The Unfortunate Debutante is the seventh book of The
Beckett Files series by Laura Beers. I've enjoyed reading this series. It's
exciting, romantic, adventurous, full of intrigue and mystery. Beers empowers her women characters to break the norm and to find their
own strength.
The Unfortunate Debutante releases October 1st. Put it in your calendar and be prepared to order the seventh book in The Beckett Files series. What do you think of the cover?
This book is not yet available for pre-order. Learn more about the books in the Beckett Files series by clicking here.
Please note that this post contains affiliate links.
Melissa is the author of the Frey Saga, Descendants Series, and KING OF ASH AND BONE. She is currently working on the next book, but when not writing can be spotted collecting the things she loves at Goodreads and Pinterest. Contact her through the web at www.melissa-wright.com or follow her blog at authormelissawright.blogspot.com.
For info on contests and new releases, sign up for the newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/zbisj.
One winner will receive the Frey Saga eBook Set of books one through three and a $20 Amazon eGift Card (winner may also choose to receive a print book of Frey in place of the ebook set if in the US).
Everyone loves a reunion, and A FAMILY FOR JASON provides one sure to touch the toughest of hearts! Welcome to the first book in my new series, Back to Bluestone River. . .
"Sigh. Virginia McCullough knocks it out of the park again with this clean romance that is the first in her new series. Ruby and Mike had been high school sweethearts, until horrific tragedies separated them from each other and from the small town they had so dearly loved while growing up. Modern day difficult times, about 20 years later, have brought them both back home, neither one realizing that the other is there. It's a great foundation for a second chance romance. . . . I truly greatly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for those who are looking for a real heartwarming clean romance."
"A Family For Jason is a great start to a new series! The author does a fabulous job of setting the scene & introducing pivotal characters to lay a foundation for future books. Jason will have your heart in no time & you’ll ache along with him and Mike – as well as for all the time Mike and Ruby lost. A sweet second chance romance!"
“You’ve made a friend, Jason.” The boy glanced Ruby’s way, but still didn’t speak. “He’s kind of quiet.” The woman patted the top of the boy’s head. “That’s okay. You’ll talk when you’re ready.” She flashed Ruby a pointed look. She was trying to communicate something, but Ruby didn’t know what. Not exactly. But the thin pale lines and telltale puckering of burn scars on the boy’s forearms might have something to do with his silence.
"A Family for Jason, book #1 in Virginia McCullough’s Back to Bluestone River series, is a sweet romance with an appealing setting and characters that are easy to connect with. I enjoyed this fulfilling, heartwarming story and look forward to all that is to come in the series."
"I recommend it for readers who enjoy to read clean romance and heartwarming stories. Some readers may want to grab some tissues for this one. It is somewhat predictable but definitely worth a read. It is one that should not be missed. I look forward to the next installment from the Back to Bluestone River series."
". . . you can tell McCullough has taken her time to develop this series, of giving us a well-rounded and well-thought out plotting to where the foundation of the series can build out of this first installment."
"I loved this sweet romance story involving Mike, Ruby and Jason. I loved reading about their town and their high school memories and growing up. It was so tragic how a past mistake affected so many lives for so many years. . . . Great story line, great characters, clean romance… I can’t wait to read more about this town and hopefully the town’s progress over the series of stories. I really enjoyed it!"
"This book has everything the reader wants in a romance and more. A struggling small town. The reunification of high school sweethearts. A sweet boy who was traumatized by a real-life experience. A best friend relationship that has stood the test of time. New beginnings, new adventures. Oh, and a cute, smart dog to boot! I cannot think of any better way to begin a romance series. . . . Highly recommended reading for any time of the year!"
"The start to Virginia McCullough’s Back to Bluestone River series, A Family for Jason delivers a sweet story of returning home and second chances. It’s a perfect read for any reader in the mood for heartwarming contemporary romance. . . . Their experience is full of drama, emotion, and small-town charm, and I enjoyed my time with A Family for Jason. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of this series in the future."
"A Family for Jason is full of real life. Every one of us goes through trials throughout our lives. This book cuts deep and is real. . . . A Family for Jason by Virginia McCullough fulfilled my expectations of realistic life difficulties and fast heart beating romance."
