Blog Tour Interview with Marie Astor and Review

Tasty Readers, we are in for a treat today!  Marie Astor, Author of the Contemporary Single Title, On the Rim of Love is making a stop at A Tasty Read on her Goddess Fish Blog Tour.  We are talking new releases and sexy, ski-buffs!

A Tasty Read: Marie....So excited to have you pop in today to chat with us!

Marie Astor: Hi Lisa, thank you very much for inviting me to A Tasty Read. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to talk about my latest contemporary romance, On the Rim of Love.

A Tasty Read: Your books both have a running theme of Fate/Chance.  That Maggie meets Taylor before getting married to Jeffrey, or that Jeremy gets caught with his book agent in Lucky Charm.  Are you a big believer in Fate/Chance?

Marie: Lisa, what a terrific question – I love that you noticed this running theme about my books! The answer is – yes, absolutely! I believe that the power of chance plays a very big role in our lives. Every decision we make – even something as minor as deciding to walk instead of driving to the office in the morning – opens a unpredictable possibilities. How many people out there would agree that had they not gone to a friend’s birthday party or stopped by for a drink after work, they would have never met their wife / husband?

Here is an anecdote from my personal experience that made me believe in the power of chance once and for all… A few years ago I was taking a bus home from work. The bus was about to leave when, at the last minute, a woman jumped in. I was very surprised when she addressed me by name. Slowly, a recollection formed in my mind – the woman’s name was Anne and we had gone to high school together. It turned out that my former classmate was working a few blocks away from the place where I worked and we started taking the bus home together several times a week.

Several months later I got a call from my friend, Glenn, who told me that he had just broken up with his girlfriend, and I instantly thought of Anne who too had recently gotten out of relationship. Since then, the two had gotten married and now have two kids - if Anne had not made that bus, she would have never met her current husband. And for all the skeptics out there – this story is one hundred percent true – the only detail I changed was the names.

A Tasty Read: Where did you come up with the idea for On the Rim of Love?  

Marie: Two winters ago I visited Banff, British Columbia. I have always thought that there is something very special about the atmosphere of ski towns, and I was charmed by Banff’s quaint streets and the fascinating people who walked them. An idea for a contemporary romance became to form in my mind: big city girl meets a big-mountain skier who is rooted in his small hometown. By the end of my ten-day stay at Banff, I had jotted down a rough outline and notes on the main characters: Maggie and Taylor, as well as Taylor’s best friends: Shawn and Hannah. The hardest part was over: all that remained for me to do was to sit down and write Maggie’s and Taylor’s story.

 
A Tasty Read: Have you ever used friends/families love lives for a storyline?

Marie: I have never used specific events for a storyline, but I draw on my personal experiences as well as events that I’ve witnessed as inspiration for my novels.

When I was starting to write Lucky Charm, I was thinking of a storyline about two friends helping each other through the mine-ridden world of relationships. Next thing I knew, the characters of Annabel and her poacher boyfriend, Jeremy, popped into mind, and then Annabel’s best friend, Lilly, joined the cast.

When I was writing On the Rim of Love, the setting became the inspiration for the storyline. The minute I saw the towering cliffs of British Columbia, the characters of Taylor and Maggie jumped to life, and then the rest followed.

Have I ever known anyone exactly like Annabel and Jeremy or Maggie and Taylor? No, but I’ve met people who remind me of them. My characters, as well my storylines are a mix of my imagination and experiences.

A Tasty Read: Can you tell us a little bit about what you are currently working on?

Marie: I am currently in the finishing stages of my next contemporary romance (I have not decided on the final title yet!): it is a story about overcoming one’s inhibitions, finding true love, and learning to tango. I am excited to say that the initial release date of March 2012 has been moved up to early February 2012. Please visit my website: www.marieastor.com  and join my distribution list if you’d like to receive updates on book releases and events.

 

A Tasty Read: Thank you again Marie for hanging out today!!  Wish you all the best with you next project and I look forward to reading them in the future!!

Marie: Lisa, thank you so much for inviting me to A Tasty Read – it was a pleasure being your guest!

