Showing posts with label author: lori wilde. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author: lori wilde. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

TLC Book Tours Book Review: The Moonglow Sisters

About The Moonglow Sisters


• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (March 3, 2020)

It’s Jill Shalvis meets Susan Mallery in this gorgeous novel by New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde about three sisters, one small town, a wedding, and the summer that changes everything.

Welcome to Moonglow Cove, Texas, a place where your neighbors know your name and the gentle waves of the Gulf of Mexico lap lazily against the sands. It’s a magical spot, especially in the summertime…

Once the town was the home of the Clark sisters—brought up by their grandmother at the Moonglow Inn. Nicknamed “The Moonglow Sisters”, as children they were inseparable.  Then, a wedding-day betrayal tore them apart and they scattered across the globe and away from each other.  But the sisters have at last come home…

There’s Maddie: smart, sensible, and stubborn. Shelley, who ran off to find her bliss. And Gia, a free-spirit determined to keep the peace. It’s her impending wedding that keeps them together…but Gia has a secret, and when her sisters find out all heck is going to break loose!

The Moonglow Sisters continues Lori Wilde’s trademark storytelling to create an unforgettable novel of family, betrayal, love, and second chances.

Social Media

Please use the hashtag #themoonglowsisters, and tag @tlcbooktours, @williammorrowbooks, and @loriwilde02.

Purchase Links


HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review:  I've read several of Lori's books before, so I knew I was in for an enjoyable read with The Moonglow Sisters. I wasn't however expecting it to hit so many triggers with me emotionally.

The sisters have been feuding for 5 years because of something that happened at a wedding, but their grandmother's illness brings them together.

That's where I'm triggered big time. Let's just say books dealing with the preparation for the death of a loved one hit me hard, and this book knocked me for a loop.

I also wasn't prepared to intensely dislike one of the sisters, even though she had her own hardships to deal with. Yes, I hated Madison from the start.

I felt horrible for Shelley because I think she got the raw end of life, even though her choices were her own. Also Yoga Cult? I had to look this up to see that OMG this is really a thing. Stuff like that really happens.

Gia however is my spirit heroine. I loved her so much and Mike too!!! I will say their sex scene was a trifle strange.

This was really a sweet story of forgiveness, second chances and finding love and most of all family. I would have loved more of Helen's story, which tied in with the girl's mother. Her story would have made things so interesting.

The end was another huge trigger for me, because it reminded me of things my mother said in the years before she passed. I definitely had to fight back tears when I turned the last page.

This was a lovely read.

Rating: 5 flowers



About Lori Wilde


Lori Wilde is the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers’ Weekly bestselling author of 87 works of romantic fiction. She’s a three-time Romance Writers’ of America RITA finalist and has four times been nominated for Romantic Times Readers’ Choice Award. She has won numerous other awards as well. Her books have been translated into 26 languages, with more than four million copies of her books sold worldwide. Her breakout novel, The First Love Cookie Club, has been optioned for a TV movie.

Lori is a registered nurse with a BSN from Texas Christian University. She holds a certificate in forensics and is also a certified yoga instructor.

A fifth-generation Texan, Lori lives with her husband, Bill, in the Cutting Horse Capital of the World; where they run Epiphany Orchards, a writing/creativity retreat for the care and enrichment of the artistic soul.

Find out more about Lori on her website, connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Book Review: I'll Be Home For Christmas

Author: Lori Wilde
Title: I'll Be Home For Christmas
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: October 27, 2015
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Christmas in Twilight, Texas, is all merriment and mistletoe. The Cookie Club is whipping up their most festive sweets, the townspeople are scrambling to get their holiday shopping done, and Joe—a hometown guy with a restless heart—is dreaming about the woman he wants to kiss most . . .

. . . And who happens to be staying at his sister's place over the holidays, while Joe's sister is away. But Joe isn't quite sure he wants to be a living Christmas present to runaway law student Gabi Preston.

Joe thinks the sassy sweetheart he nicknames "Trouble" won't inconvenience anything but his healthy sex drive. But when he discovers the reasons Gabi escaped from her life, he aches to give her everything she's never had. As the magic of the season draws them together, the gift of love is the only one worth giving…


Review:  I have read a lot of the Twilight, Texas novels.This is book 6 in the series, and I love coming back to this town to visit the residents.

The book is kind of a play on the film The Holiday where two women swap houses and lives, in this case its Gabi Preston and Katie Cheek. When Gabi finds Katie's home she meets her brother Joe and from the start things between them are electric. Oh and the place she's staying is a yurt. I didn't know what a yurt was, but apparently it is a sort of tent.

