Not The Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher

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How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days gets a millennial makeover in this romantic comedy by USA Today bestselling author Andie J. Christopher.

Jack Nolan is a gentleman, a journalist, and unlucky in love. His viral success has pigeon-holed him as the how-to guy for a buzzy, internet media company instead of covering hard-hitting politics. Fed up with his fluffy articles and the app-based dating scene as well, he strikes a deal with his boss to write a final piece de resistance: How to Lose a Girl. Easier said than done when the girl he meets is Hannah Mayfield, and he's not sure he wants her to dump him.

Hannah is an extremely successful event planner who's focused on climbing the career ladder. Her firm is one of the most prestigious in the city, and she's determined to secure her next promotion. But Hannah has a bit of an image problem. She needs to show her boss that she has range, including planning dreaded, romantic weddings. Enter Jack. He’s the perfect man to date for a couple weeks to prove to her boss that she’s not scared of feelings.

Before Jack and Hannah know it, their fake relationship starts to feel all too real—and neither of them can stand to lose each other.

Source: advance -galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review


I know this has been billed as a spin on How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days but it's honestly been ages since I've seen that movie, I don't remember all its details. I'll consider that a plus for me since it means I can read the book as its own thing. 

Jack is a romantic so when he meets someone and falls in love, he's all in ... and then they dump him. Not sure why because he sounds kind of dreamy. Hannah has the opposite going on. She falls in love and the guys eventually leave her because they don't think that she's marriage material. Her last long term boyfriend did a number on her and now she has his words stuck in her head - that she's not the girl you marry. Jack pretty much falls for her immediately and it takes some convincing on his part to have Hannah give him the time of day. He plays it cool and slow so he won't scare her away. Against what she thinks is her better judgment, Hannah does entertain Jack's advances though she's still skeptical about him, about dating, about everything to do with love. Unfortunately, she recognizes that her sour attitude could be holding her back career-wise. She's an excellent event planner but if she wants to move up the ladder she needs to branch out in to wedding planning. That's a huge ask of someone who's cynical about love and happily-ever-afters. Her boss insinuates to her that her career advancement would be within reach if she could show that she's capable of being in a relationship. Hannah thinks that Jack could help improve her image. Coincidentally, Jack is also at an impasse at his job where he's eager to be taken seriously as a journalist and work on hard-hitting stories rather than the fluff listicles he's been writing. They've been superbly popular which is why he's been held back from working on other stories. His boss agrees to give him an opportunity only after he's done with one last fluff piece about how to be the worst boyfriend ever. This goes against his nature since he's never intentionally been a jerk to a girl. With their job demands playing an essential role here, they both start fake dating and keep their secretive agenda to themselves. 

The best part is that they're both spectacularly unsuccessful at it. Try as they might, they're simply not committed to being intentional jerks so they attempt to toe the line between getting their jobs done and exploring what they might have between them. Jack's pretty easy to understand. He believes in commitment and taking care of his girlfriend. Hannah is tougher. Having been let down by previous boyfriends she just doesn't trust easily and she's constantly bringing up her baggage from it. She has a lot of residual anger especially directed at her ex. It is repetitive but considering her upbringing and her struggles with her biracial identity ... uncertainty is always there and the best way she knows to deal with it is to barricade her emotions. Growing up she was constantly figuring out where and how she could fit in, or succumbing to how others tried to fit her into a category that made sense for them. Taking all of that into consideration, Hannah is a complex jumble of mixed feelings and deep trust issues. I understood her, especially when it came to fitting in or not easily fitting into some sort of pre-conceived notion that was easier for other people to get. It just becomes a part of your psyche and it's not something that one can just shake off. 

Jack and Hannah are both irresistible in their own way. I liked that Hannah is so resilient and unapologetic about herself. Life's handed her some hard knocks but she refuses to be backed into a corner. Jack, who's ever optimistic pulls her out of her cynicism and shows her that there are guys out there who are worth taking a chance on. But more importantly, that she herself is worth fighting for and loving, and she is perfect just as she is. I definitely recommend Not The Girl You Marry!

~ Bel

Illegally Yours (Laws of Attraction #2) by Kate Meader

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Rule #1: Never fall for your client.
Rule #2: Never fall for your client’s fiercely protective, smoking hot sister-in-law.

I’m the kind of guy who believes that everyone deserves the best legal representation money can buy—which just so happens to be me, Lucas Wright. Give me your henpecked, your cuckolded, your irreconcilable differences yearning to break free! And if you’re the bad guy in your marriage, that’s cool too. Your green is as good as anyone’s.

