Showing posts with label In Need of Therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label In Need of Therapy. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Release Day! Izzy As Is by Tracie Banister ~ My Thoughts and a Giveaway!

Happy Release Day!!



Izzy As Is

Izzy As Is by Tracie Banister
Kindle Edition, 351 pages
Published: January 24th 2018

The party is over for bikini model Izzy Alvarez. For six years she’s made a good living by flaunting her God-given assets on runways and in front of cameras, but now as she approaches the big 3-0, the bodacious Latina is shocked to learn she’s aged out of the profession that’s kept her in mojitos, mani/pedis, and designer thongs. What’s a girl with a taste for the finer things in life and no marketable skills to do?

Getting a regular job is too boring to even consider, so Izzy decides to follow in the footsteps of her newly-engaged frenemy and become a trophy wife. Although she’s desperate and too broke to get a chipped nail fixed, Izzy still has standards for her future husband, which means no uggos, no vertically-challenged guys, and no geezers who need to pop a blue pill to perform in the bedroom. Enlisting the aid of her computer whiz nephew and her closest pals, Izzy goes on the prowl for a rich, marriage-minded man, encountering likely candidates in a lot of unlikely places.

The high life she’s dreamed of may be within reach when Izzy meets a charming, successful man who’s not only hotter than a steamy summer night in Miami, but ready to settle down. Now all Izzy has to do is make sure her loud, crazy Cuban family doesn’t scare off el hombre perfecto—oh, yeah, and squelch those pesky, romantic feelings she keeps having for the sweet, cash-strapped guy she's known forever.

Will Izzy’s hunger for money win out, or will her fiery heart demand to be heard?


My thoughts about Izzy As Is ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"'Come on, Marty, you've got to have something. Throw me a bone here.' With a sigh, my agent drags his fingers through the few greasy strands of hair he has left on the top of his head. 'It's like I said when you called yesterday, Izzy, you're just not right for any of the jobs that are available at the moment.'"

Oh my gosh! I loved this book and I want to be Izzy's BFF. She's a hoot—so carefree and not really caring what people think. She's so funny and would be loads of fun to hang out with. And she definitely goes after what she wants!

Izzy gets some bad news from her agent. She has evidently 'aged out' of her modeling gigs. She's 29 and a has-been. Really? Well then, she just needs to find herself a hunk of a man, one with lots of money, so she can continue to live in the manner she's accustomed to. After consulting with her young nephew, who devises a plan to find that perfect man, she has some hilarious adventures as she works her way through the list of potential husbands. 

We first met Izzy in Tracie's previous novel, In Need of Therapy, which is the first book of Tracie's that I read. Izzy was a bit of a side character in that book but she obviously was someone who wanted her story told. And can I just mention her family? What a crazy bunch, they made me LOL! 

Congrats Tracie, on the release today of Izzy As Is. I know you have another hit on your hands. 

Look out world, here comes Izzy! 

Check out In Need of Therapy, where we first meet the amazing Izzy! 

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Click to read my thoughts!

I received Izzy As Is from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the author


An avid reader and writer, Tracie Banister has been scribbling stories since she was a child, most of them featuring feisty heroines with complicated love lives like her favorite fictional protagonist Scarlett O'Hara. Her work was first seen on the stage of her elementary school, where her 4th grade class performed an original holiday play she penned. (Like all good divas-in-the-making, she also starred in and tried to direct the production.)

Tracie’s dreams of authorial success were put on the backburner when she reached adulthood and discovered that she needed a "real" job in order to pay her bills. Her career as personal assistant to a local entrepreneur lasted for 12 years. When it ended, she decided to follow her bliss and dedicate herself to writing full-time. She is the proud winner of the 2017 Independent Press Award (Romantic Comedy) and a Bronze Medal in the 2017 Readers’ Favorite Awards (Chick Lit).

Although Tracie swore she’d never write a sequel to any of her books, the character of Izzy Alvarez, who first appeared in In Need of Therapy, would not be denied. Izzy As Is is Tracie’s fifth novel, and she hopes readers enjoy this return trip to Miami.

Connect with Tracie





Purchase a copy of Izzy As Is during release week (January 24th-30th, 2018) and you could win a fantastic prize pack inspired by the book’s sassy Latina heroine (nail polish, jewelry, and mojitos are some of her favorite things) and the beachy setting in Miami. People who purchased Izzy during the pre-order period are also eligible for the giveaway!

