Short & Sweet Sunday: Stardust Summer

From the publisher: Single mom Grace Mason doesn’t believe in miracles, magic, or love at first sight. She likes the quiet life, complete with her eight-year-old son, their tiny house, and her teaching job. For Grace, happiness means that nothing much ever changes in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Then, one thousand miles away, tragedy strikes. A massive heart attack leaves Grace’s estranged father comatose in an Upstate New York hospital. While a team of doctors fight to keep Henry Mason alive, Grace and Evan rush to his bedside to say their final goodbyes. Henry’s passing brings little closure for Grace, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to her new surroundings. What begins as a short trip results in an entire summer spent with Henry’s second wife, Kathleen, and her next-door neighbor, Ryan Gordon, the town doctor. When a series of unlikely events lead to Evan’s disappearance, Grace must face her worst fears to find her son and bring him back home. Stardust Summer explores the complexities of forgiveness, what it means to be a family, and the fabulous possibility of falling in love—again

Why I picked it up: I can totally relate to stories about family dysfunction and second chances, so this book looked right up my street. Plus I’m in full spring-fever mode, so I was really looking forward to immersing myself in the gorgeous upstate New York lakefront setting.

What I liked most: The setting is – hands down – my most favorite element of this book. The descriptions of watercolor sunsets amid the Catskill Mountains, the sweet-smelling woods, the outdoor picnics – it all just makes me want to pack up my Hello Kitty suitcase and head out to the Adirondacks.  Oh how I wish I could be sipping on a sugary iced tea on Ryan’s porch watching the sun dip under the lake.

Favorite character: I can be a little fickle about main characters, especially in romance novels. Typically the quirky best friend seems far more interesting and likeable. But surprisingly, I found Grace to be the most endearing character in this book. Maybe because I can empathize with her family struggles and trust issues. Sure, she makes some really dumb decisions – especially in the love department – but she eventually comes into her own. I should also mention that I got a big kick out of Kathleen, the estranged stepmother. After her husband’s death, I expected her to fall apart, but she went on living life to the fullest – taking quite a few twists and turns in the process. I’ll stop right here before I give anything away…but I will say that a pink house is involved.

What I want more of: Please, Lauren, tell me that we’re going to see more of Ryan and Grace! I got a nice little taste of their budding romance – and now I want more fireworks, more tension, more hot-and-heavy smooching sessions. I’m not talking 50 Shades of Grey, just maybe a PG-13 bedroom scene would be a fun little bonus for us hopeless romantics.

Final verdict: Overall this is another win for Lauren Clark. What I love about this author is that I know she’s going to strum my heartstrings and make me swoon over a sweet budding romance. If you’re looking for a beach read that will make you wax nostalgic about your childhood summers by the lake, download this book immediately!

 Summed up in three words: Sweet, romantic, atmospheric.

Shameless self-promotion: Guess whose name was mentioned in the acknowledgments! That’s right, Jessica Sinn, book blogger extraordinaire! In my humble opinion,  Lauren is right up there with top women’s fiction authors like Fern Michaels, Kathy Lamb, and Susan Mallery, so this is a true honor.

For more about this fabulous author, check out my reviews for Dancing Naked in Dixie here, and Stay Tuned here. Check out her Q&A here.

A Q&A with Chrissy Anderson, Author of The Life List

What exactly is American dream? Is it a family of four living in a cookie-cutter house complete with a Range Rover and perfectly manicured lawn? According to the crap on TV, this “keeping up with the Joneses” way of life is the pinnacle of happiness. But is it really?

For Chrissy Anderson, happiness meant living the good life – perfect husband, successful career, uppity friends and all. Even though her life is the textbook definition of happiness, something’s missing.

After a chance encounter with a cute guy at a bar, she discovers an itch that desperately needs to be scratched. She begins to question the authenticity of her “perfect life” and faces some life-altering decisions. Should she take the safe route and just keep going through the motions? Or should she go with her gut and take the road less traveled? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

Chrissy Anderson, the author and leading lady of The Life List, was kind to chat about her book. Read on to learn more about her personal quest for happiness, and why society’s depiction of “the perfect life” is all smoke and mirrors.

What made you decide to write a book about a woman whose life is turned upside down after a chance encounter at a bar?