Tell that to Trinity Jones. It’s my job to destroy her sister—the soon-to-be ex-wife of my a-hole of a client—and Trinity’s “big sis” instincts are dialed up to the max. I admire that. I admire her. But she won’t stop me from representing my client to the best of my ability.

Not even if my chemistry with Trinity is undeniable. Not even if we can’t keep our hands off each other. Not even if she injects life into a heart assumed to be long dead.
 
Because when faced with a choice between love and duty, the job will always win—or at least that’s what I thought before I met Trinity . . . and suddenly conflict of interest never felt so right. 

This ebook includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review


I enjoyed the first book in the Laws of Attraction series, Down with Love, and I absolutely enjoyed a glimpse of a certain cocky British dude who made me laugh in the few scenes that he was in. Lucas is the kind of hero I like - annoyingly charming, funny, and oh hell yeah, sexy! All this makes the attractive Trinity, who is very serious about teaching people the art of savoring and understanding the world of whiskey, his perfect foil.

Man, do I love good banter and it is all over Illegally Yours. Lucas and Trinity can go toe-to-toe with each other which makes their interactions simultaneously amusing and sexy. There's that word again. Trinity drives Lucas batty because she's not so easily swayed by his looks or attempts to break down her defenses. She makes him work for her attention. Of course, she's about as stoic as a wet noodle on the inside because he does make her come alive and boy, oh boy, she is tempted! But trust is something that Trinity does not give away easily. 

The wrench in everything, and one that you see coming almost immediately, is that Lucas represents her future ex-brother-in-law who is hellbent on destroying her younger sister. Trinity is a fierce older sister who sees it as her job to protect her sibling from any additional pain. Unfortunately, Lucas breaches her defenses, making a sensitive and complex situation even more so. Let's also remember that it calls into question his ethical responsibilities to his client and as a lawyer overall.

I enjoyed reading Illegally Yours mostly for the excellent verbal exchanges between Lucas and Trinity. They're both so irresistible when they're going at it. Also, the other partners are pretty visible in this and they always give Lucas the business which is entertaining to no end for me. The hard part for me though was accepting any romantic move forward between them. He's a divorce lawyer and his client is public enemy number one to her family right now. I'd be reluctant to be with someone under those circumstances. I don't think I'd be able to separate the two, therefore, I struggled to believe that Trinity could turn a blind eye to that, too. I appreciated seeing a different side of Lucas which is seriously melt-your-heart magnificent, and understanding the emotional complexities of Trinity's life. This girl has a lot of baggage! Truthfully, they both do and it's interesting to see how it's shaped their worldview.

Even though I was a tad bit reserved about their romance because of the nature of his job and its connection to Trinity, but I still liked Illegally Yours. I adore Kate Meader's writing I always have fun with her books!

~ Bel

So Over You Blog Tour - Excerpt & Giveaway

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Three estranged sisters struggle to sustain their late father’s failing hockey franchise in Kate Meader’s sizzling Chicago Rebels series. In this second entry, middle sister Isobel is at a crossroads in her personal and professional lives. But both are about to get a significant boost with the addition of a domineering Russian powerhouse to the Rebels....

Isobel Chase knows hockey. She played NCAA, won Olympic silver, and made it thirty-seven minutes into the new National Women’s Hockey League before an injury sidelined her dreams. Those who can’t, coach, and a position as a skating consultant to her late father’s hockey franchise, the Chicago Rebels, seems like a perfect fit. Until she’s assigned her first job: the man who skated into her heart as a teen and relieved her of her pesky virginity. These days, left-winger Vadim Petrov is known as the Czar of Pleasure, a magnet for puck bunnies and the tabloids alike. But back then... let’s just say his inability to sink the puck left Isobel frustratingly scoreless.

Vadim has a first name that means “ruler,” and it doesn’t stop at his birth certificate. He dominates on the ice, the practice rink, and in the backseat of a limo. But a knee injury has produced a bad year, and bad years in the NHL don’t go unrewarded. His penance? To be traded to a troubled team where his personal coach is Isobel Chase, the woman who drove him wild years ago when they were hormonal teens. But apparently the feeling was not entirely mutual.

That Vadim might have failed to give Isobel the pleasure that was her right is intolerable, and he plans to make it up to her—one bone-melting orgasm at a time. After all, no player can perfect his game without a helluva lot of practice... 

Source: advance egalley provided in exchange for an honest review


I amuses me how though I'm not a hockey fan I look forward to these sports romances so much. Truthfully, the game itself goes over my head but I'm here for the story and this Chicago Rebels series presents the stories from a different angle -- that of a female run organization.