"Ms. McCullough does a really nice job weaving together three different people with three entirely different situations, and writing a tender story that will war your hearts, as it did mine. . . . If you haven’t read any books by this AUTHOR, this book would be a very nice start to your Virginia McCullough collection. For me, it is a tender heartwarming story that will stay with me for a while. You dont want to miss A FAMILY FOR JASON."
He walked closer to the slide, waving to Jason, who sat at the top. Jason waved back, but then his focus seemed to shift and he hesitated for a couple of seconds at the top. When he let go of the handholds and slid to the bottom, he ran toward Mike, but then passed him. Mike spun around and saw a golden retriever straining on the end of a long leash. He smiled to himself. He got it. That dog was much more interesting than Dad. His gaze followed Jason coming to an abrupt stop a few feet from the dog. He glanced at the woman holding the leash who was coming through the bridge and smiling at Jason. His stomach flipped as he froze in place. Ruby. Ruby was on the other end of the leash. She leaned over to pat the dog’s side. Red-haired, brown-eyed, smiling Ruby.
"This was a sweet and yet heartbreaking romance that shows how sometimes the awful circumstances and others people's decisions can definitely take a toll on young love. But true love can and will survive."
"I like a single dad romance and this one had plenty of heart. This is also a great second chance romance. . . . This is a book you can easily fall into and just want to gobble up. Both Mike and Ruby are great characters with a lot of heart. You root for them to get their second chance at a future."
"You definitely will need 5 full teacups and some tissues for this amazingly sweet and romantic book by Virginia McCullough! A Family for Jason is just so amazing and I loved all of the characters. . ."
“Quit twisting my words. You know what I mean. I can’t stay.” She hadn’t confided to Emma that she had this same argument with herself every night. “You must think men like Mike come along every day.” Emma snapped her fingers. “Just like that. Ruby groaned. “No, I don’t.” Like she needed that reminder. “I’ll say it again, Rubes, every woman I’ve ever known wants a guy to look at her the way he looks at you.”
"A Family for Jason is the first book in Virginia McCullough’s brand new Back to Bluestone River series and centers around reunited first loves, a lawyer and a crisis specialist as they each return to their hometown twenty years after the tragedy that tore them apart. . . . I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a sweet romance filled with the back drop of a small town. It was deep, emotional and satisfying!"
"A homecoming to a dying town, first loves reunited, and a precious little boy makeVirginia McCullough’s A Family for Jason a book you don’t want to miss. . . . I got swept away in the forests, river, and lake surrounding Bluestone River. . . . Seriously, the ending of this book is utter perfection!"
Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post, if you haven't already...
A Family for Jason
(Back to Bluestone River #1) By Virginia McCullough
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 384 pages
August 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming
She’s not home for keeps
Unless he proves first love is forever
Bluestone River is a minefield of memories for Mike Abbot—all involving Ruby Driscoll. Twenty years after scandal divided them, they’re both back in their hometown. Ruby’s visit is strictly temporary. But as she uses her trauma expertise to help his vulnerable son, Mike faces what his heart has always known. Ruby’s still his one and only. This time, can he convince her to stay?
Born and raised in Chicago, Virginia McCullough has been lucky enough to develop her writing career in many locations, including the coast of Maine, the mountains of North Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and currently, Northeast Wisconsin. She started her career in nonfiction, first writing articles and then books as a ghostwriter and coauthor. She’s written more than 100 books for physicians, business owners, professional speakers and many others with information to share or a story to tell.
Virginia’s books feature characters who could be your neighbors and friends. They come in all ages and struggle with everyday life issues in small-town environments that almost always include water—oceans, lakes, or rivers. The mother of two grown children, you’ll find Virginia with her nose a book, walking on trails or her neighborhood street, or she may be packing her bag to take off for her next adventure. And she’s always working on another story about hope, healing, and second chances.
I read Lehi, Lehi, What Do You See? to my daughter. After we read the story, we went back to the pages on Enos and I expounded the story on Enos. We discussed how he found a quiet place to pray and prayed all day. We talked about how he prayed to repent, for his people, and for his enemies. We then worked on practicing writing the letter "F" on our dry erase board and learning games.
