Tag: editorial

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases – July’24

Temperatures are stretching into the upper 90’s in Nashville and I’m staying indoors to beat the heat. This is the perfect weather to really get into that book you’ve been looking forward to coming out. There are several on this list (ok all five!) that I’m going to be reading as soon as I can!

#5 BOOK RELEASE

I’m a sucker for sports romances and this series by Liz Tomforde has been really entertaining. Despite landing in my #5 spot, I’ll probably pick this one up first. LOL

Synopsis: Kennedy

I’m the only woman on staff for the Windy City Warriors, and after years of putting up with a sexist lead doctor, I’m desperate to land my dream job with a new team next year. All I have to do is maintain my professional reputation for my final season in Chicago.
But a Las Vegas run-in with the team’s shortstop threatens it all, leaving me with a fuzzy memory and a ring on my left hand.
Now, not only am I legally bound to the most persistent man I’ve ever met, but thanks to Isaiah’s scheme to save my job, I have to pretend the whole thing was a planned elopement and not a drunken mistake. Isaiah Rhodes is reckless, impulsive, and frustratingly charming. He’s also my brand-new husband.
They got the saying wrong. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas… sometimes it follows you right back home.


Isaiah

As the shortstop for Chicago’s professional baseball team, I’ve had my fair share of fun. But that all ended the day Kennedy Kay became a single woman.
I’ve crushed on the team’s athletic trainer for years. I’ve flirted to no avail, so imagine my surprise when I woke up in Sin City with a ring on my finger and my favorite redhead in my bed.
We agree to stay married for one baseball season, just long enough to keep her job safe, but in my mind, I’m using our time together to prove to her I’m husband material.
Kennedy might be reluctant to join in on our game, but it’s one I refuse to lose.
So come on, wife… play along.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Play Along

#4 BOOK RELEASE

This cover is just it for me! It makes me want to pick up the book and read it, even before reading the synopsis!

Synopsis: Two opposites decide to test their chemistry with one steamy night together. But will once be enough?

Nova Porter isn’t looking for love, and she certainly has no explanation for her attraction to buttoned-up, three-piece-suit-wearing investment banker Charlie Milford. Maybe it’s his charm? Or maybe it’s his determination to help her fledgling business however he can. Either way, she’s distracted every time he’s around. With her new tattoo studio set to open in her hometown of Inglewild, she doesn’t have time for frivolous flirtations. 

In an effort to get Charlie out of her system once and for all, Nova offers a proposition. One night. No strings. They’ll kick their uncomfortable attraction to the curb and return to their respective responsibilities. But their explosive night together scatters their expectations like fallen leaves. And with Charlie in town as the temporary head of Lovelight Farms, Nova can’t quite avoid him. 

And Charlie? Well, Charlie knows a good investment when he sees one. He’s hoping he can convince Nova he’s worth some of her time.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Business Casual

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase a book through any of these links I’ll receive a small stipend.

#3 BOOK RELEASE

Rainbow Rowell has a deft hand in enveloping her characters in all the emotions. I admit, sometimes I don’t want to go there but this synopsis makes me think “this is the one!”.

Synopsis: Back in high school, everybody thought Shiloh and Cary would end up together . . . everybody but Shiloh and Cary.

They were just friends. Best friends. Allies. They spent entire summers sitting on Shiloh’s porch steps, dreaming about the future. They were both going to get out of north Omaha—Shiloh would go to go to college and become an actress, and Cary would join the Navy. They promised each other that their friendship would never change.

Well, Shiloh did go to college, and Cary did join the Navy. And yet, somehow, everything changed.

Now Shiloh’s thirty-three, and it’s been fourteen years since she talked to Cary. She’s been married and divorced. She has two kids. And she’s back living in the same house she grew up in. Her life is nothing like she planned.

When she’s invited to an old friend’s wedding, all Shiloh can think about is whether Cary will be there—and whether she hopes he will be. Would Cary even want to talk to her? After everything?

The answer is yes. And yes. And yes.

Slow Dance is the story of two kids who fell in love before they knew enough about love to recognize it. Two friends who lost everything. Two adults who just feel lost.

It’s the story of Shiloh and Cary, who everyone thought would end up together, trying to find their way back to the start.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Slow Dance

#2 BOOK RELEASE

Anything by Elena Armas and I’m just picking it right up. Her books are just that enjoyable.

