Review: Pie Girls

I've read and enjoyed many of Lauren Clark's novels in the past so I was really happy to read Pie Girls, a light hearted women's fiction novel that was released last year. It was just as I expected from Clark's novels: fun, entertaining, and full of great characters.

Here's the synopsis:

Princess, Southern belle, and spoiled-rotten social climber Searcy Roberts swore on a stack of Bibles she’d never return home to Fairhope, Alabama. After marrying her high school sweetheart and moving to Atlanta, Searcy embraces big-city life—Carrie Bradshaw style.
But now, Searcy has a teeny, tiny problem. Her husband’s had a mid-life crisis. He’s quit his job, cancelled her credit cards, and left her for another man.
Searcy returns to Fairhope, ready to lick her wounds. But when her mother falls ill, she’s thrust into managing the family business—only to discover the beloved bakery is in danger of closing its doors forever.
Enlisting the help of the adorable bike store owner next door, an array of well-heeled customers, and her soon-to-be ex-husband, Searcy hatches the plan of the century to save Pie Girls.

Oh, Searcy. When we first meet her, she's the kind of woman you love to hate. She seems to have it all together and has no problem flaunting it. She has the husband, the money, the lifestyle everyone (for the most part) envies. But then it all comes crashing down around her and she has to face some hard facts. Has she really been living a life that should be envied?

The best thing about these kind of fall from grace stories is when the character is genuinely trying to figure out her life and make changes for the better. I could tell that Searcy's journey was going to be one I would be happy with, even if she did struggle mightily at times. I was rooting for her the whole way through and I kept my fingers crossed that she'd get the Happily Ever After she deserved.

One of the things I loved about this book was the small town feel. I liked getting to know the characters in Fairhope and seeing how they rally behind Searcy, her mother, and Pie Girls.

Pie Girls is a lot of fun. Lauren Clark is fantastic at balancing a light hearted storyline with moments that have a lot of depth. I definitely encourage you to check out her previously published novels!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Blog Tour: Merry & Bright

I knew I was going to like Merry & Bright, a collection of chick lit Christmas stories. I had been looking forward to reading it ever since I heard about it…so much so that I actually purchased a copy for my Kobo (this is a big deal for this unemployed book blogger…have to watch what I spend!). I’m thrilled that I bought the book as I didn’t just like it…I LOVED it. The anthology features stories by Lauren Clark, Cindy Arora, Nancy Scarfano, Isabella Louise Anderson, Libby Mercer, and Laura Chapman and is edited by Lucie Simone of Simon and Fig. The ladies did an amazing job and created a fabulous Christmas anthology!

Here’s the description of the collection:

Sip your eggnog, linger under the mistletoe, and make a Christmas wish. Merry & Bright brings you six tales of Christmas cheer, featuring stories of budding romances, Southern charm, lost loves, heaps of humor, and lots of pie by authors Isabella Louise Anderson, Cindy Arora, Laura Chapman, Lauren Clark, Libby Mercer, and Nancy Scrofano. From sunny Los Angeles to the Rocky Mountains to the Deep South, Merry & Bright will take you on a heartwarming adventure you’ll love to visit again and again. Wrap yourself in holiday mirth and prepare to be swept off your feet.

I really liked that Lauren Clark’s story, “A Very Dixie Christmas”, slightly tied into her novel Dancing Naked in Dixie (I loved the book and you can read my review here). I loved that she made sure to give enough background that you could see the connection between the two but you could still read this story as a standalone and not be confused. I also adored the Christmas spirit in this story. Main character PD’s little girl, Ella Rae, is questioning Santa and I loved how she was convinced that Santa really does exist. “A Very Dixie Christmas” was one of my favourite stories in this collection!

Cindy Arora’s story, “Christmas at Mulberry Inn”, was really sweet. I loved that it focused on friends spending the holiday together, main character Saffron and her BFF Taylor, who owns the Inn. They discover their own kind of family during the story though and I loved that. Saffron helped open Taylor’s eyes to a man who was right in front of her and Taylor, in turn, threw Saffron into situations designed to help her get over her divorce. There was a very homey feel to this story, which was interesting since it didn’t actually take place in a home, and that made it feel nice and Christmassy.