If that chance encounter never happened, my life would’ve continued on a course that was less than satisfying. I would’ve stayed married to a man I had nothing in common with only to please other people, and I most likely would’ve had children with him. I would’ve continued to fake happiness, or worse, become a bitter old bitch who would one day look back on her less than satisfying life wishing in vain for a do-over. Most women aren’t as lucky as I was- they don’t get that chance encounter to slap them in the face. I wrote The Life List for all of the women out there who need a good slap.

Is this somewhat of a memoir/fiction hybrid?

Seems like I did more research on what the heck to label my book than the actual writing of it!!! Most of the story is true, but certain things were definitely embellished/changed to make my real life love story even more chaotically convoluted than it actually was.

Looking at all the star reviews, readers really love your book! Why do you think women connect so well with the main character?

Because the world is packed with mini-Chrissy’s. Think about it…how many of your own friends fall into one of these two categories?
1) They got married too young…before they even knew who they were or what they wanted out of life.
2) They scrambled when they turned 30! Started freaking out that they wouldn’t have the big wedding and the happy little family they always dreamed of, so they settled on a dude just so they could “live the dream.”

I also think too many women live their lives according to what others think. They struggle with defending their choices, and they fear failure and the public humiliation that goes along with it. I know better than anyone what it’s like to have everything I thought I always wanted, only then to say, “Uh-oh.” But how do you un-do plans that involve other people’s lives without suffering huge amounts of shame and regret? The answer is, you can’t, and I think that’s what so many women identify with The Life List. They want reassurance that they’re not alone. At least that’s the bulk of the feedback I get anyway.

What are your thoughts on “life lists?” How can women sabotage themselves by aspiring to live what society deems “the ideal life”?

Living your life according to other’s expectations is like not living at all. I lost thirteen years of my life doing it and I’ll spend the rest of it convincing anyone I come in contact with not to. I can honestly say that I give a rat’s ass what anyone thinks of the choices I make now. I’m completely happy. Before you throw up….I’ll quote Charlotte from Sex &The City, “I’m not happy all day every day…but I’m happy.” In my opinion, anyone who has a problem with my choices…my happiness, isn’t happy with their own life and they need to take a good long look in the mirror or get a good therapist!

What message do you hope readers will take away from the book?

My tag line! “The difference between doing something and doing nothing is everything.”

What is the best piece of advice you could give an aspiring novelist?

If you believe in what you’re writing, others will too. There is no money in this industry, even when people do give you five-star reviews, so you better have your heart in the game and be committed to your work. Trust me, you’ll be better equipped to handle criticism if you believe in the story you’re telling. When people don’t like my novel,( fyi… it’s usually because Chrissy swears too much and is overly-judgmental) I say to myself, “It’s just not their cup of tea and that’s okay.” My editor actually gave me the best advice and it’s calmed me down quite a bit over the last year. She said, “We want readers to either love The Life List or hate it, no in-betweeners…bad for business!” And you know what? She was right. Average reviews equal mediocrity (blah!). But, overly bad reviews pitted against awesome reviews, creates interest! That’s where the fun begins. Oh, and by the way…only two of my reviews are lower than five stars. So far, so good!

What are you working on now?

The rest of The List Trilogy- The Unexpected List and The Hope List. I just handed over the first draft of The Unexpected List to my editor and hope to have it published by March. My website  has totally taken off. I’ve had over 30,000 visits and over 3,000 people have voted in the Leo vs. Kurt poll! The two men are such polar opposites (sexy and compelling in their own right) and it’s fun to see women gravitate toward each of them and find out why. I’m also working on getting The Life List in front of some Hollywood power players. I think it would make an amazing chick-flick. I just need to get it into the right hands and that’s proving to be just as hard as writing the damn book! I won’t quit though. It’s the slap in the face too many women need!

Want to know more about this talented new author? Check out her blog. Go here to download her book.

I Kill Me by Tracy H. Tucker

With an anxiety disorder the size of Texas, I know better than to go near WebMD, PetMD or any other self-diagnosis website. I blame modern technology for my insatiable need for immediate answers to mysterious ailments like inexplicable hiccupping which, according to a Yahoo chat group, is symptomatic of AIDS! And let’s not forget about the time when I swore I had impetigo after giving myself a giant blister from dancing in stacked heels.

