Book Review: Girl v Earl by Phillipa Ashley

This story has wonderful settings for a saucy and emotional romance.
Girl vs. Earl
by Phillipa Ashley

• File Size: 482 KB
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00C0XU6UY

Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

US edition Published March 26th 2013
When Miranda finds herself fighting for her home, her job and her heart, sleeping with the enemy may not be the best tactic...

With no family of her own, Miranda Marshall has developed a healthy respect - some would say obsession - with other people's histories. As property manager of a spectacular island castle in Cornwall, she's made St Merryn's Mount one of the UK's most popular heritage attractions. While she may have the castle running like clockwork, Miranda hasn't bargained on its sexy owner returning to claim his birthright.

Dark, handsome and with a rakish reputation,  Jago, the Earl of St Merryn, not only looks like a pirate but is intent on flogging the Mount to a soulless leisure corporation. Miranda faces the battle of her life as she tries to persuade him to face up to his past and continue the St Merryn dynasty. But Jago has his own reasons for jumping ship and when he throws down the gauntlet to Miranda, she's forced to delve into painful memories she'd much rather keep hidden . . .

(Previously published in the UK and Commonwealth by Hachette Digital as Miranda’s Mount)

Review:
Miranda had a difficult childhood with a young, unstable mother. She left home at a young age and managed to work her way through University. She always loved history and was thrilled to land a job at St Merryn's Mount, eventually working her way up to manager. She is fiercely devoted to the property and it’s people who have become her stability and her people.

Dark, handsome Jago St Merryn has roamed the world and allowed his mother, Lady St Merryn, to oversee the home--or rather castle--management. He suddenly returns home and tells Miranda, in confidence, of his plans to sell the property to a leisure investment corporation. Miranda is distressed at the thought of losing her “home” and the impact it will have on the other workers and estate families. But she is appalled to find herself sexually drawn to Jago even though she doesn’t like what he is doing and she realizes that any relationship is professionally inappropriate and personally a move toward heartbreak.

Meanwhile, a local heartthrob, Theo, has shown interest in Miranda. He and Jago have clear animosity and, although Theo is well respected in the community, it appears that he may be using Miranda to spite Jago.  Miranda is caught between the alleged 'nice guy' who doesn’t stir her senses as much as the alleged 'bad boy' she can’t have.

Miranda and Jago each have painful pasts that they are running from. I really liked how Ms. Ashley slowly revealed their secrets and developed their characters. The romantic triangle with Theo was a little puzzling as his ‘courtship’ was so slow to get started. I suppose that is fitting with it’s ultimate purpose and result, but it didn’t quite fit with the ‘really nice-guy’ image that was being projected for him.

The castle operations and Cornish seaside make for interesting and beautiful backdrops to the characters’ conflicts and emotional struggles. I enjoyed the visual images of the castle, the harbor, ocean and beach scenes – I’d love to visit!  The dialogue is saucy with plenty of British attitude, sexual fantasy and frivolity to make this lively even as it deals with overcoming emotional issues resulting from abandonment and loss.

I have enjoyed Ms. Ashley's light romances from earlier reads. This one seems to have more emotional depth but still has the likeable characters and wonderful settings.  This is a nice blend of fun and emotional romance. I recommend this to readers who enjoy flirty, British style romance especially with the addition of emotional challenges to overcome.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miranda’s reaction to Jago:

She’d melted like a bloody snowflake on a bonfire. Location 839

A description I liked:

The evening sun shone through the great cleft in the rock, the late rays dappling the green pool with sun sparkles. Location 3178.

I received this title from the Author for an honest review.

Phillipa shared with me:

St Michael's Mount is a real place by the way - an amazing place that inspired the book.
http://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/

Take a peek - gorgeous!

Find Phillipa at:
www.phillipa-ashley.com
Twitter @PhillipaAshley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Phillipa-Ashley/133611746664705

Book Review: Just Say Yes by Phillipa Ashley

This is an easy and fun read.

