Tag Archives: women’s fiction

Review: Is This What I Want?

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Image from Goodreads

Four difficult months have passed since Beth’s husband Rick discovered her affair with a former student. The couple has worked hard in therapy to salvage their marriage and understand their roles in everything that happened. Things are looking up until Dave reappears, awakening Beth’s fantasies of what could have been had she taken their affair to the next level. Now that she is faced with another opportunity, Beth battles an even more impossible dilemma than the first time she was caught in Dave’s web.

Amidst the trouble in her marriage and pressure to shield her children from the discord, Beth is also called upon to help her two best friends, both with serious problems of their own. The stress sparks temptation to seek comfort in her favorite vices. But she knows she can’t hide if she wants to save what matters most. The question is, what does she want?

(Blurb from Goodreads)

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****This is book two of a series so this review will definitely be a spoiler if you have not read book one, Is This All There Is?****

See my review for Is This All There Is?

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As you read in the synopsis, Beth and Rick are working things out, and then BAM, Dave ends up in Beth’s class!!  Beth is honest to Rick about it though, but it obviously doesn’t help their marriage.  But just like the title suggests, Beth really still doesn’t know what she wants.

You know if you’ve read the first book, right before Beth was about to sleep with Dave, Rick called so it never happened.  So Beth has been building up that moment in her head.  The thing is, the grass usually seems greener on the other side doesn’t it?  Usually your imagination is way better than the real thing. But Beth still isn’t seeing clearly, and one of her new friends isn’t really the best influence which also doesn’t help her out.

So, I was shocked at what happened in this book, to be honest.  I wasn’t expecting it.  But again, that’s what makes it so good.  And just like the first book, I totally didn’t agree with Beth’s decisions.  But again, that’s what makes it a good book.

So yes, I really liked it and definitely recommend.

My Rating: 4 stars 

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***I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.  I work for Booktrope Publishing which is also the publishing company of this book.  However, I receive no monetary or any kind of compensation for sales of this book, or for writing a positive review.  This review was my honest opinion.*** 

Review: Is This All There Is?

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Image from Goodreads

Image from Goodreads

Beth Thomas’ seemingly perfect life is about to take a detour. At thirty-five, she’s married to her college sweetheart, has two adorable kids, and finds fulfillment teaching part time at the local university. 

But when a friend persuades her to go dancing on a rare night out, a chance meeting with a handsome former student changes the course of her life. Loud music, too much to drink, and the thrill of feeling young again lead to an unforgettable kiss that was never supposed to happen. Beth feels wanted again, listened to, cared for, but she knows it’s wrong. 

She tries to put the memory behind her, but he pursues her, drawing Beth back to temptation. As she travels deeper into Dave’s world, Beth struggles to choose between what her mind says is right and what she truly craves.

(Blurb from Goodreads)

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It’s funny how as you grow up your tastes change. Maybe you start to like coffee when  you hated it before.  Healthy food is more appealing.  And the genres you read switch as do the phases in life.  I’m not really a *Women’s Fiction* reader, but this book hit home with me on so many levels.

As I was reading it, I felt like, oh my God, someone who feels like me!  And I’m not talking about the cheating aspect AT ALL.  I’m talking about the loneliness of motherhood.  The part of motherhood that no one seems to talk about.  Because it is lonely, especially if you don’t take time for yourself to take care of you; and that is what started Beth’s dilemma.

I really enjoyed this book and was easily pulled into Beth’s world and thoughts.  I definitely did not agree with her choices, at all.  But if I did agree with what she did all the time, that would be a pretty boring book now wouldn’t it.

Thank you Patricia Mann for helping me get lost for a little while.  I definitely recommend.

My Rating: 4 1/2 stars 

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***I downloaded this book for free on Amazon while it was on promotion. I also want to disclose that I work for Booktrope Publishing, the same company that published this book. I do not get compensated in any way for writing a positive review of this book. My thoughts are entirely my own and not swayed in any way.***

