Guest Post with Karen Cox!

Hello, my friends! Have you heard? Karen Cox is re-releasing her book, Undeceived! She is here today sharing with us how her story came to be!   

Hello readers and fans of Jane! I’m Karen, and I write novels brushed with history and romance.

I want to say a big thank you to Candy for hosting me today on So Little Time to announce the re-release of my spy novel meets Pride and Prejudice in the Cold War Era. 

Undeceived, the second edition (revamped with minor editing, a new cover, and a glossary of spy terms) releases on

7/23/19 on various ebook platforms. It’s available now for preorder and will be 0.99 cents for 30 days after release (until 8/22/19). 

So, if you like Elizabeth and Darcy, or spy stories, or exotic locales, or twists and turns, be sure to get a copy. 

Universal Book Link: 
https://books2read.com/Undeceived2

If you prefer paperback, that is in the works as well, and it should release around the same time as the ebook, give or take a few days.  

One question readers often ask is how I came up with the premise for Undeceived. 

I’ve always loved writing Jane Austen’s characters in various times and places. In my mind, I go to the location, which typically has been a place I know well or have at least seen in person. I imagine what the time was like or remember what I’ve been told about it. I do some research. Then I turn the Darcys, Elizabeths, Emmas, Knightleys, Annes, and Wentworths loose. A spy novel was a fun way to put two favorite characters in yet another setting and see what would happen. What’s different with Undeceived is that I haven’t been to the locales, and I haven’t ever been a spy. 

So how did it happen? 

Well, it’s all my husband’s fault, of course. 

No, really. 

All kidding aside, the original seedling of the idea was his. He is a fan of “No Way Out” starring Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, and Sean Young. I had just finished writing Find Wonder in All Things (so this was, what? Late 2012? 2013?) and he was scrolling through the TV listings and re-watched the 1980s spy thriller. 

Him: “You know what you should write?”

Me: “What?”

Him: “A—what do you call it when you put two stories together?”

Me: “A Mash up?”

Him: “Yeah! A mash up. Of Pride and Prejudice and “No Way Out.”

Me: “Yeah, I can see that. Without the dead girl.”

Him: “You should do it.”

Me: “I really should.”

Later, after I’d started the project, I’d come to him with some question or other, about plot or setting, and he’d give me a blank stare and say, “Hell, I don’t know. You’re the writer. Do what you want.”

Men.

Undeceived took me farther out of my comfort zone than I’d ever been as a writer. I had to organize, and plot story points, and learn to use Scrivener (which I still use and love, by the way.) Maybe all that time and effort is why I’m proud of this book. I think it’s a unique look at our favorite characters, encased in the familiarity of a Pride and Prejudice-themed storyline. 

I hope you also enjoy the twists and turns of Undeceived.

Undeceived
by Karen M Cox

“...if I endeavor to undeceive people as to the rest of his conduct, who will believe me?” -Pride & Prejudice, Chapter 40  
 


Elizabeth Bennet, a rookie counterintelligence officer, lands an intriguing first assignment—investigating the CIA's legendary William Darcy, who is suspected of being a double agent. 

Darcy’s charmed existence seems at an end as he fights for his career and struggles against his love for the young woman he doesn’t know is watching his every move. 

Elizabeth’s confidence dissolves as nothing is like she planned—and the more she discovers about Darcy, the more she finds herself in an ever-tightening web of danger. 

Unexpected twists abound in this suspenseful Cold War era romance inspired by Jane Austen’s classic tale.

Buy: Amazon • Universal Book Link
Add to Goodreads.

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

I love the new cover, Karen! Congratulations! I wish you the best on the re-release of Undeceived! Thank you for stopping by!

Friends, let us know what you think! We'd love to hear from you! 

I Could Write a Book Audio Release!

Hello, my friends! Woohoo! Exciting news! I Could Write a Book is now available in audio!

 

I Could Write A Book
by Karen M Cox

“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich…” 

Thus began Jane Austen’s classic tale set in an English village two hundred years ago. Yet every era has its Emmas: young women trying to find themselves in their own corners of the world. 