More about Marie:

Marie Astor is a die-hard romantic who wholeheartedly believes in true love, which is why she writes in the contemporary romance genre. Marie is the author of contemporary romance novels, On the Rim of Love, Lucky Charm, and a short story collection, A Chance Encounter and Other Stories. Stop by Marie’s website: www.marieastor.com to sign up for book releases and events. Marie can also be found on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection and Twitter: @marieastor.

Books by Marie Astor:

 On the Rim of Love – a contemporary romance about the unexpected power of love.

http://www.amazon.com/Rim-Love-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005TOWI7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322449445&sr=8-1

 Lucky Charm – a humorous contemporary romance about love, luck and friendship.

http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Charm-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005BZL3L4/ref=pd_sim_kinc_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

 A Chance Encounter and Other Stories – a short story collection about love and everyday life.

http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Encounter-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B004E112TO/ref=pd_sim_kinc_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

On the Rim of Love
Marie Astor
Released Oct 7th, 2011
Ebook
Source: Goddess Fish Promotions




Maggie Robin has been dating the irresistibly good-looking, successful Jeffrey Preston for two years. But when Jeffrey proposes marriage a week after Maggie’s college graduation, she is no longer sure if she wants to marry a workaholic TV producer.

 Her doubts culminate when during a ski trip to British Columbia, Maggie meets Taylor Denton, a handsome, free-spirited big mountain skier who is the complete opposite of Jeffrey. It does not take Maggie long to realize that she has fallen in love with Taylor and she decides to break off her engagement with Jeffrey. But just when she thinks she has found the love of her life, an ill-fated misunderstanding tears Maggie and Taylor apart.

 A week later, Maggie is told that Taylor has died in a tragic ski accident; yet, her heart refuses to believe in Taylor’s death. When Maggie returns to Taylor’s native town, she learns that Taylor is indeed alive, but has been seriously injured. Resolved to bring her lover back to life Maggie stands by Taylor’s side, convincing him to embrace life again.

Firstly, I will say that I enjoyed the sparkling chemistry between Taylor and Maggie, the butterflies, the glances across the room, the spark when they finally touch.  Those are always my favorite parts of the romance, the "sexual tension" as some may call it.

“Taylor, look. Isn’t he beautiful?” Maggie pointed at the regal bird that was circling in vast, sweeping loops, oblivious to their presence.

Taylor looked up. “He does look magnificent.”

“Doesn’t he look free, as though nothing could ever touch him?” Maggie murmured wistfully.

“You think that eagle doesn’t have anything to worry about?” Taylor looked at her with his piercing green eyes. “He’s probably circling there like that because he is searching for food.”

As if in testament to Taylor’s words, the eagle surged downward in a swift, sharp dive and soared back up several moments later, clasping his catch in his claws, beating his wings hastily as he made his way into the sky.

“I guess you’re right,” Maggie conceded, her voice ringing with disappointment. “It’s just that for a moment he seemed so free up there.”

“I know what you mean, but birds are anything but free,” said Taylor, “try hunting for food all the time, not knowing when you are going to eat next, being cold, watching out for predators. Humans, on the other hand, are free.” Taylor paused, looking at Maggie intently. “We can do anything we want – the sky is the limit and there’s no one here to stop us.”

“You really believe that?” asked Maggie.

“Of course I believe it. Don’t you?”

“I’d like to,” said Maggie quietly, and then, meeting Taylor’s gaze, added more assertively, “After today anything seems possible.”

Other than the overall Romance aspect of the book, I didn't find myself falling "IN LOVE" with either of the main characters.  I didn't get any of the usual tightening in my chest, I didn't shed a tear over the "misunderstanding" between the couple, and I didn't finish the book with a huge smile on my face. 

Don't get me wrong, I love a HEA, and I was happy that things worked out between the pair, but I wasn't "dying" to see how things would turn out, as I am when reading a book that sucks me in and won't let go.  On the Rim of Love, had a GREAT plot, and it had a GREAT Villain, who by the way, I wanted to punch in the face, but it was just "OK" in my book. 

