Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Beth K. Vogt

Three words that I can describe this book with: LOVE LOVE LOVE!! It is such an easy, cute, and romantic book that I just fell in love with! I found myself reading chapter after chapter wanting to see how the plot unfolded.

The past:

Vanessa was a military family and traveled all over. Finally she ended up in Destin, Florida, where she began another year in high school. There she met Logan, one dreamy hunk of a man (well at least how I envisioned him). Before she began college, she and Logan eloped so she could stay with him instead of moving to Colorado with her family. Sadly, the marriage didn't last and they got a divorce.

The present:

Vanessa is engaged to Ted, a doctor, and is planning a wedding, in Destin, Florida. They chose that location since Vanessa wanted a destination wedding, and Ted has a medical conference in that location and at that time. How romantic right?! *note sarcasm* Since Ted was working, it was decided that Vanessa would go to Florida to start planning the wedding. While walking the beach, Vanessa saw someone in need of help and at that point, she ran into Logan. Dismissing him real quick, she didn't think she would run into him again. However, fate had other plans. A powerful hurricane brings them together again. Logan discovers his love for Vanessa and doesn't want to lose her. But how does he go about showing her since she is already married?! Vanessa on the other hand, is trying to keep her head straight. She starts to remember feelings/memories she had with Logan, but she also knows how much of a whirlwind he could be. She has stability with Ted, but is that what she really wants?

This story is very well written. It flows so easy and the transitions from past to present are fluid. This is my first book I have read by Beth and it certainly won't be my last. For anyone looking for a cute little love story, this is it!

If You're Not The One by Jemma Forte

What if you could do it all over again?

Jennifer Wright is pretty sure her husband doesn't love her anymore. She and Max used to be the perfect couple, but the pressures of work and kids have pulled them in opposite directions. Now , Jen is full of "what if" questions about whether her bland, suburban existence is all she was ever destined for.

When a terrible accident sends Jen into a coma, she is able to see what her life could have been if she had run off to Australia with the handsome, dangerous man she met on vacation, or if she had stayed with her workaholic college boyfriend. Would she ever have loved another child as much as she loves her daughters? Could she have become rich? More than anything, Jen wants to do the right thing for her family. But what she discovers may leave her with even more questions about the choices she made, and no easy answers about what to do next.
Just reading that synopsis I was hooked, I could relate to this book in so many ways! I'm always imagining what my life could have been if I chose one path vs another.

With her marriage on the rocks, Jennifer is hurt that her husband, Max, doesn't treat her as he first did at the beginning of their relationship/marriage. She senses that Max is growing close and paying more attention to one of his coworkers. One night after a fight, Jennifer runs off and sadly gets in a car accident which sends her into a coma.

In this coma, she finds 3 different tunnels: each to boys that could have been. These individual relationships were ended on account of reasons, but in the coma she uncovers the outcome of the relationship had she stayed.  The first gentleman, Aidan, being a handsome guy that she finds wildly attractive who she met on vacation. The second, Tim, was a guy in college who ended up inventing this program which led her to live a very wealthy life. Finally, there was Steve who she met when she was having appliance issues at her apartment. Each of these different tunnels led her to experience different things: children, wealth, loneliness, poverty, love, tears, happiness, and everything in between.

This book had me on edge at times, I kept finding myself reading more and more every night just to see where the tunnels would lead her. I thought this was a well written book in which the story flowed nicely. It transitioned from the tunnels to present day life very well and the stories about each guy was very easy to follow. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read!

Paper Towns by John Green

Hello fellow book lovers!

Sad to say, but I've been on somewhat of a book hiatus for a bit but I'm back!!

One afternoon when I was at the movies, I saw previews for Paper Towns...It looked so captivating where I knew I had to read this book. The next day I happened to be in Target, saw the book on it's shelf, and BAM it somehow ended up in my cart. Funny how that happens!?

The moment I started reading this book I was hooked. The way John brings the characters into the story is amazing! I've never read any other John Green book so I can't compare, but overall I enjoyed it.


The Characters/Plot: The main characters: Margot and Q, next door neighbors. One night she brings Q into her own little world and gives him an adventure of a lifetime. Going to people's houses, pranking them, breaking into Sea World, you get the idea :) The next day at school Margot vanishes - what could have happened?! That's when Q finds clues which leads him, with the help of his friends, on a hunt to find her. 



I really liked Q and all his friends, and the idea of Margo Roth Spiegelman and how everyone had their own idea of her, but none of those theories were the real her. She lived to fit into people's expectations of her, but in the end, all she wanted was to be free.
 

Overall:
Overall, I would recommend this to everyone who hasn't read it yet. Don't really expect a lot of romance, this book is more about the adventure.Although I wasn't a fan of the ending, I thought it was a nice light read!

Happy reading!

