Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Book Review and Giveaway: SHARE THE MOON by Sharon Struth



Title: Share the Moon (Blue Moon Lake #1)
Author: Sharon Struth
Publisher: Lyrical Press (Kensington)
Release Date: August 4, 2014
Where to Buy: Amazon Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes
Rating: 3.5 stars





From the book:

Sometimes trust is the toughest lesson to learn.

Sophie Shaw is days away from signing a contract that will fulfill her dream of owning a vineyard. For her, it’s a chance to restart her life and put past tragedies to rest. But Duncan Jamieson’s counter offer blows hers out to sea.

Duncan still finds Sophie as appealing as he had during boyhood vacations to the lake. Older and wiser now, he has his own reasons for wanting the land. His offer, however, hinges on a zoning change approval.

Bribery rumors threaten the deal and make Sophie wary of Duncan, yet she cannot deny his appeal. When her journalistic research uncovers a Jamieson family secret, trust becomes the hardest lesson for them both.


My review:

Struth weaves a tale of unimaginable loss, grief, regret, hope and redemption in the first of her new Blue Moon series.

Duncan and Sophie are very realistic characters; Sophie cannot overcome her grief from losing her son, and Duncan, still recovering from the sudden death of his first wife,  is weighed down by the regrets he has from his earlier life decisions. 

I wasn't as connected to the characters as I wanted to be - usually, I strongly dislike reading about such horrible events in a person's life. I prefer light-hearted romances that leave me feeling happy and elated and full of hope. But this story is so well-written that I felt I needed to go on, to see how it played out - how could two such damaged characters really ever come to a happy place, when their lives are so upside-down? (I'm not going to spoil it. You have to read it to find out!)

I was pleasantly surprised at the mystery in this story - I have to admit, I wasn't expecting it. And when I closed the book, although I still wasn't connected to the characters, I did feel a sense of satisfaction and an interest in reading the next in the series. The secondary characters are well-rounded and I'm looking forward to what Struth has in store for us with Blue Moon Lake #2!

Three and a half stars.

(Disclaimer: I was provided a digital Advanced Reader Copy (e-ARC) from the publisher for an honest and unbiased review.)


About the Author

Sharon Struth is an award-winning author who believes it’s never too late for a second chance in love or life. When she’s not writing, she and her husband happily sip their way through the scenic towns of the Connecticut Wine Trail. Sharon writes from the small town of Bethel, Connecticut, the friendliest place she’s ever lived. For more information, including where to find her other novels and published essays, please visit her website.


Contact Sharon:

Website |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Blog


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Thursday, November 6, 2014

Giveaway: The Playboy's Princess by Joy Fulcher

Today, I'm bringing you a book that looks VERY good to me - I can't wait to get my hands on it! It's called The Playboy's Princess:




Title: The Playboy's Princess
Author: Joy Fulcher
Publisher: Omnific
Where to Pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

From the book:

What do a Hollywood playboy and a Disney Princess have in common? Not a lot, but they can fake it. 

Jade Pratt is living a tough life, surviving paycheck to paycheck by working at Disneyland. She'd like nothing more than to be swept off her feet by her own Prince Charming. 

Drew Malik is living what appears to be a charmed life: He’s the son of a famous actor and has money, women…anything he could want. But he's burning out in a life filled with booze and one night stands. When he finds out his trust fund is blocked until he either turns thirty or gets married, his friends plot to rescue him by placing an ad in the paper to find him a bride -- fast. 

When Jade answers the ad, the pair meet up and agree to an arrangement that will solve both their problems. But when their fake marriage elicits real feelings and real problems, they're both forced to re-evaluate their deal. 

Happily ever after was never the intention...but what if it's their destiny?



About the Author:







Giveaway!