I would recommend it for anyone who loves to read a Romance where "FATE" really plays a huge part in the Hero and Heroine coming together, and for $2.99 you can't go wrong! 

Even though I received a copy for the Blog Tour, I still purchased a copy for my Kindle and I think I will pick up her previous release, Lucky Charm also.  You never know, second book could be "a charm"!

Blog Tour Giveaway:  (US/Canada ONLY)

Marie is awarding two prizes to randomly drawn commenters during her tour:

A Sterling Silver Plum Quartz necklace and earring set, and a Sterling Silver Aventurine necklace that were custom designed for the tour!

So Follow the rest of the Tour and leave a comment on each day in order to be entered in the Giveaway!

http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/11/virtual-book-tour-on-rim-of-love-by.html

WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE HERO?

Hello Sexy...I mean ladies...Hello ladies....ehem...

I thought we should talk HEROES this week!!  I want to know WHAT FICTIONAL HERO is your FAVORITE.  *swoon*

Please name the BOOK TITLE where he is from and the AUTHORS NAME...Cause if YOU LOVE HIM...then maybe ALL OF US need to spend some time getting to know him better *wink, wink*

WHY YOU ASK? Well...aside from gaining knowledge about Sexy, Amazing, Handsome, Heart-Breakers, I AM HOSTING A GIVEAWAY!!!!

Is he a Cowboy, a Sports Hunk, a cut-throat tycoon or a mysterious highlander? He might even be the plumber, or the undercover detective....Whoever he is...I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HIM!!

All you need to do is NAME your FAVORITE HERO, BOOK TITLE, AUTHOR and PLEASE leave your EMAIL ADDRESS in the post!!

This GIVEAWAY will be running ALL WEEK!!  I want to give EVERYONE a chance to NAME THEIR FAVORITE FICTIONAL HERO....The WINNER will be chosen NEXT SATURDAY!

THE PRIZE you ask??  That will be THE BOOK which features THE HERO who is named the most amount of times. 

So if, TREVOR MEEDE from Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins is named the MOST TIMES by YOU as FAVORITE HERO...Then the winner will win JUST ONE OF THE GUYS!!

GET IT??  HOPE SO....

I look forward to hearing from EVERYONE...I know A LOT of readers and I know they all have their SPECIAL GUYS that stay with them LONG after the book is finished, so tell me ALL about him!!

The Ice was Stretched Thin

On Thin Ice
PJ Sharon
Published Dec 12, 2011
Kindle Edition
Author Published
Source: Gifted by Author &
Purchased by Reviewer



Seventeen-year old Ice-Skater, Penny, meets handsome Hockey hunk, Carter McCray, or Mac, and sparks ignite.  Those sparks start a fire that burns hot and fast.  But like all fires, the aftermath is never pretty.

There are YA books that hit on edgy issues such as, sex, bulimia, teen pregnancy, death of parents, finding out you are not who you thought you were, rape and parental stress to succeed....This book had ALL of these things, it was A LOT to take for just one young girl.  Some of the issues could have been drawn out more, and some could have been taken out all together.  NOT to say that PJ Sharon didn't do an AMAZING job at making all these issues not just believable, but they WORKED!

For me, as a reader, it was a bit much.  As a fellow writer, it was a bit much.  There were some unnecessary secondary characters that could have been taken out, and I would have suggested taking out one or two of the conflict issues, maybe drawing out some of the main issues a bit longer.  I felt as if the conflict was piled on and forced on the reader.

But as I said, PJ Sharon did an amazing job at making ALL THE CHAOS work.  There was some "God" talk, which doesn't bother me in the least, but this is coming from a 13-yr Catholic School Veteran. In my opinion, if I was dealing with all of the things Penny was dealing with, I'd be praying too!!

As for the main characters, Penny was your average girl, I didn't really get too much more out of her, but I liked her.  But I think because there was so many issues going on at the same time, we couldn't really get a good read on her feelings about just one thing, or how she would react in just one situation. 