Isobel and Vadim have history and meeting up again brings out all the animosity and hurt. Raised by her father to be the best female hockey player ever, her dreams were crushed due to an injury. She found a new career in coaching but she's always felt that she never lived up to her true potential. Vadim who was recently traded to the Rebels is sidelined by an injury and only under Isobel's watchful coaching can he be healthy enough to be back on the ice sooner rather than later. The problem is that they can't get along. Way back when she was a young girl on the cusp of greatness, she and Vadim were secretly an item. It was her father's ambition for her that led to their breakup and Vadim being blackballed for a short period of time. Just as in the first book, Irresistible You, Isobel like her sister Harper, continues to live under their dead father's ever present shadow. It's hard to detach personal ambition from guilt over letting him down. Now she and Vadim they have to work together they have to balance their feelings alongside professional etiquette with everything being more precarious because of Isobel's position as owner and also as an assistant coach. Tongues will wag and reputations will be at risk should people start suspecting anything between them. 

While the description might make it seem that the problem between them comes down to sex, it doesn't. There is a lot more going on with each of them though nothing overdramatic. Isobel is still dealing with the disappointing blow to her career. Not only that, she's also looking to break the barrier by becoming a coach of a professional men's hockey team. And she has to prove that she's the right person for the job by more than just her last name or the fact that she's a part-owner. This means dealing with the occasional skepticism or random sexist comments thrown at her. Meanwhile, Vadim has to come to terms with someone who was once close to him whom he had written off years ago. This particular storyline brings out his more sentimental side. The one thing I will say that is uneasy for me is the two of them pursuing something knowing full well what a delicate position Isobel is in being a team owner whose every move is documented and judged. These are the very same concerns Harper had in the first book as she took up with Remy. You just get protective of these characters and don't want them to get hurt. At the same time, it is a look into how women in the workplace are held to a different and often more rigid standard, especially when they're in a position of power.

Meader does also give us sneak peeks of future books by teasing us with tiny subplots. (Seriously, she has me excited for book 3!) I utterly enjoyed So Over You, and that it offers something new by featuring a strong, intelligent and capable female athlete who can go toe-to-toe with any other competitor on the ice. It's a fun and sexy distraction that you shouldn't miss!

~ Bel

// Enjoy this special excerpt from So Over You //

“This little job is the difference between you playing and not. Dancing with the Stars, Vaddy baby. It’s where all the washed-up pros end up.”

Annoyed at his reaction to her, he skated away, throwing out over his shoulder, “I will be playing, Isobel. You will have no say in that. I spoke with Moretti—it is clear why you have this job.”

Her brow crimped. Naturally, it was adorable. “Please. Enlighten me.”

“He is new and no doubt under pressure to bow to the owners. You can write your own ticket.”

“If that’s the case, I’d just appoint myself as head coach and be done with it.”

“You are also conscious of what the fans and media think, so you are starting small. Really, you could have called or texted, Isobel. Buying my contract seems like a lot of work to bring me back into your world.”

“You weren’t my first choice. But luckily your poor play this season meant Quebec was happy to offload you.”

He ignored the brief stab. The last six months had been difficult. Isobel understood this, yet they could not resist these little cuts.

“I think you wanted to be closer to me. Just like before, right, Bella?”

A blush crept up her cheeks on hearing his endearment for her.

He would test her. Make her angry and emotional. Make her cry. Because angry, emotional criers were not the stuff of coaches. If she was serious about a career in the NHL, she would hear worse.

She would get him game fit. He would get her battle ready.

He continued to needle. “Yes, I think that must be it. It seems that the female owners of the Rebels would like to abuse their position and use the players for their personal pleasure. Your sister and Remy DuPre—that is interesting.”

“Is it?”

“Harper may have duped a Rebel player into her bed, but please don’t imagine you and I will be renewing our acquaintance in a similar manner.”

 That got her attention, at last. Her creamy skin blazed, her crimson mouth twitched, and even from a distance he could see those melted-shamrock eyes darken. She looked like she wanted scream at him. Burst into tears. Slap his face.

Yes, Bella. Let us see if you can handle the barbs of every player, coach, and fan who will dismiss you. Let us see if you can handle me.

Fury powering her stride, she skated over, skidding to a halt mere inches from his face. As before, she was magnificent.

“You’ve found me out, Petrov.”

“I have?”

“It’s all an elaborate ruse. We bought your contract even though you really haven’t been performing well this season. Let’s face it, you’ve sucked donkey balls, Vadikins. But I convinced my sisters that I alone could bring you back to top condition. Make you a valuable asset to the team. I also made sure I’d be the only one working with you . . .” She leaned up on the tips of her blades, a balancing act that required great skill and remarkable ankle strength. Close enough that he could have slipped his tongue between his lips and tasted hers.

Her breath was a hot puff of temptation. “So we would have all this alone time.”

