PRE BOOK BIRTHDAY BUZZ: One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're spreading the PRE BOOK BIRTHDAY BUZZ about a NEW TITLE coming this Tuesday via HQN Books!  It's the latest release from author Sarah Morgan, and if you haven't already sampled her work, I highly suggest you do (a good starting point would be her Manhattan series...SO GOOD!)!  This time around it's a Contemporary Romance/Women's Fiction title that explores friendship, love, and life as one character is beginning her journey and another is starting anew.  I can't tell you how perfect this book was for me when it arrived, but I will...in just a moment...first, the intro!  Today's title in the spotlight and book of choice is...

One Summer in Paris

by

Sarah Morgan

9781335653000

HQN Books

About the book...

To celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, Grace has planned the surprise of a lifetime for her husband--a romantic getaway to Paris. But she never expected he'd have a surprise of his own: he wants a divorce. Reeling from the shock but refusing to be broken, a devastated Grace makes the bold decision to go to Paris alone.  Audrey, a young woman from London, has left behind a heartache of her own when she arrives in Paris. A job in a bookshop is her ticket to freedom, but with no money and no knowledge of the French language, suddenly a summer spent wandering the cobbled streets alone seems much more likely...until she meets Grace, and everything changes.  Grace can't believe how daring Audrey is. Audrey can't believe how cautious newly single Grace is. Living in neighboring apartments above the bookshop, this unlikely pair offer each other just what they've both been missing. They came to Paris to find themselves, but finding this unbreakable friendship might be the best thing that's ever happened to them...

 

  

So, once upon a time, there was a girl.  Life was going along swimmingly...okay, so it had its ups and downs, but for the most part it was above the bar...until one day an evil presence swept her known world away leaving her "kingdom" in ruins, and a whole in her heart.  The evil passed as most evil does, but the whole in both her life and self remained.  Try as she might, she couldn't find anything to fill that missing piece...until the day she was able to pick up a book once again.  The escape they offered into worlds beyond her imagination, outside the new boundaries of her front door, were a welcome relief, and while it didn't replace everything lost...it started the healing process on a simple part of her soul and meant the world to the girl. 

That girl was/is me...and while we're still rebuilding so many months after the storm, truthfully...things haven't gotten all that much easier.  People outside of the stricken area move on, forget, and have other worries/issues crop up that are more pressing in their lives...but for those of us "left behind", it's a struggle, and anything that helps give some sort of normalcy to this crazy new world we're traversing is a welcome blessing.  The reconnection with reading was/is my escape, and when I received an email from Anna that this book was winging its way to me, I couldn't have been happier.  The author is one I've read many works by...the last being The Christmas Sisters (such a good read!)...and who's writing always managed to pull me right into the story, allowing me to get lost in someone else's troubles, relish someone else's triumphs, and go starry-eyed over the love someone else had discovered.  This release was no different.

While Grace and Audrey are separate in many ways...age, life stage, experience, and whatnot...they are close at heart, reminding us that friendship is not restricted to those in our own generation.  There is much to be learned from those older AND younger (as they both discover), much room to grow no matter your current age, and so much potential for things to still come out all right in the end.  What happened to both Grace and Audrey was not ideal in any fashion, and yet somehow they not only found each other, but themselves along their crooked paths towards their unknown futures.  The high hopes they initially held were thwarted time and again, but they never gave up...not truly...and in trudging through it, they were better for it in the end. 

Honestly, I loved the progress/growth both characters showed along their journey, the connection they made with each other as well as those they met, the times and experiences they shared, the bookstore that gave them more than wordy wonders but a piece of themselves they didn't even realize they were missing.  It truly enchanted me, heart and soul.  I will admit, I was worried for a bit for both our leading ladies.  Grace had such a kicker of a moment coming up at book's end, I really couldn't fathom it going one way, hoped it went another, and yet how it ended up was a beautiful blend of give and take that really worked.  Audrey had my heart in a bind as well because she was finally showing her true colors and despite her can-do attitude, walls kept being thrown up in her face.  Even the sweetness she found in the city was causing her heartache, and yet the author makes it work in her favor while still giving us a satisfying end.