As for our Hero, Carter McCray....well....he freaked out after he found out Penny lied to him, then proceeds to do something that didn't fit his character.  I thought he was a smart and handsome boy, but I thought he should have tried a little harder.  I don't want to give anything away, so I can't explain his reactions to different issues going on, but again, I think there was too much going on with Penny, that everything else just got lost in the shuffle.

Funny thing is, aside from all the craziness, I liked the book.  I wasn't sure where it was going, but I liked it.  I'd say give it a chance, or if you have an OLDER YA, have them read it.  This book touches on many issues that any Young Adult might face, and PJ Sharon "writes" great advice/options to all teens facing these issues.

I will give Ms. Sharon props for mentioning Author, Kristan Higgins in this book!!

Rainshadow Road Sparkles

Rainshadow Road
Friday Harbor #2
Lisa Kleypas
Released Feb 28th, 2012
336 Pages
St. Martin's Griffin
Source: ACR from Publisher
Member of Lisa's Divas








Rainshadow Road is Lisa Kleypas at her best. After reading this book, you can't help but believe in magic!

 "From then on, magic had come to Lucy when she most needed it.  And sometimes when she least wanted it." 

Lisa Kleypas has a way of sucking you into the story, and making you feel as though you have known these people forever. Lucy Marinn is such a likable heroine from the very first page. She is the kind of heroine that you are routing for until the very end, and this book was no different. The second she and Sam meet, you can feel the magic in the air, and we get to watch their friendship turn into something more, something both are afraid to believe in.

Sam Nolan is my favorite kind of hero. Strong, funny, charming and true to himself. He knows his limits and what he has to offer. I loved him in Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor, and I fell even harder in Rainshadow Road. I devoured the scenes where he and Lucy would just spend time talking, getting to know each other better, and sharing the "magic" between them.

"It's ...creating art with light.  A way of sharing how you look at the world.  Emotion made visible"

 
Lisa descriptions are so vivid, they paint an amazing picture, not just of the setting, but of the beautiful work created by Lucy's hands.

Rainshadow Road gives us some Amazing New Secondary Characters, who I think we will be seeing along the way as the series continues. I can't wait to see what happens with Justine, Zoe and Alex. Especially Alex! Who doesn't want to save a lost soul.   I think Lisa has written the perfect woman for the job. Maybe they will do a little "Chitchatting"!!

Rainshadow Road will definitely be a keeper, and I am anticipating the release of Crystal Cove and Dream Lake.....What other magic can Lisa Kleypas create?

  "And if any passerby had happened to glance in the direction of the bay at that early hour, they would have seen a stream of butterflies dancing into the sky, from the white Victorian home at the end of Rainshadow Road." 

A Tasty Read will be participating in this Blog Hop and giving away a Copy of Rainshadow Road to ONE lucky commenter.  So make sure you come back and visit on February 18th!!

Fatal Flaw is like Icing on the Cake

Fatal Flaw
Fatal Series #4
Marie Force
Released Feb 6, 2012
E-Book
Carina Press
Source: NetGalley

The Only FLAW in Fatal Flaw was that it ENDED!!  I NEEDED MORE!!


Let me tell you, a Samantha IN LOVE is a Samantha I love!!  From the first page we have our Nick and Sam back, and not just back from Bora Bora, where they Honeymooned, but we get the Sam and Nick who love each other more than anything in the world, and I didn't think I could fall anymore in love with this Series, but Marie made it possible!

So, here we have Sam and Nick, In Love and Happy....well....that only lasts for like three pages...then BACK TO THE GRIND and boy, does Sam get ground up!!

Fatal Flaw is everything we love about the Fatal Books, steamy sex, a crazy case to be solved, and a storyline that keeps us on the seat of our pants.  And we don't just get Sam and Nick..oh no...we get all of our favorites, Cruz, Gonzo, Skip, and some great new story lines with more Lindsay and Terry and Jeannie and Michael, who made me cry...that Michael and all his love and support!! *Swoon*

I don't want to give anything away, because I want to keep all my Marie lovers in suspense, but I will say...I personally hope we find out more about The Fitzgerald Case....I hope Sam gets a feeling and reopens that folder...could make some ripples!!  YAY...MORE FATAL!!

