Book Review and Giveaway: Mother of Pearl by Kellie Coates Gilbert

This well written story is startling and heart wrenching.

Mother of Pearl
by Kellie Coates Gilbert

File Size: 2533 KB
Print Length: 306 pages
Publisher: Amnos Media Group; 2 edition (February 20, 2017)
ASIN: B06VYJ118F
Genre: Christian, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

How Far Would You Go for your Child?
Barrie Graeber has two great kids, a loving husband, and a respected job as the high school counselor in her close-knit community. Without warning, everything unravels when her teenage daughter, Pearl, is betrayed and lashes out.
Nothing prepares this mother for the helplessness that follows when her attempts to steer her daughter back on course fail, and Pearl shuts her out . . . or when Barrie discovers the unthinkable about her nemesis, the football coach.
Emotionally riveting and profoundly moving, Mother of Pearl brings us into the heart of a mother bound by an incredible burden, who ultimately finds she must recognize her own vulnerability and learn to trust in something much bigger..

Review:
Barrie Graeber has a strong loving family: husband, 16-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son. She is respected and enjoys her work as a high school counselor. Barrie has the usual mother concerns about her daughter, but Pearl is well grounded, popular and a good student working toward a scholarship to college. Then Pearl loses her boyfriend and best friend in a terrible act of betrayal. Rather than seeking help from her mother Pearl has shut herself off although she does have one new friend who tries to help her.

Tragedy strikes the family causing emotional devastation. And as if the first injury isn’t enough Barrie learns another shocking secret. Barrie becomes obsessed with this, driving a wedge in the family.

This story was more than I expected. It wasn’t always an emotionally easy read, but riveting is an appropriate description. It is well written in first person voice of Barrie. There are friends who step forward to help and others who step away. An attorney who helps is a bold, colorful character. There are Christian and faith elements woven naturally into the story. I kept hoping Barrie would find her strength in faith.

This is our Ladies Book Club for August.
Source: I had print copies for others but was able to snag the Kindle version on sale in 2017. This qualifies for my 2018TBR and Alphabet Challenge.

GIVEAWAY

Paperback Book (US and Canada Only)

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!)

For 3 Extra Bonus entries

(a) comment on the review

(b) visit the author's Website and tell me something you like there.

* This contest is open to US and Canada only for the paperback book.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) September 29, 2018.
Winners are asked to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email.

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Jill Mansell

You don't want to miss this delightful read!

Don't Want to Miss a Thing

by Jill Mansell

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (November 5, 2013)
• ISBN-10: 1402283938
• ISBN-13: 978-1402283932

Genre: Romantic Comedy
My Rating 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: November 5, 2013

He knows all about women, or so he thought...

Dexter Yates leads a charmed existence in London, with money, looks, and girlfriends galore. Life's fantastic until Dex's sister dies and his world changes overnight. Astonishing everyone, including himself, Dex leaves the city behind, takes charge of his eight-month-old niece Delphi, moves to a beautiful Cotswolds village, and sets about working on his parenting skills. His neighbors, including cartoonist Molly Hayes, seem friendly enough—but Dex can't shake the notion that he's missing something important.

Review:
Dexter is a charmer who has done well in work and financial investments and has great success with the ladies. His is close with his sister, Laura, and is thrilled when she has a darling little girl, Delphi. But eight months later Laura dies unexpectedly having named Dex to be guardian of the infant girl. Dex may know girls but not infants and he is thrown for a loop.

In shock Dex leaves London and runs to a village where he had looked to purchase a vacation house. Dex recalls that even though many of the town folk were not so warm to an obvious outsider, the next-door neighbor, Molly, was really friendly. Molly is a cartoon artist who worked hard to get a strip that is syndicated and helps her make a living along with money she earns by teaching art classes. She is clearly warm, considerate and an encourager. She listens to Dex’s heartache and his reasons why he can’t raise his niece. She acknowledges those reasons but challenges him pointing out that if he loves Delphi he could be responsible for the child and manage to take care of her.

Dex’s life-style hasn’t exactly set him up to be recommended as a parent choice but he is determined to convince the social workers he can and will change. He decides to move to the village where he is sure he will find help in the better environment for raising a child. When he returns Molly instantly falls in love...with Delphi. But she has to resist falling for Dex too.

Molly apparently is the first woman to reject Dex’s advances but she feels she must out of self-preservation. That doesn’t make it easier to watch him start dating an attractive, outgoing pediatrician, especially since the match seems to please the locals.

As Dex struggles with parenting and Molly tries to protect her heart, there are other family dramas and relationships breaking down and being renewed in the village. Dex and Molly are the primary characters but the secondary characters also enrich the village life and the story.

I found the book delightful, easy to read and hard to put down. Dex may not be the most likeable character as a footloose, easy going playboy but he does have charm and he does mature. Molly is a dear from the get go and you can feel her conflicted passions. Ms. Mansell imbues the characters with natural emotions of doubt, insecurity, reluctance to be rejected, and desire to be loved and find the right person to love. I could feel the angst of the characters and that kept me pulled into the story wanting good things to happen in the end. Which it does and it is a wonderful journey getting there so you don’t miss the important things!

I received this ARC from Sourcebooks for an honest review.

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for ARC Copy.

ENTRY FORM HERE

Don't forget to fill in the form for entry! 

I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form.  

For 3 Extra Bonus entries Visit the author's website and tell me something you find of interest; OR tell me about another book by this author that you enjoyed; OR comment on the review.

* This contest is open to U.S. address only.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on December 6, 2013.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED after December 6, 2013.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Audio Book Review: Five Million Dollar Cat by Laura Lond

This is a delightful, fun, fast listen with a good twist.
Five Million Dollar Cat: A Novella

    UNABRIDGED
    by Laura Lond
    Narrated by Tavia Gilbert

    LENGTH    1 hr and 52 mins
    RELEASE DATE    06-22-12
    PUBLISHER    Laura Lond
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
When Amy's sleazy ex reemerges, she is wary, for two good reasons. One, she is still paying off the debts Jack had gotten her in. Two, his scheme, as usual, smacks of fraud. Jack, however, insists that everything is perfectly legal, safe, and easy, especially Amy's part. All she needs to do to earn her share, which would be a quarter million dollars, is - adopt a cat.
©2012 Laura Lond (P)2012 Laura Lond

Review:
Amy is a kind young woman who has already been duped by her ex-boyfriend, Jack. She thought she was finally free of him, after he ran up her credit cards and used up all her savings in sure-fire but bad investments. Amy is busy working two jobs trying to get back on her feet when she gets an unwelcome call from Jack. He proposes that she help him by adopting a cat in the hopes of receiving a secret five million dollar reward of which she will get to keep $255,000.00.

Amy is reluctant but then decides that at least she would care for a cat and it would get a good home. Besides, perhaps it won’t be such a bad thing and won’t really hurt anyone. Amy goes to the pet-adoption agency and falls in love with the cats. She decides that one terribly injured cat is the one that must come with a reward. She takes home that sweet cat but no call comes in with a reward. Meanwhile, having lost one part time job, she spends time volunteering at the shelter and helping with the other cats.

When Jack begins to threaten harm to her cat, her apartment and all she owns, she decides to make a change in course. Will she have to hide from Jack or will she be able to protect her loved ones and manage to work herself out of debt?

I read a fantasy by this author which I also enjoyed. I was pleased that this book flows well and is entertaining even if in a different fashion than the other.  This quick story is delightful for cat lovers and has a wonderful, surprising twist. I recommend it to those who love a quick little intrigue.

Audio Notes: Tavia Gilbert does a very good job making this an easy, natural sounding presentation. She is able to convey the emotions of concern and care from Amy and bullying from Jack. I think this would be a fun story to read but it also makes for a great, quick listen.

I received this download for review through Audiobook Jukebox.

Book Review: Color Me Bad, a Novella, by Sharon Sala

This quick, fun novella sets the stage for sassy, feminine mischief in a small town setting.
Color Me Bad: A Novella
by Sharon Sala/Dinah McCall

• File Size: 226 KB
• Print Length: 59 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (September 3, 2013)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• ASIN: B00DDWIT14

Genre: Contemporary, Women's Fiction
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
An original short story by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala links to her full-length contemporary women's fiction novel, The Curl Up and Dye.
The novella centers around the four women who run the Curl Up and Dye hair salon and their relationships with the quirky customers of small-town Blessings, Georgia. Their meddlesome efforts at match-making run awry, but there's always another makeover just around the corner.

Review:
Ruby Dye moved to small-town Blessings, Georgia after the trauma of a divorce. She needed to use her hair stylist skills to support herself and was pleased to discover that the town welcomed the opening of her shop, the Curl Up and Dye hair salon. She works with feisty twin sisters, Vesta and Vera, and manicurist Mabel Jean. As style shops sometimes are, the little shop has become the gossip center of the town. Not only does all the news end up passing along through the shop but one particular day it becomes the scene of quite a spectacle.