I created a worksheet full of empty numbered trees. My daughter placed her thumbprints on the tree based on the number. We used washable ink.
We also played a game where numbered trees were hiding a "deer." She had to identify the number she wanted flipped over to find the deer.
I created an alphabet tree and my daughter worked on matching uppercase letters with leaves (I bought them on Amazon, but I couldn't find an exact match.) marked with lowercase numbers.
We played a math game where we each had a tree trunk. We rolled a die and collected leaves for our trees. After we collected all of the leaves, we counted our leaves to see who had the most and least.
Download the free printable for these activities here.
Please note that this post contains affiliate links for Amazon.
We went to the Aquarium of Boise with out GetOutPass Idaho. With the GetOutPass, you can go to the aquarium bi-annually and it is only valid Monday-Thursday, with blackout dates on the weekend, summer (May-July), Thanksgiving and Christmas. My kids loved watching the fish swim and putting their hands in the water of the tanks that allowed the kids to be interactive. We noticed a little girl that had kept her hands very still in one of the tanks. The little girl had several fish sucking on her skin. My daughter tried to follow her example, but every time a fish came near her she jerked her hand her fast. My littlest one (11 months) was fascinated by the fish swimming. He enjoyed seeing the brightly colored fish dart around in the water. My oldest son (age 5) was a little grumpy about going to the aquarium, but his attitude quickly changed when we got there and he enjoyed seeing all of the exhibits. This is a perfect activity for young kids, families, teens, etc.
GetOutPass Idaho is normally $99.95 per person. By using the special discount code,“IDAHO40,"you can get $40 off the cost per person making
the passes $59.95. The admission for adults to the
aquarium is normally $11.39 and for kids 3-6 $6.19. Kids under 3 are free. With access to the following venues this pass can
result in great savings and allows you to get out and do fun things at a
low cost especially when compared to normal admission prices. If
you want to go out more and save more, check out GetOutPass Idaho!
GetOutPass Idaho is a paid membership to get access to multiple venues multiple times per year. Venues include:
Miracle & Banbury Hot Springs (Quarterly)
Asana Climbing Gym (Bi-Annual)
Aquarium of Boise (Bi-Annual
Jump Time Meridian (Monthly)
Elevate Mind and Body Studios (Quarterly and Yearly)
Idaho River Sports (Monthly)
Urban Adventure Air Park (Monthly)
Independence Indoor Shooting (Yearly)
Gemstone Climbing Center (Monthly and Yearly)
Jump Time Twinfalls (Monthly)
Treasure Valley Skate (Monthly)
Emerald Lanes (Monthly)
Pyrrhic Paintball (Daily)
Twin Falls Escape Room (Yearly)
Planet Kid (Quarterly)
Jump Time Boise (Monthly)
Puzzling Adventures (Yearly)
VR Tech Lounge (Quarterly)
Play Deep Academy (Bi-Annual)
Ceramica (Quarterly)
8-Bit Gaming (Quarterly)
Hands On (Yearly and Monthly)
Myth Parkour (Quarterly and Monthly)
Fastlane Indoor Kart Racing and Pit Pass
Ice Ribbon at Indian Creek Plaza (2x Yearly)
Orpheum Theater (Quarterly)
To learn more about GetOutPass Idaho, click here and don't forget to use the discount code, "IDAHO40" to save $40.
(Disclaimer: I received free passes for my family to help facilitate my review and to share this exciting offer.)
Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Enlightenment of Bees by Rachel Linden, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: The Enlightenment of Bees
Author: Rachel Linden
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: July 9, 2019
Genre: Women's Fiction
Sometimes a shattered dream leads to an amazing journey.
At twenty-six, apprentice baker Mia West has her entire life planned out: a Craftsman cottage in Seattle, a job baking at The Butter Emporium, and her first love—her boyfriend, Ethan—by her side. But when Ethan declares he “needs some space,” Mia’s carefully planned future crumbles.