All in all, it was wonderful, magical, realistic, and even at times infuriating, but I adored every moment!  Whether I was swooning, having a bookish moment, nodding in agreement, or gasping at a turn of events, it's a definite MUST READ this Spring/Summer and one I highly suggest making room on your wish list for!

About the author...

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.

Romantic Times has described her as 'a magician with words' and nominated her books for their Reviewer's Choice Awards and their 'Top Pick' slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family. Find out more at www.sarahmorgan.com

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Special thanks to Anna of Aro Publicity for the ARC for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to celebrate its BOOK BIRTHDAY April, 9th, 2019 (as of this post) via HQN Books, so mark your calendar or pre-order your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

BLOG TOUR: The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining Aro Publicity for a stop along their current tour featuring the next release from author Sarah Morgan.  It's set to celebrate its BOOK BIRTHDAY this Tuesday (09/25/18), and trust me when I say, it doesn't need to be Christmas to enjoy this holiday centered title.  There is SO MUCH to love here, from the cover to the characters, the multiple story lines to all the feels, that it'll be all you want for Christmas...but seriously, don't deprive yourself!  I mean, Santa needs to deliver something, but this is one gift you should DEFINITELY open before December the 25th.  So, without further babbling on my end (yeah, yeah, I know...but it was SO GOOD!), let me get this title introduced properly.  Today's blog tour guest and book of choice is...

The Christmas Sisters

by

Sarah Morgan

9781335946478

HQN Books

About the book...

In the snowy Highlands of Scotland, Suzanne McBride is dreaming of the perfect cozy Christmas. Her three adopted daughters are coming home for the holidays and she can’t wait to see them. But tensions are running high…

Workaholic Hannah knows she can’t avoid spending the holidays with her family two years in a row. But it’s not the weight of their expectations that’s panicking her—it’s the life-changing secret she’s hiding. Stay-at-home mom Beth is having a personal crisis. All she wants for Christmas is time to decide if she’s ready to return to work—seeing everyone was supposed to help her stress levels, not increase them! Posy isn’t sure she’s living her best life, but with her parents depending on her, making a change seems risky. But not as risky as falling for gorgeous new neighbor Luke…

As Suzanne’s dreams of the perfect McBride Christmas unravel, she must rely on the magic of the season to bring her daughters together. But will this new togetherness teach the sisters that their close-knit bond is strong enough to withstand anything—including a family Christmas?

HARLEQUIN

AMAZON  |  B&N  |  BAMM  |  INDIEBOUND

KOBO  |  ITUNES  |  GOOGLE PLAY

Okay, first of all, let's talk about that cover!

Seriously experiencing some walking-in-a-winter-wonderland feelings here, and it's literally about 95 degrees where I'm at, so that's saying something.  Seriously though, isn't it beautiful?  I can just picture walking amidst the trees, ooh-ing and aah-ing at all the fairy lights, as the snow gently falls all around.  *sigh*  Such a beautiful setting, and that's even before we get to the MAGICAL story within.

Now when I say "magical", I don't mean in the literal sense here...it's not HP, there's no wizard going to come forth and tell a big scary that they "shall not pass", or any other fantasy type adventure you may have conjured.  The MAGIC here is coming straight from the heart.  It's about the relationships between friends, families, and lovers, the past hurts to be carried and the future blessings to come, the strength of heart it takes to move forward from tragedy, and the strength of character it requires to ask for a helping hand.  Take it character by character...

 Hannah...eldest sister, carrier of many past woes, harboring feelings of inadequacy, while dealing with an unexpected surprise.  She runs in the right direction when she needs shelter, but accepting the fact that she needs their help, their understanding, their love...that's a whole other ball of wax.  I felt for her, truly...it couldn't have been easy being the bookish one in a family of outdoor adventurers, but was that her burden to bare?  No...it was up to the parental units to make her feel accepted for who she was...but time isn't always on our side, and theirs ended in the blink of an eye, leaving scars that would last for years to come.

