Review: Eventually Evie

Cat Lavoie has been a rom com go to for several years now. Her latest, Eventually Evie, was released earlier this year and was so much fun to read. She creates characters you can't help but root for and a story that will keep you entertained throughout. 

Here's the synopsis:

How are you supposed to get your life back on track when the Universe won’t stop messing with you?
After a series of personal and professional setbacks, interior designer Evie Glass has lost faith in herself and the world. The last thing she needs is her loud, boisterous family poking their noses in her business, so that’s why she avoids opening up about anything—especially her love life—during their weekly dinners. Thankfully, her bestie and next-door neighbor, Matilda, always has her back.
When Evie is asked to cat-sit Matilda’s beloved rescue, she’s not thrilled at the prospect. One well-meaning mistake later and a distraught Evie is rushing her furry charge to the ER where she meets and is instantly smitten with Fletcher West, a charming veterinarian who seems to return her interest. That is until they both realize they’ve met before—ten years ago when he was dating her temperamental cousin. Fletch’s break-up with Bee put him at the top of her family’s hit list and makes him the last person Evie should be dating.
In addition to navigating a secret romance with Fletch, Evie must also deal with a demanding new job, an eccentric client from her former life, and an ex who’s suddenly blowing up her phone. She convinces herself she’s got it all under control, but what is Evie going to do when things start falling apart and she learns she’s not the only one keeping secrets?
One thing’s for sure…
Eventually Evie’s got to take a chance—on love, on life, and on herself. 

It's typical of rom coms to have a moment (or more) when you find yourself yelling, "JUST SPEAK TO EACH OTHER" to the characters. In the case, it wasn't just the romantic couple who weren't communicating. It drove me bananas that Evie just wouldn't speak to her cousin. It's always easy to judge when you're not in the situation yourself but it was easy for me to see that something just didn't add up with Bee and Fletch's break up. That said. when I did learn the full story? It actually didn't really help things too much. Perhaps because I felt Fletch was acting like a total idiot. I was pretty bummed, actually, because I was liking him (though not loving him) as a hero. 

Evie is the type of heroine who doesn't usually get to be the heroine. She's usually the best friend who doesn't get to the be star of the show. In fact, she was the friend in one of Lavoie's earlier novels, Messing with Matilda. Her life is an absolute mess but you just know that she's such a great person and you desperately hope she'll figure out her Happily Ever After by the end of the novel. I admit, I think I was more into Evie figuring out her career goals than I was with a romantic HEA. Given it's a rom com, she does meet her goals and I definitely fist pumped as things came together at the end.

Cat Lavoie is a talented writer and the story flows really well. There are scenes that will make you laugh and there are others that will tug at your heartstrings. Eventually Evie is full of characters (human and feline) that will keep you entertained through the entire novel. It will leave you feeling all the warm and fuzzies and wanting another Lavoie novel to read.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the author via book tour company Xpresso Book Tours. Opinions are honest and my own.*

Release Day Blitz: Eventually Evie

Happy release day to Cat Lavoie! Her latest novel, Eventually Evie, is out in the world today and I'm so thrilled for her! I've been reading Cat's books for years so I'm really excited to take part in the release day tour - and equally excited to read the book. Stay tuned for a review!

Here's what the novel, Cat's fifth!, is all about:

How are you supposed to get your life back on track when the Universe won’t stop messing with you?

After a series of personal and professional setbacks, interior designer Evie Glass has lost faith in herself and the world. The last thing she needs is her loud, boisterous family poking their noses in her business, so that’s why she avoids opening up about anything—especially her love life—during their weekly dinners. Thankfully, her bestie and next-door neighbor, Matilda, always has her back.

When Evie is asked to cat-sit Matilda’s beloved rescue, she’s not thrilled at the prospect. One well-meaning mistake later and a distraught Evie is rushing her furry charge to the ER where she meets and is instantly smitten with Fletcher West, a charming veterinarian who seems to return her interest. That is until they both realize they’ve met before—ten years ago when he was dating her temperamental cousin. Fletch’s break-up with Bee put him at the top of her family’s hit list and makes him the last person Evie should be dating.

In addition to navigating a secret romance with Fletch, Evie must also deal with a demanding new job, an eccentric client from her former life, and an ex who’s suddenly blowing up her phone. She convinces herself she’s got it all under control, but what happens when things start falling apart and Evie learns she’s not the only one keeping secrets?

One thing’s for sure…

Eventually Evie’s got to take a chance—on love, on life, and on herself.

What I love about Cat's books is they're full of characters you can't help but love. Her novels are funny and real and such a delight to read. I have no doubt that her latest will be any different. Plus, I just love that she's a fellow Canadian!

Buy Eventually Evie
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iBooks * Kobo

If you're not quite ready to add it to your cart, make sure you add it to Goodreads!