I’ve never tried speed dating and I don’t want to. After reading “Ice Dating” by Nancy Scrofano I can now add speed dating on ice skates to my list of things I never want to try! Can you imagine how stressful that’d be? I’m not the world’s most graceful person to begin with so it’d just be a recipe for disaster :) What I liked most about this story was that it was all about finding love in the most unusual ways. Quinn is obviously no stranger to love as she’s been engaged four times. And honestly, that kind of irked me…small thing, I know, but why did it have to be four times? Why not just once? Or even twice? For some reason it just made me think that she was in it purely for the wedding and not the relationship. Unfair, perhaps, but it was how I felt. Anyway. I do love how she met Cameron and how fate seemed to intervene to get them back together.

Isabella Louise Anderson’s story, “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe”, had a picture perfect setting. Main character Lexi is an author (I love when authors write author main characters!) and rents a rural cottage so she can complete her manuscript before her deadline. This was one of the stories that didn’t quite hit the mark for me. In part it was because of the immediate love connection between Lexi and Sterling. It just wasn’t very realistic (or even book realistic) and it was hard for me to get past that. The idea is a solid one but I felt like the story needed just a bit more tweaking so it could really shine.

I loved the idea of a holiday treasure hunt in Libby Mercer’s story, “Secret Santa”. It was a unique idea, at least one I hadn’t run into in a Christmas collection before, and it was refreshing. Plus, I just love Mercer’s writing and the characters she creates! I learned last month that Libby is a fellow tall girl so I giggled when I read that main character Abbie referred to herself as tall. :)

I was SO excited to read my virtual bestie, Laura Chapman’s, story in this collection. I know how hard she’s been working on her story and novel (the recently released Hard Hats and Doormats) so I was thrilled to see her name in a published book! And, I might be biased, but “Twelve Drummers Drumming” was one of my favourite stories in the book! Like Mercer’s story, it was a unique idea for a Christmas story. I can’t say much because I don’t want to ruin it but I adored the surprise at the end!

If you only read one Christmas book this year, make it Merry & Bright. It was thoroughly enjoyable and I couldn’t get enough of it. Some of my favourite chick lit authors have come together to create one fabulous collection that I think everyone can enjoy.

Blog Tour: Stardust Summer + Giveaway

I'm so happy that I was able to take part in the ABG Reads Tour for Stardust Summer by the lovely Lauren Clark. I've read Lauren's two previous novels, Stay Tuned and Dancing Naked in Dixie, and enjoyed them both and wanted to see what her latest book was like. Happily, I ended up really liking it!

Here's the synopsis:

Single mom Grace Mason doesn’t believe in miracles, magic, or love at first sight. She likes the quiet life, complete with her eight-year-old son, their tiny house, and her teaching job. For Grace, happiness means that nothing much ever changes in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
Then, one thousand miles away, tragedy strikes. A massive heart attack leaves Grace’s estranged father comatose in an Upstate New York hospital. While a team of doctors fight to keep Henry Mason alive, Grace and Evan rush to his bedside to say their final goodbyes.
Henry’s passing brings little closure for Grace, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to her new surroundings. What begins as a short trip results in an entire summer spent with Henry’s second wife, Kathleen, and her next-door neighbor, Ryan Gordon, the town doctor. When a series of unlikely events lead to Evan’s disappearance, Grace must face her worst fears to find her son and bring him back home.
Stardust Summer explores the complexities of forgiveness, what it means to be a family, and the fabulous possibility of falling in love—again.

When I read Lauren's other novels, I liked them but wasn't in love with them. I was wondering how I'd feel about her latest but, as I mentioned, this novel surprised me in the best possible way. I was also surprised when Lauren told me, via email, that she had actually written this book several years ago and had put off publishing it. I have no idea why. It was so good.

