Release Day! Forever Hold Your Peace by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke ~ My Thoughts #ForeverHoldYourPeace @LizandLisa @AlcovePress

Congratulation Liz & Lisa

on the release today of

Forever Hold Your Peace!

 

Forever Hold Your Peace by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke 

Women's Fiction, 353 pages

Published July 11, 2023 by Alcove Press

Father of the Bride meets Bride Wars in Forever Hold Your Peace, in which two ex-best friends find themselves shockingly entangled after more than two decades apart, for fans of Good Company.

When their newly engaged kids ask all four divorced parents to meet each other over brunch, everyone RSVPs yes--secretly hoping someone at the table will get to the bottom of the bottomless mimosas fast enough to say what they’re all thinking: that this engagement, coming after a whirlwind romance between two people barely out of college, is too much too soon.

But at that brunch, it’s not the impulsive couple's decisions that end up under the microscope, as it turns out June, mother of the bride, and Amy, mother of the groom, certainly do know each other--they're ex-best-friends who haven't spoken since their explosive falling out more than twenty-five years ago. Reeling from their unwanted reunion and eager to shift the spotlight off their past as decades-old secrets and rivalries come to light, the two moms battle it out for the prize of Most Enthusiastic About This Wedding.

But when their history—and their present-day shenanigans—threaten to crack the foundations of the happy couple’s future, June and Amy find themselves becoming unexpected allies in an all-hands-on-deck effort to get their kids (and themselves) a happily-ever-after two generations in the making.

Forever Hold Your Peace is perfect for readers who love messy, complicated family novels like All Adults Here and stories that bring the past and present together like One Italian Summer.

My thoughts about Forever Hold Your Peace  ~~

(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 lines.)

First lines—"It was official, Olivia decided. The Amalfi Coast was the most romantic  place in the world."

Forever Hold Your Peace had me from the start. Who would have thought that these two wonderful, loving people getting engaged would turn their world into such turmoil? 

Olivia and Zach fall in love—it's such a romantic story—and are expecting to have a beautiful, sweet wedding. That's all good until all the parents meet over brunch. Then the fun begins. Who knew there was such an interesting, complicated history between the couples? And it just goes on from there, with the battles between the moms to always one-up the other one. It was so hilarious to see what they would come with next. 

As the two families work to become one, all of the issues come up. Can they get through them or will it be the end of this loving couple? I loved all of the drama, and humor, of this story. The best part for me was witnessing the fighting between the moms. And they had good reasons for the drama, don't get me wrong. But I loved watching them fighting it out over wedding decisions. Until they can work out their issues, this couple is doomed.

I thoroughly enjoyed Forever Hold Your Peace. It offered me plenty of laughs as I was able to escape my world for a few hours. I don't know how two people are able to write a book together, that idea just blows my mind, but these two women do an excellent job of it and have succeeded with their latest endeavor. I'm always excited to read their stories. Highly recommend this one. 

I received a copy of Forever Hold Your Peace from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

***************************

About the authors

It all started when…

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for over thirty years and survived high school and college together. They’ve co-authored seven novels, including the Amazon Charts bestseller, The Good Widow. Their forthcoming book, Forever Hold Your Peace, will be published on July 11, 2023. 

In addition to writing books, they created a podcast, We Fight So You Don’t Have to: Lessons from a thirty-year friendship. They also appear monthly on a San Diego news station to share their favorite book club picks.  

They both reside in San Diego, California with their families and several rescue dogs.

Connect with Liz & Lisa

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

 Liz on Goodreads | Lisa on Goodreads

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day! How to Save a Life by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke ~ My Thoughts #HowToSaveALife #NetGalley

Congrats Liz & Lisa
on the release today of
How to Save a Life!

How to Save a Life by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Print & e-book, 303 pages 
Published July 14th 2020 by Lake Union Publishing

The bestselling authors of The Good Widow deliver a modern, suspenseful twist on Groundhog Day that asks the question: How far are you willing to go to save the life of someone you love?

