Book Review and Giveaway: Better Than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts

This story is better than chocolate - more entertaining and non fattening!

Better Than Chocolate (Life in Icicle Falls) 
by Sheila Roberts

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin MIRA (September 25, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 077831345X
• ISBN-13: 978-0778313458

Genre: Contemporary Romance
My rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Release date: September 25, 2012 | Series: Life in Icicle Falls
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank—and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it?
After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They'll have a chocolate festival! Time's running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town's behind them, so everything's bound to go smoothly….
Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother's attempts to help aren't helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It's enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake's also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there's something even better than chocolate.

Review:
Samantha is the oldest daughter and the one who is responsible for her mother and two younger sisters. She is the one who has to try to pull the family chocolate company out of the management mess left by her friendly but inept stepfather.  But she needs cooperation and an extension of time on the bank loan.

Bank policies have had to be tightened so the old, community friendly bank manager has been replaced. Blake is a home-grown, high school football hero who has returned to town as the new manager. He wants to help her Samantha, especially when she comes up with an idea for a chocolate festival that will benefit many businesses in town. But Blake’s hands are tied by his boss who is pressing to foreclose Sweet Dreams Chocolate and sell the business to a less quality competitor.

Blake is immediately attracted to Samantha but she sees him as the cold-hearted enemy. She tries to ignore any chemistry that she feels with Blake.

This was a fun read. The story is very warm and there were times I laughed out loud. The characters are real with real life problems. The dialogue is natural and humorous. Samantha is a strong, determined business woman and it is lovely to watch her learn to accept help from others, even her family. The chapters start with lovely quotes attributed to Samantha’s mother as an author of several books.

There is a gentle underlying strength of faith and the romance has chemistry but is portrayed through strong desire and inference in a sweet, not steamy fashion. This is the first title I have read by Sheila Roberts and I look to enjoy more.

Examples of the humor:

A girl could bite off even the biggest challenge if it was coated in chocolate. P. 25.

The conversation turned in a new direction but Samantha was still stuck on the corner of Urge and Merge. What would it be like to meet Blake Preston on that corner?  P 298.

I received this book from Harlequin for my thoughts to be shared in survey.

ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for the Review 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 June 14, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on June 15, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Winners: Undone, New Wings and Barefoot in the Sun

CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNERS!

Giveaways Ended May 31, 2013

ARC Giveaway: Undone by Sara Humphreys

Winner: Tammy

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

Giveaway: New Wings by Donna Stanley

Winner: Meghan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ARC Giveaway: Barefoot in the Sun by Roxanne St. Claire

Winner: Barbara E

Tammy, Meghan and Barbara please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me at mesreads AT gmail.com to confirm the win and I'll get the books mailed.  Please reply within 72 hours!   

Thank you to everyone who entered these contests!

Mailbox Monday June 3, 2013

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.
For JUNE: the Mailbox Monday Tour host is Bellezza @ Dolce Bellezza. 
Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs.  This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) but is now hosted at Mailbox Monday and through various blog hosts.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists. 

I received three ebook review titles this past week and picked up two free audios through Sync YA summer program.
Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

REVIEW

  

Somewhere in Time (The Crosse Harbor Time Travel Trilogy) 

by Barbara Bretton

These three were Net Galley Pickups:

Fire Inside

A Chaos Novel

Kristen Ashley

 Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Take Me Back
A Give & Take Novella
Kelli Maine
Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Audio:
Available to download free from SYNC YA May 30 – June 5, 2013
 
Of Poseidon
By Anna Banks
Read by Rebecca Gibel
Published by AudioGO
 

The Tempest
By William Shakespeare
Performed by a Full Cast
Published by AudioGO/ BBC Radio

Won

None this week.

Purchased

None this week.

 

Free

I don't think I downloaded any free Kindle Titles linked through Free Par-tay, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink and Kindle Review.

It's Monday What are You Reading? June 3, 2013

This meme starts at Book Journey!

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I had a more relaxing work week although I am doing some traing that takes time. Reading has been good.  I finished four books and posted four reviews, one with ARC Giveaways and a joint Giveaway for two. I also posted the weekly Mailbox Monday meme, Friday Pick Giveaway, Saturday Snapshot, Sharing Beyond Books Comment Giveaway and Sunday Words.

I didn't get to visit much at all last week. This week I hope to visit on Monday.
Thanks as always to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• It's Monday What are You Reading? May 27, 2013.

• Mailbox Monday May 27, 2013.

• Attention Audio Fans, YA, Classic Readers: Check Out SYNC - #syncya!

• Book Review: Secretly Smitten Anthology, Christian Romance; my rating 4.5.

