Thanks to Jessica Butler of Berkley/NAL, Penguin Random House, I am giving away one copy of Beach Plum Island.
Book Description:
“Your brother should know the truth.”
These are the last cryptic words that Ava Barrett’s father says before he dies. But Ava doesn’t have a brother, as far as she knows, so how can she tell him the truth? She dismisses the conversation and dedicates herself to bringing her family together for her father’s funeral. This is no easy task, since her sister, Elaine, has been estranged from the family and still harbors resentment against their stepmother and half-sister, Gigi. Ava, on the other hand, is a single mother who sees Gigi as a troubled teen in need of love and connection.
Ava, too, could use more love in her life and finds it where she least expects it. But the biggest surprise of all is that Gigi holds the key to the mystery surrounding her father’s dying words, and joins Ava in uncovering a secret that rapidly unravels the very fabric of their entire family…
Praise for Beach Plum Island:
“A luminous novel of buried secrets.”—New York Times bestselling author Caroline Leavitt
“Robinson masterfully paints the portrait of a damaged family in the quake of a tragedy, struggling to put the pieces back together again. Each sister is sensitively drawn, their individual dramas meticulously rendered. This novel is a thoughtful exploration of the fragility, and the tenacity, of the ties that bind.” – T. Greenwood, author of Bodies of Water
Holly Robinson is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Huffington Post, Ladies’ Home Journal, More, Open Salon, and Parents. She is the author of one previous novel, The Wishing Hill (Accent, 7/13) and a memoir, TheGerbil Farmer’s Daughter. Robinson holds a B.A. in biology from Clark University and an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She and her husband have five children, two cats, a grumpy hamster, and two very stubborn small dogs.
This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on April 18, 2014. Please use Rafflcopter to enter.
Today it is my pleasure to kick off The Idea of Him by Holly Peterson tour. During this tour, there will be lot’s of opportunities to enter to win a copy of the book and learn more about Holly Peterson and The Idea of Him. For even more opportunities, you can also follow the tour that TLC is hosting! See their tour schedule here: http://tlcbooktours.com/2014/01/holly-peterson-author-of-the-idea-of-him-on-tour-april-2014/
Book Description:
Publisher: William Morrow (April 1, 2014) Category: Contemporary Fiction/ Women’s Fiction ISBN: 978-0062283108 Tour Date: April/May, 2014 Available in: Print & ebook, 384 Pages
In the fabulous and intrigue-packed new novel from Holly Peterson, the New York Times bestselling author of THE MANNY, THE IDEA OF HIM explores the dangers of falling for the idea of a person, and why facing reality is more liberating than we ever dreamed it could be. For anyone who’s let the fear of being alone keep them from seeing who someone really is, THE IDEA OF HIM is an inspiring, action-packed story of what happens when we embrace our own power and allow the truth to finally set us free.
Allie Crawford has the life she always dreamed of—she’s number two at a high-profile P.R. firm; she has two kids she adores; and her husband is a blend of handsome and heroic. Wade is everything she thought a man was supposed to be—he’s running a successful newsmagazine and, best of all, he provides the stable yet exciting New York City life Allie believes she needs in order to feel secure and happy.
But when Allie finds Wade locked in their laundry room with a stunning blonde in snakeskin sandals, a scandal ensues that flips her life on its head. And when the woman wants to befriend Allie, an old flame calls, and a new guy gets a little too close for comfort, she starts to think her marriage is more of a facade than something real. Maybe she’s fallen in love not with Wade—but with the idea of him.
Captivating and seductive, told in the whip-smart voice of a woman who is working hard to keep her parenting and career on track, The Idea of Him is a novel of conspiracy, intrigue, and intense passion—and discovering your greatest strength through your deepest fears.
