Yesterday's Tomorrow

Author: Catherine West
ISBN 9781602902787
Publisher: Oak Tara
Source: Author for review on A Cozy Reader’s Corner Reviews
Purchase Link: Yesterday's Tomorrow
Reviewed by Malissa Weimer for A Cozy Reader’s Corner Reviews


About the Book:
She's after the story that might get her the Pulitzer. He's determined to keep his secrets to himself. Vietnam, 1967. Independent, career-driven journalist Kristin Taylor wants two things: to honor her father's memory by becoming an award-winning overseas correspondent and to keep tabs on her only brother, Teddy, who signed up for the war against their mother's wishes. Brilliant photographer Luke Maddox, silent and brooding, exudes mystery. Kristin is convinced he's hiding something. Willing to risk it all for what they believe in, Kristin and Luke engage in their own tumultuous battle until, in an unexpected twist, they're forced to work together. Ambushed by love, they must decide whether or not to set aside their own private agendas for the hope of tomorrow that has captured their hearts. 

Review:
I enjoyed reading Catherine West's story of Kristin Taylor, a young journalist trying to make her mark covering the Vietnam War in the book entitled Yesterday's Tomorrow. Determined to honor her father's legacy, after he was killed covering the same war years earlier, as well as keep an eye on her brother who’s is stationed in Vietnam, she heads into the country alone.

Once she arrives in Vietnam, she meets Luke Maddox. He is a photographer also covering the war. Luke is struggling with his past and Kristin is convinced he has a secret. The relationship between the two of them is very complex, yet it's easy to sympathize with both of them.

The author's Christian views are present in the story but don't overwhelm it. Kristin's struggle with her faith is very relatable after the death of her father and the surroundings in Vietnam. Luke's strong beliefs are somewhat enviable after all that he has been through.

I found the portrayal of Vietnam War pretty accurate based on what I've read and seen in movies. My stepfather is a Vietnam vet, so I was exposed to quite a bit of material growing up. I like that she touched on the homecoming the soldiers received when they returned from the war. She also covers the emotional toll it took on those who fought the war as well as witnessed the war first hand.

Overall, I found Yesterday's Tomorrow to be a very enjoyable book. I give it four stars. It moved smoothly from start to finish. I never got lost or had to go back to re-read a section. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a love story without the sexual content in most romantic novels.
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Malissa is a contributing reviewer for A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews.

Interview with Alain Gomez

Alain Gomez is the author of Payroll, a western romance.

About the Book:

Jimmy Cochran thought that he had left his rough past behind him. But Ralph McCormick, the brother of the man he killed, didn't forget... or forgive... so easily. Jimmy knows he should just hightail it out of town to avoid getting into trouble. That is until Ralph puts the woman he loves into danger...

The Interview

Please tell me 5 things about you.

I live in San Diego. I am a private violin/viola instructor. I hate deadlines which is why I stick to self-publishing e-books. I especially enjoy writing short stories. I like experimenting with a variety of genres including sci-fi, fantasy and western.

What are 3 unique aspects about Payroll?

“Payroll” is a clean western romance. So, for better or for worse, there is no adult content in the book. It’s a novella, so it’s a fast (but fun) read. I originally started writing “Payroll” when I was sixteen. Personally, I think one of the more enjoyable aspects of this story is that it sticks to a basic plotline. I really don’t like needless drama and questionable loopholes in movies and books. “Payroll” is just a boy-meets-girl and then a showdown with the bad guy type book.

Name 5 things you wished you knew about publishing?

Hmm… that’s a tough one. Many of my questions about publishing are things every author wishes they could answer. How do I find my niche audience? What’s the most effective means of marketing to a niche? Is it worth spending the money doing long term advertising? I only publish e-books, but would it be worth it to sell hard copies at some point? Are agents really worth it?

Name 3 things on your bucket list.

I want to visit Australia and at least one Eastern country. I’ve been to Europe several times already so those two places are next. At some point in my life I would like to go canopy surfing. I am also slowly working my way through the piece “Cliffs of Dover” on the guitar. I figure even if it takes me 30 years to learn it, no one could ever question my mad guitar skills.

What are your top 5 favorite books?

I’ve read thousands of books. Many are favorites. But books/stories that have had the most impact on me I would say are: “The Nonesuch” by Georgette Heyer, “Dracula” by Bram Stoker, “Young Jedi Knight Series” by Kevin J. Anderson, “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde.

If you could invite and 5 authors on a cruise who would you invite?

