Book Review And Giveaway: Lady Helen Finds Her Song

I'm excited to be part of the blog tour for Jennifer Moore's new novel, Lady Helen Finds Her Song. (It had such a great cover, I couldn't resist!)

This book will transport you back to India during 1813 when Lady Helen Poulter has come with her mother and General Stackhouse, her stepfather, as he claims his new military post. Lady Helen is fascinated with the country, its colorful animals and people, its strange customs and food, despite her friend Fanny's disgust with it all. It all seems like an adventure, a dream come true, as she goes to balls, meets an Indian prince, and finds love with a military man.  Just as everything seems to be coming together as Helen always imagined, some political intrigue threatens everything and everyone she loves. Will she follow her heart to the man and country she's come to love? Or go back to the familiar shores of England?

I really enjoyed all the details and research that went into this book because it made the setting feel very real. I could imagine the gardens, the ball, the animals, the shops, and the people. I thought the description of the Indian palace was particularly well done and showcased the author's talent in letting her readers experience the exotic locales with her characters.

Lady Helen was a sympathetic character with so many good qualities and yet some insecurities that linger as well. It made her relatable and had me rooting for her to get her happily ever after. The character that surprised me the most, however, was General Stackhouse. His reactions to having a family were so sweet. The little family he'd gained softened him to such a degree that he became so dear in every scene he was in.  I love it when characters just feel so real.

As for the romance, well, I definitely had a preference for the love triangle, and so as to not give any spoilers, I will just tell you that I closed the book with a smile because the ending was just that good.

If you love historical romance, you definitely have to read this one!

(Don't forget to scroll all the way down for the giveaway!)

Here's the back copy:

Spring 1813 --The exotic splendors of India are legendary, and the colorful sights of her new home in Calcutta immediately captivate eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Poulter. Whereas many of her fellow British expatriates despise the culture they see as barbaric, Helen sees excitement in the unusual locale. It is in this vibrant, bustling city that she finds a kindred soul in Captain Michael Rhodes, an Englishman whose lifelong love of India runs deep. Their friendship quickly grows, yet despite their undeniable connection, she could never think of Captain Rhodes as more than a dear friend. Her love, in truth, has been captured by dashing British Lieutenant Arthur Bancroft. This handsome soldier represents the embodiment of all she’s dreamed of in a husband. Preoccupied by her growing affections, Helen never dreams that beneath the glamor of the city, hostilities are reaching a boiling point. When battle ultimately threatens both of the men in her life, she must make a choice: pursue the man who symbolizes her British past, or let herself love a man who promises an unknown future in the land she loves. But amid the casualties of war, will her declaration of love come too late?

You can buy your copy here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here is the blog tour schedule so you can see what everyone else is saying!

*April 11th: http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/, https://joyinthemoments.wordpress.com/

*April 12th: http://empowermoms.net/, http://www.iamareader.com/, http://www.bonnieharris.blogspot.com/, http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/, http://www.ldswomensbookreview.com/wordpress/

*April 13th: http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/index.html, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/

*April 14th: http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/, http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/

*April 15th: http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://www.sweetlymadejustforyou.com/, http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/, https://atransparentmom.com/, http://www.kindleandme.com/, http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/, http://fireandicereads.com/,

Friday Freebie

As you all know, I've been reviewing each book in the Power of the Matchmaker series as they come out each month and there hasn't been one that I haven't liked. This is such a fun idea, and the prequel novella that introduces the one character that is in each of the novels is free today! Definitely worth your time, especially if you love romance.

Here's the back copy:

A prequel novella to the POWER OF THE MATCHMAKER Series

Mystical . . . Beautiful . . . Romantic . . .

Read the matchmaker’s story to find out where it all starts . . .

Mae Li has been in love with Chen Zhu for years, and he with her. But when the matchmaker arrives at the Zhu family home, she recommends another village girl for Chen.

Heartbroken, Mae Li watches as Chen does his duty by marrying another. Mae flees her village with the clothes on her back and her only possession—a pearl embedded comb, given to her as a goodbye gift from Chen Zhu.

