On My Shelves is a weekly post at The Book Faery Reviews which shares THREE books from our personal collection. These books could be favorites, books to be read as soon as possible for our own enjoyment, as well as books to be read soon for scheduled reviews.

Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own.  ~William Hazlitt

HERE ON EARTH BY ALICE HOFFMAN - The bestselling author of Turtle Moon and Practical Magic tells her most seductive and mesmerizing tale yet—the story of March Murray, who returns to her small Massachusetts hometown after nineteen years, encountering her childhood sweetheart…and discovering the heartbreaking and complex truth about their reckless and romantic love.

From bestselling author Alice Hoffman comes Here on Earth, a spellbinding tale of love and obsession. After nearly twenty years of living in California, March Murray, along with her fifteen-year-old daughter, Gwen, returns to the small Massachusetts town where she grew up to attend the funeral of Judith Dale, the beloved housekeeper who raised her. Thrust into the world of her past, March slowly realizes the complexity of the choices made by those around her, including Mrs. Dale, who knew more of love than March could have ever suspected; Alan, the brother whose tragic history has left him grief-stricken, with alcohol his only solace; and Hollis, the boy she loved, the man she can’t seem to stay away from. Erotic, disturbing, and compelling, Here on Earth is the dramatic and lyrical account of the joys of love, and the destruction love can release.

ICE QUEEN BY ALICE HOFFMAN - From the bestselling author of Practical Magic, a miraculous, enthralling tale of a woman who is struck by lightning, and finds her frozen heart is suddenly burning.

Be careful what you wish for. A small town librarian lives a quiet life without much excitement. One day, she mutters an idle wish and, while standing in her house, is struck by lightning. But instead of ending her life, this cataclysmic event sparks it into a new beginning.

She goes in search of Lazarus Jones, a fellow survivor who was struck dead, then simply got up and walked away. Perhaps this stranger who has seen death face to face can teach her to live without fear. When she finds him, he is her opposite, a burning man whose breath can boil water and whose touch scorches. As an obsessive love affair begins between them, both are forced to hide their most dangerous secrets–what turned one to ice and the other to fire.

A magical story of passion, loss, and renewal, The Ice Queen is Alice Hoffman at her electrifying best.

LORD OF THE DEAD BY TOM HOLLAND - Wandering with his friend Hobhouse in the mountains of Greece, Byron is drawn to the beauty of a mysterious fugitive slave whose pale, slim body and burning, black-fringed eyes arouse his lust; soon Byron is utterly entranced, and his fate is sealed. The supreme sensualist embarks on a life of adventure even his genius could not have foreseen – that of the world’s most formidable vampire. Chosen to enjoy powers beyond those any vampire has ever known, Byron enters a dark, intoxicating world, traversing centuries of long-lost secrets, ancient arts, and scorching excesses of evil. From the Levant to London’s salons, from the frozen Alps to the dark languors of Venice, he drinks deeply of terror and sex, ever more desperate to destroy his need for the most forbidden of desires. But his diversions, delicious and cruel, are suffused with the rich scent of doom. Byron’s gift is also his torment: an all-consuming thirst that withers life at the root, damning those he loves…

Drawing on the facts of Byron’s flamboyant, tortured life, as well as clues in the mysterious, dark imagery of his poetry, Holland paints a portrait of the poet as an aristocrat of remarkable beauty and deadly charm with a shocking, bloody secret.

All book summaries are from Barnes & Noble.

Given Luke’s reaction, Moira has some soul-searching of her own to do. Scarred by her father’s abandonment, she wonders if Luke, with his playboy past, is truly the family man she longs for. Adding to her dilemma, she’s offered an amazing chance at a dream career of her own.

Deep down, though, Moira knows home is the real prize, and that love can be every bit as enchanted as a summer garden.

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Mira (January 31, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778313093
• ISBN-13: 978-0778313090

BUY THE BOOK… Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…With her roots firmly planted in the South, Sherryl Woods has written many of her more than 100 books in that distinctive setting, whether her home state of Virginia, her adopted state, Florida, or her much-adored South Carolina. She’s also especially partial to small towns wherever they may be. In Amazing Gracie, as in her later Trinity Harbor series, Woods creates a fictional version of the town where she spends summers on the shores of the Potomac River. “This town just lends itself to fascinating characters and a charming locale,” she says.

A member of Novelists Inc., Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America, Sherryl divides her time between her childhood summer home overlooking the Potomac River in Colonial Beach, Virginia, and her oceanfront home with its lighthouse view, in Key Biscayne, Florida. “Wherever I am, if there’s no water in sight, I get a little antsy,” she says.

Sherryl also loves hearing from readers. You can join her at her blog, www.justbetweenfriendsblog.com, visit her Web site at www.sherrylwoods.com, visit her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/Sherryl-Woods/157107747648506,  or contact her directly at Sherryl703@gmail.com.