Review: Blogger Girl

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Image from Goodreads

Image from Goodreads

What happens when your high school nemesis becomes the shining star in a universe you pretty much saved? Book blogger Kimberly Long is about to find out. A chick lit enthusiast since the first time she read “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” Kim, with her blog, “Pastel is the New Black,” has worked tirelessly by night to keep the genre alive, and help squash the claim that “chick lit is dead” once and for all. Not bad for a woman who by day ekes out a meager living as a pretty, and pretty-much-nameless, legal secretary in a Manhattan law firm. While Kim’s day job holds no passion for her, the handsome (and shaving-challenged) associate down the hall is another story. Yet another story is that Hannah Marshak, one of her most-hated high school classmates, has now popped onto the chick lit scene with a hot new book that’s turning heads—and pages—across the land. It’s also popped into Kim’s inbox – for review. With their ten-year high school reunion drawing near, Kim’s coming close to combustion over the hype about Hannah’s book. And as everyone around her seems to be moving on and up, she begins to question whether being a “blogger girl” makes the grade in her off-line life.

Blurb from Goodreads

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When I saw the title of this book I knew I had to read it.  I mean, come on, I’m a blogger girl myself.  I was never really into chick lit, but I find myself being drawn to it lately.  Or maybe it’s just because the chick lit books I’m reading lately are better books.  Either way, this was the second Meredith Schorr book I’ve read (I still need to write a review for the 1st) and I really enjoyed it.

Besides being a blogger myself, I didn’t really relate to Kim, the main character, at all.  But that didn’t bother me.  After all, I like to read to escape, not to read about myself.  And Kim was a confident, likeable character to read about.

Schorr pulled me into the story with ease, a story in which I read in two nights.  I have a five year old and one year old twins, so take that into consideration.  I don’t waste my limited free time.  Honestly, the last thing I thought after reading this book was contacting her book manager to say send me all of Schorr’s books for review.  🙂

My Rating: 4 stars

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***Disclosure.  I work for Booktrope Publishing which is also the publishing company of this book.  However, I receive no monetary or any kind of compensation for sales of this book, or for writing a positive review.  This review was my honest opinion. And I was given a free copy in exchange for my honest review.***

Napoleon (Layers of Veronica #1) Review

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Title:  Napoleon (Layers of Veronica #1)  Napoleon

Author:  Emilia Rutigliano

Published:  2013 by Emilia Rutigliano

Genre:  Women’s Fiction

Purchase Napoleon from Amazon

 

Veronica is a great mother, friend, and lawyer.  Her ex-husband is having a baby with his new wife, which is fine with Veronica as long as the new wife treats her kids well, and she does.  Veronica has a lot of self confidence in the courtroom and in the bedroom.   She sleeps around with no strings attached and that’s the way she likes it to be.  But Veronica starts to meet certain men and develops stronger feelings for them.  Will she meet that special someone who she can’t live without, or will she continue to live her life the way she does because after all she is happy, isn’t she?

It’s hard to like a book when you don’t like the morals that you’re presented with.  I really did like Veronica.  She’s a great mom, and an awesome friend.  She’s there for everyone when needed.  As a lawyer, she also excels.  She’s been a lawyer for years so it comes naturally at this point in her life.  And the fact that she sleeps around, I couldn’t care less.  The only thing that bothers me is that she prefers married men so there are no strings attached.  Her husband cheated on her and got another woman pregnant.  Veronica doesn’t act hurt by it, but I’m sure she was/is.  Doesn’t she realize that she is doing the same thing to someone else’s wife?  It’s obviously the men’s fault as well; they’re not getting off the hook here.  It’s just that she doesn’t seem to feel bad for the men’s wives in the least.  That’s what bothers me.

Anyways, the book itself was well written and fast moving.  I did get a little confused when she met Jeremy, a successful and married man, and he tries to explain to her about different levels and layers of her life.  I just didn’t understand what was going on.  He was trying to give her an education on how to get more out of life and more money I believe.  I don’t know, I just didn’t get it.

There was a rape, not really scene cause it wasn’t, we, the readers, just know that it happened.  Anyways, it was horrible but during the after effects of the rape there were some significant spelling errors.  Semen was spelled ‘seamen’ a few times.  Now honestly, I was glad for the error because it made me laugh and I needed that laugh during that scene to take me back to reality.

The ending didn’t give me closure at all.  In fact, I made a note in my kindle saying, “what??????”  I know that this is the first book in a series but I just feel that some sort of closure would have been nice.

Looking at what I wrote it sounds like I’m ripping apart this book, but I’m really not trying to.  Again, it was for the most part a fast moving enjoyable read.  All and all, definitely a good book.

