Blog Tour: Wellesley Wives

Have you ever looked at rich society wives and thought that

they have it all? When you read Suzy Duff's Wellesley Wives,

you might decide you have it pretty good yourself.

Let's welcome Suzy Duffy, here to talk to us about her new book.

Hi, Suzy. How is your blog tour going?

Suzy: It’s terrific.  I’ve never been on a blog tour before. Back in Ireland, we got in a car and drove around to the various shops but obviously it’s a tiny country compared to the USA!

What have you been asked about so far?

Suzy: Mostly if Wellesley Wives is my real life and before you ask it’s not!

Well, where did you get your ideas from?

Suzy: About this time twenty four months ago, I saw a woman who looked a bit like Goldie Hawn driving through Wellesley in a beautiful shiny red Ferrari – convertible, of course. Before I got home I had chapter one in my mind.  To be honest I never saw her again. I’m beginning to think she was just passing through…. Maybe she was from Weston, the neighboring town… I can feel a sequel coming on!

Is that how it happens for you? Stories evolve in your mind?

Suzy: Yep, but you have to sit down and work hard to make them transform for airy, fairy ideas into a strong credible story.  The Writers Coffee Shop, my publishers were MAZING at that.  They put the story through the ringer.  It went through TWO separate teams who dissected each character and every plotline to ensure it was all credible – even if it is all highly scandalous and a little on the wild side…

Speaking of scandalous – Swinging? I think this is the first time I’ve read about an actual swinging resort.  Suzy did that involve a lot of research??

Suzy: LOL, I know where you’re going with that and no, that’s a fine example of my imagination hard at work again, although, it’s amazing what you can learn on the internet these days!

Okay, give me something that you haven’t told anybody else in any interview so far. I want an exclusive about Wellesley Wives.

Suzy: Yikes.  Um, let me think…. Okay, I can’t believe I’m telling you this… the reason Marcus is such a nasty guy is because I once dated a pilot and he – well, he wasn’t very nice so I made Marcus into the nasty-pilot-husband.  But don’t tell anyone else!

You got your revenge. I hated Marcus.  Thanks, Suzy.  Good luck with Wellesley Wives. We loved it!

Still curious? Here is the official press release for Wellesley Wives:

Since the Real Housewives of Orange County made their network television debut, America has been enraptured by the fabulous, scandalous lives of wealthy men’s Botox-ed better halves across the country.

But it isn’t until now, with the September 27, 2012 release of Suzy Duffy’s Wellesley Wives [The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House], that the well-to-do’ers of New England finally get their shot at the glory.

Following the escapades of the fictional and fabulous Popsy Power – a pretty, popular and insanely rich Boston society wife, and her best friend, the uber-fit and massively spoiled Sandra – Wellesley Wives is a celebratory romp through the lives of women who have, lose, and ultimately triumph over it all.

While their opulent wardrobes, expensive cars and handsome husbands may at first glance appear as picture-perfect as the masterworks that hang on their walls, the cracks in their gilded surfaces don’t stay hidden for long. Life is incredibly good for these ladies who lunch – until it goes bad, and this is where Wellesley Wives begins.

Facing divorce, infidelity, financial loss and more, Popsy and the girls traipse through the affluent suburbs of Boston, the Irish countryside and Caribbean yachts, all the while negotiating the blows they’re dealt with laughter, extravagance and a resilience that every woman, regardless of social strata, will recognize as her own.

“When I moved to Boston from Dublin, I realized that women everywhere really are the same,” says Duffy, an Irish native who is already a #1 bestselling author in Europe. “We all get hit with problems through life – many of which we don’t see coming. Wellesley Wives was written to make women laugh and forget about reality for a little while. It’s white wine without the calories!”