Dressed to Kill

Dressed to Kill

By: Lynn Cahoon

196 Pages

Summary:

When most of the store owners agree to act in a local play to raise funds for charity, no one thought the murder mystery would become real. However, things change when one of the actors turns up dead when he wasn't supposed to. The list of suspects grows, as does the secrets that come to light. Will Jill clear her boyfriend's ex-wife of murder? 

I love Cahoon's Tourist Trap Mystery series!! Color me ecstatic when I learned Dressed To Kill will open my summer, and Killer Run is going to close it! Lynn Cahoon is going to bookend my summer! Bring on the fun! Bring on the characters! Bring on the mysteries!

Kent was the manager of the local bank. He was also the local playboy who had a string of women left in his wake. Not to mention a few other secrets that come to life when he turns up dead during a play rehearsal. South cove is boiling over with gossip about what's going on. But the spotlight shines on Sherry, Greg's ex-wife, since she was dating him at the time of his death. It's no secret that Sherry has been a thorn in Jill's side for awhile, but could Sherry actually kill someone? 

Determined not to get involved with the case this time, Jill spends most of the book doing her best to do just that. Yet, she can't help herself, and she finds out things. Clues find her, she finds them; it's all the same. 

Dressed to Kill may not be as action packed as other books in the series, but it was still as enjoyable as the rest. I loved reading it. You won't be lacking in the charm the series is known for. Nor will you be lacking in a good plot. Jill, our ever sly detective doesn't disappoint.

The Good, The Grace of God

The Good, The Bad, and the Grace of God
By: Jep & Jessica Robertson
220 Pages

Summary:
Within these pages, you will get a closer look into their life- both before, and since their marriage. You will discover the journey both led prior to meeting, and see the journey they've been on ever since. Along the way, they share the lessons they learned and how God changed their lives. 

I have to admit that I have never seen an episode of the immensely popular Duck Dynasty TV show. I've heard of them and seen the clips that made the news, but I probably couldn't name everyone on the show. However, knowing the very little that I do, I was drawn to this book. I love to read about peoples' testimonies, and learn what they learned.

Jep and Jessica had normal childhoods. In fact, they grew up in the same town, but never met while growing up. She was a tomboy; he was the youngest of his brothers. For all intents and purposes, life was somewhat boringly normal for them- until high school. Much like the world around them, life changes awaited in their teen years.

Jep became the star basketball player, only to have his sports dreams crushed when he seriously broke his ankle. Jess was also an athlete, but her athletic life came to a halt when her first love not only devastated her heart, but completely demolished her self- esteem. Both Jep and Jess struggled to make sense of their lives, and to find new identities. Jess tried to bury her pain in an eating disorder. Jep partied his away with booze and drugs.

Through the pages you will learn how a misunderstanding set Jess on a course she felt obligated to follow- all the way to the wedding chapel and a marriage she wasn't ready for. You'll read the dangerous turn Jep's partying took when he awoke in the middle of a road, all alone. They give you a front row seat into how God intervened and changed their direction. After a family intervention stopped Jep from losing any more control than he already had, you'll see how he spent the following 3 months really developing his relationship with Christ.

Their relationship was a friendship built around God to begin with. That eventually led to more. You will learn how a few men in Jep's Bible Study group tried to break them up, but the couple fought for their love. The road wasn't without many bumps along the way. Revelations of the past, and hidden secrets threatened their future. Baggage from the past took many forms, and often came close to being their undoing. My heart broke for every struggle they faced. I was happy to see them through the darkness.

I loved reading this book. I loved meeting, and getting to know this couple! Their stories were engrossing. What they each had been through on their own, and the struggles they endured as a team was a testament to their love of each other, and their love for God. They truly sought to do God's will above their own. They turned to Him, and had Him at the center of their entire relationship. It was inspiring to read.

I invite you to read this fascinating read. Whether already a fan of the show, or not, their story is one to be read and learned from. You will be inspired and walk away feeling like you've made new friends.

Wish You Were Here

Summer is a great time to dive into a romance! Here's a romance we think you may enjoy!

Wish You Were Here

By: Phillipa Ashley

287 Pages

Summary:

Eight years ago, Jack Thornfield and Beth Allen met. Three weeks was enough time for both to fall in love with the other. However, once their vacation was over, life caused the romance to be over as well. But, they never forgot each other- or truly got over each other. What would happen if they were to meet up again? Could past hurts be healed? Or is the past really in the past?

Phillipa Ashley is a wonderful romance storyteller. You connect with her characters, and find yourself routing for them. She weaves a story you are pulled into, and they are magical. In Wish You Were Here, she does so well what she always has. She makes you fall in love with her characters as they fall in love with each other.

