Something Like Happy - Eva Woods

I was really intrigued by the inspiration for Eva Woods' new novel  Something Like Happy. I hadn't heard about the #100happydays challenge before this. (You can find out more at the website and on Twitter.)

In Something Like Happy, we meet Annie - who is definitely not happy. Her mother is ill, she hates her job, lives in a grubby flat, her marriage has broken up and there's a tragedy in her past that has crippled her moving forward. A chance meeting with Polly, a woman who is dying, changes her life. Polly has been given three months to live - and she has decided to not to waste a single day or opportunity - and to touch and involve as many people as she can in feeling happy. Every day for 100 days.

"I don't want to just...go through the motions of dying. I want to really try and change things. I have to make some kind of mark, you see, before I disappear forever. I want to show it's possible to be happy and enjoy life even if things seem awful."

It's impossible not to like Polly as her enthusiasm is infectious. On the flip side, it's very hard to celebrate each day as she does, knowing that she literally has one hundred days left. Doubly hard if you know someone who is terminally ill. But the message at the heart of the book is important. We truly do need to find something or someone to enjoy every day - whatever that may be. Happy is different for everyone.

Annie was a great foil for Polly. When we meet her, she is grumpy, depressed and simply existing. And although the reader is pretty sure how things will progress, her 'transformation' is still a pleasure to follow. I enjoyed the supporting cast, especially Costas, Annie's lodger. Dr. McGrumpy is a close second. He's also the romantic lead in Something Like Happy.

Woods takes some literary license with some of her plotting. Many scenes and developments take place in the hospital. And in 'real life' many of them just wouldn't happen. (Such as sharing other patient's diagnosis with volunteers) As with the romance, these plotlines have the feel of a chick lit read.

Something Like Happy is a double edged read. On one hand it's a feel-good, inspirational read. On the other, it is tinged with sadness and will have the reader perhaps recalling loss in their own lives. But, I think the takeaway will be inspirational as well. Even if you don't formally participate in the challenge, the idea of finding something to be happy for every day is a worthwhile goal.

"The thing about happiness, Annie - sometimes it's in the contrasts. Hot bath on a cold day. Cool drink in the sun. That feeling when your car almost skids on the ice for a second and you're fine - it's hard to appreciate things unless you know what it's like without them." Read an excerpt of Something Like Happy.

"Eva Woods was inspired to write SOMETHING LIKE HAPPY after surviving her own brush with cancer and the breakdown of her marriage. Woods lives in London, where she teaches creative writing and regularly contributes to Marie Claire UK, xoJane, and other publications."You can connect with Eva Woods on her website, like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

(And on a final note - "At the moment, the challenge has been taken by more than 8 000 000 people from 160 countries and territories around the world...")

Giveaway - Any Day Now - Robyn Carr

The latest book in Robyn Carr's Sullivan's Crossing series  - Any Day Now - releases tomorrow - and I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!

What's it about? From Mira Books:

"The highly anticipated sequel to #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr’s What We Find transports readers back to Sullivan’s Crossing. The rustic campground at the crossroads of the Colorado and Continental Divide trails welcomes everyone—whether you’re looking for a relaxing weekend getaway or a whole new lease on life. It’s a wonderful place where good people face their challenges with humor, strength and love.

For Sierra Jones, Sullivan’s Crossing is meant to be a brief stopover. She’s put her troubled past behind her but the path forward isn’t yet clear. A visit with her big brother Cal and his new bride, Maggie, seems to be the best option to help her get back on her feet.

Not wanting to burden or depend on anyone, Sierra is surprised to find the Crossing offers so much more than a place to rest her head. Cal and Maggie welcome her into their busy lives and she quickly finds herself bonding with Sully, the quirky campground owner who is the father figure she’s always wanted. But when her past catches up with her, it’s a special man and an adorable puppy who give her the strength to face the truth and fight for a brighter future. In Sullivan’s Crossing Sierra learns to cherish the family you are given and the family you choose."

"Robyn Carr  is the author of more than 50 novels, including 11 #1 New York Times bestsellers, as well as the beloved Virgin River and Thunder Point series. In 2016, she was awarded the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from Romance Writers of America." You can connect with Robyn on her website, like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

And if you'd like to read Any Day Now, I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to continental US only, ends April 29/17.