I was so invested in the characters in this novel. I was immensely sad that Grace and her father were not able to make up before he passed away. I can't imagine the regret she would have because, deep down, she really does still love him. Henry seemed like a great man and I actually wish I could have "met" him while he was alive. But then that would have changed the story so we'll just move on... :)

I do think that Kathleen went through way too much. There were just one too many incidents and I found myself thinking "How much more can this woman take?" I didn't like the last accident, even if it was the reason Grace went back. (How's that for vague and confusing?) That last accident also felt a little disjointed from the overall tone of the novel. But this was really the only thing that didn't sit well with me from this whole book.

Grace was standoffish and almost rude but I was never frustrated with her. I knew there had to be a good reason for how she was acting, I just had to wait for the explanation I knew Clark would give me. Sure enough, I found her actions justified once I was "told" her full story.

I really enjoyed the romance in the novel. It  played a large role but was understated, it didn't take over the novel. Ryan really understood Grace and seemed to know how to deal with her issues and lack of communication. He was patient and waited while she figured out her feelings. It was sweet and I found myself hoping for a happily ever after.

Stardust Summer was a great read. It's sweet and serious and has a great "family is most important" theme. I definitely recommend Lauren Clark's latest novel to fiction lovers!

Bonus! Good news for everyone who now wants to read this book. There's a Rafflecopter giveaway with this tour! Click on the link to go to the entry page. Good luck!

Guest Post: Lauren Clark

This week I reviewed Lauren Clark's second novel Dancing Naked in Dixie for the CLP blog tour (check out the review here if you missed it). Lauren was kind enough to provide a guest post for Books Etc. In the post she gives us a play list for her novel! There are some great songs in here and I hope you enjoy the list as I did :) 

Dancing Naked in Dixie Top Ten Playlist

There's nothing like a little music to get a party started, and there's plenty to celebrate in Dancing Naked in Dixie.

From sultry slow-burns to five-alarm infernos, there's a song for every situation in the story--and I think that my Top Ten fits perfectly! So, grab this playlist, turn up the volume, and cozy up with a copy of Dancing Naked in Dixie to enjoy this countdown of seductive, heart-pounding, pulse-racing, blood-pumping songs.

DIXIE TOP TEN Playlist

1. Montgomery Gentry - My Town - Showcases the true pride people feel about their hometown. This song is so raw, honest, and heartfelt.

2. Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried - There is nothing like the harmony on this song and the funky, funny lyrics that explain what Southerners love about the South.

3. Thompson Square - Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not? - Another great song by a girl-guy duo. It's all about the heady anticipation of a first kiss -- great stuff!  Thompson Square has toured with Macon, Georgia's Jason Aldean.                                                                                                                                       

4. Sugarland a/Matt Nathanson - Run - Did you see this video from the 2011 CMA Awards? Amazing performance, amazing song. Great Chemistry between MN and Jennifer Nettles.

You turn, turn, turn, turning me on


Like a slow fire burn 


I know that it's wrong


Still I run, run, run, run right into you


5. Lady Antebellum - Just a Kiss - This makes me think about Shug and Julia ... with her leaving to go back to New York ... and both of them wrestling with admitting that they are "right" for each other.

6. The Band Perry - All Your Life - Everyone's heard "If I Die Young," but All Your Life is all about what people do for love. So romantic. The lyrics talk about "I don't want the whole world ... I just want to be the only girl you love all your life."

7. Blake Shelton - Drink On It - Okay, I included this one because Blake Shelton is awfully cute and I loved hearing him joke around on The Voice. The lyrics are adorable and have that sexy suggestion of getting together ... later.

8. Keith Urban - Somebody Like You­ - I had a hard time choosing from all of his great songs. I've seen Keith Urban in concert and he is so talented.

9. Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson - Don't You Want to Stay - I've loved Jason Aldean since he came onto the music scene a few years ago. He's best known for his country-rock songs, but his ballads are lovely and ache with feeling. Kelly Clarkson, of course, has a fabulous voice. Performed at the 2012 CMAs.