Marie Force has hit the nail on the head with Fatal Flaw.  I adored the romance, I adored Nick more than I ever thought and his little "Bora Bora" surprise...Oh Marie... I shouldn't love him this much...but I do!! 

Another one for the Favorites Shelf....getting a little crowded, but I always can build a second one, if Marie keeps writing amazing books!

A Tasty Reader Reviews

Got in another great review for Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas.  Those of you who didn't read the last reviews, I am one of Lisa's Divas, and to help promote the New Release in the Friday Harbor Series, Rainshadow Road, we had been given a few copies of Christmas Eve to give out to readers who might be interested in the series!!  I asked my WONDERFUL readers to write me a small review so I could share their thoughts with all of you!!

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is the most sweet and amazing book that pulls at your heart strings from every angle.

Holly is a sweet little girl who finds herself being raised by her Uncles and lets just say they need a lot of help when it comes to raising a child.

Holly hasn't talked since her mom died and nothing her uncles have tried have made her find her voice again, until they find Maggie. Maggie works in the local toy store and helps Holly find an imagination, a magic shell and her voice again. Maggie proves to be a necessary part of this families life and in the care of Holly.

This book will also have you laughing out loud at some of the crazy things these men do trying to learn the parenting role or even cooking a simple Thanksgiving meal.

I am so glad I was given the opportunity to read this book and can't wait to read more in book 2!


~Amanda

WINNER OF THE GANSETT SERIES

Congratulations to

Beth Cole, or Beth Cole's Mama!!

 She will be receiving the COMPLETE McCARTHY'S OF GANSETT ISLAND SERIES!!

WOO HOO!!  That's FOUR books!!  What a GIVEAWAY!!!

Beth, please contact me with the email address for the E-reader that will be receiving the e-books!!

Atastyread@live.com or comment here!!

Thank you to all the participants and Keep your eyes peeled...I have more GREAT GIVEAWAYS coming in 2012!!

Falling for Grant McCarthy

Falling For Love
Gansett Island #4
Marie Force
Released Jan 17, 2012
Ebook
Published by Marie Sullivan Force
Source: Reviewer Purchased



Falling For Love brings us back to Gansett Island where we not just get a new romance, but we get peaks at all of our other Gansett friends, and take it from me...You will NOT be left UNSATISFIED!!  OK...maybe a little bummed when it is over...

From the first page of Falling For Love, I was already feeling my heart squeeze a little.  The way things begin for this hero and heroine was the result of Grant trying to make his ex-fiance, Abby, jealous.  Never a good start for any couple, right?

Don't fret...as thing progress and we get deeper into the story, and we get to watch Grant and Stephanie learn more about each other, and maybe....Fall in love.

I LOVED Stephanie from the start.  She may look tough on the outside, but she is a kind, caring and sensative soul on the inside.  But what I love the most about her is that she doesn't let Grant get his way and she calls him out on all his shit.....I LOVED IT!!  He needed someone to put him in his place and tell him to suck it up and stop being a baby!!  Sometimes when they fought I would be laughing hysterically!!

And the SEX......whew....SMOKIN ladies...SMOKIN!!  This book was a little steamier than some of her other books, and I have to say....Kinda liked it!! 

Not only do we get a wonderful love story here, but we get to see all of our old friends, Mac and Maddie, Big Mac, Tiffany, Luke and Syd, Joe and Janey,  Evan and Adam and we can't forget Ned!!  We also meet Laura McCarthy, a cousin of the group, who has her own secrets that she is hiding and the person she confides in might just be the guy she needs in her life!!  We are left with MANY lingering questions, which keeps us wanting MORE Gansett Series!!

We do get a sneak peak at Evan's book, coming in spring.  It's gonna be a good one!! 

Don't forget...Today is the last day to enter the Gansett Island Giveaway.  Check out Tuesday's post and leave a comment.  You could win the ebook's of the COMPLETE Gansett Series!!  If you own the books....Tell a friend!!
 http://atastyread.blogspot.com/2012/01/release-day-giveaway.html

No WAITING for this book.....Read NOW!