Upon Mae’s arrival in Shanghai, she quickly learns that she’ll starve within days unless she sells her prized comb or joins a courtesan house. She goes to the Huangpu River and promises the River God that she’ll always be selfless if he will save her from becoming a prostitute . . . Her wish is granted when Ms. Tan, the matchmaker of Shanghai, finds Mae. But Mae must completely change her future and her name if she is to become the next matchmaker.

**Join us for the POWER OF THE MATCHMAKER SERIES**

12 novels by 12 bestselling authors

Released once a month in 2016:

Broken Things to Mend by Karey White (Jan 2016)
Not Always Happenstance by Rachael Anderson (Feb 2016)
If We Were a Movie by Kelly Oram (March 2016)
Love is Come by Heather B. Moore (April 2016)
Four Chambers by Julie Wright (May 2016)
O'er the River Liffey by Heidi Ashworth (June 2016)
Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean (July 2016)
Between Earth and Heaven by Michele Paige Holmes (Aug 2016)
How I Met Your Brother by Janette Rallison (Sept 2016)
To Move the World by Regina Sirois (Oct 2016)
King of the Friend Zone by Sheralyn Pratt (Nov 2016)
The Reformer by Jaima Fixsen (Dec 2016)

You can download your free Kindle copy here 

Drowning In Words

photo credit: Running Out via photopin (license) 

I started reading a book and I really want to stop and I've been thinking about why.

I don't know the author, but I thought the premise looked interesting so I picked it up. The problem was apparent in the first chapter, though. Everything--and I mean everything--was overdescribed. The road, the sun, the clothing, the buildings, the inner thoughts, every single detail of anything in the scene was on the page. It was sort of like that show Hoarders where the person living in the chaos can totally point out to you that tiny gnome in the corner and the newspaper they bought on their 16th birthday amidst piles and piles of hoarded items. That's sort of how this book was. The awesome bits of dialogue and characterization were in there, but they were overwhelmed and difficult to find because they were surrounded by a word hoard.

Too many words.

I love words. And I love descriptions. It's been interesting to me to watch my preschooler discovering words. "Mommy, what does resign mean?" "What does d-a-y spell?" "I know what a "T" says." He's putting together sounds and words and an entirely new world is opening up to him. I love it. I love watching it. Being part of that, the person to help him navigate that new world is a privilege and reminds me of the wonder of words. (Although he did recently learn how to spell BUMS and goes around chanting it. A lot. In public. But it's cute from a little kid, right?)

He can't get enough of the world of words.

But I've been around words for a long time. I know they are powerful. They can be used in ways that can change lives, change minds, and change hearts. I still remember hurtful words said to me when I was a young girl. But I also remember words that made me laugh and words that made me think.  The longer I live, however, the more I realize that words need to be used in a sparing manner, sometimes a more loving manner, especially when we're speaking to others or writing things with impact.

And they definitely need to be used after a lot of thought.

As a writer, I can ask myself, what does this word contribute to the scene? Is it too wordy already? Can I give it more impact with less words? As a person I can ask myself will these words uplift and help someone? Will I regret these words someday? Is this needful?

Looking at this book, I think that author might have had a unique story to tell, but it was lost in the words. Don't let the word hoard overwhelm your best words. Showcase your story with only the brightest and most needed words. Remind yourself of the wonder of words.

And then change the world.

 

What I'm Reading Wednesday

I've been reading Jennifer Griffith's new book Legally Wedded. Today was the sort of day where I needed a fluffy romance and this fit the bill perfectly.

Morgan Clark can't get any scholarships or financial aid for her senior year at Clarendon College. Everything seems to be working against her when all she wants to do is finish her accounting degree so she can put her little sister through school.  With time running out, Morgan is getting more desperate to find something, anything, that can help her situation.

Enter that something in the form of Josh Hyatt. Josh is the disinherited son of Bronco Hyatt, wanting to stand on his own two feet and have the career that he wants, not the one his father would force him into. But, without his father's money to back him up, he can't start that dream. And to top it all off, his girlfriend has finished her degree and is starting her career overseas, without him. He's really got to get things going if he wants to join her and begin their life together.

Things get complicated when Morgan and Josh realize that they may be the solution to each other's problems. But could a marriage of convenience truly be the answer?