With that fiery gaze, she held his own.

Unerring.

Unflinching.

Until her mouth creased, and she broke into a laugh. He remembered that laugh. Just as before, it hit him right in the balls.

She used the edge of the iPad to poke him in the chest. “You thought I’d go to all this trouble to try to get into your hockey shorts, Petrov? I’m a team owner—I can have any of these Rebel boys with the click of my fingers!” She chuckled, clearly enjoying herself. “Despite what that supersized ego of yours thinks, the only performance I want from you is on the ice. Maybe if you spent less time carousing—”

“Carousing?”

“Yes, it’s nicer than calling you a club-hopping, vodka-sodden manwhore. Less of that and more effort on your day job, please. And don’t worry yourself that I’m interested in ‘renewing our acquaintance.’ I’ve had better lays with the Ukrainian delegation at the last Games.”

He had to say he enjoyed this sharp-tongued, quick-witted version of Isobel. But not enough to admit it to her.

“There is nothing you can teach me.”

“So sure, Russian.”

“I am positive.”

“We’ll see.” She skated back to the edge of the rink. “Again.”

// Giveaway //

To celebrate the release of So Over You, Kate Meader is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! Enter here! 

A Wolf Like Me (Thomas Spell #1) by Andy Fitz

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A midnight ritual by a secret society in the English Countryside nearly costs Thomas Spell his life. He returns home to Chicago to find that he carries within himself something unspeakable - a condition for which he believes there is no cure, until he meets Penelope, a beautiful and brilliant pre-med student determined to heal him. But The Brotherhood searches for him still, convinced that he holds the key to an unimaginable power. As his life begins to spiral out of control, Thomas is forced to confront his own past, as well as the dark forces closing in on him and everything he holds dear.

While travelling through France, eighteen year old Thomas awakens from a bad dream one fateful night go walking through the quiet streets in Paris. He happens across a man and a young lady engaged in a conversation that looks slightly odd to him. Through his haze he thinks he sees something unnatural but can't trust himself to know whether it's real or not. Celeste, the beguiling young lady he noticed and couldn't take his eyes off of, introduces herself to him and the two embark on a crazy alcohol and lust-filled jaunt for the next few weeks which is great for a horny teenager. Things are going seemingly well when out of nowhere, her attitude shifts and she insists that they must travel to England. Little could Thomas know that his life would forever be changed by the events to come. Whatever happened that night did its damage and left its mark on him. Five years later and back in America, Thomas who now goes by Ben is staying under the radar. Too bad those weirdos he encountered didn't get that memo, and things seem to be getting worse. Whatever happened that changed him seems to be growing stronger and he feels his control slipping away. He does have two friends - Penelope and Eric - who are in on his secret and doing everything they can to find a cure and protect him. Unfortunately, he attracts trouble and he doesn't have an inkling why people are after him which leads him into a spiral, battling demons on many fronts: guilt, his nightmarish relationship with his father and the fact that the monster within him wants out.

A Wolf Like Me is suspenseful and loaded with action. It's even funny despite its overall dark premise thanks to some whimsical elements that lighten the mood. Thomas is a self-deprecating, reluctant hero constantly in turmoil, at odds with himself and the entire world it seems like, but by the end he comes to the conclusion that embracing everything about himself - the good, the bad the monster - is what will save what means anything to him. AWLM takes place mostly in Chicago where we see a different side of the city that goes unnoticed. It's a gritty backdrop against which Thomas battles it out. I don't get around to reading paranormal too often but with a title that reminds me of the song by TV On The Radio (look it up, it's awesome) and the Chicago connection, I couldn't resist and I wound up thoroughly enjoying myself!

~ Bel


I'm so happy to introduce debut author, Andy Fitz, who has kindly taken time out to answer a few questions about the book and writing in general. 

 Goodreads     I      Twitter     I     Facebook 

Hi Andy! Let me start by congratulating you on your debut. How did it feel to finally hit “publish”? Did you celebrate?

Thank you, and yes it did! To quote Richard Bach, “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” I wrote the first scene for A Wolf Like Me in a Chicago coffee shop over 8 years ago, and in no conceivable universe did I envision that the entire process would take this long. That said, I don’t think it could have happened any other way, because I had to grow and develop as a writer and there are no shortcuts on that path – at least not for me.

I read that the idea for A WOLF LIKE ME came to you while you were in a creative writing class. I’m sure you have plenty of ideas so please share with us how this one stuck and became what it is.

