First Chapter Review & Giveaway: Sunset Bay by Karen Stewart

 

Today's First Chapter Review is a romance novel that came to me from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions.  

BLURB: A self-professed hot mess express, Joy Sinclair is a 54-year-old divorcee living back at home in Sunset Bay. Tired of blind dates and a lack of eligible men, she's resigned to being single. That is until she is literally knocked off her feet by a good looking stranger. Jeremy is only staying long enough to help his father recover from a broken foot. Is there any point even getting to know him?

Joy's mother Helen Sinclair is 80 years young and a real sassy molassy. She dresses outrageously, talks to her dead husband Sam and nudges Joy out of her comfort zone as often as she can. Meeting Jeremy's father Hank at the local seniors centre, Helen suddenly finds herself with a busy social life.

Love is in the air with a wedding, birthday party, prom night and a major weather event all conspiring to shake things up.

Celebrating the messiness of finding yourself and the courage to follow your heart, Sunset Bay is a journey of love, loss, hope and new beginnings.

COVER: I'll admit, the cover of this one is the reason I even read the blurb. It gives off this 1970s Neil Diamond and Jonathan Livingston Segall kind of vibe. Reminds me of a t-shirt I might have seen in a beach shop one day. Just perfect for this book!

FIRST CHAPTER: Joy opens the story for us on another busy day at the Ocean Breeze Bed and Breakfast. As she speaks directly to the reader, she shares that she and her mother run this B&B with a brief mention of their guests. The reader learns she is also the regional wedding commissioner, and toward the end of the chapter, she meets with a young couple whose wedding she is presiding over. 

KEEP READING: I'm on the fence with this one. In this case, it is a good thing. As writers, we are warned about info dumps: sharing a whole bunch of information all at once that distracts from the present story. A majority of the first chapter is an info dump: it's about Joy's life and work, daily life at the B&B, her relationship with her mom, etc. And if it wasn't delivered by an engaging character who made me want to continue, and presented in one of the best and most easily readable fonts (Why isn't every book printed in this font?), then I likely would have passed. But...

There is something about Joy that makes me want to know her story--the full story. Like how she got to where she is in greater detail than I can learn from the book blurb. Looking ahead, the second chapter is by her mother, Helen, so we won't get to meet the male lead for a bit. Seems like Joy and Helen are strong enough characters to carry the reader through until he enters the picture. 

Read an Excerpt:

Not an auspicious start to the day. I strive to be a glass half full kind of gal. Not always Miss Mary Sunshine, all sweetness, and light, but a person who attempts to see the positive in situations. This morning, however, things went south the moment my mother showed up at the breakfast table. 

“Mom,” I uttered calmly and carefully. Hopefully, my smile masked what I’ll admit was a tiny bit of concern. 

 “Any reason you’re wearing that outfit?” Cheese Louise. Talk about a grand entrance. With an overly dramatic swish and sashay, my mother displayed her eye blinding outfit. A bright pink poncho, clashing floral capris pants, gaudy striped toe socks with sandals, an enormous floppy straw hat, and umpteen Mardi Gras necklaces. The outfit I’d worn to a “Tacky Tourist” costume party six months before. 

“Getting ready for Halloween?” Mr. Byrd asked tactfully while others at the table raised their eyebrows and smirked. 

My superpower is anxiety, and I felt butterflies gathering in my stomach. 

 “Right.” I quickly put my arm around my mom, guiding her into a chair. 

“You won first prize with this costume, so it’s perfect for Halloween,” my mother explained. Halloween is months away, but it was a handy way out, and I was grateful. 

“Who needs another coffee?” Hands shot up around the table and that was all the interruption required to restart conversations. You can believe Miss Mardi Gras and I will be having a chat later.

Calling her work life eclectic, Karen Stewart has been a 911 operator, a freelance writer and photographer, written commercials for radio stations, performed fifty weddings as a wedding commissioner and for twelve years was the owner/operator of a busy bed and breakfast. 

Sunset Bay is her first book, and checks off the number one item on her bucket list. 

Mostly retired, she lives in a small seaside town on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. She's happiest spending time with her three grandsons and their adorable dog Roo.

CONNECT WITH KAREN STEWART 

karenstewartwrites.com 

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PURCHASE LINKS: SUNSET BAY 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0228843030 

https://amazon.ca/dp/0228843030 

https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/sunset-bay/9780228843030.html 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sunset-bay-karen-stewart/1146632175

https://www.booktopia.com.au/sunset-bay-karen-stewart/book/9780228843030.html 

https://www.waterstones.com/book/9780228843030

Karen Stewart will be awarding a

$10 Amazon/BN gift card

to a randomly drawn winner. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

This First Chapter Review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way. 