Beth...middle child, overprotective mom to the umpteenth degree, and former businesswoman looking to have it all.  She means well, but you can't predict every possibility for every situation that could occur without slowly driving SOMEONE crazy...and while wanting her star to shine again isn't something off the wall, the way she goes about it isn't perhaps the best opportunity out there.  Watching her struggle was hard, as was her breakdown, but when realization finally hit home, the landing was softened by the love surrounding her and that's something to be truly grateful for.

Posy...youngest sister, free spirited much like her parents though without the reckless streak, able to take life as it comes, but always holding something of her self back.  She has hopes and dreams a bit bigger than the gorgeous small town she's known all her life, but breaking free comes with a price, and she's not sure if she's willing to pay it.  Even when handsome opportunity comes a knocking, the uncertainty dogs her, making her open heart shut off parts of itself in order to keep her happy-go-lucky attitude.  I really loved how she approached life AND love, even if she thought she was beyond inexperienced with those feelings in the relationship sense.  I really wanted to throttle a particular person that sets her self doubt in motion (*grr*), but once her feet land back on the ground, she tackles it head on, fearless as ever.

We can't forget Suzanne and Stewart, the heart and soul of this family unit.  To hear their story, how this family came to be a family, and the tragedy that set it all in motion...it makes your heart warm, your smile grow, and your understanding of the depth of their love reach new heights.  Seriously, you couldn't ask for a better pair, and I love that we had the chance to get to know them as well.  Then there's...me stopping because like I said, I could go on and on and on and...well, you get the picture.  Suffice it to say that it was DEFINITELY another win for this wonderful author, and a book I'll be recommending for the coming season and beyond. 

About the author...

USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes hot, happy, contemporary romance and women’s fiction, and her trademark humor and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. Described as “a magician with words” by RT Book Reviews, she has sold more than eleven million copies of her books. She was nominated three years in succession for the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America and won the award three times: once in 2012 for Doukakis’s Apprentice, in 2013 for A Night of No Return and in 2017 for Miracle on 5th Avenue. She also won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award in 2012 and has made numerous appearances in their Top Pick slot. As a child, Sarah dreamed of being a writer, and although she took a few interesting detours along the way, she is now living that dream. Sarah lives near London, England, with her husband and children, and when she isn’t reading or writing, she loves being outdoors, preferably on vacation so she can forget the house needs tidying.

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BOOK BUB  |  GOODREADS  |  INSTAGRAM

Special thanks to Anna at Aro Publicity and the Harlequin Books team for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the ARC for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, her other works, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title hits bookstore and virtual shelves Tuesday, September 25th, 2018 via Harlequin Books, so be mark your calendar or pre order your copy today!  Be sure to check out the rest of the stops along the tour for more bookish fun!

BEFORE YOU GO...

DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE IN TO WIN IN THE TOURWIDE GIVEWAY!

Up for grabs...

(1) print edition of The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan!

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE RAFFLECOPTER TO SUBMIT YOUR ENTRIES!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

TLC BOOK TOURS: Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining a TLC Book Tours promotion already in progress.  It stars a Contemporary Romance selection and the latest addition to the From Manhattan with Love series from author Sarah Morgan via HQN.  Now, I've read all the titles in the series thus far and while I have loved them all, I think this one just might be one of my FAVORITES of the bunch!  Why?  Oh, you'll see in a moment.  So, ladies and gents, grab your pjs, a cup of hot cocoa, and grab a fur baby, because today's book of choice is ready, set, here...

Moonlight Over Manhattan

From Manhattan with Love series, Book 7

by

Sarah Morgan

9780373804030

HQN

About the book...