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…It is always a delight to read another story of the O’Brien family from Chesapeake Shores. I’ve yet to be disappointed. The  way Woods portrays the family and scenes make you feel like you’re one of the family or a very close friend. In this story (#9 of the Chesapeake Shores series), Luke O’Brien is in the works of opening an Irish Pub in the US and is attracted to the “Maddening Moira” O’Malley. Will they be able to work it out together while pursuing their own ambitions? Well you know by typical romance formula, someone follows their ambition, gets the other person, and the other will have to decide which is more important to them. Wonderful series that will warm your heart and fill you with joy.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

• Paperback: 438 pages
• Publisher: Story Plant, The (March 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1611880343
• ISBN-13: 978-1611880342

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Mark Gilleo holds a graduate degree in international business from the University of South Carolina and an undergraduate degree in business from George Mason University. He enjoys traveling, has lived and worked in Asia, and speaks fluent Japanese. A fourth-generation Washingtonian, he currently resides in the D.C. area. His two most recent novels were recognized as finalist and semifinalist, respectively, in the William Faulkner-Wisdom Creative writing competition. The Story Plant will publish his next novel, SWEAT in 2012.

AUTHOR SITES:   Love Thy Neighbor page    www.thestoryplant.com

Running from imminent danger back home, shy, awkward Irishwoman Rylee Shannon flees to small town, USA, forced to live under the protection of unfamiliar family friends.

Prompted to protect her, the McLellans arrange the marriage of Rylee and their son, Patrick, one of Georgia’s most prominent and handsome doctors.

Willing yet hesitant, the two marry. But bound by her wallflower personality and unruly looks, she fails to make any connection with Patrick.

While Patrick is away on a long-term medical mission trip, crossing off days until the annulment, Rylee is determined to change—both inwardly and outwardly—to win the affections of her husband. Battling rumors and echoes of her past, she wins over Patrick’s family and friends with her amiable personality and perpetual state of embarrassment.

Patrick returns home to find his wife transformed into a beautiful, confident woman. When he realizes that God’s arrangement of the marriage was intentional and permanent, Patrick begins to see his wife in a different light.

But as their feelings develop, their relationship is continually derailed by Rylee’s unusual habits and stubborn pride. As Rylee’s good-natured presence begins to change the lives of the McLellans, they are also determined to conquer Rylee’s inhibitions and alter her eternity.

Patrick’s protection turns to affection, but Rylee’s past threatens to collide with her future. You won’t want to miss Patrick and Rylee McLellan fight to discover The Dublin Destiny in this captivating tale of secrets, romance, forgiveness, and divine love.

• List Price: $17.99
• Perfect Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Tate Publishing (January 10, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 1613465610
• ISBN-13: 978-1613465615

BUY THE BOOK… Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Tate Publishing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…With the encouragement of family and friends, Jill Twigg pursued her lifelong dream of becoming a Christian author into reality.  She is the mother of four daughters and nina to five grandchildren.  She resides in Houma, Louisiana with her husband.

Visit the author’s website.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…Grab your tissues when you read this. Was I surprised while reading this novel? Absolutely. Did it keep me engaged from beginning to end? Absolutely. Did it bring out multiple emotions within me? Oh ABSOLUTELY! It will warm your heart, make you protective and proud of Rylee and all she overcomes, and have you rooting Rylee and Patrick on to the place God wanted them to be. I highly recommend this book to someone looking for an inspiring story of self-discovery and the rediscovery of faith.

***Special thanks to Jill Twigg for sending me a review copy.*** 

The investigation is complicated by the fact that Stanley wasn’t a nice guy.  His assistant, Tracy, provides a list of people who had reason to kill him.  The list includes a fashion designer ex-wife, a business partner, his mistress’s husband, an assistant, and their very own boss the Chief of Police.

The only evidence they have to go on is a missing cell phone, a stolen book, the victim’s letter opener, and an ugly pair of Alpaca wool mittens.

Join Catherine and Louise as they sort out the clues in A Grand Murder.

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Before The Fall Books (August 9, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0983713707
• ISBN-13: 978-0983713708

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Stacy Verdick Case was born in Willmar, Minnesota.  After a brief stint as a military brat, where she lived in Fort Sill Oklahoma and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, her family moved back to Minnesota.

Stacy currently lives in a suburb of St. Paul with her husband and her daughter.  Her Catherine O’Brien mystery, A Grand Murder, is available from Before the Fall Books.  Her second Catherine O’Brien mystery Murder is a Family Affair, will be released shortly.  Stacy is hard at work on her third book in the series.

FOLLOW THE AUTHOR… Website | Twitter | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS MOM…Very fun and enjoyable thriller to read. A great quick one day read that will have you sleuthing along with Catherine to figure out who did it. {Big smiles from mom.}

If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to read the author’s interview with her the one and only Catherine O’Brien. You should read it and see what types of things an author likes to talk about with their characters.

A book was ONLY provided in exchange for an honest review as part of the Partners In Crime tours.

After the first suspicious death, the captain and his crew are grimly determined to carry on as usual. Disgusted with their inaction, Sidney decides to take matters into her own hands and launch her own investigation. She enlists the halfhearted help of her friend and business partner, the flamboyant and fun-loving Jay Wilson. Suspects abound. What about those two handsome young men who stay mysteriously aloof? One of them has his eye on Sidney. So does another passenger, far too charming and again too young to fit the “High Stepper” mold. Then there’s Captain Vargos, the arrogant ladies’ man whose plans to thwart Sidney’s investigation might include seduction.

Who is that crew member shadowing Sidney? Is the theater really haunted? Even the High Steppers themselves are not as predictable or harmless as they seem. The closer Sydney gets to the truth, the less she understands. ShoreExcursion is the first book in a new mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Sidney Marsh.

