Review: How Meg West Was Won

I’ve read quite a few of Libby Mercer’s books over the years and have always enjoyed them. I read her latest, How Meg West Was Won, back in September (yeah...I'm a bit behind...) and it was just as delightful as her others!

Here’s the synopsis:

Whoever heard of a white knight showing up in a pair of old, scuffed cowboy boots?
She may be smart as a whip, but Meg West's co-op is in a heap of financial trouble. When sexy and rugged cattle rancher, Dutch Hargrave, makes her a job offer, the vegetarian California girl can't afford to refuse. And quite frankly, she hasn’t got the strength to turn down a man with a slow, Texan drawl that makes her toes curl.
Enlisting the help of the feisty bombshell is the answer to Dutch's prayers—and his fantasies. Meg has the professional know-how to help lead his ranch into the 21st Century.
Before long, Meg and Dutch are as busy as a stump-tailed bull in fly season, working around the clock trying to preserve Dutch's heritage. But while the grueling work brings them closer together, the heat on the ranch starts to rise. Will Dutch find a way to win over Meg West while saving his family's farm?

I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of when the hero and heroine have opposite views of the world (or are outright “enemies”) and then end up falling for each other. So, I was a little worried when I read that Meg was a vegetarian and Dutch was a cattle rancher. How on earth would these opposites be attracted to each other? Luckily Meg was a vegetarian who understood that others eat meat and some people, like Dutch, make a living because of it. Meg was open-minded and that was a quality that was really attractive to read in a main character. Dutch was a bit more set in his ways but reading as the two of them tried to find common ground and really understand the other was sweet. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all get along like that?

One of the things I love about Mercer’s books is they tend to involve a storyline I never would have come up with, or realized I wanted to read. I liked that the book was set on a farm and was about trying to save both a farm and a co-op all at the same time.

How Meg West Was Won was a sweet, funny, and smart read that will appeal to contemporary lovers – especially those who look for a Happily Ever After. I can’t wait to see what Libby Mercer writes next!

*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.

Review: Lying to Meet You

I was really looking forward to reading Lying to Meet You by Anna Garner. Why? Because I've loved the two books I've read by Libby Mercer. Confused? Anna and Libby are actually the same person! Anna is one of the nicest authors I've come across through blogging and when she asked if I would like to read her new chick lit novel I jumped at the chance. There were a few little things that made the novel almost too cookie cutter chick lit but the story was cute and funny and I adored the main character. It was a win for me!

Here's the synopsis:

Does being in a relationship make you a hot commodity in the eyes of would-be suitors?
Chloe Lane is about to find out. When her childhood pal, Ethan Webster, asks her to play the part of his girlfriend in order to test this theory, she reluctantly agrees. As a work-crazed fashion designer, boutique owner and soon-to-be reality show judge, Chloe has no time for a real boyfriend, but being part of a faux pair will do just fine. Not that she has any intention of trying to attract someone else.
However…
Opportunity unexpectedly knocks when Chloe meets fellow reality judge, William Shannon. Super successful and super sexy, this high-powered entrepreneur inspires Chloe to test Ethan’s theory herself. Now, on top of keeping her fashion business productive, carving out a new role as a television personality, maintaining a fake relationship and attempting to lay the groundwork for a future relationship, she’s lying to William, lying to her friends, lying to her family and quite possibly lying to herself. Will Chloe be able to keep it all together, or are things about to explode?

The only real issue I had with this novel was that I needed more at the end. I found that the story ended sort of abruptly so there were too many loose ends and I had a lot of lingering questions. I can't really share any though because I don't want to give anything away! It was really just a matter of wanting to know why certain people did the things they did and how others reacted to some situations.

I adored Chloe and thought she was an awesome heroine. She wasn't flighty or immature, like you sometimes find with chick lit characters. Sure, she's got issues but we all do (don't try to lie) and her little quirks and flaws made her likeable. I think the other thing that helped make her seem down to earth (and explain why she was so successful) was that she was a little bit older (she turns thirty over the course of the novel). She just seemed more grounded than a character in her early twenties might be. I liked that the story sort of began and ended with her being really kick ass. At the start of the book Chloe chases down shoplifters and the final part of the story has her figuring out who's trying to ruin her, both personally and professionally. I loved how she stood up for herself and that part of her personality helped make her an even better character to read about.

