Bookish Indulgences

22 November, 2012

Debdatta Dasgupta November 22, 2012 0

#SpecialFeature #Spotlight :: “Broken Build” by Rachelle Ayala

Now Presenting:

*** SPECIAL FEATURE - November'12 ***

“A mind-teasing mystery and captivating romance where forgiveness is the key.” – Christine Raggio, writer

Thanksgiving with Jen and Dave from Broken Build

Jen Jones hides a horrible secret behind her new degree, toned body, and exciting job at Silicon Valley’s hottest startup—until a man linked to her past is killed by a hit-and-run.

CEO and founder Dave Jewell is about to land a huge deal. He doesn’t need blood on his car, threatening phone calls, and Jen wrapped in broken code and blackmail.

A gang of thugs hunts Jen, and she takes refuge in Dave’s protective arms. Together, they must thwart a killer and rescue an innocent victim from their past. Love blossoms, but a damaging revelation points straight at Jen, threatening to tear them apart forever.

You can grab your kindle copy from Amazon as Broken Build will be FREE & Michal's Window for 99cents on Thanksgiving and Black Friday! (November 22-23, 2012)

Excerpt

Thanksgiving Day at Shopahol

By the time Dave arrived at Shopahol with Lisa, the engineers were lined up around the buffet table. He congratulated them and thanked them for all their hard work. Satish and Eddie pulled out their smart phones and chattered about the shopping flocks they joined in preparation for the Black Friday blowout of deals. Dave gave thanks and carved the turkey while Lisa cut the pumpkin pie.

Everyone was in good cheer, and many workers brought their families. Children ran around chasing balloons, their faces smeared with whipped cream. A lump rose in Dave’s throat. He could have had Abby here with them.

And Jen. Was she enjoying her turkey dinner? A jittery pang encircled his chest, and he pictured Jen in the kitchen tasting the gravy while he put his arms around her pregnant belly.

Dave shook off the unrealistic fantasy and helped himself to turkey and pie. He sat with Lisa and Bob at the conference table. Bob bragged about the scalability of his testbeds and how the build had passed the rigorous overnight testing.

Their voices glazed over him, and the pie tasted like baby food. Phil was right. His enemies were yanking his chain, determined to ruin his company’s chance for success. What he couldn’t figure out was how Jen played into all of this. She seemed sincere enough, yet he couldn’t help feeling that she was hiding something.

A high pitched whistle pierced his ears. The scent of smoke was followed by a crackling sound that rumbled through the floor. He bolted to his feet. “Everyone, out now!”

Bruce burst into the conference room, huffing and flapping like a stampeding bull elephant. “The data center’s on fire.”

Shrill alarms screamed at S.O.S. intervals. Waves of panic crested over Dave’s shoulders. What else could go wrong? People shouted and rushed for the exits. Dave picked up two children from a mother of four and helped them out the emergency exit into the parking lot.

The fire burst the windows of the cubicles closest to the back entrance, and plumes of smoke ascended into the crisp November sky. All around him, his employees and their families knelt on the ground and cried, or huddled and prayed in each other’s arms. Dave dialed 9-1-1. Hot tears bathed his face. His dream had blown up. His knees gave way, and he collapsed to the soggy leaf-strewn asphalt.

Sirens blared and fire trucks showed up a few minutes later. Dave clutched Lisa while they watched the firemen put out the fire. His heart crushed into itself. All the code, network devices and storage units had gone up in trails of black smoke. Thankfully everyone had evacuated. But his lifework was gone, and with it, the chance to raise funds to retrieve Abby.

Lester ran circles around Dave. “Jen had a backup. She had one. I know she did. She and Greta set up something.”

Dave fumbled with his cell and called Greta. She picked up on the third ring.

“There’s been a fire.” His voice barely croaked from his dry mouth.

“Fire? What are you talking about?” Greta sounded like her mouth was full.

“Put Jen on. The data center burned down, and I need her to tell me about the backup.”

“Oh… We set a trial months ago, but we didn’t pay Lystra to host it.”

“How come you didn’t let me know?” Dave’s voice rose.

Silence and fumbling sounds followed. The phone must have been passed.

“Dave? What happened?” Jen’s clear voice startled him.

Reviews

"Fast paced and mysterious -- a page turner to the very end!" B. Beauman

"Jen Jones wasn't a criminal ... she'd just made a few bad choices." Steffy

"Shocking twists... amazing chemistry, yummy with an edge." Christina McKnight

"Keeps you up way past bedtime, chasing bad guys and falling in love." Chantel Rhondeau

"Will love prevail after a broken start? Another riveting tale sure to keep you guessing." Melisa Hamling

"Amazing chemistry, and Dave always worrying about Jen is so romantic!" Roopa Prabhu

Take a Peek

Hello, this is Debdatta Dasgupta Sahay, roving food reporter with b00kr3vi3ws. Today, I’m at the Jewell residence in Saratoga with live coverage of Thanksgiving preparations. A delivery van has just pulled up. Mr. Delivery Man, what do you have there?