I Could Write a Book is the story of a self-proclaimed modern woman: Emma Katherine Woodhouse, a 1970s co-ed whose life is pleasant, ordered, and predictable, if a bit confining. Her good friend George Knightley—handsome, sharp, and sophisticated—has come home to fulfill his destiny: run his father’s thriving law practice and oversee the sprawling Donwell Farms, his family legacy in Central Kentucky horse country. George and Emma have a friendship that has endured since childhood, but now they’re adults with grown-up challenges and obligations. As Emma tries to orchestrate life in quaint Highbury, George becomes less amused with her antics and struggles with an increasing and sometimes unwelcome fascination with the young woman she’s become. 

Rich with humor, poignancy, and the camaraderie of life in a small, Southern town, I Could Write a Book is a charming romance with side helpings of self-discovery, friendship, and finding true love in the most unlikely places. 

I Could Write a Book is narrated by Emily Rahm, a New York City actress who hails from the South, giving Emma a delightfully understated and authentic flair, and rounding out the cast of Highbury characters with wit and charm.

Available now on Amazon, Apple Books, and Audible.

FTC Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks! 

About the Author

Karen M Cox is an award-winning author of five novels accented with history and romance: 1932, Find Wonder in All Things, Undeceived, I Could Write a Book, and Son of a Preacher Man, and a novella, The Journey Home, a companion piece to 1932.  She also loves writing short stories and has contributed to four Austen-inspired anthologies: “Northanger Revisited 2015” appears in Sun-Kissed: Effusions of Summer, “I, Darcy” in The Darcy Monologues, “An Honest Man” in Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen’s Rakes and Gentleman Rogues, and “A Nominal Mistress” in Rational Creatures.

I Could Write a Book is her first audiobook.

Karen was born in Everett WA, which was the result of coming into the world as the daughter of a United States Air Force Officer. She had a nomadic childhood, with stints in North Dakota, Tennessee, and New York State before settling in her family’s home state of Kentucky at the age of eleven. She lives in a quiet little Central Kentucky town with her husband, where she works as a pediatric speech pathologist, encourages her children, and spoils her granddaughter. 


Channeling Jane Austen’s Emma, Karen has let a plethora of interests lead her to begin many hobbies and projects she doesn’t quite finish, but she aspires to be a great reader and an excellent walker—like Elizabeth Bennet.

Connect with Karen

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Pinterest • Instagram • Tumblr • Amazon Author Page

If you would like bits of authorly goodness in your inbox each month (updates, sales, book recommendations, etc.) sign up for her News & Muse Letter. She loves to hear from readers, so don’t be shy. Contact her through social media, her website, or on-line stores.

Emily's Bio:

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Emily Rahm is an actress residing in New York City with her husband, Kendall, and her dog, Monroe. She loves to read, so narrating was a natural extension of her literary affinities and her acting skills. Her favorite movie is The Princess Bride, and her favorite ice cream flavor is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. You can find her at her website: www.emilyrahm.com , and on Twitter, and Instagram. 

Congratulations to both Karen Cox and Emily Rahm on the release of this audiobook! Very cool! :) 

Cover Reveal: Son of a Preacher Man by Karen M Cox

Hello, my friends! I'm so excited to be part of this cover reveal! Karen Cox is one of the earliest Austenesque authors I read and loved starting with her book 1932. Now she is re-releasing one of her favorites! I love this new cover! 

Here's Karen to explain:

Thank you so much for letting me visit with you and your readers today! I’m really excited about the upcoming summer release of Son of a Preacher Man. It’s a special book for me, an original story inspired by Pride and Prejudice, that was originally published as At the Edge of the Sea in 2013. For its five-year birthday, I’ve re-edited it, given back its original title, Son of a Preacher Man, and with the help of Shari Ryan, of Madhat Covers, and Joshua Hollis, who created the image, I’ve given it a new cover too. 

So, without further ado... here's the new cover! 

