My Paper Heart

Title: My Paper Heart 

Author: Magan Vernon

Kindle edition

Published August 2012

There are worse things in life than failing out of college- such as having your parents receive the letter that you’ve been kicked out.  

Now to appease her parents self-proclaimed sorority princess Libby Gentry is packing up her Prada bag and heading to work for her great aunt’s antique store in tiny Elsbury, Louisiana. She’s pretty sure she can tackle the swamp and deal with her great aunt and tom boy of a little cousin, but what she doesn't know is if she can handle the local town playboy, Blaine Crabtree. 

As Libby's feelings for Blaine grow, so does her need for acceptance and all of the insecurities she has kept inside are coming out. She may have survived the Louisiana swamp, but she may not survive Blaine's reluctance to say the 'L' word. When Blaine finally commits to the three words Libby’s been waiting for, she only hopes they haven’t come too late.

In this book, we encounter characters who have flaws, characters who may be well-off, but unfortunately do not have  perfect lives.

The story starts off with Libby Gentry being kicked out of college when her folks learned about her low grades at school. Her disappointed parents decided that it would be best to send her to Louisiana to stay with her grandmother and cousin.

Being with her extended family, Libby learned how it was to be simple and earn.  There she met Blaine Crabtree, a player, a lifesaver. He was the man who initially rejected her, but in the end, helped her become a better woman. But there was the possibility of going back home  that would derail their relationship. Will their love stand a chance? What about the loser ex-boyfriend who wanted to get Libby back? Will she go back to her old life as a spoiled brat / mean girl / dumb blonde / rich daughter?

I liked Magan Vernon's take on teenage life. Like it or not, we all had are fair share of crushes, first love; and like Libby, we were also once impulsive, aggressive, lovestruck.

Libby wanted more from her relationship with Blaine, but the guy wanted to reform his ways to be a better person for her.

In the long run, Libby found something she had never experienced in the city and that is the feeling of acceptance. That whatever had happened in her past, people can forget about it and see her for what she has become. And that money & popularity do not make the world go round.

I thought the author Ms. Magan Vernon did a good job with My Paper Heart. While I would have preferred that the issue of Libby's eating disorder should have been resolved, I have this wishful thinking of seeing her well and independent in the second book that Miss Vernon is writing. I'd really love to see Libby and Blaine mature and grow old together, soon.

About the author:

Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the insurance capital of the world. When not writing she spends her time fighting over fake boyfriends via social media.

You can find her online at www.maganvernon.com

A Wedding Story

A Wedding Story
by Dee Tenorio
ebook, 35 pages
Published June 13th 2011

Ruth Anne Barbellis—unhappily nicknamed "Rhubarb" by her lifelong enemy, Bobby Wichowski—is in Wedding Hell. Why?
Her sister is marrying Bobby's brother.
She's trussed up in a bridesmaid dress that must have been designed originally as a Victorian Torture Chamber.
To teach them a lesson, she and Bobby have been assigned to the Kiddie Table.
And that's only the beginning...

Short but definitely cute story between two mortal frenemies.. Or so they thought.

Ruth Ann aka Rhubarb was stuck in a tight-fitting, torture-laden bridesmaid dress and the only way to get out of it was to ask for help, from whoelse but Bobby.

Will Bobby help Rhubarb in her predicament, or would he rather stay with the ever-inquisitive kids at the Kiddie table? Will there still be a wedding when the bridesmaid had gone missing?

This is one of the short stories that definitely made me smile. You may think that being a short one, it should be lengthened or expanded. But not for me. I already enjoyed the quirky scenes and relentless banter between the two main characters. There were butterflies in my stomach while I was imagining their big “fight” in an uncomfortable bathroom waiting for someone to assist them. The ending? I loved it!

Truth is, while I was reading A Wedding Story, it was like I was watching one of the earliest episodes of Friends from Season 1, where Phoebe is Rhubarb and Bobby is Joey Tribbiani. Oh yes, they were actually my favorites from the tv series, so I thought of these two stars as Rhubarb & Bobby, and it definitely clicked!

Just imagine this dialogue from the book like the way Phoebe talks to Joey:

Rhubarb: You are the reason fungus exists! You are the slime that grows in swamps that even the acids can’t break down….

Bobby: How long do you plan to keep this up, Rhubarb?

Rhubarb: Why?

Bobby: Because I was going to hail down a bottle of beer, I figured you might be thirsty for having your mouth open so much…

Rhubarb: Make it white wine and I’ll keep it short..