Delivery Man: This here is a 54” Viking Ultra-Premium 500 Series Propane Gas Grill. This baby has four 29,000 BTU stainless steel burners, a Black Diamond briquette flavor generator, two Gourmet-Glo 15000 BTU--

D.D.S: Wait. Why would the Jewells cook Thanksgiving dinner outdoors?

Delivery Man: Hey, last year, Mr. Jewell’s thanksgiving dinner burned down with his entire datacenter. All his computer systems went up in smoke. I don’t think he wants a repeat experience.

D.D.S: Holy smokes! So he didn’t get any turkey last year?

Delivery Man: Heard he didn’t get the girl either. She was out bail to fix the Black Friday build.

D.D.S: Might explain the police presence. Any idea what’s on the menu?

Delivery Man: Gotta run. If I were you, stay off the driveway, especially tomorrow morning. Ciao!

D.D.S: Bye. [looks around the driveway, notices bullet holes] Guess it wouldn’t hurt to ring the bell. [A little girl opens the door.] Why, hello there. Is your mother home?

Little Girl: No, but Tia’s home. Wanna talk to her? [runs off calling Tia]

Tia: Hi, what can I do for you?

D.D.S: I’m here all the way from India to cover a typical American Thanksgiving dinner. Could you tell me what’s on the menu?

Tia: Oh, sure. Let me write it down for you. By the way, stay off the driveway.

D.D.S: You’re the second person to warn me. What happened?

Tia: You don’t want to know. [She hands over a piece of paper]

D.D.S: Thanks! Let’s see, what do we have here? Flambe Turkey over Virtual Server Briquettes. Bullet Casing Stuffing. Broken Tooth Nut Bread and Black Friday Driveby Velvet Cake with Blood Drop Icing. Well, folks, it looks like another typical Thanksgiving Day in America. Uh oh! I better get off the driveway.

To find out what REALLY happened, pick up your copy of Broken Build FREE & Michal's Window for 99cents on Thanksgiving and Black Friday! (November 22-23, 2012)

Stalk the Author

Blog I Facebook I Twitter I Amazon I Goodreads I Shelfari I Pinterest

Buy Her Books

Michal's Window: Amazon, Createspace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Smashwords, Apple Itunes

Your Daily Bible Verse: Amazon, Createspace, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Apple Itunes

Broken Build: Amazon, Createspace

Giveaway

Now for the Giveaway... There's going to be 3 winners this month. Yeah you heard me right - 3!!

First Winner: Will get the Complete eBook Collection... Yes all 12 of them!

Second Winner: Will get to choose any 6 eBooks out of the 12 listed

Third Winner: Will get to choose any 3 eBooks out of the 12 listed

Check out what's up for grabs:

The Winners have been selected and contacted. They are:

Lauren

Nasyrah

Trisha

19 November, 2012

Debdatta Dasgupta November 19, 2012 3

#BookReview :: Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti

Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart. But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself--and for the love that keeps her holding on.

This is a story about an average teenager by the name of Noelle. Living with a single mother who is not really an ideal mother-figure and within an income that puts them very close to the poverty line, Noelle is not leading a very comfortable life. At home she has to deal with her not so considerate and nagging mother and at school she has to deal with bullies. All the while she also has to deal with empty refrigerators, lack of essentials at home and the social pressure at school. Needless to say her secret crush on Julian Porter is just that – a secret. But things change when Julian starts paying attention to Noelle.

I have mixed feeling about this book. But the things I liked trumps over things I didn’t like. So here goes…

First and foremost thing is the subject – bullying. I have only ever heard people say that they do not condone bullying. But the fact is that there are bullies in every aspect of our lives – from school to work – there’s always one. Needless to say that it is an excellent premise and the author has played out the scenes and the situations very well. I absolutely loved Noelle’s friend Sherae. She is a gem of a person and a strong one at that. She keeps helping out Noelle without making it too apparent. She doesn’t let her own experiences influence her relationship with Noelle. The other person I liked is Simon. He is so my kind of guy. He is a nerd yet a fun-loving guy who doesn’t give a second thought about what people have to say. He lives his life on his own terms and he genuinely cares about his friends. Julian Porter came across a sweet and decent guy. His image in my mind is that of the-boy-next-door. No not the jaw dropping handsome/sexy guy but the regular guy next door. He probably wouldn’t stand out in a crowd. Good looking, a good student and a decent enough guy.

