Posted Friday, 27 November, 2015 by jorielov ChocLitUK, Kathryn Freeman, Search for the Truth, Too Charming 0 Comments
I have come to appreciate finding new ways to help spread the word about the novelists and stories I personally enjoy reading via ChocLitUK. When Brook Cottage Book Tours first started to announce upcoming blog tours featuring the authors I’ve come to know as a book reviewer, I couldn’t wait to jump on board the tours! For you see, as a ChocLit reviewer, I haven’t had the pleasure of reading each ChocLit novelist as of yet – although my ChocLit Next Reads List on Riffle is a good indication of my earnest intention of reading their collective works!
Imagine my happy surprise finding in the batch of Autumn tours, one featuring a novel by Ms Harris (who is an auto-read author of mine!) and one novel by Ms Freeman of whom I have not yet had the pleasure of reading. Similar to my curiosities broached on a Cover Reveal by Ms Browne, I wanted to highlight what inspires me to read Ms Freeman; as I had happily shared my joy of finding a new adoption story during my spotlight for The Lost Girl.
I vaguely remember chattering about this novel on Twitter, yet when I went to find the tweets I shared about the story, I came up a bit empty! I am unsure why, as I tried to remember the wordings I had used to describe the exchanges, but for whichever reason, those tweets are lost somewhere in my feeds! The main reason I wanted to share them is because I believe I had mentioned the reason why this particular story leapt out at me to read initially? It’s hard to tell – that’s the irony of Twitter, you can share all these lovely convos, but trying to find where those tweets go weeks and months lateron is a bit of a mystery!
One thing I can say for certainty: I am finding myself drawn into heart-stirring contemporary fiction whose layers of intrigue and relationships are keenly becoming of interest to read.
Sometimes the truth hurts …
When journalist Tess Johnson takes a job at Helix pharmaceuticals, she has a very specific motive. Tess has reason to believe the company are knowingly producing a potentially harmful drug and, if her suspicions are confirmed, she will stop at nothing to make sure the truth comes out.
Jim Knight is the president of research and development at Helix and is a force to be reckoned with. After a disastrous office affair he’s determined that nothing else will distract him from his vision for the company. Failure is simply not an option. As Tess and Jim start working together, both have their reasons for wanting to ignore the sexual chemistry that fires between them. But chemistry, like most things in the world of science, isn’t always easy to control.
Places to find the book:
Add to Riffle
Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLitUK)
RELEASE DATE: 13th August, 2015 – ebook version
Formats Available: this is a Digital First release! print and audio should follow next!
Genre(s): Contemporary | BigPharma | Suspense | Espionage Fiction
A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.
With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes come in many disguises.
Author Connections:
Personal Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Converse via: #ChocLit
My best friend from high school went into the Pharmacy Industry, and coincidentally we reconnected after a long search to find each other again whilst she was at the latter stage of graduating as a pharmacist. I still remember our long conversations on the phone about the particulars of what was involved with her studies and how her impression of pharmacy had changed since before she started her studies; as the industry wasn’t quite what she imagined it was to be. I could sympathise as sometimes our initial impressions about something does not match or hold up against further enquiries and research. I oft think about her as she has a demanding schedule of hours and responsibilities, I had hoped might have calmed down after her last promotion. Read More
Posted Friday, 27 November, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), British Literature, Brook Cottage Book Tours, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Contemporary Romance, Espionage, Indie Author, Modern British Author, Modern British Literature, Modern Day, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense
Posted Monday, 23 November, 2015 by jorielov ChocLitUK, Liz Harris, The Lost Girl 0 Comments
I have come to appreciate finding new ways to help spread the word about the novelists and stories I personally enjoy reading via ChocLitUK. When Brook Cottage Book Tours first started to announce upcoming blog tours featuring the authors I’ve come to know as a book reviewer, I couldn’t wait to jump on board the tours! For you see, as a ChocLit reviewer, I haven’t had the pleasure of reading each ChocLit novelist as of yet – although my ChocLit Next Reads List on Riffle is a good indication of my earnest intention of reading their collective works!
Imagine my happy surprise finding in the batch of Autumn tours, one featuring a novel by Ms Harris (who is an auto-read author of mine!) and one novel by Ms Freeman of whom I have not yet had the pleasure of reading. Similar to my curiosities broached on a Cover Reveal by Ms Browne, I wanted to highlight what inspires me to read Ms Freeman; thus be sure to return on Friday to find out what I have to say!