Gabi is there to find herself and to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. She recently discovered that being a lawyer just wasn't her thing.

Gabi and Joe seem to start their relationship pretty quickly. I wasn't all that keen on the sex aspect between the two. especially the age old frigid part when it came to Gabi.  Somehow the sex didn't work for me in this book, but thankfully there was more to the story than the love scenes, so that made this easy to overlook.

All that aside, I loved these two characters. I really loved how responsible Joe was in regards to his daughter, Casey, who really isn't his daughter. I also like that he did care about his ex-wife as well. She's more than a little bit screwed up.

Gabi is quite an interesting heroine. Her parents are power attorneys, she has hiccups when she gets nervous and she had a brother who passed away when she was young. There's a Jodi Picoult twist here too. In that aspect the plot lacks originality, but the characters are so lovable. Even the one character that you think you aren't going to like, well you end up liking her too.

If you have watched the film The Holiday you'll notice some plot similarities. I actually wished this book would have gone as to have a relationship with Katie, but maybe that would have taken The Holiday twist a bit too far.


If you are into holiday novels this is wonderful heartwarming story to make your Christmas merrier.

Rating: 5 flowers



Friday, October 31, 2014

Tasty Book Tours Book Review: Christmas At Twilight



Christmas at Twilight
Twilight, Texas # 5
By: Lori Wilde
Releasing October 28th, 2014
Avon Romance


Blurb
It's Christmas in Twilight, Texas. The Cookie Club is baking, the town is decorated, and Delta Force Operator "Hutch" Hutchinson has finally, reluctantly, returned home . . .

. . . only to get pepper sprayed by the delicious- looking stranger who's taken over his house. She says her name is Jane, and she immediately sets down ground rules. Top priority: no touching. For Hutch that isn't easy—he was wounded in action, but one part is still working very well.

Then Hutch learns the truth. Jane harbors a frightening secret—she's really Meredith Sommers, on the run from a dangerous ex-husband and desperately in need of the safety Hutch can provide. In that moment, he vows he'd do anything in his power to protect her. And as Christmas approaches, they discover that their love can conquer the past and overcome any obstacle—but what price will they pay?




Buy Links

Review: I've read several of the "Twilight, Texas" books by Lori Wilde. This book is part romance and part suspense. I love Ms. Wilde's books, but this particular story was a bit of a downer for me. 

Both of our characters are wounded. Hutch, is wounded soldier, and his wounds are physical and mental. Meredith "Jane"'s are mental too, as she's got some secrets she's trying to keep hidden.

It won't take long for you to fall in love with both of these characters and you will be rooting for them to begin a real relationship.

You will also love the two children in the book, Ben, who is Meredith's son, and Kimmie who is Ashley's daughter. Ashley is Hutch's sister, and its his house that the two women were staying in. From the start, Ashley is someone you want to clobber, for her poor treatment of her daughter.

But that turns to pity when you learn about her personality disorder. You want things to happen so that everything will be made nice and happy, but things don't always work out that way. In that way, Ms. Wilde injects a bit of real life into this story.

Not everything in life will work out perfectly. Sure there is a happily ever after for the hero and heroine, but there is loss and sadness along the way.

But even though things aren't all happy, there is recovery for Hutch, and a second chance at finding love for Meredith.

This isn't your typical light holiday read, but it is definitely an unforgettable one, and one that might bring a tear or two to your eyes in a few spots.

Rating: 4 flowers




Author Info
Lori Wilde is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 70 works of romantic fiction. She is a two-time RITA award nominee, a four time Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice nominee and has won numerous other awards. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Christian University and holds a certificate in nursing forensics. An animal lover, Lori is owned by several pets, and lives in Texas with her husband, Bill.


Author Links




Thursday, October 31, 2013

Tasty Book Tours Book Review: The Christmas Cookie Collection w/recipe!



The Christmas Cookie Collection
By: Lori Wilde

Blurb
There’s a legend in Twilight, Texas. It says that if on Christmas you sleep with kismet cookies under your pillow and dream of your one true love, he will be your destiny.
Carrie, Raylene, Christine, and Flynn are all members of the Christmas Cookie Club. Each has a story to tell, and each discovers the miracles of the season and the power of love.
Carrie: Reconnects with her high school sweetheart . . .the only man she’s ever loved.
Raylene: Discovers that the daughter she gave away at birth is living right in Twilight . . .
Christine: Has given up on love . . . until the man of her dreams walks through her shop door.
Grace: It’s Christmas Eve and Flynn and Jesse Calloway are thrilled to be expecting a new baby. Then Flynn’s car hits a patchof ice, and Jesse must move earth . . . and heaven . . .to save her and their unborn child.

