Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Thanks to Courtney Landi of Berkley/NAL, Penguin Group USA, I am giving away one copy of A Hundred Summers.

Book Description:

As the summer of 1938 opens, New York socialite Lily Dane has arrived at her family’s idyllic cottage on the Rhode Island coast with her mother and six-year-old sister in tow.  Seven years earlier, as a Smith College senior, Lily fell head-over-heels for Dartmouth quarterback Nick Greenwald in a whirlwind romance gone wrong.  Now, after a difficult year, Lily is looking forward to a rejuvenating respite in the place that helped her heal after her broken engagement.

But her plan is upended when Budgie, her ex-best friend, and Lily’s former fiancé arrive in Seaview for the season.  Newly married to Nick, Budgie intends to restore her family’s cottage and reclaim her spot in Seaview’s posh social scene.  The pair’s arrival rekindles a wildfire of gossip and casts a pall over Lily’s beloved home-away-from-home.  In this small class-conscious community, Lily is hard-pressed to avoid her faithless ex-friend.  Budgie is nothing if not seductive and resourceful and she soon pulls kindhearted Lily back into her orbit, insinuating herself into Lily’s good graces.

As a cataclysmic hurricane churns north through the Atlantic, and uneasy secrets slowly reveal themselves, Lily and Nick will confront an emotional storm that will change their worlds forever.

Slipping gracefully back and forth between fictional Seaview and glimmering moneyed New York in the ‘30s, A HUNDRED SUMMERS brilliantly captures an endangered way of life and the twin devastations heaped upon a community that summer: the loss of innocence and the loss of a way of life.

“Beatriz Williams does it again! A Hundred Summers sparkles like the New England summer sun.A brilliantly told tale of love lost and found, of friendship, and of family ties…Definitely a book for my keeper shelf.”—Karen White, New York Times Bestselling Author of Sea Change

“Williams’ sweeping saga of betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption trenchantly examines the often duplicitous nature of female friendships and family expectations” Booklist

About Beatriz Williams:

A Stanford University honors graduate with an MBA from Columbia, Beatriz Williams spent several years in New York and London as a corporate and communications strategy consultant. She now lives with her husband and four children near the Connecticut shore, where she divides her time between writing and laundry. She is the author of the international bestseller Overseas and also writes as Juliana Gray. Visit her online at www.beatrizwilliams.com.

This giveaway is open to the U.S, only and ends on April 10, 2014.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
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Thanks to author, Mike Hartner and his assistant, Kate Tilton, I am giving away one copy of I, Walter.

Book Description:

Walter Crofter was born into Elizabethan England. In a country and a time where favor and politics were both deadly, can an honest boy stay true to himself? Especially given his family background? I, Walter is the first in a series of books in a saga which will span continents and time to arrive in present day North America. Each in the series will be connected, though that connection may not be obvious for several more books. It’s almost like looking at a menorah (sic).. Many lines, seemingly individual, connect to center at different points.

About Mike Hartner:

Mike Hartner is a husband, father, son, author, geek (ret), and patriot. His love of all things genealogical led him to writing, and writing has now led him to fiction and a large epic saga. He lives in Vancouver, BC with his wife and son.

This giveaway is for one copy of I, Walter in the choice of print, audio, or ebook.  It is open internationally but print is only available to the U.S.  This giveaway ends on April 9, 2014.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
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Book Description:

Publisher: Matador (November 26, 2013)
ISBN-13: 978-1780883908
Category: Travel, Adventure Travel, Living & Working Abroad
Tour Dates: March/April, 2014
Available in: Print & ebook, 256 pages

From Luton to Peru to Ningaloo, a Search for Life After Redundancy

Three things happened simultaneously. The lioness charged, Alistair fled across the parched savannah and his wife screamed for him to run faster. Stuffed deep inside his tattered rucksack was a guidebook containing advice on what to do in wildlife emergencies, which he planned to read if he survived the next thirty seconds. Future plans to climb Kilimanjaro, teach English in the Amazon and live in Australia were temporarily forgotten as he turned to face the pouncing lioness, thinking back to the words of advice from his mother-in-law. “Don’t do anything silly, and look after Francine.”

From deep underground in a remote Bolivian mine to the scorched Australian outback, Round the Bend is an adventure travel story. It explores the turbulence of redundancy, the excitement of travel, the anguish of leaving home and the challenges of starting a new life in Australia.

My Thoughts:

When the plant in his home town of Luton, UK closed, Alistair McGuiness and his wife Fran didn’t fret or panic, they rejoiced and made lemonade out of the situation.  First they travelled to remote parts of the world and then immigrated to Australia.

Their first stop was to volunteer in the Amazon for a month.  They cleared out brush to re-forest and Alistair taught English to the village people.  Then the travelled all over South America.  They scaled mountains, went white water rafting, experienced culture, visited the Bolivian salt flats, braved public buses, and even saw where the final stand off was for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

After going back to Luton to pack and say their farewells, they traveled to Africa.  When they were finally ready to go to their final destination, Australia, there was a glitch with immigration for Fran, which sent her to another county on her own.  They both finally made it to Australia, where they still reside.

I haven’t read many travel books but after reading Around the Bend, I certainly want to read more.  I would love to travel one day, while I can still get around unassisted, LOL!  I have never been outside of North America.  I have dreamed of going to Africa since I was a little girl. I would also live to go to Australia and New Zealand.  Parts of Europe would be lovely too.  I’m hoping Bill and I can go somewhere after the house is paid for!

In Round the Bend Alistair shared his travels with the reader in such a way that as times, I felt like I was there.  His writing is poetic and he has a wicked sense of humour.  I found my self laughing out loud many times.  I didn’t want Round the Bend to end.  I hope Alistair and Fran go on more adventures and share them with us.  I LOVED this book!  Highly recommended!

5/5

I received the ebook version for my honest opinion.

To any of my dear readers who have read travel and travel/adventure books, what do you recommend I read next in this genre?  I would love your thoughts on this!

I am giving away one copy of Round the Bend internationally, here.

Buy Round the Bend:

Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble
Book Depository