Jack Thornfield runs a company called Big Outdoors. They don't offer your average vacation get away. However, if you want to white water raft on your vacation, they have you covered. Once the domination company in their field, Big Outdoors has taken a hit from their competitors. Jack is looking to recapture the number one spot, but he needs fresh ideas to do it. 

Beth Allen is interviewing for a job. Prepared to suggest new vacation ideas, and marketing methods to bring in more revenue, Beth is ready to give the interview of her lifetime. What she wasn't ready for was to see Jack.  How could she work for a company with her ex in charge? The man who broke her heart by never hearing from him again? But, she has no choice. In order to help her family, she needs to take the job.

Both Jack and Beth never really got over each other. True, they moved on. True, they have had other relationships since their amazing 3 weeks together. But, nothing came close to the love they shared. Working hard to push old feelings aside, they out their focus on the company. But everything changes when both go back to the place they fell in love at. While testing out a possible vacation set up to offer clients, they also test old feelings. 

This book was a great, light, fun read. It would be great company to have on the beach, or at the pool. 

Death By Coffee

Death By Coffee
By:Alex Erickson
300 Pages

Summary:
Best friends, Krissy Hancock and Vicki Peterson have opened a coffee/book shop in the mid-west. However, their first is nothing like what they hoped. When a customer dies after drinking coffee from Krissy's coffee shop, Krissy becomes determined to find the real killer. 

Krissy and Vicki grew up together in California. Life changed when Vicki moves to Pine Hills. A few months later, Vicki asks Krissy to come out there. With no coffee or book store in town, Vicki sees a golden opportunity. 

Life in small town Pine Hills isn't always easy. Gossip travels at light speed. Everyone knows everyone else. You even have your resident spy always looking from her window. Being new to town, a dead customer isn't the way Krissy envisioned meeting her fellow residents. However, that's how it happened. Brendon Lawyer orders a coffee, and is found dead shortly thereafter. Krissy is anxious to prove it wasn't her coffee that caused his death, but wasn't expecting to uncover quite the list of possible murders. In short time, Krissy is ticking off residents trying to get answers. And, in between arrests, she squeezes in a date with the Chief of Police's handsome son, Officer Paul. 

Not only is this book the debut in a series, it's also the debut book for the author. Alex Erickson is new to the genre, but writes a good story. While the plot wasn't the strongest, you do connect with the characters and want to find out what happens. For being a male author, he writes from a woman's perspective very well. I enjoyed reading his characters and all their interaction. Mr. Erickson is the rare male in a woman dominated genre, but I think he has a great series on his hands. 

The Cupcake Club: Sugar and Spice

A fun Summer Reading Selection for the kids! This series is fun and a wonderful way to spend some of their summer time!

The Cupcake Club: Sugar and Spice

By: Sheryl & Carrie Berk

116 pages

Ages: 9-12

Summary:

The gang of the Cupcake Club is back!! In this latest adventure, bullies are taught a lesson in humility, and someone enters a beauty pagent!

Who knew that painting a huge canvas for art class would cause so much trouble?! Certainly not Lexie. However, when her overly large work of art collides with school snob, Meredith, Lexie becomes the target of Meredith's scorn. Instead of just letting it go, Meredith decides revenge should come with going after Lexie's boyfriend. As if constantly putting her down wasn't enough. Well, the girls of Peace, Love, and Cupcakes have decided they are going to teach the school hotshot a lesson, or two.

When the girls learn that Meredith has entered the Miss New England Shooting Starz pagent, they decide someone needs to run against her- and win. Lexie gets voted when they learn she can sing. So, a reluctant Lexie enters. Competition day isn't a smooth one. Some contestants soar, while others sink. And some people see stars.

Lexie isn't the only one facing down her insecurities with rivals. The girls of Peace, Love, and Cupcakes also go head-to-head with their rival competition when both vie for the job of baking for the pageant. Will the girls claim victory this time? Who's impressive cupcake concoction will be the winner?

Girls will especially love this series. The Cupcake Club is a fun, creative, spunky series that I enjoy reading! The characters are fun, the chapters aren't long, The stories are fun and relateable for all ages. The books in The Cupcake Club are great summer reads! Readers will have fun reading the books and getting to know all the girls. I look forward to each book!

Summer Reading- Demise in Denim

Demise in Denim

By: Duffy Brown

Reviewed By: Betsey Brooks & Jenifer Nelissen

We're going to kick off the 2015 Summer Reading season with a bang! Duffy Brown is among the rare group of authors who make writing a book an art form. From start to finish, each book she writes is a masterpiece. When you open her books, it never takes long before you are pulled into a world you don't want to leave. You are having so much fun in the story, loving the characters, that the occasional dead body doesn't phase you. You will be laughing your way through murders, chases, and local squabbles. And when you finish the book, you will feel sad to see it end. You will begin counting the days down to her next book release. (I totally admit to doing this!)

