Working It Out by Rachael Anderson Blog Tour & Review

Working It Out

A chance encounter . . .

Grace Warren’s life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.



A chance for love . . .

Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace’s rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he’s every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there’s something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he’s everything she’s sure she doesn’t want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she’s willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.

Author Rachael Renee Anderson

Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She’s the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

My Review: Working it Out by Rachael Anderson

4 STARS

Working it Out was fun to read. It had some nice messages in it too. I like the characters and understand their motives. I have to admit I am more on Grace's side, then over Seth's side when it comes to the extreme sports.
At times it is funny, so touching and then maddening at all the risks Seth takes. It is a clean read. I read it in one easy session.

Seth has money and wants to help his late friend's sister Lanna with his money for her afterschool program. Lanna does not want his money but offers him to be one of the bachelors . Seth declines.

Seth shows up in sweats at the auction even though its a black tie affair. He bids on the last man against Grace. He ends up paying 20,000 dollars for a date with Cameron. Seth thinks he is smart to force Lana to take his money. He had outbid Grace who was their to bid on her co-worker Cameron at his request.

Seth kisses Grace at the auction to prove he is not gay and only wanted to help support the charity.

Seth is into extreme sports big time until he injures himself and ends up in physical therapy with Grace and he does not even recognize Grace at first.

Grace's brother Alex is in a wheelchair after a accident when they were in high school skiing. Grace blames herself and that's why she is a physical trainer.

Grace teaches Seth that programs need money but they also need people to be involved and maybe if he helped volunteer his time Lana would let him help her. Also she would stop being mad at him. Once Seth starts getting involved he sees how he can help make a difference in lives.

Seth helps Alex learn to enjoy sports again also helps Grace to relax and have fun trying things.
I really like the characters and how they were changing for each other. They were all growing. I was rooting for them to workout their differences. I cared about them. While the characters did change they were believable changes.
This is I believe my first book I have read of Rachael's and I plan to read more of her work in fact I already have it on my kindle waiting for me.

I was given this ebook to read and in exchange asked to give honest review and be part of Working It Out blog tour.


Published July 15th 2013 by HEA Publishing 240 pages ASIN: B00DYFWZQ0 $3.99 on amazon

Pattern for Romance: Quilts of Love Series #8 by Carla Olson Gade

My Review
4 stars
Pattern For Romance was entertaining. It drew my attention right off and kept it going. It showed lots of trials facing the people of Boston, Massachusetts in July, 1769. It is full of Drama that befalls Honour Metcalf. It is a Christian romance, but it fits really well into the story line. It shows some really good characters and their are soso characters and bad characters.
Honour is the main character. She is a hard worker. A year ago she lost all of her family to pirates and their goods except a few and her little sister Tempe. She came from a upper middle class in England. Now she is earning their keep by sewing quilts.
Tempe is 8 years old. She is bright fun little girl. She loves and worries about her sister.
Joshua almost fiancé broke it off and got married to someone else. He saw Honour out in the Hail storm on the ground and brought her into the church for safety.
Reverend Cooper was able to help Honour and Joshua at different times and be a witness for them. He also cancelled and gave encouragement.
Mrs. Wadsworth had her own shop and gave Honour and Tempe job and home when they first landed in Boston with nothing.
She took care of them when they needed her. Gave them love and respect.
Honour kept having one thing after another that kept her from working. It all started with getting a concussion from the hail storm. Then she fell down the stairs because she was dizzy and got a worse concussion and more. While Honour kept having troubles their were good friends and even strangers who took her in and helped nurse her better. They also made Tempe feel at home and helped take care of her when Honour could not.
Their were also people who were willing to accuse her of stealing when she did not want to pay for her own belongings. They wanted to profit from her belongings. Even try and destroy her reputation so she could not get her possessions back.
There at that time a boycott of England goods because of high taxes. Some were for England and others for the colonies. It was a period of unrest.
I enjoyed reading a Pattern for Romance and look forward to reading more from that series. Also would like to read more books by Carla Olson Glade in the future.
I was given this ebook to read and asked in exchange to give honest review of it by NetGalley and Abingdon Press.
08/20/2013 PUB Abingdon Press Abingdon Fiction 240 pages ISBN 9781426752711
Description below taken off of Goodreads.