Synopsis: osie Moore has given the opposite sex—and love—plenty of chances. Four exactly, if you count all her failed engagements, and five if you include her no-longer-absentee father. Nonetheless, when the influential man decides to announce his retirement with a splashy magazine piece and Josie learns that her romantic history isn’t great PR for the family, she jumps at the chance to offer a solution.

Matthew Flanagan is in the mud. Literally. Not only has he been fired from his job, but after taking a wrong turn on his way to Green Oak, North Carolina, his car is stuck. So, he grabs a duffel bag with his essentials and goes in search of a place to crash until he gets his life (and vehicle) back on track. But instead, he stumbles upon his best friend’s sister, Josie, greeting him as her fiancé.

What starts as a big misunderstanding quickly turns into a fake engagement, with Matthew playing the role of the doting fiancé as he and Josie are swept into a PR whirlwind. The ring on Josie’s finger makes her stomach turn, but she knows this is only temporary. They have rules in place, and one of them is that no matter what, there will be no exchange of “I dos.” But that’s easier said than done, as lines soon start to blur, and the rest of the small town comes to believe the fifth fiancé is truly The One.

MY TOP PICK FOR JULY’24

So, I’m not in love with this cover. If I didn’t know that this author rocks a hockey romance I’d probably never pick it up. However, since I’ve read every one of her sports romance novels and I know she is a great author, it gets my top pick.

Synopsis: After a childhood spent being dragged around the country by her hockey coach father, Hayden Houston intends to take some time to figure out her future. Whether that future will include her currently off-again boyfriend remains to be seen. What it certainly won’t include is the for-one-night-only guy she just met at a bar.   

It seems hockey star Brody Croft did not get the memo about being temporary. Big, bold and driven, he’s dedicated in everything he does. Up till now, that’s been his team—the one owned by Hayden’s dad. But his night with Hayden has sparked something he didn’t expect. The two of them are good together. Really good. There’s a connection he’s never experienced before, one he knows they’d be wrong to ignore. Even with a game-fixing scandal testing both their loyalties—to teammates, to friends…to family. 

Part of Hayden wants to turn tail and run. A complicated relationship with a bad boy hockey player is exactly what she never wanted. But when it comes to Brody, Hayden is realizing that people can be so much more than what they seem.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Body Check

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases- June’24

Are you gearing up for a vacation this summer? There are some great book releases in June, just in time for you to grab one or two and take them with you! These are the books I’m really looking forward to reading.

#5 BOOK RELEASE

If you like romances with a hint of magic you should pick up an Ashley Poston novel. Most recently she’s had big hits with The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip. A Novel Love Story’s synopsis seems to fit this magical realism genre. I can’t wait to sit on a beach and dip into this book!

Synopsis: Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…

Because it is.

This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.

Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.

Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.

Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.

Click this link to purchase this book!* A Novel Love Story

#4 BOOK RELEASE

The best-selling author of The Sun is Also a Star and Everything Everything, Nicola Yoon’s newest novel One Of Our Kind gives me a ‘something’s wrong in the burbs’ vibe.

Synopisis: Jasmyn and King Williams move their family to the planned Black utopia of Liberty, California hoping to find a community of like-minded people, a place where their growing family can thrive. King settles in at once, embracing the Liberty ethos, including the luxe wellness center at the top of the hill, which proves to be the heart of the community. But Jasmyn struggles to find her place. She expected to find liberals and social justice activists striving for racial equality, but Liberty residents seem more focused on booking spa treatments and ignoring the world’s troubles.

Jasmyn’s only friends in the community are equally perplexed and frustrated by most residents’ outlook. Then Jasmyn discovers a terrible secret about Liberty and its founders. Frustration turns to dread as their loved ones start embracing the Liberty way of life.

Will the truth destroy her world in ways she never could have imagined?

Thrilling with insightful social commentary, One of Our Kind explores the ways in which freedom is complicated by the presumptions we make about ourselves and each other.

Click this link to purchase this book!* One Of Our Kind

*Amazon associate- if you purchase a book through one of these links I’ll receive a small stipend.

#3 BOOK RELEASE

I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this novel and enjoyed it tremendously. Another women in STEM romance with sizzling heat and intellectual smarts. Great characters and plot too!

Synopsis: Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Not In Love

#2 BOOK RELEASE

Ah Christina Lauren, how I do love thee, when your books are good that is. Tangled Up In You is the fourth installation in the Meant To Be series . Each author spins a romance from a fairytale and in this case the story is Disney’s Tangled. Always willing to give one of their novels the benefit of the doubt, I’m excited to jump into this story!