 I don’t know about you but that scene was simply hilarious! This book is highly recommended if you want to take a quick nap or on the beach, or waiting for someone to show up. I assure you, after reading this, you wont get mad if the person you are waiting for arrived a little late.

4 **** for Dee Tenorio and A Wedding Story. ^.^.

Always The Last to Know

Title: Always The Last to Know
Author: Crystal Bowling
Kindle edition
Published 2009

Summary from Goodreads:
Wearing a Maid of Honor dress that very well may cause the South to want to rise again, Jess Reynolds is prepared to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding. It’s just that things keep getting in the way, like a sex-crazed coworker, an annoying brother-of-the-bride, and a handsome and horribly charming friend posing as the Best Man. As it turns out, Jess might just be the last one to know everything, including the workings of her own heart.

I got this ebook for free from amazon and I must say, for something free like this, I had fun time reading it.

Oh, who am I kidding? I actually enjoyed reading this wonderful mix of romance and comedy!

Jessica Reynolds is bestfriends with Carla Callahan who was going to get married to Evan Winters. I’d say that Carla is some kind of a bridezilla who wanted everything organized, wanted to be in control of everything. But she is definitely a great dear friend to Jess.

On the other hand, Jess had been tasked to do the duties of a Maid of Honor and make sure that the groom will not get cold feet, before the wedding bells ring.

Sometime before this wedding takes place, Jess met Matt Mancini, a delectable Italian guy who was not only buffed and gorgeous, but could also cook. A man who could literally make the ladies wag their tongue and drool. Could he be the One Jess has been destined to marry?

But what about her BFF’s brother? Jess and Riley Callahan had grown up together, had known each other through the years, and even had the same taste in music. Yet, they always ended up frogging or strangling each other or quarrelling over petty things. Then one day, he asked her to live with him. What’s up with that?

Actually, the story of Jess and her date to her bestfriend’s wedding was a bit predictable. The signs that she might be in love were very obvious, but then she was oblivious to the fact that the guy loved her back. It was only a matter of time before she realized that she was the last to know about her feeling, hence the title.

Although I knew that Jess and her lover boy would end up together, I continued reading the story because I didn't want to let go of the giddy feeling I was experiencing while knowing that sooner or later, Jess would finally come to her senses, thanks to her co-worker’s crazed & sex-infested mind.

This is surprisingly a very interesting book. It has funny aspects, as I certainly found myself laughing at several occasions. The writing was not hard on the eyes and I liked that it was based in Jess’ perspective, which was kind of easy to relate with. There’s also the wedding that I looked forward to because I was curious how the bride would react when his groom suddenly got cold feet.

I liked Jessica’s incoherent mumblings and smart ass remarks. The personalities of the other characters were not fully developed but it didn’t matter a lot to me since my focus was on Jess.

Overall, I am glad to have read this funny and quirky story. Recommended for your summer beach read. Expect lots of laughter and cringe-worthy scenes, in the most fashionably giggly fun way. 4 stars for author Crystal Bowling for successfully keeping me entertained until the end. ****

The Ex-Factor

Review: # 26

Title: The Ex-Factor

Author: Andrea Semple

Paperback, 304 pages
Published October 2005

FROM THE BACK COVER

When Martha Seymore finds out about her boyfriend Luke’s one-night-stand she doesn’t know what to do. And Martha’s business is relationships. As sex columnist at Gloss magazine, she gets paid to sympathise with the cheated and jilted, the under sexed and over attached. Realising she’s just as clueless as her hapless readers is hard. Also, there’s the distinctly unattractive prospect of admitting a failed relationship to her oh so perfect friend, Desdemona.

Worse, Desdemona’s new fiancé is Alex.

Martha’s first ex-boyfriend, who, infuriatingly, has matured rather better than expected. Tired of always doing the right thing, Martha starts to wonder whether her new flatmate has the right approach to relationships after all: is the best way to get one man off your mind to get another one into your bed?

In a world full of surprises, Martha was really in for the shock of her life when 1) Luke, her boyfriend of two years admitted to have been unfaithful and 2) that the woman he was having an affair with was Martha's friend, Desdemona 3) whose boyfriend was Martha's ex-boyfriend, Alex. A juicy rollercoaster love triangle, isn't it?

