Category: Romantic Comedy

Stories in the Spotlight | [the stories on Jorie’s readerly radar] feat. notes and an extract of “Simply You” by Maggie Wild

Posted Saturday, 16 January, 2021 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

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Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

Welcome to a New Year of discovering stories with me on Jorie Loves A Story! The past few weeks, I admit, I’ve been struggling to get back into the rhythm of reading. After a hard-won Christmas and New Year’s this year as Mum worked over 130+ hours within a fortnight which re-arranged our holidays quite a heap and after a turbulent beginning to our New Year 2021 (ie. collectively, per current events) – I’ve been tucked offline, focusing on my health & wellness this January rather than soaking inside books which is how I thought I’d spend the first weeks of the New Year.

Happily I’m seeing improvement with my health (ie. #migrainefree), increased stamina through actively pursuing hiking in nature and redirecting myself to eat less but eat more purposefully by augmenting healthy protein shakes and a heap of greens into my regular diet. I’ve missed focusing on my health with a dedicated passion which is why Mum and I decided if we could make one change this New Year, it was going to be a decided co-effort to get back to basics and see true change in how we approached the year on a personal level.

Thus, whilst I work on getting my health squared away, I am also in the process of sorting out my shelves – wherein I’m getting some organisational totes to decrease what is visible on my shelves in order to read better this New Year, 2021 as well. The books left on the shelf will reflect my current reads and once those are consumed, the ones in the totes will be up on the shelf until I reach my goals of erasing my backlogue! This is in conjunction with developing a TBR dice game I’ll be revealling at the end of January – stay tuned for those details, especially if you find reading stories off your TBR is always a wrenching hard choice and you’d like to spice things up by removing making the ‘choices’ of what to read from your TBR List.

All the while, I have a keen eye on the horizon for new stories and authors who are itching a thirst of interest to be read. This particular Contemporary Romantic Comedy stood out to me and as lovely as it sounds, I have to await a format I can enjoy reading – as this is strictly a Digital First release at this junction of time. If it goes to print or audio, I hope to update you in future when I’ve had a chance to get a copy to read.

I am reading more Contemporary Romances but I am still a bit under-read in RomComs as they have the tendency of being a harder sell for me as a reader. The reason why this is one might suit me is the premise of it – especially for the series as a whole – the setting, the community concept and the promise of hope in finding relationships which are strongly built between the characters. Plus, who doesn’t like a romance spilt between city and country life? Wherein you have to truly choose the kind of life your heart beckons to be lived vs the life you expected to have? I love those kinds of romantic dramas and the fact this is spun with a comedic touch I felt sounded like a wicked brilliant read!

Be sure to read the extract and my thoughts about the story to see if this perhaps might wink an interest into your own readerly wanderings this year! Especially if you’re able to read ebooks – you won’t have to wait for future formats and can dive straight into it! Remember – brew your favourite cuppa and enjoy your stay!

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Stories in the Spotlight | [the stories on Jorie’s readerly radar] feat. notes and an extract of “Simply You” by Maggie WildSimpy You
Subtitle: A Heart Valley Romance | All you need is love... and a bit of luck
by Maggie Wild
Source: Chapter Sampler

She needs someone she can count on.
He’s gun-shy after being hurt.
Can a brush with fate in a rained-out English village turn into enduring love?

Sarah Tildon thinks she’s found the perfect man. But after her overbearing future mother-in-law insists her quiet country wedding become a high-society shindig, she sets out on a two-week ride to rethink her plans. Stranded when her bicycle is stolen in a picturesque hamlet, she’s touched by the kindness of a handsome young farmer who comes to her rescue.

The big city failed Michael Marsden’s ample ambitions. After his fiancée cheats on him, he turns his back on the hustle and bustle and takes on a farm to prove he can lead a self-sufficient life. And taken by surprise when a charming outsider helps sing his hens into laying, he realizes his newfound Eden is missing its Eve.

Unexpectedly falling for the sweet homesteader, Sarah is torn between the security of a gilded cage and the precarious freedom of raising chickens. And when her fiancé arrives to bring her back to London, Michael fears she’ll leave him with yet another shattered heart.

Will this unlikely couple throw caution to the wind and embrace a destined second chance?

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance Fiction, Romantic Comedy (Rom Com)



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ASIN: B08NY3421P

Published by Steel Rose Press

on 12th January, 2021

Format: Chapter Sampler | Online

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About the Hope Valley Romance series:

Simply You is the first book in the heartwarming Hope Valley Romance series. If you like fun heroines, pastoral backdrops, and endearing courtships, then you’ll adore Maggie Wild’s sweet tale.

Read Simply You to start fresh today!

The second novel is Back Home to You ← forthcoming 31 May, 2021!

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Converse on Twitter via: #SimplyYou and/or #MaggieWild
as well as #HopeVallyRomance and #ContemporaryRomance

About Maggie Wild

Simply You novel promo badge for Maggie Wild's Hope Valley Romance series provided by Xpresso Book Tours and is used with permission.

Maggie Wild lives in California Wine Country with her own Mr. Right and a small collection of furry friends. A native of Yorkshire, England, she returns “home” every day through her fictional worlds. When not writing her fun, contemporary romance stories, she loves to watch the birds in her garden and hike through the local redwoods.

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Posted Saturday, 16 January, 2021 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Blitz, Book Spotlight, Contemporary Romance, Indie Author, Romance Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Xpresso Book Tours

Book Spotlight w/ Notes and Extract | “Love Me Like You Do” by Aimee Brown

Posted Wednesday, 30 September, 2020 by jorielov , , , 1 Comment

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Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

I’ve been thankful to keep an eye on emerging Contemporary Romance & Women’s Fiction stories for the past seven years – over the years, I’ve worked with different publishers to either bring featured content by the authors themselves or to find ways in which I can shine a light on the stories (such as this featured spotlight with extract) and/or when a format I can read or listen to were available, I’ve been bringing reviews to my blog Jorie Loves A Story.

Head of Zeus is a publisher I’ve been working with since April 2019 and it has been such an incredible journey of seeking out the stories their authors are writing. I even have had the chance to discovering a thrilling writer of Suspense in J.S. Monroe! I can’t wait to start listening to their audioreads and sorting out which Historical & Contemporary novelist has captured my attention the most through the stories they’ve written based off the ones I’ve selected to focus on during their blog tours on Jorie Loves A Story. As getting the chance to interview their authors is another wickedly exciting part of hosting their tours.

And, one of my favourite ways of finding new Contemporary authors who are writing stories I’m interested in reading is through hosting blog tours for Head of Zeus. They publish a wide variety of stories I’ve showcased (both Contemporary & Historical) but with the Contemporaries, I am finding a lot of different kinds of stories interest me – sometimes the plots take me by surprise and other times, they feel as cosy comforting as the last series I showcased for Jenny Kane!

Thankfully more of these lovelies are going into audiobook release and as they reach Scribd, I am hoping to listen to more of them over the course of the next year. Until then, it is a pleasure of joy of being able to talk about the stories, share an extract and hopefully increase my bookish friends’ TBRs as readily as I am increasing my own! Ha! I’d love to know if anyone has followed behind me and has started to read these stories ahead of me or if they are hoping to read them in the future?

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Why I wanted to host a spotlight & extract
for this new Contemporary Romance ‘Love Me Like You Do’:

As the founder and host of @SatBookChat – I am constantly seeking to find new stories featuring strong women in the centre of Romance & Women’s Fiction. I read an equal amount of Contemporary and Historical stories within these genres of interest whilst encompassing all the lovely sub-niches of their literary styles as well. This New Year 2020 I am also seeking out Feminist Lit which celebrates the kind of stories I am enjoying to discover as well. All of which I try to champion and showcase in the chats I host on Saturdays – wherein writers, readers, book reviewers, book bloggers and the rest of the bookish community on Twitter get to engage with one another. Thereby as a regular reader of these stories I was delighted to find a #newtomeauthor to start seeking out to read!

I hanker after romantic comedies in theaters and yet, when it comes to my personal interests as a reader, I must confess, it is the RomCom which I struggle to find which carries with it my preferences for sophiscated comedy without derailing itself into a niche of comedy which makes my brow wrinkle. I love comedic romance because it tucks us into the lighter areas of life whilst poking fun at the complications of dating & courting before marriage. The interesting bit is that I’ve found that comedic timing in novels is just as layered and intriguing as the comedic timing in films.

Whichever medium the writer is writing – they have to grab our attention quite early-on and give us a reason to hunger after the story we’ve just become introduced. The best RomCom writers have a way of gripping me within the opening bridge of their novels and then, giving me such a satisfaction to reach their conclusions! When that happens, I count my blessings and am full of grateful gratitude for having found them.

I had a bit of a smirk when I read this involved a ‘runaway bride’ as I still have fond memories of seeing Julia Robert’s film (“Runaway Bride”) and being swept up in her life. Which at the time, felt less like a RomCom and more like a dramedy – but I could say that for her other films as well, including “Notting Hill”. I think the more stories like this one I can seek out the better I’ll be as I could use more lighter stories in my reading queue! I love to laugh at the movies but I think I’ve forgotten to find ways to laugh in my readerly life! Oyy.

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Be sure to brew your favourite cuppa and enjoy the extract from this story!

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Book Spotlight w/ Notes and Extract | “Love Me Like You Do” by Aimee BrownLove Me Like You Do
Subtitle: To fall in love they will have to find themselves again...
by Aimee Brown

A runaway bride. A handsome stranger. Two pasts to put behind them.

Parker is ready to marry the man of her dreams. But he isn't ready to marry her. It would be helpful if he didn't choose their wedding day to tell her this. But as she flees from the travesty behind her, she literally runs into the arms of a handsome stranger. The southern drawl, the dreamy eyes, she can't fall for another man after being left at the altar – can she?

When Liam agreed to go to go on a date he didn't expect to leave with the bride. Nor did he expect to take her the emergency room. Immediately he's drawn to her fiery spirit, her kind heart and beautiful smile. Liam's got a whole host of problems and a past that keeps coming back, now can't be the time to fall in love, but Parker might just be the one to break down his barriers and let him live a little – if she'll let him in.

Will these two strangers allow serendipity to put them together, or will their fears keep them apart?

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Contemporary Romance, Romance Fiction, Romantic Comedy (Rom Com)



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ASIN: B0876FXPSH

Published by Aria Fiction

on 17th September, 2020

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Published By: Aria Fiction (@Aria_Fiction)
a Digital First imprint of Head of Zeus (@HoZ_Books)

This is a Digital First Release!

Converse via: #LoveMeLikeYouDo, #ContemporaryRomance and #HeadOfZeus

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Posted Wednesday, 30 September, 2020 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Book Spotlight, Contemporary Romance, Head of Zeus, Romance Fiction, Romantic Comedy

#SaturdaysAreBookish Audiobook Review | “Jesse’s Girl” by Tara September, narrated by Verla Bond

Posted Saturday, 19 September, 2020 by jorielov , , , 3 Comments

#SaturdaysAreBookish banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: Starting in August 2020, I started hosting for Random Things Tours as a new book blogger working with them to either review and/or host guest author features on behalf of their authors. I was thankful to join their book blogger team and look forward to joining the tours which are highlighting the stories I actively enjoy reading and discovering. I received a complimentary audiobook copy of “Jesse’s Girl” from Random Things Tours in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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On why “Jesse’s Girl” felt like a good fit for a Contemporary Romance:

I love second chance romances and stories of redemption – I have a preference for slow burning romances and getting the chance to have a new relationship repair the angst of a past relationship which seemed to be the case with ‘Jesse’s Girl’ as Gwen was finding her life completely erased from the life she had with Jesse once Jesse left her and his daughter for a fling with a colleague.

What appealled to me the most was the shortness of the story itself – as this was an audiobook under five hours and I felt that was a good length for me at this time to listen too. The shorter audiobooks are fast becoming my new ‘favourites’ and when it comes to Contemporary Romances, I am still navigating the genre to root out who my new favourite voices are for this genre. Having said all that, as you will see on my review, I reached a point in the narration where I could not move forward and what I had hoped to have found in the story was not quite the experience I was given. Despite that, I have some strong observations to relate to my readers who can hopefully discern if this is a romance better fitted to them and their readerly habits.

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#SaturdaysAreBookish Audiobook Review | “Jesse’s Girl” by Tara September, narrated by Verla BondJesse's Girl
by Tara September
Source: Direct from Author via Random Things Tours
Narrator: Verla Bond

“I wish that I had Jesse’s Girl”

Successful Texas lawyer, Reade Walker, curses that damn song every time it plays, all too aware of the irony of its lyrics. After all, he has been secretly and painfully enamored with Jesse’s girl, Gwen, for nearly a decade. It was love at first sight for him, but sadly she’s not his girl. She belongs to the one man who betrayed him and knows Reade’s hidden family secret. Yet Reade can’t seem to love anyone except the one woman he can't have. Or can he make her mine?

When Gwen Clark’s senator husband runs off with his intern and all their money, the ensuing scandal turns her life upside down. Deserted, penniless and desperate to provide for her six-year-old daughter, Gwen has no one to turn to but Reade Walker. The one man her heart desperately wants, but her pride dreads having to ask for help. Despite welcoming them into his home, it seems like Reade can barely stand being in the same room with her anymore, let alone under the same roof—in the same bedroom. But Gwen is determined to get her life back on track. It is past time to rediscover her own dreams…if only she can keep her aching heart from breaking all over again.

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy (Rom Com), Short Story or Novella



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Heat Factor for Romance
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ISBN: 9781093176131

ASIN: B07XBWTWNJ

Published by Plus It Up

on 6th September, 2019

Format: Audiobook | Digital

Length: 3 hours and 37 minutes (unabridged)

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Published by: Plus It Up

Available Formats: Trade Paperback, Audiobook and Ebook

Converse via: #ContemporaryRomance, #RomCom or #Romance and #JessesGirl
as well as #audioreads, #audiobook or #loveaudiobooks

About Tara September

Blogger and former PR executive for The Walt Disney Company, Tara holds a Master’s degree in journalism & communications from New York University. She also spent a semester abroad during her undergrad at Queen Mary University in London. For over a decade before publishing, Tara has penned a popular lifestyle, travel and parenting blog at TaraMetBlog.com.

Always an avid romance reader, she has been daydreaming about being an author since school. Dozens of bad dates, four cities and adventures later, she still finds it impossible that she met her husband on a New York City subway. They now live in sunny Florida with identical twin boys and four cats underfoot/on her laptop/everywhere. Fueled by an IV of green tea and sometimes Champagne, she's finally writing the happily ever after tales she's been dreaming about.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

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Posted Saturday, 19 September, 2020 by jorielov in 21st Century, Audiobook, Blog Tour Host, Contemporary Romance, Content Note, Fly in the Ointment, Indie Author, Life Shift, Modern Day, Motherhood | Parenthood, Random Things Tours, Romance Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Vulgarity in Literature

#SaturdaysAreBookish | “The Highlander’s English Bride” (Clan Kendrick, Book Three) by Vanessa Kelly

Posted Saturday, 6 June, 2020 by jorielov , , , , , 0 Comments

#SaturdaysAreBookish banner created by Jorie in Canva.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours whereupon I am thankful to have been able to host such a diverse breadth of stories, authors and wonderful guest features since I became a hostess! HFVBTs is one of the very first touring companies I started working with as a 1st Year Book Blogger – uniting my love and passion with Historical Fiction and the lovely sub-genres inside which I love devouring. Whether I am reading selections from Indie Authors & publishers to Major Trade and either from mainstream or INSPY markets – I am finding myself happily residing in the Historical past each year I am a blogger.

What I have been thankful for all these years since 2013 is the beautiful blessing of discovering new areas of Historical History to explore through realistically compelling Historical narratives which put me on the front-lines of where History and human interest stories interconnect. It has also allowed me to dive deeper into the historic past and root out new decades, centuries and millenniums to explore. For this and the stories themselves which are part of the memories I cherish most as a book blogger I am grateful to be a part of the #HFVBTBlogTours blogger team.

I received a complimentary of “The Highlander’s English Bride” direct from the publisher Zebra Books (an imprint of) Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

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Why I wanted to read “The Highlander’s English Bride”:

It has been a bit too long since I’ve tucked into a traditional Romance novel such as this one – wherein, there is a saga unfolding between installments and there is a continuity threading within the context of the stories as well. I used to read quite a few authors who wrote series like this one and then, for whichever reason I abandoned reading them. I’ve meant to delve back into them over the years but never found the time.

When this blog tour came round – I thought for sure I could listen to the first two novels in the series via Scribd but the months dissolved too quickly off the clock for me to dive into them. I decided to begin this as a new reader might – picking up the storyline on the third in a series rather than starting at the beginning. I’ve had my eye on stories about the Highlands for many years – as I don’t oft get to read stories set in Scotland. My favourite series set there is “Monarch of the Glen” which is a delightful series involving one very eccentric Scottish family and their estate.

Quite soon after I started reading this story, I realised not having read the previous installments was doing me a bit of a favour because there is so much to process and enjoy in this installment! If I’d have had enough time to go through the audiobooks for the series, I think I would have enjoyed the lead-in into the third storyline but without that back-history, the beauty of starting here is seeing where Graeme and his family intersect with Sabrina’s timeline. The fact that Kelly writes a cleverly spun tango of intrigue is part of what rooted me into her story whilst the humour is what kept me in laughter!

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#SaturdaysAreBookish | “The Highlander’s English Bride” (Clan Kendrick, Book Three) by Vanessa KellyThe Highlander's English Bride
Subtitle: Clan Kendrick | United in Desire
by Vanessa Kelly
Source: Publisher via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

In this dazzling new novel from bestselling author Vanessa Kelly, the wildest member of Clan Kendrick has found his purpose as a government agent. Now he must also meet his match…

Lady Sabrina Bell has never been so embarrassed in her life. Not only did her new suitor fail to appear for their morning rendezvous in Hyde Park, but a thief pushed her into the Serpentine. Being rescued by a burly Highlander just adds to her humiliation. Nor is he content with rescuing her just once. Even when Sabrina travels to Edinburgh as part of King George’s entourage, Graeme Kendrick is there, interfering, exasperating, and so very tempting…

Once notorious for being the most unruly Kendrick brother, Graeme now runs dangerous missions for the King’s spymaster. Yet nothing has prepared him for Sabrina. The only child of a wealthy earl, and the pampered goddaughter of the king himself, she is stubborn, impetuous, and far too good for him. He doesn’t deserve her, but he can protect her and then send her safely back home. But the bonny Sassenach has her own ideas—and a plan for seduction that no red-blooded Highlander could resist…

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance Fiction



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781420147056

Published by Zebra Books

on 26th May, 2020

Format: Paperback ARC

Pages: 448

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Clan Kendrick series:

The Highlander Who Protected Me (book one)

The Highlander’s Christmas Bride (book two)

The Highlander’s English Bride (book three)

Published by: Zebra Books
an imprint of Kensington Books (@KensingtonBooks)

Available Formats: Trade paperback and Ebook

In regards to the ‘heat’ of sensuality & sexuality explored in this novel,
I felt I ought to let my readers know this one was a bit more intense than your regular Romance novel.

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Converse via: #HistFic or #HistNov
+ #ClanKendrick and #HFVBTBlogTours

About Vanessa Kelly

Vanessa Kelly

Vanessa Kelly is a USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author who was named by Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the “New Stars of Historical Romance.” Her Regency-set historical romances have been nominated in a number of contests, and she has won multiple awards, including the prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Her books have been published in nine languages.

Vanessa’s first Clan Kendrick book, The Highlander Who Protected Me, was a USA Today, Barnes & Noble, and BookScan bestseller. The Highlander’s Christmas Bride, her latest book, hit the top 50 on both the Barnes & Noble mass-market bestseller list and on BookScan. The Renegade Royals Series was a national bestseller, as was The Improper Princesses Series. My Fair Princess was named a Goodreads Romance of the Month and is a USA Today and BookScan bestseller.

When she’s not dreaming of plots for her next Regency novel, Vanessa is writing USA Today Bestselling books with her husband, under the pen name of V.K. Sykes.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

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Posted Saturday, 6 June, 2020 by jorielov in 19th Century, Blog Tour Host, Equality In Literature, Fly in the Ointment, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Romance, Romance Fiction, Romantic Comedy, the Regency era, Vulgarity in Literature