Category: Women’s Fiction

Enter to Win a Free Copy of Paula McLain’s Bestselling Novel, THE PARIS WIFE!

“I wish I had died before I loved anyone but her.” -Ernest Hemingway

A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife by Paula McLain captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley. This Valentine’s Day, enter to win a free copy of the book readers everywhere are falling in love with!

Catherine The Great, by Robert K. Massie

The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure young German princess who traveled to Russia at fourteen and rose to become one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history.

Catherine’s family, friends, ministers, generals, lovers, and enemies—all are here, vividly described. These included her ambitious, perpetually scheming mother; her weak, bullying husband, Peter (who left her lying untouched beside him for nine years after their marriage); her unhappy son and heir, Paul; her beloved grandchildren; and her “favorites”—the parade of young men from whom she sought companionship and the recapture of youth as well as sex. Here, too, is the giant figure of Gregory Potemkin, her most significant lover and possible husband, with whom she shared a passionate correspondence of love and separation, followed by seventeen years of unparalleled mutual achievement.

The story is superbly told. All the special qualities that Robert K. Massie brought to Nicholas and Alexandra and Peter the Great are present here: historical accuracy, depth of understanding, felicity of style, mastery of detail, ability to shatter myth, and a rare genius for finding and expressing the human drama in extraordinary lives.

History offers few stories richer in drama than that of Catherine the Great. In this book, this eternally fascinating woman is returned to life.

Visit the website to learn more about this extraordinary book.

44 Charles Street by Danielle Steel

First time in paperback!

A magical transformation takes place in Danielle Steel’s luminous novel: Strangers become roommates, roommates become friends, and friends become a family in a turn-of-the-century house in Manhattan’s West Village.

The plumbing was prone to leaks, the furniture rescued from garage sales. And every square inch was being devotedly restored to its original splendor—even as a relationship fell to pieces. Now Francesca Thayer, newly separated from her boyfriend, is suddenly the sole mortgage payer on her Greenwich Village townhouse. The struggling art gallery owner does the math and then the unimaginable. She puts out an advertisement for boarders, and soon her home becomes a whole new world.

First comes Eileen, a fresh, pretty L.A. transplant, now a New York City schoolteacher. Then there’s Chris, a young father fighting for custody of his seven-year-old son. The final tenant is Marya, a celebrated cookbook author hoping to start a new chapter in life after the death of her husband. Over the course of one amazing, unforgettable, ultimately life-changing year, Francesca discovers that her accidental tenants have become the most important people in her life. The house at 44 Charles Street fills with laughter, heartbreak, and hope—and in the hands of master storyteller Danielle Steel, it’s a place those who visit will never want to leave.

I’VE GOT YOUR NUMBER Giveaway: Winners!

Last week we posted a giveaway to win a copy of Sophie Kinsella’s newest novel, I’ve Got Your Number. Today, I’m here to announce the winners! Drum roll please….

And the winners are:

Shelley B. from Morris, AL
Lisa B. from Filion, MI
Shirley R. from Rosharon Texas
Dottie L. from Mount Laurel NJ
Allie M. from North Port, FL
Amy P. from Santa Ana, CA
Sherie L. from Baton Rouge, LA
Brandi O. from Huntsville, TX
Audrey S. from Waukesha, WI
Michelle S. from Honolulu, HI
Patti P. from Elk Grove Village, IL
Donna S. from St Louis, MO
Barbara E. from Orlando, FL
Roberta D. from Rochester, MN
Catherine L. from Leland, NC
Kerrie D. from Matteson, IL
Barbara A. from Clearwater, FL
Sara L. from Fairborn, OH
Rachel H. from Oakley, CA
Connie F. from Fort Myers, FL
Trudy C. from Tecumseh, MI
Carole F. from Crawfordville, FL.
Donna S. from Philadelphia, PA
Wendy C. from Vienna, VA

Congratulations to all of our winners, and thanks to everyone who entered. Even if today wasn’t your lucky day, we hope you enjoy the excerpt below. Remember, I’ve Got Your Number will be on sale everywhere on Valentine’s Day (February 14th), but you can preorder your copy today!