Interview with Gabriel Constans, Author of A Woman Like Maria

 

Gabriel's latest works of fiction are A WOMAN LIKE MARIA and THE LAST CONCEPTION, which is also a film being shown worldwide. Previous fiction includes BUDDHA'S WIFE, SAINT CATHERINE'S BABY, THE SKIN OF LIONS, and JUST A HEARTBEAT AWAY.

He has written for numerous magazines, newspapers and journals throughout North America, Europe, Africa and Asia; has 15 books published in the U.S. and continues to write fiction, non-fiction and screenplays. His latest work of nonfiction is GRIEF, YOUR WAY.

Dr. Constans has worked as a trauma counselor in a variety of situations and environments, most notably with local and international non-profit organizations such as hospice, the coroner's office, hospitals, state prisons, the Center for Street Children and the Ihangane Project (both in Rwanda).

Website: http://www.gogabriel.com

Twitter: @GabrielConstans

When did you begin writing?

When I was 16 and edited an alternative high school newspaper, which the principal tried to have me arrested for. 

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I usually write in the afternoon, when everything else for the day is done.

What is this book about?

Sophia grows up in small German village in the 1970s in a tight knit farming family. When she turns 18 she is accepted into a Catholic nursing school in Berlin. While there she meets a smooth-talking American who promises her everything. Turns out he’s been lying to her about a lot of things. Then, she meets his sister, Maria, and everything is turned upside down. After that, her life is pulled in many directions and she finally moves to America. Will she and Maria ever reunite? A Woman Like Maria feels like an unbelievably real romance story, with a happy ending.

What inspired you to write it?

I used to work with a nurse from another country who told me about a similar experience she had in her life and it sounded like it would make a great story.

Where can readers purchase A Woman Like Maria?

Here’s a global link to various distributors. https://books2read.com/u/4Xl6YL  

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

Keep reading and learning and be consistent.

What is up next for you?

Presently working on getting a film made, which I wrote. It’s called The Sunday Morning Rowing Club, and is based (loosely) on a number of women who have been meeting for over 40 years to go rowing in the ocean together every Sunday. We have some well-known actresses staring in the roles and are waiting for the final financing.

Review: Sand Dollar Lane by Sheila Roberts

 

A fun romance set in a small beach town is what you'll find in the latest Moonlight Harbor novel by Sheila Roberts. 

Sand Dollar Lane features Lucy Holmes, a Seattle-based real estate broker working with her husband, until she catches him showering at one of their listings with another agent. Determined to start over, Lucy buys a house in Moonlight Harbor, a small beach town. 

Brody Green has suffered through a divorce and being dumped by his fiancée. Even though he and Jenna remained friends, they still live in the same small town. Eager to make up for breaking off their engagement, Jenna is seeking the perfect woman for Brody. 

The one thing Brody always has going for him is that he owns the one real estate office in town. That is until Lucy Holmes arrives and opens up her brokerage.  

I have enjoyed this author's books for years. I rarely pass up an opportunity to participate in her virtual book tours. This read was a bit tough on the eyes since I used NetGalley on my phone, but it was worth every minute.

Roberts creates characters you love and want to spend time with. In Sand Dollar Lane, you can't help but feel sorry for poor Lucy, whose entire life is turned upside down by her husband Evan's indiscretion. And who can't understand how Brody feels watching the woman he thought he would spend the rest of his life with marry someone else? It is a novel that tugs at your heartstrings and makes you root for the main characters to find lasting love.

What I truly enjoyed about this novel, however, is how well Roberts used multiple points of view to work through the subplots of the novel. Lucy and Evan's daughter Hannah brings a fresh and younger perspective to this women's novel. I don't want to spoil things, so I won't go into detail, but I loved her insight into her family's troubles and how big she dreams about her and her mother's futures. 

Anything with a beach town setting is going to capture my attention, but Roberts' cast of town residents and their town events really made this a special story. As a real estate professional, I also appreciate that the author took the time to run details by an actual real estate broker. I despise when fictional real estate professionals do crazy things that would never be allowed. 

If you enjoy small town romance, women's novels, or well-written stories told from multiple view points, you need to give Sand Dollar Lane by Sheila Roberts a try.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ MIRA; Original edition (April 26, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 077838635X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0778386353
• 
  

I received a digital copy of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: Season for Miracles by Marilyn Pappano

A touching seasonal romance comes to you from Marilyn Pappano.

Emilie Dalton flees Boston with her nieces and nephew rather than let them be placed into the same broken foster care system that complicated her life. Lost while driving in a snowstorm, Emilie and the children arrive in the small town of Bethlehem. Taking refuge in a vacant old Victorian home, the neighbors assume she is the mysterious owner finally coming to claim the house that has been empty since the death of Miriam Pierce. In order to keep the children safe and cared for, Emilie plays along with the charade, making friends and melting the heart of police officer Nathan Bishop. But what will happen if everyone finds out the truth?

