Tag: debut author

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Best friends try fake dating, how will it turn out? Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

Previously published Nov 10, 2021 republished by Berkley June 6, 2023

Who would have thought I would be reading my first new Christmas book of the year in April but when you’re a member of Netgalley I guess you just never know.

About The Book

Two best friends fake date to reach their holiday happily ever after in this first romantic comedy in the Lovelight series.

A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.

My Thoughts

Lovelight Farms, Stella and her mom used to go there when she was a child. She remembered it as a magical winter wonderland. A place to pick out the perfect Christmas tree, drink hot chocolate and skate on the pond.
Wanting to recreate this happiness after her mother passes, she buys the farm not knowing anything about running a Christmas tree farm. When things on the farm start being sabotaged, dying trees, deliveries not coming in, etc. She doesn’t understand. As the debt mounts, well she doesn’t even want to think about that.
When an opportunity comes around for her Christmas tree farm to get a lot of attention if a popular influencer comes to the farm and puts in a good word she grabs onto this idea and won’t let go.
On the application she turns in she puts she owns the farm with her boyfriend, except she doesn’t have one. This is where Luka comes in, they have been besties since childhood, and it shouldn’t be too hard to take this best friend thing to the next level. a fake romance. What happens when your bestie what’s to take it to the level of no return and turn this fake relationship into the real thing?
Tender, slow burn romance, friends to lovers. Charming romance with all the holiday joy you need.
Can’t wait to get started on the rest of the series now. For a debut author this is exceptionally good!

Pub Date: 06 Jun 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

The Author

Amazon bestselling author B.K. Borison is fueled almost entirely by coffee and spends her days with imaginary characters doing imaginary things. She lives in Baltimore with her little family, including her giant dog.

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/authorbkborison

Thanks for stopping in and have a wonderful day.

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Black history month review, Maame by debut author Jessica George

320 pages St. Martins Press January 31,2023 publish date

About The Book

Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.

It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.

When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it’s not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils―and rewards―of putting her heart on the line.

Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George’s Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures―and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.

My Thoughts

“……… it’s easy to conflare being well-liked with being well-loved. There’s a misconception to be well-loved, the love has to come from multiple sources, when truthfully, one or two people can love you with the strength of ten.”

Maame means woman or little mother in Twi. She received this nickname as a child. This nickname has been okay, but she now feels the weight of it suffocating her and she has been going by Maddie.
The caretaker of her father she was forced to grow up fast. Her brother is busy with his life and doesn’t have time for their father. Living in London she is the daughter of Ghanaian immigrant parents. Her mother who is frequently gone, living in Ghana helping her brother run a hostel. Her mother is usually gone for a year at a time or more and Maddie has had to be the responsible one, forced to be mature and raise herself. Their family is private, and she has no one to speak with about her cares and concerns. As her father’s health deteriorates, he depends on her more and they become closer in a way they had not been when he was well.
She must suppress a lot including depression and anxiety. She feels like she is being held back socially as she has always put others needs ahead of her own.
Thrilled when her mother returns home she is ready to take charge and live her life including getting her own flat and starting to seriously date.
Maddie experiences many first and starts to come into her own.
The author handles grief, loss and racism in a way that will make you want to examine the way you handle these. This book vividly brings to life the culture and ideals of the mother land. Heartbreaking and healing this book is emotional and poignant. There are a lot of tough subjects that the author deals with in a respectful way.

Pub Date 31 Jan 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

About The Author

Jessica George was born and raised in London to Ghanaian parents and studied English Literature at the University of Sheffield. After working at a literary agency and a theatre, she landed a job in the editorial department of a publishing house. She now lives in south west London with an incontrovertible sweet tooth and the knowledge that she can consume half a cake by herself if left to her own devices. Jessica’s debut novel, Maame, will be published as a lead hardback in 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK and by St Martin’s Press in the US.

Thank you for visiting today. May your day be fufilling.

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The Guinea Pig Chronicles-Children’s Book based on the author’s guinea pigs’ adventures by Patricia Maxwell Watts-Review

This is a children’s book, but I think it works wonderfully as a book adults can read especially adults that enjoy guinea pigs. Beautiful illustrations really enhance the book. Perfect for gift giving and reading to the children in your life.

About The Book

Do you ever wonder about your pets and what adventures they may get up to? What they might experience when you’re not around? And, finally, where you’d be without them?

The Guinea Pig Chronicles is based on the lives and adventures of six real life guinea pigs, owned by the author and her family over a period of twenty years.

Fluffy was a brave explorer and rescued his friend from the jungle garden. Hamish was beautiful, but very unlucky. What he experienced shows how brave he was as well. A sore eye, sunstroke and toothache meant he got to know the vet very well! Jynesse was named after a well-known health drink, and ‘narrowly escaped’ becoming a celebrity. Winter and her friend experienced snow for the first time – and met Father Christmas! Autumn was a born mother and fulfilled her destiny by meeting handsome Valentino. Two became seven after the arrival of five beautiful baby guinea pigs. Stripey was one of Autumn’s babies and stayed with Autumn when the other babies found new homes. Finally, Stripey was special because she was the ‘last one’.

Each of the stories also shows how, when caring for a pet, human beings learn some valuable and important lessons. With charming illustrations by Katie John to accompany the stories, The Guinea Pig Chronicles is perfect for 7 – 9 year olds or anybody who loves guinea pigs!

Grab A Copy Here

My Thoughts

My family and I currently have four guinea pigs, two males and two females. Having guinea pigs when I was growing up, I knew I would enjoy having guinea pigs again as an adult. Guinea pigs are a bit skittish, but they are so soft and love cuddles. Guinea pigs do not do well as solitary animals and must have a friend with them as they get very lonely.
This is a children’s book, but I think it works wonderfully as a book adults can read especially adults that enjoy guinea pigs. Beautiful illustrations really enhance the book. Perfect for gift giving and reading to the children in your life.
This book is a fictionalized version of the life and adventures of the author and her family’s six guinea pigs over twenty years. From outside adventures, playing in the snow, being visited by Santa and almost becoming famous doing commercials for a drink company the guinea pigs and their family had so much fun. I could see the piggies were very loved and well taken care of. This book is the perfect fit for me, and I loved reading about the guinea pigs’ adventures.

Pub Date 01 Dec 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The Author

https://www.facebook.com/people/Patricia-Maxwell-Watts-Author/100087442561307/

Patricia Maxwell Watts is a seventy-four-year-old widow. She retired recently after twenty-one years from a well-known health care company, leaving her time to write her debut.

Does this sound like a book you would enjoy reading? Please let me know in the comments. Do you have a guinea pig or have you ever had one?

Thank you for stopping in today. The kids have a snow day from school, and we are relaxing. It sounds like a good cookie baking day today. Enjoy your day.