S. since 1984, as well as a citizen of the U.S. since 2007. After dedicating many years to being there for her children first, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in English communications at the ripe age of 50 and her English teaching certificate two years later.

PAM RYAN

 Pam Ryan is a writer and professional psychic from Northwestern Ohio. She is the mother of two and has been a widow for the last five years. Her writing career began back in high school where she wrote a column for the Sylvania Sentinel Newspaper in Sylvania, Ohio. Pam was also the first page editor of the high school newspaper as well as doing the public relations for the high school musicals At the University of Toledo she helped to create the Public Relations Department for the Department of Theatre and Speech, worked as a reporter for the college paper, The Collegian, and was assistant to the Public Relation Director of a local Toledo, Ohio, theatre group, Lynro Productions. After college Pam went to work for the United States Government and part of her duties were to write, and publisher a newspaper for the Migrant Opportunity Program in Phoenix, Arizona. Back in Ohio she lent her talents to the local Muscular Dystrophy Association, Make A Wish of Northwestern Ohio, worked on newsletters for Grace Lutheran Church and Christ the King Church, both in Toledo, and did public relations for the Parent Organization of Lake Elementary School. Pamela Ryan, as she is known professionally, began her professional psychic career in 1990. She presently does private readings and parties, and is also available at Lite the Way,Lambertville, Michigan, and The Healing Oasis in Clay Center, Ohio. Pam has recently completed classes and become a Certified Hypnotherapist and has completed the Master’s level for hypnotherapists. Publication is tentatively set for 2013, for her book, “My Dearest Children”, channeled by Mary Magdalene, and is presently working on a biography of world renowned journalist, Ruth Montgomery and a series of books about a fictional psychic medium. The first one is called, "The Macrame Cross".

DOROTHY THOMPSON

Dorothy Thompson is the owner/founder of Pump Up Your Book, an innovative public relations firm specializing in online book promotion and social media marketing for authors.  Pump Up Your Book was voted #1 in the Preditor's and Editor's Readers Poll in 2012.  She is also the co-author/compiler of Romancing the Soul, an anthology which proves soul mates exist and has appeared in USA Today, Chicago Times and other publications.  Dorothy loves the paranormal and is spatial clairsentient.  She lives on the beautiful island of Chincoteague, Virginia.

Together, they make the writing team of  Romancing the Million $$$ Ghost.  Visit the official book blog at www.RomancingMillionDollarGhost.comor like them on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/RomancingTheMillionDollarGhost.

* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

Heide, Pam & Dorothy are giving away these fabulous prizes!

One Halloween party kit (valued at $49) or Paypal Cash!

Two $25 Amazon Gift Cards or Paypal Cash!

One FREE psychic phone reading from one of the authors, Pam Ryan!

and

One Romancing the Million $$$ Ghost ebook gifted from Amazon Kindle Store!

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 a Halloween Party Pack for 18, an eBook copy of Romancing the Million $$$ Ghost gifted via Amazon only, one psychic phone reading from Pam Ryan and two winners will be chosen to receive $25 Amazon Gift Cards (or Paypal Cash)!
• This giveaway begins September 2 and ends September 27.
• Winner will be contacted via email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. EST September 27 2013.
• Winner has 24 hours to reply.
• Each blogger who participates in this promotion is eligible to win.
• Visit each “stop” daily for more entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

PUMP UP YOUR BOOK 

"We take books to the virtual level!"

www.pumpupyourbook.com

Twitter I Facebook I Google+ I Goodreads I The Publicist's Desk

Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!

W... W... W... Wednesdays ~ September 18, 2013

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. To play along, just answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll be reading next?

What am I currently reading?  I'm currently reading Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was by Carol Cromlin. I'm only about 10 percent into it, so I can't really say how it's going yet. 

What did I recently finish reading?  I recently finished reading The Heart Does Whisper by Cynthia Ingram Hensley. I loved it! I loved seeing how Sean and Catie's first year of marriage was! There are some great secondary characters in this story! It was a fun read! I'll have a review up on Monday, and there'll be a giveaway! 

What do I think I'll be reading next? Next up I hope to be reading The Red Chrysanthemum by Linda Beutler. "Pride and Prejudice and the language of flowers..." Sounds interesting! 

What are you reading?

Echoes of Pemberley by Cynthia Ingram Hensley ~ My Review

Echoes of Pemberley by Cynthia Ingram Hensley 

Publication Date: February 2012 
Publisher: Meryton Press 
Paperback: 285 pages 
Received: purchased my own copy 
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 



I really enjoyed Echoes of Pemberley! This Austen inspired story is set some 200 years after Pride and Prejudice! Where Elizabeth and Darcy’s descendants are facing similar problems as their ancestors! And some new problems too.