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Camel Press (April 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 160381874X
• ISBN-13: 978-1603818742

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Shore Excursion is Marie Moore’s first novel, but not her first writing experience, and like Sidney Marsh, she is a native Mississippian. She graduated from Ole Miss, married a lawyer in her hometown, taught junior high science, raised a family, and worked for a small weekly newspaper, first as a writer and later as Managing Editor. She wrote hard news, features and a weekly column, sold ads, did interviews, took photos, and won a couple of MS Press Association awards for some of her stories.

In 1985, Marie left the newspaper to open a retail travel agency. She completed agency and computer training with Airlines Reporting Corporation, Delta Airlines and TWA, earned her CTC (Certified Travel Counselor) designation, and joined the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). For the next 15 years, she managed her agency, sold travel, escorted group tours, sailed on 19 cruises, and visited over 60 countries. Much of the background of Shore Excursion comes from that experience.

Marie also did location scouting and worked as the local contact for several feature films, including Heart of Dixie, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, and Robert Altman’s Cookie’s Fortune.

In mid-1999, because of her husband’s work, Marie sold the travel agency and moved to Jackson, MS, then New York City, Anna Maria Island, FL, and Arlington, VA. She and her husband now live in Memphis, TN and Holly Springs, MS.

Marie is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Marie Moore’s web site | Shore Excursion blog tour site

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…As a former travel agent, I have to say Marie Moore knew her stuff and made the setting just perfect as if we were on that very cruise ship. An enjoyable mystery read that I believe will appeal to others who like a good mystery. And just like a good mystery/thriller, there’s a twist in the plot that will keep you guessing until the end.

I received a copy in exchange ONLY for an honest review.

A self-made man and single dad, Brodie will do anything to get Taryn the rehabilitation she needs…even if it means convincing Evie to move in with them. And despite her vow to keep an emotional distance, Evie can’t help but be moved by Taryn’s spirit, or Brodie’s determination to win her help—and her heart. With laughter, courage and more than a little help from the kindhearted people of Hope’s Crossing, Taryn may get the healing she deserves—and Evie and Brodie might just find a love they never knew could exist.

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books; Original edition (March 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373776373
• ISBN-13: 978-0373776375

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…(RaeAnne Thayne) I’m not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer.

Let’s now check out how her interview went…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I’m so happy to have a chance to sit down and talk to Catherine O’Brien, the St. Paul, Minnesota Homicide Detective who, along with her partner Louise, just wrapped up, an extraordinary case. 

Stacy: Hi Catherine, Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for everyone today.

Catherine: No problem.

S: Tell us a little about yourself.

C: What do you want to know?

S: How long have you been a police officer for starters? 

C: For ten years. I started in patrol and worked my way into homicide.

S: What made you want to be  a police officer?

C: An overweening need for justice. I think I read to many Justice League Comics growing up.

S: Your partner Louise says you have an Elliot Ness complex.

C: Of course she does. (Rolls eyes) What cop doesn’t secretly dream of taking down the mob? In the cold gray light of morning, Louise dreams of a bust like that too.

S: Louise told us a little about you, tell us a little about her.

C: Louise is possible the worst driver on the planet, and I’m not kidding about that. I call her Prius the Chariot of Death. She’s incredible talk, which makes me feel like a hobbit by comparison. She’s also really smart. As a package she’s annoying. I mean tall, pretty, smart, couldn’t she have a hunchback or something to even it out? But she’s the only person, besides my husband, who can tolerate me for any length of time, so I can’t complain.

S: Tell us about your husband Gavin. 

C: He’s hot. I’m not even sure why he’s with me. Louise reminds me all the time that he’s too good for me, and she’s right.

S: How does he feel about your career?

C: He hates the days when there’s danger, which is understandable. It causes some conflict between us, but we work it out in the end.

S: You’ve implied that Randy (Digs) Ray has a crush on your partner Louise.

C: No, I don’t imply. It’s a fact that anyone can see. Blind people in outer space can see it every time he’s in the same room with Louise. Louise is the only person who doesn’t see it and I think she’s lying, or being coy, though I’ve never known her to be coy.

S: Tell us about this case you just wrapped up.

C: It was just another day on the job. I still don’t see what all the fuss is about.

S: Well, the victim was rather high profile. 

C: Yeah, Nathan Stanley was a successful business owner, but I think the real reason everyone was so interested in this case is because he was friends with every big shot in town. Plus the sex and the blackmail. That always gets people’s juices flowing. I’m sure that’s what caught the attention of the media.

S: Your partner Louise was shot during this investigation?

C: Yes, and we’re never going to hear the end of it. I swear she’s such a baby about this. I’ve been shot three times and it’s not fun but you deal with it and move on.

S: So what’s next for you? 

C: I’m being forced to go on vacation.

S: Most people like vacations.

C: Well, most people are the poster child for traveler’s aide. Every vacation I have is a complete disaster. But Gavin really wants to spend some time together, and I can’t work right now anyway, so we’re off to the lake. Just saying that made me a little nauseous.

S: Good luck on your vacation!

C: Thanks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Stacy Verdick Case was born in Willmar, Minnesota.  After a brief stint as a military brat, where she lived in Fort Sill Oklahoma and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, her family moved back to Minnesota.

Stacy currently lives in a suburb of St. Paul with her husband and her daughter.  Her Catherine O’Brien mystery, A Grand Murder, is available from Before the Fall Books.  Her second Catherine O’Brien mystery Murder is a Family Affair, will be released shortly.  Stacy is hard at work on her third book in the series.