Description: 

“I forget that you’re a fella sometimes.” 
“Gee, thanks.” 
I never forgot that she was a girl. Not for one second… 

1959. The long, hot Southern summer bakes the sleepy town of Orchard Hill. Billy Ray Davenport, an aspiring physician and only son of an indomitable traveling minister, is a young man with a plan that starts with working in a small-town doctor’s office before he begins medical school in the fall. Handsome, principled, and keenly observant, he arrives in town to lodge with the Millers, the local doctor’s family. He never bargained for Lizzie Quinlan—a complex, kindred spirit who is beautiful and compassionate, yet scorned by the townsfolk. Could a girl with a reputation be different than she seems? With her quirky wisdom and a spine of steel hidden beneath an effortless sensuality, Lizzie is about to change Billy Ray’s life—and his heart—forever. 

A realistic look at first love, told by an idealistic young man, Son of a Preacher Man is a heartwarming coming of age tale set in a simpler time.

Anticipated release date: July 1st, 2018

About the Author

Award-winning author, Karen M Cox, writes fiction brushed with history and romance. She specializes in 20th century Austenesque tales in small town settings: 1932, Find Wonder in All Things, Undeceived, and I Could Write a Book. She has also dabbled in Regency tales: Her Frank Churchill story, “An Honest Man,” appears in the anthology, Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen’s Rakes and Gentlemen Rogues, and she has a short story in the upcoming collection, Rational Creatures. 


Although born in Washington state, Karen has enough Southerner in her—due to family history and a long residence in Kentucky—to ask young people in her small town, “Do I know your mama?” with a straight face. She lives there with her husband, encourages her children (who, thankfully, aren’t too far away), and spoils her granddaughter.

Connect with Karen

Website • News & Muse Letter • Twitter • Facebook • Pinterest • Instagram • Tumblr

Oh my! I adore this cover, and I'm so glad Karen went back to the original title. I like it better. What do you think? 

The Journey Home by Karen M. Cox ~ My Review

The Journey Home by Karen M. Cox

Publication Date: August 1, 2017
Publisher: Macmillan
Pages: ebook, 107
Received: I received a copy from the author for my honest review.
Rating: 3.5 Stars


Book Blurb: 

Georgiana Darcy has left girlhood far behind her. A young, single mother with two small daughters, she escaped a precarious existence. Now she has returned to her ancestral home, ready to rebuild her life. Her brother, William, welcomed her with open arms and helped her back on her feet. But home is more than a place—it’s a state of mind, and Georgiana has a journey of the heart ahead of her. As her brother falls in love with Elizabeth, the new girl in town, Georgiana finds herself drawn to William’s long-time friend, Sheriff Richard Fitzwilliam, a widower fifteen years her senior. Richard would never want her, or so she believes, but when he’s near, her sorrow vanishes. When Georgiana’s past comes roaring back to haunt her, can Richard and his kind, gentle ways help see her through?  

The Journey Home, a companion piece to the award-winning novel 1932, is a stand-alone “sidequel” novella—a story of self-discovery, acceptance, and romance that details one woman’s journey back from despair and forward to her future.

My Review: 

The Journey Home is a sweet novella concentrating on Georgiana Darcy. The story, set in the 1930's, moves quickly through the span of a two year period. 

It was sad to see the depth of despair and poverty that Georgiana had fallen into after running off with Wickham. But I loved to see her determination to improve her and her children’s lives after hitting rock bottom. She humbles herself and asks Darcy if she could come home to Pemberley. 

Georgiana’s daughter Maggie is adorable! I love her dark eyes with their intense Darcy stare - she’s a very serious girl! And I loved the relationship between her and Darcy. 

I wasn’t fond of the quickness of the story. The large gaps of time between chapters made it feel choppy to me. I also felt it lacked depth, which sometimes a novella can do.

You are not going to see much of what is going on with Elizabeth and Darcy in this story. It does focus mainly on Georgiana, her girls, Darcy, and Sheriff Fitzwilliam. I would recommend you read both books if you want to know what is happening between Elizabeth and Darcy. 

Overall, I enjoyed The Journey Home! It’s a wonderful side-sequel to 1932.

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

Buy: Amazon • B&N • Kobo • Apple iBooks
Add to Goodreads.

