PRE-PUB PARTY: Sweet Carolina Morning by Susan Schild

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're taking a trip back to Willow Hill to catch up with our girl Linny in Susan Schild's latest work via Lyrical Press.  It's set to release August 2nd, so that makes this a PRE-PUB PAR-TAY for fans and those soon-to-be.  So fair readers, I invite you to pull up a chair, grab a cup of sweet tea (or beverage of choice), and relax as we get down to business because there's a wedding to plan and wouldn't you know it...trouble ahead.  *sigh*  Poor Linny...or is she actually dodging a bullet?  Time to find out as we jump into today's book of choice...

Sweet Carolina Morning

Willow Hill, Book 2

by

Susan Schild

9781601838872

Lyrical Press

About the book...

Life down South just got a whole lot sweeter in Susan Schild’s new novel about a woman whose happily-ever-after is about to begin…whether she’s ready for it or not.

Finally, just shy of forty years old, Linny Taylor is living the life of her dreams in her charming hometown of Willow Hill, North Carolina. The past few years have been anything but a fairy tale: Left broke by her con man late-husband, Linny has struggled to rebuild her life from scratch. Then she met Jack Avery, the town’s much-adored veterinarian. And she’s marrying him.

Everything should be coming up roses for Linny. So why does she have such a serious case of pre-wedding jitters? It could be because Jack’s prosperous family doesn’t approve of her rough-and-tumble background. Or that his ex-wife is suddenly back on the scene. Or that Linny has yet to win over his son’s heart. All these obstacles—not to mention what she should wear when she walks down the aisle—are taking the joy out of planning her wedding. Linny better find a way to trust love again, or she might risk losing the one man she wants to be with—forever…

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Oh Linny...what have you gotten yourself into now?




If you've read the first book (Linny's Sweet Dream List), then you're already acquainted with our leading lady and this follow-up starts just after the other left off.  As the synopsis says, things should be coming up roses, or magnolias seeing as it's a Southern Lit novel, but poor Linny is developing a case of cold feet...sorta.  It's not completely her fault.  I mean, she has been married twice over, and widowed as many times (Gheesh!), and communication is a tough nut to crack between her and her fiance for some reason or another, but there's a few other souls in the mix that are really tearing up their sidewalk to happily-ever-after.  Will they be able to overcome the jealous ex, the son feeling lost in the mix, the controlling mother-in-law, and her own blood's ups and downs in order to actually walk (or zipline...gotta read it to see what I mean) down the aisle?  Or will their HEA end before it's begun?  Anything is possible, as Linny has proven a few times already, if the heart has enough desire, enough courage, and enough cooperation to see it through.  Fingers crossed...

Okay, here's the thing.  The first book had way more going on so it kept my interest a bit more...this one, I felt myself trudging through the tall grasses in search of a cool respite, i.e. the final pages.  HOWEVER, I kept reading (as I usually do once begun) and was once again pleasantly surprised by the outcome.  The author has a way of building her stories so that even the most jaded of readers will be pulled back in again by book's end...such was the case here.  Though not on the edge of my seat the entire time, once things started rolling, I was there with (wedding) bells on...and will probably be back for more if a third title is released!  Before we speculate about future future reads, let's explore this one a bit more...



Linny was Linny...sweet, unsure, desiring of approval, and seeking the love she thought she found twice already.  Do I think she and Jack are a good fit?  Most definitely...it's getting her to BELIEVE it way down in her soul that's the challenge.  The biggest obstacle for them is COMMUNICATION.  Forget the blending of families, combining of households, or getting use to each other's quirks, this one boils down to good old fashioned one-on-one conversation.  If she and Jack can make it through this self-inflicted wilderness, I see a bright future for their new little family (what...you didn't think I'd TELL you the outcome, now did you?).  The conversations to be had range from wedding planning details (which Neil really has some unique ones to contribute!) to simply just what's in each other's hearts because with experience and a past comes the need for reassurance that you're not following the same footsteps to ruin.  The good news?  Linny has a mother taking a stab at love for the second time around and a sister with family problems of her own to focus on, thus bringing her "issues" into a new light and perhaps even being the catalyst to solving them.

In the end, Linny and friends made their way into my heart once again.  You can't help but root for her and the HEA she's chasing because really, we all want some version of it for ourselves one day.  What fun would it be if our literary leads didn't get the same chance so we can live vicariously?  I won't say I'm in love, but I am definitely in like with the series, and I'll be keeping a spot for book three, Sweet Southern Hearts (January 2017), open on my bookshelf.  How about you?

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About the author...

Susan has an undergraduate degree from James Madison University and a master's degree (MSW) from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has used her professional background as a psychotherapist and corporate trainer to add authenticity to her characters. Susan

Susan is a wife, a stepmother, and a dog lover. She and her family live near Raleigh, North Carolina where she is busy finishing up the third novel in the Willow Hill Series.