Honour Metcalf s quilting needlework is admired by a wealthy customer of the Boston Mantua-maker for whom she works. In need of increasing her earnings, she agrees to create an elaborate white work bridal quilt for the dowager s niece. A beautiful design emerges as she carefully stitches the intricate patterns and she begins to dream of fashioning a wedding quilt of her own. When Honour is falsely accused of thievery and finds herself in a perilous position, merchant tailor Joshua Sutton comes to her aid. As he risks his relationships, reputation, and livelihood to prove her innocence, the two discover a grander plan a design for love

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karen White

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White



After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie falls hard and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. This ill-advised pledge threatens to ruin any chance of finding true love. During the six intervening years, she has refused to give any interested suitors a chance. They weren’t Mr. Darcy enough.

Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. That guy is Chad, a kind and thoughtful science teacher and swim coach. While she’s dating Chad, her dream comes true in the form of a wealthy bookstore owner named Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. Of course she has to follow her dream. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

Karey White grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist.

She loves to travel, read, bake treats, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four great children. She teaches summer creative writing courses to young people and is currently working on her next book.


My Review My Own Mr. Darcy

4 STARS

I was not sure if I would enjoy this as much as I did. I read the book over 25 years ago and have not seen either movie they talked about. You don't need to have seen or read the book to enjoy this one.

It was cute, warm, romantic and at times very frustrating. I wanted to shake a couple of the characters at times. It is a clean read that leaves you with a smile.

Elizabeth at 16 saw Pride and Prejudice the 2005 movie. She fell in love with Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy.
She was going to hold out for him. She would not really give any guy who did not instantly meet her standards a try. Till her roommate and friend made her promise to give a guy 10 dates to really get to know him and him to know her.

Chad meets Elizabeth at the grocery store and agreed to go out to lunch. She really did not give him a chance. So she asked him out and started to get to know him. Then she saw Mr. Darcy or at least her idea of him and started to date both guys.

Chad is nice, fun, caring and helpful. He helps Elizabeth and shows her that he cares by his actions. I was totally on Chads side. I would fall for him over Mr. Darcy any day.

Matt is rich and owns his own book store. He is not open personality. His taste in food does not make me hungry. He invites Elizabeth to lunch at his bookstore. Of course anyone who owns a bookstore and invited me their I would love it. Bookstores are some of my favorite places to be.

Though I am left with the feeling that I want to watch the movie of Pride and Prejudice and see the looks across the room.

I was given this ebook to read and asked to review it as part of the book tour.

North Country Hero by Lois Richer

My Review of North Country Hero

4 STARS

North Country Hero is charming. The characters make you care about them. They also make you grateful for your family. This is a Christian romance so it is clean. Not preachy but Sara does appreciate and as faith in God's plan in all things. Makes you thankful for your blessings.

Sara is excited. Sara has had a lot of trials in her life. She is coming to Churchill, Manitoba on the train to work as a cook for Lives Under Construction. It is a new boy's home run by Laurel Quinn. Sara is caring quietly about others she steps in and helps. She wants to find her family. Also figure out what God's plan for her is.

Kyle Loness is just getting back from Afghanistan. He is coming home to take care of things and sell his family home. He is coming back wounded. He lost part of his leg. His father died two weeks before he was to come home. Kyle is all alone now. Kyle does not want any help he wants to be left alone. Sara plans to get him involved in the boys home and realize that he can still do many things and not be so angry at God. Too not leave his home but to appreciate all his parents have taught and loved him.

Laurel Quinn has a dream of place that will help boys in trouble. She lost her only son when he was 16 shot by a 13 year old. Who was already in the system. She has seen that boys in trouble go in the system and come out worse. She wants a place where they have a chance at a better life.

