The Book Bag

Saturday, August 27, 2022

This OR That #Giveaway № 71 ~ The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupree OR The Hole in the Middle by Kate Hilton

I have sooooo many books!

The This or That Giveaway! feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to cull my collection and to share some of the many books I have. I get to clear off some of my shelves to make room for more books and give someone else the chance to enjoy these treasures.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

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

The Little French Bridal Shop

by Jennifer Dupee

Hardcover ~ Published March 2021

Jennifer Dupee's debut novel is a delight...a story about discovering your authentic self when things get hard, and the joys you can find when you live from your heart. --Louise Miller

Is a lie of omission still a lie? Larisa Pearl didn't think so and it got her into a heap of trouble.

When Larisa Pearl returns to her small seaside hometown in Massachusetts to manage her beloved great aunt's estate, she's a bit of an emotional mess. She's just lost her job and her boyfriend and she's struggling to cope with her mother's failing health. When she passes by the window of The Little French Bridal Shop, a beautiful ivory satin wedding gown catches her eye...

Now, to the delight of everyone in town, Larisa is planning her wedding. She has her dress, made floral arrangements, and set the date. The only thing missing is the groom. How did this happen? All she did was try on a dress and let her fantasy take flight. But word about her upcoming nuptials has reached the ears of Jack Merrill. As teenagers, they spent time together on her great aunt's estate, building a friendship that could have become something more had they chosen different paths.

Lost in a web of her own lies, Larisa must first face some difficult truths, including her mother's fragile future, before she can embrace her family, straighten out her life, and open her heart to finding love.

Read my thoughts here

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

The Hole in the Middle

Kate Hilton

Paperback ~ November 2013

Sophie Whelan is the kind of woman who prides herself on doing it all. In a single day, she can host a vegan-friendly and lactose-free dinner for ten, thwart a PTA president intent on forcing her to volunteer, and outwit her hostile ‘assistant’ in order to get her work done on time.

With her fortieth birthday looming, and her carefully coordinated existence beginning to come apart at the seams, Sophie begins feeling like she needs more from her life—and especially from her husband, Jesse.

The last thing Sophie needs is a new complication in her life. But when an opportunity from her past suddenly reappears, Sophie is forced to confront the choices she’s made and decide if her chaotic life is really a dream come true—or the biggest mistake she’s ever made.

Read my thoughts here

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Thursday, August 25, 2022

Release Day! The Secrets We Hide by Patricia Sands ~ My Thoughts and the Trailer #TheSecretsWeHide @patricia_sands

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Patricia

on the release today of

The Secrets We Hide!

The Secrets We Hide by Patricia Sands
Women's Psychological Fiction, 400 pages
Published August 25, 2022 by Patricia Sands

The deep traditions and values of Kaito Tanaka’s Japanese heritage are severely tested when he returns home to Honolulu from duty in Vietnam to find his wife, Hana, in the grip of progressive mental health challenges.

As Hana’s condition worsens, Kaito’s life becomes absorbed in protecting and caring for her and their daughter, Kiana. Hana becomes increasingly reclusive while their daughter Kiana grows troubled and rebellious. A friend’s mysterious death followed by Kiana’s sudden disappearance cut deeply into Kaito’s soul. Meditation is Kaito’s drug of choice. Secrecy hides the truth from others but Kaito’s commitment to Hana is unwavering.

As years go by, Kaito begins to make an annual pilgrimage to a Buddhist retreat in Koyasan that renews his spirit. In the end, a serendipitous coincidence there opens the door to happiness – if he can allow himself to accept it.

Purchase links

Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble

Kobo | Books2Read

My thoughts about The Secrets We Hide ~~

(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—"Kaito Tanaka locked the door to his house before he walked out to a waiting taxi. And quite possible to a change of everything in his life."

I absolutely love starting one of Patricia Sand's books. Getting lost in her words is like taking a wonderful vacation to another country. This time I got to travel to Japan, Hawaii, Corsica, and the south of France. Patricia spends a lot of time in France and her love affair with the area is very evident in her stories. Thanks to her beautiful descriptions, I get to travel there vicariously through her.

The Secrets We Hide is a beautiful love story of the devotion Kaito has to the love of his life, even in the worst of times. And things are hard, as his wife withdraws from him, their daughter, and the world. But his loyalty and devotion to her stays strong. It's heartbreaking to witness all that this man had to endure in his life.

Traveling to a Buddhist retreat starts his healing process and thanks to the author's words, the reader is privy to the wisdom and peace that comes from the Buddhist ideology. His journey to peace and happiness is a beautiful thing to witness and makes this such a delightful, amazing story.