I really liked the relationship part of this novel. I knew what would happen (it's very chick lit-esque after all) but I wasn't sure how things would progress with Chloe and William. I wasn't sure what the issue(s) would be that would force them apart or even if Chloe would realize that she had feelings for Ethan (or vice versa). Reading about the developing flirtation between Chloe and William was a lot of fun and I loved the solid friendship between Chloe and Ethan. I love stories where male and female friends realize they have feelings for each other and I found myself rooting for Chloe and Ethan. I really wanted Chloe to get her happily ever after, since the business side of her life was doing so well!

Lying to Meet You by Anna Garner was a solid chick lit novel. I enjoyed reading it and being immersed in Chloe's life. There was fun, fashion, and flirting and characters that you want to be friends with. I can't wait to read the next book Anna writes!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Cover Reveal: Lying to Meet You

I'm so excited to share the cover of Anna Garner's new novel, Lying to Meet You. I've read a few of her novels under the name Libby Mercer and I've loved them. This new novel sounds fabulous and I can't wait to read it!

First, here's the synopsis of this upcoming novel:

Does being in a relationship make you a hot commodity in the eyes of would-be suitors?
Chloe Lane is about to find out. When her childhood pal, Ethan Webster, asks her to play the part of his girlfriend in order to test this theory, she reluctantly agrees. As a work-crazed fashion designer, boutique owner and soon-to-be reality show judge, Chloe has no time for a real boyfriend, but being part of a faux pair will do just fine. Not that she has any intention of trying to attract someone else.
However…
Opportunity unexpectedly knocks when Chloe meets fellow reality judge, William Shannon. Super successful and super sexy, this high-powered entrepreneur inspires Chloe to test Ethan’s theory herself. Now, on top of keeping her fashion business productive, carving out a new role as a television personality, maintaining a fake relationship and attempting to lay the groundwork for a future relationship, she’s lying to William, lying to her friends, lying to her family and quite possibly lying to herself. Will Chloe be able to keep it all together, or are things about to explode?

Now...the cover!

Fun, isn't it? I think it really captures how torn Chloe is feeling. The novel will be released next month and I'll have a review for you too.

About Anna:

Born and raised in the Midwest, Anna Garner's adventurous spirit kicked in after graduating from high school, and she's since lived in Boston, NYC and London. For several years, Anna worked in fashion--first as a journalist and then as a shopkeeper, and for a while she dabbled in design. Although chick lit was her first love, Anna started writing quirky romances, and her first one, Fashioning a Romance, was published in May 2012 under the name of Libby Mercer. This was followed by two more quirky romances: Unmasking Maya and The Karmic Connection. Since Lying to Meet You is written in old school chick lit style and isn't a clear cut love story, Anna decided to publish it under her real name. She currently lives in San Francisco and spends most of her time cranking out more stories.

Finally, thanks to A Tale of Many Reviews for organizing this cover reveal tour!

Review: The Karmic Connection

When author Libby Mercer asked me to review her latest book, The Karmic Connection, I immediately said yes. I don't even think I really paid attention to what the book was about, to be honest. Why? Because I read and reviewed Mercer's second novel, Unmasking Maya awhile ago and loved it and knew I would love whatever she came out with next. I was right. Her most recent work is funny and sweet and thoroughly enjoyable.

Here's the synopsis:

What is the universe up to?  

Guilty of nothing more than working too much - or so they say - Adam Stowe is dumped at a "wellness center" in the middle of nowhere by a couple of concerned colleagues. When he meets Lorraine, the beautiful and bewitching yoga instructor, his spirits start to lift, but once he discovers what a flighty fruitcake she is, they drop back down to subterranean levels. 

For Lorraine Jameson, Luna Wellness Center was a beacon of solace when her life was falling apart, and she can't stand the way Adam's toxic energy is poisoning the peace. He embodies everything negative about the life she discarded eighteen months ago. Despite being fiercely attracted to the arrogant man, she's determined not to let Adam Stowe anywhere near her heart.

Adam and Lorraine couldn't be more unsuitable as a potential couple... so why is the universe so dead set on uniting these two?

This book was a quick read for me. I was actually able to finish it in one night (granted, it's more of a novella than a full length novel as it clocks in at 144 pages) while I was sitting on the floor watching my bunny run around like the maniac that she is. Since it was getting pretty late, I was glad to have an engaging and entertaining novel to keep me awake while Tonks got her exercise at her own personal gym (aka my living room). I found myself laughing out loud at numerous scenes, especially when Adam got himself into very New Age-y situations and felt incredibly awkward. I wish I had noted which scenes really entertained me but I was too busy enjoying the story to make notes!