This prize pack includes:
  • Deco Miami Custom Trio Set of Nail Lacquer with Champagne Mami, Feeling Fuego, and Señorita 
  • Betsey Johnson Peacock Feather Earrings
  • Gift Republic Mojito Cocktail Scented Candle
  • Coconut Scented Gift Set from The Body Shop (inc. Shower Gel, Body Scrub, Body Butter, Soap, and Bath Lily)
  • Bella Pilar Gem-Topped Gold Pen
  • She Spiral Notepad Set by Kate Spade New York (Quotes on Notepads: 1 - She believed she could, so she did. 2 - "How many shades of red lipstick do you need," they asked. "That question," she replied, "is complex and intriguing." 3 - She adores pretty things and witty words.)
To enter this giveaway, e-mail Tracie Banister at traciebanister@gmail.com with your proof of purchase. Entries will be accepted until midnight on January 30th, 2018 when a winner will be selected via random drawing. This is an international giveaway, so anyone who buys Izzy As Is within the allotted time frame is eligible to win. Good luck!

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Holiday Treats for Chick Lit Lovers


In the spirit of coming together for the holidays, eight popular Chick Lit authors are "partying it up" with a shared promotion for book lovers! That means eight fun and fizzy e-books, each priced at $3.99 or less, that are packed with plenty of laughs and romance to keep you entertained on those long winter nights! And if you'd like to gift one of these books to a Chick Lit fan, we've got you covered with your choice of paperbacks!

Which books are featured in this festive promo? 
Check them out below!

I've read a couple of these books and loved them!

I will definitely be filling up my stocking with the rest of these books! 

Finding Lucas by Samantha Stroh Bailey

Daytime talk show producer Jamie Ross is beyond fed up with her toxic bad boy turned metrosexual boyfriend. Spurred on by her gang of quirky friends, she goes on a hilarious, at-times disastrous, and totally life-changing hunt to track down the "one who got away." But are some loves best left behind?

E-book and paperback available on Amazon

In Need of Therapy by Tracie Banister

Handling the problems of hysterical hypochondriacs, lovelorn neurotics, and compulsive man whores is all in a day's work for super-shrink Pilar Alvarez. But can she deal with her crazy Cuban family, a trio of unsuitable suitors, and a threat to her practice without ending up on the couch herself?

E-book available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble; paperback available on Amazon

What the Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard

Discovering what her dog ate turns Maggie Baxter’s world upside down. With her chocolate Lab, Kona, as her guide, can Maggie forego her overly analytical ways to find a new life filled with tail-wagging joy?

E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

The Girl, the Gold Tooth, & Everything by Francine LaSala

Suburban housewife Mina, beaten-down and struggling with amnesia, starts getting her memory and her mojo back. But she soon learns everything has a price in this fast-paced, richly layered, and darkly humorous satire!

E-book and paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie

When Roxy Rule shares a passionate kiss with her lifelong best friend, she must come to terms with her feelings for him while dealing with two sisters in full crisis mode, a boss who makes her want to stab herself with a letter opener and a fiancé who can't wait to walk down the aisle. Can she keep it together--or will she break under the pressure?

E-book available on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble; paperback available on Amazon

Fashioning a Romance by Libby Mercer

Devastatingly handsome and deliciously weird, John Harrington is the man of Caitlyn Taylor's dreams… and her nightmares. She has no use for a womanizer like him, and dodges his advances like a pro. But when they end up in Paris together, Caitlyn feels her resolve begin to slip. How will she ever be able to resist the irresistible in the most romantic city in the world?

E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo 

A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr 

Jane Frank is newly single after nine years and looking for a second chance at love. But when she dives head first into the NYC dating scene and finds it infested with flakes who are interested today and gone tomorrow, it may be time for Jane to turn the tables! 

E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble 

Picture Perfect by Lucie Simone 

Lauren Tate's perfectly planned life quickly unravels at the seams when a smear campaign threatens her career as a top TV executive, but she learns just how cutthroat showbiz can truly be when the hottest scandal in Tinsel Town turns deadly and the Hollywood hunk who's stolen her heart goes missing. 

E-book available on Amazon; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble




Wednesday, September 12, 2012

In Need of Therapy by Tracie Banister

Lending a sympathetic ear and dispensing sage words of advice is all part of the job for psychologist Pilar Alvarez, and she’s everything a good therapist should be: warm, compassionate, supportive. She listens, she cares, and she has all the answers, but how’s the woman everyone turns to in their hour of need supposed to cope when her own life starts to fall apart?

While working hard to make a success of her recently-opened practice in trendy South Beach, Pilar must also find time to cater to the demands of her boisterous Cuban family, which includes younger sister Izzy, an unemployed, navel-pierced wild child who can't stay out of trouble, and their mother, a beauty queen turned drama queen who’s equally obsessed with her fading looks and getting Pilar married before it’s “too late.” Although she’d like to oblige her mother and make a permanent love connection, Pilar’s romantic prospects look grim. Her cheating ex, who swears that he’s reformed, is stalking her. A hunky, but strictly off-limits, patient with bad-boy appeal and intimacy issues is making passes. And the sexy shrink in the suite across the hall has a gold band on his left ring finger.

