Tag Archives: Kristan Higgins

WW Ladies/Men Favorite Books of 2012

Barbara Vey -- December 31st, 2012

There are best of lists popping up all over. Best books, best movies, best fashions and more than enough worst lists, but we won’t go there. Rather than name “Best Books,” we’re going with the WW Ladies favorite reads of 2012. Now this doesn’t mean the book had to be published in 2012, it just means it had to be read in 2012. In their emails to me, many lamented the fact that they could pick just one and it was a very difficult decision. Kym absolutely couldn’t make up her mind. Regardless, here’s what I finally got out of them.

Heidi

Heidi - Gnome on the Range, by Jennifer Zane

Sheila – Somebody to Love, by Kristan Higgins.

joysann

joysann – This is too hard… I don’t like to choose. There are just too many books I really enjoy a lot. Print book: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

Audio book: I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Susan

Susan - The Emperor’s Conspiracy by Michelle Diener
;

;

Kym

Kym – I can’t do it! I loved Trisha Ashley‘s newest, Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues, just as I love all of hers. Really liked Grace Burrowes‘s Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight and was also thrilled to discover Rena Gregory’s short story in the Five Golden Rings anthology.

Joan

Joan – If You See Her by Shiloh Walker

Tammy

Tammy – Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James, I loved the whole trilogy as one story.

Michael

Michael – Timeless (The fifth book in the Alexia Tarabotti series) by Gail Carriger (audio book)

Ashley

Ashley – One Night Rodeo by Lorelei James

I have to agree that’s it’s almost impossible to pick a favorite book I read this year. There were many that I enjoyed, but the two I talked about most to people were The Escape Diaries by Juliet Rosetti , a fun romp with an escaped but not guilty convict and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, a futuristic adventure that I couldn’t put down. Neither were all romance, but did have romantic elements.

Please take a moment to tell me the best book you read in 2012. It won’t be easy, but I do like to get recommendations, as do all my readers.

Bottom Line: Remember to check back tomorrow for the link to my new website…it’s launch day!!

Weekly Giveaways

From Pam, Affaire de Coeur Magazine: Blog Contest with Kat Martin. Comment and your name will go into the drawing for an autographed copy of Against the Odds to one blog commenter.

Tweet this post!

WW Ladies Book Club Blurbs

Barbara Vey -- June 22nd, 2011

31 Replies

Summer has officially arrived and with it beach reads. Personally, I could read any book at the beach. There’s just something about having the sun warm your bones while you’re deep in an adventure and an ice cold lemonade quenching your thirst. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Of course, I could do without the sand that seems to cling to every crevice of my body, but that’s a small price to pay for not having to shovel snow. Here’s what the WW Ladies have been enjoying in the sun.

Kym A

Awakening by JoAnn Durgin
.

Read by Kym A
.

Lexa Clarke joins a Team Work Mission for the summer. She expects to travel to an exotic country, but instead is sent to San Antonio, TX to rebuild homes destroyed by a flood. Lexa meets the team work mission director, Sam Lewis who challenges her to grow spiritually and emotionally. They have an immediate attraction, which brings out the best and worst in Lexa. During the eight weeks, Sam and Lexa endure many challenges that cause them to question and grow in their faith, which also brings them closer as a couple.

This is a humorous, uplifting, and adventurous story. Awakening is JoAnn Durgin’s first published novel, which I found to be an entertaining story with many surprising twists and turns.

joysann

Spirit Dances by C E Murphy

Read by joysann

Since recognizing and accepting her shamanic powers, Seattle Detective Joanne Walker’s gifts for magic and healing have grown almost faster than she can learn to control them. In fact, watching an exquisite theater performance of Native American dance, Joanne discovers metaphysical changes in herself as magic swells around her. Something evil is hijacking the magic, however, and Joanne is drawn into searching for an extraordinary murderer.

I’ve been an enthusiastic fan of Joanne and her exploits for years, and The Walker Papers series just keeps getting better. This one I read cover to cover, enthralled, allowing no distractions (then read the last chapter over again). There’s mystery and suspense, humor and sorrow, discovery and excitement, and delight.