Dom is having a very bad day—one he literally can’t escape.

When Dom bumps into Mia, his ex-fiancée whom he hasn’t seen in almost a decade, he believes they’ve been given a second chance and asks her out. When Mia dies tragically on their date, Dom makes a desperate wish: to be given the chance to save her life. And when he wakes the next morning to the shock that she’s alive, he thinks his wish may have been granted. But day after day, no matter what he changes about their time together, she still meets a terrible fate.

Dom frantically searches for answers to save his beloved Mia and rekindle their former love. But the further he digs, the more obsessed he becomes, making him realize that slowing down time may be the only way to see things clearly. As he’s forced to confront the truth about himself and those he’s closest to, Dom vows that he’ll watch Mia die a thousand times if it means he can save her once. 

My thoughts about How to Save a Life ~~ 

(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—"This bulge in my pants is making me sweat."

OMG! This book drained me emotionally! But in a good way. How is that even possible? 

Dom is in a weird Groundhog Day loop, having to relive the day that his ex-fiancée dies. The very first time that it happened, I was devastated. And then shocked that Dom, and I, had to do it all again. Each day, he tries to change what he does and how he reacts to the events in his life, hoping for a better outcome. And each day he, and I, are destroyed. 

How to Save a Life is a unique story, unlike any that I have ever read. Even though it was heartbreaking to witness Mia dying day after day, I wouldn't have missed this one for the world. Liz and Lisa continually create amazing stories that knock my socks off. You definitley need to add this one to your reading list! 

About the authors

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for 25 years and survived high school and college together. Liz lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and two children. Lisa, a former talk show producer, now lives in Chicago, IL with her husband, daughter and two bonus children.

Connect with Liz and Lisa

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day! The Two Lila Bennetts by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke #TheTwoLilaBennetts

Congrats Liz and Lisa

on the release today of

The Two Lila Bennetts!

The Two Lila Bennetts by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke
Print and ebook, 320 pages
Published July 23rd 2019 by Lake Union Publishing

“One fateful decision. Two unexpected endings. A perfect summer read!” —Wendy Walker, bestselling author of The Night Before

Lila Bennett’s bad choices have finally caught up with her. And one of those decisions has split her life in two. Literally.

In one life, she’s taken hostage by someone who appears to be a stranger but knows too much. As she’s trapped in a concrete cell, her kidnapper forces her to face what she’s done or be killed. In an alternate life, she eludes her captor but is hunted by someone who is dismantling her happiness, exposing one secret at a time.

Lila’s decorated career as a criminal defense attorney, her marriage, and her life are on the line. She must make a list of those she’s wronged—both in and out of the courtroom—to determine who is out to get her before it’s too late. But even if she can pinpoint her assailant, will she survive? And if she does, which parts of her life are worth saving, and which parts must die? Because one thing’s for certain—life as Lila Bennett knew it is over.

     

I absolutely loved this book! I blew me away. You can read my thoughts here. Then you really need to get it and read it ASAP! 

************************

About the authors

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for 25 years and survived high school and college together. Liz lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and two children. Lisa, a former talk show producer, now lives in Chicago, IL with her husband, daughter and two bonus children.

Connect with Liz and Lisa

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

The Two Lila Bennetts by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke ~ My Thoughts #TheTwoLilaBennetts #NetGalley

The Two Lila Bennetts

The Two Lila Bennetts by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Print and ebook, 320 pages
Expected publication: July 23rd 2019 by Lake Union Publishing

“One fateful decision. Two unexpected endings. A perfect summer read!” —Wendy Walker, bestselling author of The Night Before

Lila Bennett’s bad choices have finally caught up with her. And one of those decisions has split her life in two. Literally.

In one life, she’s taken hostage by someone who appears to be a stranger but knows too much. As she’s trapped in a concrete cell, her kidnapper forces her to face what she’s done or be killed. In an alternate life, she eludes her captor but is hunted by someone who is dismantling her happiness, exposing one secret at a time.