I've found that the two books by Mercer that I've read have had similar couples. Not necessarily in personalities but in the fact that the males are more traditional with office type jobs while the females are more free spirits. This really had no impact on the story, I just found it interesting. This does make for a more entertaining story, I think. The couple seems so incredibly unsuited but there's something there (that Mercer is careful to write about in subtle ways) that makes you realize that they're actually meant to be together. I found myself rooting for Lorraine and Adam and couldn't wait for them to realize that the universe was right and they actually belonged together!

I loved all the secondary characters in this novel. I loved Lorraine and Adam too, in case you were worried. Random fact: I was immediately interested in Lorraine once I saw the book's cover because she and I have very similar hair! :) Celeste, the owner of Luna Wellness Center, seems like an awesome lady. I liked that we were introduced to the other visitors at the Center (argh, I want to type that as "Centre!" My Canadian-ness doesn't like typing it "er" hehe) through Adam's eyes. He assumes they're all hippy dippy types and we are led to assume right along with them. Of course, there's always more to someone than initially meets the eye and Mercer allows each character to show why they're at Luna and what they're struggling with. One of my favourite scenes takes place between Adam and the teenage girl who's at Luna because she thinks she's too fat. It's really sweet and helped Lorraine see that there was more to Adam than she initially thought. What can we learn from this? Don't judge someone until you really get to know them!

Overall, I loved The Karmic Connection. Libby Mercer has written another funny and entertaining novel. It has a great mix of romance and sexiness that is so much fun to read. This is a perfect read for a summer weekend for romance and chick lit lovers alike. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

And just because I can...here's a picture of my nutty bunny (though she's not being very nutty in this picture):

*A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Cover Reveal: The Karmic Connection

I first met Libby Mercer when she reached out to me to review her novel Unmasking Maya last year (I loved the book, by the way). Since then we’ve emailed back and forth and since I like to think we’ve struck up a bit of an online friendship, I was more than happy to do a cover reveal for Libby’s upcoming novel.

Drumroll please…

Isn’t it a fun cover? I think it perfectly captures the fun and slightly quirky nature of Libby’s novels. I also enjoy that the main character, Lorraine, appears to have the same crazy hair I do! :)

Here’s what The Karmic Connection is all about: 

What is the universe up to? 

Guilty of nothing more than working too much - or so they say - Adam Stowe is dumped at a "wellness center" in the middle of nowhere by a couple of concerned colleagues. When he meets Lorraine, the beautiful and bewitching yoga instructor, his spirits start to lift, but once he discovers what a flighty fruitcake she is, they drop back down to subterranean levels. 

For Lorraine Jameson, Luna Wellness Center was a beacon of solace when her life was falling apart, and she can't stand the way Adam's toxic energy is poisoning the peace. He embodies everything negative about the life she discarded eighteen months ago. Despite being fiercely attracted to the arrogant man, she's determined not to let Adam Stowe anywhere near her heart. 

Adam and Lorraine couldn't be more unsuitable as a potential couple... so why is the universe so dead set on uniting these two?

  

The Karmic Connection is a different kind of love story with a cast of quirky characters and a mystical, magical New Age-y flavor.

The Karmic Connection will be released on April 25^th so keep your eyes open for it and my review!

Happy Friday and happy reading!

Guest Post: Libby Mercer

Earlier this week I reviewed Libby Mercer's novel Unmasking Maya (check out my review here if you missed it). I really enjoyed it and am so happy to have a guest post from the author herself for you all! I think this is a fabulous post and I hope you all like it. Thank you to Libby for writing this post!

Hi Kaley, and thanks so much for having me here today!

A few years ago, back when I was running a little boutique in New York, I had a bizarre glimpse at the life I might have had. To properly explain, I’ll have to rewind a few more years to when I worked as a freelance fashion journalist.

It wasn’t a bad situation. I absolutely loved writing about fashion, but money was tight. I had to supplement my funds with soul-destroying temp jobs, and I was dying for a steady, stable position. The whole time I was a freelance journo, I applied and interviewed for editorial positions in dozens of glossy fashion mags. Well, if you’ve read or seen The Devil Wears Prada, you’ll know how high my goals were as I tried to land “the job a million girls would kill for.”

Then one day, I had an interview at Cosmo that went fabulously well. Days later, the editor called to offer me the position, but informed me it would no longer be an editorial assistant post – it would be an internship. I’d been out of college for over three years by then, and I’d already had three unpaid internships, so (regrettably) I turned her down.

