Book Review: Forgotten Dreams by Alexia Banks

Book Review: Forgotten Dreams
By: Alexia Banks
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Paranormal Romance
3 Heart Review
Excerpt

Book Blurb:
Shane Connelly – a pretty young entrepreneur – is determined to shake things up as she leaves her drone of a boyfriend Marc, and the mean streets of Miami far behind. She goes in search of greener pastures in the North Carolina mountains, but finds it’s anything but the perfect spot to while away the hot summer months.

Her recently acquired country home turns out to be a burned out hovel in the middle of nowhere – and after a series of unexplained and chilling visions – she suspects it’s haunted. With her hopes dashed before her adventure can even begin, she is about to head home when a handsome stranger unexpectedly arrives at her doorstep.

Before she can beat a trail out of Swan Creek wine country, Shane and her handsome Cherokee neighbor Jesse are inexplicably drawn together as they dodge bullets, unearth ghosts, and unravel a dark town secret. As events reach a surprising conclusion, Shane realizes that it’s not the high altitude that’s making her head spin, but her tall lover with the penetrating dark eyes.

The plot of this story was unique and interesting and I felt Mrs. Banks did a good job of unfolding the journey she was taking the heroine on. I also thought she did a great job of creating a full cast of characters in a short work which made the story feel more complete, not to mention that the side characters really added to the story. Many shorter stories fail to include supporting characters that actually reflect on the hero and heroine, but Forgotten Dreams provides extras that help us see the hero and heroine more fully.

I did want more development of the relationship between the hero and heroine. Time passes in the story and their relationship seems to grow and develop off the page in those in-between times more so than on the page. It made the story feel much more plot driven apart from the romance, instead of being romance centric. This was one of my main issues with the story, but if you don't mind the lighter focus on romance, then it might not be as much of a concern for you.

The meeting between the hero and heroine was a scene that I felt was slightly off. The circumstances are definitely creative, but I still had a hard time with how each reacted to the other. The scene felt a little over the top and dramatic for how the two characters had been portrayed up to that point. Both the hero and heroine came across as rude and even mean during that meet-up and that didn't flow with their personalities in the rest of the story. 

Most of all though, I wanted to read more of the romance. I wanted to really understand why the heroine Shane and hero Jesse fall for each other and I wanted to live through it with them. Give me more budding romance scenes! :) 

The plot really is the star of this story and I'll be looking for more books by Mrs. Banks based on that alone. If you are looking for a interesting paranormal story that's lighter on the romance side, you might enjoy Forgotten Dreams by Alexia Banks.  

Happy Reading! 
Cheeky Girl Sabrina 

Meet Alexia Banks:


Amazon Link for Forgotten Dreams
website: www.alexiabanksromance.com

Twitter: @alexiabanks2

Facebook: facebook.com/

alexiabanksromance

Monday Morning Cuteness!

Did you attend storytime as a kid or do you take your kids now? Oh, how I wish there had been doggies at my storytimes! Could you image books and dog snuggling all in one!?!?


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Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Book Review: Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins

Book Review: Somebody to Love 
By: Kristan Higgins
Publisher: HQN - Contemporary Romance 
4 Heart Review 

Book Blurb:

After her father loses the family fortune in an insider-trading scheme, single mom Parker Welles is faced with some hard decisions. First order of business: go to Gideon’s Cove, Maine, to sell the only thing she now owns—a decrepit house in need of some serious flipping. When her father’s wingman, James Cahill, asks to go with her, she’s not thrilled…even if he is fairly gorgeous and knows his way around a toolbox.

Having to fend for herself for the first time in her life, Parker signs on as a florist’s assistant and starts to find out who she really is. Maybe James isn’t the glib lawyer she always thought he was. And maybe the house isn’t the only thing that needs a little TLC…

Right up front I have to say I'm a huge Kristan Higgins fan girl. Every single book I've read of hers has been an above average to a full-blown *squee* read. So to say I was excited to read this book is a huge understatement. 

The heroine Parker is a character I met in a previous Higgins' book The Next Best Thing, a book I ADORED. It wasn't that I hadn't liked her, but she hadn't really called out to me from that book as a heroine in the making. 

Enter Somebody to Love and James Cahill. Although this was not my favorite of Higgins' books, it is a wonderful read full of everything that makes Higgins an auto-buy for me, deep emotion that's carefully developed in characters you will laugh and cry with. The realness of emotion is what I feel Higgins does like few others and it keeps me coming back for more. 