A joyful, life-affirming story that celebrates female fearlessness and intelligence, Wellesley Wives looks at:

• The importance of female friendship and solidarity: why life is easier when you have someone to laugh about the ups and downs with!
• The ‘problem-free’ lifestyles of affluent housewives: does money solve as many problems as one might think?
• Handling divorce, infidelity and family problems with grace
• Finding courage in the face of the unknown, taking risks, and following your heart!

About the Author:

Suzy Duffy is an international and #1 bestselling author. A former national radio DJ and TV presenter in her native Ireland, she moved to Boston with her husband, five children and one dog in 2009 in light of Europe’s economic downturn. Duffy’s colorful background has taken her from working in the United Nations’ Geneva headquarters to being a water-ski instructor in Greece to laboring as a corn cutter in the south of France.

Wellesley Wives, Duffy’s debut U.S. book release, is the first in a New England based trilogy of novels. She is currently working on the second installment, Newton Neighbors.

Wellesley Wives is currently available for pre-order via The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House, and will be available via all major online retailers as of September 27, 2012.

Find Suzy Duffy on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, her website and on The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House site.

About the Publisher:

The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing (TWCS) House is an up and coming independent publisher based in New South Wales, Australia. They recently gained a great deal of attention with Fifty Shades of Grey, the international literary sensation they released in June 2011 and is now represented by Random House.

Launched in October 2010 with the vision of working alongside talented authors while providing quality e-books to the growing marketplace, TWCS publishes a wide rage of fiction titles and is sure to have something for any appetite.

Website: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/

I will post a review for Wellesley Wives soon, faithful readers, but if you can't wait, go ahead an pick up a copy on Amazon.com or at your favorite bookstore.

Heaven Should Fall

Heaven Should Fall
by Rebecca Coleman
Published by Harlequin MIRA
368 pages
Genre: family, literature, adult
Available Sept. 25
Thanks to edelweiss for the preview
4 / 5 cupcakes


Some of us grow up wishing we were part of a family, even if we had one. In the case of Jill Wagner, she has no one. Her mother died in a shocking accident, her father has never been in the picture, and her grandparents are dead. So when Jill meets Cade Olmstead in college, she falls hard. Not just for Cade, but for the promise of what he represents.

First, there is his charm. As Jill acknowledges, Cade is good looking, intelligent, and has a certain sheen of smoothness. It helps that his chosen career is politics. His passion for Jill runs unabated, even in the midst of dire moments for the two of them. And he is ambitious, intently focused on getting a job with a politician for whom he campaigns.

But as with all bright shiny things, if you rub away the pretty exterior, you sometimes find tarnish and rust. In Cade's case, he tries to cover it up by tanning. Yes, tanning. The boy spends copious amounts of time turning his pasty New Hampshire-bred skin into a more cosmetically desirable brown.

But Jill is in love, and even before she discovers she is pregnant, the two are engaged, with Jill envisioning the family she no longer has and Cade imagining the perfect political spouse. That pregnancy, however, changes the dynamic of their relationship. For one thing, Cade needs to get a job. When he can't find one in their Maryland college town, he reluctantly - very reluctantly - packs up Jill and takes her to stay with his family for the summer.

This is the first time she meets them, because Cade didn't bring her home with him for any previous holidays, believing that Christmas by herself on the deserted campus is better than spending it with his family. She has met his older brother Elias, recently home from an Army stint in Afghanistan.

It doesn't take long for us to see why Cade avoided bringing Jill home as long as he did. His family is, in a word, nuts. And not in a lovable, eccentric kind of way. More in a fear-for-the-gene-pool kind of way.

Cade's father, Eddy, debilitated from a series of strokes, nonetheless retains the meanness that helped drive Cade out of the state. Mother Leela appears to be accepting of her life, until Rebecca Coleman takes us into Leela's mind and we discover that there is a lot more going on here than we thought. Sister Candy is the stereotypical ignorant, silly blonde; her husband Dodge is significantly older than she is and they have three rambunctious young sons.

Then there is Elias. Clearly he struggles with post traumatic stress disorder, but he has been left largely ignored by military physicians who attempt to "fix" him by prescribing various painkillers and mood stabilizers. We learn that Elias has been in love with local girl Piper since his teens; we also learn that Cade stole her from his brother, even impregnating her. As Elias and Jill's relationship deepens and intensifies, we watch with our breaths held. Will Elias exact retribution?

Elias, you see, is the only member of the family with whom Jill forms a connection. Yes, she tries to bond with Leela, even hoping that Leela will become her mother, but it is Elias who Jill offers comfort and compassion. She may not know about Piper, but she certainly knows that Elias begins to form an attachment to her.

Tragedy strikes this family, and we see it coming. The way they react, though, surprises us. Dodge, unflinchingly presented as a wacko, manages to display some decency - that is until he senses weakness in others, which he exploits much the way he did Candy when she was a teenager.

We spend most of the book in Jill's mind, although Coleman sends us into Cade's and Leela's as well. When we spend time with Elias, it is in the third person, as if his trauma prevents even us from getting close to him. As the family deals with the aftermath of the tragedy, we become even more convinced that Cade was right: Jill is better off away from these people.

This is an intricate, heavy book, that is interesting and well written. Those of you who thought that white supremacists and right wing militias exist only in the south and midwest might be surprised to find that they rage in New England as well. Coleman uses them here to spotlight the plight of PTSD. If the Army overlooks its faithful servants, then what is there to stop subversive individuals from exploiting these people?

As for Jill, we alternately want to scream at her and protect her. She mistakes self-help mumbo jumbo for practical advice, and her desperation to be part of a family causes her to ignore some important signs of instability, both within Cade and his family.

Sometimes, Rebecca Coleman seems to say, the adage is true: be careful what you wish for.

Naughty or Nice Giveaway Hop

 

The Naughty or Nice Giveaway Hop was organized by Nat @ Reading Romances!

I am excited to take part in this giveaway!

What you can win here: a digital copy of your choice between a naughty book -

 The Siren by Tiffany Reisz

or a nice book - The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge

Number of winners:  one

Open to (INT, US or US/CAN):  INT

How to enter: complete the Rafflecopter below

Hop and enter the other giveaways!

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Champagne: The Farewell

Champagne: The Farewell
by Janet Hubbard
Published by Poisoned Pen
250 pages
Genre: mystery; romance
Available on Amazon.com
Thanks to NetGalley for the preview
4 / 5 cupcakes


You know those days when you are in the mood to waste a few hours on something fun and frivolous? Sometimes, you just want - you need - to escape for a little bit into a book that asks no more from you than to simply read and enjoy.

That is Champagne: The Farewell.

Max Maguire is a lieutenant in the New York police force, and when her best friend Chloé invites Max to her French countryside wedding, Max packs up and heads to Europe. Shortly after arriving, she meets Oliviér, a judge, and the two instantly are drawn to each other. But just as the two start to enjoy their own version of a wedding dance, they get interrupted. Léa, Chloé's cousin, has been murdered. And thus begins the mystery portion of this mystery-romance.

Max and Oliviér set out to discover whodunit, albeit with neither terribly excited about working with the other. Max prefers to work alone, and Oliviér does not understand Max's propensity to use intuition when it comes to crime solving.

Our dynamic duo faces a host of prospective bad guys, both together and separately they interpret clues and identify the culprit. There are some red herrings, but if you pay attention, you will know who it is before they do.

The romance here is fairly tame, but it's sweet and fun. Max and Oliviér court each other, with her just as aggressive as he is. The sex scenes are very mild (almost too mild), which makes this book a fun, inoffensive choice.

Just like its namesake, this is a bubbly, intoxicating story with a romance and mystery that hooks you. Be warned, however: the characters drink a LOT of champagne, and you might find yourself craving some.