Sara has never gone to school or really been home schooled. She wants to learn everything. She steps into care for the boys. She is more than just a cook. She sees ways to help and does it.
The youth are soaking up Sara's love and cooking. They also want to learn about their new home they are mostly from the city. They love it when Kyle shares his knowledge and experiences.

It also makes you want to go visit Churchill the polar bear capital. The history and lots of things to discover and do. I would love to see the whales that close up, but not the polar bears that close.

I was given this ebook to read and in exchange was asked to give honest review of it by Netgalley.
publication: August 20th 2013 by Love Inspired Harlequin 288 pages ISBN 9780373878376


Description below taken off of Netgalley.

Back home to heal, army veteran Kyle Loness can't wait to leave the town that holds such sad memories. He never expects beautiful newcomer Sara Kane to enlist his help with the town's new youth center. What does he know about helping kids? But the more time he spends with the troubled teens—and Sara—the more the jaded soldier feels his defenses crumbling. It might take Sara—and the kids—to open his guarded heart to love again.

The Maverick & the Manhattanite (Montana Mavericks: Rust Creek Cowboys) by Leanne Banks

3 STARS
Montana Mavericks: Rust Creek Cowboys is a series written by a bunch of authors. Rust Creek got hit by a bad flood they lost a lot including their elementary school and the Mayor. Sheriff Gage Christensen was out of town when the flood came. He feels guilty for being with his family.

Each book because its written by different author has a little bit different flavor to the story. They are still hurting bad. Lissa Roarke from New York City is coming to Rust Creek for her first volunteer coordinator in charge.

This story has a lot of heartwarming moments of people helping other people. Has some funny scenes, Has too many love scenes details it also has some romantic scenes. It inspires me to help others more, in what ever way I can. Has lots of familiar characters and some new ones too.

Lissa really wants to help the community of Rust Creek. She has lots of different volunteers scheduled to come at different times to help where they can. Professional and labor. The town is feeding the volunteers. Lissa is single from New York City. She has always liked the thought of cowboys. Of course she has some culture differences and hard time driving in snow. She has a lot of men willing to fight over her.

Sheriff Gage feels like he has to help everyone else get into their houses before he can work on his. He was able to get everything wet out of his house and fans in. He helps others after work each day. He would rather help then receive help.

My daughter had a stuff bunny that she took everywhere. It even went to collage so she would have been heartbroken if hers had to be thrown away.
I keep wanting to know from this series who will be the new Mayor of Rust Creek.

I was given this ebook and asked to give honest review of it when I was done by Netgalley.
Publication Date: August 20, 2013 | Series: Harlequin Special Edition (Book 2281) 224 pages ISBN-10: 0373657633


Description below taken off of Netgalley.

USA TODAY bestselling author Leanne Banks returns to Rust Creek Falls, the setting for the popular Montana Mavericks: Rust Creek Cowboys, where a cowboy is sure to find love—when he least expects it!
Rust Creek Ramblings

Ever since volunteer coordinator Lissa Roarke rolled into town with her fancy luggage and metropolitan attitude, Sheriff Gage Christensen has been fit to be tied. Everything about Lissa seems to rub Gage the wrong way. She talks too fast, she's too bossy, she's just too…darned…irritating. And readers, you know what that means. It's only a matter of time before these two squawking opposites find their way—together!

But there's a rough road ahead for Rust Creek's sexy sheriff and his do-gooder girl. Can Big Sky and Big Apple make it past the first frost? Just how much will a city girl sacrifice for the strong arms of the law?

Henry Hartman's Holiday Crisis by Sara M. Barton

4 STARS

I have had this book for awhile on my kindle and I kept putting it off because I did not want to read about a liar. I should have just read it sooner. It was good.
The one reason he lies is because he is working undercover. He is always trying to out think the bad guys. They are everywhere. Plus he does not want to worry his family over his job.

Sydney has helped agent Henry Hartman with his cases for years now. She can play different parts very well. Henry also helped her with her ex-husband who was hiding assets from her. Sydney is basically alone now. She has enjoyed going to family events with Henry.

Henry's family is good at lying too. He has been raised by four older women after his mom was killed. Hope, Faith, Prudence and Charity.

The setting was a hotel in the middle of snow storm at Christmas.

The pacing was good. You were never sure what was really going on. Does Henry really want to marry Sydney. What does Sydney really want. The story unfolds and let us know what is really going on. At least what Sydney finds out.

This is a clean read. Lots of Drama unfolding, little action (especially compared to other mysteries that Sara has written. Lots of dialogs as the two talk about the past and what is happening now.

I am going to put the next book about Henry Hartman on my kindle so I can read it soon.

I believe I got the book free on smashwords while I had won other books by Sara M. Barton so I had downloaded it awhile back.
Published: Dec. 06, 2012 Words: 35,780 (approximate)Language: English ISBN: 9781301555956

Description below taken off of Smashwords.

FBI Agent Henry Hartman is a big, fat liar -- a master of deception, who weaves wild tales and creates illusions to fool the bad guys. No one knows this better than Sydney Stansfield, the poor woman he roped into working on highly classified "off-the-books" operations when she was at her most vulnerable. Dumped by the ex-husband she put through dental school, Syd vows to never get married again. That's a challenge Henry can't leave alone. Raised by a family of women, Henry is a sentimental rogue, even more so at the holidays. But he's not about to leave his job as an FBI agent behind, even if it means fooling the Hartman ladies. Taking Syd along for the wild ride, they're in serious trouble when the Christmas celebration collides head on with a killer determined to take out his target. The federal agent crosses the wrong guy and ends up being used for batting practice -- it's up to Syd to get the injured man to Bethlehem, New Hampshire in time for the family reunion. Henry and Syd struggle to keep the ladies out of the loop while getting the job done, but those secrets just keep popping up at the most inconvenient times. Roped into a Christmas wedding at the Inverness Lodge by the willful women, Syd can't figure out if Henry really intends to marry her or if he's just trying to fool his dying grandmother. Will Henry ever tell the truth?

Buzzkill ( Pecan Bayou series #4) by Teresa Trent

BUZZKILL
By Teresa Trent

Book Details
Genre: Cozy Mystery
4th in the Pecan Bayou Series
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 13, 2013)
Paperback: 342 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1490942919
E-Book File Size: 338 KB
ASIN: B00DSU1S8W

Synopsis
Betsy Livingston is planning a wedding so what could go wrong? After publishing a recipe for homemade calamine lotion in the newspaper, the ladies in the community church make a large batch. Everyone loves the stuff until someone in Pecan Bayou is found dead after using it. The town points to Betsy and she starts rethinking her whole career as a helpful hints columnist. Now she must clear her own name in between dress-fitting, cake-tasting, and all those things that turn a bride into a bridezilla. Is Betsy at fault or could there be something else that leads her down the aisle to murder?

About Teresa Trent

Teresa Trent lives in Texas and loves writing about small town life. She first got the idea to create Pecan Bayou after visiting the Texas Hill Country to view the millions of springtime flowers alongside the roads and highways. The town of Pecan Bayou does not exist in Texas, but there is a body of water in the state with the name. Pecan Bayou does exist in Teresa’s imagination and heart. Buzzkill is the fourth book in the Pecan Bayou series featuring all of the crazy characters who live in this cozy little town in Texas.

My Review Buzzkill

4 STARS
This is the 4th book in the Pecan Bayou series by Teresa Trent. It is the first one I have read. I enjoyed it. I did guess the killer but I had decided I was wrong. Had no idea of why but it made sense.
The characters were well developed. I feel I missed a little of it because I had not read the other books. I was afraid of not knowing if Betsy and Leo were a great match when they were not answering questions of where they would live after the wedding.