While I finally got Parker right off, it took much more time for me to warm up to the hero James. Even as I continued to read he was the one thing I felt just a little off to making the full on connection with me. I wanted...more. More depth of emotion I think. It was almost there. Really, so close. Maybe I needed the emotion earlier or this might have been one time I needed some back-story earlier. 

All in all, another heart-tugging, funny-bone tickling story from Kristan Higgins. She has yet to disappoint me, and sometimes she knocks it completely out of the park. Once again, I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. 

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Best Romance Books of 2011 - RITA Winners

So if you're like me, there's not enough time in your schedule to read every single book you'd like to. It's also impossible to keep up with new to new to me authors while also getting my "Oh my god I love her" author's books in. That normally means that for some books that earned so many reader's love, I'm behind on getting them worked into my reading schedule. 


For those of you looking for a great read, the following book officially won the RITA award for best romance books published in 2011. I hope you find a few you haven't read and can enjoy! 


Do you agree with the winners below? Which one didn't you read the 1st time around and can't wait to read now? 


Winner for Paranormal Romance: 
Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison 

Winner for Romance Novella: 
I Love The Earl by Caroline Linden 

Winner for Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements:
How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal




Winner for Best First Book: 
First Grave on The Right by Darynda Jones 

Winner for Best Historical Romance 
The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne 

Winner for Inspirational Romance: 
The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller 

Winner for Contemporary Series Romance Suspense/Adventure: 
Solider's Last Stand by Cindy Dees

Contemporary Single Title Romance: 
Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe

Winner for Regency Historical Romance 
A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare

Winner for Young Adult Romance: 
Enclave by Ann Aguirre 

Winner for Contemporary Series Romance: 
Doukakis' Apprentice by Sarah Morgan 

Winner for Romantic Suspense: 
New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb

Monday Morning Cuteness - AWESOME BULLDOG PUPPIES!

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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The Inn At Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber - Free Excerpt!

The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber (Preview)

Win an e-Reader! Pimp My Read Contest Details

The Pimp My Read Contest:

Pimp My Read is your chance to win one of four fantastic e-readers, as well as best-selling,  super-sexy, fun contemporary romances by authors Ruthie Knox, Sarah Mayberry, Shannon Stacey, and Molly O’Keefe. This week, we four authors bedeck ourselves in (virtual) feathers and gold chains, climb on top of our Pimp Caddies, and sing the praises of e-readers and digital books at four fantastic romance review sites: Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, Smexybooks, Dear Author, and The Season for Romance. 


At every site, one of us is giving away an e-reader, as well as prizes for runners-up. If you’ve been on the fence about which e-reader to get, or even why you would get one—or if you love your e-reader to bits and are dying to convert a friend or family member to the digital side—this is the contest you’ve been waiting for!

The Prizes

• Sarah Mayberry is giving away a Kindle Touch 3G at Smexybooks
• Shannon Stacey is giving away a Nook SimpleTouch with Glowlight at Dear Author
• Ruthie Knox is giving away a Kindle Keyboard 3G at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
• Molly O’Keefe is giving away a Kobo Touch at The Season for Romance

The winner of each e-reader and two runners-up at each site will also receive Exclusively Yours, Undeniably Yours, and Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey, Her Best Worst Mistake and Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry, About Last Night and Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox, and Can’t Buy Me Love by Molly O’Keefe.

How To Enter

To enter, visit one or all of the four host sites and leave a comment explaining either (a) why you want to win this e-reader for yourself or (b) why you want to win it for someone else. Please include your e-mail address in the appropriate comment field so we have a way of contacting you if you win. Your e-mail address will not be visible to the general commenting public.

The Fine Print

1. Feel free to increase your chances of winning by entering once at each of the four sites! But please, only one entry per site. Deliberate multiple comments on any individual e-reader giveaway post will get you disqualified.

2. The contest opens on each site when the post goes live and closes at 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, July 20.

3. Ruthie, Sarah, Shannon, and Molly will choose the winners from among the comments on the site where each posts. Feel free to entertain us or tug at our heartstrings — we’ll pick the winners whose comments most effectively sway us!

4. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

5. This contest is open internationally. The e-readers on offer will work in many, but not all, countries. Please be aware that geographical restrictions may affect your ability to use/enjoy your prize.

Monday Morning Cuteness!

