Sunset Beach - Mary Kay Andrews - Review AND Giveaway!

Oh, it wouldn't be summer without a new book from Mary Kay Andrews! Sunset Beach releases today - and you're going to want to add this one to your summer reading list. And.....I just happen to have a copy to give away to one lucky reader, thanks to St. Martin's Press!

Andrews takes us back to the beach......

Out of a job and down on her luck, Drue Campbell decides to move to Sunset Beach, Florida and take a job in her estranged father's law office. That decision comes with highs - she has inherited a beach bungalow from her grandparents. And lows - her father has married her best friend from grade eight - and she's Drue's new supervisor.

Beach houses. Many of Andrew's books feature a house on the water - and I always stop and daydream about having one myself. Even better when it's a fixer-upper! Steps away from the water? Heaven!

I liked Drue as a lead character. She's clever and feisty, someone you'd really like to know. Now, there's always a romantic thread in Andrew's books. And Sunset Beach is no different - Andrews gives Drue more than one choice of love interests.

But what I really liked about this book was the mystery that takes the lead role in the plot. Well, there's two actually. Drue finds a case at the law firm that was settled - but she thinks there's more to it and starts to investigate on her own. She also finds a box of files in the attic of the beach house that pertains to a missing woman. I was hooked!

The beach, romance, humor and mystery. What more could you want in a book?! Sunset Beach is another easy, breezy read from Mary Kay Andrews, perfect for your summer reading list. Read an excerpt of Sunset Beach.

"Mary Kay Andrews is The New York Times bestselling author of The High Tide Club, The Beach House Cookbook, The Weekenders, Beach Town, Save the Date, Ladies’ Night, Christmas Bliss, Spring Fever, Summer Rental, The Fixer Upper, Deep Dish, Blue Christmas, Savannah Breeze, Hissy Fit, Little Bitty Lies, and Savannah Blues. A former journalist for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, she lives in Atlanta, Georgia." You can connect with Mary Kay on her website, like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and on Instagram.

And if you'd like to read Sunset Beach enter for a chance to win a copy using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US only, ends May 18/19.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The High Tide Club - Mary Kay Andrews - Review AND Giveaway

Oh, it's not summer without a new book from Mary Kay Andrews. The High Tide Club releases today - and it's so very, very good!  You're going to want to add The High Tide Club to your summer beach reads list. And I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!

Andrews hooks the reader from the first pages with a prologue from 1941. Four young women have just buried a body. I know - not what I expected either! I wanted to know more - who and why? The narrative then flips to present day. Lawyer Brooke Tappenall is called to the island of Talisa. Ninety nine year old Josephine is the last of her family. She owns the majority of the island and has been fighting both developers and the state for years to keep her land. She also wants Brooke to find the heirs of her three childhood friends - all members of the self named High Tide Club. She needs to make amends.

There's the starting point and I'm not going to reveal any more. There are so many wonderful pieces to this story - friendship, loss, love, secrets and more. And of course the mystery of who was buried back in 1941. A back and forth narrative slowly reveals the past. And over the course of 480 delicious pages the past and present meet. Andrews provides some unexpected turns along the way. Some were a surprise. And some were darker than I could have predicted. But my hopes for a happy ending were met by the final pages.

The High Tide Club is told with both humour, warmth and pathos. Andrew's prose are easy and engaging. Mary Kay does 'southern' fiction so well. I loved her descriptions of the island, the ocean and the people. Her characters are always clearly drawn and the reader has no problem knowing who they're cheering on.

I really enjoyed this latest from Mary Kay Andrews. Now to begin the long wait for next year's book!Read an excerpt of The High Tide Club.

"Mary Kay Andrews is The New York Times bestselling author of The Beach House Cookbook, The Weekenders, Beach Town, Save the Date, Ladies’ Night, Christmas Bliss, Spring Fever, Summer Rental, The Fixer Upper, Deep Dish, Blue Christmas, Savannah Breeze, Hissy Fit, Little Bitty Lies, and Savannah Blues. A former journalist for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, she lives in Atlanta, Georgia." You can connect with Mary Kay Andrews on her website || subscribe to her newsletter || like her on Facebook || follow her on Instagram || follow her on Twitter || follow her on Pinterest and find her on Goodreads.

And if you'd like to read The High Tide Club, I have a copy to giveaway courtesy of St. Martin's Press. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US only, no PO boxes please. Ends May 19/18.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here's to Us - Elin Hilderbrand

My beach bag reading list wouldn't be complete without the latest Elin Hilderbrand novel. This summer's new title is Here's to Us.

