Blind Date Bride Tour

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

 

Nearly a decade ago, accountant Kari Parker shed 220 pounds of dead
weight — her hulking, abusive college boyfriend. The last thing she wants in
her life is another man — especially one as tall as a Windy City high rise. Yet
when her best friend enters her in Romance TV’s “Get a Love Life” contest,
another man is exactly what she gets. As much as she’d love to just say no, she
can’t turn down the prize money that will allow her to help her parents save
the restaurant they’ve run all her life. Sparks fly between Kari and her bogus
groom, and as she and Damien share close quarters, intimate meals and — gulp —
his bed, Kari doesn’t stand a chance of resisting his considerable charms. Even
worse? She might not want to. But building a real future out of their sham
marriage will be tougher than baking a wedding cake from scratch … with no
flour … in a broken oven.

 

 

PURCHASE
BLIND DATE BRIDE

 

Amazon – Kindle

Amazon Paperback

B & N – Nook

Kobo

THE AUTHOR

 

Arlene’s website / Twitter / Facebook

Arlene Hittle is a Midwestern transplant who now makes her home in
northern Arizona. She suffers from the well-documented Hittle family curse of
being a Cubs fan but will root for the Diamondbacks until they run up against
the Cubs. Longtime friends are amazed she writes books with sports in them,
since she’s about as coordinated as a newborn giraffe and used to say marching
band required more exertion than golf.

 

 

Follow the entire Blind Date Bride tour HERE

 

Hosted by Worldwind Virtual Book Tours

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Wife for Hire, by Christine Bell

Book description:

He needs a wife for three weeks…

Owen Phipps is out for revenge. His mission? To expose the man who stole his sister’s money and dignity. All he needs is a “wife” who can play along. Too bad his last best hope is an actress who tries to mace him with perfume when he offers her the role of a lifetime.

Lindy Covington is a real sap. She loves too hard, feels too deep, and often finds herself saying yes when she should be saying “Let me think about it.” She can’t believe her good fortune when Owen offers her more than enough money to hold off foreclosure until she can find a job. Three weeks at a resort, money she desperately needs, and she gets to help bring a criminal to justice? Score.

It seems easy enough until the first time a couples bonding game turns intimate, and they realize how dangerous their mutual attraction could be. Can they keep their hands to themselves long enough to find the evidence Owen needs? Or are the close quarters more temptation than they can handle?

Title: Wife for Hire
Author: Christine Bell
Genre: Category – Contemporary
Length: 245 pages
ISBN: 978-1-62266-973-8
Release Date: August 2012
Imprint: Indulgence
Purchase from Entangled Publishing

My thoughts:

I had not read romantic comedy in a long time, so when I learned of this latest release by Entangled Publishing, I immediately requested a review copy. I was not disappointed. Wife for Hire is a delightful, utterly romantic read with scenes that will make the reader laugh out loud. What I liked most about it, though, is the heroine. Lindy is the ultimate sympathetic heroine. She’s smart and independent, but at the same time she’s sensitive and has a huge heart. Owen is a wonderful hero as well, alpha enough to be tantalizing without being overbearing. Needless to say, there’s a lot of chemistry  between the two.

From the very beginning I was pulled into the story, wondering how these two were going to fall for each other in such a silly situation. There are a lot of well-written sexy scenes and plenty of sensual tension. The story moves at a pretty quick pace with lots of dialogue. Wife for Hire kept me smiling and it’s just one of those stories that make you feel good and believe in romance. If you’re a fan of the genre, I encourage you to get yourself a copy. You won’t be disappointed.

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Book Review: I Heart New York, by Lindsey Kelk

I read this book while vacationing on the Turkish Riviera this past summer. It was an entertaining, delightful read — the perfect companion for those relaxing days under the sun. That said, this is a novel that will be enjoyed by chick lit fans anytime of the year and at any place.

The story begins in London, with twenty-something Angela Clark discovering at her best friend’s wedding that her fiancee has been cheating on her for some time. What’s worse, everyone somehow already knew about it — everyone except Angela.