About the Author
Cat Lavoie is a chick lit writer from Montreal, Canada.
She loves writing fun and quirky romantic comedies and is the author of BREAKING THE RULES, ZOEY & THE MOMENT OF ZEN, PERI IN PROGRESS and MESSING WITH MATILDA.
A fan of all things feline, Cat loves cats and hopes to someday have a house full of them in order to officially become a crazy cat lady. (But one or two cats will do for now.)
If she isn't reading or writing, Cat enjoys listening to podcasts (mostly comedy and true crime) and watching way too much TV. She fell in love with London many years ago and hopes to go back one day. Cat is currently at work on her next novel.

Connect with the Author
Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Website

Finally, there's an international giveaway happening to celebrate the release of Cat's book! Enter using the Rafflecopter below before January 14, 2021. There will be two $50 Amazon gift cards given away. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Eventually Evie

I've "known" Cat Lavoie for years now and got to meet her in person at an event back in 2013 (I can't believe it's been seven years since I helped plan BookBuzz Toronto). She has four novels under her belt now and Eventually Evie, which will be published on January 4, 2021, will be her fifth. I've loved all of her previous books and this next one sounds just as delightful!

Here's what it's all about:

How are you supposed to get your life back on track when the Universe won’t stop messing with you?
After a series of personal and professional setbacks, interior designer Evie Glass has lost faith in herself and the world. The last thing she needs is her loud, boisterous family poking their noses in her business, so that’s why she avoids opening up about anything—especially her love life—during their weekly dinners. Thankfully, her bestie and next-door neighbor, Matilda, always has her back.
When Evie is asked to cat-sit Matilda’s beloved rescue, she’s not thrilled at the prospect. One well-meaning mistake later and a distraught Evie is rushing her furry charge to the ER where she meets and is instantly smitten with Fletcher West, a charming veterinarian who seems to return her interest. That is until they both realize they’ve met before—ten years ago when he was dating her temperamental cousin. Fletch’s break-up with Bee put him at the top of her family’s hit list and makes him the last person Evie should be dating.
In addition to navigating a secret romance with Fletch, Evie must also deal with a demanding new job, an eccentric client from her former life, and an ex who’s suddenly blowing up her phone. She convinces herself she’s got it all under control, but what happens when things start falling apart and Evie learns she’s not the only one keeping secrets?
One thing’s for sure…
Eventually Evie’s got to take a chance—on love, on life, and on herself.

Doesn't that sound like so much fun? I'm so excited to read it.

Time for the cover reveal! *drum roll*

How cute is that?? I really like the illustrated look of this one and how textured it is.

Now that you've read about the book and seen the super sweet cover, you should add Eventually Evie to your Goodreads shelf.

Better yet! Preorder it!
Amazon * B&N * iBooks * Kobo

Here are my reviews on her last few books:
Breaking the Rules
Zoey and the Moment of Zen
Peri in Progress
There's also Messing with Matilda but I didn't review that one for some reason!

About the Author
Cat Lavoie is a chick lit writer from Montreal, Canada.
She loves writing fun and quirky romantic comedies and is the author of BREAKING THE RULES, ZOEY & THE MOMENT OF ZEN, PERI IN PROGRESS and MESSING WITH MATILDA.
A fan of all things feline, Cat loves cats and hopes to someday have a house full of them in order to officially become a crazy cat lady. (But one or two cats will do for now.)
If she isn't reading or writing, Cat enjoys listening to podcasts (mostly comedy and true crime) and watching way too much TV. She fell in love with London many years ago and hopes to go back one day. Cat is currently at work on her next novel.
To connect with Cat and find out more about her books, visit CatLavoie.com and follow @CatLavoieBooks on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Connect with the Author
Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Website

Blog Tour: Peri in Progress

It's always a good day when I can write about one of the ladies of Marching Ink. Today I'm sharing my review of Peri in Progress, Cat Lavoie's latest novel, as part of a Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour. You should all know by now that I love the books Samantha March publishes and I love Cat. Of course, with that love comes a sense of, "Oh my god, what if I don't like the next book?" Luckily, I've never not liked one of their books :) Peri in Progress was a thoroughly enjoyable novel and Peri was a heroine that everyone will love.

Here's the synopsis:

You know what they say about best-laid plans…
After a disastrous thirty-first birthday party where she gets stood-up by a man she isn’t supposed to be dating, Peri McKenna decides it’s time to change what hasn’t been working—which is pretty much everything. Her love life is going nowhere fast, she’s bored to tears by a job that makes her the office pariah, and the lifelong junk food addiction that used to be somewhat quirky is now positively problematic. To top it all off, her newly-purchased home is falling apart and wishful thinking hasn’t done much to fix the leaky roof.
It’s time be an adult now that she’s officially ‘thirty-something.’ But when the first step of Peri’s self-improvement plan backfires, she starts to wonder if change might be overrated.
Enter Milo Preston, an up-and-coming chef who’s in town to take over a local restaurant. When Peri and Milo begin working together, she finds it hard to ignore his easy charm and captivating emerald-green eyes. Since Milo is her best friend’s estranged brother, Peri has to keep reminding herself that he is completely off-limits. As they grow closer, Milo introduces Peri to new foods, the joy (and pain) of jogging, and makes her think her luck might finally be turning.
But when the past catches up with them, Peri finds herself back at square one. Will she be able to sort herself out—or will the roof cave in on her once and for all?