Wait For Me
Elisabeth Naughton
Released Dec 22, 2011
Kindle Edition
Source: Reviewer Purchased






This one was a tough one to get through....and NO, I don't mean in a bad way, I mean in the sense of "covering your eyes" during a scary movie.  I didn't want to know what was coming next.  I got so involved with the story, I didn't want my heart to be crushed any more....Yet....I finished the book and LOVED IT!!  What a GREAT story, and the way things became unraveled kept me on my toes the whole time.

From page one you are sucked into Kate's life and are there every step of the way, as she discovers that her life for the last five years had been a lie, not that she truly knew that, well.....because she was in a coma and had lost her memory.  She sets out to get answers, but what she gets is SO much more!!

I LOVED MITCH MATTHEWS....just had to get that out there now.  He is one of the secondary characters, Annie's brother.  He is funny, handsome, charismatic and gives us that comical relief that we needed when things got too heated, or emotional.  He was also so cute when it came to Simone, The "minivan" thing was too cute!!

Ryan and Kate's relationship brought out so many different emotions.  You are trying to understand where he is coming from, with anger and sadness, and then you want to be on her side, which is filled with confusion and feelings that she doesn't understand.  It was torture!  I just wanted them to be together, and become a family again, but life is never that easy and it wasn't that easy for them either.  Ugh....talk about frustrated!

I am NOT giving away anything that might kill the plot for you, or steal away the fun of finding out on your own...SO, I will just say.....This book is SO worth the buy, and I guarantee that you will be like me, putting it down, ranting about it for a few minutes to ANYONE who will listen and then picking it back up!! 

Happy Reading!!

RELEASE DAY GIVEAWAY

Hello Friends,

This week, I am celebrating the Release of Falling For Love, the fourth book in The McCarthy's of Gansett Island series by Marie Force. 

I have been waiting and waiting for Grant's book to FINALLY arrive, so I wanted to throw together a quick GIVEAWAY to celebrate the occasion!! (Have officially finished Falling For Love and will be posting a review Friday)

So, please, leave a comment below, telling me your Favorite Romance Series, who it's by and a little about it!! 

I love discovering New Authors and remembering series that I have Adored in the past!!

One winner will be chosen from all of the comments, and that WINNER...will win...

THE COMPLETE McMARTHY'S OF GANSETT ISLAND SERIES!!!

That is FOUR books!!  WOO HOO!!

I mean, I couldn't just let you win Falling for Love if you haven't yet read the rest of the series...Too much goodness to be looked over!!  (But please be aware..the books are ONLY published as Ebooks!!)

The winner will be announced on Friday, so you have PLENTY of time to enter!!  And if you already own the series...Tell your Friends....Share the wealth ladies!! 

Good Luck!!

BLOG TOUR for Mad Dog and the Archangel by Kat Henry Doran: Interview and Review

Today begins the Goddess Blog Tour for Mad Dog and the Archangel by Kat Henry Doran, and I was LUCKY enough to have Kat Henry Doran stop by to chat with me about her book.  Below the interview, I have included my review with a  SNEAK PEAK at the book given to me by Kat, to get you all excited about Mad Dog and Mr. Archangeli!!

A Tasty Read: So excited to start off this wonderful tour, Thanks for hanging out with us today, Kat.

Kat Henry Doran: Hi! Thanks for inviting me to visit your blog today. I hope we can have some fun.

A Tasty Read: The new book, Mad Dog and the Archangel, has a scamming Hero and a Heroine who used to be a nun. That right there should get the readers intrigued.

Kat:  I certainly hope so! It's not often that a man learns he just climbed out of a nun's bed. Great bed, by the way, but I don't want to give anything away—yet.

A Tasty Read: Tell us how the idea for Mad Dog came about.

Kat: I originally wrote Mad Dog to be part of an anthology which never worked out. I fell in love with Rafe Archangeli; he wouldn't let me give him up. I checked with the other authors from the anthology who gave me permission to take the original premise [returning to town to pick up an inheritance] and work it into the reunion series. Plus, with my other stories in the Class of '85—The List and Embraceable You, it was easy to work Rafe and Grace into the cast of secondary characters at the Eastman Awards banquet at the reunion. 