SITE

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Special thanks to author Susan Schild and the team at Kensington for the ARC for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or those works forthcoming, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to release AUGUST 2nd, 2016 via Lyrical Press, and imprint of Kensington Books, so add it to your wish list or pre-order your copy today!  If you've not sampled the series yet, be sure to check out book 1, Linny's Sweet Dream List, in stores now!
  

Until next time...happy reading!

Linny's Sweet Dream List by Susan Schild

Hello, hello!

Welcome back to another week here at the site that aims to please your reading palette, Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're taking a stroll through the pages of a Willow Hill novel that introduces us to the work of author Susan Schild.  She's actually getting ready to celebrate the release of her second book in a matter of weeks, but I simply couldn't resist getting this title on the table for a potential addition to your Summer Reading selections,; I mean, just look at the cover!  It's practically begging you to come along for a summer stroll through the pages.  It's got a leading lady to love, relationships to bond over, and enough stumbles along the way to shake a stick at for a REALLY long time, but all are delivered with good humor and a full heart.  Ready or not, please join me in welcoming today's book of choice...

Linny's Sweet Dream List

by

Susan Schild

9781616509422

Lyrical Press

About the book...

Thirty-eight year old ​​​​​​​​​​​Linny Taylor should have known that Buck - a Golden Boy driving a vintage Caddy - was not good husband material, but she married him anyway. The marriage goes South fast, and Buck steals all her money.

Linny is forced to move into a rundown mobile home right next door to her church lady mother, and rebuild her life from scratch. She makes a list of things that might make her sweet dreams come true. A porch swing. A job that makes her happy. Maybe even a date or two.

Good ole boy veterinarian, Jack Avery, comes into her life, and seems like the real deal, but so did her thieving husband. Jack comes with baggage, too - an exquisite ex-wife who seems just a little too chummy with him, and a moody young son. Can Linny learn to trust love again, and find her happily ever after?

Digital:   Amazon   |  iTunes    |  Books a Million  |  Barnes and Noble NOOK​

Paperback:  Amazon  |  Books A Million   |  kobo  |  Hudson Booksellers   |  ​IndieBound

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This is a story of second chances and new beginnings, even if we didn't ask for them.  It's about blessings in disguise, the power of COMMUNICATION, and the unwavering love of family.  It reminds us in the sweetest way possible to explore all life has to offer, never settle for second best, and keep chasing our dreams.  There...a review in a nutshell, but if you thought you were getting off that easy, than you haven't been to my site very often.  ^-^  Allow me to illuminate my adventure through the pages a bit more closely...

A few scenes of Willow Hill from the author's site...

My first reaction to the plight of our leading lady...poor Linny! I mean, whose Cheerios did she leave the milk out of (though dry, it's still pretty tasty)?  Widowed twice over and having to start a new phase once again, definitely not something every little girl dreams about, that's for sure.  It was one thing for her first love to leave permanently in the prime of their lives; it certainly wasn't his choice and the times they shared were heartbreakingly beautiful.  The time she gave to her second marriage though could have been much better spent.  The long version is revealed in the book, but the short version...the guy was a tool, a player, a middle-age-crisis-case-that-didn't-know-when-he-had-it-good, and Linny was definitely when he had it good.  His death while mourned was more of a door-closes-window-opens situation and while not welcomed with open arms, at least she has a good friend, loving family, and a sweet new pup to help her get by. She'll need it too because what happens at her job was totally for the birds...so is Annalise and her boss for that matter.  Ugh!  *shakes head*  Moving forward....

The challenges she faces in the coming days will test her fortitude, ambition, and strength...both bodily and of heart.  It's not easy getting the heave ho from your "dream job" in the best of times, let alone when you're dealing with the death of a "loved" one, but Linny and friends have it all worked out.  Get Linny out of the sitch she's in come heck or high water, knock out the mountains of debt incurred from the recently deceased, get Linny focused on rebuilding her work AND love life, and have LOADS of fun along the way.  Does it work?  Um, yes and no.  Let's just say pitfalls and our girl Linny are best friends to a degree, but the way she bounces back (almost) every time makes her truly shine. 

In the end, it was indeed a "sweet dream" to see Linny finally come into her own...even if I DID want to smack her a few times for jumping to conclusions CONSTANTLY instead of just ASKING. I get her being gun shy with her history, but still. Giving yourself unnecessary heartache when you could have the world in the palm of your hand, definitely not the best path to choose.  Recommended read for Women's Fiction and Chick Lit fans in their teens and beyond.

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About the author...

