Posts Tagged ‘Contemporary’

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This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry.

Read on to learn how you can win some books!

After reading my review, head on over to Sherry’s blog at fundinmental for more and check out her review. Two chances to win!

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I’m With You

by Taylor Dean

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My Review

The author reveals at the beginning that this book deals with the sensitive issues of baby loss grief. I’m very sensitive on this topic so it took me some time to read it.

I’ve enjoyed all of Taylor’s books, and I knew she’d take me down a hard path, sometimes dark, sometimes light.

Taylor Dean writes from her heart. You will feel all of the emotions; sadness, loss, hope, love. It’s always smart to have some tissues handy.

That being said, I loved this book. As I mentioned, it’s about love. Love for a tiny being yet to enter the world. Love for and from family and friends.

A couple are elated when they find they’ll soon have a baby to share their lives.

It’s about understanding. Understanding the all consuming grief over the loss of a child.

They are told the baby will not survive. It tests and breaks their bond.

It’s about consoling. How do you console someone who’s gone through such a life altering tragedy. What do you say. I’ve often struggled over what words to use when trying to comfort someone. If I’m very close to them, I often am just there. There when they need a shoulder to cry on. There just to be a comforting presence so they don’t feel alone.

A woman is lost in grief. Drowning in it.

It’s also about love. Love for a child. The most powerful feeling I’ve ever felt, for sure.

She’ll never forget her child. Even if she never gets to see him grow up. Share his life.

With the grief, comes the rage. Rage at others who couldn’t possibly understand. Jealousy of others who have what you lost.

What do you say to someone who’s suffered such a loss? How long before they should stop grieving?

So many stages of grief. But there’s another stage too. A light that begins to flicker, to grow stronger, brighter. That’s hope.

Life does go on, even when you don’t want it too. Someday, you will breathe again. Smile again.

I don’t want you to think that’s all this book focuses on. There’s a love story here. A journey to finding oneself.

While the author’s story is written from true events in her family’s life, the character’s and much of the story are fictional. I was torn between what I thought should happen and what I wanted to happen.

The characters are genuine. They hurt. They rejoice. You’ll want to gather them close. Grieve with them. Laugh with them. Celebrate life with them.

A story that tears at your heart but fills it too. I hope you read it.

  5 Stars

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Synopsis

Can three little words irrevocably change your life?

When the doctors inform Chloe Brennan that her pregnancy is “incompatible with life,” her subsequent choices will change her path forever.

She becomes one of the quiet, unsung heroes of this world, incredibly strong, yet somehow wrongly looked upon as damaged.

Three people will pierce Chloe’s existence: her husband, a stranger, and a precious baby.

One will say goodbye, one will say hello, and one will say both at the same time.

I’m With You is a novel about selfless love and the sacredness of life.

Please note: While this book is a romance novel, it also deals with the sensitive issue of baby loss grief.
The emotions are real, and sometimes dark.
If you are sensitive to this issue, this may not be the book for you.

Amazon

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About Taylor Dean

 

Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.

To find out what Taylor Dean is up to, follow the links below:

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Taylor Dean has a fantastic giveaway for you!
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Taylor Dean I'm With You Giveaway
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All you need to do to enter is answer the question below and leave your email so I may contact you if you win.
“Has a book ever made you cry?”

Giveaway will run from 3/29/6 – 4/11/16.

This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry at fundinmental.

Now hop on over to fundinmental, check out Sherry’s review, and enter for another chance to win  HERE.

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Books by Taylor Dean

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Click on the covers to see on Amazon.

And click on the links below to see my reviews.

5 Stars for Lancaster House and The Middle Aisle

5 Stars for Sierra

5 Stars for I Have People

3 Stars for Joshua’s Folly

5 Stars for For Nick

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB at Books And A Beat.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Teaser for this week is from

The Loft

The Memory House Collection #2

by Bette Lee Crosby

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Genre: Contemporary/Fantasy

My teaser is from page 72 in the paperback.

She picks through her favorite memories.

They are like pages of a much-loved book, worn and crumpled from use but never changing.

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Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

50 YEARS OF MEMORIES ARE HIDDEN IN THE WALLS OF THE LOFT…

Annie only needs to find one… the one that will save Oliver’s life.