This cute little guy was too cute to pass up this morning. Hope this is the start of a great week for you!



see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

Monday Morning Cuteness!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

Meg Cabot's Size 12 And Ready To Rock Book Trailer

This book trailer totally cracked me up. Enjoy!

Are you a Meg Cabot fan? Read the other books in the Heather Wells mystery Series? This new one is in stores July 10th. Happy Reading! 

Summer Sale on Cheeky Reads Ads!

Cheeky Reads is having a Summer Sale on site ads! 

Ads start as low as $8 and include additional promo extras like sponsor spotlights and featured tweets. 

Email cheekyreads@gmail.com for details on what's available, pricing and additional promo ideas. 

Review: Tempest in the Tea Leaves By Kari Lee Townsend

Tempest in the Tea Leaves (A Fortune Teller Mystery)
By Kari Lee Townsend 
Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
3 Heart Review

Leaving the Big Apple for the quaint town of Divinity, New York, Sunny is determined to make it on her own as a psychic. With an ancient Victorian house as her place of business, Sunny uses various psychic methods to aid the town's residents. But when she uses tea leaves to give a reading for a frazzled librarian, what she finds at the bottom of the cup is anything but helpful.

Sunny informs the police of her deadly vision, but her warning is too late. And with hard-nosed, ruggedly handsome Detective Mitch Stone denying her abilities and name her prime suspect, the situation is dire. Now Sunny has to use her visions to clear her name, before the killer can put an end to the psychic's future...

I picked this book up at the library because I'm always up for a cozy mystery - especially one that hints at a romance - and this one plainly stated on it's cover that it was the first book in a new series. Win! I wish more publishers would play that up on covers since I like trying out a new series before there are 5 books more to read...

I really enjoyed the author's voice and that this was a cozy with a slightly younger - 29 years old - heroine. As much as I want to shout that there should be older characters in romance, cozies can sometimes take the age thing in the other direction too much. Beyond the age, the heroine Sunny Meadows is also unique and refreshing for a cozy. She still has that "outsider who never really fit in" thing going for her that most cozy heroines do, but she feels fresher. My issues with the book didn't have anything to do with Sunny.

I did have slight problems with the hero Mitch Stone because I found him to be a little wooden and not necessarily because his character is supposed to be guarded and stoic. He just doesn't feel entirely fleshed out and his dialog seems slightly off. He has potential though and I hope that Mrs. Townsend will develop him further in the next book.

The biggest issue I had was with a plot point in the book. From the back cover blurb you know that Sunny has to work to clear her name and I can't go into too many details or I'll be spoiling part of the plot, but how she gets involved in the investigation was really not believe. It took a giant leap of faith for a reader to believe and unfortunately I didn't think it was done in a way that allowed me to take that leap.

Tempest in the Tea Leaves is a solid and fun cozy mystery and I liked the premise and the characters enough that I'll be picking up the next in the series to see if some of my issues get worked out. I do think Kari Lee Townsend has a fresh, sweet voice I really found pleasing to read. I'll be looking for more books by her in the future.

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Monday Morning Cuteness - Tuesday Edition

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 Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

My Fair Concubine Winner!

As selected by Random.org, the winner of an autorgraphed copy of My Fair Concubine by Jeannie Lin is...


bn100! 


I'll email you for your mailing address and get the book out to you soon. 


Happy Reading! 

Book Review: My Fair Concubine by Jeannie Lin & Autographed Copy Giveaway

Book Review: My Fair Concubine
By: Jeannie Lin
Harlequin Historicals June 2012
Genre: Historical Romance
4 Heart Review
Excerpt

My Fair Concubine Blurb:
The Nobleman Who Turned A Tea Girl Into A Princess... 

Yan Ling tries hard to be servile - it's what's expected of a girl of her class. Being intelligent and strong-minded, she finds it a constant battle. 

Proud Fei Long is unimpressed by her spirit - until he realizes she's the answer to his problems. He has to deliver the emperor a "princess." In two months can he train a tea girl to pass as a noblewoman? 

Yet it's hard to teach good etiquette when all Fei Ling wants to do is break it, by taking this tea girl for his own... 

This book is a historical set during the Chinese Tang Dynasty and that alone was enough to tempt me to read it. The fact that it was written by Jeannie Lin made me want to put it at the top of my TBR pile. Oh, and it didn't hurt that the cover is stunning! 

I absolutely ADORE that Harlequin has published historicals not just set in England or about the Ton. I mean there's a world full of history and I'm fascinated by Chinese history. I hope readers will support these books to show Harlequin that we want more unique settings in our historical romances!

I loved that this story takes place over a few months time. In category, very often the romance is fast and furious and with few additional characters. My Fair Concubine not only lets the characters develop, but the were a handful of very well developed and interesting side characters that added a richness to the story and I'm hoping that we will see a few of them in future books. 

In addition to the longer romantic timeline, I felt that Lin did an outstanding job of letting the feelings between the hero and heroine build internally before letting them show their feelings externally. In fact, the hero Fei Long stays so true to his sense of honor that once he finally reveals his feelings to himself and Yan Ling, the reader will be swept along in the emotion. 

As much as I appreciated that level of layered writing, I somehow was left wishing for a little more interaction between Yan Ling and Fei Long. a few more scenes of them spending time together, and not just quietly being in a room together, would have taken the story to the next level for me. That's not to say that I didn't appreciate how the tension built in those quiet moments.

If you are a fan of historical romances I highly recommend not only this book, but also Jeannie's previous Tang Dynasty books. I'd love to see more readers helping to support more diversity in settings and heroes and heroines. 

Enter to win an autographed copy of My Fair Concubine! 

Leave a comment below answering one of these questions: Have you ever read a unique setting in a historical romance? Do you want to see more diversity in characters? Have you read one of Jeannie's other books and what did you think about it? 

1 extra entry if you Tweet the contest & link in comments. 
1 extra entry if you share the contest on Facebook & link in comments. 

I'll randomly pick a winner Friday May 25th. Make sure to include your address so I can contact you. Contest open to US and Canada only. 

Looking for the next 50 Shades of Grey?

Everyone, and really I mean everyone, has talked or heard about 50 Shades of Grey. Personally, I haven't read it and don't think I plan to. That's more so because it's not a genre I would typically pick up myself than for any other reason.

It seems that every other book that comes out is being called the next 50 Shades of Grey. I can't speak to that, but I can share some of those books so that if you did read and enjoy 50 Shades, you can try some other books out.

The latest entry in this is Eden Bradley's The Dark Garden. Check out the free excerpt below to try it out!

Monday Morning Cuteness!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

Monday Morning Cuteness

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz! This guy was just too cute to pass up posting today! Hope your week if off to a great start.

Monday Morning Cuteness!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

Brenda Novak's Charity Auction Is Live!

Brenda Novak's Annual Auction For The Cure of Diabetes is Live! 

There are amazing items up for grabs for readers, writers and everyone else! Books & arcs, meetings with authors, vacations, purses, conference fees, editor critiques - the list of things to bid on goes on and on! Not only can you win awesome stuff, but you're helping fund amazing research and the amount you pay might be tax deductible! (According to your state I believe.)


About the Auction From Brenda's Press Kit: 
Every year, for the month of May, New York Times and USA Today Best-selling Author Brenda Novak runs an online auction for diabetes research. The auction takes a full year to plan and pull off, but it’s a labor of love—an effort to help all the people who, like her youngest son, suffer from diabetes. Her very first auction ran in 2005. It started small but has grown every year by leaps and bounds. 


Yearly totals to date: 
2005 - $34,982 
2006 - $62,705 
2007 - $141,700 
2008 - $252,300 
2009 - $270, 611 
2010 - $303,000 
2011 - $303,300 


The Brenda Novak Online Auction for Diabetes Research is the biggest online event for diabetes research in the world. Each year, with the help of generous donors--which include some of the biggest and brightest stars in publishing, like Nicholas Sparks, Nora Roberts, Diana Gabaldon, Steve Berry and Janet Evanovich--Brenda offers up over 2000 fabulous items, creating a shopper’s paradise. As a cumulative total, she’s raised $1,368,598. But the auction is more than your everyday charity gala. It’s a blast to participate in--a real community. They do drawings and give away prizes. Shoppers quickly become donors and donors quickly become shoppers. It’s an outstanding fundraising model! 


Here’s to making a difference... 


Go Forth And Bid! I'll be featuring some items I think rock in the next few weeks so keep an eye out for things you can't live without!

~ Cheeky Girl Sabrina 

Monday Morning Cuteness!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

The look on his face is priceless! 

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Lori Foster's A Perfect Storm Blog Tour - Win a Copy!

Welcome to Lori Foster's A Perfect Storm Blog Tour! 

Your Excerpt From A Perfect Storm: 

“Oh, aren’t you the generous one?”

He sighed. “The sneer is unappealing. Just tell me what it is.”

The narrowing of her eyes emphasized their pale, bright blue color and the thickness of her long, inky lashes. She drew two deep breaths, making it tough for him to keep his attention off her chest.

“It’s my birthday.”

Huh. Of all the things he’d imagined, that wasn’t one of them. It wasn’t even one of the top fifty. “Your birthday?” he said stupidly.

“Yeah, you know, the day I was born. Not under a rock, in case you’re wondering.” When he stayed mute, she added, “I’m twenty-one now. A legal adult. Not a little girl, like you keep saying.”

Find your next excerpt of A Perfect Storm at http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/

Now, welcome Lori Foster to Cheeky Reads - Advice for Aspiring Romance Novelists: 

I suggest that budding romance writers write what excites them. Avoid the traps of trying to jump on the bandwagon, or emulate a successful author. If it’s not YOU, you won’t enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy it, why would anyone else?

Some writers prefer stand alone books. Some, like me, have characters that take over and show up again and again.  Some like writing sweet romances, and some like super-steamy and explicit. It is such an amazingly personal thing that you can’t, and should never try to, write for anyone but yourself.

I’ve had books that readers hated. Some that readers *really* hated. LOL. But I’m a realist. I know I can’t please all the readers all of the time. When disappointed readers write to me, I apologize. I AM sorry that they spent time on a book they didn’t enjoy. 

But will I change what I’m doing for them? I can’t.

What works for me is writing what I want, what I enjoy, the way that I want to write it, and the way that works for me. All writers should do the same.

Another tip for new writers – stay away from critique groups. It’s YOUR book, not a book by committee. Just because your critique partner doesn’t like it, just because she thinks it’s awkward, doesn’t mean you need to change it. The only opinions that matter are #1) yours, and #2) the editor’s.  Your critique partner cannot buy your book. All she can really do is point out typos, which is great, discourage you with criticism, which is self-defeating, or bolster you with praise, which may or may not jive with an editor’s opinion.

So avoid it.

Contests can also be a catch 22. Sure, you get immediate feedback and sometimes you get a connection with an editor or agent. But you also get immediate gratification – something you should get after you’ve _finished the book!_ NOT because you’ve written one to three chapters.

I’ve know unpubs who’ve polished that first chapter a dozen times. It’s been submitted in at least that many contests. It’s even placed in a few, or won in some. But the whole book? Why finish a book when you can send just one chapter in to win another contest?

Contests make it so easy to lose sight of the end goal – which is publication. 

New writers – keep your eye on that end goal! As soon as you finish a book and get it mailed off, start another. And another.


Thanks Lori! 

Don't forget to keep following the blog tour! Check out this link for all the information:  http://booktrib.com/blog-tour-a-perfect-storm-by-lori-foster/

Giveaway: The awesome team at Media Muscle is allowing me to giveaway 1 copy of A Perfect Storm to a lucky reader! Tell me what you love the most about romantic suspense and high-octane heroes and you'll be entered to win! 


Open in the US and Canada, a winner will be randomly selected on Friday April 20th. So leave a comment and include your email so I can forward your information to Media Muscle! 

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Mary Balogh's The Proposal - Read An Excerpt Before It Goes on Sale 5/1/12

The Proposal by Mary Balogh

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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My Fair Concubine by Jeannie Lin Book Trailer

Available June 2012 From Harlequin Historical - I CANNOT wait to read this one!

Eloisa James' New Release Paris In Love: Video & Preview Excerpt!

Excerpt: Paris in Love by Eloisa James (an excerpt)

Winners of Jane Green's Another Piece of My Heart!

The winners of a copy of Jane Green's Another Piece of My Heart are: 


Mariann & Kristin!


Ladies, I will email you for your information to pass on to the publisher to make sure you get your books! 


Happy Reading! 


Cheeky Girl Sabrina 

Monday Morning Cuteness!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

As an animal lover and mom to 3 dogs, I'm a big supporter of organizations that help animals. Please consider adopting your next furry family member or including animal organizations in your charitable giving plans. Shelters can always use donations of cleaning supplies, old blankets, and all the things dogs and cats need. Every single thing helps! 