Synopsis: Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.

Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.

But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fireon a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they’ve both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Tangled Up In You

MY TOP BOOK RELEASE FOR JUNE’24

Based on the synopsis and the title I’m hoping I’ll get a few laughs from this book. Katherine Center has written two of my favorite comedy rom-coms so the chance is there! The synopsis looks good so I’m all in.

Synopsis:

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies—good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates—The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!—it’s a break too big to pass up.

Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone—much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script—it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter—even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules—and comes true?

Click this link to purchase this book! The Rom-Commers

Pick up a book and get reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

Happy Thanksgiving!

For those of you that live in the United States, Thanksgiving is a weekend spent with family, an overabundance of food, and maybe a little reflection.

When I look back at the last year I realize that I have so many things to be thankful for. I have a loving relationship with my husband and best friend; my family is healthy and happy; my career while different than it used to be is very fulfilling gives me a good work-life balance; I’m making new friends and enjoying getting out and about in our beautiful city; and my own health is on the upswing. Wow, that’s a lot, right? If you take the time to reflect on your own lives, I bet you’ll find that there are more good things than bad. Focus on those things that make you happy and brush off the regrets. Life is too short to spend your days filled with worry and sorrow. Put a smile on your face, hold the hand of a loved one, kiss your pup on the nose, and enjoy life. I’ve done a good job at doing this over the last year and my goal is to continue on the same path.

Cheers to you all! I am thankful for all of the people who read my blog and have the same love for books that I do.

Have a great weekend.

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (1/31/22)

Don’t you love it when your weekend has the perfect balance of getting out and doing things and having time to sit and read a good book? Me too! I was able to read a couple of good books and mentally get myself ready to start the new week. Here’s what was on my kindle.

JUST FINISHED

I can always count on Penny Reid to give me a charming love story with quirky characters. Usually I’m not a big fan of the marriage of convenience trope but Abby certainly needed the time to figure out where her head was at! This was a cute story, perfect for a weekend of reading.

JUST STARTED

You know when you get a pick and then realize that it’s the second in a series that you haven’t read yet? Yeah, this one. Luckily it doesn’t seem like I need to have read the first novel to get the gist of the story. I literally just started it but so far so good!

It sure looks like I’m in the mood to read romance novels, doesn’t it? LOL. What genre of book are you currently reading?

Have a great Monday and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads2 Comments

Happy New Year!

It’s kind of strange hitting the New Year before your friends and family at home, but that’s what has happened this year as my husband and I are traveling through Egypt.

Do you start a new resolution every year? To be honest, I don’t usually but this year I am. I have had trouble with my back over the last year so my #1 goal for this year is to just move. Whether that is a walk down the street, through the mall, doing my exercises, etc. Every day I need to do something if only for 20 or 30 minutes. Move is my word of the year! It has been a challenge on this trip as I was in not so great shape before getting to a country that requires you to walk everywhere! It’s a great time to start the habit though.

I hope that your New Year brings you the movement and change you are looking for and if you are happy as you are, I think that is great as well! Happy New Year to all of you! May 2022 bring you all that you desire to be happy and healthy.

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads4 Comments

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases Feb’21

Next month is one of those months where there are some fabulous fantasy releases and I’ll have trouble finding time to read everything I want to read. I think it’s funny how the genre’s seem to stick together with their book releases. Or maybe it’s just the authors I like all release their books in the same month. Has anyone else noticed this? So, heads up, if you like fantasy novels next month will be a great one for you! LOL. Here are my Top 5.

#5 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

I am a sucker for this futuristic detective series, and I know it’s not just me. J.D. Robb (also known as Nora Roberts) is on her 52nd novel in this series and truthfully she makes every single one different and advances all of her characters stories. She’s pretty incredible, as is our hero Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke.

Synopsis:

n the new Eve Dallas police thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling author J. D. Robb, what looked like a lover’s quarrel turned fatal has larger—and more terrifying—motives behind it…

The scene in the West Village studio appears to be classic crime-of-passion: two wineglasses by the bed, music playing, and a young sculptor named Ariel Byrd with the back of her head bashed in. But when Dallas tracks down the wealthy Upper East Side woman who called 911, the details don’t add up. Gwen Huffman is wealthy, elegant, comforted by her handsome fiancé as she sheds tears over the trauma of finding the body—but why did it take an hour to report it? And why is she lying about little things?