I decided to read this book after seeing the Hallmark movie based upon it. You can read my review of the movie here. I am surprised how closely the movie followed the book. There are some changes: Emilie's last name is Thompson instead of Dalton; there are only two kids in the movie--Alanna and J.T.--whereas the book has two girls--Alanna and Josie--along with a brother named Brendan; and I don't recall there being a full explanation as to how and why Nathan ended up in Bethlehem. The presence of the angel is also clearer in the movie than in the book.

Some of the reviews I've read of Season for Miracles said they liked the movie better. I felt the movie storyline was a bit clearer, but Pappano has written a heartwarming story of one woman's unconditional love that is pushed to every limit. Emilie doesn't want to lie to everyone, but she has so few choices if she wants to keep the children out of foster care--a system she knows well, and one that practically destroyed her and definitely destroyed her sister, Berry, who has become a drug addict looking for love in all the wrong places.

From the moment I opened the book, I was captivated. Part of that was because I knew the story, but more of it was because I wanted to experience the characters the way the author fully intended. Pappano totally captured me with this romantic tale of the season. The book contains some sex scenes that weren't part of the Hallmark movie. I didn't find them necessary, since those scenes didn't have a great impact on the overall story. Nathan and Emilie's connection went deeper than their physical relationship, and with talk of God and the presence of the angel so important to how everything is resolved, that aspect of the book threw me off a bit.

If you get a chance to read Season for Miracles it will touch your heart.

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Warner Books (December 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446603562
ISBN-13: 978-0446603560

I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

First Chapter Review: When I Remember by Sharon Edwards

This first chapter was submitted by the author's business manager. When I Remember by Sharon Edwards is a contemporary romance that was published in March of this year. It can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Sony. It's also available in iBooks.

BLURB:  He was the love of her life. And he had turned his back on her when she had needed him most. She had tried to hate him—and convinced herself that she did. So then, why was he always hovering there at the edge of her thoughts? Why did his memory haunt the deepest reaches of her heart? How could it still hurt so much after ten long years?

Born into a musical family, Cara Matthews was a child prodigy, destined for the world’s concert halls—or so her parents had planned. But Cara’s heart had led her on a different path, to David, to a love and a happiness she had always hoped for. David had understood her and allowed her to be who she really was, had been her strength and comfort. But David had had ambitions, too, casting her aside as he had pursued his own dreams, and nothing else—neither she nor a terrible loss—had seemed to matter. Were her parents right? Had he only used her as a stepping stone? In the end, had he loved himself more than he had ever loved her? But now, what was he doing—here in Paris—at her father’s concert? Why did he suddenly seem to be there, everywhere she turned? After all these years? Just when she was finally putting her life back together.

When I Remember is a tender, heart-breaking tale of the destructive power of lies, manipulation, and deception. But it is also a story of the enduring power of love, when the heart knows better…and remembers.

COVER:  If you didn't read the synopsis, the cover art would make little sense--except for maybe the roses. While in the first chapter you don't know enough of Cara's past to say if the cover art fits, the synopsis makes it appear it is a good match. I find the red roses against the black and white piano a stunning and lovely contrast.

FIRST CHAPTER: Cara is attending a reception when she spots a man across a crowded room. Her fiancé, Richard, asks if she is okay, but she makes an excuse and escapes to the powder room, knowing the man she has just seen at the party is the same man she has done her best to get out of her heart. Why does she care so much? It's been ten years.

KEEP READING:  Definitely. Edwards has an eloquent style that speaks to a bygone era of refinement and charm, despite this being a contemporary novel. She quickly draws the reader in with the mystery of Cara's past. This is a very emotional first chapter, and one expects the story will continue to tug at your heartstrings as it moves along.


I received the first chapter of this novel from the author's representative. This First Chapter Review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

Book Review: Born Under A Lucky Moon by Dana Precious

If you're looking for a fabulous and funny summer read, pick up a copy of Born Under a Lucky Moon by Dana Precious.

Jeannie Thompson's life has never been boring. Her family is filled with colorful, and often embarrassing, relatives who seem to be the victims of some of the oddest things; making them the talk of the little Michigan town where they live.

It is 2006, and Jeannie's longtime boyfriend is thinking of taking their relationship to the next level. She's not sure they should rock the boat. Not only are they both busy in the entertainment industry, she knows how other boyfriends have felt about her less than normal family, and she's not sure Aidan will be any better.