On the day of their wedding, Annie saw nothing but happiness ahead, but when an accident calls her back to Memory House, her world is changed forever. Ophelia Browne, the woman who taught Annie to find the memories in a forgotten object, is leaving the house and she’s leaving all those powerful memories behind.

After only three nights in the loft, Annie must now find the single most meaningful memory in Oliver’s mind. If she finds it in time, she can save his life, if she doesn’t…well that’s something she can’t afford to think about.

Readers will welcome back the much-loved characters from Memory House and enjoy a few new friends!

AMAZON

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I just reviewed the first book, Memory House yesterday.

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Click on the cover to go to my review.

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How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Welcome to My Monday Minis Reviews where I share short reviews of books I’ve read. For today I’ll be sharing my review of

Memory House

The Memory House Collection #1

by Bette Lee Crosby

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My Review

I’ve read most of Bette Lee Crosby’s books and adored them. She has this southern flavor in her writing that appeals to my soul.

Memory House is the first book in the collection and enchants you right from the get go.

Ophelia is nearing 90 years old, and while she’s slowing down, she still has a lot of living to do. Searching from someone to pass her guardianship of treasures to, she waits for that someone to appear.

Ophelia can capture memories from objects. She feels their emotions, and sometimes visualizes them. She keeps the objects she comes across in her loft, keeping them alive to become others memories too. Perhaps that’s why so many of us are drawn to antiques and old things. We’re curious about them, wonder about the owners.

In walks Annie, looking for some time away after a bad break up with her boyfriend. She stumbles upon Memory House Bed & Breakfast, where a kind elderly woman welcomes her in. They quickly form a kinship and Ophelia feels that special someone has finally arrived. Now to see if she’s right.

I especially enjoyed it when Ophelia introduced her treasures to Annie. I recognized character’s the objects belonged to from some of her other books. It took me back to those beloved places and characters. A treat and such a clever idea.

Memory House a lovely read. Bette never fails to deliver engaging, step from the pages character’s that quickly become special friends to you. Her story is woven with magic. It entices, evokes your emotions, and you finish with a need for more.

I’m now reading the second book, The Loft, and it take places not too long after this book ends. Right back into this world and eagerly turning the pages.

5 Stars

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Synopsis

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A MEMORY TO OUTLIVE ITS OWNER?

Ophelia Browne knows the answer is yes. She knows because she’s been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for those forgotten memories. But now she’s nearing ninety, and Browne women seldom live beyond ninety.

Before time runs out Ophelia must find a successor. Someone who can take hold of the gifts and keep the memories from fading.

When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. The two women forge a bond of friendship as they sip magical dandelion tea and share stories. When Annie starts to sense the memories Ophelia is delighted, but then a thread of violence begins to unravel and Ophelia fears things have gone too far.

AMAZON

To get your copy of Memory House and view all of Bette Lee Crosby’s books, click on the link above or the book covers.

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This counts towards my 2016 Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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Welcome to The Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice.

 

This is a really fun meme!

The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.

Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!

My 56 for this week is from

 Somewhere Only We Know

by Cheyanne Young

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My 56

 If I had any class I’d show up in my dreams wearing a gorgeous Marie Antoinette-style dress and a pair of solid gold Chuck Taylors. My hair would be blue. I’ve always wanted blue hair.

I just received this book in the mail plus two others by Cheyanne, Motocross Me and Understudy. They all sound fun.

Read on if you want to know more.

Synopsis

Sadie Bradford’s life is one anxiety attack after another. All she wants is to escape life’s realities for the summer and hang out with her best friend Aaron. But her grandmother has other plans: Sadie will get a job. Sadie will do volunteer work. Sadie will make new friends – friends without brain injuries that make them forget everything…friends that aren’t Aaron.

While Sadie struggles to survive her anxiety with all these new changes, she finds an escape when she dreams herself into the beautiful world of Isola Fiona. It’s a place that cures memory loss and anxiety. It’s a place where she and Aaron can fall in love.

But after dragging Aaron along with her to her dream world, things take a turn. Every time they return home, Sadie’s anxiety is a little better but Aaron’s memory is still gone. And Isola Fiona may not be much of a dream after all. As Sadie realizes that Isola Fiona is as real as her anxiety, she rushes to change the course of fate and make things right, but she may be too late…

Amazon

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Leave your link and I’ll drop by your 56.

Until the next time….