Today, I am going to share a bit of insight into what I learnt about The Lost Girl during one of my #ChocLitSaturday chats inasmuch as share with you why I feel this will be my next unputdownable read by Ms Harris!
On my Connection to Ms. Harris:
I have been hosting #ChocLitSaturday chats on a regular basis for a bit over a year now. Eleven in the morning of a Saturday, has become a favourite hour for me to exchange conversation and joy with everyone who shows up to participate in a chat centered around ChocLit novels and the Romance branch of literature in general.
Similar to my previous thoughts I shared about Ms. Courtenay, I have come to appreciate chatting with Ms. Harris, either through #ChocLitSaturdays chats or privately. She is most giving of her time and I have appreciated the opportunity to know the writer behind the stories I enjoy reading! She always shares her happy spirit in the chats too, and her insights into why she enjoys writing the books that speak to her the most.
I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with Harris through our respective love & passion of reading inside the twitterverse whilst I host #ChocLitSaturday the chat as well as privately; I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time. Similarly this applies to spotlighting new books by an author I appreciate such as this one.
What if you were trapped between two cultures?
Life is tough in 1870s Wyoming. But it’s tougher still when you’re a girl who looks Chinese but speaks like an American.
Orphaned as a baby and taken in by an American family, Charity Walker knows this only too well. The mounting tensions between the new Chinese immigrants and the locals in the mining town of Carter see her shunned by both communities.
When Charity’s one friend, Joe, leaves town, she finds herself isolated. However, in his absence, a new friendship with the only other Chinese girl in Carter makes her feel like she finally belongs somewhere.
But, for a lost girl like Charity, finding a place to call home was never going to be that easy …
Places to find the book:
Add to Riffle
Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLitUK)
RELEASE DATE: 16th October, 2015 – ebook version
Formats Available: this is a Digital First release! print and audio should follow next!
Genre(s): Historical Fiction | Western | Adoption | Chinese-American ancestry
Liz Harris lives south of Oxford. Her debut novel was THE ROAD BACK (US Coffee Time & Romance Book of 2012), followed by A BARGAIN STRUCK (shortlisted for the RoNA Historical 2013), EVIE UNDERCOVER, THE ART OF DECEPTION and A WESTERN HEART. All of her novels, which are published by Choc Lit, have been shortlisted in their categories in the Festival of Romantic Fiction. In addition, Liz has had several short stories published in anthologies. Her interests are theatre, travelling, reading, cinema and cryptic crosswords.
Author Connections:
Personal Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Converse via: #ChocLit
I wasn’t surprised that Ms Harris tackled another hard-hitting dramatic story-line in her new book The Lost Girl as I have previously come to find she has a way of elevating historical fiction to an emotional keel of clarity. There is a richness to her stories – she dares to capitalise on the emotional heart of her character’s journey; even within the pages of A Bargain Struck this was true, and she did it by taking a seemingly ordinary story-line and moulding it into such a convicting story of life, love and second chances.
Her stories give me a heap of pleasure to read due to how she layers her stories with honesty, conviction and soul-searching transparency of her character’s lives. Each of her characters is battling through a life difficulty when we meet them; as within A Bargain Struck it was a medical reality that altered the confidence of her Western Bride; whereas in The Road Back her character was facing breaking tradition and convention in order to pursue her true love to the man who connected directly to her soul. Read More
Posted Monday, 23 November, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 19th Century, Adoption, American Old West, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Book Spotlight of E-Book (ahead of POD/print edition), British Literature, Brook Cottage Book Tours, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Historical Fiction, Immigrant Stories, Indie Author, Modern British Author, Modern British Literature, Orphans & Guardians
Posted Saturday, 31 October, 2015 by jorielov ChocLitUK, Kate Johnson, The Untied Kingdom 0 Comments
Acquired Book By:
I am a ChocLit reviewer who receives books of my choice in exchange for honest reviews! I received a complimentary copy of “The UnTied Kingdom” from ChocLit in exchange for an honest review! I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
On my connection to Kate Johnson:
I host a weekly Romance chat (#ChocLitSaturdays | @ChocLitSaturday) in conjunction with my book reviews and showcases on behalf of the publisher ChocLitUK. The weekly chat was inspired by the authors and stories I was devouring as a book reviewer, as I wanted to create a space online where sisterhood friendships could develop between readers and writers of Rom. My focus was to first unite the authors of ChocLit with readers of ChocLit and then, expand the conversation. Eleven in the morning of a Saturday, has become a favourite hour for me to exchange conversation and joy with everyone who shows up to participate in the lively convos. You can visit the homepage for #ChocLitSaturdays via Nurph, where you can choose to RSVP future chats or replay past chats.
Ms Johnson and I have been happily conversing through the chats for a good portion of the past year, as she ducks in to the conversations as her time allows. Through those chats, depending on the topic that is broached during the hour, book recommendations are one of the highlights for everyone attending. For me, it’s a chance to get to know about stories I might not be drawn too outright or had previously been on the fence about reading. One of these titles was ‘The Untied Kingdom’ which soon became highly recommended. From what I gathered in one of the chats, I knew I had to at least give it a go myself to see how Johnson wrote the intriguing story-line.
Similar to my previous thoughts I shared about Ms Courtenay and Ms Harris, I have come to appreciate chatting with Ms Johnson through #ChocLitSaturdays chats. She has a bubbly personality, a sharp wit and a humour that never fails to make me smile or laugh outright. She’s very open about talking about her characters and stories, whilst not one to be shy from expressing her appreciation for what gives her the most joy as a reader and writer.
I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with Johnson through our respective love & passion of reading inside the twitterverse whilst I host #ChocLitSaturdays; I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time.
Why I enjoy embracing the chance to read an ‘alternative’ story-line:
I think everyone will recognise there are alternative realities in science fiction and fantasy, inasmuch as their are alternative historical fiction plot-lines where the writer has bent the genre to their will. For me personally, I appreciate dipping into this creative well of dexterity when I find a story which becomes it’s own personal niche in a genre of it’s writer’s choosing. I do not oft read these kinds of stories, so it’s a bit of a mystery if I will soak inside the narrative as readily as I do other stories, but one thing is for certain: I like taking risks with my literary wanderings, because without a risk once in awhile, how do we know if we will like something completely new and out of the regular realms we are reading if we don’t take that chance?
The Untied Kingdom
by Kate Johnson
Source: Direct from Publisher
The portal to an alternate world was the start of all her troubles – or was it?
When Eve Carpenter lands with a splash in the Thames, it’s not the London or England she’s used to. No one has a telephone or knows what a computer is. England’s a third world country and Princess Di is still alive. But worst of all, everyone thinks Eve’s a spy.
Including Major Harker who has his own problems. His sworn enemy is looking for a promotion. The general wants him to undertake some ridiculous mission to capture a computer, which Harker vaguely envisions running wild somewhere in Yorkshire. Turns out the best person to help him is Eve.
She claims to be a pop star. Harker doesn’t know what a popstar is, although he suspects it’s a fancy foreign word for ‘spy’. Eve knows all about computers, and electricity. Eve is dangerous. There’s every possibility she’s mad.
And Harker is falling in love with her.
Genres: Action & Adventure Fiction, Alternative Reality | History, Genre-bender, Romantic Suspense, Time Slip and/or Time Shift, War Drama Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
ISBN: 9781906931681
Published by ChocLitUK
on 7th October 2014
Format: UK Edition Paperback
Pages: 320
Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLitUK)
Formats Available: Paperback, Large Print, Audiobook and E-book
Converse via: #ChocLit
About Kate Johnson
Kate Johnson is a prolific writer of romantic and paranormal fiction. Kate is Choc Lit’s youngest author and lives near Stansted, Essex. She is a self-confessed fan of Terry Pratchett, whose fantasy fiction has inspired her to write her own books. Kate worked in an airport and a laboratory before escaping to write fiction full time. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and has previously published short stories in the UK and romantic mysteries in the US. She’s a previous winner of the WisRWA’s Silver Quill and Passionate Ink’s Passionate Plume award.
Her first UK debut novel, The Untied Kingdom was shortlisted for the Contemporary Romantic Novel Category Award in 2012. It also won an online Best Book Award.
Kate’s Choc Lit novels include: The UnTied Kingdom, Run Rabbit Run and Impossible Things (February 2014).
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Read More
Posted Saturday, 31 October, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, Action & Adventure Fiction, Alternative Reality, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, British Literature, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Debut Author, Debut Novel, England, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Futuristic Fantasy, Green Publishing, Historical Fiction, Indie Author, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Life Shift, Military Fiction, Modern British Author, Modern British Literature, Modern Day, Political Narrative & Modern Topics, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Sci-Fi November, Science Fantasy, Time Slip, Time Travel, Time Travel Adventure, Time Travel Romance, Vulgarity in Literature, Warfare & Power Realignment
Posted Friday, 22 May, 2015 by jorielov Alaina Claiborne, British Agent Series, MK McClintock, Trappers Peak Publishing 4 Comments
Originally I had fully intended to interview Ms McClintock when our paths had crossed last Autumn, as I was quite stirred by her Western sensibility to bring the culture of the West to such vivid reality inside her short stories contained within the collection of A Home for Christmas. Time swept me away into it’s folds, and when I caught sight of her next blog tour hosted by Amy Bruno, I was eagerly excited to sign-on, as I had already developed a healthy curiosity about her serial fiction!
I used to love riding horses and read Westerns hand-in-hand during my youth, where the days spent in the saddle were wickedly extended a bit as I drank in the novels I’d hungrily seek out! I appreciated serial horse dramas such as: The Saddle Club, Thoroughbred (it is my favourite breed!), The Black Stallion, and a lovely stand-alone Fiddler & McCann. I have never lost my appreciation for horse dramas (either in novels or on the silver screen) and I credit the writers like McClintock for enveloping us in worlds where the wilds of the forest lay the foundation for a mountain country spin on a traditional historical wherein small townes and the wits of man to survive both elements and hardships thrive.
It is a true pleasure and joy for me to welcome Ms McClintock to Jorie Loves A Story, today! I am revealling the conversation we shared ahead of my review on behalf of Alaina Clairborne, in order to give both posts a chance to catch an audience! I will release the review lateron ahead of the early evening hours, thereby allowing my readers and visitors off the blog tour to leave a comment or question for Ms McClintock in the threads below!
Alaina Claiborne by MK McClintock
{ Book No.1 of the British Agent series }
Published By: Trappers Peak Publishing
Available Formats: Paperback & Ebook
Converse via: #MKMcClintock, #BritishAgentSeriesBlogTour, #AlainaClaiborne
#Western + #CosyHistoricalMystery
Thank you for welcoming me to spend some time with your readers at Jorie Loves A Story. To your readers, thank you for the valuable time you’ve spent to visit; I hope you enjoy your time with us today.
As you’ve declared in the Author’s Note about this series, it was not originally planned to be extensive but rather a stand-alone story. Do you envision the series branching forward past the trilogy or do you have a preference for writing story arcs over trilogies rather than quads or serial fiction into the teens? What was the clarifying moment you realised this story had the scope to carry forward?
McClintock responds: Devon and Charles appealed to me so much during the course of writing Alaina Claiborne, book one, that I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. It was then I knew they’d have their own stories. While writing book two, I foresaw the potential for books beyond a trilogy, but I always received emails from readers who said how much they loved a character and hoped they would get their own story. At this point there is a fourth book planned with the potential for two more after that. The characters would carry over, but each book will remain a stand-alone.
As for having a preference about carrying over story arcs, well, that depends upon the story. I’ve written both, and it all comes down to what’s right for the characters and the stories they have to tell. Read More
Posted Friday, 22 May, 2015 by jorielov in 19th Century, Blog Tour Host, Book Trailer, Bookish Films, Britian, British Literature, Castles & Estates, Cosy Historical Mystery, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Grief & Anguish of Guilt, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Mystery, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Life Shift, Modern British Literature, Reader Submitted Author Interview
Posted Saturday, 21 March, 2015 by jorielov Berni Stevens (Illustrator), ChocLitUK, Coorah Creek series, Flight to Coorah Creek, Janet Gover 0 Comments
As you might have recalled, Flight to Coorah Creek was one of my favourite ChocLit reads of the past year, as I started reading novels by ChocLitUK authors in January of 2014. As I enter into my second year of reading ChocLitUK, I am overjoyed at the journey I’ve taken through their backlist and new releases thus far along, inasmuch as I have a wicked lovely ‘ChocLit Next Reads list‘ which continues to grow each month I find there is another ‘must read’ ChocLit novel being released!
A year ago, most new releases were available in print, however, in 2015 they are debuting in ebook versions prior to audiobook and print, which will follow suit in latter months. Imagine my wicked sweet surprise in being contacted by Ms Gover to host a special ‘book announcement’ and series spotlight on my blog overnight!? I had become enchanted with Coorah Creek for it’s representation of ‘small towne Romance’ and hearty fiction set within a Western / Outback world!
One of my happily devoured sections of Romance are the stories set in small townes, such as Serenity where we greet the women who make up the Sweet Magnolia’s (a sisterhood friendship amongst career women at different stages of their lives; sharing life, love, memories, and a lot of sweet tea!) penned by Sherryl Woods. Woods has a way of endearing you with realistic themes and compelling drama inside a series that remains true to itself per each new installment of the women who live in Serenity.
Cedar Cove came into my life years before the tv series came to Hallmark Channel, as I honestly encouraged Ms MacComber to pitch the series and her Angel stories to the network as I felt even back in the early 2000s, MacComber would be a ‘good fit’ for Hallmark’s collection of sweet romances and quality television in a sex crazy world where relationships are rarely seen on film. I loved Cedar Cove for it’s Pacific Northwest setting as much as I loved the familiarity of the characters from novel to novel. I am unsure of the translation of it to tv, as I missed the 1st season as it aired.
Coorah Creek wooed me with it’s rugged outback location, it’s salt of the earth quirky characters, and it’s willingness to not only become a safe harbour for someone seeking solace from the world at large, but a place of a new beginning where you can put down roots and carve out your own destiny. Coorah Creek has the beauty of a close-knitted community you find within small townes, against the eloquently vivid backdrop of the Outback; where horses, humans, and wild blue skies greet each other. Gover had me so over the moon for Coorah Creek, even as I read Flight to Coorah Creek I was envisioning myself returning; yet that felt strange, how do you return if a sequel isn’t even known?
There are other small townes and other writers who pen compelling instances of what I consider a wicked good read for small towne life, community connectiveness, nature and wildlife in close proximity to where you lay your hat, and the beauty of not being clogged inside the wheel of chaos each time you want to step outside your door as most larger areas give you the impression of whilst your there. I was bourne and bred in the city, but I had a chance to exchange it for the country; now my heart is half-tethered to both worlds; seeking a way to find balance between convenience and serenity of spirit. Not to mention a slower pace and a calming rhythm of being connected with neighbours, community members, and the natural world.
The news originally broke inside a #ChocLitSaturdays chat (prior to when I changed our tag) that Coorah Creek was not singularly defined by Flight to Coorah Creek but merely a first greeting in which to become acquainted and book our residence for a long-term stay at the only Inn in towne (it’s above the ‘better’ bar; smiles). A place where you can happily snuggle into jeans, boots, and a fedora whilst embracing the freedom of riding horses, kicking up dust in jeeps, and being there for your neighbours.
I was overjoyed to throw a Pub Party for Ms Gover on #ChocLitSaturday today! The details of which will partially be revealed on this post, but will also alight when I write up the compliment blog post for today’s convo! It was a happy hour full of #booklove, #bookjoy, and the camaraderie amongst friends who’ve only known each other for just shy of a year! At least, I’ve only known the ChocLit’ers for the twelvemonths I’ve been hosting the chat, as we’ve had the chance to get to know each other off-blog and out in life. The convos are the blissful happy moments I cherish, and to celebrate a new release by an author I already smashingly love reading, wells, what could be better?!
The Wild One {Coorah Creek No.2 } by Janet Gover
Previously I read and reviewed Flight to Coorah Creek
Published by: ChocLitUK (@ChocLitUK), 3 April 2015 (PRE-ORDER time!)
Available Formats: Ebook; more formats forthcoming!
Converse via: #ChocLit & #CoorahCreek
Illustrated By: Berni Stevens
@circleoflebanon | Writer | Illustrator
Genre(s): Fiction | Romance | Small Towne Fiction
the Australian Outback | Second Chances
Read More
Posted Saturday, 21 March, 2015 by jorielov in 20th Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, Australia, Australian Literature, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, ChocLitSaturdays, ChocLitUK, Cookery, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Novel, Divorce & Martial Strife, Domestic Violence, Family Drama, Family Life, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Horse Drama & Fiction, Indie Author, Life Shift, Medical Fiction, Military Fiction, Modern British Literature, Nun, Passionate Researcher, Photography, Psychological Abuse, Religious Orders, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Second Chance Love, Single Mothers, Singletons & Commitment, Small Towne Fiction, Western Fiction, Writing Style & Voice