Lila’s decorated career as a criminal defense attorney, her marriage, and her life are on the line. She must make a list of those she’s wronged—both in and out of the courtroom—to determine who is out to get her before it’s too late. But even if she can pinpoint her assailant, will she survive? And if she does, which parts of her life are worth saving, and which parts must die? Because one thing’s for certain—life as Lila Bennett knew it is over.

     

My thoughts about The Two Lila Bennetts ~~

(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 lines.)

First line—"Wake up! Wake the hell up! The sound of my own voice shakes me out of my deep slumber, and my stomach lurches. I've lost track of time."

When I finished this book, my first thoughts were "What? Wow! Just wow! What did I just read?" And that ending! I'm still trying to process it. This is definitely a tale that gave me a book hangover and I can't wait to read it again. 

The amazing writing duo, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have created another fabulous page-turning story that will keep you on edge of your seat. And it will have you scratching your head at the ending as you try to process their entire brilliant creation.  

This is a book that I can't quit thinking about. It needs to go on your TBR list right now! What an awesome story Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke. Thanks for the amazing ride—I look forward to taking this trip again. 

I received a copy of The Two Lila Bennetts from the authors via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book. 

************************

About the authors

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for 25 years and survived high school and college together. Liz lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and two children. Lisa, a former talk show producer, now lives in Chicago, IL with her husband, daughter and two bonus children.

Connect with Liz and Lisa

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Release Day! Girls' Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

Happy Release Day!!



Girls' Night Out

Girls' Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Paperback, 336 pages
Published July 24th 2018 by Lake Union Publishing

For estranged friends Ashley, Natalie, and Lauren, it’s time to heal the old wounds between them. Where better to repair those severed ties than on a girls’ getaway to the beautiful paradise of Tulum, Mexico? But even after they’re reunited, no one is being completely honest about the past or the secrets they’re hiding. When Ashley disappears on their girls’ night out, Natalie and Lauren have to try to piece together their hazy memories to figure out what could have happened to her, while also reconciling their feelings of guilt over their last moments together.

Was Ashley with the man she’d met only days before? Did she pack up and leave? Was she kidnapped? Or worse—could Natalie or Lauren have snapped under the weight of her own lies?

As the clock ticks, hour by hour, Natalie and Lauren’s search rushes headlong into growing suspicion and dread. Maybe their secrets run deeper and more dangerous than one of them is willing—or too afraid—to admit.

Congratulations Liz and Lisa

 on the release today of

Girls' Night Out!

I've read this book already and I loved it just like I've loved their other books. You can read my thoughts here. It is the perfect book to get lost in this summer and I know you'll be drawn into the story like I was. I highly recommend it! 

About the authors

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for 25 years and survived high school and college together. Liz lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and two children. Lisa, a former talk show producer, now lives in Chicago, IL with her husband, daughter and two bonus children.

Connect with Liz and Lisa

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

*****************************

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

Girls' Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke ~ My Thoughts

Girls' Night Out

Girls' Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Paperback, 336 pages
Expected publication: July 24th 2018 by Lake Union Publishing

For estranged friends Ashley, Natalie, and Lauren, it’s time to heal the old wounds between them. Where better to repair those severed ties than on a girls’ getaway to the beautiful paradise of Tulum, Mexico? But even after they’re reunited, no one is being completely honest about the past or the secrets they’re hiding. When Ashley disappears on their girls’ night out, Natalie and Lauren have to try to piece together their hazy memories to figure out what could have happened to her, while also reconciling their feelings of guilt over their last moments together.

Was Ashley with the man she’d met only days before? Did she pack up and leave? Was she kidnapped? Or worse—could Natalie or Lauren have snapped under the weight of her own lies?

As the clock ticks, hour by hour, Natalie and Lauren’s search rushes headlong into growing suspicion and dread. Maybe their secrets run deeper and more dangerous than one of them is willing—or too afraid—to admit.

My thoughts about Girls' Night Out ~

(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 lines.)

First line—"Waves lapped against the shore. It sounded as if the sea was breathing. In and out. In and out."