My wife deserves all the credit for this, as she signed me up for a class at the Writer’s Loft in the City. Once a week I would sit with a dozen other hopeful writers in the finished attic of a 3-story Victorian in the Lakeview neighborhood and just write and drink coffee and talk about books. It was wonderful. We were encouraged to write about anything and everything, and on a couple of occasions I found myself writing a short scene with a werewolf. Each scene had an authentic energy to it and it just seemed to spill onto the paper. So, I suppose the general idea for my book arose from the ease and pure creative pleasure that I got from writing about it.

Your hero, Ben Ramsey is a bit of a mess – aside from the whole being a werewolf thing. He seems to have a knack for getting himself into trouble but also his history with his father is something that still affects him deeply. What was it like creating his character?

To go back to the creative writing class, one of the most important things that the teacher, Jerry Cleaver, taught me is that having a likable main character is not important. What matters ultimately, is whether the reader identifies with him or her. As a reader, I prefer flawed characters as I find them to be more relatable and less predictable. As a writer, it also affords me greater artistic license to develop their various hang-ups and shortcomings, and to reveal to my readers what makes them human. Ben is deeply flawed, but he is a decent person in spite of it, and I think as human beings, we can all relate to that, either within ourselves or with someone we care about.

One of the things I enjoyed about AWLM is that it’s set in Chicago and I got to learn of some areas that I didn’t know existed e.g. Hegewisch Marsh.  Were there any other details you discovered about Chicago that surprised you?

I love Chicago and called it home for 17 years. I am an urban planner by trade and I’ve always been especially fascinated with cities and urban environments. The Marsh was fun to incorporate into the story, because it is so un-urban, and speaks to Chicago’s primordial origins as a vast swampy expanse. I am continually amazed at the City’s capacity to surprise me – to reveal something that I hadn’t discovered before, even when it’s been there right in front me the whole time. Like the tiny overgrown lawn of a bungalow that I passed everyday on my way to the coffee shop to write. One day I glanced over and saw that it held an old crumbling stone gargoyle, which gave me the idea for Ben’s ability to converse with spirits.

How is your experience with your first book helping you as you write your sequel? And are you working on any other books as well?

It’s a completely different experience now that the first book is written. I feel as though I am reuniting with old friends to begin another grand adventure. The creative process is addictive and it frees you to just get as much as you can from your imagination onto the paper. The editing and rewriting is where the hard, unglamorous work of writing happens – but that comes later! I also have the skeleton of a more traditional epic fantasy novel sketched out, but that will likely be a side project for another day as I work on the sequel to A Wolf Like Me.

Okay, “rapid fire” questions here:

Favorite book as a kid.

Tough one, but the first chapter book that hooked me was Abel’s Island by William Steig. I love that book.

Book you disliked in high school that you’d try as an adult.

I’m terrible with the Classics: probably Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky

Author with whom you’d love to have a beer.

Ian Fleming

Thanks Andy!

Thank you!!

All right folks, A Wolf Like Me is available now and you can find it here:

Amazon     I     Barnes & Noble     I     BAM     

Irresistible You (Chicago Rebels #1) by Kate Meader

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Three estranged sisters inherit their late father’s failing hockey franchise and are forced to confront a man’s world, their family’s demons, and the battle-hardened ice warriors skating into their hearts.

Harper Chase has just become the most powerful woman in the NHL after the death of her father Clifford Chase, maverick owner of the Chicago Rebels. But the team is a hot mess—underfunded, overweight, and close to tapping out of the league. Hell-bent on turning the luckless franchise around, Harper won’t let anything stand in her way. Not her gender, not her sisters, and especially not a veteran player with an attitude problem and a smoldering gaze designed to melt her ice-compacted defenses.

Veteran center Remy “Jinx” DuPre is on the downside of a career that’s seen him win big sponsorships, fans’ hearts, and more than a few notches on his stick. Only one goal has eluded him: the Stanley Cup. Sure, he’s been labeled as the unluckiest guy in the league, but with his recent streak of good play, he knows this is his year. So why the hell is he being shunted off to a failing hockey franchise run by a ball-buster in heels? And is she seriously expecting him to lead her band of misfit losers to a coveted spot in the playoffs?

He’d have a better chance of leading Harper on a merry skate to his bed…

Source: e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review


All right, folks. There's a plethora of hockey romances out there so what makes this one different? Answer: a little Cajun spice.