Advance Praise for The Idea of Him:
“The Idea of Him is a coming-of-age book for grown ups. It’s fast-paced and intriguing, glamorous and real — not only a great, great read but a tutorial in how to be your own best friend.”-Elin Hilderbrand, author of BEAUTIFUL DAY
“Holly Peterson has written a gripping, sophisticated story of high life suspense that kept me riveted till I’d finished. The Idea of Him is hugely enjoyable and vividly satisfying.”-Tina Brown of Tina Brown Live Media
“Holly Peterson’s THE IDEA OF HIM is the perfect novel if you want to plunge into great dialogue, a twisting and unexpected plot, shady Wall Street schemes, betrayal, girl friends.. and sex. It is unputdownable.”-Lesley Stahl, CBS News 60 Minutes Anchor
“THE IDEA OF HIM takes off like a rocket and doesn’t stop until the last page. In this day and age where we are all so distracted, I relished a book that held my attention with laser focus on sexy topics that we all relate to: why we obsess over love, why we can’t leave when we should, and how we find our strength through friendship and characters we can’t help but adore. “-Katie Lee, TV Host, The Kitchen and Author of Groundswell
“The idea of him is a deeply intriguing book filled with hilarious social satire and sexy longing. This book explores falling in love with the idea of someone rather than the person themselves…and how we cope with reality once we wake up!”-Kelly Bensimon, Author and Television Personality
About Holly Peterson:
Holly Peterson is the author of the New York Timesand international best seller, The Manny. She was a Contributing Editor for Newsweek and editor-at-large for Tina Brown’s Talk magazine. She was also an Emmy Award–winning producer for ABC News for more than a decade, where she covered global politics. Her writing has been published in the New York Times, Newsweek, Talk, the Daily Beast, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and other publications.
Thanks to Holly Peterson and William Morrow, I am giving away one print copy. This giveaway is open to the U.S. and Canada only and ends on May 21, 2014. Please use Rafflecopter to enter. a Rafflecopter giveaway
How do you go on living when you have done the unforgivable? How do you love a mother you barely remember? John is an orphan who misses the mother he hardly knew. Robert is the drunk driver who killed her. As the story opens we meet 4-year-old John, who wonders why his mother had to die. Robert wakes up in lockup, expecting to sleep off a blackout and go home, until he learns of the accident he caused.
John grows up under the care of his devoted maternal grandmother, who grapples with guilt over her daughter’s past. Just as John is on the cusp of manhood, he must confront his mother’s death anew and question everything he has come to believe about himself and the people he loves.
Robert is sentenced to 4 years in state prison. His incarceration begins a journey that will have a profound effect on not only himself, but on the life of the boy he orphaned, and on the legacy of the young mother who died.
Raising John was a semi-finalist in the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA Alumni Association Emerging Writers Contest.
My Thoughts:
This book had me right from the beginning. Mary is in her last year of high school and can hardly wait to move away from home to go to college. Her father is an alcoholic and her mother doesn’t seem motivated to anything about his abusive behaviour. She earns a full scholarship to university. Incidents happened to Mary in college that kept me up the night I read about them. However, she was able to move on and graduated and even went through a doctorate program.
One day she called her mother to tell her that she was pregnant and would having the baby on her own. She loved her new boy, John so much. When he was four years old she was driving with him in the back seat and a drunk driver ploughed into their car. The car seat protected John but Mary did not survive.
John went to live and be raised by his grandmother and the driver was sent to prison for four years. Then we follow back and forth from the driver in prison to John and his grandmother. I can’t tell you any more without risking giving away major spoilers.
Although this book was heart wrenching at times, I loved it! I really had a hard time putting it down. The writing was literary. The characters we studied in-depth and felt real to me. It was like I was there as part of the family. Jennifer Lesher really his a home run with Raising John and I can hardly wait for her to come out with a new book! Please hurry Jennifer! Highly recommended!
5/5
I received the ebook version of this book from the author for my honest opinion.
About Jennifer Lesher:
Jennifer Lesher is an author, mountain biker, travel junkie, non-sufferer of fools, and graduate of the School of Hard Knocks. Recently Jennifer left her job in the high-tech industry to pursue certification as an airplane mechanic. She will complete her schooling in the spring of 2015 and, FAA willing, will be certified shortly thereafter. She lives in Seattle, Washington.
Thanks to Jennifer Lesher, I am giving away one copy of Raising John. This giveaway is open internationally. Print is available to the U.S. or Canada. An international winner would receive ebook. Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
Thanks to Jessica Butler of Berkley/NAL, Penguin Random House, I am giving away one copy of Beach Plum Island.