I have already an idea about the whole story after having read the back-book cover. Yeah, it's really quite predictable. But I still didn't put the book down after getting to Chapter 5 and onwards. There's still the "intriguing factor" that Andrea Semple have induced on each character and how Martha ended up with ---- came with a few surprising twists that had me laughing out loud

Honestly, I was first attracted to the book cover - those three toothbruses re-enacting a scene - is really cute! My two kids, Kyle & Kian were actually intrigued when they saw me reading this book. Kyle grabbed the book from my bedside table and asked me ridiculous questions, "Mom, are you reading a story about toothbrushes? Why are they kissing? How come the white one looks lonely?" and my other son Kian asked "Mommy, can you read this for us on our next bedtime story? Hahaha, silly kids!

My rating for The Ex-Factor: 3 bookmarks!

The Dating Game

Title: The Dating Game
Author: Susan Buchanan
Kindle Edition
Published October 29th 2012

The Dating Game on Amazon.com

Workaholic recruitment consultant, Gill McFadden, is sick of her friends trying to match-make for her. Up until now her love life has been a disaster and she’s going through a drier spell than the Sahara desert. 

She realizes she has to act, as work keeps piling up and at this rate she will have retired before she has time for a relationship.

Seeing an ad on a bus one day, she decides to visit Happy Ever After dating agency. She quickly discovers men are like buses. They all come along at once. Unsure what her type is, Gill decides to keep her options open. Soon she has problems juggling her social life as well as her work diary. Will she ever strike the right balance?

Before long she is experiencing laughs, lust and… could it be love? But like everything in Gill’s life, nothing is straightforward and she ends up wondering exactly who she can trust.

Let me just say that I had always been curious how dating services worked. The last book I've read about an upscale dating service was Champagne For Two by Patrice Wilton. With Susan Buchanan's book, I finally learned more about it.

Gill McFadden had been unlucky in love. So her friends tried to help her find the one. But even her matchmaker pals' attempt with blind dates were major fails.  Then she found herself signing up for a dating services named Happy Ever After. Soon, a string of gorgeous men were vying for attention and date with her. There was Charlie, Anton, Sean, Gary, among others.

Things started up well with her first two dates. Charlie was charming and Anton was adorable. But the interesting dates soon stopped when she was unceremoniously embarrassed by a drunk Sean and got her trousers split while on a date with Gary. Oh my, those disaster dates were really disconcerting!

To distract herself, Gill and her girlfriends went to Barcelona for a much needed vacation. I have read stories about Spain's tourist attractions and a dear friend of mine had actually sent me a postcard of Sagrada Familia. Learning more about its design and history in the book was a big plus! (I had always wanted to visit Barcelona, mind!)


A mugging incident in Spain soon turned into a chance encounter when Gill went back to work. Liam became the apple of her eye. She decided to end things with Sean after a painful bowling incident and she ended her friendship with Gary after a wedding fluke. And she dumped Chancer Charlie after an encounter with his wife. Whoa!

But with Liam, everything went smoothly with their relationship, until someone appeared again in her life. A few months after their last romantic night, Anton came back and explained his side. What would Gill do? Would she forgive him, even listen to him? Would she continue her relationship with Liam?

I loved Susan Buchanan's characterisation of Gill and her friends and dates. The laughter, banter and pieces of advice that her friends gave her were vital to the story. I suddenly missed my circle of friends! awww... The way Angela, Debbie and Lisa show their support was overwhelming, even though there were times when they want to cut each other's throats. Reading the male's  point of view was also a bonus. At least I was able to see what were on their minds while they were on a date with Gill.

The ending was somewhat a big surprise to me. I was really rooting for the other guy but Gill chose the other one. Who was who, you might ask.. Well, I'm not spilling any beans..

But let me share my favorite scenes from the book: 1) When Gill split her trousers and Gary had to accompany her to her home. 2) When Gill's mother open her bedroom door and saw her with daughter with a man in bed. 3) When Lisa came back from the restroom, only to find out that the two gorgeous men she previously saw were actually gay. 4) When Gill made a fool of herself in front of a child while throwing pins in a bowling alley.... and so much more.

In the end, I finally conceded and accepted Gill's decision and I was happy for her and her man. Her tumultuous journey of finding The One was really an exciting one and I say, Kudos to Susan for a job well done! :)

Into You

Title: Into You
Author: Riley J. Ford
Kindle Edition, 253 pages
Published July 2nd 2012

What if you could know exactly what your friends are thinking? High school student Winter Reynolds can, but there's a catch...
She can only read people's thoughts when she's kissing them.
When a member of the track team is murdered, Winter has an opportunity to use her special ability to find the killer. Trouble is, kissing everyone on the track team isn't such a good idea when you have a new boyfriend. Talk about complications!
Should Winter persevere using her secret power to catch the murderer still in their midst, even if it means risking her relationship with her one true love?
Disclaimer: Mild profanity and a graphic murder scene. While humorous, this book also explores the underbelly of teen life. May not be suitable for younger teens.