Feeling adrift, Mia joins her vivacious housemate Rosie on a humanitarian trip around the world funded by a reclusive billionaire. Along with a famous grunge rock star, a Rwandan immigrant, and an unsettlingly attractive Hawaiian urban farmer named Kai, Mia and Rosie embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
From the slums of Mumbai to a Hungarian border camp during the refugee crisis, Mia’s heart is challenged and changed in astonishing ways—ways she never could have imagined. As she grapples with how to make a difference in a complicated world, Mia realizes she must choose between the life she thought she wanted and the life unfolding before her.
In a romantic adventure across the globe, The Enlightenment of Bees beautifully explores what it means to find the sweet spot in life where our greatest passions meet the world’s greatest need.
Rachel Linden is a novelist and international aid worker whose adventures in over fifty countries around the world provide excellent grist for her writing. She is the author of Ascension of Larks, Becoming the Talbot Sisters, and The Enlightenment of Bees. Currently, Rachel lives with her family in Seattle, Washington, where she enjoys creating stories about hope, courage, and connection with a hint of romance and a touch of whimsy.
The main character has an interesting voice from the very beginning and her observations are interesting. She's very involved in her community and its interesting to see her interactions with others. It goes to show you that unexpected and bad things can happen to anyone. This is a fun and enjoyable read. I love the detail that the author also puts forth in the story. I think this is a must to add to your "to read" list and would be a great summer read.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links. I bought my copy via amazon. This is my first blog tour via Just Reads. I didn't request a free copy while signing up for the tour as I was used to not requesting a book for takeover tours. All my views are expressly my own.
Winter 1839. LIBERTY, MISSOURI. Local jailer, Samuel Tillery (Jasen Wade) is tasked with watching Missouri's most wanted men as they await their upcoming hearing. Caught between the local Missourians' increased drive to remove the prisoners, and the prisoners' desperate efforts to survive, Tillery is pushed beyond what any lawman can endure. Based on
actual recorded accounts, Out of Liberty is an intense, evocative western, with an outcome you have to see to believe. Check out the trailer below and learn more here. This movie will be available to select movie theaters in Utah starting September 13th.
Q&A with Director Garrett Batty
1. Where did the concept come from for Out of Liberty?
I love a good Western, and I've wanted to do one for a while. The events at Liberty
Jail involve a triangle of conflict between the jailer, the mob and the
prisoners. It seemed like an intriguing plot to explore. Amidst some
of the better known occurances were attempted jailbreaks, repeated
appeals to the legal system and an impromptu court hearing. With 1830’s
Missouri as a setting, it’s the perfect backdrop for a powerful
western.
2. What were some high points during the creative process?
Working
in independent film is extremely difficult. It requires a lot of
talented, passionate creative individuals to make things come together.
Stephen Dethloff brought in the first several drafts of the script, and
it was a high point to see that there was a cinematic story in Liberty
Jail. Then, to be able to cast Jasen Wade, Brandon Ray Olive and
Corbin Allred (who came back to acting after a 5 year hiatus just for
this role) was a dream come true. Another high point was getting to see
the set of the jail. We built 2 different sets, to cover interiors and
exteriors. To step onto each set after they were completely prepped
for filming made everything feel real.
3. What was your favorite scene on set?
The
entire shoot was extremely cold, and the pressure to get everything
just right probably impeded me from being able to feel like I had a favorite scene
during the shoot. But now that the film is done, I can look back at
some of the scenes and more accurately choose favorites. There’s a lot
of recorded stories about the friendship between Joseph (Brandon Ray
Olive) and Porter (Corbin Allred.) The scenes in which we tried to
portray that friendship have become some of my favorites. Also, the
jailer, Samuel Tillery (Jasen Wade) has a classic western stand-off with
one of the characters. I’ve loved that scene from the moment it was in
the script, through the final edit.
4. Any learning moments you want to share?
Any
film presents opportunities for learning moments. Whether in the
research phase, fundraising phase, production, post, or distribution,
I’m always learning more and more about the process. One lesson that
relates specifically to OUT OF LIBERTY
was learning to respect the humanness of whom the story is about.
Often I read historical accounts, but fail to recognize that they are
written about real people, who deal with the same human hopes, dreams,
faith and fears that I go through. So I learned to not only show their
actions, but to help the audience understand the human emotion that was
driving their actions. So in a moment of weakness, when Sydney Rigdon
(Brock Roberts) doesn’t live up to my expectations, appreciating his
humanness helps me to be more understanding of his actions.