Filled with rage, unhappiness and disappointment, Angela flies to New York City and rents a hotel room for a few days. There, a lot of unexpected things happen. She befriends one of the hotel clerks, who introduces her to her group of interesting friends. She meets two very different men who each in his own way sweep her off her feet. Of course, she also does some serious shopping (It’s New York City, right? Plus, she has a credit card). But most excitingly, she’s suddenly offered an opportunity to do what she likes best: write.

Through a series of adventurous escapades, Angela does some growing up and takes a closer look at herself and her life. Will she go back to London, as her family and friends are urging her to, or will she stay in New York and fulfill her dreams?

The writing is light and fun, making this a quick read. The author brings the city to life, with its exciting coffee shops, night clubs and stores. But the best part is Angela. With all her defects, she comes out as a very real and endearing protagonist.

Warning: I Heart New York will make you want to take the next plane to New York.

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Interview with Lindsey Kelk, author of I Heart New York

I’m thrilled to have Lindsey Kelk as my guest on The Dark Phantom today. Lindsey is a children’s book editor at a top publishing house and the author of I Heart New York, a delightful chick-lit novel featuring the incorrigible Angela Clark. I Heart New York is the first book in a series of five. The second book, I Heart Hollywood, is due out January 2010. Visit her website and her blogs, BeautyMecca and BeautyAddict.

Thanks for being my guest, Lindsey. Tell us, how did you come up with the idea for I Heart New York and the series?

I’d just come back from a holiday in New York and was incredibly broke and depressed. New York has been amazing, and I just couldn’t seem to shake myself out of the post-holiday blues, so I decided, if I couldn’t go back (and my credit limit said no, I could not) that I would write about it instead.

I always conceived the books as a series, taking in different cities around the world — I love fiction series, I blame my teen obsession with Sweet Valley High. I never want books I love to end.

Tell us a little about your protagonist. What about her will women readers identify with the most?

I hope people will like Angela because she and I are a lot alike! Except she gets the boys and, sob, I don’t do quite so well (send any and all viable applicants to my Facebook page please). People have said they like her because she’s funny and down to earth. Of course the book is a fantasy, so it’s not like stuff like that happens every single day, but I like to think that Angela deals with the situations she finds herself in like an actual person would.

That and she really likes shoes. And boys. And karaoke. And cocktails.

Like I said, we’re a lot alike.

Are you a disciplined writer? How long did it take you to finish the first draft? What about the editing process?

I really wish I could say yes, but since I finished I Heart New York, I’ve been terrible. In my defense, I work as a senior editor in children’s publishing so writing, editing and rewriting is my entire life! I Heart New York was really quick to write, the first draft took just six weeks, but I dedicated my life to it. I would come home from work, cook dinner, eat, open the laptop and write until I fell asleep. By the time I had a book deal and was writing I Heart Hollywood, SO much more was going on in my life and I didn’t have as much time. That one took maybe four months? Now I’ve just finished the first draft of I Heart Paris and just to make my life that little bit more difficult, I upped and moved to New York halfway through, BUT it still only took six months. I guess I’m a lot faster than a lot of other writers but, really, I should be more disciplined.

Editing is easier, my editor is AMAZING and always gives the most insightful and inspiring advice, so once I get her comments in, I can turn them around in a few weeks.

Is your second book already finished? I understand it’s scheduled for publication in early 2010.

Yup! I’ve just had the proofs, the cover is gorgeous. My cover designer, Lee Motley, is a goddess. And, yes, I Heart Hollywood is out January 2010. Scary.

Did you move to Paris for a while in order to write it?

I wish! I visited LA and Paris for research, but I wasn’t able to move. I just moved to New York with my job; it’s really a coincidence that I’m following in Angela’s footsteps, alebit a very big coincidence!

How many books are you planning to write for the series?

There are five books planned in my head, three written, two sort of plotted out but who knows? Maybe I’ll finish these five and then come back to it in ten years…

You also keep a popular blog called BeautyMecca. Tell us all about it!