Book Blast: Freedom Road by T. M. Souders

Freedom Road by T.M. Souders

Book Summary:

Since the tender age of eight, music served as Samantha Becker’s source of solace against her father’s tyranny and her mother’s alcoholism. Now at eighteen, her only dream is to study classical guitar at Juilliard. But when her father’s careless actions lead to an “accident,” which threatens her ability to play the guitar, Sam becomes despondent. Losing all confidence in her future, Sam hides behind the emotional barriers that have protected her for years.

Just when Sam has given up, two unexpected people enter her life, giving her the confidence she needs, and forcing her to evaluate all she’s ever known. Battling her father’s plans for her future, band mates using her for personal gain, and a permanent injury, the odds are stacked against her. With auditions approaching and time running out, Sam must relearn to play the guitar, or be destined to give up her dreams forever.

About the Author:

T.M. Souders was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and grew up in the suburbs outside of Pittsburgh. She graduated in 2004, from Youngstown State University, with a degree in Psychology and minor in Women’s Studies. She is the author of bestselling women’s fiction novel,Waiting on Hope, as well as the novelette Dashing Through The Snow and the newly released young adult/crossover novel ,Freedom Road. In her spare time when she is nor writing she is an active volunteer for The World Literary Cafe, a site dedicated to authors and readers. She currently lives in rural Ohio with her husband and children.


Links:
Website: http://www.tmsouders.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tmsouders

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5044358.T_M_Souders
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/TM-Souders-Author/181198815275423


Book Blast Giveaway:
$50 Amazon Gift Code
Ends 9/27/12
Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Those We Love Most

Those We Love Most
by Lee Woodruff
Published by Voice
320 pages
Genre: adult; literature; family
Available on Amazon.com
Thanks to edelweiss for the preview
4.5 / 5 cupcakes


I will kick off this review by stating that I really liked this book, although I really did not like many of its characters.

Meet the Corrigans, a typical suburban Chicago family of five: mother Maura, father Pete, and three adorable children.

Cue foreboding music now.

One sunny morning, as Maura walks her sons to school, an accident takes the life of her oldest son, nine-year-old James. The circumstances behind this death are slowly revealed, just as the guilt Maura feels slowly attempts to undo her. How Maura and Pete react to the loss of their son is the central story of the novel. Pete disgusts his wife, whether by talking to the person ostensibly responsible for James's death or by drinking too much. But Maura has her own issues, and we are not quick to forgive her.

The other story is that of Maura's parents, Roger and Margaret. These two are a bit more stereotypical than Maura and Pete: Roger is an aging banking wizard who has enjoyed the company of a woman not his wife, largely due to Margaret's flinty personality. She is not a demonstrative woman, preferring to let her caretaking actions speak for her. Roger, on the other hand, believes he is entitled his flings, and the way in which he treats his Florida lover wins him no fans. Roger and Margaret face their own crisis, and the way in which they approach it echoes the differences between Maura and Pete.

Lee Woodruff writes with compassion, but she does not shrink away from her characters. They say and do loathsome things, and Woodruff makes no apologies for them. She lets us see what motivates them, but she does not excuse them, nor does she ask us to do so. What would you do if you lost a child? What would happen to your marriage? Pete and Maura are not held up as an example of how to deal with a tragedy, yet we do cheer for them to find their way. That is a testament to Woodruff's writing, because there are times that Pete and Maura seem to beg for unhappiness.

The same goes for Margaret and Roger. Try liking one of those two. Just try! Margaret bestows her affection with great reluctance, and Roger's inner whinging makes us think Margaret has a point. But his treatment of her is unkind at best.

I hated having to put this book down, because I got so engrossed in the stories of its characters. It is not light reading in the least, but it is good reading.

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Kelly!

She won the Books to Movies Giveaway Hop.

Kelly has 48 hours to respond to the email notification regarding

her big win.

Thank you to everyone for participating. I truly appreciate

you taking the time to visit this blog.