Hilderbrand takes us back to her favourite setting - Nantucket. Her descriptions of the island and locale make me want to visit - or better yet - live in a lovely old wooden cottage by the ocean.

One of those cottages has been the vacation home of one man, Deacon Thorpe -  and over the years - his three wives and children. But with Deacon's death, the three women and their families have gathered at the cottage to spread Deacon's ashes.

They may have all loved Deacon, but they can't stand each other. This forced togetherness brings up the past both good and bad.

It took me a few chapters to put all the characters in their place - who was who, who was related etc. Once I had that down, I formed an attachment with some - first wife Lauren, adopted daughter Angie from marriage number two and local guide JP. I was torn on how I felt about Deacon - he was a conflicted man, but loved his children. Wives two and three (Scarlet and Belinda) were horrid, vapid, vindictive and shallow. Supporting male characters were a mixed bag. I was confused by Deacon's best friend Buck's actions - his long time attraction to Laurel is thrown away for a few minutes of sex with one of the other exes. I found this somewhat jarring and not what I expected from Hilderbrand.

But without having characters that aren't likable, we wouldn't have the tension, recriminations, secrets and ultimately at the end, a form of resolution. I'm sure that some of Hilderbrand's situations are not that far from the truth for some. Food plays a part as well, with many of Deacon's recipes included.

Here's to Us is a good escapist beach read, but I've enjoyed other Hilderbrand novels more. Read an excerpt of Here's to Us.  You can connect with Elin Hilderbrand on her website, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Jane Green Summer Secrets Beach Bag Giveaway!

@Jane Green is getting ready to launch her new book, SUMMER SECRETS on June 23rd and she has offered me the most fantastic summer giveaway for one lucky reader!

A large beach bag filled with Jane's favorite goodies to get you ready for summer! Inside the tote there's a signed copy of SUMMER SECRETS (Read an excerpt!) and an exclusive cold carry cup with the Jane Green Summer Secrets logo!

There's also a fantastic face and body bronzing duo from @Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, and hair cleansing cream from @Purely Perfect Products that will revolutionize the way you wash your hair - you'll never use shampoo again!

Factor 35 continuous mist sunscreen from @Hampton Sun is included, and a beautiful orange glass clover pendant from KZK Jewelry. There's also a delicious chocolate coconut almond snack bar from @Nothin' But Healthy, and a tube of moisturizing no-bump shave gel from @Completely Bare Products - you'll never have bumpy legs again!

It's quite a haul!  I have one of these fantastic bags to giveaway to a randomly chosen reader. For a chance to win, make sure you like Jane's Facebook page, and leave a comment telling me what the best thing about summer is for you?

Open to US only, no PO boxes please. Ends July 4/15. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mary Kay Andrews Prize Pack Giveaway!

Summer is just around the corner....and that means it's time to stock the beach bag with some fantabulous summer reading.

And for me - that means Mary Kay Andrews!! I can't wait to read her newest book, Beach Town,  - it releases May 19th.

But, while we're waiting, I have an amazing Mary Kay Andrews giveaway for one lucky reader to win that includes:

A copy of SAVE THE DATE in trade paperback
A copy of SUMMER RENTAL in mass market paperback 

Two different Mary Kay Andrews bookmarks

Set of 3 SAVE THE DATE recipe cards

SAVE THE DATE magnet MKA

Summer Rental sticker

BEACH TOWN lip balm with SPF 15

So, if you're looking to stock your beach bag with some great summer reading, enter to win this great prize pack using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to Continental US only, no PO boxes please. Ends May 30/15

And here's a quick peek at Beach Town...

"Greer Hennessy is a struggling movie location scout. Her last location shoot ended in disaster when a film crew destroyed property on an avocado grove. And Greer ended up with the blame.

Now Greer has been given one more chance-a shot at finding the perfect undiscovered beach town for a big budget movie. She zeroes in on a sleepy Florida panhandle town. There’s one motel, a marina, a long stretch of pristine beach and an old fishing pier with a community casino—which will be perfect for the film’s climax—when the bad guys blow it up in an all-out assault on the townspeople.

Greer slips into town and is ecstatic to find the last unspoilt patch of the Florida gulf coast. She takes a room at the only motel in town, and starts working her charm. However, she finds a formidable obstacle in the town mayor, Eben Thinadeaux. Eben is a born-again environmentalist who’s seen huge damage done to the town by a huge paper company. The bay has only recently been re-born, a fishing industry has sprung up, and Eben has no intention of letting anybody screw with his town again. The only problem is that he finds Greer way too attractive for his own good, and knows that her motivation is in direct conflict with his.