Now let’s come to the part I didn’t like. I don’t know if you have noticed it, but I haven’t said a thing about Noelle so far. That’s because – she is the part I do not like in the book. She came across as a ever-complaining hypocrite to me. Ever complaining because she just keeps on complaining about everything – from how her mother is so irresponsible to how they have to live on food stamps and there’s never any food at home to how she doesn’t have any good clothes to how ordinary looking he to how everyone bullies her. I am sorry, but if you cannot find a single good thing in your life then there’s something wrong with you and not your life. For instance, she qualifies for free food at school but she doesn’t avail that opportunity because that would give the bullies another thing to bully her about. I am like – ‘another thing’? They already make fun of you because of your lunch – get the free food and at least stop bitching about not having enough food! Again, for a girl who cannot afford the basic necessities, she borrows money from her friend for a designer haircut so that she can impress a boy! Also, she keeps complaining about being bullied all the time and no one taking any action against it. But there when she witnesses another girl being bullied guess what she does? Nothing! Such a hypocrite!

I so wish the story was about Sharae and not Noelle. I would have ‘felt’ for the protagonist then. The 2 stars I am deducting is totally for Noelle’s character. Otherwise this is a good storyline with some very good characters and some important messages for the youth.

17 November, 2012

Debdatta Dasgupta November 17, 2012 1

#Spotlight & #Interview :: When the Siren Calls by Tom Barry

When the Siren Calls: story of seduction, deception and betrayal...

When restless and neglected Isobel is invited to an idyllic Tuscan retreat owned by the suave and streetwise Jay, she imagines a life of excitement outside her stagnant marriage. Despite fear and guilt, she abandons herself in a passionate love affair, but is soon trapped in a web of feminine manipulation, business intrigue, and ruthless ambition, while controlling Jay encourages conservative Isobel to push beyond her sexual boundaries.

But all is not as it seems in the hilltop paradise and as her lover battles for survival, she finds herself a player in a dangerous love triangle. Unable to know who she can trust, she must fight to control both her own cravings and to save what little of herself is left. As her life falls apart, she is torn between the consequences of infidelity, her love for Jay, and fear that he will be her nemesis.

For both Isobel and Jay, the excesses and confusions of an uncertain and largely amoral age are about to be brought home to roost, right in the heart of their lives.

Witty and smattered with the best sort of irony, with twists and turns that keep you guessing, When the Siren Calls is a sensual and moving emotional drama that titillates the senses while racing along like a Grisham thriller. The novel will appeal to adult readers of romantic suspense and to fans of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Rave & Reviews:

“A pacy, racy, romance novel that simultaneously feels like a critique of a particular social scene. The prose is very strong technically, and the characters are comprehensive and believable. Isobel is an effective and sympathetic protagonist, and her story is compelling.” ~~ Tom Fletcher, Author, The Leaping

“Wow! Lady Chatterley meets Christian Grey! Tom Barry has a strong sense of irony and a nose for unearthing what lies beneath the civilised facades we present to the world. It is exciting to find a new writer who tells life like it is, but with a delectable twist of romance, sex and humour.” ~~ Stephanie J Hale, author, Millionaire Women, Millionaire You

“A very well-conceived story with interesting characters and a tantalising pace. I couldn’t ask for more than that.” ~~ Jennifer Custer, Literary Agent, A.M. Heath

“I thoroughly enjoyed the way the strands come together as the novel pushes towards climax.” ~~ Matthew Branton, author, The Love Parade

“A sexually-unfulfilled wife in a tricky situation and a handsome stranger coming to her rescue. Give me good old escapism any time.” ~~ Alana Woods, author, Imbroglio

“I loved this book! I am recommending it to all my friends who love smart, sensual stories with twists that keep you guessing.” ~~ Erin Potter, Shamrock Editing

“This story grabs you by the throat from the start. The openingscene is every woman’s nightmare.” ~~ Kathleen Patel, Amazon Books

An Interview with the Author

Q: What prompted you to write When The Siren Calls?

A: It was a goal of mine to write a business book about the art of persuasion, and I've been encouraged to do that. But when the opportunity came, I decided that, if I were going to be a writer, I'd rather entertain my readers than lecture them!

Q: Where did the idea for When the Siren Calls originate?