As Eve and her team look into Gwen, her past, and the people around her, they find that the lies are about more than murder. As with sculpture, they need to chip away at the layers of deception to find the shape within—and soon they’re getting the FBI involved in a case that involves a sinister, fanatical group and a stunning criminal conspiracy.

Click this link to purchase!* Faithless in Death: An Eve Dallas Novel (In Death, 52)

#4 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

Yep, this is not a fantasy novel, but it sure does look cute!

Synopsis:

The author of The Right Swipe and Girl Gone Viral returns with a story about finding love in all the wrong inboxes…

Beauty expert and influencer Jia Ahmed has her eye on the prize: conquering the internet today, the entire makeup industry tomorrow, and finally, finally proving herself to her big opinionated family. She has little time for love, and even less time for the men in her private messages—until the day a certain international superstar slides into her DMs, and she falls hard and fast.

There’s just one wrinkle: he has no idea who she is.

The son of a powerful Bollywood family, soap opera star Dev Dixit is used to drama, but a strange woman who accuses him of wooing her online, well, that’s a new one. As much as he’d like to focus on his Hollywood fresh start, he can’t get Jia out of his head. Especially once he starts to suspect who might have used his famous name to catfish her…

When paparazzi blast their private business into the public eye, Dev is happy to engage in some friendly fake dating to calm the gossips and to dazzle her family. But as the whole world swoons over their relationship, Jia can’t help but wonder: Can an online romance-turned-offline-fauxmance ever become love in real life? 

Click this link to purchase!* First Comes Like: A Novel (Modern Love)

#3 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

This urban fantasy novel is uber sexy and lots of fun. It’s set in Dublin, Ireland- one of my favorite places, and has some kick ass magical women and very alpha males trying to save the world. A fantastic series and one I need to catch up on. I’m one book behind!

Synopsis:

MacKayla Lane faces the ultimate threat when war breaks out between the kingdoms of shadow and light, as the #1 New York Times bestselling Fever series races to an explosive revelation.

From the moment MacKayla Lane arrived in Dublin to hunt her sister’s murderer, she’s had to fight one dangerous battle after the next: to survive, to secure power, to keep her city safe, to protect the people she loves.

The matter of who’s good and who’s evil can be decided by the answer to a single question: Whose side are you on?

Now, as High Queen of the Fae, Mac faces her greatest challenge yet: ruling the very race she was born to hunt and kill—a race that wants her dead yesterday, so they can put a pure-blooded Fae queen on the throne.

But challenges with her subjects are the least of her concerns when an ancient, deadly foe resurfaces, changing not only the rules of the game but the very game itself, initiating a catastrophic sequence of events that have devastating consequences and leave Mac questioning everything she’s ever learned and everyone she’s ever loved. Now begins an epic battle between Mortal and Fae, Seelie and Unseelie, would-be kings and would-be queens, with possession of the Unseelie King’s virtually unlimited power and the fate of humanity at stake.

From the exquisite, deadly gardens of the High Queen’s court, to long-forgotten truths found in the Sacred Grove of Creation, from the erotic bed of her enigmatic, powerful lover to the darkest, seductive reaches of the Unseelie kingdom, Mac’s final journey takes her places no human has been before, and only one human could possibly survive . . .

One who’s willing to sacrifice everything.

Click this link to purchase!* Kingdom of Shadow and Light (Fever Book 11)

#2 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

I have to give this novel a look because I loved Kate Clayborn’s last novel Love Lettering. This synopsis looks just as magical.

Synopsis: From Kate Clayborn, the acclaimed author of Love Lettering, comes a sparkling, tender novel about bickering neighbors, surprise reunions, and the mysterious power of love . . .

Sixteen years ago, a teenaged Will Sterling saw—or rather, heard—the girl of his dreams. Standing beneath an apartment building balcony, he shared a perfect moment with a lovely, warm-voiced stranger. It’s a memory that’s never faded, though he’s put so much of his past behind him. Now an unexpected inheritance has brought Will back to that same address, where he plans to offload his new property and get back to his regular life as an overworked doctor. Instead, he encounters a woman, two balconies above, who’s uncannily familiar . . .

No matter how surprised Nora Clarke is by her reaction to handsome, curious Will, or the whispered pre-dawn conversations they share, she won’t let his plans ruin her quirky, close-knit building. Bound by her loyalty to her adored grandmother, she sets out to foil his efforts with a little light sabotage. But beneath the surface of their feud is an undeniable connection. A balcony, a star-crossed couple, a fateful meeting—maybe it’s the kind of story that can’t work out in the end. Or maybe, it’s the perfect second chance . . .