Will true love find a foothold in this small beach town before it’s too late and disaster strikes? Told with Mary Kay Andrews inimitable wit and charm, Beach Town is this year’s summer beach read!" Read an excerpt of Beach Town.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Save the Date - Mary Kay Andrews - Review AND Giveaway!

My summer reading list would not be complete without the latest book from Mary Kay Andrews.

Save the Date is another wonderfully warm, funny, romantic read that's a must for your beach bag.

Andrews populates her books with lovable, quirky characters that you wish you could actually count among your friends.

In Save the Date, we meet Cara Kryzik, a florist trying to make a go of her fledgling business in Savannah. She lands one big society wedding that could make or break her reputation - and her bank account. Can she pull it off? Or will fate conspire against her? Her landlord wants to sell her building, her loan is being called in and her trusted assistant is acting funny. Then a well known 'society' florist opens a shop in Savannah, determined to put Cara out of business..... And what about that builder that 'kidnapped' her dog? And why is he at every wedding she's working?

I was captured from first page to last. All the elements are there - a main character you can't help but cheer for, a hunky guy, that will they, they won't they romantic storyline, an eclectic supporting cast and an antagonist you can't help but dislike! All of it is wrapped up in distinctly enjoyable dialogue and situations, making Save the Date a sweet, easy, breezy read.

I really enjoyed some of the wedding ideas and descriptions and learned quite a bit about flowers as well. Andrews's books are set in the South, where she herself makes her home. Her descriptions of time and place make me want to visit the settings.(Or in the case of Tybee Island - move there)

My usual fare is mysteries and thrillers, but I enjoy a good 'chick lit' book. Andrews always fills the bill - and for this reader, Save the Date was a really good read.

Get a taste - read an excerpt of Save the Date. I've also listened to Mary Kay Andrews titles. Save the Date is available on audio as well. The reader is Kathleen McInerney, and she's great. Hear for yourself -  https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/save-the-date-audiobook-excerpt

You can keep with Mary Kay Andrews on Facebook and on Twitter.

Thanks to the generosity of St. Martin's Press, I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader. Open to continental US only, no PO boxes please. Simply leave a comment to be entered. Ends August 2/14.

In the Bag - Kate Klise

I know where you might find copies of Kate Klise's adult debut novel In the Bag this summer ..... in quite a few beach bags! It's absolutely perfect for summer reading  - sweet, charming, light and fun.

Chef and single mom Daisy is on her way to Paris to take a much needed vacation with her teenage daughter Coco. Single dad Andrew is on that same flight with his teenage son Webb on their way to Spain. When Andrew accidently spills a glass of wine on Daisy, he feels terrible....but also smitten. Daisy is well - the kind of woman he could fall for. So he decides to tuck a note into her carry on luggage with his email contact information. You never know, right?

It is only when each pair arrives at their hotels that the teenagers discover that they have picked up someone else's luggage. Three guesses here. Yes - Coco and Webb have each other's bags. When they discover contact info in the bags, they begin conversing by email. And the conincidences don't stop there.....

Klise has conjured up a simply delightful plot, full of miscommunications, misperceptions, missed cues and misunderstandings. She has chosen to tell the story from the viewpoint of each of the characters, which really worked. The characters were believable and rang true. I nodded my head and chuckled at much of the parent's thoughts and dialogue.  It brought back memories of my own two (now grown) teenagers. Klise also did a great job with Coco and Webb. Much of their communication is done through email and Kate wrote witty missives that seemed to capture the tentative beginnings of teenage relationships. Interestingly it is only when they meet in person that Coco and Webb have trouble communicating, mirroring today's dependence on electronic connections.

And no summer beach read is complete without a happy ending. Yes, you can see it coming but Klise makes the journey there so much fun. Chick lit fans will love it. And it would make a cute rom/com movie too!  Read an excerpt of In the Bag.

And it was only when I finished the book that I discovered the idea behind the book. Klise found a hand written note in her own carry on bag. I wonder if she ever followed up?

"Kate Klise spent fifteen years working as a correspondent for People magazine. When she wasn't reporting for the magazine, Kate was home on her Missouri farm, writing such bestselling children's books as Regarding the Fountain, Dying to Meet You, and Grounded."

See what others on the TLC tour thought -  the schedule can be found here.