Book Review - Love Those Hula Hips

 

 

Hokulani Kawelu is a beautiful and very busy girl who co-owns a family owned and operated hotel in Hawai’i. They’ve resisted modernization in favor of an authentic and historical experience, but now they are forced to either seek a financial backer or close their doors. To add insult to injury, their potential backer, James Westerman, insists on a managing piece of the hotel, rather than being a silent partner.

As Hokulani struggles against the unwelcome changes brought by James, she must also fight against the unwelcome physical attraction she feels toward him. Even though he seems to share the feelings, she suspects he’s attempting to use her to manipulate his influence over the way the hotel is run.

Caught between family issues, management issues and an uncertain romance, Hokulani must learn to assert herself in the new business setting while protecting those she loves from the insecurity of the future. Will the romance affect her ability to adjust?

This story was like a vacation in itself, the way it took me right into the scenery and atmosphere of Hawai’i. I couldn’t put it down, and if you enjoy romantic tension and stories that are directly influenced by a beautiful and exotic setting, you’ll love it as much as I did.

Book Review - Only on Valentine's Day

Short stories are awesome when you're an extremely busy person and you don't have time for complicated plots and lots of characters. A short, sweet romance is a great way to get a nice little break from responsibilities and drift off, and when that romance takes place on Hawai'i, it's even more like a vacation.

 

 

 

Dani Cabral dreams of getting married on Valentine’s Day, and not in the church at nearby Pahala, Hawai’i. She explains to her best friend, Joe, that she wants a city wedding in Kona, and a city boy for a groom. Dani is the oldest of four sisters, and she always thought she would be the first to find love, but city boys are hard to find on a ranch. When her youngest sister announces her engagement, Dani gets desperate and makes a move to the city.

City boys may be plentiful in Kona, but finding one who is as respectful as Joe and the other cowboys she grew up around is not as easy as she imagined. As the days until Valentine’s Day slip away, Dani meets Derek. He’s a banker and a real city boy, and he might just be the one, if only she can get him to propose in time.

This sweet romance was just the right length for a feel-good pick-me-up, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Book Review - An End to a Beginning by Andrew Saxsma

I've been keeping busy working on the three writing contracts I have going, trying to work in some time on a story while writing press releases and case studies and fun automotive parts descriptions.

Reading has also been taking up a nice chunk of my spare (haha) moments. I'm back to reading several books/stories at once, which, let's face it, is my favorite way to read. While reading Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon, I'm also reading some short stories and fun romances.

This story, An End to a Beginning by Andrew Saxsma, is quite a bit different from all the romances I'm reading, as you'll see from the review.

Brian needs revenge. He paid his dues, waiting for the perfect moment, and now he finally gets his chance. When the big moment comes, will he go all the way through with his plan? Or will he be too weak to finish the job he promised to do?

If you have delicate sensibilities, you may not enjoy the graphic and somewhat gory details of this suspense tale. BUT  If you love intense action with realistic violence, the matter-of-fact descriptions and in-the-moment narrative will have you hanging on to the edge of your seat all the way to the end of the ride.

Book Review - Perfect Pair by Marilyn Conner Miles

Perfect Pair by Marilyn Conner Miles

Losing a job is tough, but losing a job and realizing you can’t afford your Seattle apartment anymore is a double whammy. When Amber discovers her parents can’t offer her more than a garage to store her furniture in, she realizes things are even worse than she thought. Her brother’s fiancé tells her about a job pet- and house-sitting for a couple north of the city, and Amber feels like it’s her only option, even though she’s a city girl at heart.

The job turns out to be much more than she bargained for, but she discovers that life away from the city rush can be just as breath-taking. Especially when it comes to a certain farrier named Mick, who seems eager to tutor her in the care of horses, and maybe love, as well. Can Amber adjust to life at a slower pace, or will the lure of life in Seattle draw her back?

Amber isn’t one to take life’s obstacles sitting down, and I felt drawn to her character from the first page to the last. This sweet romance is a great reminder of how important it is to take on life’s challenges, even when they seem scary.