Click this link to purchase!* Love at First

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE FEB’21!

A Court of Thorns and Roses continues with Nesta and Cassian’s story. I can’t wait to read this novel!

Synopsis:

Sarah J. Maas’s sexy, richly imagined series continues with the journey of Feyre’s fiery sister, Nesta.

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she’s struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can’t seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre’s Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta’s orbit. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other’s arms.

Click this link to purchase!* A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, 4)

What books are on your own must read list that are being released next month? Anything I should add to my own list? Please feel free to let me know in the comments.

Happy Reading!

Deb

*Amazon Associate- if you should purchase one of these novels through the above links I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads6 Comments

New Years Day 2021

Everyone is saying that they can’t wait for 2020 to be over and I’ll admit, I feel the same. The bad certainly outweighed the good. If I dig deep there are some good that also came out of 2020. Really.

  1. Working from home- I know, I miss people from work too. That personal interaction is great but my quality of life has improved. I spend more time with my family, helping to cook in the evening instead of eating whatever has been cooked. I feel more involved in their lives.
  2. Not spending as much money- We didn’t go on expensive vacations. I didn’t have to update my wardrobe although I did buy more sweats, shorts, and nice t’s. Our food bill did go up because we were eating every meal at home so that may have balanced the lack of expensive vacations and clothes.
  3. Decorating early for every holiday. Our block has a lot of spirit! Who knew that we had that many Halloween enthusiasts or that everyone actually owned an American flag? All of the decorations certain uplifted our spirits.
  4. Spending time with our pets- It’s so nice to be able to walk the dog when it’s light out then just jump into the shower and check emails and answer messages while getting ready in the morning.
  5. Getting an extra half hour of sleep- again not having to dress up for work saves time in the morning for other things like drinking coffee, walking the dog, or having conversations with the hubby. It’s nice. It feels a little slower and less rushed.

There are many more positive things like having a bigger world view, paying more attention to local politics, making decisions that don’t just affect me but other people as well. All of these thing happened this year. Not all of them were good, but I want to be optimistic and hope that some of the things we’ve learned we’ll take with us when we can return to some kind of normalcy. Even if it’s not what life used to look like.

I wish for all of us that 2021 will bring with it good health, happiness, and good fortune for everyone.

Happy New Year everyone!

Deborah

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads1 Comment

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases- Jan ’21

Without sounding like I’m on repeat, Friday is January 1st, the start of a new month and a much needed and wanted new year. Since I’m not re-capping the horrors and highlights from 2020… yet, I’ll just get on to the books I’m looking most forward to being released next month.

#5 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

This novel set in 14th century England is a mix of fantasy and reality. I’m looking forward to reading how this author brings those fantasy elements to life in this Wild Swans re-telling!

Synopsis:

Where there is wealth and power, there’s always someone willing to do anything to take it.

England, 1381: Delia’s idyllic life as daughter of an earl is shattered when her father dies and his wife accuses Delia’s seven brothers of treason and murder. The youngest is only ten years old, but this doesn’t stop the guards from hauling them off to the Tower of London. There they await a grim fate, as child-king Richard II is executing anyone who poses a threat to his throne. Delia is their only hope for pardon and freedom.

Sir Geoffrey did not expect his first assignment as captain of the guard to be the arrest of boys so young. He dutifully imprisons the brothers, but he can’t ignore the sense, rooted in personal experience, that injustice and treachery are at work.

Determined to rescue her brothers, Delia secures a position as a seamstress for the queen. Her quest is all but impossible as the executions continue. Sir Geoffrey offers to be her ally, but should she trust him in a court where everyone has an agenda?

From New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes a tender retelling of “The Wild Swans,” where the virtues of loyalty and love face a harrowing showdown with power and fear.

Click this link to purchase! Court of Swans (A Dericott Tale)

#4 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

I don’t know why I haven’t read the previous novels in this series, but I love Jill Shalvis and there’s something about this synopsis that makes me think this will be the perfect escape from reality.

Synopsis:

When Maze returns to Wildstone for the wedding of her estranged bff and the sister of her heart, it’s also a reunion of a once ragtag team of teenagers who had only each other until a tragedy tore them apart and scattered them wide.

Now as adults together again in the lake house, there are secrets and resentments mixed up in all the amazing childhood memories. Unexpectedly, they instantly fall back into their roles: Maze their reckless leader, Cat the den mother, Heather the beloved baby sister, and Walker, a man of mystery. 