 

My Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 stars

~Pam

*****I received this book free from Pump Up Your Book in exchange for an honest review.*****

****Image provided by Pump Up Your Book.****

Napoleon Book Spotlight

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Title: Napoleon  Napoleon

Genre: Women’s Fiction with an Attitude

Author: Emilia Rutigliano

Publisher: Emilia Rutigliano

Purchase Napoleon from Amazon
 

 

 

They say that when a student is ready, a teacher appears.

What they don’t say is where to register, and how to matriculate in that teacher’s class.

That is a divine gift.

Veronica had it all:  the looks; the brains; the personality; and the wardrobe.  Not to mention a perfect husband, a fabulous career and two adorable children, until the perfect husband leaves her for another woman.

Thus begin the daily routines of a typical New York City immigrant with ambition whose teachers keep appearing, and for whom divine interventions keep affording new opportunities.

Though it starts like ordinary connections going through the tried and true, each relationship continues to delve into parts of her own universe that Veronica didn’t know existed.  A universe that is suddenly open to her.

This is a different kind of heroine…

Welcome to the New American Dream, Dare to Dream…

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BOOK EXCERPT:

“You see the details and you are awed by them.  It shows in your dress, in your manner, in how you look at things, how you eat…  It’s all art.  No amount of money or education can give it to you.  You either see it, or you don’t.”  He took another sip.

He was about to tie it all together for her.  “Our society works in layers…”

“Oh, my god … what did you just say?”  Her eyes opened wide, and she stared at him.  But he didn’t see what was so shocking.

“Our society works in layers.  Notice I didn’t say levels.  It’s not linear.”  This was important.  He needed her to see this.  “Think of it this way.  You consider a person’s worth by their financial statement.  This is how much you earn/own, and this is how much you owe/spend.  Like, John Smith is worth a billion dollars.  With me so far?”

She shook her head … Someone else subscribes to the layers theory? She continued to stare at him.

“You transcend that, Veronica.  There are several more layers of you that you don’t even know.  You know that you are very beautiful, but you also have this magnificent charisma, this affect on people.  You talk with your clients, your friends, your kids, and with me on completely different “layers”… like a napoleon, yes?”

She nodded her head, still in awe.

“It isn’t that one layer is better than the other, although some will argue that the soaked bottom is best because it has the most flavor; others will say the flaky top is best; still others prefer the middle because it is just the right amount.  But one cannot exist without the other.  I would very much like to see you discover the layers of yourself.  There are many that you have not discovered, and it’s only because no one has taught you.  You excel in things that you do.  You’re quite a virtuoso, and I’d like to teach you about more.  Interested?“

I’m being presented with an opportunity.  Am I even hearing this correctly?  Did he just say that there is another world, layers, that I am worthy of attaining, and that he would like to help me reach and discover these layers?  Wasn’t that what I was hoping for when we first met … to learn from him?   Concentrate, Nika, this is serious.  “I’m more than interested, Jeremy, but I’m unaware of what is required of me.”

He smiled.  “Good question. There are many layers here, but let’s deal with the first two.  First things first… you have trust issues.”

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About the Author:

Emilia I. Rutigliano scored fiftieth percentile on her SATs… and on her LSATs… and on her BAR…Sigh…

But she nevertheless survived, and seems to be doing OK. She practices Law (read lore) in Brooklyn, New York (read Nu Yawk). She was born in the former Soviet Union, and emigrated in 1979. She is happily married to the same crazy Italian she’s been with since college, who suffers from a severe addition to travel (still in acute form). Together they are doing a somewhat passable job with their three precious darlings (who are now teenagers, thus elaboration is not necessary).

Which is why Emilia writes about Veronica. Veronica, though… is interesting. And Emilia knows interesting.

So she weaved the tale about the interesting characters, places and events from her own life. It is remarkable how if you choose to view a subject objectively, it becomes downright artistically gorgeous. So Emilia views and shows Brooklyn Russians as gorgeous, and the Barese intricacies as gorgeous, and she even tolerates Paris, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia for the reader’s interests.

Thank you, dear reader, for tolerating these scenes….

Her first book in the Layers of Veronica series is Napoleon.

Visit Emilia Rutigliano’s website at www.layersofveronica.com.

Connect & Socialize!

TWITTER * FACEBOOK

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Review on Napoleon to come soon!!

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****All images and wording were provided by Pump Up Your Book.****