10. Lynyrd Skynard - Sweet Home Alabama - You can't get any better Southern Rock than this. You just can't.

What do you think? Any other great Southern songs to include on the DIXIE soundtrack?

Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour: Dancing Naked in Dixie

Welcome to a stop on the CLP Blog Tour for Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark! I read Clark's first novel Stay Tuned awhile ago for another CLP Tour and really enjoyed it (see my review of that one here) so I was eager to sign up for this tour. Clark did not disappoint and delivered another enjoyable novel.

Here's what this book is all about:

Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired. 
With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage.
Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage?

This was the first of two books that I've read recently that featured a travel writer (the second you'll hear about later this month). Do you think the universe is trying to tell me something? Nah. I doubt it. :) So even though it wasn't a sign to switch careers, I love reading about travel writers. They seem to always have some sort of commitment issue that needs to be worked out and it allows for lots of pretty scenery along the way.

I think I needed more romance in this book. The focus of the book wasn't the love story but I think I needed just a bit more of a relationship between Julia and Shug. I knew they'd end up together but there weren't enough of those little moments for me. Or maybe it was that a situation came up that put his girlfriend out of the picture...it wasn't that he "chose" Julia as much as he liked her and then his girlfriend was conveniently out of the way. Sorry - it's hard to explain that without giving too much away!

My favourite part of this book was reading about Julia's journey. Her boss seems to know just what she needs to figure stuff out - even though he sort of has his own agenda. She's so unstable at the beginning of the book yet she doesn't quite realize that. It takes the wonderful folk in Eufaula to show her how to get back to solid ground.

Overall, I liked Dancing Naked in Dixie but I didn't love it. Have you ever read a book and wondered if you should have left it for a later date because you just weren't feeling it but knew you would normally enjoy it immensely? OK, that might just be me but that's how I felt about this one. I think many chick lit lovers would really like this one so I encourage you to pick up Lauren Clark's latest and find out for yourself. Check back on Friday when I have a guest post from Lauren!

Happy reading :)

Author Guest Post: Lauren Clark

I reviewed Stay Tuned by the lovely Lauren Clark earlier this week (read the review here) as part of a blog tour hosted by the equally lovely Samantha at Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours. Lauren was kind enough to write a guest post for Books Etc. I hope you all enjoy it as I did! Thanks for stopping by Lauren :)

Nine Myths and a Truth: The Real Story Behind the Scenes at a Local Television Station** 

10. Reporters are paid tons of money!  FALSE—Reporters at small television stations are paid a little more than minimum wage. They are required to have a college degree and many just-out-of-school jobs are classified as a “One Man Band, ” which means that the reporter carries the camera, shoots the footage, does the interviews, then writes and edits the story.


9. Reporters get to meet famous people! SOMETIMES—I was fortunate enough to meet Vice Presidential Candidate Geraldine Ferraro and many local senators and congress members. However, I did interview Eliot Spitzer while he was New York State’s attorney general. Now that’s just creepy!


8. Reporters and anchors get lots of perks! SOMETIMES—Reporters do often get sideline tickets and backstage passes to events. However, it’s often a reporter attends only AFTER he or she covers the actual event, which means working for at least the first part of the concert, fundraiser, or dinner.


7. It’s always glamorous! NOT REALLY—Often, reporting took me to crime scenes, car crashes, bad neighborhoods, dairy farms, voting polls, and raging fires. My most unique assignments included reporting on a lost Emu and covering cattle judging at a local fair. In Alabama—try to stay cool and look pretty in 105-degree heat! In Upstate New York, this meant trudging through the deep snow to get a story.


6. If you’re an anchor, people do your makeup and choose your clothes! FALSE—In smaller markets, you do your own makeup (MAC is the best!) and bring your own clothes. Sometimes, the television station might give you a small clothing allowance, but a few hundred dollars doesn’t go far when you work 5 days a week.