Demise in Denim is #4 in her Consignment Shop Series. Like every book in this delightful series, you will laugh your way through every page! All of the books are full of the Southern charm, and humor. The sayings, alone, will have you laughing until it hurts. 

Walker Boone is being framed for murder. (Oh the surprises that await you when you enter a bathroom) Consignment Store Owner-turned amateur sleuth Reagan Summerside is bound and determined to find out who really did the deed, knowing it wasn't Boone.  In order to hit out from the cops, Boone plays "Where's Walker" with Reagan. Sometimes he's been hiding in the last place she would think to look- or even places she didn't know existed. 

Once again, Duffy Brown does an amazing job at bringing characters to life. You truly forget they are characters in a book, and not your family or friends. Instead of reading a book, you feel like you're right there in the middle of it all. This time around, you get to spend more time with Mercedes, the local housekeeper, and mortician. She jumps right in with all the other characters, bringing her own humor every step of the way.

Duffy brings you plenty of laughter, but she also brings you lots of action. It won't take you long to trip over a dead body with Reagan while she's in Boone's office. And soon, you will feel like you're the passenger in the car when Reagan drives Boone's precious '57 Chevy into the swamp. I predict it will take only a page or two before you are immersed in the plot, and guessing, right along with Reagan, who the killer is.

Get comfy, and get ready to start a reading experience you won't forget. As you read Duffy Brown's books, you will meet delightful characters, solve murders, and get multiple ab workouts! Whether it's her Consignment Shop series, or her new Cycle Shop series, Duffy is the perfect companion to take for reading. 

Summer Reading

Summer is quickly approaching! And that means... SUMMER READING!!! Time to start gathering a pile of books for you to soak up as you soak up the sun!  We at Miss Book Lovers has begun gathering a list of books we think you may enjoy this summer! We hope you love them as much as we do! We'll have mystery titles to get pulled into, historical fiction to get lost in, and so much more!

Beyond Orange County

Beyond Orange County: A Housewives Guide to Faith & Happiness

By: Lydia McLaughlin

194 Pages

Summary:

Despite being asked to remain on “Real Housewives of Orange County,” mother of two, Lydia, made the controversial decision to walk away from the popular franchise to pursue her passions—her faith and her family. Lydia will share the inside scoop from the television series. But more importantly, she will inspire you to examine your own life and inspire you to boldly live out the calling God has given you.

--- Publisher's Description

I have to be honest: prior to reading this book, I had no clue who Lydia McLaughlin was. I had never watched The Real Housewives of Orange County, so there was no frame of reference to go on. What I did know was that all the shows in this franchise are drama filled, and pressure cooker environments. So, I was curious to see how Mrs. Laughlin balanced her faith with the show. I figured there was a lot to be learned.

If you're looking for any gossip on the show, her fellow cast mates, or behind-the-scenes insights, you will not find them within these pages. While I respect this approach, I would have liked to get a more detailed look at how she struggled with her faith, where, and how it was tested. I think we all could have learned many things from how she was able to handled the temptations, or stresses, she came in contact with.

Having said that, you do see a woman grow into her faith. She includes Scriptures in just about every single paragraph in the book. The focus is mostly put on God, not her. She does share lessons she's learned. Her goal is to uplift you and your walk with Christ. 

This book would be a great Bible Study read. Every chapter has a list of discussion question to be had with just the reader, or a group of them. I really think this is a great small group book study, more than a memoir.

Living A Chocolate Life

Living A Chocolate Life

By: Deb Burma

108 Pages

Summary:

Fun, friendly, and engaging, Living a Chocolate Life invites women to savor God’s rich and endless supply of grace in Christ. Whether they're sampling everything from bitter nuggets of pain to sweet morsels of joy, this study reminds them that the Holy Spirit fills us with sweet faith in our Savior–and it is only He who can truly satisfy.  -- publisher's description

Being the chocolate lover that I am, I could not pass this Bible Study up! I was immediately intrigued to see how the author was going to tie God and chocolate together. Turns out, she didn't it very well! 

This 8 week study is perfect for a small group, but also can be done by yourself. You will explore themes such as:

•  Like Chocolate has a pleasant aroma, we bring a pleasant aroma to God, and those around us.
• How our words can be a touch of salt to the people who hear them
• We have several types of cravings: spiritual, physical, emotional- to name a few. But what do we do when they reach an unhealthy point?
• How can we decipher between real & imitation Christianity? 
• Life, like chocolate, has bitter morsels from time to time. 

I really enjoyed ready this book. It was fun to have a chocolate theme to tie everything to. Not to mention, the fun tidbits within each session, and ice breaker activities to share within a group. And did I mention all the chocolate recipes this book has?! 

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. I have no doubt I will be buying this book when it comes out. I look forward to reading it with a group of friends.