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Giveaway - On Second Thought - Kristan Higgins

Kristan Higgin's new novel, On Second Thought, releases today - and I have a copy to give away to one lucky reader!

From the publisher, HQN Books:

"New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Kristan Higgins’s new novel On Second Thought is a moving and emotionally raw tale of two sisters struggling to rebuild their lives in the wake of heartbreak.

Thirty-nine-year-old Kate has almost given up on dreams of love and motherhood when she meets Nathan—a man who is almost too good to be true—and marries him after a whirlwind romance. But before the blush of newly wedded bliss has had a chance to wear off, Nathan dies unexpectedly in a freak accident, and a shattered Kate finds herself more alone than ever before. Barely a bride and now suddenly a widow, Kate must reckon with survivor’s guilt and the revelation of her late husband’s secrets while confronting her own fears and hopes for the future.

In the midst of Kate’s grief, her half-sister Ainsley is dealing devastation of a different variety after
her boyfriend of 11 years dumps her on the night she was expecting him to propose. To make matters worse, his blog post detailing their break-up goes viral. With her perfectly-planned future of domestic harmony dashed in one fell swoop, Ainsley is forced to reevaluate her life and learn how to be alone for the first time in over a decade. As she navigates this new terrain, Ainsley takes solace in supporting Kate through her period of mourning and finds time to exasperate her seemingly heartless boss, who, Ainsley will discover, may have a pulse after all.

From the wreckage of tragedy and heartbreak, Kate and Ainsley will learn to lean on each other and discover a closeness and intimacy they haven’t previously known. Together, these two sisters will find the strength to start over and the courage to believe in second chances." Read an excerpt of On Second Thought.

"New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and two-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA® Award, Kristan lives with her family in a small Connecticut town that boasts a wonderful library, a great agricultural fair, a really good ice-cream stand and not much else. She is the mother of two lovely kids and the wife of a brave firefighter who is also (perhaps more important) a fantastic cook.

Previously a copywriter, Kristan began writing fiction when her children graced her life with simultaneous afternoon naps. Writing, she found, was infinitely more satisfying than folding laundry, and so began her first novel. Kristan holds a BA in English from the College of the Holy Cross, which means she can identify dangling participles, quote many great novels and play a mean game of Scrabble.Kristan is an award-winning baker, devoted fan of the New York Yankees and an avid reader. She and her crew spend as much time as possible at the family home on Cape Cod, where they shiver in the Atlantic, ride bikes, swat horseflies and don’t catch any fish." You can connect with Kristan on her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter.

If you'd like to read On Second Thought, enter to win a copy using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to continental US only, no PO boxes please. Ends Feb 12/17.

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Giveaway - Pretty Little World - Elizabeth LaBan and Melissa DePino

I've got a great giveaway today for those of you who enjoy contemporary fiction!

In Pretty Little World, authors and real-life friends and neighbors Elizabeth LaBan and Melissa DePino present a snapshot of a modern family with a sentimental yearning for community.

From Lake Union Publishing:

"On a cozy street in Philadelphia, three neighboring families have become the best of friends. They can’t imagine life without one another—until one family outgrows their tiny row house. In a bid to stay together, a crazy idea is born: What if they tear down the walls between their homes and live together under one roof? And so an experiment begins.

Bucking the trend of an increasingly fragmented society more accustomed to isolation than cooperation, the friends create a shared space that's as practical as it is idyllic—six adults to keep you company, six pair of hands to pick up the slack with the kids and the housework. But before long, love, lies, and lust collide, and their "pretty little world" gets rocked by reality" Read an excerpt of Pretty Little World. Sound like something you'd like to read? Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

"Elizabeth LaBan is the author of The Tragedy Paper, which has been translated into eleven languages, The Grandparents Handbook, which has been translated into seven languages, and The Restaurant Critic's Wife. She lives in Philadelphia with her restaurant-critic husband and two children."

"Melissa DePino is a former high school English teacher and founding partner, principal, and editorial director of Leapfrog Group, a branding and marketing firm for nonprofits. She grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and earned degrees at both Villanova and Temple Universities. She lives in Center City, Philadelphia, with her two sons. Pretty Little World is her first novel."