As I mentioned, Peri was such a lovely main character. She was so real, with understandable and relatable flaws. Too often chick lit novels will have heroines who are annoyingly messed up at the beginning of the story. That drives me bonkers. I don't want an exaggerated character. I want someone real, someone who I can imagine as one of my friends. Because I know no one is perfect, and a novel about a perfect character would be as annoying as one about someone who is really screwed up, I expect some issues and, in a good chick lit book, those issues will be worked on throughout the novel. Cat writes good chick lit so Peri's journey was really great to read. She identifies her issues easily and early on and strives to work on them throughout the course of the novel. I adored that. It also made for a perfect read for early in the new year, with resolutions and all!

Cat has a knack for writing such lovely Happily Ever After chick lit novels that have so much heart. I find that some stories that leave you with the warm and fuzzies tend to lack a really good storyline. That doesn't happen with Cat's books. There's also humour in Cat's novels and I love that the romance isn't the main part of the story. Peri's relationship with her best friend, Elsa, is just as important as Peri's relationship with Milo. And, as I mentioned above, Peri's work on herself is the most important thing in the book and that is why this book rocks so much.

Peri in Progress is the perfect pick me up chick lit read - especially with this wintery weather my part of the world has been having. Cat Lavoie has given readers another fantastic and real heroine you can't help but root for. I loved reading Peri's story and think many others will as well.

Read on for a quick Q&A with Cat (it's short because I've interviewed her in 2012 and 2013!) and a tour-wide giveaway.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Marching Ink, in exchange for a review as part of this blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Author Q&A
Books Etc.: You're not a full time author (yet) so how do you balance the work that pays the bills, your passion, and life?  
Cat Lavoie: It can be a bit tough to balance everything and, sadly, writing time is almost always the first thing to go when life gets hectic. But I try to devote most weekends to my work-in-progress and I also try to get some work done during my lunch breaks. (Working on the dream job can sometimes help brighten up a dreary work day.)

BE: Do you find inspiration for your stories everywhere? How do you decide what  to turn into a novel? 
CL: I find that I need to "live with" an idea for a little while before I commit to it. I ask myself a lot of "what if?" questions (what if this happened? what if that happened?) and if I'm able to come up with interesting answers, chances are I'll be able to develop the idea into a book. Inspiration can indeed come from everywhere—an overheard conversation, a song, something crazy/funny/weird  that happened to me, or my own overactive imagination.

BE: I know you love London and visiting the city. I smiled when Peri peppered Milo  with questions about his life there during some of their "get to know you"  conversations. What is one thing you have to do the next time you visit London?  And do you think you'll set a novel there in the future? 
CL: I've visited London twice, but I've never been on a tour of Buckingham Palace. I'd also love to eat in one of Jamie Oliver's restaurant—both things are on my to-do list for my next visit. I'd love to set a book in London and write about a character  discovering the city and falling in love with it just like I did so many years ago. (But I think I need to go back before I do that… just to make sure I get everything right!)

About Cat
Cat Lavoie lives in Montreal, Canada with her tempestuous cat, Abbie. She is the author of BREAKING THE RULES, ZOEY & THE MOMENT OF ZEN, and PERI IN PROGRESS.
If Cat isn't reading or writing, she's most likely watching too much TV or daydreaming about her next trip to London.

Author Links
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Newsletter

Blog Tour Links
January 4 - Chick Lit Plus - Review
January 6 - Cherllynn Writes - Excerpt
January 8 - The Book Chick - Review & Q&A
January 12 - Chick Lit Goddess - Excerpt & Q&A
January 14 - Books Etc - Review & Q&A
January 14 - Living Life With Joy - Excerpt & Q&A
January 15 - Jersey Girl Book Reviews - Review, Excerpt, &Q&A
January 15 - One Book At A Time - Excerpt
January 18 - Around the World In Books - Excerpt


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday: My Favourite Chick Lit

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

I'm a chick lit fan. I have been for years and I have no problem using the term. But, in the interest of being inclusive (who says dudes can't read chick lit?) I've considered using the term rom-com more often. After all, chick flicks are now marketed as romantic comedies. And the romance plus the comedy is exactly why I love these kinds of books. I've read a lot of them over the years so narrowing my favourites list down to ten was a HUGE challenge. Most of the books are on the funnier side but there are a few that might be considered more women's fiction. Either way, they're my favourites! Hopefully I've shared some new titles with you and that you'll give this genre a chance, if you haven't already! What's your favourite genre?