Wow! This was an innocent girls' night out that went totally wrong! Three good friends take a trip to get away and reconnect with each other again. Things have not been good between the three for awhile. A trip to a beautiful place in Mexico will fix all that, right? Wrong!

Ashley disappears during their girls' night out and Natalie or Lauren have no idea where she might be, or who she might be with. As they try to put the pieces together, we learn about the rifts between the three friends as they start uncovering the lies of their lives. They realize they have to put their difference aside to make sure Ashley is safe.

Girls' Night Out was a story that grabbed me from the start, because the reader knows from the get-go that something has happened to one of the girls. That was a good ploy on the authors'parts—so many questions needed to be answered right from the start. The story then goes from the present to the past, alternating between the two, as parts of the story are revealed like clues to solve the mystery and to explain the women's past relationships.

This book was a pager-turner that kept me guessing until the very end. I was as concerned about Ashley as her two friends were. Liz and Lisa definitely have another hit on their hands.

I'm continually amazed at the ability of two people to write such fascinating novels together so seamlessly that the reader doesn't realize that there are two 'voices' contributing to the story. Great job, gals!!

I received a copy of Girls' Night Out from the authors in exchange for my honest review.

About the authors

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for 25 years and survived high school and college together. Liz lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and two children. Lisa, a former talk show producer, now lives in Chicago, IL with her husband, daughter and two bonus children.

Connect with Liz and Lisa

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

*****************************

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

The Good Widow by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke ~ My Thoughts

The Good Widow

The Good Widow by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Print and e-book, 302 pages
Published June 1st 2017 by Lake Union Publishing

Bestselling authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke make their suspense debut in this twisty, emotional thriller.

Elementary school teacher Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales’s marriage was far from perfect, but even in its ups and downs it was predictable, familiar. Or at least she thought it was…until two police officers showed up at her door with devastating news. Her husband of eight years, the one who should have been on a business trip to Kansas, had suffered a fatal car accident in Hawaii. And he wasn’t alone.

For Jacks, laying her husband to rest was hard. But it was even harder to think that his final moments belonged to another woman—one who had left behind her own grieving and bewildered fiancé. Nick, just as blindsided by the affair, wants answers. So he suggests that he and Jacks search for the truth together, retracing the doomed lovers’ last days in paradise.

Now, following the twisting path of that fateful road, Jacks is learning that nothing is ever as it seems. Not her marriage. Not her husband. And most certainly not his death…

  

My thoughts about The Good Widow ~~ 

(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 lines.)

First line—"His fingers slithered like a snake to find hers. She opened her palm and accepted them. There was something about the commanding way her reached for her. It felt like a statement. You are mine."

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have created an intense, romantic, suspenseful, page turning thriller. How can it be all those things at once? Believe me, The Good Widow, is all that and more. I've read other books by this dynamic duo so I was expecting something similar. Boy, was I wrong! I loved it and I'm excited for this new dimension of their storytelling. 

Jacks finds herself on such a rollercoaster ride, as first she learns that her husband is dead and then as she finds out more about his accident, their marriage, and who to trust, or not trust. 

I can't even imagine what it takes to write a novel, let alone to write it with another person. And to be able to make it read so seamlessly that the reader doesn't have a clue where one writer starts and another one ends is amazing. 

I also have to throw this in. In the book, they mentioned Nebraska Cornhuskers, Omaha, and Sioux Falls—all of which are near and dear to my heart. Loved that!

"Some things are better left alone." This line really jumped out at me and could maybe be tagged as the moral of the story.

Great job with The Good Widow, Liz and Lisa! I hope you have more stories like this one in your imaginations.

About the authors

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for 25 years and survived high school and college together. Liz lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and two children. Lisa, a former talk show producer, now lives in Chicago, IL with her husband, daughter and two bonus children.

Connect with Liz and Lisa

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

*****************************

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

I'll Have Who She's Having by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Kate's been depressed ever since yet another long-term boyfriend unceremoniously dumped her. When her younger and married sister Kelly convinces her the way to meet a quality man is for the two of them to sign up for a volleyball class, she s just desperate enough to agree. But Kate becomes so fixated on their coach that she fails to see an unlikely but perfect match right in front of her. 

