Dizzy In Love by Brittany Larsen

QOTD:  Do you stretch or do Yoga?  Do you like baby goats?  Should those questions be next to each other?  

My lovely sister-in-law introduced me to @TuneUpFitness and it has been a game changer for me.  I encourage everyone I know to look into it.  

@brittanylarsen.books she has some cute goat videos.  Baby Goats are cute from a distance.   Still sorting my thoughts on goat yoga.  

Both pictures today feature the wonderful book Dizzy in Love by Brittany Larsen.  My first picture shows a possible goat barn in the back, and the second some of my TuneUp Fitness gear with the book. Reading the story will help you with the connection.

Review: Dizzy in Love by Brittany Larsen is part of the Creekville Kisses series, and a stand alone novel. Our story features Isabel who is called Dizzy by her family as they perceive her as someone who is scattered, and Jayden who has taken over for his father as a judge in Creekville.  Izzy has not seen Jayden since high school when she appears in his courtroom for a misdemeanor.   She gets his attention, though maybe not as she had planned.    

The alternating POV with Jayden made for an outstanding read    The author does a fantastic job making her characters relatable as they work through life issues. As a teacher I enjoyed reading about the strategies that the author had Izzy use with her ADD. It was so well written.  Izzy’s family and  friends, cute goats, and her grandmother were a wonderful supporting cast and had me wondering if it is possible to move to Creekville.  

  

Dizzy in Love made my weekend!  It was funny, sweet and thoughtful!  The themes of second chances, rebuilding your life, and learning to really listen to others gave the story depth.    Brittany Larsen is now one of my new go-to authors, and I look forward to reading more of her stories!      I highly recommend Dizzy in Love!    

I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a positive review. 

Brittany Larsen loves stories and firmly believes every story is a love story. Or at least should be. She has published four Sweet RomComs, three contemporary retellings of Jane Austen novels, and one novella. Her most recent work is Dizzy in Love, a sweet romcom. Idaho will always be where she’s from, but she calls California home.

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

Have you read Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimonos? It has been fun to see this story all over bookstagram, and I did my best with the picture.  I

This mystery with romance and humor made my weekend. It was pure fun!  Finlay is such an amusing character who is always getting herself into crazy predicaments with her nanny/good friend Vero.  She navigates two love interests, the mob, parenting her two small children, and her ex-husband who has a bounty on him with style.  All of this leads to some hysterical scenes.

This fast moving book kept my attention and brought me joy!  I am  counting down until book #3 comes out in January of 2023.  I highly recommend this book!  

Thank you to @bookspark and @ellecosimano for the gifted copy of the book.  All opinions are my own. 

Elle Cosimano is a USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Her acclaimed young adult novels include Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a PEOPLE Magazine Pick and was named one of New York Public Library's Best Books of 2021. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Cosimano lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia.

Hearts and Goals by Carolyn Miller

QOTD: Do you enjoy visiting botanical gardens?  I just found out that there is a Boerner Botanical Garden in Wisconsin.  I may have to visit.  

In Hearts and Goals by Carolyn Miller we are introduced to some of the Botanical gardens in Montreal.  

Review:  Hearts and Goals by Carolyn Miller is book number four in her Original Six Hockey Romance Series. The book is a part of a series, but definitely a stand alone novel. Beau is a hockey goalie who has just been traded to the Montreal Canadiens, and  Maggie is a widowed single mom who works at Montreal’s Botanical Garden.  

I greatly enjoyed both main characters. Maggie’s back story drew me in and I loved connecting with her.  Beau is everything a hero should be. I must admit his long hair was super cool and added to his charms.   Engaging secondary characters added to the story, and  I wanted to hang out with Beau's sister Olivia!  The setting of  Montreal, Canada was intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the city.  

I have been anxiously awaiting Beau’s story, and I was not disappointed!  For me this was a story about not letting your past dictate your future, reaching out in your community, and enjoying each day you have.  I highly recommend Hearts and Goals by Carolyn Miller.  

I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a review.

I'm an Inspirational romance author who lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia with my husband and four children. Together with my husband I pastored a church for ten years, and I've worked as a high school English and Learning and Support teacher. I love reading (especially Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer), music, films, gardens, art, travel and food. I really enjoy creating worlds where flawed people can grow in faith, hope and love. I am represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube agency.