Probably the authors of my five favorite stories =D It would also be fun, I think, to talk to the “authors” of classic Greek Myths.

Name 3 things that help you gain inspiration for writing.

The shower is number one. Most of my hard core thinking is done there. Other than that, I get most of my inspiration from just daily life. I’ll see something or witness a scenario that will cause ye olde creative juices to flow.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you as an author?

Since I write short stories for the most part, I’ve had some pretty entertaining feedback from various readers/reviewers. Something about the genre (or the length?) can invoke violent reactions in people.

What's the most embarrassing author moment you've had?

None so far. But my work has not been for sale for very long so I’m sure this will be remedied eventually.

Do you have another title in the works?

I have several. One nice thing about being a short story author is that you can crack out new ones every month; gives me a chance to explore all sorts of ideas. Currently I’m working on finishing up part three of the Space Hotel Series, “Hotel Moonwalk.” I’ve also been outlining how I’m going to do a new fantasy series. Part three of the Jimmy Cochran series is on the drawing board.

Driftwood Cottage

Author: Sherryl Woods
ISBN: 978-0-7783-29447-3
Publisher: Mira Books
Source: BookPleasures
Purchase Link: Driftwood Cottage (Chesapeake Shores)

Connor O’Brien is the next project for the O’Brien clan of Chesapeake Shores. When Heather Donavan, Connor’s live in girlfriend, leaves Connor and moves to Chesapeake Shores with their son, Connor is upset. Heather knows Connor doesn’t believe in marriage but since the birth of her son, a life without marriage and family is not something she wants. When she settles in Chesapeake Shores, the meddling O’Brien clan happily embraces her and Mick which seems to make matters worse for her and Connor. The O’Brien’s are unlikely to give up and are focused on getting these two love birds back together, no matter what.

Connors jaded views about marriage quickly start to change when he realizes he has a real possibility of life without Heather. In the midst of this realization, the tables turn and the stakes are high. Will Connor and Heather reunite in love or will their stubborn natures keep them apart? Are dreams really worth fighting for? Can a person change?

Driftwood Cottage is the newest installment in the Chesapeake Shores series. In this novel, Connor and Heathers story is finalized, though not without it’s quirks. My biggest issue with this novel was its repetitive nature. I quickly tired of reading how against marriage Connor is. It is clear how he feels and it is clear how Heather feels. The repetitive nature of these feelings in this story seemed to delay the real story rather than add to it. Other than this, the story was an enjoyable and easy read. The meddlesome O’Brien family is as loveable and annoying as always. The characters will keep you on your toes as you root for Connor and Heather to settle their differences and re-unite.

The book mostly stands on its own, though I think this one would be best read within its series. Reading this series gives the reader a deep connection to all of the O’Brien’s which adds to the story. Those who follow Sherryl’s Chesapeake Shores series will enjoy this novel. If you haven’t read the series its worth the read. The novel, much like Sherryl’s other novels, is a clean and basic contemporary romance. The heat level is barely a one. Overall, it is an enjoyable, light weight read that will put a smile on your face when all is said and done.

Husband and Wife

Author: Leah Stewart
ISBN: 978-0-06-177447-8
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: TLC Book Tours
Purchase Link: Husband and Wife: A Novel
Tour Schedule

Imagine for one minute that your babysitter has arrived, your silk dress hangs comfortably around you showing off all the right curves. You’re now running late for the wedding you’ve been waiting to attend for weeks now. While your husband tries to find his shoes, it’s been twenty minutes, you try to remain calm, un-aggravated and away from the screams of your hungry baby, which is making your breast respond in an inconvenient manner for silk. Since it is likely that your husband will not find his shoes on his own, you head upstairs to help him. While you are looking for the missing shoe, your husband, a novelist, is sitting on the bed holding the one shoe he has and starring off into wall space. While you can’t help but wonder how in the world he would expect to find the other shoe without actually looking for it, you discover the lost shoe which has taken a different form due to the many things piled on top of it. Now that you have both a left and right shoe, you expect your husband to put them on so you can leave for the wedding, but he doesn’t move. Hello? Hubby? We need to go --

It is at this point that your husband turns to tell you that his new novel, the one you read, edited and supported fully is not entirely fiction. “Excuse me? What?” you ask, though you already know. The Arc’s of Infidelity are in a box in your house, the book is at the printers ready to be sold to millions and you are now painfully aware that your husband had an affair. When he ask what you want to do a million and one things roll around in your mind but, for now, all you can say is “We have a wedding to attend.” This is beginning to the story of Sarah and her journey to self discovery.