Susan has an undergraduate degree from James Madison University and a master's degree (MSW) from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has used her professional background as a psychotherapist and corporate trainer to add authenticity to her characters. Susan

Susan is a wife, a stepmother, and a dog lover. She and her family live near Raleigh, North Carolina where she is busy finishing up the third novel in the Willow Hill Series.

SITE

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Special thanks to author Susan Schild for the print copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or those works forthcoming, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now via Lyrical Press, and imprint of Kensington Books, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.  Speaking of those forthcoming titles, be sure to check out BOOK 2 in the Willow Hill novels entitled Sweet Carolina Morning, set to hit store shelves August 2, 2016!  I know I will be...

Until next time...happy reading!

Secrets of Sand Mountain by Philip C. Elrod

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today's featured title is a work of Southern Literature that unfolds like a hot summer day...slowly and up long into the night.  It doesn't mince words, nor does it lack in character (or characters for that matter), but it does take you on a journey through the life and times of those in Campbell Crossing that will stick with you long after the last digital page is turned.  So grab some sunscreen and remember your manners, we're traveling below the Mason Dixon line to check out today's book of choice...

Secrets of Sand Mountain

by

Philip C. Elrod

9781519707222

About the book...

Serene and beautiful on the outside - fires raging beneath the surface. Moonshine, murder, an escaped German prisoner of war....from the tiny town of Campbell Crossing to Cuba's glory days as playground for the rich and unscrupulous, to post war England. The Secrets of Sand Mountain stretch out their tentacles, weaving a complicated web, and leaving none untouched and at least two dead.

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Initially, it was a little hard to get my footing in this one...but I was hopeful, so I pushed on.  Was I rewarded for my efforts?  Ten fold my friend, ten fold.

Philip is our initial narrator, divulging the details of his summer afternoons spent with friends, avoiding chores, and bringing back to life his Aunt Vi.  The first two are expected for a "man " of his years, but the last is the one that has the most impact on EVERYONE.  You see, Aunt Vi was living a half life for some time thanks to a tragic heartbreak in her past that she never quite got beyond.  All it took to break its spell, a strand of pearls, the love of her family, and an escaped POW.  Confused?  Sorry, but you'll have to remain so for now because to really get into any of that in detail will reveal far too much of a story that is meant to be savored, not summarized.  Suffice it to say that Aunt Vi is a much more vibrant woman than most realize and it's going to pay off in the end for everyone she holds dear...including a new "friend" that unexpectedly steals her heart.  Add to all this, a volatile family life/history, relatives with bad intentions crawling out of the woodwork, a black sheep becoming a horse of a different color (or at least higher held in esteem when viewed in a different light), gangsters and power, flights of fancy and necessity, second chances at love, and a whole heap of adventures to tide anyone over in life.  Some experiences are good, some are great, and others are things we wouldn't wish on our worst enemy, but you're among good people (for the most part) with good intentions (again, for the most part), so take the journey for what it's worth and travel their life path knowing you're in good company.  Now, on to something else I needed to note...

The length of the work is listed at well over 400 pages on GoodReads, which differed from my e-version, but nonetheless there was truly more than enough content to have turned this ONE book into a trilogy and be thoroughly contented with the result.  As it is, the work is spilt into three (well, technically four) sections.  The first is told by Phillip, the second by Aunt Vi, the third by Karl, and the last by Phillip once again.  Each chapter or section (aside from Aunt Vi and Karl...those could be together) could have easily been a separate novel, thus allowing the slow pacing of the story to march forward through all aspects of the book.  In its current form, the first portion spans part of a lifetime, the second and third but a smattering of months, and the fourth several dozen years down the line.  While I still enjoyed the work, I felt a bit cheated by the final portion when it jumped ten years down the line.  It almost felt rushed like the author decided to stick a fork in it and call it done without regard to the reader hanging on every word.  For balance, I say the break up of the work is needed....or perhaps the first part needs skimming down, though I would hate to lose integral parts of the story as that is how you grow to know and love or loathe these memorable characters.

In the end, this is definitely a Southern Lit title you don't go into lightly. It has depth and builds connections with several of the key characters through a lifetime of situations, floundering and ultimately finding where you belong. One (of many) messages to take away: Family is not blood alone but those we choose to keep close to our hearts.  Recommended read for older teens through adults due to some violent content; nothing over the top, but still...violence is violence. 

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About the author...

Phil Elrod is an author living and working in Texas. He was born and raised in the Southeastern United States and has a great fondness for the people and places of Alabama. He has also authored science fiction books and articles on data collection, computer technology and the technical trading of

securities. His interests include astronomy, RV travel, international travel, and photography.

SITE  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK

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Special thanks to author Philip C. Elrod for the eBook for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or his works in progress, free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now, so be on the lookout for it on at a virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!



What We Set in Motion by Stephanie Austin Edwards

Hi there!