There's something fun about marriage of convenience stories in historical fiction, but this was a well-written, believable contemporary one. There were laugh out loud moments, sigh-worthy kisses, and all the angst you could really ask for in this sort of story.  I really enjoyed how the author made it so easy to really get to know the characters and experience all the ups and downs of the complicated situation they're in. I kept turning pages long after I should have just so I could see how they would work this all out! It's a sweet and touching romance that really gets you in all the feels, not to mention it made me want to visit the Oregon coast. As the author says, her books are cotton candy for the soul and she definitely delivers an entertaining read that romance fans will enjoy.

Here's the back copy:

Morgan Clark is desperate. With just her senior year to go at Clarendon College and her scholarship up in smoke, she suddenly finds she can’t qualify for financial aid. Until Morgan finishes and can work full time to pay their rent, her sister can’t even start school.

Josh Hyatt is desperate. Without his degree from Clarendon he won’t be able to join his girlfriend in their dream career which she’s already begun, and he can’t qualify for government grants thanks to his wealthy estranged father’s interference.

Morgan, meet Josh. Josh, meet Morgan. Are they desperate enough to get legally wedded?

Get wrapped up in the knots that new adults Morgan and Josh create for themselves in this marriage of convenience story with legal, ethical, and emotional consequences. You won’t be able to put down this inspirational, clean and wholesome read set on the beach of the beautiful Oregon Coast.

You can get your Kindle copy here for $3.99

Castle Recap: Esposito's Past Comes Back

Wow. This episode of Castle was definitely an on-the-edge of your seat kind of thing. So many Esposito revelations!

We start out with two security guards talking while they work. Just as they turn around to get another load out of the truck, they see a masked guy on a wire, headed for the ceiling! Before they can really react, the masked gunman kills one of the guards.

Cut to the loft where Caskett is celebrating the fact that Kate has moved back in. Kate wants to get Castle a cup of coffee, but Lucy the household AI robot already makes it for him. The little triangular robot is acting jealous of Kate and was the running joke throughout the episode. *shrugs* It was weird.

They get called down to the crime scene and Castle finds a strange gel on the ground that smells like Chanel No. 5. Esposito recognizes the M.O. from a case back in the day where the crew used a combination of gel and perfume to disable certain security systems. Only one member of the crew that boosted a boatload of gold coins was caught. Her name was Sonia and she's already served nine years of her sentence. Beckett goes out to the prison to talk with her and doesn't really get anywhere until she says that if Sonia doesn't cooperate, Beckett will go to her parole hearing in three months and mention that she could have helped find the security guard's killer, but didn't. Sonia starts talking and says she can help because she still has some connections and can find the partner in her old crew nicknamed Hammerhead. Of course they'd have to give her a furlough to do that and Beckett agrees.

Esposito is acting weird about the case and Sonia, so he finally confesses to the team that he used to be engaged to Sonia. When he found out she was a criminal, though, he was the one to arrest her. But, you know, he's over her, it's all in the past. Yeah, Uh huh. She walks in and Espo's mouth is hanging open (until Castle closes it for him.)  She has on the same clothes from her arrest and it takes Espo back to that day. He watches while they fit her with a new ankle bracelet that has all kinds of features on it. Of course, Ryan is going to go undercover with her, but she says no, he wouldn't fit in and suggests Esposito.

Esposito thinks he can handle it, but from the moment they get in the car together, sparks are flying. They're rehashing history and how his family felt about what happened, why he turned her in. It's intense. Castle and Ryan are following behind them in a car, unashamedly listening in. They head to a bar in Spanish Harlem, and try to chat up the bartender. He's not having any of it and Espo ends up playing five-fingered fillet (that knifing game where he goes back and forth between the fingers with a knife and gets faster and faster. It's scary! I saw it on Alias once, too.) Anyway, the bartender tells them Hammerhead's real name was Joey and his grandma has an apartment nearby. Sonia and Espo head there, and the door is open. Of course Sonia goes in first, (weird!) and they separate, looking through the rooms. A guy with a shotgun comes at them and Sonia runs away, leaving Espo to his own devices.