Remy or "Jinx" has his peers call him is on the brink of retirement but first he needs to do one more thing before that happens: win the Stanley Cup. And he thinks it'll happen with his current team. But a certain, newly-minted owner of the Chicago Rebels has other ideas. She trades for him to join the Rebels hoping that his work ethic and experience will fire up her team and take them from Loserville to hoisting that much sought-after piece of hardware. It looks great on paper but in real life it's going to require a great amount of effort on Harper's part to convince Remy that this is a good move. She even strikes a bargain with him without informing her half-sisters, who are the other co-owners of the Rebels, about this. While Remy may be resistant to the trade it doesn't mean he is impervious to the hotness that is his new boss, Harper Chase. The woman has a confident, don't-mess-with-me-or-I'll-knee-you-in-the-balls vibe and that only makes Remy hungry to get closer to her. As the new owner of the Rebels, Harper has much to prove in a little amount of time. Not only does she need to get her organization running smoothly again but she and her sisters have to fulfill the terms of her late father's will in order to keep control of it. Everyone from the media to the public to other organizations is looking to see them fail, Harper especially. So she won't let a little inconvenient attraction to her team's latest acquisition sideline her momentum. The boss can't mess around with one of her employees because that would be unprofessional and hurt her credibility but ...

Firstly, there's a lot of heat throughout most of this book. Remy is an imposing figure, all masculinity and charm. It helps that he drops those lovely French phrases and terms of endearment regularly. I was pleasantly surprised by his backstory and what his anticipated plans are for after his retirement. His line of thinking was not something I was expecting from a pro-athlete who has it all from luxuries to women thrown at his feet. I did get a kick out of how he started to bond with his teammates. Some of them don't have quite the finesse he has but he seemed to take to his role of being a leader seriously. Secondly, I felt for Harper. Like most females in the workplace, she's in a precarious position. Meader provides plenty of Harper's backstory and examines how any woman taking on a leadership role within a company faces skepticism from her counterparts about her worthiness or effectiveness at her job. A woman has to work 10 times harder to prove her detractors wrong. I personally had reservations about her and Remy hooking up but then there wouldn't be a story if they didn't. And because their relationship is forbidden it only makes their "magic time" hotter. Let me tell you, that stroll down a New Orleans street was quite something memorable!  

I had a great time reading Irresistible You. It's naughty, fun and I mentioned naughty, yes? Allow Remy to add some spice to your reading list :)

~ Bel



P.S. I got to meet Kate Meader at RT17 back in May and she was so delightful and sweet. I had to share this pic of us! It was taken after a very taxing and loud trivia game but it was oh so much fun ;)

Flirting with Fire (Hot in Chicago #1) by Kate Meader

* * * 1/2

The first installment in Hot in Chicago, a brand-new, sizzling series from Kate Meader that follows a group of firefighting foster siblings and their blazing hot love interests!

Savvy PR guru Kinsey Taylor has always defined herself by her career, not her gender. That is, until she moved from San Francisco to Chicago to be with her fiancé who thought she wasn’t taking her “job” of supporting him in his high-powered career seriously enough—and promptly dumped her for a more supportive and “feminine” nurse. Now, as the new assistant press secretary to Chicago’s dynamic mayor, she’s determined to keep her eye on the prize: no time to feel inferior because she’s a strong, kick-ass woman, and certainly no time for men.

But that all changes when she meets Luke Almeida, a firefighter as searingly sexy as he is quick-tempered. He’s also the second oldest of the Firefightin’ Dempseys, a family of foster siblings who have committed their lives to the service—if Luke’s antics don’t get him fired first. When Luke goes one step too far and gets into a bar brawl with the Chicago Police Department, Kinsey marches into Luke’s firehouse and lays down the law on orders from the mayor. But at Engine Co. 6, Luke Almeida is the law. And he’s not about to let Kinsey make the rules.



Hot-headed firefighter butts heads with authority. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. But what if that authority comes in the form of an attractive, no-nonsense representative from the Mayor's office? Maybe not quite so disastrous.

Kinsey has been given an assignment by the Chicago Mayor and that is to turn a negative incident involving two city departments into a positive for the City and for the Mayor's eventual re-election bid. The recent Chicago transplant is looking forward to the task to keep her mind off of the debacle of her engagement. Nothing like throwing yourself into your work. But then she comes face-to-face with Luke and soon realizes that he presents a lot of work. He's gruff, rude and condescending. Thankfully she doesn't scare easily. She'll get it done, no worries. She just has to make sure not to fall for Luke in the process. While he doesn't care for the politics, Luke does have to acknowledge that he helped make a mess of things and will have to work with Kinsey to correct his mistakes. Kinsey being a smart, attractive women certainly helps matters though he doesn't want to get involved because that's not his schtick. It's only a question of time before these two go at it but whatever they decide affects their careers and their personal convictions.