Kelly s been less than happy for longer than she wants to admit. She s the one who appears to have it all: the perfect husband, the big house and the beautiful daughter. Despite it all, she feels an emptiness she can t explain and is conflicted when it s her volleyball coach who offers an answer. 

I'll Have Who She's Having follows Kate and Kelly as they battle themselves and each other in their search for a happy ending. Through a series of hardships and self-doubt, they both realize they were looking for happiness in the wrong places. It s a novel for anyone who ever secretly let their insecurity get the best of them. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads 

I just finished reading The D Word by Liz and Lisa and loved it! I loved it so much that I got their first book, I'll Have Who She's Having and read it too.

It is amazing to me that 2 people can work so closely together to be able to write a book. It seems to me that writing a book by yourself would be challenging enough, but then to throw in another person, yikes! Obviously these 2 women know each other very well to be able to produce not 1, but 2 novels and a fabulous blog, that is a absolute treat to read.

But I digress -- so about the book. I ll Have Who She's Having is a great chick-lit read, perfect for the summer. The story centers around 2 sisters and basically their love lives, or maybe you could say, their lack of love lives. All they want is to be happy, isn't that what everyone wants? These 2 sisters bumble through their lives thinking something other than what is right in front of them will make them happy.

This book is serious and sad in places but also heartwarming in other spots. And hilarious is thrown in, in a lot of places, just like I imagine the authors to be. Kate and Kelley are very likable characters and as I was reading, I really hoped they would find love and happiness and a happy ending. 

Thanks Liz and Lisa for another great story. Can't wait to see what you gals do next!

Authors website  http://chicklitisnotdead.com/

The D Word by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

Jordan Daniels and Elle Ryan thought their lives would become less complicated when they walked away from their respective relationships one year ago. But instead, they find themselves vying for a relationship with the same divorced man.

As a spiritual counselor, newly single mother Jordan Daniels makes her living predicting other people’s futures. If only she could foresee her own. A year after filing for divorce from her husband, Kevin, he seems to be the one moving on effortlessly, while Jordan still can’t bring herself to fill his old underwear drawer. But it’s not until Jordan’s polar opposite, Elle steals Kevin’s heart, that Jordan becomes convinced she’ll be replaced both as a wife and a mother to her five-year-old son, Max.

When Elle met Kevin, the last thing she wanted was another relationship. Especially not with a man with baggage-she already had enough of her own. She left her fiancé, Chase right before their wedding to avoid the imminent D word, something she’s convinced runs in her family like a disease. But a year later, she’s no closer to becoming less skeptical about marriage. And despite her attachment to Kevin and his son, when Elle sees just how far Jordan’s willing to go to win Kevin back, Elle starts to question if she should have left Chase in the first place.

In The D Word you’ll walk in the shoes of Jordan and Elle as they discover that sometimes you’re not that different from the person who makes you feel the most insecure. ~~synopsis from Goodreads 

This is a great book. The subject could be rather depressing; a divorce, a break-up right before a wedding, and all of the characters trying to put the pieces of their lives back together. But it is very well written with humor and wisdom scattered throughout the book.

The story is told using the point-of-view of both Jordan and Elle, the ex-wife and the new girlfriend. You get an understanding of what it is like to be on both sides of what can be a messy situation. You also get a little of the guy's points-of-view, which gives the reader the perspective of divorce and break-ups from all sides.

One strong point that I think the authors try to make is that communication is the key to making relationships work, even if it means that the relationship has to end. When Jordan and Elle started communicating with those in their lives, issues were resolved and life could go on, they could get past the messy stuff.

This is the first book that I have read by Liz and Lisa. I have followed their blog for a while now and it is a great one. These 2 gals seem to have such a great relationship and they sound like they would be tons of fun to be around. I will definitely read any other books that they write!  

Authors website  http://www.chicklitisnotdead.com