Blogger Girl - Meredith Schorr (review)

I will tell every single chick lit fan that they must read this book. I love love love it. Partially because it's about a chick lit book blogger but also because it's just an amazing book. I also love Meredith's first novel, Just Friends with Benefits. 

Go Small or Go Home - Heather Wardell (review)

Really, this could be every Heather Wardell book. I adore them all. And I doubly adore that she's Canadian and her books are set in Toronto. If you want to check them out, her first, Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo is free on all ebook outlets! (Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Kobo, Nook). Read it!

Arranged – Catherine McKenzie (review)

Once again, I love every single one of Catherine's books but Arranged is my favourite. It's so clever and all around awesome.

Second Time Around – Beth Kendrick (review)

This story starts out kind of heavy but it's a really great book. I loved it (and Nearlyweds) so much that I've bought every single one of Kendrick's books published since then (there are three, with a fourth coming out soon). 

Love the One You're With – Emily Giffin

It seems like Giffin fans are pretty split on their favourite book but I love this one. I also really liked her last one, Where We Belong (review), and have high hopes for her upcoming book, The One and Only. Can't wait to get to my ARC! 

Breaking the Rules - Cat Lavoie (review)

The thing I love about Cat's debut novel is that it takes a typical chick lit story (boy and girl friends realize they have romantic feelings for each other) and takes it in a completely unexpected direction. Her second novel, Zoey and the Moment of Zen is just as awesome.

Winter Wonderland – Belinda Jones (review)

The setting of this novel plays a huge part in why I love it so much. It's set during Quebec's Carnival. I've never been but it's on my list of things to do...eventually. It's also a really fun story featuring a travel writer (one of my favourite types of characters to read about). 

Sugar Spun Sister - Anna Garner (review)

I love all of Anna's books (which include the ones she writes under Libby Mercer) because she writes some of the best characters. I always want to be friends with them. I chose to feature this one because it takes the typical sweet shop story and switches it up. The friends in this series own an ice cream shop! What's not to love?

Finding Lucas - Samantha Stroh Bailey (review)

This book puts the comedy in romantic comedy. I couldn't believe some of the things the characters get up to and it was so much fun to read. I can't wait for Sam's next book!

The Runaway Princess – Hester Browne (review)

I call this book The Princess Diaries for grown-ups. The story is a little different but it has the same feel of the Princess books and movies. I was so incredibly and pleasantly surprised when I read this book and think all chick lit and princess lovers should read it. 

Guest Post: Cat Lavoie

Welcome to another stop on the CLP Blog Tour for Zoey & The Moment of Zen! My review of Cat Lavoie's second novel went up last week but to quickly recap: I loved it. Today I'd like to welcome Cat to Books Etc.! I'm always curious about the lives of authors. Where do they write? When do they write? And so on. So I asked Cat to share her writing schedule with us. I hope you enjoy this sneak peek into the writing life of one of my favourite authors!

I'm not quite sure what I am—a wannabe early-bird or a reluctant night-owl. All I know is that I wish I were the kind of writer who could wake up at five in the morning, put on some running shoes and jog a few miles, and then sit down in front of the computer—refreshed and energized—and crank out a few hundred words before the real work day has even begun. I have dreams about being that writer. (And I'm pretty sure dreaming of jogging is the closest I'll ever get to actual jogging.)

Truth is, I stumble out of bed—after hitting the snooze button a few times—and trip on Abbie the cat and somehow try to navigate the crowded bus and subway (still half-asleep) to get to my office. Once I'm there, surrounded by mountains of paperwork, I am itching to write. I count the minutes until my lunch break and when it's finally time to eat, I whip out my laptop and lose myself in my work-in-progress. I don't know why I'm so productive during that hour. Maybe it's the fact that I have a limited amount of time and I need to make every second count. Maybe it's because writing helps me escape dreary work days and I love bringing a bit of my dream job to my day job. Whatever it is, I'm so grateful for my little writing window that I sometimes forget to eat lunch. I know. Scary.

But the real work begins when I get home from the office. After taking care of the chores and getting everything ready for the following day, I can finally sit at my desk and write. I have to force myself to go to bed at a reasonable hour or I'll be sleeping on my paperwork the next day. But—if I let myself—I'd probably write until the wee hours of the night. Here's a picture of my work desk in an unusual state of tidiness. It might just be one of my favorite places in the world. 

CLP Blog Tour: Zoey and the Moment of Zen

I've been excited for Cat Lavoie's next novel ever since I finished her first, Breaking the Rules. It was one of my favourites of 2012 (full review is here) and I think her latest, Zoey & The Moment of Zen, will be one of my favourites of 2013! I'm so glad I took part in this CLP Blog Tour because I absolutely loved Cat's new book.