5. What is the inspiration behind the story? OUT OF LIBERTY is based on the true events that happened at Liberty
Jail in 1839. Mob rule and public opinion collided with religious
liberties and expressions of faith. It lead to a conflict that
escalated beyond what either side wanted. Today, with ever-present
social media and opinionated commentators stirring up reactions and
attacks toward any differing belief, the similarities felt very
relevant. Fortunately, we see in both cases, that principled
individuals, dedicated to the good of society, can make a difference.
6. What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers?
Stop aspiring, start doing. We need great storytellers!
7. If you had to summarize the film in one line what would it be? OUT OF LIBERTY is a western drama about a jailer caught between his civic job to keep
Missouris’s most wanted men held for trial, and his personal duty to
protect them from those who want them dead.
8. What do you hope people take away from this film?
When audiences go to the theater to see OUT OF LIBERTY,
I hope they come away thinking “Wow, that was an awesome film! Let’s
see it again.” It’s really a cool story, and to see it in theaters
brings it to life in a way that no other format can.
9. What most surprised you in the making of this film?
One
of the surprises along they way was how dedicated and committed the
cast and crew were to telling this story. One example of this is with
the character of Caleb Baldwin played by Adam Johnson. I’ve been
friends with Adam Johnson for years, and have loved watching him in
everything from CHARLY to The Outpost on The CW. He was gracious
enough to come do this movie as a favor for me. I anticipated he would
show up, deliver a good performance, keep the set fun, and be on to the
next project. But Adam surprised me. He brought a performance that
gave a level of humanity and depth that turned Caleb Baldwin into a real
person for me. It was humbling, inspiring, and it has stuck with me.
Every actor gave their all, and it shows on screen. It was really
quite a nice surprise to have that caliber of talent on this film.
10. What scene was the most difficult to film?
Each
scene had its own set of challenges, but for this project I’d have to
say the first day of shooting was the hardest. The film is dedicated to
my mother-in-law, who unexpectedly passed away only two days before
filming began. With this personal tragedy very much on my mind, it was
difficult to try to focus on the film. I was grateful to be surrounded
by a supportive cast and crew, and a wonderful family. One message of
the film deals with enduring extremely difficult circumstances, so that
inspired me throughout the shoot.
11. What other films have you directed? OUT OF LIBERTY is my fourth feature film. Other features I’ve written and directed are THE SARATOV APPROACH, FREETOWN and SCOUT CAMP.
12. How long did it take to film your movie?
We filmed OUT OF LIBERTY in November, 2018.
One fun story - I was holding auditions, and was surprised when Jasen Wade showed up to audition. We had never worked together, and it was an honor to have him audition. He read for a role and did a great job. But I felt I should ask him to read the part of the jailer, Samuel Tillery. He looked a little disheartened, but agreed to read for the
part. He was perfect for it! About a week later, we offered him the part and he graciously accepted. I asked him to make some time for a
call so that we could discuss his approach to the character. As we discussed the character, he paused for a minute, then said “Wait a
minute… I’m just playing the jailer, right?” He was shocked to find out that the jailer was the protagonist of the film. He was expecting it to be just a small supporting role.
Urban Air Adventure Park with our GetOutPass Idaho. With the GetOutPass, you can go to Urban Air Adventure Park to play 9-holes of miniature golf and laser tag. We only did the miniature golf since my kids are a little young to play laser tag. The miniature golf was fun. It was in a jungle theme with black lights. My 3-year old struggled with miniature golf and resorted to hitting my ball after I hit it or rolling the ball. My 5-year old played really well, but I think he might have had more fun with friends rather than with mom and sister. With the GetOutPass, you can play miniature golf and laser tag monthly at Urban Air Adventure Park.
