Goddess Fish Promotions Guest Post & Book Review: Something's Cooking

Relationships- Mothers and Daughters

In my new book, “Something’s Cooking,” from Entangled Indulgence, a number of readers have commented on the realistic relationships between the Tess Banyon and her mother, Clarie, and sister, Marla, I’ve been told the loving and squabbling relationships they all share as Tess prepares to shoot her first tv show, and Clarie and Marla work behind the scenes reminds many women of their relationship with their mother or sister(s). 

I am so delighted to hear these comments as this is what I want readers to feel.  Naturally the romance between Tess Banyon and Josh Faraday is the heart of the book, but I’ve also tried to show a realistic relationship between the three women in the story.  I think it adds a great deal to the understanding and enjoyment of Tess Banyon’s character.  I’m so happy to hear many of you agree. 

In the story when Tess starts her show, she calls on her Mom and Sister to work with her, believing with all her heart that they are the ones to help her bring her creative ideas to fruition. They are a key part of Tess’s team. Clarie is the kitchen genius and Marla is the crafty expert, while Tess thinks up the ideas and presents them in such as way that her fans cheer.  They are essential to Tess’s success.   

Their relationship is loving and giving, but at the same time they squabble, joke, annoy, exasperate and champion each other.  Tess, Clarie and Marla can disagree, and often do, but when the chips are down they are always there with support, lending a helping hand, or even a witty comment to break the tension.

I wanted to show a loving, friendly and comfortable relationship between these three different women. 

Tess is the overly ambitious one, as evidenced by the ‘Tess Banyon Living’ Network she is building with her cooking, craft and lifestyle ideas.  Her sister, Marla, on the other hand is perfectly content with her marriage and her two daughters.  This is the same type of role her mother, Clarie, had fulfilled when the two sisters were growing up.  Both of these women chose to make a home and family their first priority and could afford to so—not an option for many women.  Most of all, I wanted the three of them to respect each other and respect their individual choices.

I understand this relationship because it mirrors my own experiences. I have three daughters, all grown now, but the three of them are actually my best friends.  That’s not to say we were always that way.  OMG-No! When my youngest daughter was thirteen she patted my shoulder and said:  “Don’t worry, Mom, it’s just a phase. I’ll grow out of it.” I told her she’d better hurry up or I’d have to freeze her until she was twenty-one.  Obviously she figured that having two sisters before her left me at the end of my rope.  LOL

Raising three daughters with minds of their own wasn’t always easy.  I had to remind myself that  I was the parent and it was my (and my husband’s ) responsibility to raise them and not be their ‘bestie,’ when it would have been easier to give in.  I made tons of mistakes, and so did they. But the end result for my  daughters and myself is a mirror of my relationship and friendship with my own mother, Ruth, who is no longer with me, and whom I miss every day.

My three daughters have become people I can be very proud of…they are funny, mouthy, independent, creative, thoughtful, and caring.  At times they are also single-minded, critical and volatile—not any different from their  mother, now that I think about it. 

More importantly my daughters have grown into people I respect, can talk and laugh with, disagree with, and in short—they’ve become women I like to be around.  If that is how people feel when they read about Tess and her Mom and Sister, then I’m absolutely thrilled. 

So please tell me about your relationships. 

Meg

 Something’s Cooking

by Meg Lacey

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BLURB:

"Something’s cooking in more than the kitchen…

Tess Banyon is a ‘Martha Stewart’ type of homemaker-guru-marketing-entrepreneur-extraordinaire.  Investigative journalist, Josh Farraday is determined to convince the women of America that Tess is too good to be true.

He’s right. 

Tess is a marvelous marketer with tons of ideas, but she can’t really cook and has been known to attach herself to a grapevine wreath with her glue gun.  Now she’s doing her own TV show, and Josh has been assigned to do a behind-the-scenes story."

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Excerpt:

Josh dragged two dining room chairs over to the fireplace, spreading their clothes over them. He could feel her eyes boring a hole through him and wondered what she was thinking. Was she thinking of the heat between them? Or was she trying to distance herself from him again?

He twisted around to face her and his mouth went dry. Her blanket had slipped to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of smooth creamy skin. His eyes widened and he could swear he was starting to salivate. Before he could stop himself, he reached to touch her. Her skin was soft as a newborn baby. He wanted to see more, to feel more, he wanted…Tess. He inched closer to her. She turned to look at him and he was lost.

He put both arms around her as she tried to keep her blanket in place. He gently pulled her against him, knowing it was insane, a total mistake, but doing it anyway.

“Tess,” he said, quietly. “I’m not sure what to say. I want you, that goes without saying, but it’s more than that. When I’m with you…”

“You feel different?” Tess whispered, her breath sighing against him.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that. All I know is with you I can relax. I don’t have to always have my guard up, try to be something I’m not. I don’t know, I can’t explain it.”

“You don’t have to,” Tess whispered. “I understand. I feel the same. I shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t. It can make everything too complicated. Sex. Having sex makes it simple, but making love…

Love makes it complicated.”

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Review: This book has everything I really love in a romance novel, spice, great characters and a little bit of laughs.

Tess Banyon is part Racael Ray, part Sandra Lee and part Martha Stewart. The only problem is she's a dud in the kitchen. Her persona would be nothing without her mom and sister who bring her ideas together.

Josh Faraday is a columnist that wants to expose her as a fraud. (Even before he knew she was a fraud).

There first meeting is absolutely hysterical and priceless and one of the book's stand out moments. Let's face it, it is always fun when the hero gets food tossed all over him. Bigger props because it was an accident.

I loved the fun flirty nature of the book and it had just the right amount of sex to make a great romance. It is more of a sweet romance than a blazing hot one, but Tess and Josh have such chemistry that they heat up the pages all the time.

The other thing that is really fabulous about this book is Tess' family. I love how Claire and Marla make a real unit together. They aren't perfect, they fight and they are real and you have to love them for how they stick together, each completing the team.

This book is full of romance and laughter, something that we all can't have enough of.

Rating:  4 flowers

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Meg has a BFA and MA in theatre, acting and directing, and a minor in Fine Arts and Promotion.  Over the years, Meg has been an actress, director, producer, creative director, CEO, copywriter, creative dramatics teacher, mime, mom, college instructor, and a school bus driver.  She’s established two creative marketing/media companies, working as a V.P. and as CEO, creating projects in all media: network cable programming to corporate initiatives; to video, games and interactive websites. Meg is published with Harlequin, Imajinn Books, Samhain Publishing and now Entangled Publishing. Learn more about Meg and her books on her website or at any online bookstore.  Look for her new books, Something’s Cooking from Entangled Publishing, 8/13; The Sparrow and the Hawk, out now.  The Sparrow and the Vixens Three, 11/13, and Million Dollar Mistake, 9/13.

Website: www.meglacey.com

Email:  meg@meglacey.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/meglaceybooks

Twitter: @MegLaceyBooks

Good Reads:  http://www.goodreads.com/meglacey


Meg will be awarding a Jamberry Nails set (with a watermelon motif) and a colorful watermelon knife to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Follow the tour: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/07/virtual-nbtm-tour-somethings-cooking-by.html