Here's the synopsis:

When coffee shop owner Zoey Everwood takes her obsession with ex-boyfriend Braden too far, everyone—except Zoey—is convinced a bit of fun in the sun at the Moment of Zen Wellness Resort will help her get over him once and for all.
But Zoey's relaxing vacation turns out to be anything but peaceful when she meets Shane Lawson, a resort guest who bears a striking resemblance to Braden. And things get even more complicated when the resort's owner starts spilling secrets about Zoey’s aunt Nessa, the woman who raised her. Add a snarky Wellness Coordinator and Nate Holmes—Shane's grumpy friend—to the mix, and you've got the recipe for a perfect tropical storm.
When Zoey comes back home with a new husband instead of tacky souvenirs, she must convince everyone she hasn't completely lost her mind. As Zoey and Shane struggle to keep the magic alive outside the resort, Zoey discovers that she isn't the only one having trouble letting go of the past. And when Nate drops a bombshell that changes everything, Zoey must decide if the old saying is true—what happens at the Moment of Zen stays at the Moment of Zen.

One of the things I love about Cat's work, and other great chick lit, is that her characters don't always do exactly what you want them to. They're not perfect and their decisions can be questionable but this is what makes them so great. In the case of Zoey, the title character is still hooked on a guy who is clearly not right for her. As much as I loved Zoey, I wondered why on earth she was still in love with this dude and then why she thought it'd be a good idea to get hitched while on a forced vacation. I had faith in Cat, though, and I knew that everything would work out as it should. 

I liked that we get to see Zoey grow as a person. She's not totally screwed up or annoying (like some chick lit characters you might find) and her major issue, still being hung up on an ex who is no good for her, is one that a lot of people could understand. Watching her realize she was finally over her ex and that her actions have been slightly crazy was really enjoyable. It also helped that Zoey was just such an awesome character. I want to be her friend!

It wasn't just Zoey who had to face some tough scenarios. Cat has once again written some excellent secondary characters. Zoey's best friends, Dar and Dex, seem to have a picture perfect marriage (they're actually so adorable it's almost nauseating!) but is it all as it seems? And Zoey's aunt Nessa has apparently been keeping a huge secret from Zoey for almost her whole life. The side stories help add even further depth to the novel and it really showed that Zoey had a great support system.

The romances (yes, plural) in this novel were really interesting to read about. I think that's in part due to the fact that the males were so different. I'm thrilled with the choice Zoey made but Cat made me wait until the very end before revealing who Zoey would choose to be with. I was so worried Zoey wouldn't do what I wanted her to do! :) I do have to say that I think I wanted just a bit more leading up to the end choice. As much as I wanted it, I think there needed to be more clues or indicators that they'd end up together. Hopefully that was vague enough that I didn't give anything away but not so vague that you have no clue what I'm talking about!

Cat Lavoie has another winning novel on her hands with Zoey & The Moment of Zen. I think this book is one that all chick lit lovers will enjoy and I'm sure everyone will love Zoey and her story as I did. Besides, who can resist that gorgeous, summery cover now that winter's coming? :)

November 12 in Northern-ish Ontario. Brrrrrr.

Happy reading! :)

Favourites with Cat Lavoie

I started this "favourites" feature because I wanted a way for readers to get to know the authors attending BookBuzz Toronto, an event I'm helping with. I hope you enjoy learning a little more about these amazing women and I hope you can attend the event! Learn more about BookBuzz Toronto here.

Today I'm featuring Cat Lavoie. Cat's debut novel, Breaking the Rules, was one of my favourite books of 2012 and I cannot wait to read Zoey & The Moment of Zen (released yesterday!).

About Cat...

Cat Lavoie lives in Montreal, Canada with her tempestuous cat, Abbie. Her debut novel, Breaking the Rules, was published in August 2012 by Marching Ink. If Cat isn't reading or writing, she's most likely watching too much TV or daydreaming about her next trip to London. Her second novel, Zoey & the Moment of Zen, will be released by Marching Ink in October 2013.

Favourites...

Chick flick - Love, Actually

Warm beverage - English Breakfast Tea

Junk food - Lays Salt & Vinegar potato chips

TV show - I'm a TV addict so I have a million favourite TV shows, but right now it would be The Paradise. The first season is currently airing on PBS and the second season will air soon on BBC. I'm in love with that show!

Store - My name is Cat and I'm a shopaholic. Amazon and Sephora are my biggest weaknesses.

Travel destination - London! It's my favourite city. I'd also like to visit Scotland and Ireland.

Ice cream flavour - Peanut Butter Cup

Sports team/sport - Love hockey, especially the Montreal Canadiens! Go HABS (Blogger note: I'm a Leafs fan, basically just because I've lived closest to Toronto my whole life, but I'll let this one slide, Cat ;) )

Song - Too many favorites to pick just one, but I just rediscovered the song "Nothing Ever Hurt Like You" by James Morrison and I've been playing it on repeat for the last few days. So good!