I’ve Got Your Number: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella, Excerpt

Author Sarah Addison Allen on Books, Friendship, and Food

Sarah Addison Allen is the New York Times bestselling author of Garden Spells, The Sugar Queen and The Girl Who Chased the Moon. Known for combining elements of romance, magic realism and food, she has virtually created a genre all her own. In this special blog, Sarah talks about some of the book-inspired events readers have shared with her, while sharing her own delectable recipe. Sarah’s latest book, The Peach Keeper, is new in paperback!

A book club reading my first book, Garden Spells, once sent me a photo of the magic apple tree from the story they’d created for their garden lunch meeting. A reader once wrote me about her book club meeting for The Sugar Queen, where she hid candy in the closet like the main character, and invited the her group to take candy from the closet. And for The Girl Who Chased the Moon, a club recently sent a photo of the members holding Blue Moon martinis.

I continue to be impressed by the creativity and care that go into book club meetings. They are events, events created around a book, a celebration of reading. How great is that? And when there’s food involved, well, I think that’s the trifecta: Books, Friendship, and Food.

For my latest book, The Peach Keeper, the food element comes from a magical, quirky barista who thinks how people take their coffee says a lot about their personalities. She creates snacks and sweets to sell that all have coffee as an ingredient: Cappuccino doughnuts, coffee oatmeal cookies, espresso brownies.

So I want to share this brownie recipe from the book with you. With a little punch on espresso, these brownies are divine. (For more recipes from my books, check out my website www.SarahAddisonAllen.com.)

Double Chocolate Espresso Brownies

Ingredients:

• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 14 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup espresso or strongly brewed French roast coffee, cooled
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (this can be optional)
• 6 ounces premium Swiss dark or milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

Coat a 13″ x 9″ pan with cooking spray. Line pan with aluminum foil, allowing ends to hang over short sides of pan. Tuck overlapping ends under rim on short sides. Coat foil with cooking spray; set pan aside.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Place chopped semisweet chocolate in a large bowl; set aside.

Combine sugar and next 3 ingredients in a saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar and butter melt and mixture comes to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and pour over chopped chocolate in bowl; let stand 2 minutes (do not stir).

Beat mixture at low speed of an electric mixer until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat at medium speed until well blended. Stir in vanilla, walnuts, and dark chocolate.

Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake at 325° for 45 to 48 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover brownies with overlapping foil; chill at least 2 hours.

Carefully invert brownies from pan, using overlapping foil as handles; remove foil. Invert brownies again onto a cutting board; cut into squares or diamonds and enjoy.

Special Giveaway: Win an Advance Copy of Sophie Kinsella’s Latest!

One lost engagement ring
Two lost cell phones :/
One wrong number . . .
Could it lead Poppy Wyatt to Mr. Right? <3

Today we’re offering you all a chance to preview the new novel from mega-bestselling author Sophie Kinsella! The book goes on sale on Valentine’s Day (how appropriate), but you may score one of 25 of copies by entering to win below.

I read this in manuscript and goodness, was it addictive. I’ve Got Your Number is a witty, hilarious page-turner that reads like your favorite romantic comedy in book form—except packing more warmth and longing than could ever be conveyed on film. I found Poppy to be an adorable heroine, and I rooted for her straight through the satisfying end.

If you’re looking for the trademark wit of the Shopaholic series with a little less screwball comedy and a bit more love story, this romantic novel may be the perfect Kinsella brew for you. Highly recommended!

(By the way, you can find Sophie on Facebook, and take it from me–she’s just as witty in real life as she is on the page. )

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

Paperback on sale soon – Order Here

It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather and once the finest home in Walls of Water, North Carolina—has stood for years as a monument to misfortune and scandal. Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite Paxton Osgood—has restored the house to its former glory, with plans to turn it into a top-flight inn. But when a skeleton is found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, long-kept secrets come to light, accompanied by a spate of strange occurrences throughout the town. Thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the passions and betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover the truths that have transcended time to touch the hearts of the living.