Plot - Husband and Wife explores the topic of infidelity and losing oneself in a relationship. When Nathan confesses he cheated, Sarah is left to decide what she wants to do which is no easy task. She must consider her children, her marriage and her love for her husband. Is it worth fighting for? Can she forgive him? Will they be able to work it out? Most of all, Sarah is left to journey through her past and discover the missing pieces of herself in order to make a decision about her marriage. Though the story is a bit depressing, how can it not be, the journey Sarah makes is deeply rooted in identity. The novel explores who Sarah is, what she has become and how she finds herself in the midst of being lost. In the aftermath of her husband’s confession, Sarah sees herself differently and re-examines her life in order to reclaim her lost pieces of self.

Writing Style - The story alternates between past and present moving forward and backward in time as Sarah examines her life and tries to figure out how she has arrived at this point. When did she become who she is now? Did she abandon her former self, the poet? How has her marriage changed her? Her children? Her job? The writing was a bit hard to follow since most of this takes place within the characters own mind as she reflects on her past. Though this is not a major hurdle in reading the book it did take a little getting used too. Leah proves with her writing that finding ourselves in the midst of all of it is no easy task. Sarah’s journey to self discover is not a simple one, but is necessary.

Reading Hurdles - The novel is overly descriptive at times. I was lost in some of these passages. I felt parts of the book could have been cut down and still made the point and impact needed. Some of these descriptive parts felt like rabbit trails and were hard to follow as Sarah jumps from one thought to the next in a string of material that will all eventually tie together.

Positive Aspects - Sarah has so many thoughts and valid feelings that I expect many women have felt, even if they haven’t necessarily gone through this specific scenario. At some point, I am sure all mothers have felt they have lost a piece of themselves because you give up so much for your children, your marriage and your job. When life becomes hectic and busy it is easy to lose sight of those pieces of you that are unique and really meant for just you. Sarah also has many valid thoughts, questions and feelings regarding her husbands infidelity and the choices she now has to make. The book though sad, is about betrayal and the effects of infidelity along with renewal and self discovery. As you expect the situation to be painful in life it is painful to read but rewarding as well. The book has a little something for every woman. I’m sure most women can connect with some part of this story on a personal level.

Overall - I enjoyed the pretense of this novel. I found it interesting that Nathan is a writer who bases his own fiction on his life’s ugly truth. It makes you wonder how many authors use a bit of their own experiences or truths and turn them into best selling novels. I loved that Nathan confesses in the beginning of the book. I book really dives into the issues and then examines Sarah’s journey. I absolutely love the cover art for this book. It simply catches the eye and says so much while at the same time says nothing. It doesn’t giveaway the contents of the book but it does portray the emotions within.
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Connect With Leah:
Leah's website
Facebook
Twitter link: @leahcstewart
Goodreads

Book Club Girl is interviewing Leah Stewart on May 23, 2011 at 7pm ET. Here's the link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/book-club-girl/2011/05/23/leah-stewart-discusses-husband-and-wife.

3.5 out of 5

Memoirs of a Widowed Mistress

Author: Megan van Eyck
ISBN: 978-1456454371
Publisher: CreateSpace
Source: Pump Up Your Book Promotions
Purchase Link: Memoirs of a Widowed Mistress: A Love Story


About the Book:
Memoirs of a Widowed Mistress is a cautionary tale about the causal relationship between marital emotional neglect and questionable choices. It is a warning for the spouse who wants to dismiss an affair as just sex or for any woman who thinks love is enough to keep a man that isn't really hers.

"You never know what happens between two people when they are alone" is a common sentiment reserved for married couples who appear to have relationships that defy the odds. The same can also be said for couples involved in long-term adulterous affairs.

Many people believe that infidelity is only about sex: two people, one hotel room, and a few hours to spare. And Megan van Eyck's extramarital affair began just like that, with lusty hours spent between hotel sheets. But within a few months van Eyck realized she had found what she and her lover did not know they were both looking for: true love.

Memoirs of a Widowed Mistress offers an honest look behind closed doors. It is a forthcoming, sometimes steamy, account of both the passion and the heartbreak associated with being a mistress; about the futility of sharing a love while not sharing a life. Van Eyck is reflective as she addresses her compelling and unusual personal history, which made being the other woman an acceptable option. She makes no excuses for herself, her mistakes, or her betrayal of her husband as she recklessly pursues love. She wants everything, unabashedly.