5. Viewers call in and tell anchors how wonderful they are! SOMETIMES—I admit, I did get some fan mail and it was pretty fabulous. However, most often, people called in to complain about (1) an outfit someone was wearing (which a viewer didn’t like), (2) a story reported on (which a viewer didn’t like), or (3) a story that didn’t get coverage. There was one particular viewer who didn’t like the way I said “Iraq.”  (It’s not Eye-rack. It’s Ir-aq)


4. The hardest part of the job is interviewing people!  FALSE—I loved that part! I thought it was so amazing to talk to people from all walks of life and find out why they were a farmer, a policeman, or a teacher. I liked asking questions that made people think. Some of the most rewarding stories were health-related (recovery from an illness) or the features about children. The hardest part for me was the shift I worked:  2 am – 10 am. (This meant getting up at 1:15 am every morning!!)


3. You always have to dress up! FALSE—On the weekends, in smaller markets, it’s pretty common for anchors and reporters to wear a formal suit or top, but have jeans underneath and casual shoes (hidden under the desk).  I’ve known some sports guys to wear tennis shoes or flip-flops on set!


2. The camera adds ten pounds! FALSE—It’s actually more like fifteen or twenty! People often commented on how short I was or how much thinner I was in person. (Sigh!)


1. I’ve heard that anchors use Preparation H under their eyes to reduce puffiness!? TRUE—I’ve done it, anyway. When you’re working 2 am – 10 am, there’s only so much coffee and sugar can do!


Overall, it was an amazing opportunity to work as an anchor, producer, and reporter at two CBS affiliates. I 
made some wonderful friends, worked with many talented people, and really enjoyed the experience!


**These comments are solely the views of the author and do not represent the actual experiences of every anchor or reporter who currently works in or has previously worked in television news.

Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour: Stay Tuned

Thanks for stopping by another stop on the Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour for Lauren Clark's great novel Stay Tuned.

Here's the synopsis, from Goodreads:

For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there’s not much she hasn’t seen or can’t handle. But no one—including Melissa—expects a fistfight during the ten o’clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor’s face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She’s determined that WSGA’s reputation won’t be destroyed on her watch. Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in—but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa’s husband is away more than he’s home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother’s antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target. What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out…

The synopsis sort of makes the story sound a lot crazier than the book really is - which is actually a good thing. Everything has just the right level of craziness. It's all pretty believable, or at least the unbelievable aspects don't take centre stage so the rest of the story really comes through. The most outrageous thing about the book is Alyssa but her absolute nuttiness somehow works. The book manages to stay pretty realistic and it has a good storyline. It's less about the antics of the anchors at the studio and more about Melissa's own life journey. And that's what makes the book so great.

Melissa seems to have it all together - good job, good marriage, good kid, good friends. In particular she's very lucky because she has the best best friend a girl could ask for. Candace is always there for her and allows Melissa to rant, complain, or work things out however she needs to without minding that they always seem to be worrying about Melissa. Candace is a strong female and I think Melissa envies her a little bit. With Candace's guidance Melissa is finally able to realize that she's just as strong as her best friend. Some less than ideal things happen to Melissa along the way but those things help her realize what she's really made of. It was great to see Melissa go on this journey and end up with a great happily ever after.

For some reason I expected Melissa to be younger. Maybe I was thinking too much of the movie "Morning Glory", who knows. It didn't really matter once I realized that she was older and had a daughter in college. What I found mildly strange was that there wasn't a single conversation with Kelly, her daughter. This is because Melissa seems to be such an involved mom and really cares about her daughter. I'm fairly certain that she mentions talking to her on the phone but I never got to read the actual conversation. I know this might sound odd but I  think I was expecting Kelly to actually have a minor role. With everything that was going on with Melissa's life I really felt like we should have heard from her daughter. Obviously, this really isn't a deal breaker, I just found it a little odd.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was funny, it was sweet, and it was a little heartbreaking. It had all the makings of a great chick lit novel and, boy, did it deliver. I'd definitely recommend this novel and I look forward to reading more from Lauren Clark.

By the way, are you feeling lucky? Head on over to the Stay Tuned Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour page and leave a comment. Two winners will receive a $10 gift card from Amazon!

Happy reading :)