Stacey

Talk to Me by Cassandra Carr (E-book)

Read by Stacey

A young sports radio producer from Buffalo moves to Manhattan for her big break, a drive time sports talk show hosted by a former hockey player. But from day one, explosive sexual tension wars with a strong professional camaraderie. When they take their relationship into the bedroom, will they learn there is more at stake than just sex, or will they loose the game of love before the opening face off?

Debut author Carr delivers a scorching erotic tale that captures the essence of Manhattan, Brooklyn and two people who have legitimate concerns about being in a relationship. With her skillful pen, she draws them closer, past emotional pitfalls and well developed secondary characters, towards a love that I genuinely believe is happily ever after.
,

Kym L

My One and Only by Kristan Higgins (E-book)

Read by Kym L

Harper’s got her life just how she wants it. She’s ready to pop the question to long-term boyfriend Dennis when she is interrupted by a phone call from her flighty sister. It seems Willa is getting married — again — to the brother of Harper’s ex-husband Nick. Harper will have to postpone her own plans for matrimony in order to attend the wedding. There, despite the presence of Dennis, Harper and Nick realize they still love each other. To find a future together, they will have to confront the issues that drove them apart, issues both would rather ignore.

Although My One and Only departs somewhat from Higgins’ usual theme of finding love for the first time, it reads as delightfully as her other books. I was left satisfied by Nick and Harper’s tale and enjoyed the numerous other quirky characters as well.

Heidi

Slugfest: A Dirty Business Mystery by Rosemary Harris

Read by Heidi

Paula Holliday has left Connecticut to attend the Big Apple Flower Show in New York City. Her goal is to sell all of the merchandise in her booth, not to be involved in another murder mystery. But when mysterious circumstances keep happening to sabotage the show AND a security guard winds up dead, Paula can’t help but search for answers.

Even though this is the fourth in the series, Slugfest is a funny, quirky mystery all on it’s own. Not only did I fall in love with Paula, I loved JC Kaufman who is looking out for Paula during the flower show. That feisty woman could make any robber think again. With the whole story wrapped around gardening and a flower show, it’s a perfect summertime read!

Stacey

The Heir by Grace Burrowes

Read by Stacey

Dutiful, driven Gayle slowly and inescapably falls in love with his housekeeper. But she has secrets and will not let herself see him as anything but her boss…despite the steadily growing attraction between them. But as he continually demonstrates himself to be a true gentleman, she finds she is powerless to resist him. Yet when her past intervenes, she finds herself hoping that circumstances will allow her to find true love with the heir.

It’s Grace Burrowes’ writing style and amazing characters that made this book such a joy to read. It was quite easy to understand why Gayle’s entire family wanted to protect him, his emotional fragility and his desire to protect those around him from any sort of harm combine to create a wonderful central character and from that, a great story.

Bottom Line: “If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance.” ~Bern Williams

Tweet this post!

WW Ladies Book Club Blurbs

Barbara Vey -- December 29th, 2010

6 Replies

Last night I was interviewed on Canned Laughter and Coffee, hosted by Renee Bernard. It’s a podcast done live on Tuesday nights and the subject is “Women’s fiction and romance, happy endings and big laughs!” It really was a lot of fun and the 15 minute format goes way too fast. If you’d like to listen to it, you still can. Just click here. Now, on to the WW Ladies Reads.

joysann

Christmas Mourning by Margaret Maron

Read by joysann

The whole community is shocked and grieved by the death of another high school student in an auto accident, the third this school year. Judge Deborah Knott becomes involved in the investigation when it appears the cheerleader had been drugged at a party, and then a boy who claimed he was her boyfriend is murdered. The two don’t appear related, but Deborah and her husband, Sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Bryant find too many common clues for them to dismiss the connection.

Besides having a fascinating, mysterious plot, this Judge Deborah Knott story was all the more interesting with spending the holidays with the judge’s affectionate extended family. Over the years it’s been fun keeping tabs on all the siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. With Christmas day approaching, it all comes together in way that I found heartwarming.