As you can see, I’m the poster child for just saying NO to WebMD. Seriously, folks, we should leave this stuff to the professionals in white coats…but sometimes it’s too hard to resist. This is especially true for Christine Bacon, a 40-something school teacher who is obsessed with deadly diseases. No sneeze, bump, itch or cough goes undetected – and her doctors are making a pretty penny off of her weekly visits. Geez – this poor woman must have to take out a second mortgage just to afford all those co-pays!

Her anxiety goes into overdrive when her husband insists on “shaking things up” by having a threesome with his boobaliscious message therapist. Shortly after the ill-fated tryst, her marriage to Richard (preferably known as Dick) quickly unravels into shreds. Let me tell ya, this guy pissed me off from page one – and I was so ready for him to run off with his new bimbo. He’s the ultimate midlife crisis cliché: divorce the faithful wife, kick her while she’s down, ignore the kids, and sport a boy-band hairstyle. He’s pretty much a douchebag with a capital D, and I couldn’t wait to get to the end of the book so I could revel in Christine’s sweet revenge.

As Christine embarks on the stages of grief, she convinces herself that every stress-related ailment is symptomatic of a fatal disease. From MS, to ear cancer to HIV, she’s certain she will inevitably die a slow, painful death.

But it’s not all gloom and doom for our hapless hypochondriac. She’s got a fabulous circle of friends to turn to when she needs to be talked off the ledge. I absolutely adored her schoolteacher friends who stayed by her side during her darkest days. They never gave up on coaching her through her daily “I’m going to die!” episodes, which is a real testament of friendship. Just ask my loyal bestie, who never fails to entertain my absurd fears of contracting rare fatal diseases. I typically reward her good deeds with some moonshine shots, but really this girl deserves a badge of honor!   Christine also has the perfect gay boyfriend, who just so happens to be a doctor. He’s amused by her endearingly neurotic fascination with deadly illnesses, and their conversations are quite hilarious. 

Aside from the loveable protagonist, the book’s biggest strong suit is the humor. This author clearly has a quirky personality – and it shows in the whip-smart dialogue and Christine’s zany antics. There were some moments that had me shaking with laughter, especially when Christine flipped out on a student for not complimenting her post-divorce haircut. It’s one of the many scenes that only a girl would truly understand and appreciate. Oh and I also really loved the part when she threw herself a  pity party by dramatically taking out the trash (a mandatory husband chore) in front of her sympathetic neighbors.

Overall, this little indie book is quite a gem. Although Christine’s neurosis is a tad extreme, many of the emotions she deals with will resonate with women readers. Whether you’re divorced, single or happily married – this book will make you laugh, cry and hug your best friend. Tracy does a fine job balancing heavy issues with humor without undermining Christine’s underlying psychological problems. If you enjoy stories about personal transformation,  hope and second chances - download this book immediately!

Want to know more about this talented new author? Check out her blog, Tales from an Empty Nest.

Pie, Pie, Pie!

On this blessed day of thanks, I’m grateful for family, friends, good books – and most importantly – PIE!  Oh how I love me some warm, gooey, scrumpdiliumptious pie. Nothing beats the down-home goodness of a freshly baked pie. From the sugar-ensconced fluffy meringue toppings to the rich, decadent chocolate cream fillings – these delicious dishes evoke some of my fondest childhood memories.

When it comes to the nostalgic bliss of pie, nobody says it better than Beth Howard, author of Making Piece: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Pie:  “Pie is accessible, affordable, all-encompassing. Pie is meant for sharing. Pie connects people. Pie knows no cultural or political boundaries. Pie makes people happy. And happy people make the world a better place. That’s why the world needs more pie.”

In honor of America’s most iconic dessert, here is a little taste of two pie-themed books.

In Making Piece: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Pie, Beth Howard shares how her lifelong love of pie helped her get through the pain of bereavement. After her husband’s untimely death, she seeks refuge in the art and craft of pie baking. With some help from good friends and her own inner strength, she sets forth on a cross-country pie-baking documentary project in her husband’s Winnebago. Filled with a multitude of pie analogies, this book is both heart-warming and gut-wrenching. Like a big hunk of chocolate cream pie, this journey of self-discovery will stick to your ribs long after you devour it.  Go to her website to read all about her book, pie-baking tips, and her American Gothic house.