Similar to their ancestors, Fitzwilliam and Georgiana Darcy, Ben and Catie are orphaned, and Ben is the legal guardian of Catie. Ben is fourteen years older and a bit overprotective of his young charge. But unlike the shy and quiet Georgiana, Catie is a bit more troublesome. Catie has a reputation for being spoiled and has been known to chase off her piano teachers. But unlike Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, Ben is already married, and it is Catie who meets and falls in love with a poor Irish horse farmer, by the name of Sean Kelly. Kelly has been hired to work at Pemberley for the summer and is to give Catie riding lessons.  Spending every afternoon taking riding lessons is the last thing Catie wants to do, and especially not with the handsome, but insufferable, Sean Kelly!

Even in this modern day, Catie Darcy was expected to marry well, and Sean Kelly is the hired help. Both Catie and Sean know it, and they try to keep their distance. Will they be able to overcome their attraction, or will the pull prove to be too much? 

I love Sean Kelly! I love to listen to his Irish dialect! I really enjoy how he handles Catie. He doesn’t put up with her nonsense!

Riding lessons and a possible summer romance are not the only things that occupy Catie’s time. There is a mystery to be solved when Catie finds an old diary hidden in her room. I really enjoyed this! Hearing bits and pieces of another Darcy ancestor was fun and interesting.

Catie does come off as a spoiled brat at the beginning of the book, but as you get to know her the more you understand her. Catie’s feelings of grief she still has for the death of her father, and her thoughts of being a burden to her brother brought tears to my eyes.

Echoes of Pemberley is a wonderful story! I would recommend it whether you are a Jane Austen fan or not!

Disclaimer: I purchase my own copy of the book.

Buy a copy here!


Connect with Cynthia Ingram Hensley:

twitter
facebook
blog
Meryton Press
Goodreads

Hey! Right now Cynthia Ingram Hensley is giving away a copy of both her books, Echoes of Pemberley and The Heart Does Whisper (sequel to EoP)! For details, head over to Leatherbound Reviews and enter! But hurry, giveaway ends Thursday, September 19!

There is also a giveaway going on at Indie Jane for The Heart Does Whisper! 

Come back here next week! I'll be reviewing The Heart Does Whisper (which I loved!), and there will be a giveaway here, too!

Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!

W... W... W... Wednesdays ~ September 11, 2013

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. To play along, just answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll be reading next?

What am I currently reading? I'm currently reading The Heart Does Whisper by Cynthia Ingram Hensley. It's so good! It's the sequel to Echoes of Pemberley. I'm really enjoying spending more time with Sean and Catie!

What did I recently finish reading? I recently finished reading Once Upon a Darkness by Aria Kane. I was surprised how much I like this story! I'm not much of a zombie person, but really there wasn't that many zombie scenes. I had to laugh at myself - normally I'm all about the romance, but I was so into the story that when two of the characters started becoming attracted to one another, I just wanted to move on and see how they were going to escape from the predicament they were in! LOL!

What do I think I'll be reading next? Next up I plan on reading Fitzwilliam Darcy such I was by Carol Cromlin. This one sounds interesting! It's about Darcy growing up, meeting Bingley, his relationship with Wickham. Basically, his life before meeting Elizabeth.






What are you reading?

The Road to You by Marilyn Brant ~ Cover Reveal

Hey Everyone! I'm super excited to be taking part in this Cover Reveal book tour, presented by Xpresso Book Tours! I love Marilyn Brant's books, and I can't wait to read this one! 

Here we go....drum roll, please!

The Road to You by Marilyn Brant 

Publication date: October 3rd, 2013 

Genres: Mystery, New Adult, Romance
Cover designed by Okay Creations

  

Synopsis:

Sometimes the only road to the truth...is one you’ve never taken.

Until I found Gideon’s journal in the tool shed — locked in the cedar box where I’d once hidden my old diary — I’d been led to believe my brother was dead. But the contents of his journal changed all that.

The Road to Discovery...

Two years ago, Aurora Gray’s world turned upside down when her big brother Gideon and his best friend Jeremy disappeared. Now, during the summer of her 18th birthday, she unexpectedly finds her brother’s journal and sees that it’s been written in again. Recently. By him.

The Road to Danger...

There are secret messages coded within the journal’s pages. Aurora, who’s unusually perceptive and a natural puzzle solver, is hell bent on following where they lead, no matter what the cost. She confides in the only person she feels can help her interpret the clues: Donovan McCafferty, Jeremy’s older brother and a guy she’s always been drawn to — even against her better judgment.

The Road to You...

Reluctantly, Donovan agrees to go with her and, together, they set out on a road trip of discovery and danger, hoping to find their lost brothers and the answers to questions they’ve never dared to ask aloud.