I liked Betsy and could understand not knowing how to say anything to her mom how she really felt.
I wish the novel was a little longer to answer some of my questions I still have. Not about who or why so so was murdered. One question is when did Leo talk to Betsy's mom?
Everyone says it is Betsy who finds bodies but Leo was the one to find it. Though Betsy was close by.
I like Leo that he was willing to raise his sister's son. That he was being supportive to Betsy and trying to give her the wedding she wanted.
The murder did not happen right off in the story. The first part of the story was about trying to get the plans all set up for the wedding. Her surprise visitor showing up and wanting to help plan the wedding. You wanted things to workout for Betsy and Leo wedding day.

There was plenty of drama, wedding and murder drama, some funny scenes. It was a clean read and a quick read.
I look forward to reading another Teresa Trent book in the future.
I was given this ebook to read and asked to give honest review of it and be part of its blog tour.

Buzzkill Excerpt

“Okay now, let’s see.” Mr. Andre lowered his head, revealing the roots of his mousse-spiked, bleached hair. He wore a dark maroon suit with a matching jewel-toned silk shirt unbuttoned midway, showing sparse hair on his skinny chest. “Do you have a photographer?”

“Yes,” I ventured.

“No,” Aunt Maggie cut in. “She has some guy who shoots kiddie team pictures.”

“Oh my.” Andre circled something on his clipboard. “No photographer.”

“And you’ve gone for a wedding cake tasting?”

“A tasting? I think I already know what vanilla and chocolate tastes like by now.”

Andre shook his head as if I were a child. “No, my dear. You will be pleased to find out there are other flavors like white amaretto, champagne – girl, you can even get peanut butter if that’s what floats your boat. So I take it you haven’t had a cake-tasting session?”

“You would be correct,” I replied.

“I see.” He circled another line. “And your flowers?”

“She’s using Lenny Stokes, and she’s already put a deposit down,” Aunt Maggie said.

Andre grimaced.

“I see. I’ll need his number and address so I can get in contact with him to put him on my approved vendors list.” He circled another line. “And what is the venue?”

“We are going to have the ceremony at the community church.”

Andre’s eyebrows raised as he nodded and smiled. I had finally done something right.

“Do you have any kind of documentation on this?” he asked.

“Not officially, no,” I said. “I have talked to the pastor about it, though and he says it’s open. We live in a small town, Andre. Documentation isn’t always required.”

“Mr. Andre,” he corrected.

“We just don’t have the same kinds of waiting lists like there are in the big city.”

He clutched his hand to his chest. “Well, that’s a relief.”

“And your invitations?”

“We weren’t going to send those out until mid-January. We were afraid people would lose them. I have them ordered.” Mr. Andre’s eyes slanted toward me. “Well, they’re not exactly ordered, but I do have them picked out.”

A pause hung in the air as Mr. Andre summoned up the strength to go on. “Are you sure we’re planning a wedding and not some kind of country barbecue where they cook a pig over a spit?” He clasped his hands together in front of him to emphasize his point. “You are in crisis mode, Madame Happy Hinter.”

I gulped. So maybe, just maybe, I hadn’t nailed down enough of the details. I felt a tear escape onto my cheek. Andre, used to overwhelmed brides, reached over to a satin-covered tissue box and slapped it down on the table in front of me.

“Dry your eyes, sweetie. We’ve got work to do,” he said. “You should know what a lucky girl you are. I just removed myself from a wedding on the same day. No one – I repeat, no one – does a wedding like Mr. Andre, but even I have my limits on troublesome brides and monster mothers. As fate would have it, I’m yours.”

He walked over to a filing cabinet and pulled out a large white leather binder. Mr. Andre’s picture was on the front, and underneath that, “Weddings Exclusively by Mr. Andre” was embossed in gold lettering.

“I don’t care what religion you are,” he said. “This, lovey, is your new bible. Carry this with you everywhere and fill it with notes, questions, business cards, quotes and everything – I mean everything – that has to do with your wedding. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir,” I said and saluted before I could stop myself. Aunt Maggie broke out into a laugh, but Mr. Andre turned quickly, fixing his eyes on her. She quickly stifled her reaction and stood up a little straighter, becoming just another draftee in the world of white satin.