• Book Review and Giveaway: Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster, Seampunk, Paranormal Romance; my rating 4.5. 

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway May 31, 2013. Open Worldwide. Ends 6/7.

• Saturday Snapshot (6/1/13) Growing Garden
  

• Author Feature and Book Review: What a Wicked Earl Wants by Vicky Dreiling, Historical Romance; my rating 4.5.
  

• Author Feature and Book Review: The Duchess Hunt by Jennifer Haymore, Historical Romance; my rating 4.25.
  

• Forever Romance 8 Days of Desire Two Book Giveaway.
  

• Sharing Beyond Books #102 Comment Giveaway 6/1/13. Open Worldwide. Ends 6/7..

• Sunday Words of Encouragement June 2, 2013.
  

Finished Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle (also Print)

What a Wicked Earl Wants (Sinful Scoundrels)
by Vicky Dreiling
I really liked this. Reviewing with Author feature and a giveaway are linked above.
Click on title for full Book Description.

2. Audible

Hexed: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 2 [Unabridged]
by Kevin Hearne (Author), Luke Daniels (Narrator)
I enjoy this on Audible. I'll post a review this week.
This is from my own Audible Library.
Click on title for full Book Description.

3. Print

The Duchess Hunt (House of Trent)
by Jennifer Haymore
I enjoyed this one too. Author Feature, Review and a Giveaway are linked above.
Click on title for full Book Description.

4. Print

The Sweet Spot (Sweet on a Cowboy)
by Laura Drake
This is a nice story.
I'll post a review and ARC Giveaway this week.
Click on title for full Book Description.

Line Edits/Releases: 
Last week we released a Middle Grade story:

THE SACRIFICE
by Cher Green
Angelina must travel to the castle to protect her sister, who is marrying the king of the land. But who will protect Angelina on her journey when she encounters a troll and other unexpected obstacles? Luckily, she carries her precious and powerful medallion. She will need it, for even after she reaches the castle, all is not as it seems.

The Sacrifice is a fairytale-like story of a young woman's journey to save her sister.

Genre(s): Middle Grade - Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 24 with illustrations

We have several print releases ready to go live this week.

Currently reading:

1. eBook/Kindle

Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy 
by Abigail Sharpe
This is starting very fun!
Reviewing for Forever Yours/Hachette.
Book Description
Publication Date: May 7, 2013"Charming and witty. Abigail Sharpe will delight you."-- New York Times bestselling author Christie Craig"A rich and rustic tale of family, friendship, and love guaranteed to lasso your heart." -- Jessica Lemmon, author of TEMPTING THE BILLIONAIRE
In the bestselling tradition of Lori Wilde...
SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMEONE NEW . . .
There's nothing florist Ainsley Fairfax won't do to help her sister get the love of her life-even if it means taking her place on a bachelorette weekend at a Wyoming ranch so Cecelia can sail off with the man of her dreams. Ainsley is determined to spend the time keeping her head down and her heart safely tucked away-until an encounter with the ranch's hunky owner gets her heart-and steamy desires-to bloom . . .
Riley Pommer doesn't want to be lassoed into any relationship. But with the family ranch in dire straits, Riley knows his sisters' crazy plan to turn the ranch into the setting for a dating competition-and using Riley as the bait-is the only thing standing between them and foreclosure. But the rules of the game change the instant Riley lays eyes on the spirited Ainsley. Now, as others try to stampede over their love, can Riley prove to Ainsley that true love is a prize worth fighting for?

2. Audible

 

A Royal Pain: A Royal Spyness Mystery 
Author: Rhys Bowen
I am midway through this 2nd book
in a fun Historical Mystery series.
This is a selection from my Audible Library.
Publisher's Summary

The Queen of England has concocted a plan in which penniless aristocrat Lady Georgie is to entertain a Bavarian princess and conveniently place her in the playboy prince's path, in the hopes that he might finally marry.

But queens never take money into account. Georgie has very little, which is why she moonlights as a maid-in-disguise. She must draw up plans: clean house to make it look like a palace; have Granddad and her neighbor pretend to be the domestic staff; un-teach Princess Hanni the English she's culled from American gangster movies; cure said princess of her embarrassing shoplifting habit; and keep an eye on her at parties.

Then there's the worrying matter of the body in the bookshop and Hannis' unwitting involvement with the Communist Party. It's enough to drive a girl crazy.

Listen to more Royal Spyness mysteries.
©2008 Janet Quin-Harkin (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

3. Print

It Had to Be You
by Jill Shalvis
I enjoy this author and plan to read this one next.
Reviewing for Grand Central/Hachette.
Book Description
Release date: May 28, 2013 | Series: Lucky Harbor
Ali Winters is not having a good day. Her boyfriend left her, everyone in town thinks she's a thief, and now she's about to be kicked out of her home. Her only shot at keeping a roof over her head and clearing her name is to beg for help from a police detective who's as sexy as he is stern....