In that expectant space between silence and melody, our trip began...

Add to goodreads!

AUTHOR BIO:

Marilyn Brant is a national bestselling and award-winning author of contemporary fiction, and she was recently named the 2013 Illinois Author of the Year by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English.

She wrote ACCORDING TO JANE, the story of a modern woman who receives dating advice from the spirit of Jane Austen (October 2009); FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE, a tale about three suburban moms, their marriages and what happens a decade or two after the "Happily Ever After" (a Doubleday Book Club and Book-of-the-Month Club pick in 2010); and A SUMMER IN EUROPE, a novel about a woman's journey of self discovery as she travels through Europe with her adventurous aunt's Sudoku & Mahjongg Club (a Literary Guild and BOMC2 featured alternate in 2011, and a Rhapsody Book Club Top 20 Bestseller in "Fiction & Literature" in 2012), all women's fiction releases from Kensington Books.

She's also a #1 Kindle Bestseller and has written a series of fun and flirty contemporary romantic comedies, available as original ebooks. Both ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAE and PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH were Top 100 Bestsellers on Barnes & Noble and Amazon. DOUBLE DIPPING was a 2012 International Digital Awards Finalist for Best Contemporary Novel and HOLIDAY MAN was a RONE Award Contestant. Her next novel, THE ROAD TO YOU, is a coming-of-age romantic mystery and will be out in October 2013.

Author Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

So...what do you think? 

Lying to Meet You by Anna Garner ~ My Review

Lying to Meet You by Anna Garner 

Publication Date: September 5th, 2013 
Received: e-copy from the author 
Print Length: 328 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Lying to Meet You is the debut book for Anna Garner, but as Libby Mercer she has written a few, such as Unmasking Maya (my personal favorite) and The Karmic Connection. 

Chloe’s friends think it's time for Chloe to find a boyfriend. They think she has been single far too long, but Chloe is too busy for a relationship. She has been busy building her fashion design career and opening her boutique. But it has been two years, and it would be nice to share her life with someone special. Now, that she is almost thirty, picking up guys isn’t as easy as it used to be. Chloe comes up with a theory that guys are attracted to girls who are already in a relationship. She runs her theory by her lifetime friend Ethan. He feels the same way about women, so they come up with a plan to have a fake relationship to see if they attract any would be lovers. 

Chloe is asked to be a judge on a new reality TV show called American Dream. She quickly becomes smitten by another one of the judges, William Shannon. While Ethan has set his eyes on a co-worker named Lila. In the mean time, for appearance sake, Ethan and Chloe spend a lot of time together "dating" and fall into a cozy relationship. 

I wasn't sure about Chloe's relationship with Ethan. I didn't know where it was going to go. I thought maybe they would fall in love while fake dating, but their was no obvious spark between them, just an easy comfortableness. They had been friends for so long. But, the sparks between William and Chloe were definitely flying, and Lila seemed to be interested in Ethan too! This experiment might just work ...or will it all come crashing down on them? 

I like Chloe’s spunk! She’s not about to let another shoplifter get away with stealing from her store again! No, Chloe bolts out the door after the thief, chases her down and tackles her! Yay!

Lying to Meet You is a humorous (I found myself laughing out loud a few times!), sexy, fun story!

Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of book for my honest review. 

Buy a copy here!
Add to goodreads.

Connect with Anna Garner:

twitter
facebook
Amazon Author Page
blog


Any thoughts? I'd love to hear from you! 

W... W... W... Wednesdays ~ September 4th, 2013

W... W... W... Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. To play along, just answer the following questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll be reading next?

What am I currently reading? I haven't started my next book. I just finish one last night (see below) and I'll start a new one tonight. 

What did I recently finish reading? Since, last week I finished Lying to Meet You by Anna Garner. I really enjoyed it! I will have a review posted tomorrow. 

I also read Faking it by Cora Carmack. I was really good too! 

And I just finished (last night) reading Raising Ryann by Alyssa Rae Taylor. OMgosh! It is amazing! Interestingly, for a New Adult Novel it has no sex in it, but there are still mature situations and intense sexual tension. My biggest complaint is that it ends with a HUGE cliffhanger - as it stops right in the middle of the story!! The next book isn't scheduled out until spring of 2014. I really wish I had read the reviews before reading this. Argh, then I would have know it was a cliffhanger! Still, I'm glad I did read it, and I can't wait for the next book!! 

What do I think I'll be reading next? I still want to read Once Upon a Darkness by Aria Kane. I also want to read The Heart Does Whisper by Cynthia Ingram Hensley (sequel to Echoes of Pemberley)

What are you reading?