GetOutPass Idaho is normally $99.95 per person. By using the special discount code,"IDAHO40," you can get $40 off the cost per person making the passes $59.95. With access to the following venues this pass can result in great savings and allows you to get out and do fun things at a low cost especially when compared to normal admission prices. If you want to go out more and save more, check out GetOutPass Idaho! GetOutPass Idaho is a paid
membership to get access to multiple venues multiple times per year. Venues include:
Miracle & Banbury Hot Springs (Quarterly)
Asana Climbing Gym (Bi-Annual)
Aquarium of Boise (Bi-Annual
Jump Time Meridian (Monthly)
Elevate Mind and Body Studios (Quarterly and Yearly)
Idaho River Sports (Monthly)
Urban Adventure Air Park (Monthly)
Independence Indoor Shooting (Yearly)
Gemstone Climbing Center (Monthly and Yearly)
Jump Time Twinfalls (Monthly)
Treasure Valley Skate (Monthly)
Emerald Lanes (Monthly)
Pyrrhic Paintball (Daily)
Twin Falls Escape Room (Yearly)
Planet Kid (Quarterly)
Jump Time Boise (Monthly)
Puzzling Adventures (Yearly)
VR Tech Lounge (Quarterly)
Play Deep Academy (Bi-Annual)
Ceramica (Quarterly)
8-Bit Gaming (Quarterly)
Hands On (Yearly and Monthly)
Myth Parkour (Quarterly and Monthly)
Fastlane Indoor Kart Racing and Pit Pass
Ice Ribbon at Indian Creek Plaza (2x Yearly)
Orpheum Theater (Quarterly)
You can win free passes or credits from GetOutPass if you submit a 15 or 30 second video to haley(at)getoutpass(dot)com and share: an exciting memory you had with GetOutPass, stories about new venues, adventures you've experience, or your overall favorite thing about GetOutPass.
To learn more about GetOutPass Idaho, click here and don't forget to use the discount code, "IDAHO40" to save $40.
(Disclaimer: I received free passes for my family to help facilitate my review and to share this exciting offer.)
Molly O' Malley, lady's maid to the progressive Lady Amanda Halloway, is determined to continue the life's work of her lost love, killed in the Peterloo Massacre. But when her efforts and a trip to Lady Halloway's charitable orphanage culminate in her own abduction, Molly's eyes are opened to the horrifying crimes transpiring in the city's slums. Despite the risks, she broadens her mission and is drawn ever closer to the peril all around them.
Thomas Flaherty, a footman in the Halloway household, has been with Molly from the beginning, but he fears she will never trust him with her heart. Even though her cause and happiness are of foremost importance to him, his loyal patience is tested by the fears that keep her at a distance. But with their safety on the line, Thomas is resolved to sacrifice everything for the woman he loves.
Risking their lives and their love, Molly and Thomas and a team of nobles on their side will stop at nothing to empower the powerless, no matter the personal cost.
Review - A Lady's Maid takes the reader into the households of the privileged and the unfortunate. The slums described in A Lady's Maid reminded me of Dicken's Oliver Twist. The feelings that I felt during Oliver's plight were similar to reading about Molly's escapade in the slums. The imagery and descriptions were very powerfully written. Johnson has a way of making the story come alive in the reader's imagination even if it's not pleasant. Johnson doesn't write light or fluffy romances. She tackles the politics and troubles of the time period. I would also suggest reading her notes after the story. Some of her notes about the history were fascinating. A Lady's Maid is a stand-alone novel, but has some of the same characters as Johnson's The Nobleman's Daughter. I've read The Nobleman's Daughterand Scarlet, and I think by far this is my favorite. The detail is rich and imaginative. The main characters are inspiring and likeable. Even though this is a stand-alone novel, I think the reader should probably read The Nobleman's Daughter first. There are scenes and background information that carry over into this book. The title of the book makes it seem like this is just Molly's story, but there are also other characters that take center stage at times and it's also their story as well. There is some scenes dealing with prostitutes and rude comments made to the women that were appropriate for the scene and doesn't go beyond that. This is a clean novel. To learn more, click here.
Please note that I received a free copy to facilitate this review,
however, my opinions are my own. The giveaway is facilitated by the
publisher. There are affiliate links in this post that help to facilitate the maintenance of this blog.
Fast-forward seven years, and Jeremy is back in Charlottesville with an infant son and years of regrets. When his niece, Lili, lands on his doorstep in need of a place to stay, Jeremy needs help—and fast.