After a high-profile case goes wrong, Luke Hanover returns to his hometown for some peace and quiet. Instead he finds a bombshell brunette in a heap of trouble. As he helps Ali put her world back together, the pieces of Luke's own life finally seem to fall into place. Is this the start of a sizzling fling? Or are Luke and Ali on the brink of something big in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

I continue to listen to The Listener's Bible NIV read by Max McLean. [Reading and listening on MP3.] I am studying with the Tyndall One Year Bible this year, hoping to read daily along with my DH.

Line Edits: Several more releases being prepared for the next few weeks. I am still doing more Smashword conversions in between print formatting.

I had three print books move from May to June. Plus I have five additional print books, two tour books and three NetGalley titles. Plus Audios. I'm not sure what happened to my relaxing plan for June. Guess that goes into July. Sigh.

June Scheduled:
6/11 Review with Interview and GW: Somewhere in Time (The Crosse Harbor Time Travel Trilogy) by Barbara Bretton
?date between 6/19 to 6/28 Review Jack Templar and the Monster Hunter Academy by Jeff Gunhus – Book Blast Tour

SOURCEBOOKS
     One Day on Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand
    The Magic of I Do by Tammy Falkner

Hachette - Forever
     Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy by Abigail Sharpe
     Haven Creek (A Cavanaugh Island Novel) by Rochelle Alers
     It Had to Be You by Jill Shalvis 
    Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Molly Cannon
    The Woman He Loved Before by Dorothy Koomson 
     A House Divided by Kimberly Lawson Roby

NetGalley:
     Anonymous Sources, by Mary Louise Kelly
     The Bane (The Eden Trilogy) (Volume 1) by Keary Taylor
     Silent Warrior by Lindsey Piper

AudioBook Jukebox
     Awaiting receipt of requested titles.

Author Books received at March EPICon
     Convict Dad by P. Ryan Hembree

From TBR Collection - TBD
Won Book - TBD
Free Kindle/Nook or Smashwords: TBD

Sunday Words of Encoragement June 2, 2013

This morning we had a lovely service with the move of the Spirit in prayer and word. Our Pastor shared a message on The New Covenant (Deal or No Deal?) before we shared in communion.

But today I am sharing from our Sunday School lesson. What I share may not seem so encouraging except there is peace and promise for those of us who believe that God is in control.

We have been studying Revelation and what the world community may look like as we grow nearer and nearer to the end days. Our teacher reminded us how important it is to "raise up a child in the way he should go..." Proverbs 22:6.  It is no guarantee that the child will serve God when grown but the child has a better chance for that than those not raised with Biblical foundations.

Revelation prophesies foretell a "one world order"government. Christians, in America especially where we have been surrounded by freedom and blessings, are watching as our society begins to change. In the 1960s Bibles and Prayer were removed from public school. We became aware of liberal agendas in colleges that would capture our youth at a vulnerable time in their development as individuals. Author Frank Peretti looked at this influence in This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness.  Slowly, but surely, government has been intruding into our lives so that our children can be taught what 'they' want them to learn.. More and more public preschools are promoted to take the children out of the home and begin their societal training. This past year or so an educational curriculum known as "Common Core" has been accepted by about 44 states. This program has an agenda and the educators will be evaluated on how well the children respond and learn the "core values." The whole program minimizes free thinking and directs society doctrines/indoctrination.

Even more, now we are allowing Islamic teachings as accepted curriculum in our middle schools. Al Queda and other Saudi Arabia organizations are funding teaching in America. If you are interested you can watch this video:

I found this interesting quote in a 2003 article on Education by Linda Schrock Taylor [source link: http://www.lewrockwell.com/taylor/taylor13.html]

"When an opponent declares, 'I will not come over to your side.' I calmly say, 'Your child belongs to us already… What are you? You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else but this new community.'"

                                                    ~ Adolf Hitler

America as we have known it is changing rapidly with educational agendas to teach our children liberal views and even Islamic teachings, and Agenda 21 to control (if not take over) our land. The fox is in the hen house and the enemy marches against our children and our Christian foundations. Be aware, be prepared; prepare your children.

.I was looking for a video for the song "The Battle is not yours, God said it's Mine."

I did not find that but I found this instead:

Arms That Hold the Universe.

Verses for Today:
Isaiah 46:9-10  (NIV)
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
    I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
    from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
    and I will do all that I please.’

Thank you Lord for giving me faith and assurance in an all-sovereign God.