As Jeannie's past and present collide, she must reconsider her life growing up near the Great Lakes of Michigan, and the career she carved out that has alienated her from her family. 

I discovered Born Under A Lucky Moon at another blog and commented on the review. The author's publicist contacted me and sent me a copy. All the other reviews had been spectacular, so I was hoping I would enjoy this one too. Now I wish I had read it sooner.

Debut author Dana Precious pulls together a stellar plot, quirky characters, the love/hate relationship we can have with our family/stomping grounds, and a romance to come up with a major winner. I loved everything about this book. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I read it in one day. Born Under A Lucky Moon is filled with laughs and tears, unexpected twists, family, and down home charm. It's about the Thompson family, but it could be about any family.

Born Under A Lucky Moon is the perfect book to choose if you want a great read that is funny, yet moving.

Title:  Born Under A Lucky Moon
Author:  Dana Precious
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
ISBN-10: 9780061876875
ISBN-13: 978-0061876875
SRP:  $13.99
Also available in a Kindle edition.

I received a copy of this book from the author's publicist in exchange for my honest opinions. I received no monetary compensation to provide my review.

Author Spotlight: A Note from an Old Acquaintance by Bill Walker

Brian Weller is a haunted man. It’s been two years since the tragic accident that left his three-year-old son dead and his wife in an irreversible coma. A popular author of mega-selling thrillers, Brian’s life has reached a crossroads: his new book is stalled, his wife’s prognosis is dire, and he teeters on the brink of despair.

Everything changes the morning an e-mail arrives from Boston artist Joanna Richman. Her heartfelt note brings back all the poignant memories: the night their eyes met, the fiery passion of their short-lived affair, and the agonizing moment he was forced to leave Joanna forever. Now, fifteen years later, the guilt and anger threaten to overwhelm him. Vowing to make things right, Brian arranges a book-signing tour that will take him back to Boston. He is eager to see Joanna again, but remains unsure where their reunion will lead. One thing is certain: the forces that tore their love asunder will stop at nothing to keep them apart.

Filled with tender romance and taut suspense, A Note From An Old Acquaintance is an unforgettable story about fate, honor, and the power of true love.

Read an Excerpt!

“Please tell me why you’re doing this, Brian! Please!”

He tried opening his mouth, tried to tell her the truth, but the words he’d always wielded with such effortless aplomb, failed him, slipping away like smoke on a windy day. His throat felt as if it were gripped in a vise, his mind a flat, cracked slab of flyblown desert; and her muted sobs echoing through the phone’s earpiece made him want to take it all back. Every word. But how could he do that, now?

“I—I’m sorry, Joanna…for everything….”

“BRIANNNN!”

THE PHONE JANGLED, RIPPING Brian Weller out of the dream. He sat up, gasping, sounds and images jumbling in his groggy brain until none of it made any sense.

The phone rang again, startling him.

He grabbed it, his eyes struggling against the darkness in the room.

What time was it?

Jesus, it was only 6:00. It felt even earlier due to the late night he’d
spent at the computer.

Read the Reviews!

"A very touching novel that will make your heart ache."

–Readaholic

"Mr. Walker’s book is a very entertaining and quick read...I really did find this book to be both heart-wrenching and heart warming."

-Carleen

"A Note From An Old Acquaintance is a beautifully crafted story of hope, determination and the belief that love can conquer all."

-Rundpinne

"Bill Walker has created a novel with interesting characters and a fascinating look at the inner workings of an artist's life...This book is recommended for lovers of romance as well as those who enjoy reading about moral choices."

-Booksie's Blog



Bill Walker is a graphic designer specializing in book and dust jacket design, and has worked on projects by Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. Between his design work and his writing, he spends his spare time reading voraciously and playing very loud guitar, much to the chagrin of his lovely wife and two sons. Bill makes his home in Los Angeles and can be reached through his web site: http://www.billwalkerdesigns.com/

Author Spotlight: Heartbroken Promises 2 by Sherry Shumard

In Heartbroken Promises 2, Vicky Wainright decides to visit Jake’s Island so she can be close to her sister Miranda. She is offered a nanny job by the handsome Jordan, an eligible bachelor who is raising his son by himself. Her heart is soon torn, however, between Jordan and her sister's waiter, Noah. When Vicky is kidnapped while babysitting Jordan's son, Derrick, Miranda is sure Noah is one of the kidnappers. Will that change how Vicky feels about Noah? Will Derrick and Vicky be rescued in time?

Sherry Shumard is the published author of Heartbroken Promises and Heartbroken Promises 2. She plans on writing more books based upon the many ideas she has floating around in her head. Sherry is married and has three children and two pets.

You can find out more about the author and her work by visiting her website.

Follow Sherry's virtual book tour during the month of June by visiting http://virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/