I should also mention an upcoming book by one of my most favorite chick lit authors, Lauren Clark. In Pie Girls, a spoiled Southern Belle must return to her hometown and rebuild her life after it all falls apart in the big city. Somehow she finds herself involved in a Pie Lab, which is based off of a real restaurant that offers job training for high school dropouts and people in need of vocational skills. Sounds like a tasty read to me! Go to her blog for a sneak preview.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to sneak a bite out of my delicious pumpkin pie while my husband isn’t looking! I’m sure our guests won’t notice that tiny little dent…right?

Barefoot Girls by Tara McTiernan

Usually during this time of year I get a little melancholy about the end of summer. I already miss those lazy afternoons tubing down the river, and those weekend escapes to the Texas coast. So when I want to evoke those sweet sun-kissed memories, I envelop myself in a good beach read filled with sun, fun and a dash of mystery. I couldn’t have picked a better end-of-summer beach read than Tara McTiernan’s Barefoot Girls!

The story centers on Captains Island, a charming little East Coast hamlet where a quartet of best friends reunite each summer at their sacred clubhouse known as the “Barefooters Shack.” Throughout the decades, the girls remained thick as thieves. When the ringleader of the group has an unexpected pregnancy, the women swoop in and raise their “barefoot baby” together as if it was their own.

Surrounded by a circle of fun-loving mothers, little Hannah spent many fun-filled summers on the island. On the surface, she had the perfect childhood. But her debut “novel” says otherwise.

Written with such passion and depth, Hannah’s book touches on some heavy duty childhood abandonment issues. It certainly doesn’t seem like something a 21-year-old could write… unless if she’s drawing from her own personal experiences. When a snarky book reviewer insinuates that the novel is a disguised memoir, Hannah’s melodramatic mother, Keeley, completely shuts down. How could she fabricate such hurtful lies?

Even Hannah questions the motivation behind the poison-penned novel. Her mother gave her everything she needed, so where is all the anger and resentment coming from?

To get some answers, she quits her waitressing job and heads out to the place where it all began, the sacred Barefooters clubhouse. Filled with so many happy

Here’s my Indian summer getaway: Rockport, TX.

memories and dusty photo albums, the shack is her only sanctuary from the storm. But when she arrives to Captains Island during the gloomy off season, the atmosphere feels more like a baron ghost town than a seaside getaway. And for the first time, Hannah doesn’t feel comfort in solitude.

The only way to understand the root of her complex emotions is to dig into her mother’s past. Why did her mother always seem so emotionally detached? And why did she always feel so alone – even in the presence of her doting Barefooters?

She better find answers quick – before she sabotages all chances for happiness, including her engagement with Daniel, the one man who managed to find his way into her heart.

Told through multiple narratives, the author expertly intertwines several plot threads: Past memories of the Barefooters’ childhood adventures, Keeley’s current struggle with alcoholism and life on the Upper East Side, and Daniel’s frustrations with Hannah’s walled-up emotions. And if that’s not enough drama, she also throws in the Barefooters’ childhood bully,  a deranged beauty queen with fading looks and a serious vendetta.

As Hannah delves deeper into her mother’s unbreakable bond with the Barefooters, she begins to realize why she has always gone through life feeling like an outsider. When shocking family secrets are revealed and pent-up emotions come to a head, Hannah must learn how to move forward by letting go of her past.

Overall Barefoot Girls is a captivating story about forgiveness, new beginnings and the everlasting bond between women. At 400+ pages it’s a little on the long side, but once you get into it you won’t want to leave the idyllic little summer getaway. Through the author’s prose, you can practically smell the salty air and feel the sand beneath your toes. If you’re looking for a sweet escape, this book will do the trick!

Chick Lit Cafe’s Halloween Treat

I’ll say it loud, I’m a Halloween freak and I’m proud! It’s only the second day of October and my head is already swirling with visions of candy corn and big colorful bags of fun-sized chocolate deliciousness! But most of all, I’m looking forward to curling up with a pumpkin spice latte and a spooky ghost story on a dark, blustery October night. In honor of my most favorite holiday, I bring you my top Halloween reads. 

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

This is the book I turn to every October when I want to wax nostalgic about that one special night of the year when the parentals allowed me to run rampant on the streets in a sugar-high induced candy craze. The story follows a group of kiddos as they travel with the harbinger of death across oceans and time to save their friend, Pipkin, from an untimely death. They learn all about the origins of trick or treat, ancient death rituals, witchcraft and Celtic celebrations of All Hallows Eve. Such ghoulish fun! 

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

With a hip hip and and hippity clop, he’s out looking for a head to chop! Who doesn’t love this wonderful tale of fright? The short story and the old-school Disney cartoon are Halloween classics! Washington Irving’s lyrical descriptions of the dark road back to the school house really gave me the chills. And what better way to set up the headless horseman chase scene than by filling the reader’s heads with spooky stories told around the fire at Baltus Van Tassal’s Halloween party? I’m pretty sure the story was meant to be a cautionary tale about social climbing, and that the headless horseman was just a hoax to scare Ichabod away. But I’d like to believe he was really spirited away by the headless horseman on that fateful night. 

Something Wicked this Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

When it comes to evoking the sights, sounds and smells of autumn in good ol’ Americana, nobody does it better than the late, great Ray Bradbury. Set in a small Midwestern town, the book follows two boys as they investigate a mysterious traveling carnival filled with angry midgets, evil fortune tellers, and time-bending rides. When the sinister ringmaster, aptly named Mr. Dark, finds the two boys know more than they should, he sets out on a quest to destroy them and their loved ones. This is one creepy story that will definitely get you in the mood for Halloween. If you haven’t seen the Disney movie, go put it on top of your Netflix list now! 

 Of course, there are plenty more books on my Halloween reading list. From now until Halloween, I’ll post a spotlight a spooky book – from cozies to young adult thrillers to gothic ghost stories – on my Facebook page.

The Swamp Whisperer by Sylvia Dickey Smith

I need another book like a hole in the head, but sometimes I can’t resist a good story in a spooky rural setting with ghosts, feisty female characters and a good old-fashioned whodunit. That’s why I love Sylvia Dickey Smith’s Sidra Smart mysteries. She may not be a household name like Heather Graham or Nora Roberts, but this talented Texan writes like a pro – and I’m just so glad I stumbled upon her books that fateful day at the Texas Book Festival!

I have a theory for why the big publishing houses haven’t signed her on. You see, just like show biz, publishers have to appeal to the masses, and that means gorgeous long-legged protagonists, formulaic plotlines and contrived love triangles. Sure these bestselling authors occasionally include a senior citizen, but the old folks are typically the token “zany granny.”

Never one to follow the lead, Dickey Smith’s books are a welcome departure from the norm.   Boo Murphy, the leading lady in “Swamp Whisperer,” is by far one of the most unique protagonists I’ve come across in crime fiction. She’s cranky, obstinate, and full of piss and vinegar! She’s completely insufferable, but when you peel back the layers, it’s hard not to find a soft spot in your heart for this overgrown tomboy.

The mystery begins when Boo paddles out into the alligator-infested bayou and finds an Atakapa-Ishak brushwood hut. Considering that the Native American tribe of alleged cannibals disappeared from the Texas and Louisiana coastal regions centuries ago, it’s downright impossible for a hut to still remain standing.

All is not well, the cold rain whispered. Boo looked around, expecting to see a ghostly figure floating across the swamp, but no one was there.  This time she knew she hadn’t been imagining things – of that she was most convinced.

To prove she’s not going senile, she grabs her prissy cousin Sasha and heads back out into the murky water in search of the hut. After a boating mishap, they seek refuge in a spooky cabin, where they stumble upon a ghostly apparition and find a frightened woman trapped underneath a dead body.

After a thorough interrogation, the woman reveals that she’s a part of a covert anthropological project. Under the guise of research, an egotistical professor and a group of scholars are recreating the site of an Atakapa-Ishak village. Is this legitimate scientific research, or a self-serving treasure hunt? Good thing Boo was able to pocket that mysterious map from the dead man’s cabin.

Things get complicated when Boo’s beloved hound and cousin go missing. Someone knows she has the map – and Boo needs to piece together the clues to rescue her loved ones and save the sacred silver mine from desecration. With some help from an ethereal spirit within the swamp, she finds the strength and courage to track down the killer…and learns a bit about herself in the process.

The wind’s embrace seeped into her pores and stirred her insides. She sucked in a deep breath, allowing the dampness to fill her lungs with every particle of oxygen available to her. She held that breath as long as she could, hating to let it go, for never before had she felt so strongly that she and the swamp were one entity with one purpose – but what that purpose was, she hadn’t a clue.

Listen, the wind warned. The swamp is at risk, can’t you tell?

I’ll stop right here before I give too much away. If you’re into atmospheric whodunits, I implore you to read this book! What I really love about this author is her knack for character development. Through Boo’s grumbling self-dialogue, readers can feel her strong bond with nature and emphasize with her resistance to love and be loved. Oh how I love Boo! We don’t get many heroines like this one in crime fiction – or any other genre for that matter – but we should. Though this is a Sidra Smart mystery, this is really Boo’s time to shine. But don’t fret; the book sporadically touches on Sidra’s misadventures as she road trips with her eccentric aunt to Santa Fe for a wedding. I won’t give too much away, but I will tell you there’s ghosts involved!

If you’ve never read a Sylvia Dickey Smith book, this one will draw you into the fold. Her love of Southeast Texas comes through in her luscious descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells of the swamp. At times I began to wonder if perhaps she might be a swamp whisperer herself!

If you’d like to meet this fabulous author, she’ll be at the Texas Book Festival, which is happening this month. I can’t wait!!!

Hostile Makeover Book & Lifetime Movie Review

Washington DC has its share of problems – corrupt politicians, astronomical living expenses, congested roadways to name a few. On top of all that, it’s the town fashion forgot. It’s a place where helmet-haired women in boxy power suits run rampant. Men in noose-tight neckties and high-water trousers roam the streets. Heck – the whole town is a What Not to Wear Fest!

Thankfully, Lacey Smithsonian, a crime reporter-turned fashion columnist, is on the beat. Okay now don’t roll your eyes just yet! This isn’t your typical trash-talking E Entertainment commentator. As a matter of fact, she’s not even into labels (ick!) and couture fashion. Heck, she doesn’t even want to write a fashion column, but it was the only reporting gig she could get after moving from Colorado to DC. With a nose for hard news, she manages to find her way on the front page. You see, the fashion industry is cutthroat – literally!

In the third  installment of Ellen Byerrum’s fun and frothy Crime of Fashion series, Lacey must solve the murder of Amanda Manville, a former “ugly duckling” turned supermodel beauty. Thanks to a highly disturbing makeover TV show, she got the full works in plastic surgery, hair extensions and cosmetic dentistry.

Now a stark-raving diva from hell (picture Shannon Doherty meets Janice Dickenson), she’s got more enemies than Naomi Campbell. Since she kicked her sweet, homely boyfriend to the curb and jumped in bed with her hotshot plastic surgeon, she’s been scratched off of a lot of Christmas card lists. Plus she’s taking credit for her sister’s Snazzy Jane fashion designs, so not cool! Soon enough, she starts receiving notes about her impending death from a crazed fan. Sure, death threats seem to come with the territory of celebrity stardom, but these foreboding notes seem to have a personal touch.

Aware of Lacey’s reputation for solving crimes with fashion clues, Amanda demands her to ferret out the murderous fiend before it’s too late. Lacey begrudgingly looks into the case and finds a slew of possible suspects. Could it be the jealous sister, who’s having some trouble adjusting to Amanda’s stardom and her own fading looks? Or is it the stalker who’s determined to defame the girl who broke his best friend’s heart? What the heck happened to the ex-boyfriend anyway? Was Amanda involved in his disappearance? You’ll have to read the book to find out! You could also watch the movie, but there’s way too many holes in the mystery, so I recommend reading the book first.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the Lifetime movie adaptations of the Crime of Fashion books. Yes, a lot of loose ends are left untied, and a bunch of quirky characters are left out of the mix. But I must say, Lifetime did a fine job with the cast. Here’s my little rundown of where Lifetime went right, and where they missed the mark.

The Cast

I don’t think they could’ve picked a better actress to play Lacey Smithsonian. Maggie Lawson fits the profile: Smart, sassy, guarded and ambitious.  She plays a believable investigative reporter, and her chemistry with Vic is great.

Speaking of Vic – wow! This actor really hit the mark. He’s the textbook definition of a tall, dark and handsome love interest. Plus he’s got some decent acting chops to boot!

The actress who plays Lacey’s mom is also a winner. She’s funny, sassy and little more stylish than her book counterpart. Despite its short length, the movie does a good job capturing her disapproval of Lacey’s DC lifestyle and fanatical obsession with feng shui. Her incessant nagging frustrates Lacey to no end, yet they still have some sweet mother-daughter moments.

As for the sister, I was picturing a blonde cheerleader type, not a gangly brunette. I’m not sure why they had to change up the sister in the series, but overall the actress does a good job portraying a sheltered ditz.

Tony Trujillo, Eye Street crime reporter and Lacey’s friendly rival, is way different in the TV series. I pictured more of an urban cowboy type, but Lifetime turned him into more of a metrosexual pretty boy. But you know what – I kind of like what they did with this smart ass character. He’s super cute and his quips are hilarious. Wouldn’t it be fun if his flirtations  with Lacey blossomed into something more?!?

Another TV character I really enjoy is Felicity Pickles, Eye Street Observer food editor, resident cookie baker, and copy-editing bitch from hell. In the book she’s a mousey, stringy haired frump. But in the series, she’s much more fashion forward with her Marilyn Monroe hairdo and red-hot stilettos. I wish they included her nerdy love interest, Harlan Weidmeyer. Known as the office jinx, he seems to be the cause of fluke accidents. It would have been fun to see how things developed between the accident-prone reporter and the office witch on the small screen.

The Besties

Here’s where the movie went right! I love how Lacey and her two best gal pals are one big happy family. In the books, however, Brooke (a pragmatic lawyer)  and Stella (a leather-clad hairstylist) aren’t fans of each other, so Lacey typically hangs out with them separately. But in the movies, I really enjoy their Ya Ya Sisterhood moments, like when they come to Lacey’s rescue after an attack, or when they just hang out and do silly girly girl stuff.

The Fashions

Lacey loves all things vintage. She drives a classic Z, wears 1940s frocks and loves old movies. On TV, she seems to wear more of a mix of vintage and contemporary styles. I’m not sure why they didn’t go all out with World War II era ensembles, but she looked cute nonetheless. What’s really missing is Aunt Mimi’s trunk! It’s really a shame they didn’t include this integral piece of the story. Filled with sewing patterns, old dresses and memorabilia, the trunk gives Lacey a sense of peace and calm during times of crisis. I’m hoping that at some point, Aunt Mimi will join Lacey as a ghostly sidekick!

OK Lifetime fans, what do you think? Did the movies do the books justice? Post a comment and share your thoughts! For more about the author, who just so happens to be a fashionable DC journalist, check out her Q&A.

Short & Sweet Sundays: Trouble in Mudbug by Jana Deleon

In honor of Sunday – a day I reserve for reading and lollygagging – I bring you a short and sweet book review! 

The gist (from the publisher): Scientist Maryse Robicheaux thought that a lot of her problems had gone away with her mother-in-law’s death. The woman was rude, pushy, manipulative and used her considerable wealth to run herd over the entire town of Mudbug, Louisiana.

Unfortunately, death doesn’t slow down Helena one bit.

DEA Agent Luc LeJeune is wondering what his undercover assignment investigating the sexy scientist has gotten him into – especially as it seems someone wants her dead. Keeping his secrets while protecting Maryse proves to be easier than fighting his attraction for the brainy beauty.

Why I picked this book up: I love cozy mysteries, especially if they’re set in the South. Throw in a ghost, a psychic best friend and a smoking-hot mysterious man, and I’m sold! Plus the hot pink pickup truck on the cover really caught my eye.

What I liked: The quirky main character and her wise-cracking ghostly sidekick really stole the show. Maryse has a deep connection to her friends, her town and the Louisiana bayou. She’s also a science wiz and a hermit, which really sets her apart from most chick lit protagonists. What I really love about Maryse is her selfless passion for finding a cure for cancer. Sometimes I read books involving self-centered protagonists who are a little too wrapped up in their own melodrama. If the leading protagonist rubs me the wrong way, the book is going straight to the used bookstore bin. After the last dud I attempted to read, which I won’t even bother reviewing, this book was a breath of fresh air.

What irked me: The mystery is just a tad bit on the light side. It doesn’t take a Miss Marple to figure out whodunit early on in the story. But the well-developed characters, laugh-out-loud quips and smoking-hot sex scenes offset the soft mystery plot. If you’re looking for a fun, fast read, pick this one up.

The romance: Luc LeJeune is H-O-T! And wowza, I’ve got to hand it to the author, she sure knows how to write a scorching baby-making scene. Holy smokes – I was not expecting such a cute little cozy mystery to make me blush.  

Will I read another book by this author? Heck yes! She really left me hanging in the last chapter. I need to find out how Maryse’s psychic best friend, Sabine LaVeche, is going to overcome her medical crisis. She needs to find a blood relative – and fast! I’m also looking forward to more zany antics by Maryse’s ghostly mother-in-law. That prissy little old lady really cracks me up!  

If you like this book, you’ll also enjoy titles by: Carolyn Haines, Carolyn Hart, Casey Daniels and Victoria Laurie.

Bonefire of the Vanities by Carolyn Haines

 In this 12th installment of Carolyn Haines’ Bones series,  Sarah Booth Delaney slips on her high-heeled gumshoes yet again to investigate a possible scam involving a porn-star-turned ghost whisperer and a “psychic healing” resort. Promising reunions with dead loved ones and opportunities to “invest” in good causes, the shady psychic preys upon emotionally fragile rich people. And their new billionaire client, Marjorie Littlefield, certainly fits the profile.

Shattered after her daughter’s “accidental” drowning, she’s desperate to get some answers. Considering her fragile state, the psychics have ample opportunity to throw her off the deep end. And to make matters worse, she plans on leaving all her riches to her scrappy cat, Pluto.  Sounds pretty cold, right? Well considering her only son is the No. 1 suspect in his sister’s death, he’s pretty much on his own.

 Now on to the tricky part. How can a girl detective probe into the case if she can’t get inside the high-security estate?  Nestled in the backwoods of the Mississippi Delta, the sprawling resort is surrounded by an army of security guards and burglar-proof fences. With no other option but to pose as a member of the staff, she and her fellow PI, Tinkie, grab some brooms and masquerade as maids. In between laundry duty and window washing, the two sassy sleuths snoop around the spooky halls of Heart’s Desire and unearth some rather some rather unsettling clues. Are the disembodied voices a part of the scam? Or are supernatural forces at work? As the body count rises, Sarah Booth and Tinkie must stop at nothing to ferret out the killer and put an end to the charade.  

What I liked most: The creepy atmosphere. Confession – there are some parts in this book that really raised the little hairs on the back of my neck. I didn’t expect Carolyn Haines to creep me out with one of her cozy little Bones mysteries, but she never ceases to surprise me! Some of the happenings in the psychic reading room, located in the bellows of the resort, were really spooky. This particular scene gave me some serious goosebumps:

A soft moaning emanated from the end of the hallway. My mind leaped instantly to the classics of horror written by Edgar Allan Poe. This was a moment the melancholy master would employ to great effect. Corpse in the wall, living person in a coffin, pendulum. Black cat!

Favorite secondary character:  This mystery series is packed with a slew of colorful characters – from a sassy transgender reporter to a local resident psychic to a Southern belle best friend. But of all the eclectic characters, Jitty is my fave. The resident ghost of Sarah Booth’s beloved Dahlia house, Jitty has a way of making surprise appearances in unexpected places.  I especially love her outlandish disguises – and in this book she dresses up as two of my favorite detectives: Jessica Fletcher and Nancy Drew!

The romance: Yes, the romantic tension between Sarah Booth and her actor fiancé Graf Milieu, is pretty hot, but I still hope in my heart of hearts that she gets back together with Cole. They’re destined to be together, but whenever they find a happy place a stupid wrench gets thrown in the works. In Cole’s case, the wrench is his psychotic, control freak ex-wife. But being the Southern gentleman that he is, Cole must always save the perpetual damsel in distress whenever she has a meltdown. Ugh!  That kind of thing can really wear on a girl, so I don’t blame Sarah Booth for calling it quits. But hopefully someday, they’ll find their way back into each other’s arms!

This book is best paired with: A super-sweet glass of iced tea and a Rosanne Cash playlist.

Overall: As I expected, Carolyn Haines delivers a tightly-plotted mystery filled with rollicking adventures, loveable characters, four-legged sidekicks and surprise twists! I’m really good at pinpointing the killer, but this author always gets me at the end! Of all the cozy mystery series out there, this is my absolute favorite. That says a lot because I read a TON of mysteries! The author’s love of the Mississippi Delta clearly comes through in her writing. Through her lyrical prose, I can smell the earthy scent of red dirt, see the sun sparkling through the moss-covered trees, and hear the humming of cicadas on a hot summer’s day. Oh how I love Southern fiction! Want to know more about this fabulous author? Check out her Q&A!