There's substance to these characters making them more than just one-dimensional fantasies. They're flawed - Luke's initial condescending attitude and arrogance towards Kinsey in the first few pages irritated me so badly that I didn't know if I could manage the rest of the book but there was something there that made me stay. Then there is also the beautiful discovery underneath - what drives Luke, what matters to him. Learning that changed my mind about him. I liked Kinsey's quest to redefine herself and her goals after her breakup. Her self-analysis is refreshing because it can't be easy to admit the bad decisions. There's also depth to the story so it's not just about two people falling in love. The story encompasses other aspects of their lives (friends and family), their past, present and future. I just felt that I was painted a big picture while simultaneously zeroing in on Luke and Kinsey in their bubble.

This is my first Kate Meader novel and I liked it! Side note: my daughters seemed to enjoy the blurb on the back, "a man this smoking should set off alarms". Have I mentioned they're teenagers and general pains in the backside? Anyway, Flirting with Fire is pure pleasure and escape and I'm looking forward to making my way through the rest of the Hot in Chicago series!

~ Bel

15 Things We Learned From Our First BEA

We got to attend our very first BEA this year! For the first time in something like 17 years, it moved from New York to Chicago. Since we only had a few RT Conventions under our belt, we had no idea what to expect of BEA. Looking at the map and exhibitor list prior to the event was overwhelming. But none of that could dash our excitement when we arrived Wednesday. And by the time it was over on Saturday, it seemed like our initial arrival was ages ago. So here's what we learned:

1. Comfort over fashion. Breaking in shoes is a must since there’s so much walking. Aleve and ice packs came in handy by the end of the day.

2. Don’t rely solely on the app. Publishers and authors usually mention some last-minute details via Twitter. Also check PW Daily to make your plan for the day. For us writing out our itinerary provided some sort of order.

3. Grab as many tote bags as you can because you’ll need them. We also found bringing in a suitcase and putting it in to luggage check to be a helpful way to store all the books we received as they became too heavy to carry as the day wore on.

4. Visit the same publishers multiple times a day as they rotate goodies for giveaway.

5. Not all books are up for grabs as some are simply for “display only”.

6. If you spot massage chairs, go for the massage. Your neck, shoulders and back will thank you. We do not joke about this.

7. Bring snacks but pack a lunch if you can. Also bring your own water bottle and refill it to save some money.

8. Get to know the layout. Sometimes finding a quiet bathroom provides a much-needed break from the crowd.

9. Not everything is free. Budget extra money for the smaller publishers.

10. If there’s something you desperately want, stand in line early. We were pleasantly surprised to see lines for ones we assumed would be a quick stop.

11. When you’re grabbing your bag of books make sure it’s yours as everyone will likely have the same bags making it easy to mix them up. (We met someone who put down her bag of personalized books at lunch only to have someone else accidentally pick it up. Honest but crushing mistake.)

12. If you’ve been at BEA all week, you may be able to avoid BookCon. But that depends on whether you’ve seen all the authors you wanted to meet. If not, stand in line early on BookCon day – we mean ungodly hour of the morning early – in order to guarantee a ticket or wristband. Though come that day you may decide to forgo that because you’ve been at it all week anyway. That’s what we did. We just hung out at Starbucks and watched the endless parade of attendees go by until it was safe for us to go through.

13. Everyone is pretty considerate at BEA when it comes to waiting in lines. We enjoyed meeting people this way and then paying it forward.

14. We took full advantage of the reliable shuttle service to and from the show. We definitely saved some money there with not having to worry about parking costs each day. 

15. Lastly, DON’T SELL YOUR ARCS but definitely promote the ones you’ve received and are reading.


There you have it. Our first BEA turned out to be a fun experience! We'll share more pictures including author pics in a later post this week. We also enjoyed meeting fellow booklovers and bloggers who made the experience that much more special. If you can make it to the next one (it's back in NY next year), you should! If you happened to attend BEA16 and/or previous ones, we'd love to know about your experience and how they compare. Are there any tips you'd like to share?

 ~ Shel, Bel & Nat

The Distance From A to Z by Natalie Blitt

* * *

This full-length novel by debut author Natalie Blitt is a pitch-perfect blend of Stephanie Perkins and Miranda Kenneally that proves the age-old adage: opposites attract.

Seventeen-year old Abby has only one goal for her summer: to make sure she is fluent in French—well, that, and to get as far away from baseball and her Cubs-obsessed family as possible. A summer of culture and language, with no sports in sight.

That turns out to be impossible, though, because her French partner is the exact kind of boy she was hoping to avoid. Eight weeks. 120 hours of class. 80 hours of conversation practice with someone who seems to exclusively wear baseball caps and jerseys.

But Zeke in French is a different person than Zeke in English. And Abby can’t help but fall for him, hard. As Abby begins to suspect that Zeke is hiding something, she has to decide if bridging the gap between the distance between who she is and who he is, is worth the risk.

Two reasons I picked this book: the adorable cover and French. It’s that simple!