I LOVE make-up! Basically, before I moved into publishing, I used to work in beauty PR, and, while I loved the products, PR wasn’t for me. BeautyMecca was my way of staying involved with the side of the industry I loved and steering clear of calling up journalists and asking if they wanted to try my new wonder foundation.

It wasn’t wonderful, but I will spare the innocent.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers?

Aside from BeautyMecca and www.iheartnewyork.co.uk (I write a blog as Angela for the site) I’m all over Twitter and Facebook if you really feel the need to know what I’m up to ALL THE TIME.

Thanks so much Mayra, that was fun!

Thanks, Lindsey, and good luck with your book. I look forward to reading your second one!

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Book Review: Dog Nanny, by Ann Whitaker

When Julie Shields temporarily loses her job as a vet technician, Fate throws in her way an opportunity to make some good money training two poodles living with a rich couple in a mansion in Waco, Texas.

What does she have to lose? Julie loves dogs and, after all, she has a lot of experience in dog training. Besides, training those two poodles, Nacho and Blanco, appears to be the only way to save the rich couple’s marriage. To add to this, Julie is in search of a husband… so who knows what else Fate could bring her way?

Indeed, when pilot Nick Worthington arrives at the airport to fly her to Waco, Julie is instantly taken by him, even though he’s a little too infuriating for her taste. He has a great sense of humor, but he’s also too sure of his good looks. Soon, however, Nick becomes a suspect in illegal trafficking. Being pulled into a vortex of mystery and trying to train two delinquent poodles in only one month isn’t an easy job, even for a feisty, born-again virgin like Julie.

This romantic comedy will be especially enjoyed by dog lovers. Talented author Ann Whitaker has created a delightful story featuring two sympathetic protagonists and a couple of adorable, uncontrollable doggies that will keep readers laughing along the way. The dialogue is witty, the situations humorous, and the events move at an agreeable pace. A fun, hearty read!

–Reviewed by Mayra Calvani

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Review of Lucky Chica, by Berta Platas

Lucky Chica
By Berta Platas
St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN: 978-0-312-34174-9
Copyright 2009
Trade Paperback, 336 pages
ChickLit

Author’s website: www.bertaplatas.com

Lucky Chica is a charming, entertaining novel about a poor Hispanic young woman who wins the biggest lotto ever, and how her life—and those around her—change because of it.

Twenty-four-year old Rosie Caballero, a college dropout, lives in a tiny, rundown apartment with her best friend, Tootie—a tiny dog that looks like it was ‘rescued from the Katrina waters.’ Rosie hates her no-end job, her mean boss, and has been recently dumped by her boyfriend. At such a young age, her life couldn’t get any worse. The only good things in her life are her grandmother, Abuela, and her cousin Cheeto.

Then something incredible happens, something that drastically changes her existence forever: she wins the biggest lottery ever, $600,000,000! All of a sudden she finds herself surrounded by diamonds, furs, luxury suites, yachts, and all the things she never had before. She decides to share her fortune with Abuela and Cheeto. But what does one do with so much money, after the first shopping sprees at Tiffany’s are over? How does one know with whom to share his fortune when everyone wants a piece of it? Not only are greedy people after her, but so are the paparazzi, especially now that Rosie is going out with Brad Merritt, the hottest Hollywood actor around. Has her life really changed for the better?

Lucky Chica makes a very amusing, fun, relaxing read, a perfect one for the beach or those lazy weekends. Part romantic comedy, part coming-of-age story, this is a novel that will be enjoyed by anyone who has ever seriously fantasized about winning the lottery. The characters are sympathetic, the dialogue engaging. Rosie is well drawn, her personality a mix of naiveté and uncertainty about her future, with a nice round arc towards the end as she suddenly wakes up and realizes what to do with her life. But reader be warned, Lucky Chica may prompt people to keep buying those lottery tickets!

*This review previously appeared in Armchair Interviews

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