A Tasty Read: Mad Dog is part of the Class of '85 Series. What significance does the year '85 have for you?

Kat: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. My kids were in their early teens and driving me nuts. I was working three jobs to put food on the table and keep them in Catholic school. I had the best volunteer job of my life which within one year turned into the best paid job of my life. I was writing, but it was so awful dreck comes close to describing the quality. I cringe when I recall I actually thought it was good. Man, have I learned a few things since those days.

A Tasty Read: Will we be seeing any reoccurring characters from The List or Embraceable You in Mad Dog and the Archangel?

Kat: Wow—you've done your homework [about my other contributions to the Class Reunion]. Thanks.

From The List, hero Mick Dineen is mentioned in passing as being one of the few men whom Grace Dunavan knows and respects, but we never see him on camera. From Embraceable You, the hero Rory McElroy plays a sizable role in Mad Dog, as someone who has the goods on Rafe and since he [Rory] has admired and respected Grace since he was a young boy, he is super protective of her well-being. Other common secondary characters seen in almost every Class of '85 story are Chief of Police Richard [Dickhead] Heade and his wife, also an alum, Elizabeth Baumgartner [Ready Betty] Heade. They're a pair. Dumb and Dumbette I believe Rory called them.

A Tasty Read: What's next for Kat Henry Doran?

Kat: I hope to continue adding to my Those Who . . . series which based on a poem by Henry vanDyke and features characters who are affiliated in some respect with the criminal justice system of fictional Umberland County, located on the shores of Lake Ontario in western New York State.  The first of the series, Those Who Wait, was released last summer out of Decadent Publishing.

Alternating with that series, I hope to begin the Wild Things about a group of attorneys, both civil and criminal, who specialize in helping those who make too much money to qualify for a public defender but not enough for a Dream Team defense.

A Tasty Read: Is there any other Genre you would like to write in?

Kat: Someday, I'd like to do a time travel, present to future.

A Tasty Read: Thank you again for stopping by to talk with us today, and I will definitely be looking out for more new releases.

Kat:  I thank you for giving me the opportunity to brag about characters whom I love deeply.

About The Author

Over the years I've had the honor to work at a number of occupations: operating room nurse, malpractice insurance investigator, forensic nurse examiner, victim advocate, wife and mother. Five years ago I became Nana for the first time and, believe me, it’s the best job ever!

Even if I sometimes wish they'd remain in the closet, the years I spent in the OR and labor floor, and later advocating for victims of sexual violence, contribute significantly to the voice of my writing. You don’t  spend thirty years playing loyal serving maid and mind reader to egotistical surgeons, then twelve years haunting police stations, Emergency Rooms, and criminal courts without developing an internal alarm system for covert misogyny, rampant apathy, and overwhelming bigotry. 

 I retired my stethoscope and speculum a few years ago but continue to advocate quietly for marginalized populations through Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders.

         

 I like hearing from readers. You can contact me through my website: www.KatHenry.com, or blog: http://www.wildwomanauthor.blogspot.com/ 

Mad Dog and the Archangel

Kat Henry Doran

Released Jan 9th, 2012

ebook

The Wild Rose Press

Source: Goddess Blogs

Rafael Archangeli returns home to Summerville to bury an old friend, collect his inheritance, and then return to the only life he knows—conning wealthy women out of their money. In Rafe's world, money not only equals success, it goes a long way to obliterate the stigma of his past.

Grace Dunavan, former nun turned community activist, gave up worldly goods a long time ago with no regrets. But she's never known a man with the raw appeal of the Scourge of Summerville: Rafael Archangeli.

Their first meeting is like an errant strike of lightning, fierce and stunning in intensity, and takes both by surprise. Has Grace turned Rafe into a changed man? Or is he using his inheritance to pull off the biggest scam of his life?