But her priorities shift when Carlos, her lover, is diagnosed with Amyloidosis, a rare blood disorder. Her concerns shift for hoping for a life with him to hoping that he'll be able to live through treatment for this rare and incurable disease. In the end, van Eyck must not only come to terms with her loss, mistakes and regrets, she must come to terms with herself.

Memoirs of a Widowed Mistress is must read for anyone that has struggled with love, intimacy or self-acceptance. Memoirs of a Widowed Mistress will captivate supporters, surprise critics and change the perspective of those that have ever considered having an affair.
 
About the Author:
Megan van Eyck lives near Seattle, Washington with her husband and children. Memoirs of a Widowed Mistress is her debut effort as a memoirist.

*My reveiw copy did not arrive in time for the tour.  Stay tuned for my review of this book!*

The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus

Author: Sonya Sones
ISBN: 978-0062024671
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: TLC Book Tours
Purchase Link: The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus
Follow the Tour: Tour Schedule





Synopsis from Book:

My name is Holly.

This story is about me—
a writer who's way behind
on her deadline.

But, honestly,
how can I concentrate on my work
when my fiftieth birthday's
rushing at me like a freight train,

my hormones are making me feel
like a Szechuan flambÉ,
and my eighty-year-old mother's
biting her nurses?

Not to mention the fact that my daughter's
just begun applying to colleges
(none of which are within
a thousand-mile radius of home),

and lately my husband's been
such an irritating, finger-pointing stinker
that I've found myself dreaming of ways
to spend his insurance money . . .

My name is Holly.
This book
tells my story—
a coming-of-middle-age story.

Review:

The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus is a novel about marriage, motherhood and the mayhem that comes along with being a woman.

Writing Style: The novel is written in verse, poem style writing, but does not rhyme. The writing style and formatting for this novel make it unique. It was very easy to read this fictional story yet hard to remember it was fiction.

Audience: Anyone who has been or is married, a mother or a woman will enjoy this novel. While I particularly think women over the age of forty will most likely enjoy this novel best, it can be read by any age group and still be enjoyed.

What I liked: This novel cracked me up. I laughed out loud on multiple occasions and even read parts of it out loud to my husband, making him the poor victim of a girl novel. I liked the setup of this novel though it took a little bit of getting used too. Each verse flows into the next creating the whole story, yet for me, it took a bit to read them together instead of reading them as separate verses.

Pace: I flew through parts of this novel and other parts felt slow. For me, this wasn’t due to any disconnection with the novel as I have been through more of what Holly goes through than someone of my age would normally. The pace seemed choppy due to these fast and slow alternations.

Content: The novel touches on marriage, which brought me many laughs and shared moments of understood frustration. It also touches on motherhood, the joys, anxieties, frustrations and trials. Though Holly is dealing with her daughters departure for college and her soon to be empty nest, I was able to connect to this partially. First, I have been on the side of daughter who leaves to go college. Second, I have a daughter who will be starting kindergarten in the fall. I am convinced this is God’s way of preparing us for those days to come when our children leave us for college. Lastly, the novel touches on all sorts of mayhem. Mayhem of being a woman, a daughter, a friend, a mother, a wife and for Holly, a writer.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel though it was slow at points. It is a very simple and quick read that will make you laugh, potentially cry, but mostly make you feel connected because you are a woman. Sorry male readers, I just can’t see why you would want to read this one, but feel free!
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About the Author:
Sonya was born in Boston and attended Hampshire College.  She earned a degree—a B.A. in filmmaking and photography.  She has taught at Harvard and worked in Hollywood as an animator, a production assistant, a still photographer and script supervisor and a film editor.  Sonya is married and has two children who inspired her writing career.  When she is not writing, speaking about writing, or teaching poetry writing workshops, she can be found riding her bicycle, dancing, reading, taking photos, and hunting for buried treasure in vintage clothing stores. She currently lives with her family near the beach in Southern California.


You can connect with Sonya via: Sonya's website and Facebook page.

Beside Still Waters

Author: Tricia Goyer
ISBN: 978-1-4336-6868-5
Publisher: B&H Fiction
Source: Litfuse Publicity
Purchase Link: Beside Still Waters: A Big Sky Novel
Watch the Book Trailer
Blog Tour Schedule

About the Book:
Marianna Sommer believes she knows where her life is headed. Nineteen years old and Amish, her plan is to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and live in the only community she's ever known.

When Marianna's family moves from Indiana to Montana she discovers life and faith will never be the same. As she builds an easy friendship with local guy, Ben Stone, Ben not only draws her heart, he also gets her thinking about what loving God and living in community is all about.