Melissa

The Taming of The Wolf by Lydia Dare

Read by Michelle

Lydia Dare completely redeems Dashiel Thorpe, Earl of Brimsworth, even though he starts off the book by once again blundering by biting the formidable witch Caitrin Macleod. Having now marked Caitrin as his mate, he must convince her she wants to be with him forever…Only she’s convinced they’re NOT destined to be together.

What follows is a fun, heart squeezing, wonderful story that I couldn’t put down until I hit the last page! It’s made of awesome!

Heidi

Real Vampires Hate Their Thighs by Gerry Bartlett

Read by Heidi

Gloriana St. Clair is pretending to be engaged to hunk new vampire rock star Israel Caine. She is excited that Israel is up for a Grammy in a week, and wants to look her best on the red carpet. She meets Ian MacDonald who claims to have the secret to help vampires lose weight. Gloriana is ready to make the sacrifice to lose weight and keep it off, but at a price she is not sure she is willing to pay.

Glory is like every woman, vampire or not, wanting to change to look perfect. It made me think, how far would I be willing to go, to wear the perfect dress, the perfect shoes, the perfect jewelry, all for that one perfect night that will last in my memory forever. But would I put my health at risk for it?? Fantastic to ponder while reading this book.

Michelle

Ghost Country by Patrick Lee

Read by Michelle

When their motorcade is attacked, Paige Campbell sends for the only person who can help her, Travis Chase. Travis teams up with Bethany to save Paige and ultimately the world from a depressing end. The weapon Bethany brings is called an Entity and it has the capability of transporting people to the exact same place 70 years into the future. A future they want to avoid, but only have a couple of months to answer the right questions and stop the course of events.

A great read. It challenged my imagination while leaving me to ponder the “what ifs.”

Loretta

The Ark by Boyd Morrison

Read by Loretta

The main character of this novel, Dilara Kenner, an archeologist, receives information from a friend Sam Watson regarding her missing father’s search for Noah’s Ark. After he collapses and just before his death, Sam tells her to find Tyler Locke who can help her to reveal what happened. When she finally finds and meets Tyler, she tries to convince him that recent attempts on her life were no accidents. Other searchers are a frightening threat.

They begin the search for Noah’s Ark, an unbelievable premise - but Boyd Morrison makes it so real in this novel and constructs such an amazingly thrilling story, you almost want to sign on to find this 6000 year old boat. Risking limb and life probably…..but it could almost be worth it!

Stacey

All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

Read by Stacey

Callie Grey is at a crossroads. The man she’s been in love with for ages (her boss) is dating someone else, her divorced parents are considering getting back together…and she’s not sure what to do. Except of course, she keeps bumping into that pesky town vet…who’s smile might possibly make her melt. Hopefully, she(and her dog) will figure out what she wants before she looses it all.

I adore the way Kristan Higgins allows readers to see into Callie’s head. She’s hilarious, fallible and the sort of person you know you’ve been (or are) but are glad to watch from the sidelines as they make their way through their life. It’s through her eyes you get to see the people (and pets) who make up her life…her world. This is the reason I can’t get this book out of my head, and quite frankly, I don’t want to.

joysann

Tangled Reins by Stephanie Laurens

Listened to by joysann

From the moment he meets Miss Dorothea Darent, the Marquis of Hazelmere is fairly certain the London season with the ton will finally be interesting. Though at 22 she is considered a little old for “coming out”, the feisty, independent-thinking debutante is most popular, but everyone but she catches on to the fact she already belongs to Hazelmere.

Originally published in 1992, the audio book is a new release, bringing a classically happily-ever-after historical romance to audio listeners. The reader Rosalyn Landor is perfect with these regency period pieces, making the cast of aristocratic characters quite vivid. I found the story delightful, descriptive, and romantic.

Bottom Line: I’m trying to decide what I should put on my resolution list, but it usually ends up being the same thing every year…read more books.

Tweet this post!