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways click on the Christmas Flamingos below!

Tripp_ReleaseEvent

Welcome to the release event for Tripp by Kristen Kehoe, a companion novel to Life Interrupted. We have some teasers as well as a giveaway of a necklace from Stella & Dot.  Tripp is a Mature Young Adult Contemporary Novel and is now available for sale!

About The Book:

Tripp - High ResolutionBecause there are two sides to every story…

I’ve never been the guy who shied away from taking the ball. I’m an athlete; I thrive on the court, and I thrive in life because I don’t shy away from taking chances.

Except that one time.

Except with Rachel.

I fell in love with my best friend when we were ten, and she almost put her fist in my face when I tried to defend her against a fifth grade bully. I didn’t tell her that day that I loved her, or any of the ones following, because she had proved she didn’t need me, and even at a young age, I knew the opposite was true for me.

I needed Rachel with every breath I took, and it scared the ever-loving crap out of me.

Being the mature young man I am (cough), I tried to ignore it. I dated someone else; I stayed Rachel’s friend and watched her from afar because when you love someone who has the potential to break you into a million unrecoverable pieces, that’s what you do.  You watch from afar and you never reveal your true feelings because it’s safer to hide them than to admit them.

Until it’s not. Until the day you take a step forward and alter both of your worlds completely, only to discover that you’ll never, ever be over her.

This is my story – my story of Rachel and everything I did and didn’t do, everything I said and forgot to say, and everything I felt before and after we made our biggest mistake and walked away from each other.

She told her side – now it’s my turn. I’m including our past, holding nothing back from her ever again, so she better be ready for me.

Mature Young Adult

 ***This is the companion novel to LIFE INTERRUPTED (The Life series Book 1) released January 2014. It can be read as a standalone, as it is different from Rachel’s story.

 
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Excerpt:

“Tripp,” Stacy says. I snap to the present. “Are you ready?”

I wipe my palms on my jeans and nod. “What do you need?”

Following Stacy’s instructions, I walk down the hall into Rachel’s room. The light is on; I can see the small form under the blankets before I peel them away and scoop my arms under her even though she protests. I want her to fight, even prepare myself for it, but right away I see what Stacy’s talking about. There’s nothing inside of Rachel—even as she attempts to thrash in my arms, I barely have to tighten my hold on her while I carry her to the bathroom. The girl who has so often put me on my ass from one punch has no muscle, and worse, she has no spirit.

Nothing about the girl in my arms right now is the Rachel I’ve always known. The lack of fight worries me more than the lack of weight.

Stacy’s already pushed the shower curtain back. I put Rachel inside, ignoring her half-hearted protests as I turn the water on cold and high. When she screams—the real-deal scream full of terror and anger—the vise on my chest loosens a little and I’m so grateful I could break down and weep. My hands are full because she’s putting much more effort into fighting me than she was a second ago. I forget about how cold the water is on my skin, or the fact that she looks like a ghost with dark circles under her eyes and a pasty pallor to her normally warm skin, and I talk to her while I hold her there.

“That’s right, Rachel, fight me. You fight me and you come back. Do you hear me? We need you, Rachel. We need you to fight.” She screams more, shoving at me with her hands, but I don’t budge. I encourage her as I see the color start to slowly seep into her cheeks. “Come on, baby, come back to us. Come back to me.”

I whisper the last part. I don’t know if it was the words or the fact that she’s finally opened up enough to feel the weight of it all, but she breaks—the dam cracking and flooding. Instead of being angry, she’s devastated.

My heart cracks and my lungs seize; she falls into a sobbing heap. I turn the water off and start to lift her into my lap. Whatever I promised her sister, I can’t do it; I can’t watch her break like this.

 
Don’t miss out on Life Interrupted (The Life series #1), available now!
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About the Author:

I am a writer of YA/NA contemporary novels. I write about those crazy ages of 18-23 because there is nothing scarier than being told to grow up and decide what to do with your life and who to be so suddenly. I write about love because it’s my belief that love, in one form or another, saves us all at some point in our lives. I am married to a man who understands and believes in me, and mother to a beautiful baby girl and a neurotic Great Dane Puppy.

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Giveaway:
Necklace from Stella & Dot

Open to US addresses onlyEnds May 6

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a Rafflecopter giveawayThis event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

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