FOLLOW THE AUTHOR… Website | Twitter | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads

Prominent businessman, and friend of the chief of police, Nathan Stanley is stabbed on the frontsteps of his Grand Avenue Hill home. Catherine O’Brien and her partner Louise Montgomery are tasked with figuring out who-done-it, in two days or less.

The investigation is complicated by the fact that Stanley wasn’t a nice guy.  His assistant, Tracy, provides a list of people who had reason to kill him.  The list includes a fashion designer ex-wife, a business partner, his mistress’s husband, an assistant, and their very own boss the Chief of Police.

The only evidence they have to go on is a missing cell phone, a stolen book, the victim’s letter opener, and an ugly pair of Alpaca wool mittens.

Join Catherine and Louise as they sort out the clues in A Grand Murder.

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Before The Fall Books (August 9, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0983713707
• ISBN-13: 978-0983713708

  

Brodie, tell us a little about yourself.

(Shifting uncomfortably) Uh, do I really have to do this?

Yes. Just the basics.

Fine. I’m thirty-six. Divorced. One child, a daughter, 15. I run several restaurants and stores in Hope’s Crossing, Colorado, where I’ve lived most of my life. I love my daughter, my mom Katherine, my community. What else do you need to know?

What has been the toughest moment of your life so far? 

Easy. Four months ago, when I received the phone call from the police that my daughter Taryn had been severely injured in a car accident and wasn’t expected to survive. My world changed in that moment and everything else became unimportant. That she defied the odds and survived is a miracle. Now we need another one to help her regain all the skills she’s lost from her brain injury.

What do you think will help you achieve those results for Taryn? 

Evie Blanchard, as much as I hate to admit it. She’s our best hope right now. She used to be a world-renowned pediatric rehab therapist in California, with years of experience helping children just like Taryn take their lives back. We need her to help us. I don’t care if she had her reasons for walking away from her career. I’ll do whatever it takes to convince her to help my daughter. 

Why are you so uncomfortable with your attraction for Evie Blanchard? 

(Blowing out a breath) Why is that your business?

Just answer the question, Mr. Thorne. 

I don’t know. She’s beautiful, yes. A guy would have to be dead not to notice. But she’s just so … chaotic. I like order and structure. It’s important to me, for a lot of reasons. Evie is not any of those things. She’s color and light and energy. I just find the whole package a little overwhelming.

What mistake do you most regret?

Not cherishing every moment with my daughter before her accident. I wasn’t a very good father, too busy with my various businesses to give her the attention she needed. I couldn’t understand Taryn. Nothing I said to her came out right and we always seemed to be fighting. She didn’t like my rules and I didn’t like some of her irrational choices. I know I failed my daughter by picking a lousy woman to marry and be her mother. And I failed her by not trying harder to understand her once she hit about thirteen. All that will change now, if only we have a second chance. I’m counting on Evie to give us that.

What do you see as your biggest strength? 

My resolve. I want my daughter to get better and I won’t consider any other alternative. I’ll do anything for Taryn, even if that means bringing Evie Blanchard into our lives.

Thank you for talking to us, Brodie. Readers, to find out more about Brodie and Evie and their story, pick up WOODROSE MOUNTAIN, second in my Hope’s Crossing miniseries, on sale March 27.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…I’m not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer.

Life took a different turn for me, though, when my mother made me take a journalism elective in high school (thanks, Mom!). I knew the first day that this was where I belonged.

After I graduated from college in journalism, I took a job at the local daily newspaper and I reveled in the challenge and the diversity of it. One day I could be interviewing the latest country music star, the next day I was writing about local motorcycle gangs or interviewing an award-winning scientist.

Through it all — through the natural progression of my career from reporter to editor — I wrote stories in my head. Not just any stories, either, but romances, the kind of books I have devoured since junior high school, with tales about real people going through the trials and tribulations of life until they find deep and lasting love.

I had no idea how to put these people on paper, but knew I had to try — their stories were too compelling for me to ignore. I sold my first book in 1995 and now, more than 30 books later, I’ve come to love everything about writing, from the click of the computer keys under my fingers to the “that’s-it!” feeling I get when a story is flowing.

I write full-time now (well, as full-time as I can manage juggling my kids!) amid the raw beauty of the northern Utah mountains.

Even though I might not have dreamed of being a writer when I was younger, now I simply can’t imagine my life any other way. – FROM THE AUTHOR’s SITE

FOLLOW THE AUTHOR… Facebook | Twitter | Website | Blog

He was the one you called when you needed rescuing … But who was Taft Bowman going to call when he needed help? Because ten years ago Laura Pendleton, the love of his life, had left town without a word, then or since. Now she was back, with a new last name–and two adorable, high-needs little ones in tow. Well, Taft had been stupid enough to let her go once before…he wasn’t about to make the same mistake again. He’d never stopped loving her–and one look at those adorable little faces and he knew that he was meant to be with Laura and her kids forever. All he had to do was convince her that this time he was a man she could count on!

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books; Original edition (March 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373776373
• ISBN-13: 978-0373776375

BUY THE BOOK… Amazon.com | B&N.com

K.T.: Why do we have to be so conspicuous? You know I don’t do scenes.

NDV: Puh-leaze. Get over yourself. If it’s any comfort, no one is interested in you if they can’t place you in the industry.

K.T.: You’re such a comfort.