Are Castle and Ryan any help? Nope. They lost the signal, but finally do see Sonia running away. Espo takes care of the gunman and cuffs him to a radiator. They catch Sonia who says it was just instinct to run away from a gun. Uh huh.

They bring Joey in for questioning, but he's a legitimate chicken businessman now and has an alibi for the night of the murder. Even so, they don't need Sonia anymore and Espo asks if he can take her back to the prison. Beckett agrees. This isn't going to end well. Sonia's talking about how she didn't even get a decent meal or a hot shower for her trouble and so Esposito takes her to his mother's house where they're having a family dinner. Turns out he didn't tell anyone what happened, just that he lost her. His family is big and loud and sweet and his grandma slaps him upside the head and says don't let her get away again. They eat and have a great time. When dinner's over, Sonia talks about her tough childhood and wishing she would have made different choices. She talks about how lucky Espo is to have a great family. (I loved his family, too, and finding out more about him.) She asks if she can have that hot shower and he agrees. Of course, Ryan calls just after she goes in the bathroom and says that the burner phone the inside guy was using leads back to Sonia. She was in on it! When he rushes into the bathroom, she's gone out the window. Called it!

Ryan tries to help Esposito track her down before they have to tell Beckett, but Esposito gets a lead that the mastermind of the whole thing was actually Sonia's dad. He heads over to an address he gets for him, alone. Ryan is not happy and he stops everyone in the bullpen to help him figure out where Espo has gone. Of course Espo goes in, tells everyone that he figured out that Sonia's dad was holding her share of the gold coin heist and when she found out he'd had a stroke, she had to escape so she could get the location of the hidden gold before he died.  Once he tells everyone, he gets whacked over the head and dragged away to a warehouse.

Beckett and Castle are up to speed and they go to the address where Espo was. All they see now though, is a bloodstain on the carpet and a gold coin under the bed. Now they're frantically looking for any clue as to where they would take Espo and finally figure out the one place the dad would go once every three months was an out of the way warehouse. They all head over there.

Espo is there with the bartender he did the five-fingered fillet with. That guy has a gun on Espo and as soon as they get the gold coins, he's going to kill him. Espo knocks out the bartender and keeps talking to Sonia about what really happened the day he found out she was a criminal. He was going to give everything up and run away. But he couldn't, because he's a cop. She still has a gun on him, but she's listening. She wants to go away with him now, but he says if he was strong enough to stay true to who he was, she's strong enough to face what's to come. And that's about two more years added on to her sentence. The guys rush in, Espo's okay, Sonia's in cuffs. Sonia and Espo get one more elevator scene, though, where he promises to visit her this time. I don't know. Do we really want Espo with a criminal? I liked him with Lanie. They were smart and sassy and fun together. I guess we'll see.

We end with Kate changing Lucy the AI robot to Linus which takes Castle by surprise. Linus does not like to be touched and zaps Castle for his trouble. Three's a crowd, my friends. Even with AI.

What did you think? Did you watch?

Book Review

I love Josi Kilpack's books, from her cozy mysteries to her Proper Romance novels, but her newest book, Forever and Forever (The Courtship of Henry Longfellow and Fanny Appleton) really caught my eye. As an English major, I read a lot of Longfellow's work, but didn't know much about his life beyond his bio. This novel is based on his real-life journey to love with Fanny and it was incredibly well-written.

It opens with the Appleton family on a Grand Tour through Europe. Their cousin has become ill, however, and they are doing what they can taking things slow and making sure he is well enough to continue on to the next destination. Henry is also on a European tour doing research, but isn't exactly joining into the social scene. The Appleton family invites him into their little circle and his first interactions with Fanny were so awkward! I thought the author did a fantastic job in really letting the reader experience  the emotions right along with Henry and Fanny from their first meeting to the last page of the book.

The journey is long and twisty, physically as well as romantically, as they take a lot of side detours. There were so many scenes that were heartwrenchingly sad, yet balanced with breathtakingly happy. I could totally see the issues from both sides, and there were times when you just want to shake both Henry and Fanny! The setting transported me back to that era and was easy to imagine. I loved the glimpses of Europe during that time period and wish I could have seen some of these locations as Fanny and Henry saw them.  I think this is one of Ms. Kilpack's best works, well-researched and beautifully presented in a story that will satisfy every reader who loves historical fiction.