Pet - Abbie the Cat! She's awesome.

Book boyfriend - Jude Weatherington from Daydreamer by Brea Brown.

Board game - Scrabble, although I am HORRIBLE at it!

Connect with Cat...

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads 

Top Ten Tuesday: Pumpkin Spiced...Reading?

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

Ah, fall. It's not quite fall yet but the weather's turning colder, the trees are starting to think about changing colour, the stores have lovely sweaterish outfits for sale, and everyone is losing their mind about pumpkin spiced everything (hence the post's title). For a booklover, fall means tons of new releases, comfortably snuggling under blankets, and drinking copious amounts of tea. In this week's Top Ten Tuesday (Top Twelve for me...couldn't narrow it down!) we're tackling that first point: new releases. What follows is my fall to be read list - and they're all new books! To keep things simple, I've ordered them by release date. What new releases are you looking forward to reading?

Don't forget to check out their blog for a full list of everyone participating this week!

Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction's Most Beloved Heroines - Samantha Hahn (August 27)
This isn't really a fall release but it's going on my Christmas list. I figure if I bookend the season, it can be considered fall! The pictures are gorgeous and it's such a fun idea.

Jessica Darling's It List: The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection - Megan McCafferty (September 3)
I adore Jessica Darling so I can't wait to see what middle grade Jessica and friends are like!

The Orenda - Joseph Boyden (September 10)
Confession: I haven't read any of Boyden's work. I'm a bad Canadian reader. But, for some reason, The Orenda has intrigued me. I'm also planning on looking into his past books too, since they're so popular. And, hey, maybe this one will be a Giller Prize winner!

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell (September 10)
I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK! I'm third on the list at my library and I'm just hoping they order more than one copy and it comes in soon!

The Bride Wore Size 12 - Meg Cabot (September 24)
I actually haven't read the rest of this series but I want to and that's why I included this one! I adore Meg Cabot.

Zoey and the Moment of Zen - Cat Lavoie (October)
Cat's debut novel, Breaking the Rules, was my favourite book of 2012 so I can't wait to see what her next book is like!

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants - Malcolm Gladwell (October 1)
Between the boyfriend and I, we own all of Gladwell's books. I haven't read them but I want to and this new one sounds really interesting.

Longbourn- Jo Baker (October 8)
This is probably my most anticipated novel of the year. I've been hearing about this one since I was doing my internship at Random House of Canada earlier this year. It's a big title (clearly, since they've been talking about it since Januaryish) and I NEED IT IN MY LIFE. Immediately.

SECRET Shared - L. Marie Adeline (October 15)
I really liked S.E.C.R.E.T. and since it ended on one hell of a cliffhanger, I'm excited to read the next book in the series.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - Helen Fielding (October 15)
Bridget Jones. Enough said.

Allegiant- Veronica Roth (October 22)
I only just recently read Divergent (and I'm picking up Insurgent from the library today!) but I'm so so excited about the final book in the series.

Takedown Twenty - Janet Evanovich (November 19)
While the Stephanie Plum books aren't quite as exciting as they once were (nothing is happening and I feel like they're really repetitive) but I still read each new one. One of these days she'll have to choose between Ranger and Morelli! Also, I just read the synopsis and apparently there is a giraffe named Kevin that is running wild in the streets. Amazing.

Cover Reveal: Zoey and the Moment of Zen

One of my favourite books last year was Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie. I absolutely adored it (as you can see in my review) so I had no problem agreeing to do a cover reveal for Cat's upcoming novel, Zoey and the Moment of Zen. I don't know if I can wait until October to read it!

This is what the new novel will be about:

When coffee shop owner Zoey Everwood takes her obsession with ex-boyfriend Braden too far, everyone—except Zoey—is convinced a bit of fun in the sun at the Moment of Zen Wellness Resort will help her get over him once and for all.
But Zoey's relaxing vacation turns out to be anything but peaceful when she meets Shane Lawson, a resort guest who bears a striking resemblance to Braden. And things get even more complicated when the resort's owner starts spilling secrets about Zoey’s aunt Nessa, the woman who raised her. Add a snarky Wellness Coordinator and Nate Holmes—Shane's grumpy friend—to the mix, and you've got the recipe for a perfect tropical storm.
When Zoey comes back home with a new husband instead of tacky souvenirs, she must convince everyone she hasn't completely lost her mind. As Zoey and Shane struggle to keep the magic alive outside the resort, Zoey discovers that she isn't the only one having trouble letting go of the past. And when Nate drops a bombshell that changes everything, Zoey must decide if the old saying is true—what happens at the Moment of Zen stays at the Moment of Zen.

 Doesn't it sound like fun? Now, ready for the cover reveal? *drum roll*

I need a beach and I need it now. What do you think of this cover? I'm really liking it! Do you think you'll end up reading Cat's second novel?