NDV: One tries.

K.T.: I’m surprised Angie put up with all that smug. It’s so…

NDV: Put up with me? Girl, are you kidding? I deserve a Nobel Peace prize for all the years I hand-held that woman. Mind you, that’s all in the past now. You know, since Prince Charming’s in the picture permanently.

K.T.: Speaking of which, where are they? I thought they’d be joining us for lunch?

NDV: Uh-uh. Angie’s got the decorating bug since becoming a mother. That nesting thing, I’m guessing. Anyway, she and Jake go back to that wreck of a house in Grandview every chance they get to fix something, tear down something or plant something.

K.T.: I thought she was dead set on staying in SoCal.

NDV: Well, love does strange things to people doesn’t it?

K.T.: Are they moving back there permanently?

NDV: I’m thinking they’ll be doing summers in New York, maybe even the winter holidays, too, for a while. Angie was promoted to Principal this year and I don’t see girlfriend chucking her career anytime soon.

K.T.: Jake still teaching at UCLA?

NDV: Oh yeah. BMOC. His students just looove him.

K.T.: I bet Angie has plenty to say about that.

NDV: Actually, not a word. Jake and I were talking about that very topic last week and he didn’t seem surprised at how sanguine Angie is with his popularity with the female students.

K.T.: Because…?

NDV: Because he never gives her any reason to doubt how much he adores her.

K.T.: So they’re still gooey?

NDV: Nauseatingly so.

(Our conversation got cut short when a movie star plopped down at our table and monopolized all of Nigel’s time.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…K. T. Wells has been telling stories since before she could read. She used to narrate books for her baby brother, concocting a plotline from the pictures. Not much has changed. One of her husband’s favorite pastimes is to listen to her tales after asking her to tell the story of people they observe in restaurants, airports or the subway.

Fascinated by the human condition, K. T.’s writing captures the emotions that drive the engines of our hearts. She is captivated by the rituals of love and believes everyone is entitled to a happily ever after.

Join her in celebrating her first published novel – Nobody’s Angel.

You can visit her at http://ktwells.wordpress.com.

Twenty years ago Jake and Angie were the couple everyone wanted to be. When they split two halves of the same heart broke. With their high school reunion looming, will they find their way back to each other or continue to be haunted by what was? An ensemble of friends is pulling for them, but will it be enough?

Jake and Angie’s twentieth high school reunion sets the perfect stage for their lifelong friends to reunite the former sweethearts. Major roadblock – they have to trick Angie into coming home after twenty years. An elaborate ruse ensues at the same time they work on browbeating Jake into attending.

Maneuvering through emotional minefields rates a 10 for difficulty level, particularly when Angie lives the maxim: Time does not heal all wounds. And Jake? Check the Wiki pic next to Pride comes before the fall. Yep, that’s him tripping all over himself year after year.

But the firm conviction that these two were meant to be together propels a cast of quirky, determined friends into action. When tragedy derails the best laid plans, will Jake and Angie’s love rise to the occasion?

• Format: eBook
• Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group (December 15, 2011)
• ASIN: B006MQ6A1E

BUY THE BOOK… Amazon

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…Thanks to the author, as part of the Pump Up Your Book Promotion book tour, we’re giving away ONE e-book copy of  Nobody’s Angel by K.T. Wells. This giveaway will run now through the end of March and is open worldwide. Winners will be notified via our RSS newsletter (goes out Monday-Friday when there is a new post), our Facebook page, and as a reply in the comments. Please like us on Facebook (see sidebar) and subscribe to our email (see sidebar).

To enter, answer this question…

Have you ever wondered where you old high school flame is today?
Would you ever reconnect (if you weren’t already with your other half today of course)?

Me? Well I’m happy to say that I’m STILL with my high school sweetheart who’ve I’ve known for about 20 years and today we’re raising 3 kids!

On My Shelves is a weekly post at The Book Faery Reviews which shares THREE books from our personal collection. These books could be favorites, books to be read as soon as possible for our own enjoyment, as well as books to be read soon for scheduled reviews.

Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own.  ~William Hazlitt

SWAPPING LIVES by Jane Green - Vicky Townsley is single, solvent, and seriously successful. Features director of the hugely successful Poise!magazine, she has an amazing flat, good friends, a fantastic wardrobe . . . in short, everything—except the life she wants: marriage, children, and a house in the country.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Amber Winslow has a stone mansion in Connecticut, two kids (and a full-time nanny), the requisite golden retriever, and a busy charitable commitment for the local Women’s League. But she hasn’t quite found the fulfillment she had expected from being a wife and mother. When she spots an intriguing contest inPoise!, Amber never expects to be picked.

THE BOOK OF AIR AND SHADOWS by Michael Gruber - A fire destroys a New York City rare bookstore—and reveals clues to a treasure worth killing for. . . . A disgraced scholar is found tortured to death. . . . And those pursuing the most valuable literary find in history are about to cross from the harmless mundane into inescapable nightmare.

BETWEEN SISTERS by Kristin Hannah - Years ago, Meghann Dontess made a terrible choice that cost her everything, including the love of her sister, Claire. Now, Meghann is a highly successful attorney who doesn’t believe in intimacy–until she meets the one man who can change her mind. Claire Cavenaugh has fallen in love for the first time in her life. As her wedding day approaches, she prepares to face her strong-willed older sister. Reunited after more than two decades apart, these two women who believe they have nothing in common will try to become what they never were: a family.

All book summaries came from Barnes & Noble website.

Lesley Kagen returns with the sequel to her New York Timesbestselling debut, Whistling in the Dark

Lesley’s debut novel, Whistling in the Dark, captivated readers with the story of Sally O’Malley and her sister Troo during Milwaukee’s summer of 1959. A New York Times bestseller and Midwest Honor Award winner, the novel remains a popular selection with book clubs.

In Kagen’s newest, Good Graces, it’s one year later, and a heat wave has everyone in the close-knit Milwaukee neighborhood on edge. None more so than eleven-year-old Sally O’Malley. Deeply traumatized by her daddy’s sudden death, and a near escape from a murderer and molester the previous summer, Sally’s confidence, sense of security and much of her faith have been whittled away. But as a series of disquieting disturbances unfold—a string of home burglaries, the escape from reform school of a nemesis, and the mysterious disappearance of an orphan—Sally is called upon to rise above her inner demons when she becomes certain that her wild younger sister, Troo, is in danger. Sally made a promise to her daddy to keep her sister safe. A promise she can’t break, even if her life depends on it. But when events reach a crisis point, will Sally have the courage to make the right choices? Or will she be overwhelmed by a dilemma that no child should have to deal with?

The author’s gift of imbuing her narrators with compelling authenticity shines as never before in Good Graces, an evocative novel told with the sensitivity, wit, and warmth we’ve come to expect from Lesley Kagen. – FROM THE AUTHOR SITE

• Pub. Date: September 2011
• Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
• Format: Hardcover , 352pp
• ISBN-13: 9780525952381
• ISBN: 0525952381

ORDER THE BOOK…IndieBound Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-A-Million

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Lesley Kagen is the author of the New York Times bestseller Whistling in the Dark, Land of a Hundred Wonders, andTomorrow River. She lives near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

FROM THE REVIEWER…Kagen’s novel “Good Graces” gives the reader a front row seat to the life of a young girl and a deathbed promise made to her late father.  Sally takes on the responsibility, making sure of the safety of her big sister, who seems to have no conscience.  Regardless of the trauma suffered at the hands of a molester and a murder Sally kept her father’s dying wish.  Her sister, Troo, short for “Trooper” when she was much younger, seems to deal with her own troubles at the expense of others, yet Sally felt the weight of the world was hers to bear.  This alone forces Sally to do something so unthinkable, yet who does she depend on to help her when she needs rescuing?  And could she be sure of the one person she loves so much…

At first I wasn’t so sure I could understand what I was reading.  Could I be sitting on the shoulder of a young girl with such a responsibility that would test the heart of most adults?  Sadly I was and the proverbial aha moment kept me reading.

MEET THE REVIEWER…Kay Burnett is a wife and mother living in Columbus, Georgia.  Her greatest challenge is raising her six year old son with her husband and best friend, Mike.  Being older parents can be a real eye-opener but she finds that living in the moment makes it much easier.

After a few years in Minneapolis and Chicago, I began to understand.  It wasn’t about ignoring winter, merely escaping it for a week.  I still disagreed, because I relish all four seasons.  Baltimore just had its first snow (a mere smattering) this week, and I’m craving more.  When I celebrated a milestone birthday and took my last cruise (see the pretty ship to the right?  Meet the Celebrity Solstice, which is everything you’d ever want in a cruise ship, and then some), we went in January to avoid hurricane season.  It felt weird to shed my coat and squeeze into a bikini three days into the new year.

But as I read travel spotlights about cruise season in every magazine and newspaper, is it just the promise of warmer climes which lures people on cruises?  Heck, no!  A cruise is an escapist fantasy come to life.  The minute you step foot on board, you leave your troubles, your deadlines, your real life behind, even in today’s uber-connected world (especially when using the ship’s internet costs $1/minute).  It’s sort of like entering a very happy bubble for seven days.

In the middle of the ocean, surrounded by thousands of miles of water and hundreds of people you 1) don’t know and 2) won’t ever see again, you can be anyone.  Cautious people who won’t even take the stairs two at a time find themselves swimming with sting rays.  You don’t have to be the responsible mom, or the multi-tasker extraordinaire.  No expectations, no accountability, and no diet!  The breakfast buffet had 3 different types of eggs benedict every single day.  So yummy.  Above all else – even if you weren’t raised on The Love Boat like me – a cruise is romantic.

Books are every bit as much an escape.  More so, because they don’t cost thousands of dollars and require a passport!  So let me take you on a vicarious trip to the Caribbean.  In my book Cruising Toward Love, being cooped up on a cruise ship (no matter how lavish) for a week forces two people to escape their past and rediscover their love for each other.  Yes, they kiss on deck, and get snuggly in a hot tub and I can’t even mention the things they do on their balcony!  Get your feet wet with this blurb:Warm, salty breezes, twinkling stars, the steady beat of calypso drums and free flowing rum punch all put you in a sexy frame of mind.  Every physicality is sensuous: the silky sand beneath your toes, the warm kiss of the sun sizzling the coconut scented sunscreen on your skin, even the air touching body parts that have been hidden under wool and fleece since Halloween.  Ooh, and they put chocolates on your pillow every night!  Love feels possible, attainable.  You can take a reckless shot, aim Cupid’s arrow at someone out of your league, because you’ve got nothing to lose in this floating fantasy world.