Giveaway is open to US only, no PO boxes please. Ends January 21/17.

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Giveaway - Orchids and Stone - Lisa Preston

Orchids and Stone is Lisa Preston's debut novel. It releases today - and I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!

What's it about?  From the publisher, Thomas and Mercer:

"Daphne Mayfield is enjoying some solace in the park one afternoon—a break from city life, a tense relationship, and chronic overwork—when an elderly woman rushes up to her with a desperate plea, "They’re trying to take me. Help! Help me, please." Daphne, whose own sister was murdered twenty years earlier, always thought someone must have seen something and she realizes that she now may be in a similar situation. What if she fails to intervene in a highly suspicious situation if not a serious crime, and that because of her negligence a helpless old woman’s life is now in grave danger?

Even though everyone—her boyfriend, her friends, a retired homicide detective—tells her not to get involved, Daphne's suspicions are confirmed when she traces the victim’s name to a house, and upon investigating it, is assaulted, robbed, and dragged on a cat-and-mouse car chase through Seattle’s streets that ends with the assailant escaping and Daphne being arrested for reckless driving. Now determined to uncover the truth and stop the criminals herself, Daphne plunges into an increasingly treacherous web of deceit and danger. As the layers of the conspiracy peel away, she will have to overcome the demons of her own past and summon previously-untapped inner reserves of courage and trust in others if she is to save an innocent person and stay alive herself." Read an excerpt of Orchids and Stone.

"Lisa Preston turned to writing after careers as a fire department paramedic and a city police officer. Experience in her earlier professions enhance the medical and legal passages of her fiction. Away from her desk, she spends hours on backcountry trails as a runner and rider. She lives with her husband on Washington State's vast Olympic Peninsula." You can connect with Lisa on Facebook or find her on Goodreads.

And if Orchids and Stone sounds like a book you'd like, enter to win a copy using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to continental US only, no PO boxes please. Ends April 16/16.

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A New Hope - Robyn Carr

A New Hope is the 8th entry in the Thunder Point series by best selling author Robyn Carr.

I don't read a lot of romance, but a co-worker mentioned that she had enjoyed quite a few Robyn Carr titles. I was looking for an easy, feel good read, so A New Hope seemed like a good bet.

Ginger Dysart has suffered great personal loss. Still grieving, she moves to the small town of Thunder Point, Oregon, to help out her cousin.  Carr quickly introduces us to the many residents of the town, each with their own story and personality. I must admit to feeling slightly overwhelmed in the beginning, with the sheer number of story lines and connections.

Ginger is a likable character, as are most of the players. Thunder Point is that mythical little town, where everyone knows your name (and your business) the neighbours pitch in and help is always just around the corner. Idyllic and a perfect setting.

At a local wedding, Ginger is hit on by a drunken Matt Lacoumette, who has also suffered loss. Sober, he comes by to apologize to Ginger and.....well, you can see it coming can't you? No surprise - - their relationship grows from no thanks, to friends and onward. Carr grows this relationship nicely, with more than a few truths and some thoughtful introspection along the way.

My only complaint would be the inclusion of what I viewed as somewhat gratuitous sex scenes. No, it's not me being prudish. I just thought they felt forced, or injected into the story as a prerequisite element. I was enjoying the story without these insertions.

What I did really enjoy was that caring town and its residents. Carr has included a wide variety of characters, from young to old, each with their own story. It's easy to see why readers get hooked on such series. It's lovely to imagine such a place as Thunder Point might exist.

The growing relationship between Ginger and Matt is of course a given, despite the setbacks thrown in their paths. But that's why we read romance isn't it? For that happy ever after. Readers will find that ending in A New Hope. Read an excerpt of A New Hope.

"Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of almost fifty novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River series. Robyn and her husband live in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can visit her at her website, connect with her on Facebook, as well as on Twitter.

Giveaway - Redemption Bay - RaeAnne Thayne

Summertime is the perfect time for romantic escapist reading. I've got a great giveaway today for those of you looking to stock up your beach bag!

Redemption Bay, from author RaeAnne Thayne is newly released.