Patty June Clymer, a local preacher’s wife, has reached the end of her rope with her cheating husband. When his ‘girlfriend’ comes into the shop for nail repair Patty June attacks her with stylist sheers! The news quickly spreads through town as Patty June goes home and tosses her husband’s belongings on their lawn as she ousts him from her life. Patty June takes a stand against unfaithful men even as the townspeople initially ostracize her for being too pushy, independent and a feminist. Patty June holds her ground, changes her hair color and style with the help of Ruby, and plans a lengthy travel exploration of Italy. 

Soon other women, particularly travel agent, Willa Dean, begin to question the relationships with their spouses. Realizing that many women are not being treated as they should be, Willa gathers  the town women and springs a surprise for Patty June.

The novella introduces the perky, primary characters and some good quirky secondary characters too. Many of the women are wary of men, for good reasons. But it is clear that there is room, and desire, for finding the elusive, faithful and dedicated mate. The writing is straight forward and full of sass as one might expect from a Southern woman.

I have read and enjoyed many Sharon Sala/Dinah McCall romantic suspense novels. She has a strong, easy writing flow that moves well with good combination of action, tension and romance. I was curious to see how this contemporary fiction series would go. Although I probably will steer toward the suspense novels, this series should appeal to many readers who like strong female characters and a well developed writing style that is easy and fun reading.

A statement regarding the strength of Southern women:

Southern women had been feminists a long time before that tag had become a buzzword. They’d hidden the iron in their backbones with a smile and a “bless your heart,” and not a man was the wiser. Location 514.

I received this title from Sourcebooks through NetGalley.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Woman He Loved Before by Dorothy Koomson

This is a surprising and intriguing mystery.
The Woman He Loved Before
by Dorothy Koomson

Book length 464 pages
Publisher     Grand Central Publishing (May 14, 2013)
Language     English
ISBN-10     1455507148
ISBN-13     978-1455507146
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary Fiction
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Release date: May 14, 2013
Libby has a nice life with a great job, a gorgeous husband and a big home by the sea. But she's becoming more unsure of Jack's feelings for her - and if he is over the mysterious death of Eve, his first wife.
When fate intervenes in their relationship, Libby decides to find out all she can about the man she hastily married and the seemingly perfect Eve.
Eventually Libby stumbles across some startling truths about Eve. As she begins to unearth more and more devastating secrets, Libby becomes frightened that she too will end up like the first woman Jack loved. . .

Review:
The story opens very cleverly with a prologue of a letter accompanying Eve’s diaries asking that they be burned without being read by presumably the woman ‘who is with Jack now’. The first chapter then places us at an accident scene where Libby is being comforted and extracted from a car. She is badly injured and begins to flash back about how she and Jack met (he was rude and she was contemptuous) and how their courtship resulted.

Libby is a beautiful and smart woman was is comfortable in her career as a beautician even though that wasn't her original dream goal. Jack is gorgeous and most women would jump to have his attention but Libby doesn’t need a man who appears to be looking for a conquest. Yet she is attracted to him and finally falls under his persistent charm.

Libby learns a little about Jack’s first wife, Eve, who was exquisitely beautiful but died in suspicions circumstances. Jack feels that Libby has brought life back to him and he persuades her to marry him. Libby is a bit scared as she is not sure she has Jack’s full love or attention as he hasn’t really gotten over loving Eve.

After Libby returns home from the hospital she is despondent with injuries, including her scarred head and face. She suspects that Jack is keeping a secret and he seems to be more withdrawn. Then she discovers Eve’s diary and even though it says ‘please burn’, how can she resist reading them? What she discovers about Eve’s past is shocking and tragic and will put Libby in danger too. Soon Libby realizes not only Jack’s secret but other secrets that have remained hidden in the family. Can Libby and Jack overcome the past to have a future together?

I was a little slow starting this book as I wasn’t sure if it was a drama or a mystery. However, it caught me by surprise and my attention was engaged right away. There is a subtle suspense that builds throughout the book. The presentation is interesting with chapters rotating from Libby’s view to Jack’s and then adding Eve’s diary entries. The characters are well developed and at first it isn’t clear if Jack is just self centered and moody or if there is more to him.

Eve is a major character through her diary entries and one might easily have conflicting feelings about her. I don’t want to give a spoiler but as a word of caution I will say that the material about Eve’s young life and struggles is a bit sordid. Imagine the negative side of Pretty Woman and worse. 

The story is very well written and, for me, the plot was original, particularly with the engaging presentation. I definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy an intriguing suspense mystery.

I received an ARC from Grand Central/Hachette for an honest review.
I am glad to have a final print copy for giveaway!

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for print Copy:

ENTRY FORM HERE

For 3 Extra Bonus entries Visit the author's website and tell me something you find of interest.

* This contest is open US ONLY.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on July 19, 2013.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on July 20, 2013.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.