Can an unexplained breakup and ten years of heartache be cured by the romance – and endless buffets – of a tropical cruise?  When her sister is left at the altar, small town librarian Zoe Balis jumps at the chance to take the bride’s unused ticket for the honeymoon cruise.  But she didn’t count on sharing a cabin with the man who broke her heart ten years ago!

Army medic Nate Hyatt never told Zoe goodbye when he enlisted – or the real reason why he dumped her on prom night after a year as high school sweethearts.  And he never stopped dreaming about the girl he left behind.  Could this voyage be his chance to fix the worst mistake he ever made?  After all, a Caribbean cruise should be romantic… if he can convince her to move past ten years of bitterness and hurt.

Once aboard the luxury liner, Zoe befriends a bored Internet mogul with more heart than tact.  Nate vents his problems to a ship’s photographer battling PTSD.  The four team up on an island hopping treasure hunt.  The stakes grow higher with each of Zoe’s mysterious brushes with death.  They race to discover why she’s a target and who’s behind it, while still competing in the treasure hunt. Zoe’s never gotten over her first love, and is tempted to let Nate back into her life.  But she already lost him once.  She’s not willing to risk loving a man whose career keeps him in a combat zone.  Can Nate breach her defenses and suture her broken heart?  Grab a deck chair and see if they survive the stormy relationship seas as they cruise toward love!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Christi Barth spent years performing in musicals, singing about love and giving people a happy ending in every performance.  Then as a wedding planner she spent every day immersed in romance.  Now she writes it!  Cruising Toward Love is her third book.  While the cruise depicted in this book is wholly fictional, she does love to float around the Caribbean, eating and drinking and relaxing…while safely shaded under a huge hat and wearing SPF 50.  Christi lives in Maryland with the absolutely best husband in the world (sorry ladies, but it’s true!).

Mailbox Monday is where other bloggers write about the books they received the previous week. The Mailbox Monday is now going on a blog tour with the host for the month of January being  at At Home With Books. Visit the blog to see what books made it’s way and check out the others who are participating like me in the Monday Mailbox Meme.

Below are some books old and new I either received in the mail or found during the week in various spots.

Cloudburst by V.C. Andrews (Fiction) - OUT OF A CLEAR BLUE SKY . . .Since being taken in by wealthy Mrs. Jordan March and living in her exquisite home like a daughter, Sasha Porter’s traumatic past—destitute on the streets, and the shattering accident that killed her mother—seems like a fading nightmare. Beautiful and sophisticated, as bold and daring as her “sister,” Kiera March, Sasha still keeps her mother’s wise words close to her heart: never fully trust anyone. Inside her privileged new world, it’s advice that will prove more precious than gold.. . .

CAN ANYTHING STOP THE DOWNPOUR?Against the wishes of Jordan’s husband, Donald, Sasha attracts the attention of Duane Banks, a shy, handsome athlete, and maneuvers her way into his heart. But Duane’s hidden torment soon explodes in a horrific tragedy that pulls Sasha into a flood of guilt and despair. And when someone she thought she could trust targets her vulnerability, Sasha recalls her mother’s warnings—and a violent storm of dark deceptions and shocking family secrets is unleashed. Will she sink or swim?

A Celebration of Love for Couples: Everything Romance by Todd Hafer (Relationships / Love & Marriage / Non-Fiction) - Romance is always in season when you’re in love.

Ready to create romantic memories? If you’re looking for new and unique ways to celebrate love, captivate the heart of your true love, or simply enjoy each other’s company, Everything Romanceoffers all of this and much more.

Inside you’ll find…

Ways to engage your loved one with conversation starters for couples; Fun and creative date and gift ideas for any budget; Heartwarming love stories and poems; Love busters and love boosters to add fun, zing, and zest; Trivia about the history of love and romance; Recipes to fan the heartflames.

Why wait for a special occasion to share the joy of being in love? Opening Everything Romance is like opening a door to romantic adventure—any day, any time!

Any moment is the perfect time for you as a couple to celebrate the beauty and wonder of love, especially when you’re equipped with a treasure trove of creative ways to do so. With a rich array of romantic gems, Everything Romance abounds with all you need to show your adoration, revel in your relationship, and create a legacy of romance to last a lifetime.

Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America by Karenna Gore Schiff (Biography / Non-Fiction) - In this highly readable, illuminating narrative that spans the twentieth century, Karenna Gore Schiff tells the remarkable stories of nine influential women who each in her own way tackled inequity and advocated a change. These women recognized our country wasn’t living up to its promise and fought to alter it.

The women she’s selected are as varied as they are inspirational. Ida B. wells-Barnett, who was born a slave and fought against lynching; Mother Jones, an Irish immigrant who organized coal miners and campaigned against child labor; Alice Hamilton, who pushed for regulation of industrial toxins; Frances Perkins, who established our social secruity program; Virginia Durr, a high society Southern belle who fought the poll tax and segregation; Septima Clark, who helped to register black voters; Dolores Huerta, who organized farm workers; Dr. Helen Rodriguez-Trias, an activist for reproductive rights; and Gretchen Buchenholz, currently one of the nation’s leading child advocates.

On to the interview…

Welcome Cate to The Book Faery Reviews!

CL: Thank you so much!  I’m excited to be today’s guest.

I read that you wrote your first novella at 12 and full manuscript at 16, both of which you still have in the back of your filing cabinet. Have you ever thought about editing/revising them for publishing?