Truly a fantastic read!

Before I babble and squeal, let me tell you something about the author. Miss Riley J. Ford is awesome! This is the second Ford book I've read and as usual, she has impressed me with her talent in storytelling.

Into You introduces us to Winter Reynolds, who, for the very first time, had kissed a boy and had discovered that she can read his mind when he touched his lips with hers. At first, she thought, Ethan just whispered out loud, but the second time, she really heard Ethan's not so romantic thoughts on her. He even had the nerve to call her a "ho"!!

With this revelation, Winter's normal life took on a huge turn. She couldn't tell her mom how this happened, but she was glad she had Miranda whom she could count on.  But when her so-called friend asked her to kiss a boy, Winter soon realized that her friend might be using her to know if the boy actually liked Miranda.

A new girl and a boy from Winter's past came to town and soon her life turned upside down. A murder took place and she decided to use her new ability to track down the murderer. Could she really kiss every boy in her school just to get into the mind of the criminal? My oh my, oh my.

This is an engrossing read. It really didn't have any dull moment nor boring escapade. The setting was fast-paced and well executed.
I could easily relate with Winter and couldn't help but agree with her decisions in handling her powers. It's good that she has a good head on her shoulders and believes that with great power comes with great responsibility. Something that her bestfriend should have had in the beginning. While I may be over thirty years old, (yeah, i'm not that young anymore), I could still see myself in her when I was in my teens, daydreaming about the cutest boy in school. I think I may have a crush on Jason Stumblemeyer right now. ha-ha!

Into You is highly recommended to teens and young & new adults alike. Satisfaction guaranteed! My rating for this Riley J. Ford great piece of work: 4 bookmarks!

I actually enjoyed every kissing moment of it.. Seriously :)

Champagne for Two

Title: Champagne for Two
Author: Patrice Wilton
Kindle Edition
Published September 2011

CHAMPAGNE FOR TWO is a tale about an upscale dating service in Palm Beach--fun and sassy!

Get ready to meet Christine as she embarks on a new journey in the world of dating service. After taking over the "Merry Matchmakers" from her mom and colleagues, she was surprised by a knock on the door, perfectly framing a gorgeous rugged man named Derek. Apparently, the dating service used Derek's photo to advertise the business but he was really not pleased with the idea. So he confronted the new owner, hoping to get his photo off the wall, but soon he found himself pining for Christine's attention and luscious body.

The outcome or ending was a little predictable, but I did enjoy reading it. The grandmoms' story was cute. The daughter's romance was a little too dramatic but her character was underdeveloped. I suggest Nicole's love story get a spin-off so I can understand her more and so we can see more of Jake, Brett and her. I also liked the characters of Jenny and Dr. Helga Weiss, the psychologist. She was so darn funny!

Overall, I had a pleasant time reading Champagne for Two. The author, Patrice Wilton, seamlessly captured the love scenes as well as the angst from a rejected romance. Perfect for a lovely evening read. :)

Fairy Tale Flirts

Fairy Tale Flirts 5 Romantic Short Stories (Flirts! Collection #4)
Author: Lisa Scott
Kindle Edition, 154 pages
Published January 17th 2012

As summarized at goodreads.com:

Five modern takes on classic fairy tales, and the only magic is the real-life kind. Each story can be read separately, but are linked together in the collection, and wrapped up in the perfect happily ever after.

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Each sweet, funny, romantic short story depicts the life and love of 5 beloved fairy tale characters. These include:

“Cindi” - a Cinderella story

Cindi wants a perfect match—of designer shoes, that is. When her stepmother gets tickets to the Jiminy Shoes trunk sale, it looks like her dreams are coming true. Until her stepmother refuses to bring her along. With a little luck, Cindi finds herself at the sale with the shoes of her dreams, and a handsome man to boot. But when she dashes off with one of the pricey shoes by mistake, her life changes forever.

There is always something about shoes that makes a girl happy and contented. A perfect pair of shoes with a perfect gentleman easily swept Cinderella off her feet. Her fairy godmother is the last person you'd expect to help. Romantic ending guaranteed.