Just Say Yes

by Phillipa Ashley

• File Size: 953 KB
• Print Length: 324 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0755343328
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (June 5, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007VEQ9GW

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: June 5, 2012

Praise for Carrie Goes Off the Map:

"Engaging...Ashley's charming prose makes the journey enjoyable."—Publishers Weekly

"This tale has its own Bridget Jones–style appeal."—Booklist
"Quirky and fun!"—RT Book Reviews

"Fulfills all the best fantasies, including a gorgeous humanitarian hero and a camper van!"—Katie Fforder, UK bestselling author of Love Letters
There's one question a girl should always say yes to...
But Lucy Gibson said no. On national TV. Now she's hated by nearly everyone.
Fleeing the spotlight's glare, Lucy holes up in a cottage in the country, where she just might find the right reasons to say yes after all...
From beloved novelist Philipa Ashley, Just Say Yes is a sharp and exuberant tale of the rocky road to love that'll leave you saying "Yes!"

Review:

Lucy Gibson, a marketing assistant, falls hard for Nick, a sexy young man she meets at the bagel shop where she is sent to pick up lunches for her boss. Lucy has a good reputation at her office as a reliable, grounded worker.  She is surprised when the sexy “bagel guy” shows interest in her.

Nick stands her up on the first two dates but they finally connect in a strong, if not fully committed way. Nick isn’t always reliable and he can be quite moody at times but he is a real charmer. But Nick has greater plans than being a “bagel guy.” He is a participant in a TV reality program to pick a top entrepreneur who will get a large donation toward their dream business. Nick plans to be have his own event management business. He is very serious about the program and if it means missing a date with Lucy, surely she understands it is the best for the future. They can have time together later to get to know each other ...outside of bed.

After months of great times in bed, but rocky times otherwise, it is time for the show finale. The winner is announced and then Nick proposes to Lucy on stage in front of millions. Lucy is shocked and unprepared. When she says “no” she becomes a villain in the eyes of the public.  As far as the press is concerned, she is fair game for all of their questions and pictures. They harass not only her mother but her employer’s office as well. Her superiors like her work and suggest that she take a month’s leave to let the excitement die down.

Hurt and angry, Lucy agrees to go with her best friend, Fiona who owns a cottage at the shore. Fiona builds a ‘cover story’ ID for Lucy to help her maintain her anonymity.  This works fine until a local ‘bad boy’ turned cottage and business owner, Josh, decides that Lucy may be the right woman for his life.

All is promising until Josh’s ex-girlfriend shows up with the press before Lucy can reveal the truth of her situation.  Can Josh accept that Lucy has lied about who she is or will she now lose him too as a result of the Nick fiasco?

Ms. Ashley does her usual yummy descriptions and characters with flaws and quirks. The relationships have their challenges.  I didn’t like Nick too much but enjoyed Lucy, Fiona and Josh. If you like a quick, light and fun read you should enjoy this one.

I enjoyed reading this for Sourcebooks through NetGalley.

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: Carrie Goes Off the Map by Phillipa Ashley

This is a fun and easy read.

Carrie Goes Off the Map
by Phillipa Ashley

Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark; Reprint edition (December 1, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1402241453

ISBN-13: 978-1402241451

     Genre: Contemporary Romance

     My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0
 

Book Description
Publication Date: December 1, 2011
"Wonderfully romantic and funny... fulfills all the best fantasies, including a gorgeous, humanitarian hero and a camper van!"
-Katie Fforde, UK Best Selling Author of Love Letters

Carrie lets her best friend talk her into a scenic European road trip as the perfect getaway from a nasty breakup. Unexpectedly along for the ride is the gorgeous Matt Landor, MD, who sorely tests Carrie's determination to give up men altogether. Careening through the English countryside, these two mismatched but perfectly attuned lonely hearts find themselves in hot pursuit of adventure and in entirely uncharted territory.

Review:

Carrie is a vibrant and likeable character. She has lived with her boyfriend, Huw, for ten years, since they became sweethearts in college.  She gave up her own career dreams to help him on his family farm.  She becomes understandably depressed when Huw tells her a few days before their wedding that he doesn’t want to marry her.  She is still trying to recover four months later when she accidently learns he is marrying his accountant. That sends her off on “crazy” mode!  She rushes off to the wedding with the intent to make a scene.

Matt is a handsome, single doctor who has dedicated his efforts working in a medical clinic in the jungles of Tuman. He hasn't made any plans on settling down and enjoys carefree, no-strings, relationships. He happens to be home in Oxford for a forced leave and is serving as an usher for his old college friend, Huw. He sees Carrie at not such a good moment and tries to keep her from really making a fool of herself.