Determined to conquer a lifetime of shyness, Harriet Knight challenges herself to do one thing a day in December that scares her, including celebrating Christmas without her family. But when dog walker Harriet meets her newest client, exuberant spaniel Madi, she adds an extra challenge to her list—dealing with Madi’s temporary dog sitter, gruff doctor Ethan Black, and their very unexpected chemistry.

Ethan thought he was used to chaos, until he met Madi—how can one tiny dog cause such mayhem? To Ethan, the solution is simple—he will pay Harriet to share his New York apartment and provide twenty-four-hour care. But there’s nothing simple about how Harriet makes him feel.

Ethan’s kisses make Harriet shine brighter than the stars over moonlit Manhattan. But when his dog-sitting duties are over and Harriet returns to her own home, will she dare to take the biggest challenge of all—letting Ethan know he has her heart for life, not just for Christmas?

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble













First things first, a little bit of COVER LOVE!
I gotta say, this series has an AWESOME set of covers from start to well, where we're at in the series because I definitely hope this isn't the last installment.  I just couldn't bare it!  Anywho, again...cover love?  Definite YES!  Now, on to the story...or rather my thoughts and comments about/to our leading lady.




Oh Harriett...you are ONE LUCKY LADY!
How so?  Well, let's see...let me illuminate the ways...


* First of all, YOU ARE AMAZING...and watching you come to know that fact and in how many WONDERFUL ways it applies to you was outstanding.  Seriously, I wanted to clap wildly, jump for joy, give you a hug, and celebrate with a cup of hot cocoa (borrowing Dr. Hot's recipe, of course!) and a puppy by our side.  Speaking of which...





* Second reason...you ADORE ANIMALS, which automatically makes us besties.  The care you show for mankind's best friend, the level of concern, the connections you forge, let's us know from the start, YOU are most definitely one of the good ones.


* Third...you're not afraid to try new things.  Okay, so maybe you are...and some of them with obviously good reasons...but you don't let that fear stop you.  From bad first dates to conversing with strangers to taking a chance on dog sitting (overnight...at Dr. Hot's house...PURELY for the dog's comfort and safety...NO LIE!), you already had your own version of a "bad girl card" without you ever realizing it.


* Fourthly...your caring ways don't merely extend to fur babies or their owners but those that harbor a kind soul themselves, hidden or not.  You show them through gestures...taking care of them (sick Doc, anyone?), cooking for them, etcetera...let alone your kindness.

Obviously I could keep going, but short of writing a biography myself, I'll let readers discover more about you on their own.  Suffice it to say that I actually saw a lot of myself in you...no, I'm not glorifying myself either, I mean in some of your kindness but also your challenges.  No one's lot is as easy in life as it may seem from the outside looking in...some just hide the hurt better than others.  What better way to help the healing along than with your very own doctor?  *wink wink* 

Before you go imaging all sorts of "healing", let me warn you...Ethan has his own issues too.  Does it make him any less of a "Dr. Hot"?  Visually, no...but remember, this is Harriett; looks are great, but HEART is required.  (LOVE YOU FOR THAT!  SERIOUSLY!)  Guess that proves Ethan wrong from the start then about his lack of heart since knowing out leading lady, she'd never bother with him at all if he actually lacked one.

In the end, it was a WONDERFULL addition to a growing series that I love and adore.  The characters are memorable, the stories heart filled, and the romance is steamy but not over the top.  Each book builds off the others but not so much so that if it's your first venture into the series, you'll be lost...so stand alone status is YES but then again with a set like this, WHY STOP AT ONE?  Oh, and that image above?  It was me taking notes for this review when inspiration struck.  I thought it was rather ironic that the notepad I happened to grab said, well...you see it there.  ^-^

About the author...

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.
Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family.




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Special thanks to Lisa at TLC Book Tours for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as to Harlequin publicity team for the ARC for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the series, the publisher, THIS TOUR, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.


BEFORE YOU GO...
BE SURE TO ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN IN THE TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY!  UP FOR GRABS... $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD!





Just CLICK HERE to access the Rafflecopter form to enter!




Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!