As Marianna struggles to find "home", she also encounters God in intimate ways.

Review:
Being uprooted from your home, the only place you’ve ever known, is never easy. Being brought to a new place, different from the only rules, regulations and mindset of your former home is even harder. Doing all of this to help your family, even though it is not what you want, is love and selflessness. Beside Still Waters is one of the most unique Amish novels I have read thus far. It took quite a different look at the Amish from other novels I have read. This novel takes a different approach and questions the strict and rigid beliefs that Marianna has grown up with. Her families move to Montana shows her the nature of others who are different from her yet alike. She starts to see people for who they are and not what they are classified as. She is given the opportunity to know God on her own with a personal relationship rather than one that is kept at a distance.

This book was fairly average, incredibly easy to read and flowed at a steady pace. I enjoyed this story, full of heart ache, trials, joy and peace. It was very easy to read. I really enjoyed the Montana setting.  I have been to the area of Montana in which this is set, which made the novel fun to read.  The author sets a steady pace and leaves the book open to the possibility of a sequel. While I was satisfied with how this book ends, it definitely left me wondering about all the loose ends that were not tied up. I would read a second novel if this book turns into a series.
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About the Author:

Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. Visit www.triciagoyer.com for more info.

Tricia is hosting a book giveaway on her blog during the tour – Also – she’s giving away a Montana Amish Calendar to everyone who enters the giveaway! Be sure to head on over to her blog and enter yourself: http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2011/04/beside-still-waters-giveaway.html.

*I was sent a free copy of this book by the publisher for my honest review in conjunction with this blog tour*

Winter Garden

Kristin Hannah ISBN: 978-0-312-66315-5
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Source: Authors on the Web
Purchase Link: Winter Garden

Synopsis:
Can a woman ever really know herself if she doesn’t know her mother?


Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time—and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya’s life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother’s life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.

Review:
Winter Garden is a novel full of love, loss and renewal. Meredith and Nina have never known their mother to be warm and loving and have certainly never felt her approval. When their father dies, the girls are hopelessly lost. Slowly, they get to know their mother because of a promise to their dad. The more they being to uncover her deeply tragic past the more they understand her and in turn themselves. Here’s a breakdown of this novel.

Storyline: There are multiple storylines running in this novel. The first involves the Winston family as a whole and guides the reader through Meredith and Nina’s childhood memories, their father’s death and the aftermath of his death. The second is told in the form of a fairy tale. The fairy tale is told by Anya, the mom, as a way to tell Meredith and Nina about her past. The third and fourth stories follow both Meredith and Nina in their personal lives as they struggle to discover who they are, what they want and ultimately try to understand their mother. Ms. Hannah does a wonderful job of keeping these stories separate yet entwined together to make one masterful story.

Characters: The characters in this novel were not all together loveable. It definitely took time for me to warm up to them. Each of the women is cold and selfish in their own ways. Meredith drove me crazy. Despite this, the characters are well developed and are who they need to be for the story. This kept me reading but also kept me at bay, feeling no strong connection to each of them.

Interest level: Overall this story kept my interest steadily though parts of it were slow and repetitive in regards to the characters thoughts and feelings. Once Anya’s story begins to be revealed the book is hard to put down. Ms. Hannah even throws an incredible surprise twist into the end of the story, one I did not foresee. It is a haunting story from the beginning to the end. Emotions can be felt on all levels making this book quite the journey to read.

Pace: The story starts off slow yet steady. It doesn’t really pick up until Anya’s story begins. For a while I wondered when the core story of this novel would begin. While parts of this novel were slow, for the most part the pace was steady though not fast by any means.

Writing Style: I enjoyed the writing style of this novel for the most part. The part that threw me off and didn’t feel quite right was when Anya started to tell her story. It started off in the same font and type and then would change after an introductory period of the story and then changes to italics and a separate section as I thought it should have been from the start.

Overall: This was a charming and emotionally harrowing story. It brings a lot of questions to the mind of the reader and would be great for book clubs. I enjoyed the novel and love the cover art! I would recommend it. There are also some wonderful recopies included in the back of the novel. The recipes are seen throughout the story and will make you hungry! I will definitely be trying them.  For those of you who care about half stars, I have to confess I had a hard time deciding between 3.5 and 4 pillows on this one.  I went with 4 because it is not a 3!  I didn't want anyone to round down, the novel doesn't deserve that.

Winner of Outlander Giveaway!!

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