Carrie and her best friend Rowena decide to get away by taking a European tour in a 1967 VW Splitter Van nicknamed Dolly.  At the last minute Rowena gets a job offer and Matt gets substituted as the trip companion. Carrie objects but doesn’t want to give up the trip.

Matt and Carrie spend time with other friends as they try to deny any attraction between them.  It takes a while before they acknowledge and act on that attraction. Carrie has some issues of trust to overcome before she can accept that there might be a relationship for her with someone like Matt.

There is a lot of British humor in this story. I really enjoyed the VW camper van and the various sites visited along the way. I don't really think about beaches and surfing as part of England but obviously they are. The author has a light touch to her writing yet manages to express painful and confused emotions. There is also open use of weed and a bit of casual sex, more so for Matt than Carrie. As long as you don’t let these issues bother you the characters and story are fun and the read is light and easy.

Thank you to Sourcebooks. for this book to read and review.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for the ARC Copy:
1. Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you found there.  This is required for entry.

2.  For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3.  For two entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Four total entries possible.)

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on January 6, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
The WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on January 7. 
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: Wish You Were Here by Phillipa Ashley

A sweet, second chance romance.

 Wish You Were Here by Phillipa Ashley

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark; Original edition (June 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402241445
• ISBN-13: 978-1402241444

    Genre: Contemporary Romance
    My rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Product Description
Phillipa Ashley is a bestselling author in the UK with over 50,000 copies sold and the kind of funny, accessible British voice that U.S. audiences love.

Jack Thornfield, new CEO, is shocked to see his long lost love, Beth Allen's resume come across his desk. After 8 years apart they have a second chance at happiness in this romantic story about love and secrets.

Review: An easy and solid romance read.
Beth Allen has experience in outdoor trekking and travel. She is determined to get a job as product manager for the specialist travel company, Big Outdoors. She needs the job to help with expenses for her family even though it will mean she has to live in London and visit home only on weekends. Beth isn’t quite sure how her somewhat pushy boyfriend, Marcus, will take her decision, especially considering he is in a position to help her family if she would accept his help, or, as he would prefer, marry him.

Beth has all of the right experience and drive for the job and her homework shows that the company needs her skills. But she gets a surprise set back when she walks in for the interview and comes face to face with her first love.  It was 8 years ago when Beth was only 19 and she fell for her summer trek instructor, Jack. Theirs was a whirlwind romance and he even proposed. But  suddenly he was called away and he never even called her again. She thought she’d gotten over the heartache until she had to face him and contemplate accepting a position where he would be her boss.

Jack had personal reasons that took him away from Beth but he never totally forgot her. He hadn’t expected to see her again and he can understand her distrust and unhappiness even if he doesn’t like it.

The job position is only for six months. Can Beth and Jack manage to work together professionally through that time? Can Jack possibly convince her to give them a second chance when she is nearly engaged to another man and it appears that Jack has a sexy companion? Can Beth overcome the pain of the past betrayal and take a chance on the attraction that still sizzles between them?

I enjoyed the plot premise and the fact that Beth had to work at focusing on her job and not allowing bitterness or lust to get the upper hand.  The characters are nicely developed and the story moves along quickly. It was a surprise (not unpleasantly) that there was no sexual scene for two thirds of the book. That helped make it a sweet, light romance instead of a heavy one. This makes for a nice, fast summer read.

Three word description: easy, sweet, warm.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for this book to read and review.
The cover on the left is the ARC cover.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. Visit the Author's website (click on the picture when it opens) and tell me something you found interesting.   This is required for entry.
Make sure you leave your e-mail address!

2. For two extra entries, comment on Ms. Ashley's Guest Post.


3.  For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

4. For two entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Six total entries possible.) MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL!

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.

* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.

* Limit one win per household.

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on July 15, 2011.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.

Guest Post by Phillipa Ashley: How Filming Was Different From Expected

How filming was different from expected

By Phillipa Ashley

Wish You Were Here is my second book published in the US by Sourcebooks. The first was called Dating Mr December published in November last year. Both it and Wish You Were Here have been Amazon.com Top 20 Romance bestsellers this month – yes, people have been reading a book about Mr. December in June!

 

In 2009, Dating Mr December was made into a Lifetime movie called ‘12 Men of Christmas’ and Martha asked me how the filming of the movie was different from what I expected.  Well the first thing is, I didn’t expect my book to become a movie at all! Most authors dream about it but I never imagined it would actually happen.