From the publisher, HQN Books:

 "New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne brings you back to Haven Point—a place made for second chances…

McKenzie Shaw would do anything for her hometown of Haven Point. It may be small, but it's never let her down…unlike gorgeous, infuriating Ben Kilpatrick. He was her childhood hero until he closed his family's factory, leaving the town's economy in shambles. Now his tech firm is considering opening a local facility. For Haven Point's sake, McKenzie has to grit her teeth and play nice.

What could a town filled with painful memories ever offer Ben? Yet seeing the town through the eyes of McKenzie—its fiery young mayor—he suddenly has his answer. If only he can resolve the animosity crackling between them, Ben may have found the place where he can build ties and find healing…a place where love arrives when it's least expected." Redemption Bay explores healing hearts, healing bodies, healing families, healing a town and finding love when it's least expected. Read an excerpt of Redemption Bay.

"New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne finds inspiration in the beautiful northern Utah mountains where she lives with her family. Her books have won numerous honors, including four RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America and a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews magazine. RaeAnne loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website." You can also connect with RaeAnne Thayne on Twitter as well as on Facebook.

And every book needs a bookmark! Along with a copy of Redemption Bay, the lucky winner will receive a special bookmark made by RaeAnne herself! Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US only, no PO boxes please. Ends July 18/15.

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Susan Wiggs - Q&A AND Giveaway

I'm thrilled to be hosting author Susan Wiggs at A Bookworm's World today. Susan has just released her latest book -  Return to Willow Lake - the ninth installment in the Lakeshore Chronicle series. Susan was gracious enough to do a quick Q&A session!

1. What do you feel is the appeal of an ongoing series for a reader? And as a writer?

SW: As a reader, I love the feeling of returning to a familiar place with people I’ve “met.” It’s very involving. I’m hoping readers of Return to Willow Lake will enjoy the glimpses of past storylines, but that the story of Sonnet and Zach is fresh and fun.

2. Return to Willow Lake is the 9th book in The Lakeshore Chronicles. When you wrote the first book, did you envision there being a number nine? Did you start with a long range plan or does the story evolve with every addition?

SW: I knew from the start that there would be many books. When I started the series, I made a mural on the wall with images I’d clipped–faces and places, things I could picture in stories. The thing just kept growing. I don’t really have a detailed plan but I’m usually thinking a book or two ahead. I knew what I wanted for Sonnet while I was working on Marrying Daisy Bellamy.

3.What characters are near and dear to you? (Daisy?) Are any based on real life persons? Is the town based on somewhere you've lived or visited?

SW: Daisy, of course. But the main characters of any novel are near and dear to my heart, since I work with them every day I work on the book. They definitely share a piece of my heart. The town of Avalon is based on any number of small towns I’ve known and loved. Phoenicia and Catskill in upstate New York, my hometown in Washington state, the little western New York town where I was born, called Olean. What they all share is a tight-knit community, a closeness to nature and a charming layout. Avalon is so real to me now that the new book features illustrated maps of the key places in town.

4. Anything else you'd like to share with us? New projects?

SW: I’m loving all the action on my Facebook page! I hope readers will join me at facebook.com/susanwiggs.

Thanks for stopping by Susan! And I have a copy of Susan's book Return to Willow Lake to giveaway to one lucky winner. Open to US only, ends Sept16/12. Simply leave a comment to be entered.

"Return to Willow Lake centers on Sonnet Romano, whose life is almost perfect. She has the ideal career, the ideal boyfriend, and has just been offered a prestigious fellowship. There’s nothing more a woman wants – except maybe a baby…sister? When Sonnet finds out her mother is unexpectedly expecting, and that the pregnancy is high-risk, she puts everything on hold – the job, the fellowship, the boyfriend – and heads home to Avalon just until things back on track. But when her mother receives a devastating diagnosis, Sonnet must decide what really matters in life, even of that means staying in Avalon and taking a job that forces her to work alongside her biggest, and maybe her sweetest, mistake – award-winning filmmaker Zach Alger. At once heartbreaking and uplifting, Return to Willow Lake plumbs the deepest corners of the human heart, exploring the bonds of family, the perils and rewards of love, and the true meaning of home.

Susan Wiggs is a three time RITA® Award winner, a #1 New York Times, Washington Post, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author, and winner of Dorothy Parker Award of Excellence."