Welcomes back to another week here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  The place that no matter what life throws at you, you can always find yourself between the pages of a great book.

Today, we're shining the spotlight on a recently released title that came to my attention through the folks at Book Savvy PR (namely Eileen... ~waves~).  It's a work of Literary Fiction that would find itself just as well if shelved with Southern Literature seeing how it's leading lady happens to herald from the Lowcountry of South Carolina.  It's all about following your dreams, and finding the life path meant for you, with a broad cast of characters that will endear themselves to you in one way or another along the way.  So sit back, relax, and grab a cold glass of iced tea (or SWEET tea, if you happen to be Southern), as we regal you with a tale that'll move you to dance.  Today's book of choice is...

What We Set in Motion

by

Stephanie Austin Edwards

9780996571906

Novel Ideas by SAE

About the book..

Set in the turbulent, colorful 1970’s, What We Set in Motion finds the daughter of a prominent old South Carolina Lowcountry family fleeing to New York’s Greenwich Village in pursuit of a dance career. Cut off by her disapproving father and abandoned by her would-be fiancé, Nadine Carter Barnwell must strive on her own to beat the harrowing odds. Penniless and surrounded by the temptation of dubious money-making schemes and the bitter disappointment of seeing a friend fall prey to them, Nadine battles fiercely for her place in the ultra-competitive world of dance — only to reluctantly step away to please a man. It takes the loving, mystical intervention of her beloved aunt back in South Carolina and an unexpected letter from a young girl to set Nadine’s chaotic life firmly on the path to fulfillment and the startling realization that every encounter and each choice is a milestone in the quest to forge her own destiny.

AMAZON  |  B&N

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This is one of those books that you don't rush through the story...you savor it.  Every word, every passage, every page takes you deeper into the tale as it unfolds and the characters as they develop into something more than you ever expected.  That, my friends, is what you're in store for with this read.

Right from the start, I thought...this is a remarkable read.  We're given a leading lady with a strong, clear voice that makes it easy to step right into the story.  You can feel the love she has for her family, even when they turn their back on her.  You can sense the connection she has with her Aunt Amelia and Uncle Hamp, the longevity and reach of which will last a lifetime (or perhaps beyond).  I truly admired Nadine in her choices and gumption to continue reaching for her dreams, even when all felt lost and every turn was exposing more raw nerves and strife than she felt certain she could face.  My heart filled with sadness at the outcome of her initial life changing event and the weight which she would carry throughout her life, but I believed Aunt Amelia...something big was around the corner.  Just how big and where her path would take her could not have been imagined, but it was all in pursuit of the Full-Hearted Life she sought.

As the story progresses, there are plenty of moments that will stop your heart (Baby Child!), grit your teeth (OMG...I wanted to I don't know what that sniffling little weasel), shed tears of sadness (for friends, family, and dreams), and steal your breath (he bought her a puppy!  So sweet!).  Watching Nadine pursue her dream come what may was inspiring.  She met many obstacles and friends turned to foes (sorta) along the way, but in spite of it all, she managed to stay strong...with a little help from her family.  Now, family here isn't all about blood, but about those you choose to let in and that being the case, Nadine has an extended one to say the least.  They are colorful and lively, with various backgrounds, but they are all AMAZING in their own ways.  They serve her well throughout her time in the big city, while also conditioning her for the bigger events coming her way.



Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read that will keep you turning pages from start to finish with its simplicity, love of life, and message of following your dreams.  I admit, though genuinely shocked by the ending (in the best way possible), I had entertained a notion or two that came to pass along my reading journey. (Score one for the reader!)  It allowed readers the chance to see things come full circle for Nadine and though sadness colored some of her days, her heart was better for the experiences in the end.

Recommended read for Literary Fiction as well as Women's Fiction fans from older teens through adults.  It's a moving journey you won't want to miss.

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About the author...

Stephanie Austin Edwards is the author of What We Set In Motion (2016), which won the Best Submission Award at the Atlanta Writer’s Club Conference in 2013. Her recent publications include a short story in the University of Texas literary journal, riverSedge, and an essay in the book Beaufort Through the Ages. In a past life, Stephanie was a costume supervisor on Broadway for productions of Dreamgirls, Grind, The Rink (Liza Minelli) and Woman of the Year (Lauren Bacall), among others. She also has numerous film and television credits to her name, including work on The Cosby Show, the Woody Allen films Hannah and Her Sisters and Radio Days, and Michael Jackson’s BAD music video. After giving up the bustle of New York City life, Stephanie has returned to her roots in the South Carolina Lowcountry, teaching writing workshops at the college level and working for the Beaufort School District as a grant consultant.

SITE  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK

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Special thanks to Eileen at Book Savvy PR for the copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or those promotions forthcoming, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title celebrated its book birthday March 30th, 2016, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!