In October 2007, the novel was optioned by Fox. Someone told me that only a fraction of movies optioned actually get made into films so I got on with writing my other books. Finally on May 27 2009, I got an email telling me that the book was going to be the flagship holiday movie on Lifetime. I almost fell off my office chair...

In July 2009, I took my family to the Rockies to visit the set and meet the cast and crew. Our daughter had just finished her degree and had the whole summer off so we took the chance to enjoy a unique experience as a family.

So what were the differences? Well, first the movie is set in Montana but was actually filmed over the border in Alberta. Coming from a small island like the UK, where our highest peak is 5,000 feet, we were blown away by the landscape.

Although my book is set in England, the premise of my book: big city PR exec moves to a small town, translated very well to the US. For London, substitute New York, for the Lake District, substitute the Rockies.

The film is very much a romantic comedy whereas my novel has more emphasis on the romance. In a book, there’s more time to explore the emotions, feelings and thoughts of characters. In romantic comedy, the funny stuff leads! 

The producer/writer did come up with some great lines that I wish I’d thought of. He also kept some of my dialogue and hearing that was totally surreal. The plot was changed quite a bit but it was still recognisable as my story.

The main thing I would have liked to see more of was the motivation of the hero, Will, which is crucial to the plot and characters in my novel. But again there isn’t a lot of time to delve deeply into emotion in a short movie.

Lots of people have asked if my other books are going to be made into films and it would be fantastic to see Wish You Were Here on screen. Wish You Were Here is set in Corsica, which would make a spectacular setting for a film with its bone-white beaches, crystal seas and lush mountains. I do like to imagine who would play Jack, the hero. He could be played by an American actor as Jack has been working in the US for several years and has a ‘transatlantic’ accent. 

The heroine, Beth, is a warm-hearted, outdoorsy young woman who puts her family above all else. She’s blond in my book and I don’t really mind who would play her. If anyone has any ideas, please suggest them!
 

Here is a quick fun trailer form the movie.
Check out my review and ARC giveaway of Wish You Were Here.

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: Dating Mr. December by Phillipa Ashley

If you were single would you want to date a calendar guy?
Dating Mr. December  by Phillipa Ashley

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (November 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402241429
• ISBN-13: 978-1402241420

     Price:  Print $9.99; Kindle $7.19
     Genre:  Contemporary Romance, Comedy
     My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Product Description from Sourcebooks
She doesn’t need rescuing, she only needs a change of scenery...

After a disastrous discovery loses Emma Tremayne both her boyfriend and her high-profile PR job in London, she moves to the Lake District to recover her confidence and live a simpler life. She loves her new job with the tourist board, and she’s settling into small town life just fine—until she ends up responsible for a fundraising effort that calls for twelve naked mountain rescuers...

Review: This is a very cute, quick read.
Emma Tremayne, as the new tourist PR person in a small community, decides to help raise funds to get a new base for the mountain rescue team.  But her idea of a “beef cake” calendar isn’t immediately accepted by all of the rescuers.  Especially not by the taciturn and grim Will Tennant, who is also a ruggedly handsome male specimen.  Emma has already lost at love and isn’t interested in hunting out a new love interest. Especially not a guy who is rumored to notch the bedpost and jilted his ex fiancé the morning of their wedding. But it’s hard for her not to think a bit about Will’s sensual body.

Will is a man who keeps his secrets tight.  He may be fascinated by this sexy lady but that doesn’t mean he wants to get close. Besides, every time they run into each other she brings out the snarls in him as they are drawn to each other and then push away.  After several months he gives in and decides he at least wants a date with her to try to show her he can be civilized.  Although the date turns into a day of sharing, can Will set aside his pride and take the risk of letting Emma know how he feels? Or will Emma end up with broken heart again?

I enjoyed the snippy humor and snappy characters. The writing is light and the pace moves briskly.  If you are in the mood for a light, fun, “push and pull” romance you should check this one out.  I am interested to see how it will come out in the TV special.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for the book to read and review.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

1.Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you find there.
Please leave your e-mail!

2.  One extra entry: Answer the Question at the top of this post. :o) 

3. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

4. For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

(Four total entries possible.)
It is not necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

* This contest is open to US and Canada only.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on January 5, 2011. The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.