Author Interview: Cat Lavoie

It's another stop on the CLP Blog Tour for Cat Lavoie's novel Breaking the Rules. Today's post features an interview with the lovely author herself. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did. I had fun learning that Cat and I have very similar tastes!

First, some fast and furious favourites (hey, that's pretty catchy. And alliterative. I like it!):

Books Etc.: Favourite movie?

Cat Lavoie: Love, Actually.

BE: Favourite author/book? 

CL: It's so hard to choose just one but Pride and Prejudice is definitely at the top of my list of all-time favourite books.

BE: Favourite (or dream) travel destination?

CL: London. I've been there twice already and I can't wait to go back.

BE: I know you currently live in Montreal so I'm curious about what made you decide to set Breaking the Rules in New York City and have one of the characters move to London?

CL: I've always loved New York City and—when I visited the Big Apple in 2003—it was my first time traveling outside Canada. The following year, I took a plane for the first time and went to London. Both cities are very close to my heart so I knew I wanted to include them in my novel.

BE: How much of yourself do you see in Roxy?

CL: We definitely share a passion for food and cooking—but, sadly, she's the only one with talent. I think we are both a bit insecure and—like Roxy—I've definitely had moments where I felt like my dreams were completely out of reach.

BE: How did you come up with the names for your characters?

CL: I have a book of baby names that I flip through for inspiration. Also, I like to scan the credits at the end of TV shows and movies in case an interesting name pops up. I really enjoy the process of finding a name that feels 'just right' for a character.

BE: Are you an outliner or a write by the seat of your pants author?

CL: Definitely an outliner. I like to know where I'm going before I start a chapter or a scene.

BE: Do you have a particular writing routine? A favourite place to write or time of day to get work done?

CL: I usually write in the evenings or during my lunch breaks at the office. I don't have a particular routine but, when I'm writing at home, the TV needs to be tuned to either a cooking show or a home improvement show. Even if it's muted, it needs to be on or—for some reason—I have a hard time focusing.

BE: How did you come up with the idea for Breaking the Rules?

CL: It all started with a conversation I had with a male friend. We were discussing whether men and women can be 'just friends.' I started thinking about what would happen to a lifelong platonic relationship if the fine line between friendship and love was crossed for a brief moment.

BE: What kinds of things do you like to do when you're not writing?

CL: If I'm not reading or writing, I'm usually either trying to cook without setting off the smoke alarm or watching way too much television.

Author Bio:

Cat Lavoie was born in the small town of Jonquière in Québec, Canada. At the age of nineteen, she packed up her things (mostly books) and moved to the big city of Montreal where she currently lives with her tempestuous cat Abbie—who is both adorable and quite possibly evil.
An incurable Anglophile since her university days where she studied English Literature, she can often be found daydreaming about her next trip to London. Since she’s an expert at the art of procrastination, Cat is easily distracted by cooking and home improvement shows—even though she’s not particularly good at either.
Cat grew up watching soap operas and legal dramas and—had she not decided to be a claims analyst by day and write chick lit by night—she would have probably become a designer suit-wearing lawyer. Or a character on All My Children (which is what she really wanted to be when she was twelve). Cat is not sure whether she’s a geek or a nerd—and is afraid she might be both. Breaking the Rules is her first novel.  

Connect with Cat:
Cat blogs about the writing life and posts adorable pictures of Abbie over at the Catenabi Chronicles. Come say hello at: www.CatLavoie.com and follow @Catenabi on Twitter.

Guest Post: Cat Lavoie

On Saturday I shared my review of Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie. I'll give you a quick recap in case you missed it: I freaking loved it. LOVED it. Today, Cat was kind enough to write a guest post for Books Etc. Because I knew that Cat had published her novel with Marching Ink, which is run by the fabulous author Samantha March, I was curious to see what her writing journey was like. Read on to find out how it went for her!

My Journey to Publication

When I stop and really think about it, my journey to publication began with a single blog post. I was in the throes of major writer's block at the end of November 2009 and I felt as though I couldn't write another word of Breaking the Rules. That's when I decided to start a blog—Catenabi Chronicles. I knew that I had to keep writing in order to get out of my funk. My other 'trick' to beat writer's block—stepping away from the computer and taking a break—had backfired because I stepped away for far too long and found it more enjoyable than sitting in front of my computer. So if I couldn't write my novel, I had to write something. So I used my new blog to post pictures of my cat Abbie and chronicle my attempts to finish the first draft of Breaking the Rules by midnight on December 31, 2009. Blogging actually helped me beat the block and I made my deadline with only ten minutes to spare.  