Fast forward to that day in my boutique. I was chatting with a customer who happened to mention that she worked at Cosmo. Turns out, she’d taken the internship I turned down a couple of years back.

It was wild, and it got me thinking: what would my life be like if I’d taken the internship? Why did I choose not to? Sure, the idea of yet another unpaid job was my reason, but I could have gotten by (just) with my freelance work. Cosmo was major. I hadn’t been offered a position (paid or not) with a magazine of its calibre before. In retrospect, it’s kind of strange that I turned it down.

I know a lot of people believe everything happens for a reason. I’m still officially on the fence about this one, but I’m warming to the idea.

Let’s press rewind again, and revisit my life as a freelance journo. While seeking out stable employment and bringing in some income, I was also writing fiction. Not to toot my own horn (well… okay, to toot my own horn) but I did quite well in college. I majored in creative writing, and because my profs loved my stuff, I was sure the world would too. Needless to say, I envisioned a fabulous life just around the corner as a successful author.

Pride cometh before the fall, of course. Immediately after graduation, I started sending out my stories. And I was met with rejection after rejection for year after year. But that didn’t stop me. Even though all those rejections were tough to endure, I never gave up. And I never stopped improving. This is key. And this is what makes me think perhaps everything does happen for a reason. If someone had taken a chance on me way back when, it would have been disastrous. My writing was pretentious and I hadn’t fully grasped story structure. No doubt my book would have flopped.

So even though my twenty-two year old self would have been mortified if she’d known it would take me/her/us so long to reach published author status, if I could travel back in time and tell her one thing, I’d say, “Chin up, babe. There’s a reason for all this rejection. You’re not ready yet.”

What do you think? Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

Author Bio:
Born and raised in the Midwest, Libby Mercer’s adventurous spirit kicked in after graduating from high school, and she’s since lived in Boston, NYC and London. San Francisco is the city she currently calls home. For several years, Libby worked in fashion – first as a journalist and then as a shopkeeper. She also dabbled in design for a while. Even through the crazy fashion years, Libby never let go of her dream of being a published author, and has since developed her signature writing style, crafting quirky chick lit/romance hybrids. Fashioning a Romance was her first published novel, and Unmasking Maya will be her second. Libby has a third novel, The Karmic Connection, scheduled for release in 2013.

Connect with Libby:
Blog
Goodreads
Twitter
Facebook
Buy Unmasking Maya on Amazon!

Just Finished: Unmasking Maya

I really enjoy stories that have a twist or two that are unexpected. The characters in Unmasking Maya had a few secrets and author Libby Mercer revealed them at just the right times. I really enjoyed this novel!

Here's the synopsis:

Defamed, Disgraced and Displaced...
Fresh from a career-killing scandal, New York fashion girl, Maya Kirkwood, arrives in San Francisco to reinvent herself as a fine artist. She's offered the opportunity to create an installation at the Silicon Valley headquarters of a hot new tech company. Fabulous, right?
Not so much.
She can't stand Derek Whitley - wunderkind software genius and CEO of the company. Hot as he may be on the outside, inside the man is a cold, unemotional, robotic type. Way too left-brained for her right-brained self.
As Maya and Derek get to know each other, however, their facades begin to crack. She catches her first glimpse of the man behind the superhuman tech prodigy, and he starts to see her as the woman she used to be. But is this a good thing? Once that last secret is revealed, will it bring them closer together or will it tear them apart?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. It had some art (I loved that Maya was an artist), some secrets (on all sides), some romance, and some humour. Mix all that together and you get a really great read. I found myself laughing out loud while reading at the gym and I thought the humour really lightened up some of the story. Those secrets I mentioned? Kind of heavy. So the joking around between characters was welcome.

I loved watching the romance begin between Maya and Derek. The butterflies and the "does he or doesn't he" thoughts Maya has - so much fun to read about. I won't go any further than that so use your imagination on how that relationship may or may not turn out :)

Maya was a great character. She was sweet and strong and just a little bit spunky. I really connected with her and I desperately wanted things to work out for her. I was hoping that she kept landing good jobs, like the one at Derek's company, so she could get out of her crummy apartment. I'm also really glad she found a friend at the tech company. Life is so dull without good girlfriends!

Unmasking Maya was a fabulous read. I definitely recommend it for chick lit lovers and I, for one, will be trying to get my hands on Libby Mercer's other novel, Fashioning a Romance. Stay tuned for a lovely guest post from Libby herself coming up on Wednesday!

Happy reading :)