I have to say, I enjoyed every aspect of the book except....It was TOO short!!  I wanted MORE!!  More Rafe Archangeli, More Grace Dunavan and more of the secondary characters (class of '85) that added a certain charm to the book. 

Kat pulls us in from the first page.  We have NO idea what is going on, or where we are being taken and then...WHAM...NO WAY!!  That did not just happen?  Ha Ha.

With each page turned, we get to learn a little bit more about Rafe, and YES, start to fall for him.  Those are the best kinds of Heroes...the ones that the more you learn about them, the harder you fall.

I have to say...I even LOVED Grace from the second we meet her.  she is no-nonsense, balls-out, Mad Dog...which I think is hysterical, especially how she got that name.  Let's just say when they meet...Its sparks at first sight!

Safety First.

A personal motto that served Grace Dunavan well for the past thirty-something years. She never picked up strange men. In fact, she rarely dated men, strange or otherwise. And wasn't she the first to preach the wisdom of obtaining a detailed history—family, medical and sexual before contemplating a walk on the wild side? With any man, including the brother of her best friend.

Especially one whose thick mop of jet colored hair, hooded black eyes and razor-sharp cheekbones, all of which held undeniable appeal for a good girl who always did what the nuns and her parents dictated. With a name like Archangeli he should be a protector, not a walking advertisement that proclaimed: I've Been There, Done That; Let Me Tell You All About It.

As he helped her into her coat, Grace heard Gaby murmur something about an attorney who was trying to track down Rafe. None of it made sense. What woman in her right mind could think straight when faced with a man who redefined potency?

It was a night of firsts for Grace: leaving a party with a man she'd never met before; admitting how and where she'd learned to drive; breaking the land speed record for contemplating her first one night stand.   

I enjoyed getting to know Rafe and Grace through each others eyes, and conversation.  Kat does an impeccable job of letting us get to know out main characters through dialogue, rather than just lumping it all up in a ball and handing it over.  I enjoyed Rafe and Grace's reactions to each others past and how the over came it. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes a good reformed bad boy story, it tended to be heavy at times, but that just works to make the story more emotion packed.  For a quick, fun read...Look to Mad Dog and the Archangel, and her other books in the Class of '85 series, The List and Embraceable You.

** BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY

Kat Henry Doran is Giving Away A Funky Bag and a Toiletries Bag from Kats Kustom KarryAlls with a whole bunch of "Author Swag" included!  The prize will be awarded to the person who leave the most comments on the COMPLETE TOUR. 

So to start it off, leave a comment here for Kat or A Tasty Read, and you are one step closer to the prize!!

Here is the rest of the Tour Dates to follow:  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/11/virtual-book-tour-mad-dog-and-archangel.html

Graffiti Moon Earns Stars

Graffiti Moon

Cath Crowley

Releasing Feb 14th, 2012

224 Pages

Random House Children's
Source: NetGalley

Graffiti Moon was a tale of hidden identity and finding ones true self through the eyes of another. 

Lucy Dervish, has just finished High School and vows that tonight will be the night that she finally sees Shadow, the mysterious Graffiti Artist, whom she has never met, but feels a TRUE connection to.  Lucy, also an artist, gets sucked into spending the night with Ed and Leo, one of them being the guy that she had a major crush on two years back, but their first and only date was very memorable, but more for how horrible it was. 

She agrees to spend the night hanging out with them, ONLY because they agree to help her find Shadow, who is actually Ed, but no one knows, and he has his own reasons for not wanting Lucy to know the truth, even thought in her heart, I believe, that she knew it all the time.

The book spans an entire night, where the group gets into trouble and some very hysterical adventures are had by Lucy and Ed, who start to really like each other by the time we finish the book.  Only there is that ex-girlfriend of Ed's that has been asking about him, and that "BIG" secret that Ed has been hiding from Lucy all night. 

I won't tell you the end, but I will say Graffiti Moon is so worth the read.  Cath Crowley transported me back to High School, the cute guy, the misunderstanding, the wanting to find your way.  Cath draws you into the lives of Lucy, Ed, Leo and Jazz and you will enjoy ever minute of it.

A definite TO-READ of 2012!!