An internship opening finally presents Natalie a chance at her dream job, but she needs a second income to work around it—and the only offer available is Jeremy’s. They could be the solutions to one another’s problems, provided they don’t kill each other in the process. When they join forces, sparks fly. But they both know there’s a thin line between love and hate . . . and that love will turn out to be the best decision—or the biggest mistake—of all.
Praise for the Book
“A stunning debut . . . This tale of love and redemption will stay with you long after you've closed the book. A must-read.” —Rachel Hauck, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress
“Witty. Charming. Heartfelt. I could go on and on about Jessica Kate’s debut novel. From its highly relatable characters to its pitch-perfect dialogue, Love and Other Mistakes is a delightful, romantic read filled with just the right amount of sass. I lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud as I watched Natalie and Jem navigate their relationships, careers, and faith. Definitely one of the most enjoyable books I've read lately, and I can't wait to see what’s next from Jessica Kate!” —Melissa Tagg, Carol Award–winning author of Now and Then and Always and the Walker Family series
“Love and Other Mistakes wraps a poignant and warm look at relationships within a smart, sly, and knowing comedic voice. Readers of Sally Thorne and Bethany Turner will be immediately at home with Natalie: an all-too-real heroine who balances whip-smart agency with an endearing vulnerability and whose intersection with long-lost Jeremy helps her forge a path to confidence and discover the woman she was always meant to be. Kate’s unputdownable debut recognizes that all human relationships—familial, friendship, romantic—are worth the keen eye and clever insight of her talented pen.” —Rachel McMillan, author of the Van Buren and DeLuca Mysteries
“If you’re looking for a story with sass on top of style, or a fresh voice pumped full of fun, you need to read Love and Other Mistakes. Then after you’ve enjoyed this—and I’m confident you will—make a date with whatever this exciting new author writes next!” —David Rawlings, author of The Baggage Handler
Australian author Jessica Kate is obsessed with sassy romances.
She packs her novels with love, hate, and everything in between—and then nerds out over her favorite books, movies and TV in the StoryNerds podcast. When she’s not writing or discussing fiction, she’s hunting the world for the greatest pasta in existence.
Her debut novel Love and Other Mistakes releases July 2019, while A Girl’s Guide to the Outback hits shelves in January 2020.
Receive her sassy short The Kiss Dare FREE when you sign up for her newsletter at jessicakatewriting.com. StoryNerds podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and at www.storynerds.podbean.com.
Love and Other Mistakes shares the stories of several characters that weave together. The characters' lives are filled with drama and dealing with hurt and pain from others' mistakes. With the pain, several of the characters learn the power of forgiveness. It was an interesting read. I wouldn't call it "hilarious" or a "light-hearted" read. It was dramatic narrative interwoven with romance, forgiveness and sense of family. It was interesting to read about the challenges in Natalie, Jem and Lilli's lives and how they overcome their hardships and past. I would recommend reading it.
Author Question and Answer
Life Is What It's Called - What inspired your characters?
Jessica Kate - I’ve written above about what inspired the emotional journeys of Natalie and Lili, so I’ll share some of my fictional inspiration for the plot. Movies like Sweet Home Alabama and The Proposal are huge influences on my writing. I adore the love/hate dynamic, and in Sweet Home Alabama I love how it has a complicated family situation and real texture in the setting. The Proposal was also a fabulous example of a really fun trope, the fake relationship.Admission is an underrated romcom that also has love, hate, comedy and complicated families.
I like entering low to moderate entry giveaways and I share each month
some of the blog or social media giveaways I've entered, thought someone
else might be interested in entering or that have been submitted to me
through bloggers. Check back often throughout the month to see if I have
posted more giveaways. If you are hosting a family-friendly giveaway on
your blog and would like to see it listed here, please contact me (via email). If you have a won a giveaway that I posted, please leave a comment and share that you won.
Lady Halloway's charitable orphanage culminate in her own abduction, Molly's eyes are opened to the horrifying crimes transpiring in the city's slums. Despite the risks, she broadens her mission and is drawn ever closer to the peril all around them.