With the first draft done, I thought that the hard part was over. All I needed to do was whip that draft into shape. The rest had to be easy, right? Wrong. What followed were several months of querying agents and editors and those months quickly turned into two years of relentless rejections. Some rejections were quick and surprisingly painless. Others were long and drawn-out in a series of emails and—even though there was a bit of interest—every time I thought my foot was in the door, it eventually led to disappointment. At one point, I thought Breaking the Rules was destined to line the bottom of a drawer. I started working on a second novel and—even though I liked where it was headed—I couldn't get Breaking the Rules out of my head. I decided to self-publish it. During that process, I met fellow author Samantha March who told me about the publishing company she'd started, Marching Ink. I was really overwhelmed by her reaction to Breaking the Rules and her subsequent offer to publish it through her indie press. I was so happy to connect with someone who loved this story as much as I did and who wanted to work with me and send this novel out into the world. Signing with Marching Ink felt right; I knew Breaking the Rules had finally found its happy home.

A few months ago, I got to announce the news I'd been waiting so long to post on the Catenabi Chronicles. My novel had a publication date and cover art and it would be a real book instead of a pile of marked-up pages on my desk. That post was the exact opposite of the very first post I'd written a few years back. Instead of a rant on writer's block and tons of self-doubt, I was able to celebrate some of the best news I've ever had to share. And even though the journey was bumpy at times, I was able to look back and be thankful for the rollercoaster ride that brought me to that moment.

The fact that I can now hold a physical copy of Breaking the Rules in my hand feels extremely surreal. And I'm happy that—after more than two years of posting adorable pictures of Abbie on the Catenabi Chronicles—I was finally able to post a picture of her being adorable… next to a pile of my novels.

Isn't she sweet? I love this picture. Thanks for sharing it - and this post - Cat! Stay tuned for an interview with Cat coming up on Books Etc. on Wednesday!

Happy reading :)

CLP Blog Tour: Breaking the Rules

Prepare yourselves. I am about to make a bold statement. Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie might be one of the best books I've read this year. I'm so happy I decided to take part in this CLP Blog Tour!

Here's the synopsis for this fabulous novel:

When twenty-seven year old Roxy Rule’s best friend and roommate accepts a glamorous new job overseas, she expects their relationship to continue as it’s always been—carefree and easy—until they share a heart-stopping kiss moments before his departure. Overcome with mixed emotions, she fights the urge to over analyze the situation and resumes back to her normal life in New York City, working for an intolerable boss at a dead end job, creeping further and further away from her own dreams of becoming a professional chef. 

While things become more complicated between her and Ollie, Roxy is sure that nothing can come between two lifelong best friends—not even mild jealousy over a thriving career or a silly little kiss that meant nothing. In fact, it was such a meaningless and forgettable kiss that she convinces herself that it’s not even worth mentioning to her fiancé, although it is all she can think about. 

Roxy’s already topsy-turvy life only gets more complicated when her sisters Steffi and Izzie suddenly become her roommates. Steffi is six months into a pregnancy she refuses to discuss and Izzie is in the throes of a premature midlife crisis. Roxy tries to take control of her career, her love life and her sisters – but can she really handle it all? And can the Rule family keep it together – or break under the pressure?

I did not want to put this novel down. I was sucked into Roxy's world and I loved reading about her life. Her life had hit an interesting rough patch and it was a lot of fun to read about what was happening and trying to figure out how she was going to handle everything.

I'm also a bit of a sucker for the "girl and boy are friends and suddenly one realizes they have feelings for the other" stories - as long as they're original in some way or another. Or at least fun and well written. I felt like this novel had both. There was also a crazy twist at the end that I was not at all expecting. Though I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that. It's borderline too strange to wrap my head around but I realize that it's sort of a reflection on families these days and it's really not a deal breaker for me in any way. Yes. That is all very vague. Read the book and you'll understand :)

I loved all the characters that showed up in this book. Except maybe Roxy's boss. Oh, and Ollie's girlfriend. They're both kind of crazy but that just added to the fun! :) Steffy and Izzie, Roxy's sisters, were great and really helped Roxy through everything, just as she was helping them through their issues. She has some awesome friends and, I admit, I may have a little bit of a crush on Ollie!

I don't know if I can really put my finger on what I loved so much about this book. The writing was good, the story was great, the characters were fun. I guess the main thing is that everything worked well together. Sometimes I pay too much attention to the way things are worded, the writing style of the author, and so on. Usually I know a book is great when I don't necessarily pay attention to those things. It means I've gotten sucked into the story and that's what I love about reading. I want to be 100% involved in the story and the character's life. If I feel too disconnected or if I'm thinking too much about how I'd edit or change the book then I'm not loving it. I didn't find myself critiquing anything with this novel. I was able to become completely immersed in Roxy's life without worrying about anything else.

And can I just say how much I love the cover? So cute and fun and bright and wonderful! :)

Like I said earlier in this post, I'm so glad that I was able to take part in the blog tour for Cat Lavoie's debut novel Breaking the Rules. I think that any chick lit lover would love it just as much as I did and I can't recommend it enough. I can't wait to see what Cat comes out with next!

Stay tuned for a guest post and interview from Cat next week!