Book Review: The Spirit Path

 

 

The Spirit Path by Tammy Tate

Nicole is fresh out of a necessary break-up with her boyfriend, Eric. They had plenty of physical chemistry, but not much else. He loves the city life, wearing suits and living in a fancy apartment, while Nicole is a country girl. Her favorite pastime is riding her horse, Buck, across the wide open spaces of Texas.

One day, when Nicole and Buck head out on a ride, accompanied by her Rottweiler Harley, she finds herself tumbling with them into a startling adventure to the past. No romantic adventure would be complete without a man who has the physical chemistry and the sensitivity of her new protector, and Nicole finds herself hoping that this isn’t just a dream, even though this new (or old) reality seems impossible.

This romance is a quick read, and lovers of time travel, American history, horses, dogs, country music, and, of course, sensual pleasure will find themselves lingering over the rich details that Tammy Tate includes in this story. There’s plenty of steam and a bit of mystery in this tale, and at the end I found myself hoping that this is just the beginning.

 

 

Reviews and Connections

My book has a five star review! This is my first review, so it's kind of a big deal. It's on Victoria's Book Review Site, Girl with Pen, and she has some very nice things to say. Thanks, Victoria!

If that review grabbed your attention and now you can't wait to read the story, you can get it here or here. If you'd like to write your own review, please do! Reviews help sell books.

On Goodreads.com, my book is here and on Shelfari it's here. As I get more author pages set up on other book sites, I'll post them. Also, if you have a favorite book site like these, let me know in the comments! Thanks!

Excerpt from my book, Worth It

I've been blowing up the social media with the news that my contemporary romance, Worth It, is available through BooksToGoNow.com here. Since I already posted the link multiple times, and you can also see the teaser on the link I just posted, in this blog I'm adding a short excerpt to give you a little taste of the story.

“Mom, this is Phil,” I said.

“I know,” she said. “Barry’s dad.”

I reached back and grabbed his hand, and pulled him up next to me. “Mom, I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Phil.”

“Oh. You’re her Phil.” She seemed to shrink a little and she put one hand on her throat.

Phil nodded. “I’m her Phil.”

I liked the way that sounded. Especially when Phil said it. I wished I got a few seconds to enjoy it.

My mom sank down onto the bottom stair. She looked confused. I couldn’t tell if she felt upset, uncomfortable, or in shock. I didn’t know what to do. I sat down beside her on the stair and put my arm around her shoulders.

“You okay?” I asked.

“It’s an unpleasant surprise.” She shook her head.

I pulled my arm back and leaned away from her. So this is how it would go.

I've Been Lying to You All

My undergrad degree was in English. I even made an A in Advanced Grammar. I know the difference between their, they're, and there, and I use them appropriately. I know how to use apostrophes. Occasionally I correct other people's grammar in posts on Facebook. I thought all of this made me a Grammar Nazi.

Turns out I was wrong.

In the past few months I've been chasing a dream I like to call Getting Paid to Write. It involved learning some new skills and growing in areas that I thought I had already achieved gold medals of awesome. In short, I spent the last three months having editors give me feedback on my writing, both fiction and nonfiction.

Turns out, not only am I not a Grammar Nazi, I frequently use adverbs instead of strong verbs. (lol. I thought of that line while I folded laundry a few minutes ago.) My sentences have been passive and weak and riddled with commas in the wrong places. Commas are, in fact, my nemesis. Nemeses?

Lucky for me, I already know how to receive feedback: say thank you and take every single comment seriously. Otherwise, this would have been a more difficult and less successful process. Not that I've arrived. I still receive feedback on my submissions, and maybe it will continue to happen for a while, yet. For now, I'm going to be spending some time reading grammar books and blogs every day, and re-reading my own work carefully. Maybe I'll catch all those embarrassing mistakes before I submit my work, and eventually, I'll get it right more often the first time.

PS - Did you catch that I'm actually GETTING PAID TO WRITE!?! You probably won't be seeing my nonfiction unless you read machine control blogs or articles on dental hygiene or lawnmower parts, but my contemporary romance will be available through Books to Go Now soon!