When a series of personal and professional disasters lead Pilar into the arms of one of her unsuitable suitors, she's left shaken, confused, and full of self-doubt. With time running out, she must make sense of her feelings and learn to trust herself again so that she can save her business, her family, and most importantly, her heart. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads

My thoughts on In Need of Therapy ~~

I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I loved being a part of Pilar's life for a few days. Pilar is a psychologist who does a wonderful job of helping her clients figure out their lives as well as trying to figure out her own. I loved the parts of the book where she meets with her clients, maybe because psychology has always been an interest for me. Tracie writes very believable scenarios and fun, little bit crazy, likable characters.

Besides all the quirky clients and the wonderful Pilar, there is Izzy, Pilar's younger sister, who is too old to live at home anymore but doesn't think there is anything wrong with living and mooching off of her older sister. And then there is Pilar's mom, a drama queen who is determined to hook her daughter up with Victor, the ex-boyfriend, turned stalker, but who is the perfect catch in mom's eyes. And Ford, the psychiatrist who moves into the office down the hall with his adorable little son. He becomes a very good friend but is off limits to Pilar. Loved them all.

In Need of Therapy is very well written and was a true pleasure to read. I became totally immersed in Pilar's life and was actually kind of sad when it ended. I love Tracie's writing style and I will be watching for whatever she writes next. But first, I have to go read her first book, Blame it on the Flame - it looks like a winner too!

Connect with Tracie
Author of In Need of Therapy and Blame It on the Fame


An avid reader and writer, Tracie Banister has been scribbling stories since she was a child, most of them featuring feisty heroines with complicated love lives like her favorite fictional protagonist Scarlett O'Hara. Her work was first seen on the stage of her elementary school, where her 4th grade class performed an original holiday play that she penned (Like all good divas-in-the-making, she, also, starred in and tried to direct the production.) Her dreams of authorial success were put on the backburner when she reached adulthood and discovered that she needed a "real" job in order to pay her bills. Her career as personal assistant to a local entrepreneur lasted for 12 years. When it ended, Tracie decided to follow her bliss and dedicate herself to writing full-time. Her debut novel, the Hollywood-themed BLAME IT ON THE FAME, was released in January, 2012. And she's following that up with the fun summer read, IN NEED OF THERAPY.

Tracie blogs about books and other fun stuff at http://traciebanister.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

WWW Wednesdays September 5


WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Clicking on the book covers will take you to Goodreads
for more information about the books listed here.

What are you currently reading?

Don't Let Me Go by Catherine Ryan Hyde
This book is by the author that wrote Pay It Forward. Did you ever see that movie? I loved it! I had no idea this was the same author, the story just intrigued me. It's a great read. 

 Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian
I have read and liked other books by Chris and I am listening to this one on CD for my book group this month.

What did you recently finish reading? 

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
I highly recommend this one! Loved it just as much the second time. My thoughts are here

Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles
Loved it! Just the right amount of romance, suspense, murder and crazy fun! Can't wait to get started on book #2! 

In Need of Therapy by Tracie Danister
Great story and wonderful writing. I will be posting my thoughts soon.

What do you think you will read next?

 Last Minute Love by Romi Moondi
I read the first book in this series, Year of the Chick. My thoughts are here, it was a hoot. I am excited to read book #2. 

What's on your WWW this week?

Leave me a comment and 
I'll stop by to check out your reads. 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

WWW Wednesdays August 29



WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

Clicking on the book covers will take you to Goodreads
for more information about the books listed here.

What are you currently reading?

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
This is a re-read for me. My book club is reading it this month. I loved it the first time and I am loving it again.
My thoughts are here

Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles
I met Ann last fall in Deadwood and am hoping to meet up with her again this fall at the South Dakota Book Festival. She is currently working on book #4 of this series.

What did you recently finish reading? 

And When She Was Good by Laura Lippman
My first book by Lippman but it won't be my last.
Read my thoughts here and enter my giveaway ~ ends 8/31 

Dewitched: The Untold Story of the Wicked Witch by E.L. Sarnoff
I read this for the CLP Book Tour, it's hilarious!
My thoughts are here

What do you think you will read next?

In Need of Therapy by Tracie Danister
I received this book from the author and I am excited to start it. It'll be the perfect read for the 3-day weekend coming up. 


What's on your WWW this week?

Leave me a comment and 
I'll stop by to check out your reads. 

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