CL: Absolutely.  :-)  I read through part of the full manuscript, a young adult fantasy romance, a couple of years ago, and decided there was a workable story there.  However, the style of novel writing has changed a lot since I was a teenager; books are much faster paced today.  I also approach my writing differently now that I’ve published seven novels, and would need to do extensive revisions on the manuscript.  It’s a project I plan to tackle one day.  Not in the immediate future, though.

In one sentence, how would you summarize your latest romance novel, Lucky Girl?

CL: When American beauty editor Jess Devlin goes to England for a wedding, she meets again sexy marketing exec Nick Mondinello and tries her best not to fall in love with him.

You have several Historical Romance books under the name Catherine Kean, what inspired you to write Lucky  Girl, a contemporary romance, and under the name Cate Lord? Was the book written from the heart or from a life experience?

CL: Lucky Girl was written as a challenge.  My muse snuck the glimmer of an idea into my mind, and I just couldn’t let it go.  Part of me was curious to know whether, after writing dark, angsty, adventurous historicals, I could pen a light-hearted, funny, contemporary romantic comedy.  I think it’s good to stretch creative boundaries sometimes, and writing Lucky Girl was a positive challenge for me.

You asked if the book was written from the heart.  Yes.  All of my novels are, but this was one was especially close to me because it’s loosely based on a year I spent in England.  I lived with my uncle and aunt in Hertfordshire and on weekdays, traveled by train to London to attend classes.  On weekends, I partied with a wonderful bunch of friends I’d met through my English cousins.  I met my charming British husband at one of these parties. J  Jess, the heroine of Lucky Girl, isn’t me, but some of her experiences are based on situations I encountered.

Reading Lucky Girl was certainly refreshing without having to pick thru all of the super model musts and realizing Jess is just like a best friend next door.  What took you in that direction as opposed to the usual beauty queen most women read about in romance novels?

CL: First off, thank you!  I wanted Jess to be like a best friend, and I’m so glad she came across that way.  That’s one of the reasons I wrote the book in first person, and from her viewpoint.  Jess embodies all of the issues that affect most modern women, with her concerns about her weight, physical appearance, finances, dating, workplace politics, job performance, fashion disasters, relationship with her mom, and more.  Jess is definitely a neurotic, quirky gal, but I intended that, because if we can laugh at a character, sometimes that humor encourages us to take a closer look at ourselves. J

I also wanted to show how much Jess changes through the book.  While Lucky Girl is a light read, at heart it’s the story of how she heals emotionally.  In the early pages of the book, she’s got very low self-esteem, thanks to her unfaithful fiancé, and that lack of confidence is reflected in the way she thinks about herself and the world around her.  By the end of the novel, she’s “whole” again.  She’s happy in her own skin, and that’s due in part to the love of the right man: Nick.

In Lucky Girl, where did Plucky Penguin and his sidekick, Chicky Dee, come from?

CL: How I loved these fun characters! J  Plucky Penguin is a James Bondish spy hero extraordinaire (and yes, he’s a penguin), and Chicky Dee is his sassy female sidekick.  Both are products of my wild imagination, as is the cancelled British TV show called The Adventures of Plucky Penguin that’s mentioned in the book.  Jess constantly imagines Nick as Plucky Penguin, and herself as his Chicky Dee.  It was a lot of fun being able to add extra humor into the story through these clever penguins.

And lastly, any sneak peaks into a future novel contemporary or historical?

CL: I’m actually working on two projects right now, both paranormals.  One is contemporary and one is historical.  I’m also mulling over a follow-on book to Lucky Girl.  So, my muse and I have plenty to be working on.  More details, when I can make them available, will be posted on my websites: www.catelord.com and www.catherinekean.com.

Thanks so much Cate for stopping by and answering our questions. We do hope you come back again for your next novel!

CL: Thanks!  I’d love to come back for another interview.  I really enjoyed this one.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Cate Lord has always loved to write. She penned her first novella at age twelve and her first full-length manuscript at sixteen.

After completing a B.A., double major (first class), in English and History from the University of Victoria, B.C., Canada, she was accepted into the post-graduate Works of Art Course run by Sotheby’s auctioneers in London, England, where she studied centuries of history, antiques, and fine art.  She worked in Canada for several years as an antique and fine art appraiser.

Busy working on her next novel, Catherine lives in Central Florida with her husband, daughter, and a very spoiled rescue cat.

Jessica Devlin isn’t looking for love. Heartbroken after being dumped by her unfaithful ex-fiancé, she’s determined to have a fabulous time during her vacation in England where she’ll be maid-of-honor at her cousin’s wedding. After working overtime as beauty editor of Orlando’s O Tart magazine, avoiding dating, and putting on ten pounds, Jess is ready to toss her past like an empty lipstick tube and party like a single gal.

But when she steps into the church on her cousin’s wedding day, she sees the one man who could sabotage her plan—James-Bond-gorgeous Nick Mondinello. She’s never forgotten the London marketing exec who held her in his arms after her beloved grandfather’s funeral two years ago. Ambitious, and lusted after by women everywhere, Nick is completely wrong for guarded, Plain Jane Jess.

Could Spy Man Nick ever fall for her? Nope. Not unless Jess is one lucky girl.

• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• Length: 268 pages
• Launch Date: September 2011
• ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-20-6
• Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-21-3