Life has changed all four of them in immeasurable ways. Maze and Cat must decide if they can rebuild their friendship, and Maze discovers her long-held attraction to Walker hasn’t faded with the years but has only grown stronger.

Click this link to purchase! The Forever Girl: A Novel (The Wildstone Series Book 6)

#3 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

The first book in this series made me an instant fan and I can’t wait to read Enjoy the View and catch up on my favorite characters from Moose Springs, Alaska. These novels are rom-com’s with a lot of heart and the characters are nutty, gritty, and genuine. Sarah Morgenthaler is a new find and an author you want to share with everyone.

Synopsis:

Former Hollywood darling River Lane’s acting career is tanking fast. Determined to start fresh behind the camera, she agrees to film a documentary about the picturesque small town of Moose Springs, Alaska. The assignment should have been easy, but the quirky locals want nothing to do with River. Well, too bad: River’s going to make this film and prove herself, no matter what it takes.

Or what (literal) mountain she has to climb.

Easton Lockett may be a gentle giant, but he knows a thing or two about survival. If he can keep everyone in line, he should be able to get River and her crew up and down Mount Veil in one piece. Turns out that’s a big if. The wildlife’s wilder than usual, the camera crew’s determined to wander off a cliff, and the gorgeous actress is fearless. Falling for River only makes Easton’s job tougher, but there’s only so long he can hold out against her brilliant smile. When bad weather strikes, putting everyone at risk, it’ll take all of Easton’s skill to get them back home safely…and convince River she should stay in his arms for good.

Click this link to purchase! Enjoy the View (Moose Springs, Alaska, 3)

#2 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE

I really enjoyed this author’s previous novel Tweet Cute which put her on my radar for her next book release. Also a YA novel, this plot is reminiscent of Parent Trap or at least a cousin to it. What secrets would be revealed if you found out you had a long lost sister?

Synopsis:

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents ― especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby’s growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.

Click this link to purchase! You Have a Match: A Novel

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE OF JAN’21!

For those of you who know me well, it won’t come as a surprise that Ilona Andrews newest release is my #1 pick for the month. This writing duo never disappoints and I’ve so been looking forward to Julie’s story!

Synopsis:

Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival.

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she’d ever loved could threaten everything.

One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard.

Click this link to purchase! Blood Heir (Kate Daniels World Book 1)

I’ll admit, any time a book is released by Ilona Andrews I drop all plans to give myself a day to immerse myself and just read. I can’t wait.

What’s books are you looking forward to reading next month? I’m sure there are some great one’s on your own TBR, please share!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Deborah

*Amazon Associate- If you purchase one of the above books through their respective links I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads6 Comments

Merry Christmas!

I hope that wherever you live you are celebrating this holiday and the end of a very challenging year. If you are with your family gather your loved ones close and enjoy this time together. If you are by yourself reach out with a phone call or Zoom. Celebrate virtually, you are not alone!

This time of year can be challenging but this year we all have stresses that we have not seen in years past that may cause depression. Please make contact, reach out, talk to someone.

I am hoping to relax with a good book, de-stress, and maybe eat some leftovers. most of all I am going to hold my loved ones close.

Merry Christmas’s everyone!

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads2 Comments

It’s Monday, what are you reading? (7/27/2020)

It’s almost August! I feel like that needs to be shouted to the world because even though life seems to be at a crawl at the same time it’s flying by. The heat has definitely hit Nashville and I’m spending more time indoors in the cool air conditioning catching up on my reading. This last week I slowed my reading down so I could thoroughly enjoy the novel I just finished. Let’s get to it so I can tell you a little bit more!

This post originated over on Book Date, so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion about what books I am reading.

JUST FINISHED

A series that has quickly become a favorite, I was excited to sit down and read this urban fantasy novel. Do you know how there are some books that you read quickly and others where you slow your pace wanting to live in all of those anticipatory moments? This series is one of those for me. It’s so intricate, the emotions so real, I spent one week reading this novel. It comes out Tuesday and I’ve already purchased the audiobook so I can read it again!

JUST STARTED

I’m changing pace again and picking up this interesting sounding women’s fiction novel. I’m looking forward to reading a novel about a woman who may be a little closer to my age, still learning things about herself, and may possibly find a bit of romance.

What book are you reading today to help you get through this week?

Happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads13 Comments