Sarah Addison Allen is the author of Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen. She was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina.

Praise for The Peach Keeper

Allen juggles smalltown history and mystical thriller, character development and eerie magical realism in a fine Southern gothic drama. The underlying tension will please and unnerve readers, as well as leave them eager for Allen’s next.
-Publisher’s Weekly

Praise for Sarah Addison Allen’s The Girl Who Chased the Moon

“Captivating . . . Sarah Addison Allen produces tantalizing fiction.”—The Roanoke Times

“A dusting of magic, the aroma of sugary cakes swirling through the breeze, and a girl who unwittingly brings change to a town of misfits make for a sweet summer story filled with hope and forgiveness.”—Beth Hoffman, author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

“Charming and entertaining . . . Don’t miss this spellbinding tale.”—Asheville Citizen Times

“Allen clearly knows that all the fun is in the journey. . . . Sit back, open this book and join her.”—Greensboro News & Record

“An enjoyable read [with] doses of magical realism and romance.”—Associated Press

“Easy to devour in one sitting.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think the title The Peach Keeper means? Who is the peach keeper in the story?

2. Superstitions played a big part in Willa’s grandmother’s life, and in Willa’s life, by extension. What superstitions did you grow up with? Why do you think superstitions exist?

3. Several of the characters in The Peach Keeper struggle with how people used to see them as opposed to who they are now. Who were you in high school? Do you miss that person? Or are you glad to leave that time in your life behind?

4. Willa spent her formative years as The Joker, acting out and sparking controversy that she wouldn’t become aware of until she was an adult. What do you make of her past actions? How does it connect to the way she acts in the novel? How does it affect her relationships as an adult?

5. The characters in The Peach Keeper live in an extraordinarily beautiful area, one surrounded by waterfalls. Yet Willa once remarks, “When you see it every day, sometimes you wonder what the big deal is.” Do you think you get so used to beauty that you stop seeing it? What are some natural wonders in your area? Does Willa’s comment also refer to people?

6. The Blue Ridge Madam takes on a life of its own in the novel, becoming much more than a building. What do you think it represents for the town? For Willa and Paxton?

7. There’s a wisp of something supernatural following the characters in the story, seemingly brought into their lives by the discovery of buried bones under a peach tree. What are your thoughts on the supernatural? Do you think disturbing a grave upsets the spiritual side of things? Have you ever had a paranormal experience?

8. One of the prevailing themes in The Peach Keeper is friendship. Agatha and Georgie are elderly, and have been friends all their lives. Paxton and Willa have a newly formed friendship. The book posits that friendship is “a living breathing thing, something that comes to life the moment it happens and doesn’t just go away when it’s no longer acknowledged.” If there is no big break-up, just a gradual separation, do you think the friendship still exists? Do you think once you are a friend, are you always a friend? Have you ever reconnected with an old friend and found that you still share a bond with them?

9. Sarah Addison Allen’s books usually have themes of forgiveness and food. Have you read Sarah’s other books? How is The Peach Keeper similar? How is it a departure? Did you recognize the reference to the main characters in her debut novel, Garden Spells?

10. Paxton, Willa, and even Willa’s father, deal with parental expectation. Do you think that who we become in life is due in part to what our parents wanted us to be, or who are parents were? If you have children, how do they fit the pattern?

11. How do you take your coffee? Do you think that says something about you? Do you believe, like Rachel, that how someone takes their coffee says something about their personality?

12. What do you think of Paxton and Sebastian’s relationship, and how it evolves over the course of the novel? Have you ever had a similar relationship in your life? How do you feel it fed into the overall themes of The Peach Keeper?

13. Willa and Colin have a complicated relationship from the start – what do you think is the strongest force pulling them together? Do you think their relationship would have worked had they met in another time and place?