Abby is anxious to get away from her sports-centric family to escape to a summer program where she can indulge herself in the love of her life: the French language. See, her parents and older brothers are obsessed with everything baseball and the Cubs (well after last season, who can blame any Chicagoan?) Anyway, Abby needs a break and to establish her own identity far removed from all that incessant baseball chatter. What better way to do that than to immerse herself in a completely different culture!

She meets Zeke on her first day there and it’s not exactly love at first sight. Unfortunately, Abby has very high standards and if a guy shows any sign of being remotely interested in sports, baseball especially, then she’s out. Zeke is charming, pretty laid back and interested in Abby, and even though she’s made up her mind to be off limits. Though she can’t help but be into him, too.

There were two things that I wrestled with as I read this. One, I felt that Abby’s instant repulsion to baseball was exaggerated. I mean, I’m not a football fan but I don’t think I’m anywhere as violently opposed to it as she is to baseball. On the flip side, I get it that when you’re bombarded with something 24/7 and there’s no refuge from it, it can become a negative in your life. However, I also felt her very vocal negativity about it hindered honesty in her brewing friendship with Zeke. Here’s what really irked me, and it’s not just this thing between Abby and Zeke because anyone is capable of it, and it's this: accusing someone of not being truthful with you when in the first place, you yourself have not created a sense of acceptance. It may not make a whole lot of sense now but when you read the story, you’ll get what I mean, hopefully.

Despite that part of the story, I enjoyed everything else. I majored in French in college (though don’t ask me to speak it because I’ve not used in since) and it was such a treat to return to the language. I liked how Abby studied it and tried to live it as much as possible. Her love of the language and the culture is evident through the writing. It’s as if you’re inside her head as she’s absorbing and processing everything. Another highlight is Abby learning to help her roommate who suffers from social anxiety. I think it was a good lesson for her to see how people adapt to the hand that they’re dealt. Abby matures a lot by the end.

The Distance From A to Z is one of the cutest reads I’ve experienced. It’s sweet and funny with some challenges along the way. Abby is your typical teenager so this summer program is very much a learning curve for her in multiple ways. I say definitely give it a go!

~ Bel

Get Happy by Mary Amato

* * * 1/2

In this poignant, realistic, contemporary YA by a state master list star, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Gayle Forman, a young songwriter builds a substitute family with her friends in place of the broken family she grew up with.

A hip high school girl who loves music, writes songs, and is desperate for a ukelele, learns to her shock that her father did not abandon her years ago and has been trying to keep in touch. She begins to investigate him, only to discover that he has a new life with a new family, including the perfect stepdaughter, a girl who Minerva despises.

Set in Evanston, just outside of Chicago Get Happy is a delightfully quirky and heartwarming story that I think many people will enjoy. Minerva and her best friend Finn have that typical teenage banter that’s filled with dry humor and endless sarcasm – all things that I love.

It's her birthday and all Minerva wants is this ukele that she's been eyeing for ages. She doesn't get it. Instead she receives a sweater from her mother - so not an uke. She also receives an unexpected gift from her absentee father that sends her into a tailspin and she's not quite sure what to make of it. She doesn’t disclose any of this to her mother who has an “off limits” attitude about the topic of her father.  That same day, Finn convinces her to try out for Get Happy with him. It’s a welcome distraction to audition for this business where they dress up as characters and sing for kids birthday parties. At the audition, Minerva and Finn meet Hayes and Cassie. These four are such a funny group together led by the business owner Joy who’s a bit of a character herself.  Some of the funniest stuff stuff in the book happens during the Get Happy birthday parties and Minerva’s first experience is hysterical!

I really liked Minerva, a remarkable songwriter who pours her emotions into her words. Her curiosity about her father overshadows a lot of the book and brings out the insecurities she has felt all this time but never admitted aloud. She’s curious but she can’t bring herself to reach out to him directly. Since her mother refuses to discuss him, she operates covertly to find any information she can about him. The more she finds, the more confused she feels about him. It all comes down to a very uncomfortable scenario that forces Minerva to confront her family for the truth. It's a painfully crushing experience that had me feeling so badly for her. 

One thing I can say is that not everything is resolved in the book and I’m good with that. It’s more the breakthrough that’s the important event in Get Happy. Minerva does have to survive the damage that's left when the truth finally comes out and the impact that it will have on her life. Even with the upheaval that ensues, Get Happy is enjoyable and the many mentions of different places in and around Evanston and Chicago made me smile extra, especially the description of riding the El which Amato nails perfectly!

~ Bel

Get Happy also features some of Minerva's amazing songs at the end of the book. Here's one of them performed by Jamey Geston:

To hear more fantastic songs:

Song from Get Happy performed by Jamey Geston

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