Buy Links 



Review: The Christmas Cookie Collection is just what the name states a collection of sweet romances. If you like novels by Debbie Macomber, Robyn Carr etc, you'll love Lori Wilde.

These stories are all set in the little town of Twilight Texas that thrives on the Sweetheart Myth, which is anyone that tosses a penny in the fountain will be reunited with their sweetheart and live happily ever after.

I really loved these stories, though I have to say the first two are the best. Carrie and Mark's story was so touching and selfless on her part. I really would have loved it if the two of them would have had a full length novel. I wanted to know more about the youthful lovers who parted so that Mark could go to school.

I also liked how he was a host of a reality show that busts myths and folklore like the Sweetheart myth. It made for some tense moments in the story, since Carrie and Mark as well as one other person in town seemed to bust the myth.

Raylene is the next lady to have a story, but her story was more that of her daughter Shannon, who she gave to her ex-husband of one night and his family. (Or rather they paid for her to go away and never see her child). 

This is kind of a dueling story since Shannon gets involved with town sweetie Nate. God I want to find a Nate of my very own. He was a total sweetie. But you also get glimpses of what happened with Raylene and Earl.  A shocking twist at the end brings that couple back together again, so two happy endings for the price of one.

Christine is the town baker. She has issues stemming from an accident years ago. Her high school crush shows up to get a cake for his daughter's birthday and things blossom between them.

Unlike the first two stories in The Christmas Cookie Collection, Christine's story feels hurried. The issues with Eli's daughter Sienna are resolved to easily, especially as Sienna is fourteen and going through an awful lot.

The final story is super short..the story of the birth of Grace. Her parents are Flynn and Jesse. An accident after Jesse is taken in for questioning prompts Flynn to go into labor. I found myself getting really nervous reading this story and again things worked out a little to quick and easy. For what was going on here, there should have been some drama...or oomph.

I enjoyed all four stories, some more than others, but that didn't make this any less than a fabulous holiday read. I only wish the stories could have connected each woman to another....so that there was more of a novel feel to the book instead of a collection of novellas.

If you are a sucker for Christmas romances...you can't pass this one up!

Rating: 5 flowers



Author Info
LORI WILDE is the New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty books. A former RITA finalist, Lori has received the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers’ Choice, and numerous other honors. She lives in Texas, with her husband and a wide assortment of pets. Lori teaches Romance Writing Secrets via the internet through colleges and universities worldwide at www.ed2g.com. Visit her at www.loriwilde.comor @LoriWilde on Twitter.
Lori’s Links:
twitter handle is @LoriWilde

Rafflecopter Giveaway (Three Paperback Copies of THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE COLLECTION)


Candis Terry, Sweetest Mistake, 12/31/13: This is one of my favorite Christmas cookies. It's perfect when paired with a nice cup of hot chocolate or hot buttered rum!

SUGAR TOPS
Ingredients:
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ cups chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preparation:
Melt white chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir till chocolate is smooth.
Blend butter (or margarine) and 1 cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer for at least 5 minutes or til fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time. Blend well.
Add vanilla. Blend well.
Add melted chocolate. Blend for 30 seconds.
Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture. Blend well. Stir in walnuts or pecans.
Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or till edges are lightly browned.
Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Sprinkle tops of cookies with powdered sugar.



Friday, December 14, 2012

TLC Book Tours Book Review: A Cowboy For Christmas


Author: Lori Wilde
Title: A Cowboy For Christmas
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Oct 30, 2012
Buy: Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & the Publisher
Book Blurb:  It’s Christmastime in Jubilee, Texas, but Lissette Moncrief is having a hard time celebrating . . . Especially after she accidentally smashes her car into Rafferty Jones’s pick-up truck. Yes, he’s a whole lot of handsome-from the tips of his boots to the top of his Stetson. But he’s no Christmas present. Lissy’s not about to let herself get whisked away by his charming ways and words . . . only to watch him drive away in the end. But what Lissy doesn’t know is Rafferty’s in town just to meet her-and to give her a share in a windfall that doesn’t rightly belong to him. At first, he just wants to do his good deed and get out. But one look at this green-eyed beauty has him deciding to turn this into a Christmas to remember . . . making promises he’s determined to keep-whether she believes in them or not.

Review: I read Lori's First Love Cookie Club a few years back and I loved it. This book was no different. It is what I like to call a cozy romance. It focuses on the characters rather than on a lot of sex.

Now don't get me wrong, I like a good smutty novel now and then, but at the holidays, I love books that are about PEOPLE! Lissy and Rafferty were people that were characters you could relate to. They had real problems. Lissy's son is going deaf and she lost her husband in the war in Afghanistan.  Rafferty is her husband's half brother. The bastard child of Gordon Moncrief and Ameila Jones. He's had a hard life, but he's made good.

Both are strong characters determined to do what they feel is right for themselves and those they care about. You may think this may make the book slow, but it isn't . I breezed through this book in a day and loved every page.

I really loved her little boy, he was so sweet, especially as he starts learning sign language. There's a cute scene at Thanksgiving when a fight breaks out over dessert, because he signed that he wanted cake and pie.

One of the things that really draws me to Lori's books is the food. There's a whole lot of baking going on in her books and that makes me happy, especially when you get to the end and there are recipes. I can't wait to try them too!

If you love authors like Debbie Macomber, Robyn Carr and Hope Ramsey, and their take on small town America, you'll love Jubilee, TX and all the people there!

Rating: 5 flowers







About Lori Wilde: Lori Wilde is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty-five books. A former RITA finalist, Lori has received the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers’ Choice, and numerous other honors. She lives in Weatherford, Texas, with her husband and a wide assortment of pets. Find out more about Lori on her website, connect with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Book Review: The First Love Cookie Club

The First Love Cookie Club
Author: Lori Wilde
Title: The First Love Cookie Clue
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Oct 26, 2010
Rating: 4 Stars
Book Blurb: "On Christmas Eve, if you sleep with kismet cookies under your pillow and dream of your one true love, he will be your destiny."
The townsfolk of Twilight, Texas, believe the legend, but not Sarah Collier—not since she was a pudgy teenager, running down the church aisle on Christmas Day in a jingle bell sweater and reindeer antlers, trying to stop Travis Walker from marrying someone else. She may be grown-up, slimmed-down, bestselling children's book author "Sadie Cool"now, but Sarah will never forget that day. And she'll never fall foolishly in love again!

But when a letter from a sick fan brings Sarah back to Twilight, she's shocked to discover that Travis is the little girl's father—unattached and hotter than ever. His smile still makes her melt, but Sarah knows that ship has sailed. Travis, however, might have different ideas.

Review: The title of this book doesn't begin to give you an idea of what this story is about. Sure, there is a First Love Cookie Club in Twilight, Texas, but that isn't really what the story is about.   Lori's story goes far more into the legend of the kismet cookie than she does the ladies that make up the cookie club.

Sarah and Travis are at the heart of the story, because Sarah slept with the kismet cookies under her pillow and dreamt of Travis. Her crush and resolve that he was her soul mate made her embarrass herself more than humanly possible on the Christmas when she was 15.

Well 9 years later, she's back to promote her book The Magic Christmas Cookie and Travis' daughter is the reason she's there. Jazzy has severe asthma and from the looks of things, she might not make it to her teen years. Her Christmas wish is to meet her favorite author, Sadie Cool, who is Sarah.

Of all the characters in First Love Cookie Club, Jazzy has to be the best. She's a strong little girl and a fighter, and even when she gets what she wants, she's smart enough to know that what she wants may not be what's best.

The characters are really complex. Sarah's parents are famous surgeons that don't really have time for their daughter. Sarah also has some serious self esteem issues stemming from an accident during her college years. She's very much the introvert.

Then there's Travis. He was a bad boy, then he became a father. Jazzy and her illness have caused him to do a complete turnaround. He's sweet to the point where he might just be too good to be true, but that doesn't matter. Its a Christmas story, and with Christmas stories, you don't want  a hero that's too flawed.

The two of them fight the attraction. Well, Sarah fights the attraction, or perhaps rather the embarrassment of still being attracted to him after 9 years, but it is inevitable that they get together, but the getting there takes some doing. In fact, there getting together feels like forever. However, when they do get together, you are cheering for them both. Actually you cheer for them and you cheer for Jazzy, who is really one of the sweetest kids written in a romance novel. You want her to get well, and there's a point at the end where it is very touch and go, but you know that it has to work out for her and when it does, you breathe a sigh of relief and wipe some tears off your cheek.

The only drawback to this story is Travis aunt. She brings them together but a part of her past causes her to want to break them up and she nearly does. This really detracts from the story. Not because of the conflict it causes, but because there was a little bit of unfinished business that gets left hanging. Lori gives us the details about his aunt's secret and the explosion with her husband when he finds out, but she neglects to resolve it.  The story could have had an even happier ending if that resolution could have occurred.

This was great story for the holidays full of love and forgiveness. Well worth reading.

~ This book was provided by Net Galley
 
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