The Do-Over by Bethany Turner

WOW!!  I have always enjoyed reading books by Bethany Turner, but I believe The Do Over  is her best story yet.  McKenna Keaton is a highly driven lawyer living in New York City who has known the path of her life since she was age seven. Henry Blumenthal makes documentaries and happens to be the guy from high school who she studies with and  was competing against to be valedictorian.    They have not seen each other since high school and meet again when she is home involuntarily.   (I found a little of  the TV show Family Ties and a touch of Jane Austen’s Persuasion running through this.) 

I LOVED this story. It was delightful and held my interest from the first page. I connected with the amazing secondary characters who made me laugh.  The twists and turns of the  subplots added depth to the story while keeping  it interesting.  The romance was delightful and I am now team #HenryBlumenthal. (Long sigh) 

The Do Over shared life lessons with sweet romance, wonderful characters, and  humor to make a memorable story.  The perfect book to brighten up my week. I highly recommend this book!  

I was given a complimentary copy of the book and not required to write a positive review.

Bethany Turner has been writing since the second grade, when she won her first writing award for her essay explaining why, if she could have lunch with any person throughout history, she would choose John Stamos. Do-gooders all around her chose Reagan, Thatcher and Gorbachev, but it was Bethany’s ode to Uncle Jesse which walked away with the prize. More than 25 years later, her writing is still infused with pop culture and off-the-beaten-track ideas.

Bethany is a born and bred Kentucky girl who relocated to Colorado in 2001, three years after meeting the love of her life in a chat room, back before anyone knew that wasn’t always a good idea. Thankfully, it worked out in this case, and she and her husband are the proud parents of two boys. In 2014 Bethany walked away from her career as a bank vice president to step out in faith as a writer. Since then, God has not only opened doors in the publishing world, but has also called her to full-time ministry serving on a church staff. She is an innovative systems administrator for a rural church that is passionate about reaching the unchurched.

Bethany is proud to say that John Stamos regularly ignores her on social media, even to this very day.

By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate

 Thanks for the gifted book, @PutnamBooks.

Any Other Name by Lauren Kate was a wonderful read.  I am smiling, now just thinking about this lovely book.  Lanie's life is changed after reading a book by author Noa Calloway.  She changes the direction of her life and she becomes an editor.  Like everyone else she hopes to one day meet Noa Calloway.  But as quoted from the movie Sabrina, “Illusions are dangerous people, they have no flaws.”  

The  author includes us on Laine’s  journey of self-discovery.  Her quirky friends and funny grandmother had me laughing out loud, and wishing I could attend their outings. As a lover of reading and all things books, it was fun to be a part of the book industry for a few hours vicariously through reading. It was great to travel through different places in  New York City.  

  

 By Any Other Name is an absolute delight!  Author Lauren Kate has written a funny, thoughtful, and endearing story.  I highly recommend it. 

Thank you to Putnam Books for the advanced copy, all thoughts are my own.

Lauren Kate is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Fallen novels, the Teardrop novels, and The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove. Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages. She lives in Los Angeles with her family.

The Enchanted Heiress by Kristi Ann Hunter

Enchanting the Heiress by Kristi Ann Hunter is the third in Hearts on the Heath, but a stand alone novel.   The story is set in Newmarket which is a market town in the English county of Suffolk, north of London.  Harriet is a person who likes to direct others in a helpful way, but has secrets.  Jonas is from Ireland and currently working for his twin sister’s husband and loves horses.  Their stories make them unlikely to be friends let alone love interests. 

The story was lovely and I greatly enjoyed the characters. Both Harriet and Jonas struggle with finding their place in the world and knowing their purpose. Their conversations with each other are heartwarming, humorous, and leave each of them a little unsettled.

I found myself highlighting an amazing quote on almost every page of this wonderful book. The dialogue between the characters and their deeper meanings had me pondering themes of purpose, contentment, and true friendship. Kristi Ann Hunter is an auto-buy for me! I highly recommend Enchanting the Heiress. 

I was given a complimentary copy and not required to write a review.

Kristi is the award winning author of Regency romance novels from a Christian worldview. Her books include the Hawthorne House series, the Haven Manor series, and the recently published first stories of the Hearts on the Heath series. Beyond writing, she is also speaker, teaching classes in writing as well as Biblical and spiritual topics. She has spoken to writers' groups, schools, and young women's groups at churches. 

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When she is not writing or interacting with her readers, Kristi spends time with her family and her church. A graduate of Georgia Tech with a computer science degree, she can also be found fiddling with her computer in her free time. A born lover of stories she is also an avid reader. From very young she dreamed of sharing her own stories with others and praises God daily that she gets to live that dream today.