Disclaimer: Link to Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provided, I will receive a small commission. Thanks!

About the Author

Karen M Cox is an award-winning author of novels accented with romance and history: 1932, Find Wonder in All Things, Undeceived, and I Could Write a Book. Other published works include an ebook novella, The Journey Home, “Northanger Revisited 2015”, which appeared in Sun-Kissed: Effusions of Summer, "I, Darcy," a short story in The Darcy Monologues, and "An Honest Man", which will appear in the upcoming anthology, Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen's Rakes and Gentleman Rogues. 

Originally from Everett, WA, Karen now lives in Central Kentucky with her husband, where she works as a pediatric speech pathologist, encourages her children, and spoils her granddaughter. Like Austen’s Emma, Karen has many hobbies and projects she doesn’t quite finish, but like Elizabeth Bennet, she aspires to be a great reader and an excellent walker.

Connect with Karen M Cox

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Pinterest • Tumblr • News & Muse

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

I Could Write a Book Blog Tour ~ Excerpt & #Giveaway!

Hello, my friends! I'm excited to be part of the I Could Write a Book Blog Tour!! Karen Cox is here with an excerpt from her new book. Inspired by Jane Austen's Emma, Karen set I Could Write a Book in the 70s - an awesome time, in my humble opinion! ;)  

I hope you enjoy the excerpt and don't forget to enter the giveaway! Details are at the bottom of the post! 

Thank you, Candy, for hosting our first excerpt on the I Could Write a Book Blog Tour!

Today’s excerpt is from what, in Austen’s novel, is the scene at the ball: the one where Elton snubs Harriet, where Mr. Knightley saves the day by asking Miss Smith to dance, and where Knightley famously says the words, “Whom will you dance with?”

In I Could Write a Book, the setting is 1970s in Central Kentucky, so it makes sense that the biggest parties would be (what else?) Kentucky Derby Parties. People celebrate Derby here, and not just in Louisville, the site of Churchill Downs. For many years, Anita Madden held famous themed Derby Eve parties in Lexington, Kentucky, with up to 2500 people in attendance, including celebrities, sports personalities, politicians, and others in the horse industry. During the height of their popularity, these parties raised money for various charities.

So, of course, the Westons had to host a Derby Party, and during that party George has to notice Emma…


     “Having a good time, Frank?” George asked quietly, as he straightened his tie.

     “The best. Love Derby. I could party all night.”

     “I’m sure you could. Just make sure you make it someplace safe by morning.”

     Frank laughed. “I certainly will.” He clapped George on the shoulder. “You too, old man. You too.”

     After that, George kept one eye on Frank, the other on Emma. She danced with those who asked her, nursed a glass of wine while she chatted with old schoolmates, earned some lustful stares from young men that made his blood boil. Still, he couldn’t fault their taste. He was used to seeing Emma in running clothes, jeans and peasant tops, the occasional dress for some event. But that royal blue halter number she was wearing stunned him: the slope of her shoulders, the curve of her back displayed to perfection in that dress, the way her hair floated around her and settled like spun honey about her face, and those legs that ran right up to her neck. No, he couldn’t blame the young men in the crowd for following her around the room. He even admired her restraint given all that male attention. One thing about Emma, admiration for her looks alone didn’t turn her head; the poor fellow also had to flatter her brains and her sparkling personality to stir her vanity. She was going easy on the drinks too, which was wise, in his opinion, and when he complimented her temperance, she looked at him like he was an eight-year-old who had tugged her pigtail.

     “Of course, I’m taking it easy on the alcohol—in case you’ve forgotten, and I do hope you haven’t, since you’ve planned a brunch at the country club—I have graduation tomorrow.”

     “I know, Em. I just…”

     “I’m not a child.”

     “I know.” Boy, did he ever. Tonight’s events had been a constant series of reminders.

     “Just because I’m not standing in the corner half the night doesn’t mean I’m being irresponsible.”

     “That’s not what I—”

     “You really ought to take the opportunity to enjoy yourself, instead of loitering about with the older generation. The only time I saw you out there was when you rescued poor Mary Jo. Good job, by the way.”

     “Thanks.” He felt sheepish. “I don’t know if it was the right thing or not, but Tim really ticked me off.”

     “It was absolutely the right thing to do! Tim is a jerk.”

     “It was incredibly rude on his part, almost vicious. Not his typical M.O.”

***

     “Was that your only turn around the dance floor this evening?”

     “I’m not much of a dancer.”

     “I disagree. Besides, you’re young, George, you should be dancing, meeting people, breaking hearts—being the charming, handsome devil you are.”

     “What?”

     “It’s late in the evening, and it looks like I’ve missed my chance to be charmed by Lexington’s best-looking man-about-town.” She grinned. “Or perhaps you’re a bit rusty.”

     He stood, agog, as a slow, sultry Clapton number began. Emma flipped her hair over her shoulder and tossed some young stud a winning smile. The kid started over, but George stepped in between the two, took Emma’s elbow and leaned into her, speaking low in her ear, “Whom are you going to dance with?”

     She hesitated a moment, a brief, almost star-struck expression traveled over her features. “Um…” Then her lips curved. “With you, if you will ask me.”

     His hand slid down her arm to grasp her fingers. “Let’s dance a slow one, Emma Kate. What do you say?”

***

Well, I’d dance a slow one with George Knightley, wouldn’t you?

I Could Write a Book by Karen M Cox 

“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich…” 

Thus began Jane Austen’s classic, a light and lively tale set in an English village two hundred years ago. Yet every era has its share of Emmas: young women trying to find themselves in their own corners of the world. 

I Could Write a Book is the story of a self-proclaimed modern woman: Emma Katherine Woodhouse, a 1970s co-ed whose life is pleasant, ordered and predictable, if a bit confining. 

Her friend George Knightley is a man of the world who has come home to fulfill his destiny: run his father’s thriving law practice and oversee the sprawling Donwell Farms, his family legacy in Central Kentucky horse country. 

Since childhood, George’s and Emma’s lives have meshed and separated time and again. But now they’re adults with grown-up challenges and obligations. As Emma orchestrates life in quaint Highbury, George becomes less amused with her antics and struggles with a growing attraction to the young woman she’s become. 

Rich with humor, poignancy and the camaraderie of life in a small, Southern town, I Could Write a Book is a coming of age romance with side helpings of self-discovery, friendship, and finding true love in the most unlikely places.

Add to Goodreads.

Meet the Author

Karen M Cox is an award-winning author of novels accented with romance and history, including 1932 and its companion ebook novella The Journey Home, and the novels Find Wonder in All Things and Undeceived. She also contributed a short story, “Northanger Revisited 2015”, to the anthology, Sun-Kissed: Effusions of Summer, and a story titled, “I, Darcy” to The Darcy Monologues.


Karen was born in Everett WA, which was the result of coming into the world as the daughter of a United States Air Force Officer. She had a nomadic childhood, with stints in North Dakota, Tennessee, and New York State before finally settling in her family’s home state of Kentucky at the age of eleven. She lives in a quiet little town with her husband, where she works as a pediatric speech pathologist, encourages her children, and spoils her granddaughter. 

Connect with Karen

Website • Amazon Author Page • Facebook • Twitter • Pinterest • Instagram • Tumblr

If you would like bits of authorly goodness in your inbox once a month (updates, sales, book recommendations, etc.) sign up for News & Muse Letter. 

Karen loves to hear from readers, so don’t be shy. Contact her through social media, her website, or online sites like Amazon and Goodreads. 

Blog Tour Schedule

Laughing with Lizzie / September 6 / Launch Post/Dating Game / Giveaway 

So little time… / September 7 / Book Excerpt / Giveaway

Book Lover in Florida / September 8 / Guest post / Giveaway 

Austenesque Reviews / September 15 / Book Review/ Giveaway 

My Love for Jane Austen / September 16 / Guest Post / Giveaway

Granny Loves to Read  / September 17 / Book Review / Giveaway 

My Jane Austen Book Club / September 18/ Guest Post/Mr. Knightley / Giveaway 

Just Jane 1813 / September 19 / Author Interview / Giveaway 

Sophia’s Sofa Chat / September 21 / An Interview with Karen M Cox on Goodreads

Babblings of a Bookworm /  September 22 / Book Review/ Giveaway 

Silver Petticoat Review / September 23/ Guest Post/ Giveaway 

From Pemberley to Milton / September 25 / Book Excerpt / Giveaway 

Margie’s Must Reads / September 27 / Book Review / Giveaway 

Obsessed with Mr Darcy / September 28 / Book Review

My Vices and Weaknesses / September 30 / Book Review / Giveaway 

Diary of an Eccentric / October 2 / Book Review / Giveaway 

More Agreeably Engaged / October 4 / Book Excerpt / Giveaway

* * * GIVEAWAY * * * 

It's giveaway time! Karen Cox is generously giving away two fabulous prizes to two lucky winners! 

One winner will receive The Tea Pack: JA mug, Mr. Knightley & Emma teas from Bingley's Teas, and a set of Jane Austen coasters.

The second winner will receive a Jewelry Pack: Little Emma charm on a necklace, Regency cameo earrings, Emma Bangle Bracelet, and a Jewelry Roll.

These giveaways are open internationally! 

To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter below!

Good luck!

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This is a group giveaway. So little time... is not responsible for books lost or damaged in shipping or any prizes shipped by publishers or authors.

Many thanks to Karen for stopping by here today! I love the setting of this story - 1970's in the south! Yes! Great excerpt too! Also, wow, that giveaway! Thank you so much for your generosity, Karen! 

Oh, yes! Me! Me! I'll dance with George! I kinda melted there at the end. What about you?   

Undeceived Blog Tour ~ Excerpt and Giveaway!

It's my great pleasure to be part of the Undeceived Blog Tour! Today, Karen Cox is here with an excerpt from her newest book, Undeceived!  

Hello, everyone! Thanks, Candy, for your invitation to post an excerpt on “So Little Time...”! 

Undeceived takes place during the latter part of the Cold War. Roles for women in the U.S. continued to change during the 1970s and 1980s, but some embraced those changes more readily than others, as seen in this scene between Elizabeth Bennet and her mother, from Chapter 1:

***

Charleston, West Virginia

October 1980

     It is a truth, universally acknowledged that, when a young woman decides to follow her late father’s career path, especially when her father died in pursuit of said career, her mother will be vehemently opposed to that plan of action. 

     “Lizzy, I don’t understand your thinking. You were at the top of your high school class. You left for college to be an UN interpreter. I thought you’d move to New York City, meet some dashing diplomat with a ton of money. You’d get married, quit your job, and give me a passel of smart, dashing grandchildren. Not be some kind of…career girl!”

     “Mama.” Elizabeth Bennet rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth with the effort of being patient. “This is 1980. Women aren’t just entering the work force; they’re changing it. There was a Women’s Liberation Movement a few years back. Maybe you read about it? There was a song, ‘I Am Woman.’ It was on the radio, remember?”

     “Pfft. That agency is a man’s world.”

     “There is nothing mannish about the CIA. Lots of women work there.”

     “If you have to be a career woman then, why can’t you work somewhere else? Anywhere else! That agency sent your father away, and I never saw him again. I was left all alone—with a baby girl to raise by myself.”

     

Fun times at the LA Festival of Books + GIVEAWAY!

Last Saturday I had a great time at the LA Festival of Books!

Karen Cox,  Julie Cooper,  Lucy Parker,  Gail McEwen,  Michele Reed

I met these lovely ladies at the Meryton Press booth! I had a wonderful time hanging out with them.

At the JASNA-SW booth, I met Syrie James! 

Me and Syrie James

I got quite a few books...

My haul from various booths!

...a Pride and Prejudice shirt (it blends in with my couch, so you can barely see it) and a Mr. Darcy mouse pad drawn by Janet Taylor. 

My bag was pretty heavy carrying it back to my car. I think next year I'll bring a backpack and my messenger bag! It was pretty hot, so maybe I'll wear something a wee bit cooler. 