14. In the end, Agatha keeps a secret she promised to keep seventy-five years ago. In this information age, we are not a private society. How hard is it to keep secrets? Would you be capable of keeping a secret that long?

15. The theme of roots runs through the novel – from the peach tree, to Colin’s work, to the characters struggling with their place in Walls of Water. What about the town and its history draws people to it and entices them to put down roots? On the flip side, what about it causes others to deny their roots and move away? Have you had a similar experience with your home town?

Sue’s Review – The Demon Lover, by Juliet Dark + 5 Book Giveaway!!

Description:
I gasped, or tried to. My mouth opened, but I couldn’t draw breath. His lips, pearly wet, parted and he blew into my mouth. My lungs expanded beneath his weight. When I exhaled he sucked my breath in and his weight turned from cold marble into warm living flesh.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: Her incubus is not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the demon, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this supernatural lover from her heart.

A very good friend, whom I trust immensely, had asked if I’d read this book — of course, I said yes before I even knew what I was getting myself into.

Don’t get me wrong — I like paranormal romance – at one point, I could not stop reading paranormal — Feehan, Kenyon, Ward – I immersed myself in the sub-genre, so much so, that I lost track of what else was being published. Since then I’ve been reading more mainstream books, so to delve back into the unknown worlds of darkness and pleasure — this book would have to be pretty damn good to hold my attention.

Boy, & hold your attention . . oh yea, DEMON LOVER does just that — I will agree with most of the reviews on this book and that it is a bit slow to start. Callie as a young girl has always had some intense sexual dreams. As she got older they waned. She went off to college, met Paul (her mortal boyfriend) & anticipated at some point they would become engaged and marry. Graduated from college looking for a teaching job she becomes an instructor at Fairwick College. Fairwick was not at all what it seemed and as the weeks went by she noticed odd things . . .but more importantly, her demon lover came back. As the story unfolds you see many different angles develop. Callie herself realizes she is not the mortal she thought she was, nor was her family & neither was dear grand-mama in particular. Very cleverly written, intertwining historical facts with fiction and so forth. A nice mystery woven to the end, leaving you hooked for the next book. Although witches are the primary character type, incubus, demons, shifters and other worldly creatures make an appearance giving lots of depth to the story.

DEMON LOVER is a romantic story, but not a classical romance — at least not how you or I would categorize it. It is sexy, Callie has romantic encounters but everything is edgier, which really was a nice change for me —- I did not have to forgo my favorite elements of a romance book as DEMON LOVER included them plus a whole lot more.

Caution — although not a Happy Ending, it was satisfying . . or understandable. But, by the time you get to the end, you’re ok with that so it does not detract from the story.

So here’s my take, this is a book for you if you answer yes to these questions —

This might be the book you’ve been waiting for — Let me know what you think? What is it about paranormal romance that makes it a must buy for you?

5 book giveaway! comment below – winners announced at the end of the day — good luck!

Amazon Reviewers – excerpted comments:
Demon Lover is the grown-up’s [insert any hot YA paranormal romance]; it’s like the coolest lit professor ever decided to teach a class on gothic novels, then slipped in folklore on fairies, witches, vampires, and other magical creatures. There were references to Twilight, The Mysteries of Udolpho, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Dracula, The Faerie Queene, Tam Lin, and (what won my devotion) an outright homage to the queen of gothic romances, Victoria Holt. [Holt also penned a novel called The Demon Lover, which I don't think is a coincidence. And yeah, I own a copy.]


The Demon Lover was dark, delicious and oh so addicting. It’s like your favorite piece of decadant Dark Chocolate; melts in your mouth and leaves you wanting more long after you devoured it. I will admit that the beginning was kind of slow, but when the story picked up, boy did it pick up in a big way.

WINNERS ARE:
Donna S http://www.romanceatrandom.com/sues-review-the-demon-lover-by-juliet-dark-5-book-giveaway/#comment-41646

LynnC http://www.romanceatrandom.com/sues-review-the-demon-lover-by-juliet-dark-5-book-giveaway/#comment-41567

Lover’s Leap by Emily March, the latest installment of Eternity Springs . . .