I have read almost all of Patricia's books and have loved each and every one. The Secrets We Hide is definitely one of my favorites now. Such a heartwarming story! I highly recommend this one to all.

I received The Secrets We Hide from the author and this is my honest opinion of the book.

Trailer

About the author

Bestselling author Patricia Sands lives two hours north of Toronto, Canada, in The Blue Mountains, when she isn't somewhere else, and calls the south of France her second home. An admitted travel fanatic, she can pack a bag in a flash and be ready to go anywhere … particularly the south of France. With a focus on travel, women’s issues and aging, her stories celebrate the feminine spirit and the power of friendship.

Her award-winning 2010 debut novel, The Bridge Club, is a book-group favorite, and The Promise of Provence, which launched her three-part Love in Provence series (followed by Promises to Keep and I Promise You This), was a finalist for a 2013 USA Best Book Award and a 2014 National Indie Excellence Award, an Amazon Hot New Release in April 2013, and a 2015 nominee for a #RBRT Golden Rose award in the category of romance. Her fifth novel, Drawing Lessons, was released by Lake Union Publishing on October 1, 2017.

Lavender, Loss & Love, A Season of Surprises and The First Noel make up the the Villa de Violettes series, based on the Love in Provence characters.

The Bridge Club ~ Tenth Anniversary edition ~ was released in September 2021 and is now in Kindle Unlimited.

On August 25, 2022, her novel The Secrets We Hide will be released.

Sands also contributes to such Francophile websites as The Good Life France and Perfectly Provence and loves to visit Book Clubs either live or on ZOOM! Info on her website.

Find out more at Patricia’s Facebook Author Page, Amazon Author Page or her website. There are links to her books, social media, and a monthly newsletter that has special giveaways, photography from France, and sneak peeks at her next book. She loves hearing from readers.

Patricia has led six 10-day tours of the French Riviera and the countryside of Provence. She will be co-hosting another 'Sold Out' women's tour of Provence in September 2021 with her good friend Deborah Bine aka The Barefoot Blogger.

Find out more at Patricia’s Facebook Author Page, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads or her blog where you will find links to her books, social media, and monthly newsletter. She loves hearing from readers, so don’t hesitate to email her. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Patricia

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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

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

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

Release Day! Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie ~ My Thoughts #PleaseJoinUs #NetGalley @CEMcKenzie1 @AtriaBooks

Happy Release Day!

Congrats Catherine

on the release today of

Please Join Us!

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie

Women's Psychological Fiction, 320 pages

Published August 23, 2022 by Atria Books

At thirty-nine, Nicole Mueller’s life is on the rocks. Her once brilliant law career is falling apart. She and her husband, Dan, are soon to be forced out of the apartment they love. After a warning from her firm’s senior partners, she receives an invitation from an exclusive women’s networking group, Panthera Leo. Membership is anonymous, but every member is a successful professional. It sounds like the perfect solution to help Nicole revive her career. So, despite Dan’s concerns that the group might be a cult, Nicole signs up for their retreat in Colorado.

Once there, she meets the other women who will make up her Pride. A CEO, an actress, a finance whiz, a congresswoman: Nicole can’t believe her luck. The founders of Panthera Leo are equally as impressive. They explain the group’s core philosophy: they’re a girl’s club in a boy’s club world.

Nicole is all in. And when she gets home, she soon sees dividends. Her new network quickly provides her with clients that help her relaunch her career, and a great new apartment too. The favors she has to provide in return seem benign. But then she’s called to the congresswoman’s apartment late at night where she’s pressed into helping her cover up a crime. And suddenly, Dan’s concerns that something more sinister is at play seem all too relevant. Can Nicole extricate herself from the group before it’s too late? Or will joining Panthera Leo be the biggest mistake of her life?

My thoughts about Please Join Us ~~

(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—"The door to Althena's apartment is open. I'm both relieved and petrified by this."

The first chapter is going to grab your attention for sure. And then get ready for the ride of your life. You know this group that Nicole has gotten herself involved with is up to something but you'll never imagine the depth of the conniving and deceit that they are capable of.

The intensity, the drama, and the twist and turns will suck you in and you will not want to stop. Are these people really capable of the things they do? Catherine McKenzie is not only an amazing author but she's also a lawyer so there is plenty of the legal world in this story. If you like legal drama thrillers, Please Join Us is the book for you.

I've said it before after reading one of Catherine's books—her stories just keep getting better and better, with each one more fascinating than the one before. I always look forward to her next book. I highly recommend Please Join Us!