If you're interested, here is the ASPCA website with tons of information on easy ways you can help pets in your local area or ways to support laws that protect our furry pals. 

Book Review & Giveaway: Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green

Book Review: Another Piece of My Heart 
By: Jane Green 
Publisher: St. Martin's Press 
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Women's Fiction 
4 Heart Review 

Book Blurb: 

From the New York Times bestselling author of JEMIMA J, and THE BEACH HOUSE, comes Jane Green’s most emotional and powerful novel yet: a story that explores the complications of a woman marrying into a ready-made family, and the true meaning of motherhood.

Andi has spent much of her adult life looking for the perfect man, and at thirty-seven, she's finally found him.  Ethan--divorced with two daughters, Emily and Sophia--is a devoted father and even better husband.  Always hoping one day she would be a mother, Andi embraces the girls like they were her own. But in Emily’s eyes, Andi is an obstacle to her father’s love, and Emily will do whatever it takes to break her down. When the dynamics between the two escalate, they threaten everything Andi believes about love, family, and motherhood—leaving both women standing at a crossroad in their lives…and in their hearts.

ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART is a novel that illuminates the nuances and truths about relationships and is Jane Green at her absolute best.

While this book is Women's Fiction and not a Romance, the story itself does contain a very interesting romance for me between Andi and her husband Ethan. Although already married, this book takes you through the ups and downs they experience over a span of years that to me is nothing less than a romance story. There are so many possible things I could say about this book that would be a spoiler, so while my review is short please don't think this book doesn't deserve your attention - it totally does! 

As a fan of Jane Green books, I was excited to read this but must say it was slightly different from what I've read of hers before. There is still all the depth of emotion and insight readers would expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by the book's set-up in multiple Point of Views. 

You get to really see and understand how every bit of this book affects each of the characters. What's even more interesting to me as a reader is that Mrs. Green does not make these characters insanely likable, nor does she write them were they do everything perfectly. There are times you'll want to scream at the characters for being stupid or doing the wrong thing, but that's how life really is. 

Again, you won't fall in love with these characters, because they are so real and their shortcomings and issues are presented along with their strengths, but you will become engrossed in their story and want to see how it ends. 

A compelling and insightful look at the deep emotional bonds and turmoil that families face, you'll find yourself feeling like the author has tapped into the emotional vein of a specific family and shared it with you. 

About the Author

Jane Green is the author of twelve bestselling novels, dealing with real women, real life, and all the things in-between, with her trademark wisdom, wit and warmth. She contributes to various publications, both online and print, including Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, and assorted Anthologies.  Passionate about both food and the home, most weekends see her cooking up a storm in her home in Westport, Connecticut, where she lives by the beach with her husband and their many children.

Jane Green Links: 

www.JaneGreen.com
https://twitter.com/janegreen
http://www.facebook.com/authorJaneGreen


GIVEAWAY: Two Cheeky Reads readers will win a copy of Another Piece of My Heart! Leave a comment below letting me know if you like reading Women's Fiction in addition to romances, and if you've read and liked romances that feature an already married husband and wife. Make sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! 


Giveaway will end Saturday March 31st at Midnight and the winner announced on Monday, April 2nd. 

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Book Review: Legacy of the Highlands by Harriet Schultz

Book Review: Legacy of the Highlands
By: Harriet Schultz
Self-Published - Available at Amazon & Smashwords
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
2.5/3 Heart Review

Book Blurb:

When Will Cameron’s body is discovered in a Boston alley, the only clue to the thirty-four-year-old man’s murder is a pristine Scottish sgian dubh dagger left beside it. His devastated widow, Alexandra, flees Boston to find refuge in the Miami villa of Will’s best friend, Diego Navarro, who has the means, power and temperament to solve the puzzle and to avenge the senseless killing.

Diego, a handsome and wealthy Argentine, is equally determined to win the grieving widow’s heart. The growing attraction to each other becomes hard to resist as Alex and Diego follow leads that take them from Miami to Buenos Aires and Scotland, unraveling the Cameron family’s secrets and the Legacy of the Highlands.

Most of my blog and twitter followers know that I love a good romantic suspense.  I love the heightened emotions and truly I love to read about the villain getting his. I'm also a fan of historical fiction and so I was very excited to read this book by Harriet.

Let me start with the parts of the book I thought were done well, the historical research and the suspense.  The history included in this book is fascinating and I loved how it was presented. When the story was done, I immediately wanted to look up some of the things Harriet mentioned to see how much was creativity on her part and how much of it was real history. It's really amazing stuff! 

I also thought she created a compelling suspense story and the characters she created to move the suspense forward were interesting. She plotted the suspense portion of this story extremely well and it's not only fast paced, but you do keep trying to guess how this can come to a end, especially in light of the historical aspects of the story. 

What didn't work for me was the romance. Honestly, this book would have been so much better for me if it was a straight up suspense without the romance included. This might not be true for everyone as the reasons I have for the romance not working might not bother another reader. I can't go into too much detail in order not to let out any spoilers, but I just never bought into the romance situation or time-frame that it occurs in.

Likewise, the heroine is so different seeming between her suspense scenes vs. her romantic scenes it was to follow her story and believe in her romantic actions. It was hard to connect with the heroine since I didn't agree with what was going on romantically, which disappointed me since based on the first few chapters I really wanted to cheer for this character.

Style wise, the story set-up and flow were very well done but there were a few scenes that head-hopping pulled me out of the action sometimes. Mostly though, I was really into the historical story and also the suspense storyline and found that it propelled me along even if I wanted to forget the romantic plot that just didn't jive for me. It seemed almost as if the romance had been added to the story later to fit around the suspense.

Again, this would have made an excellent straight suspense story and the Scottish history alone is fascinating and worth the read.  Harriet moves a story along very well and her story was very entertaining. The romance just went into territory I couldn't buy in to so that didn't work, but it might for other readers. If you like Scottish history and suspense I think you'll enjoy this book for those alone!

Happy Reading! 

Cheeky Girl Sabrina 

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Book Review: Paris, My Sweet by Amy Thomas

Book Review: Paris, My Sweet: A Year in The City of Light (and Dark Chocolate)
By: Amy Thomas
Published By: Sourcebooks
Non-Fiction Memoir
4 Heart Review

Blurb From Goodreads: 
Part love letter to New York, part love letter to Paris, and total devotion to all things sweet. Paris, My Sweet is a personal and moveable feast that’s a treasure map for anyone who loves fresh cupcakes and fine chocolate, New York and Paris, and life in general. It’s about how the search for happiness can be as fleeting as a sliver of cheesecake and about how the life you’re meant to live doesn't always taste like the one you envisioned. Organized into a baker’s dozen of delicacies (and the adventures they inspired) that will tempt readers’ appetites, Paris, My Sweet is something to savor.

Yes, I know. This isn't really a romance but it is a love letter to Paris and New York and after my first trip to Paris last Fall I've been fantasizing about going back. I LOVED Paris and tried to soak up every second of time while I was there. So when this book came to my attention I just had to read it and I thought I would share it with you even if it isn't my typical book to review. 

Amy Thomas writes in such a way that even though I spent an idyllic week in Paris, I could so easily see the nuances of the city and the People that were both amazing and that later made her feel lonely. She picked up and conveyed so well those small little things that can throw you off in Paris. For instance, it just felt so alien to me not to smile at everyone I met and walked past on the street. I love Amy's inclusion of instances of how Parisians reacted to her smiling since I had the same experience. 

But what really drew me to this book, and I think you will love, are the amazing descriptions of the perfect desserts to be had all over Paris and their sometimes up to par counterparts in New York. You can read Amy's love of fine pastry and the work that goes into each small bite on every page. 

I mean this is the ultimate guide to eating in Paris (and New York) and you can bet I'll be using this as my sweet tooth guide the next time the hubby and I make it to Paris. A few of the places she includes in the book are ones we actually managed to find when we went and it was fun to relive the experience we had there. Others, I wish we had found! 

If you've ever wanted to go to Paris, or if you've been before, I think you'll enjoy this book that includes not only so much detail on Sweets in Paris, but also a taste of life living in the city as a foreigner and the awe that is discovering this city over and over. 

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Ever Feel This Way About Your Friends & Family?

It's DABWAHA Nomination Time!

Every year as March approaches I get more and more excited...not for March Madness, but for DABWAHA the Romance Book World's bracket madness eviqavlent!


The insanely awesome brainchild of Sarah from Smart Bitches Trashy Books and Jane from Dear Author, the DABWAHA is the romance readers ultimate battle of the books.


Basically, it's a line up of the best romance books for the past year based on different categories and you create a bracket of who you think will win in each round.


Check out all the details at the DAWAHA site and play along with us!

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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