Here's the back copy:

It’s 1836, and nineteen-year-old Fanny Appleton, a privileged daughter of a wealthy, upper-class Boston industrialist, is touring Europe with her family. Like many girls of her day, she enjoys the fine clothes, food, and company of the elite social circles. But unlike her peers, Fanny is also drawn to education, literature, and more intellectual pursuits.

Published author and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is also touring Europe, but under much different circumstances. Recently widowed, he is gathering research for a new publication that he hope will secure his professorship at Harvard College. Befriended by the Appleton family while visiting Switzerland, Henry is introduced to Fanny and sees in her a kindred spirit, a lover of language and literature and high ideals. He is in love. Fanny, however, is uncertain. He is from a much lower social class and is older than she is. How could such a relationship ever thrive? Could a book of Henry’s poetry, personally delivered, persuade Fanny to believe in a love that lasts forever and forever?

You can get your copy here

Movie Review: Saturday's Warrior

There aren't usually a lot of chances to really enjoy a remake of a movie you loved as a kid. I was cautiously excited to hear that Saturday's Warrior was being remade, but I wondered if they could really capture the magic of the original, with its quirky music and heartwarming story line. When I was offered the opportunity to go to the premiere, I jumped at the chance, partly because I heard some of the original cast was going to be there and I wanted to meet them and partly because I had to see if the film was as good as I hoped.

(Here's the original "Todd" posing with the new Todd. They were both very sweet and personable!)

As we sat down in the theater, we realized my husband was sitting next to Shawn King, Larry King's wife. I hadn't realized she was part of the original movie! (She did makeup, I believe.) We were also sitting next to several members of the new cast and it was fun to hear their reactions to seeing the film and their part in it.

The movie started and from the get-go, it was different. There was a distinct feel to the beginning with a snappy Alex Boyé leading a choir as we're introduced to some main characters. Loved it! Alex is an incredible singer and his energy adds a little extra something to everything he touches. The new song also set a tone for the film that I thought was perfect.  

Here's me with Alex. (He was so friendly and kind. He acted like I was the only person in the room to talk to.)

When the movie ended, there were so many thoughts going through my head. I loved how the remake incorporated so much of the original storyline and characters, and yet added backstory and songs that fleshed it out. 

The character of Jimmy was particularly well done. It was played by Kenny Holland and he completely sold his performance. He was Jimmy. His reactions and facial expressions hit the mark every time and I was really impressed with Kenny. It was wonderful to see his success because our family has a small connection to him. Kenny wrote a song for my nephew Tyler when he was fighting brain cancer called Whatever It Takes. It still makes me a little weepy when I hear it because Kenny captured so much of the emotion we were all feeling as we hoped and prayed that Tyler could beat the cancer. He passed away, but that song helps keep Tyler's legacy alive. 

You can listen to it here

I didn't get a chance to talk to Kenny after the show because he was mobbed with people, but if I had, I would have told him what a fantastic job he did.

Here's me in front of the movie poster with him on it, though.

Anyway, I did get to interview the "band" from the show and they told me that the craziest thing that happened during filming was when someone broke into their van and actually stole their identities! It was quite an adventure from the sounds of things, but despite all that, they loved being a part of this movie. 

Here's the band signing my poster.

For me, the new Saturday's Warrior really resonated. There were tears and trials, songs and silliness, but the film was true to the promise of entertainment. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were so many memories from my youth as I watched the familiar story play out, but at the same time, the new movie has songs and scenes that will become just as memorable with this generation. The casting in particular for the part of Julie and Todd was really well done. Julie stole the audience's heart from the beginning and Todd was definitely her match. 

Here's me and nuTodd.

Here's the nuFlinders family. A good looking group!

It was such a great night, and I walked away thinking I want to take my family to this. And my friends! Take some time this weekend and go see it, especially if you loved the original Saturday's Warrior. This one hits all the right notes and you shouldn't miss it!

Click here for a list of theaters that it is currently showing in.

Here's the official trailer: