Under Scottish Stars

GIVEAWAY

LAUREANO, CARLA
UNDER SCOTTISH STARS

Recently widowed Serena MacDonald Stewart focuses solely on her children -- to the exclusion of career, artistic pursuits, and her sanity. When her brothers ask her to use her long-ignored business skills to oversee the family guest house on the Isle of Skye, she thinks it might be a chance for a new start. But her hopes for a smooth transition are dashed when, the current hotel manager, Malcolm Blake, turns out to be irritating, condescending...and incredibly attractive.

This is your invitation into a sparkling Scottish romance brimming with heart and heat.

My Review:

A rapturously romantical delight! Be ready to get your swoon on and give your fainting couch a workout because....that part in the synopsis where it says, "brimming with heart and heat." Which brings me to a reader alert:

Warning: This is pure romance -- the kind where hearts and minds mesh to create yearning. If you aren't a fan of passionate kisses, this might not be the book for you. It's always tastefully done, but this  thirty something couple have the maturity to recognize attraction and to appreciate the beauty of it while not taking things too far. It's flirtatious and teasing (fan-inducingly so!) and the banter is worthy of a Regency ballroom only with a 21st century twist. :-)

So, if you're still on board to give this book a try here's what else I loved about it:

The Isle of Skye!!! Seriously, take a moment and check out Google Images. Breathtaking!

Malcolm Blake -- a complicated man who has his priorities straight. Family comes first. Always. But since he's also a thick-headed Scot, that means he has a tendency to bulldoze his way through situations in a kind of Highland Warrior Protector Mode which isn't always well-received by modern day, independent women -- whether that be teenage niece or alluring new neighbour. But his heart is huge and that stubborn streak sure comes in handy when wooing a reluctant lady.

Phew! Give me a moment to grab my smelling salts, I feel a swoon coming on.

Then there's Serena -- and, oh, the irony of that name! She's in the midst of a healing process, reclaiming parts of herself that she thought were lost forever. I enjoyed her awakening and the fact that Malcolm isn't threatened by her transformation.

Adore her wee little family -- the perfect mix of rambunctious and carefree...and wounded. I laughed and I cried over these sweet kids.

Love, love, love when a title ties-in perfectly with a story and this one is brilliant!

And the way the author brings the MacDonald clan back together in this last novel -- well, it made me weepy.

I appreciated the subtle faith thread that grows along with Serena and Malcolm's relationship as they learn that trusting in God's plan beats messing up their own over and over again. :-)

Truly stunning and breath-taking and the romanticalist of romanticals.

Oh -- and I listened to the audible edition, narrated by Erin Bennett which increased my 'reading' enjoyment tenfold!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Under Scottish Stars, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 1 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe

GIVEAWAY

LAUREANO, CARLA
BRUNCH AT BITTERSWEET CAFE

From the RITA Award-winning author of Five Days in Skye comes a sweet, romantic treat that will leave you hungry for more.

Bake and pastry chef Melody Johansson has always believed in finding the positive in every situation, but seven years after she moved to denver, she can't deny that she's stuck in a rut. One relationship after another has ended in disaster, and her classical French training is being wasted on her night job in a mediocre chain bakery. Then the charming and handsome private pilot Justin Keller lands on the doorstep of her workplace in a snowstorm, and Melody feels like it's a sign that her luck is finally turning around.

Justin is intrigued by the lively bohemian baker, but the last thing he's looking for is a relationship. His oven romantic failures have proven that the demands of his job are incompatible with meaningful connections, and he's already pledged his life savings to a new business venture across the country -- an island air charter in Florida with his sister and brother-in-law.

Against their better judgement, Melody and Justin find themselves drawn together by their unconventional career choices and shared love of adventure. But when an unexpected windfall provides Melody with the chance to open her dream bakery-cafe in Denver with her best friend, chef Rachel Bishop, she's faced with an impossible choice: stay and put down roots with the people and place she's come to call home...or give it all up for the man she loves.

My Review:

Warning: reading this book may induce hunger...and may also cause some readers to mourn their lack of imagination when it comes to their culinary skills (raising hand sheepishly.). I'm not a foodie, but this book makes me want to be one! If I wasn't drooling over the hero (which I was -- a lot!) I was drooling over the food descriptions!

What an emotional love story! Despite their imperfections, Justin and Melody are perfect for each other BUT the timing is all wrong. Honestly, I ached with yearning the whole read through. I couldn't see any clear path to a happily ever after and I was desperate for one so I grabbed a box of tissues and hunkered down for the last half the book, hoping the author would mend my broken heart by 'the end.' (She did, but in a realistic, challenging kind of way which I really appreciated.)

Loved how the romance developed -- from that first accidental meeting  where sparks fly but level heads prevail to the individual angsty longings that develop into a wary circling of dating within perimeters which leads to complications and heartache and torturous nail-biting, sob-heaving anguish for sensitive readers like me. :-)

And have I mentioned the toe-curling yet? There's this one wintry scene that had me almost yearning for more snow...almost! If I could have my very own Justin-type hero. The master of grand gestures. The kind of guy who pays attention to a girl. Even as he challenges her to step out of her comfort zone occasionally. Blissful sigh -- yes, I'd definitely extend this long winter for man like that!

Both Justin and Melody are challenged to find God in the midst of their messy lives. It isn't easy and they don't always feel like He's paying attention. Their faith is stretched as they learn to trust in a Father's unconditional love...but oh, it's so hard at times. Such a relatable message that encouraged me in my own faith walk. Love when a novel challenges me this way!

Another sublime read from Carla Laureano!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Brunch at Bittersweet Cafe, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you want to enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday April 6 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Five Days in Skye

GIVEAWAY

RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

LAUREANO, CARLA
FIVE DAYS IN SKYE

Hospitality consultant Andrea Sullivan has one last chance to snag a high-profile client or she'll have to kiss her dreams of promotion goodbye. When she's sent to meet Scottish celebrity chef MacDonald on the Isle of Skye, she just wants to finish her work as efficiently as possible. Yet her client is not the opportunistic womanizer he portrays himself to be, and her attraction to him soon dredges up memories she'd rather leaave buried.

For James, renovating the family hotel is a fulfillment of his late father's dreams. When his hired consultant turns out to be beautiful, intelligent, and completely unimpressed by his public persona, he makes it his mission to win her over. He just never expects to fall under her spell.

Soon, both Andrea and James must face the reality that God may have a far different purpose for their lives -- and that five days in Skye will forever change their outlook on life and love.

My Review:

published in 2013
My thanks to my public library for providing me with another amazing retro read!

Whooossshhhh! That's the sound of my pent-up breath releasing in a swoony sigh of satisfaction! I don't think my toes are ever going to uncurl! That Jamie....just thinking about him gives me heart palpitations. So please excuse this romantically-addle-brained review, but once you meet this hero, you'll totally understand. And then we can lounge on our fainting couches and commiserate with each other because Andrea gets the man. :-)

And I'm totally enamored over the setting! I mean, hello, it's Scotland!!!! And the way Laureano writes it has me yearning to hop on a plane and discover it all for myself. Especially a certain celebrity chef of the MacDonald variety. Wistful sigh. Speaking of which -- the first time Andrea and James meet -- sqqquuueaaallll --- snort - guffaw!!!!!! Cutting dialogue. A flirty Scotsman. A 'wickedly sharp tongued' Yank. Talk about the perfect set up for a romance!  (Rats, I'm back to hyperventilating over James again.)

Concentrate, Kav, concentrate. There are other elements that make this novel a fantabulous read! Like...um...Ian, James' brother. "Being in the same room with the MacDonald men was like standing in a demilitarized zone. It seemed safe and cordial until someone got trigger-happy and started sniping."   Sheesh, I just mentioned James again, didn't I? One might think I'm a bit obsessed...and they'd be right!

Love the way the author slowly reveals bits and pieces of back story for both hero and heroine. I fell deeper and deeper into their story as I discovered how past hurts and failures dictated present day actions. My heart broke for Andrea, though the slow reveal of all the particulars sent me into a frenzied rabid-reading snit! So much vulnerability hidden behind the professional businesswoman facade that James is so determined to chip away at. And -- insert euphoric tizzying shiver of delight -- he is so tenderly relentless in his pursuit. Thud....and we're back to talking about James. Again.

I'm trying to figure out a way to talk about the inspirational thread without mentioning you-know-who but since James is the one who gently shares his faith with Andrea, I'm afraid that even this paragraph is going to be about him! "We're all broken. We're only human. Some wounds only God can mend."  There's a beautiful redemption story here which makes this my favourite kind of romance.

My apologies for this exceedingly James-centric review...but if you're in the market for a new 'book boyfriend', Five Days in Skye is a great place to look.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Five Days in Skye, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca.  If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 12 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Saturday Night Supper Club

GIVEAWAY

LAUREANO, CARLA
THE SATURDAY NIGHT SUPPER CLUB

Denver Chef Rachel Bishop has accomplished everything she's dreamed -- like winning a James Beard Award and heading up her own fine-dining restaurant. But when her partners push her out of the business following a targeted smear campaign, she vows to do whatever it takes to get her life back...even if that means joining forces with with the man who inadvertently set the disaster in motion.

Essayist Alex Kanin never imagined his pointed editorial would go viral. Ironically, his attempt to highlight the pitfalls of online criticism revives his own flagging career by destroying that of a perfect stranger. Plagued by guilt-fueled writer's block, Alex vows to do whatever he can to repair the damage. He just doesn't expect his interest in the beautiful chef to turn personal.

Alex offers to help rebuild Rachel's tarnished image by hosting an exclusive pop-up dinner party targeted to Denver's most influential citizens: the Saturday Night Supper Club. As they work together, Rachel begins to realize Alex is not the unfeeling opportunist she once thought he was, and that perhaps there's life -- and love -- outside the pressure cooker of her chosen career. But can she give up her lifelong goals without losing her identity as well?

My Review:

"Think about it. Pray about it. The fact that you're concerned about doing the right thing means you're halfway there. Just remember, you're not responsible for everyone else's actions. Only your own. So whatever decision you make, be sure you're doing it because it's what God would have you do, not simply because it's most comfortable." (p 37)

Seriously, can this really be my first Carla Laureano book??? What on earth have I been waiting for? (racing off to hunt down her backlist...wait...better write this review first!)

Phew! If you're the kind of reader who loves to dissolve into a blubbering, seething mass of emotion as you feel your way through a story then this is the book for you. And if you're a closet (or not-so-closet) foodie -- all the better. And if you like fiction that mirrors real life and have a thought or two in your head about the power (both good and bad) of social media, well, I'd say The Saturday Night Supper Club is the perfect fit.

I laughed (Rachel's friends!!!) and cried (Rachel's God story!!!) and swooned (that Alex!!!!) my way through to the end. Page-turning in a delicious I'm-addicted-to-this-book-and-I-can't-stop-reading kind of a way. And I'm not even nursing that bad of a book hangover because I have a backlist to take down! Woot!!!!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Saturday Night Supper Club, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday December 2 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!