Readers have fallen in love with Eternity Springs, the magical town in Emily March’s beloved series where something wonderful happens to hearts in need of healing.

Twenty years ago the town bad boy, Cam Murphy, left Eternity Springs in handcuffs, riding in the back of a sheriff’s van . . . and breaking young Sarah Reese’s heart. The defiant teenager vowed never to return.

In Australia, Cam makes a new beginning. He builds a successful business and suffers few regrets until Sarah—and their daughter—walk into his life, and then immediately run away. Realizing it’s time to right yesterday’s wrongs, he follows Sarah home to Colorado—and turns her world upside down.

Cam wants to know his daughter. He needs to prove to Sarah, the town, and himself that he’s changed. Will the residents of Eternity Springs offer forgiveness—and will Sarah have the courage to trust this man who is asking for a second chance?

Order now

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen + Giveaway!

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen



If you like Adriana Trigiani or Kristian Hannah, you’ll enjoy, THE PEACH KEEPER – this is a good Southern type of contemporary story with a little mystery woven in. Nice romances (yes there are two!) and good characters – very enjoyable story.



View all my reviews

Sarah is unique in her ability to create that contemporary Southern, ‘comfort-reading’ story. Set in the Blue Ridge Mts, we meet two women who are trying to move on with their lives. Willa, whose fallen a bit from the towns grace with an old scandal created by her grandfather and Paxton who is just trying to get away from a very controlling, wealthy Southern family. Each find their heroes to be men that have been in their lives all along but just did not even realize . . or did, but because of circumstance, could not act on it. As the story develops a body is found creating a small murder mystery from years ago — as this plot line develops, Paxton & Willa become friends and also find out they are linked in the outcome of this mystery.

Very well written, great paced story with twists & turns & fun characters — If you enjoy Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs, Jan Karon, Sarah’s contemporary Southern story will appeal to your reading tastes too – enjoy!

The characters:
Willa Jackson: Thirty-year-old woman from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago; owner of Au Naturel Sporting Goods and Café; perpetual joker as a youth.
Paxton (Pax) Osgood: Socialite do-gooder; an old classmate of Willa’s
Tucker Devlin: Charismatic traveling salesman
Colin Osgood: Landscape architect and Paxton’s twin brother.
Sebastian Rogers: A local dentist and Paxton’s friend. Beautiful and thoughtful.
Georgie Jackson: Willa’s grandmother and one of the two co-founders of the Women’s Society Club. She is currently in a nursing home diagnosed with a dementia.
Agatha Osgood: Pax”s grandmother and one of the two co-founders of the Women’s Society Club. She is currently in a nursing home diagnosed with a macular degeneration.
Sophia Osgood: Paxton’s mother

Was this review helpful? Ask me any question below & I’ll try to answer for you & help you decide if this is a book for you! Happy reading! SueG

Praise for The Peach Keeper

Allen juggles smalltown history and mystical thriller, character development and eerie magical realism in a fine Southern gothic drama. The underlying tension will please and unnerve readers, as well as leave them eager for Allen’s next.
-Publisher’s Weekly

Praise for Sarah Addison Allen’s The Girl Who Chased the Moon

“Captivating . . . Sarah Addison Allen produces tantalizing fiction.”—The Roanoke Times

“A dusting of magic, the aroma of sugary cakes swirling through the breeze, and a girl who unwittingly brings change to a town of misfits make for a sweet summer story filled with hope and forgiveness.”—Beth Hoffman, author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

“Charming and entertaining . . . Don’t miss this spellbinding tale.”—Asheville Citizen Times

“Allen clearly knows that all the fun is in the journey. . . . Sit back, open this book and join her.”—Greensboro News & Record

“An enjoyable read [with] doses of magical realism and romance.”—Associated Press

“Easy to devour in one sitting.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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5 winners are randomly chosen weekly for a random book on Romance At Random and winners are announced on Sunday’s –Good Luck!