“Red” - The not so little Red Riding Hood

When Rose brings her Grandmother leftover goodies from her floundering health-food bakery, she realizes she has bigger problems than Grandma’s daily fiber intake—a hot, young man is prowling around her rich Granny’s apartment. Jack Wolff seems to be preying on elderly women, but despite Rose’s protests, Granny’s not willing to give him up. And the nerve of him, Jack’s hitting on Rose, too. Can Rose save her business and her Grandma’s heart before it’s too late?

Rose needed to make her bakery business grow and she needed her grandma to support her. But a wolfish character set her on the edge, and made her think of the worst from the man who was taking advantage of her grandma. How would she save her grandma and her business when the wolf stalks her all day, all night?

“Belle” - The Beauty and The Beast

Belle’s father is sidelined by a stroke, and she’s determined to save his job as a master carpenter for the mysterious Prince Maxim. Despite her training, completing work on the Prince’s library is harder than she imagined, with the elusive prince watching her every move from the shadows. Belle’s intrigued by the intelligent, kind man who won’t let himself be seen. Is Belle the one to help him move beyond his painful past?

Have you watched Beastly, the movie? Well, the film pretty sums up this short story. Cute and beastly.

“Snow” -Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Shawna White wants nothing more than to land a role in a musical, but she’s running out of cash while she chases her dream. Her stepmother, Veronica Midas, suggests she take a nanny job for the rich man she’s trying to land, and Shawna finds herself in charge of seven kids. But Veronica didn’t realize Shawna would be living there, enchanting Jeremy and his children. Now Veronica will do whatever it takes to win her man.

Snow finds herself taking care of seven youngsters and their handsome father. Everything was going fine, but her evil stepmom also has her eyes on the man of the house. Will she just chase her elusive dream of being a musical artist, or will she fight for her love?

“Goldie" - Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Goldie Lockston isn’t exactly homeless; she’s just a struggling artist who crashes with friends. When her pal asks her to take over vacation dog-sitting duties for a wealthy client in Grimm Towers, Goldie decides it wouldn’t hurt to move in for the week. But she wasn’t counting on being discovered when Blake Behr comes home early. Or posing as his girlfriend. Or having feelings for this grumpy, wealthy lawyer who’s unlike her in every way.


A perfect house, a handsome owner, a pretense love affair. Goldie almost have everything at the palm of her hand. Until she meets the parents. Whoaa! How long will she keep on pretending? How long can she hide her true feelings?

Five Fairy Tale Flirts... Five cute love stories.. No fairies roaming nor flying around. But definitely enjoyable and romantic! Definitely deserves a happily ever after ending... With 4 stars rating ;) Perfect for all in love!

Stuck With You

 

Title: STUCK WITH YOU
Author: Trish Jensen
Kindle Edition; 216 pages
Published January 2012

As lawyers on opposing sides of a messy divorce case, Paige Hart and Ross Bennett ought to have kept matters purely professional, yet Paige and Ross came to loathe each other with an intensity that was strictly personal. The bad blood between them takes on an unexpected new dimension when the infuriated pair is forced to share a hospital room, when they're quarantined after being exposed to the rare and highly contagious Tibetan Concupiscence Virus that's reputed to shift sensual desire into high gear. When symptoms (which a nonmedical person might mistake for pure and simple lust) start showing up way ahead of schedule, the lawyers' objections to each other are overruled -- and they enjoy every minute of it. But, after the doctors declare that the disease has run its course, Paige and Ross are still feverish with a longing for one another that they hope will never be cured. When the verdict comes in, will they be sentenced to life -- in love?

I found myself grinning from ear-to-ear while reading this book.

Although I firmly believe that this story is highly  unlikely to happen, I still braced myself for the unexpected. And boy, was I blown away!

There is sexual tension alright, and like magnets, extreme opposites Paige & Ross are actually attracted to each other as they emit sensuality to the highest level. The fact that these two lawyers practically hate each one's guts then end up on a home run makes me feel giddy and delighted at the same time.  They wont admit that they are sexually drawn during and after being trapped in a quarantined room for 2 weeks. So not cool. But after they got a clean bill of health, they still found themselves longing to see one another.

Stuck With You promises a story that would make you smile, think and chuckle at the same time. The intimacy between the two main characters, including the doctor and architect, was palpable and mind-blowing. I love how the author Trish Jensen developed Ross's character, making him one delectable sought-after guy with a heart.

I recommend this quick read for those who may have second thoughts about their special someone and are afraid to commit. Go on, enjoy life and enjoy being in love. You know you want to. ^.^

P. S.
I definitely love their scrabble game because they kept on forming words that are sexually stimulating to the senses.