 This was my first year at the LA Festival of Books, and if I can, I will be back next year! 


* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

For those of you who couldn't make it to the LA Festival of Books, Michele Reed is generously offering a Meryton Press book of your choice to one lucky person!
Please, fill out the Rafflecopter below and leave a comment! 
This giveaway is open Internationally. The last day to enter is May 2, 2013.
Good luck!

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If you won, which Meryton Press book would you choose?
You MUST fill out the Rafflecopter above to enter the giveaway.

Review: Find Wonder in All Things By Karen M. Cox

From the back of the book:

James Marshall and Laurel Elliot are out of sync. After a whirlwind summer romance during their youth, he is ready to zoom ahead to Happily Ever After, but she is persuaded, by family pressures and her own doubts and uncertainties, to remain behind. Years later, Laurel has carved out a quiet, self-sufficient existence in the Appalachian foothills of Kentucky, while James has taken a more illustrious road, filled with extraordinary accomplishments and success neither of them could have imagined.
Now, their paths cross once again, but it appears both have moved on with their lives. Could a spark from the past still ignite between them? Can they find their way back to each other or has too much time passed? Will their timing ever be right for a happy ending?

Find Wonder in All Things is a new modern romance from award-winning author Karen M. Cox, inspired by the classic Jane Austen story, Persuasion.

IPPY Winner:  GOLD Metal for Romance



My review:

Could’ve, would’ve, should’ve were thoughts that played through Laurel Elliot’s mind often. She had many regrets about not going to Nashville with James Marshall, but what was done was done. She needed to push past the memories of him and move on with her life. Eight years had past since she told him she couldn’t go, and he walked out of her life.

Laurel stayed in college and earned a liberal arts degree. Working and living in the little cabin her grandparents owned, she creates beautiful pieces of pottery. With her simple lifestyle, the pottery she sells earns enough to make ends meet. Laurel still works down at her father’s marina once a week, going over the books and doing payroll. Life is much the same for her as the day James left. 

I love how down to earth Laurel is; she is sensible and stable. She is happy with her solitary life, until the day James comes back to spend the summer at the lake. Seeing him again, Laurel realizes how much she still loves him and how terribly lonely she truly is.

James Marshall had come along way in his life. Now rich and successful, he seemed to have it all, but does he? Deep down he isn’t happy. He can’t forget Laurel. There was no one who could even compare to her. He thought if he could see her again, see her for the real person she is, not the fantasy he had create of her, then, maybe he could move on with his life.

Just like Captain Wentworth in Persuasion, James annoyed me with his indifference, his flirting with Heather and Carrie, his stubborn bullheadedness, but that all melted away when he finally tells Laurel his feelings, but not in a letter, with a song. 

Set in the foothills of the Appalachians, Karen Cox transported me to a simpler lifestyle, with the description of the lake, marina, isolated cabin, and the sound of the gravel crunching in the driveway. I could see the bright stars in a dark, warm summer night. In the prologue, Cox, takes us all the way back to their youth, giving us a glimpse of how James, and his friend, Stu, Laurel and her sister, Virginia, would spend their days together. The lazy days of summer exploring caves around the lake or spending time fishing. I love the nostalgic feel of it.

Find Wonder in All Things is a Persuasion inspired romance. This is a beautiful story! I loved it!

5 out of 5 stars

I won my copy of this book from Darcyholic Diversions.

Buy a copy here. (Disclaimer: link to Amazon. Should you purchase a copy of the book through the link provide, I will receive a small commission. Thanks.)

About the Author:

Karen Cox was born in Everett, Washington, and moved around the country until her family returned to their home state of Kentucky when she was eleven.  She still lives there with her husband, son and daughter —in a quiet little town that is similar to the ones in her stories.

Karen has been a Jane Austen fan for twenty years.  She became enamored of Jane Austen fan-fiction in 2006 and began posting stories on-line in 2009.  She is the author of two published works: 1932, a variation on Pride & Prejudice; and Find Wonder in All Things, a modern romance inspired by Persuasion. Both titles have been honored with Independent Publishers Book Awards in the Romance category for 2011 and 2012.

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