I received an ARC of Please Join Us from the author via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.

About the author

Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. A graduate of McGill in History and Law, Catherine practices law in Montreal. An avid runner and skier, she's the author of numerous bestsellers including Hidden, Fractured, The Good Liar, and I'll Never Tell. Her works have been translated into multiple languages.

In 2019, I'll Never Tell was a #1 Amazon Bestseller, a Globe & Mail and Toronto Star Bestseller, was shortlisted for the Hugh McLennan Prize for Fiction and was optioned for a television series by Paramount TV.

Her next novel, Please Join Us, releases August 23, 2022. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Catherine

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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

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

Monday, August 22, 2022

Book Blitz! To Steal a Heart by Jennifer Youngblood ~ Excerpt, Reading and #Giveaway! #ToStealAHeart

To Steal a Heart by Jennifer Youngblood
(Honeysuckle Island, #5)
Publication date: August 10th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense, Women’s Fiction

Coming home has never been so thrilling … or deadly.

When New York Times Bestselling author, Arden Chasing, returns home to Honeysuckle Island to attend a diamond exhibition held at The Oliver Hotel, she soon finds herself embroiled in a perplexing mystery that involves the charming and charismatic Garrett Singleton, a known jewel thief.

As the mystery deeps and danger closes in, Arden fears she might lose something even more valuable than the celebrated pink Finkle diamond—her heart.

Goodreads | Amazon

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

EXCERPT:

Arden liked seeing herself through Crew’s eyes. She got the feeling that he actually appreciated that she was so outspoken.

The moment slowed as the air took on a charge of energy. Arden was keenly aware that the two of them were alone. She didn’t know how Crew could pass himself off as not being exciting. He was the most thrilling man she’d ever been around. His eyes took on a smolder as he scooted closer. Her breath caught as her pulse bumped up several notches. Was she ready to kiss him? This was happening fast. She wanted a whirlwind romance, but at the same time, she wanted something lasting. Was Crew the type of guy who would get bored with her if she made things too easy for him? He was so charming and charismatic that she got the impression that he’d broken many hearts. She didn’t want to be another number.

“I don’t know how much help I can be with the Carmel research part of your book, but if you need any help with the romance, I’m happy to oblige.” He caressed the curve of her jaw with the side of his finger, rippling pleasure through her. “I’m glad our paths crossed,” he murmured. His fingers trailed lightly down her arm, igniting her cells.

He leaned closer, his eyes roving over her with a hunger that stoked an aching yearning in her. Her lips parted instinctively as her breath came faster. He leaned in. Thankfully, before their lips could connect, her good sense took over. She placed her index finger on the center of his lips.

His eyes widened in surprise.

“No kissing tonight,” she said gently. “We need to get to know one another better first.” Oh, how she hated saying those words. Her head argued that she’d acted wisely, but her traitorous body longed to be held in his arms. She wanted to discover the taste of his lips … to run her fingers through his thick mop of blond hair. She wanted to be consumed by him. Wow. That was good. She needed to put those words down on paper … err, her computer screen before they flew out of her head.

He drew back as if disappointed, a tight smile winding over his lips. “That’s what you call a crash and burn.”

She laughed in surprise. “No, it’s called being sensible. You’re way too charming for your own good.”

“Nah,” he winked. “I’m just your everyday, average architectural consultant.”

She gave him a reproving look. “Uh, no. I don’t buy that for one minute. We may be just getting to know one another, but I’m no idiot. You, Crew Bronson, are a Casanova. And no matter how enchanting and handsome you are, I’m going to do the sensible thing and protect my heart.”

Amusement overtook his expression. “Sensibility is overrated.”

“Not in my book.”

A resplendent smile waffled over his lips. “You are the author. I guess you’ll have to be the one who decides how our story will end.”

“I guess you’re right.” She pressed her lips together, studying him. “We’ll start by going sailing in the morning … and then we’ll see.”

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

About the author

Jennifer Youngblood is a USA Today Bestselling Author of clean romance, sweet romance, romantic comedy, and romantic suspense novels. For as long as she could remember, Jennifer has wanted to be an author. In those rare moments when she's not dreaming up another story, Jennifer loves cooking, spending time with family, and occasionally breaking away from her hectic life to take spontaneous trips to exotic and sometimes not so exotic locations. She couldn't survive in a world without chocolate, good books, family, and friends.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook

Instagram | Youtube | Newsletter

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by:

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

Be sure to checkthe sidebar for all of my current giveaways

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? August 22, 2022 #IMWAYR

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

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

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week.

Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading