Wishlist Wednesday

Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it’s entirely up to you), that we can’t wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.

So what do you need to do to join in?

• Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
• Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
• Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
• Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it’s on your wishlist.
• Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post.
• Put a link back to Pen to Paper somewhere in your post.
• Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

Pull up an Adirondack chair, listen to the lapping waves, and linger beneath the summer sky in this story of friendship and second chances …

Sara Beth and Rachel have been wishing on stars for as long as they’ve been friends. Sara Beth dreams of her own antique shop, with lace curtains hanging in the windows. For Rachel, a little beach cottage will do, where sea breezes and salt water might inspire her sketches. From sharing wishes to cups of coffee at a cherished cafe, they’ve stitched pieces of their lives together like a patchwork quilt – a soft quilt of friendship they thought they’d hold close forever.

But while celebrating their birthdays in Manhattan, one makes a decision that will alter the course of their friendship. At a midtown lunch, Sara Beth excuses herself to use the Ladies’ Room, and never returns. Instead she slips the waiter a note to pass along to her dear friend, asking Rachel to cover for her disappearance.

Sara Beth’s escape begins a summer of change, one that eventually brings her antique shop to life, with a price. Though her decision pulls at her marriage and children, the strongest effect is on Rachel. For her, Sara Beth’s disappearance brings a solitary Mounted Police Officer into her life, one who gladly shows Rachel that it isn’t always stars that deliver wishes.

Winding from the hidden gems of Manhattan, to a weathered cottage at Anchor Beach, to an opulent New England carriage house, Whole Latte Life promises that redemption is a tender road worth taking, that secrets and ice cream are worth sharing, that true friendship has the same sweet magic as stardust.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journeys. This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

What I’m reading:

From the back cover:

Lynn Hoffman owns a shop on Blossom Street called The Good Yarn–a shop that represents her dream of a new beginning, a life free from the cancer that has ravaged her twice. But the shop also means something to the women who come to take knitting classes and who learn from Lynn’s first lesson–how to knit a baby blanket. In her signature warm and compelling style, Debbie Macomber once again tells the story behind the significant lives of women searching for meaning in a small town..

*Promo Blast* Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta (Baby Doll #1)

Book & Author Details:

BOOK ONE:

Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta (Baby Doll #1)
Publication date: November 1st 2012
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:
The only thing that 17 year old Barbie Starr wants to do is graduate high school so she and her little brother, Everett, can get out of Alabama. She doesn’t care about the rumors that are spread around about her like wild fire. Rumors are nothing new to her. Sure, maybe she could change her reputation, but why bother. She is leaving Alabama as soon as she can. That is, if she can pass algebra and graduate.The only thing Dylan Knight would like to do is go through high school unnoticed; he has had enough of the drama that is high school. He took the whole of last summer to bulk-up: finally he is not being called names or being shoved into lockers. He wants to remain on the outside of the circle of constant rumors that surround the so-called popular kids who get all the attention. He would not, however, mind if his long time crush Katie took notice of him.But it is Barbie who notices Dylan and she offers him a deal he can’t pass up: if he helps her pass algebra, she’ll help him get the girl of his dreams. Dylan agrees, but, as it turns out, nothing is simple when it comes to Barbie. Somehow, she can’t help but draw attention to herself — and to him. Soon Dylan finds himself tossed into the whirlwind of rumors that seem to follow Barbie everywhere. Can he save his reputation and still get the girl of his dreams? Or will Barbie be the one to break through his carefully-built facade?

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16127403-barbie-girl

Purchase:
–Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Barbie-Girl-Baby-Series-ebook/dp/B00A1GHSCG
–Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/barbie-girl-heidi-acosta/1113843355
–Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/251464

Book Trailer:

BOOK TWO:

Barbie World by Heidi Acosta
Series: Barbie Girl, #2
Publication date:  May 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

“One Night is all it took to change everything between Barbie and me. One night to potentially lose the girl of my dreams forever. How do I prove to her that she can trust me? That all I want to do is protect her carefully guarded heart. I need to prove to her that I want to be a part of her world. But How? ”
Dylan lost Barbie once before, now he is determined more than ever to win her heart and trust back. Easier said than done, especially with the new hot guy in town who is in a rock band and is the complete opposite of Dylan.
Barbie has been hurt beyond repair or so she thinks. It would be easier for heart to decide if she didn’t have to protect her little brother. And if Dylan would just put on a shirt! Dylan is not making this easy on her. It helps to have the distraction of the new guy in town cute bad boy Kai. But even though her heart is damaged it still knows what it wants.
When Barbie learns she has a family and with the help of Roxie and Kai, oh and Third and Dylan. They embark on a journey to help bring Barbie closer to a past she never knew existed.

Heidi Acosta brings you the heart felt story of friendship, love and heartbreak in the second book in of the Baby doll series Barbie World.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16152637-barbie-world?ac=1

—-

 

AUTHOR BIO

Heidi Acosta was born on Long Island, New York. Moving around a lot when she was younger, she has lived in New York, Arizona, New York (again), Washington, Georgia, and Florida, in that order. Each place offered her something special, but she will always consider New York her home.

Heidi started writing as soon as she could spell. When she was three, Heidi’s mother gave her a copy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods; thus beginning her lifelong love affair with literature.

Writing soon also became a form of therapy for Heidi, when she realized that no matter what was happening in her life, she could find emotional escape while writing. Some of her earliest stories featured her as a princess who explored new worlds with her horse Buttercup. If it sounds romantic, it wasn’t, there was no prince charming in those fairy lands (boys where yucky).

Heidi now resides in Florida with her husband, very active daughter, one hyper Chihuahua, two sweet cats, and one very fat moody cat.

Author Links:

   -Website: http://authorheidiacosta.blogspot.ca/

   -Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6571750.Heidi_Acosta

   -Twitter: https://twitter.com/Barbiegirlnovel

   -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Authorheidiacosta

*Guest Post* Marie Astor

What is one of your most memorable outdoor adventures?

To me, being outdoors is always an adventure. Walking through the woods and spotting a chipmunk or a blue jay is an adventure. Seeing a duck with a litter of tiny ducklings is an adventure. Nature is a huge source of inspiration for me. When I am surrounded by its beauty, my mind is at peace and my imagination roams unhindered. I get my best ideas for stories when I am hiking in the woods or skiing down a mountain.

But my most memorable outdoor adventure to date was three winters ago during my trip to Banff, British Columbia. The highlight of our trip was when my husband and I joined a group of skiers for off-piste mountain skiing. It was the first time in our lives that we skied wild terrain, and we were lucky to have very patient and experienced guides. The world that opened to my eyes was mind-blowing: the vast open spaces, the towering mountain cliffs, and the white, sparkling snow that seemed to stretch endlessly. We made five descents that day and the beauty of the experience will stay with me forever.

I would love to hear about your favorite outdoor adventures! Please stop by website: www.marieastor.com to drop me a line. Looking forward to hearing from you!

 Janet Maple and Dennis Walker make a good team: she is a top-notch white-collar crime investigator, and so is he. Both Janet and Dennis are thrown in for a loop when Janet’s treacherous snake of an ex-boyfriend, Alex Kingsley, is appointed as their new boss, and the case that was supposed to be the highlight of their careers is dismissed for lack of evidence.

To make matters worse, Alex is asking Janet to get back together, and the one man she wishes would ask her out sees her as nothing more than a coworker. Janet’s love life soon becomes the least of her worries, as she begins to suspect that Alex’s rekindled interest in her is driven by ulterior motives. She is determined to get to the bottom of things, but she can’t do it alone.

Together, Janet and Dennis team up to solve a tangled white-collar crime web that leads to powerful politicians and corporate executives. Armed with their keen instincts and skills, Janet and Dennis are bound to succeed. There is just one glitch: both are attracted to each other, and both refuse to admit it. Will Janet and Dennis solve the biggest case of their careers or will their attraction to each other get in the way?

*Catching the Bad Guy is book two of the Janet Maple Series, but it can easily be read on its own.*

May 27 – Lavender & Camomile Press –  Excerpt

May 27 – Regina May Ross – Excerpt

May 28 – Free eBooks Daily – Q&A & Excerpt

May 29 – A Blue Million Books – Excerpt

May 29 – Evolved World – Excerpt

June 1 – Books, DIY’s and Randomness – Q&A & Excerpt

June 3 – Authors to Watch – Excerpt

June 4 – Chick Lit Goddess – Guest Post & Excerpt

June 4 -  A Buckeye Girl Reads – Q&A & Excerpt

June 5 – Curling Up With a Good Book – Guest Post

June 6 – Dr. Pepper Diva – Guest Post & Excerpt

June 7 – The Phantom Paragrapher –  Excerpt

June 10 – The Book Bag – Excerpt

Author Bio:

Marie Astor is a die-hard romantic, which is why she loves writing in the contemporary romance genre.

Marie Astor is the author of Janet Maple romantic suspense series: To Catch a Bad Guy and Catching the Bad Guy, contemporary romance novels This Tangled Thing Called Love, Lucky Charm, Smitten at First Sight, and a short story collection, A Dress in a Window. Marie is also the author of young adult fantasy adventure novel, Over the Mountain and Back. Marie’s next novel, book three of the Janet Maple Series, is expected to be released in late fall of 2013.

In her spare time, Marie enjoys being adventurous out-of-doors. She often gets new story ideas while she is hiking up a mountain or trying to avoid bumping into a tree while skiing.

Marie loves hearing from her readers and always answers all of her email personally. Please visit www.marieastor.com to join Marie’s mailing list for updates on contests and new book releases or drop her a line at marie.astor@yahoo.com.

  
Buy the Book!

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Catching-Janet-Maple-Series-ebook/dp/B00CSCEHWA/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1368906096&sr=8-8&keywords=marie+astor

Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/catching-the-bad-guy/id649194959?mt=11

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Catching-the-Bad-Guy/book-UVgheyKdOEOjeueFH7c0RA/page1.html?s=Q70x_ow5i0qKdKrWvYhfrw&r=2

*Guest Post & Giveaway* All For Hope by Olivia Hardin

All for Hope went through a lot of changes from start to finish.  It’s funny how an idea that seemed perfectly plausible at one time, becomes something that is ludicrous the next time you read it.

One of those changes was pretty extreme but I managed to hold onto a little tidbit of that initial draft.  Originally the character of Brennan was a twin, separated from his family just after birth and whisked away by an old servant woman.  The servant woman’s part eventually became that of Brennan’s mother, Iggie.

So Iggie needed a cottage house and I did what I usually do and used Google.  And that is where I found The Riverside.  A 1936 Sears Roebuck “Modern Home.”  I was immediately taken with the lovely little cottage with its shingled siding and pitched gable front.  So, when you think of Brennan and Hope in their home, think of this little “bungalow.”  Isn’t it cute?

I am always surprised – though I don’t know why – when I ask my live-in historian (also known as the dear hubby) about something and he can spout information off the top of his head.  I asked him tonight what he knew about Sears’s kit homes and he immediately noted that he lived down the street from one in Port Arthur, Texas.  He recalled that it was constructed in the early 1900s and he thought those homes came delivered by train on a single box cart.  So, I went back to Google and here is what I found:

Sears, Roebuck and Company sold kit homes from about 1908 to 1940.  There was the Simplex Sectional Portable Buildings, prefabricated in pieces that might be put together and taken apart and moved.  These “homes in a box” could be sent to the local train depot from regional manufacturing sites and allowed thrifty home buyers to get a good home at a reasonable price.  (Information from http://www.antiquehomestyle.com/plans/sears/index.htm)

One other tidbit.  Readers might wonder about “Durma” from where the Rawley family hails.  I began writing stories about the Rawley family when I was in about the eighth grade and that was when I invented the country of Durma.   There are Medieval stories, Victorian tales and many others that I plan to go back to and rewrite for later publication.  You can be sure that the Rawley name will surface again in future books.

Happy reading, All!

Olivia

All of Hope

To protect her heart, he left her behind.

To protect her life, he’ll leave the life he’s made behind.
Sometimes the safest distance between two hearts is no distance at all…

Kidnapping a baby wasn’t something Hope ever dreamed she would do. But she’s been burned by the legal system before, so when the court places her friend’s child into the custody of an abuser, she takes matters into her own hands. She steals the baby and fakes her death, hoping to make a clean getaway. She planned every detail, except one.

Her high school sweetheart and best friend, who left her years before, sees her at a gas station. Hope thinks all is lost, until he offers to help them.

Brennan had always been the love of Hope’s life, but he never wanted to be. She knows she cannot depend on him for long. However, as each day passes, it becomes painfully obvious that she is in way over her head. She goes with him, intending to keep him always an arm’s length away to protect her heart. But being on the run together sparks the old flames that once burned between Brennan and Hope.

Families, friends, and lovers must band together to save an innocent baby and a daring woman or both of their lives will be destroyed. Together, they’ll do it All for Hope…

Purchase on Amazon / Barnes and Noble

About the Author – Olivia Hardin realized early on how strange she was to have complete movie-like character dreams as a child. Eventually she began putting those vivid dreams to paper and was rarely without her spiral notebooks full of those mental ramblings. Her forgotten vision of becoming an author was realized when she connected with a group of amazingly talented and fabulous writers who gave her lots of direction and encouragement. With a little extra push from family and friends, she hunkered down to get lost in the words. She’s also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and is sometimes accused of being artistic, though she’s generally too much of a perfectionist to appreciate her own work. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband and their puppy Bonnie.

Connect with her Online – Blog * Goodreads * Twitter* Facebook * Literary Addicts

On Sale for the Tour! Only $1.99!

Follow the Tour

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*Promo Blast & Giveaway* Unfinished Business by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

Genre: Chic Lit, Paranormal
When Angela’s mother Fran dies and comes back as a ghost, Angela’s ordinary life turns into a carnival show, starring both Angela and her nosy, dead mother. It seems Fran’s got some unfinished business on earth and she’s determined to get it done, no matter what. When Fran returned, she reignited her daughter’s long suppressed psychic gift, one she neglected to mention to Angela, and now Angela sees ghosts everywhere.

And they won’t leave her alone.

Fran can’t help but stick her transparent nose where it doesn’t belong, making Angela’s life even crazier. Now Angela has to find a way to keep her old life in tact and help the dead with their unfinished business, all while trying to keep her dead mother out of trouble. And it’s a lot for one woman to handle.

Purchase Unfinished Business:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the Author

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is a freelance writer based in Cumming, GA. She lives with her husband and three children, two dogs and one cat. Carolyn doesn’t see ghosts, but swears she’d be okay with it, as long as it was only during daylight hours.

Follow the author:
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Ends 6/16/13 Open to US residents

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Top Off Tuesday

Top Off Tuesday is hosted by Amanda from On a Book Bender, Christi from Smitten with Reading, and Felicia from Geeky Bloggers Book Blog. Each week, they gather to celebrate those hot covers that grab their attention, and they invite others to play along. New, old, not yet released, whatever! As long as he’s got his top off, it counts!

Need I say more?