A: Once I had the idea of a character - a master persuader who would use his skills for business and pleasure - I thought about context and setting. I've lived and worked abroad much of my life, and I have bought propertyin Italy and Spain, amongst other places. I know a lot about the siren call of living in the sun, having answered that call myself, and I also know a lot about the perils and pitfalls of overseas property investment. So I set my story against the background of a dream holiday condominium for expats. It could be anywhere you find Brits in the sun, but I chose Tuscany because I love visiting there, and I knew stereotypical Italians would add plenty of spice to my story.

Q: Other than your experiences overseas, what else qualified you to write this particular story?

A: People tell me I'm a salesman by nature and I've spent 20 years in management consultancy, or what I prefer to call the persuasion game. My only tool was my pen, so what I was really selling was hope, hope to

corporations looking for salvation. And that is what the master persuader appeals to in my story, to people's hopes and to their dreams.

Q: But the master persuader is not your protagonist. What made you give the story a female lead?

A: I wanted the book to be about the characters and what happened to them, not a training manual in the art of persuasion or in living the expat life. The more the characters came to life, as I wrote the story, the more I

fell in love with Isobel, and the more I wanted to tell her story.

Q: And what is that story?

A: Isobel is quintessentially English: a modern day Lady Chatterley. When she meets my master persuader, Jay, she imagines a life of excitement outside her stagnant marriage, free of her workaholic husband. When The Siren Calls tells what happens next – a tumultuous, dramatic story of sexual awakening set beneath the Italian sun, intertwined with all the intrigue of a business thriller.

Q: What makes your story different to other romantic suspense novels?

A: Several things. First, as I've indicated, I've written cross-genre. My book is a romantic suspense and business thriller brought together around three common threads: seduction, deception and betrayal. Second, it's written from multiple points of view; we don't see the story just through Isobel's eyes. And every character is the hero of his own story. The result is a story with twists and turns that keep you guessing. But more importantly it is fresh and original because it does not follow the formulaic approach that all publishers now demand before they will even consider a manuscript from a debut author. The reader sees characters'

actions through the characters' point of view, and the point of view of their adversaries, and it is for the reader to decide who are the good guys.

Q: So are you saying different readers will view characters differently?

A: Exactly, take Isobel for example. I hope every reader will find her an empathetic character and I think most will be rooting for her. But not everyone will agree with how she behaves.

Q: How difficult was it to put yourself inside the head of a female protagonist?

A: That was probably the biggest challenge in writing the book. I immersed myself in the genre, and I had the help of my local book club, which acted as a focus group. In the end my final court of opinion was my wife, who says she loved the book!

Q: WTSC is the first book in a trilogy. When can we expect book two?

A: Book two, Saving Jay is already written. The timing on the release is something I discuss with my agent regularly. We haven't set a date yet, but hopefully you will see Saving Jay in bookshops late spring 2013.

About the Author

A published writer at University, Tom Barry spent 20 years in management consultancy with Accenture, Deloitte, and PwC, advising the Boards of leading global brands such as Apple, Disney, Toyota and Vodafone. His career prompted a specific interest in the art of persuasive communication. He is passionate

about nurturing young talent and has supported a number of UK and overseas schools, including the Nordoff Robbins Centre for Music Therapy. He lives near London and is currently working with the Brit Writers’ Awards, a charitable initiative to promote creative writing in our schools.

Stalk the Author

Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon

Buy the Book

16 November, 2012

Debdatta Dasgupta November 16, 2012 2

#BookReview :: Return to India by Shoba Narayan

Return to India is a brilliant and powerful memoir about what it means to be an immigrant in a foreign country and what propels immigrants to return to their homeland. Following in the tradition of her first book, Monsoon Diary: a memoir with recipes, award-winning author, Shoba Narayan explores themes of family, culture and identity. In vivid and heartfelt prose, Shoba Narayan describes the trajectory of her immigrant life?from the salty plains of South India to the high rises of New York and Boston. From the exhilarating thrill of being a new immigrant to becoming an angst-ridden mother grappling with hyphenated identities, Narayan describes the life of an immigrant with humor and insight. She talks about why she yearned for America and became a citizen of the land she would ultimately leave. Return to India is about love and loss; about family and identity; and about the quest for a place called home. It is a powerful story about the costs of chasing the American dream and the complications of returning to your homeland. Rich in detail and empathetic in tone, this book will resonate with immigrants and diaspora from all cultures.

The Storyline: It was with hopes of freedom and dreams of glamour that Shoba Narayan had ventured to America, where she pursued her post graduate education. From her initial plans of a Masters in psychology and finally getting a degree in sculpture, Shoba experiences a lot of things that would have been impossible in her life at Madras. After the university phase, comes the marriage phase where she agrees to an arranged marriage to Ram. Life did take a certain turn from then. But the more drastic changes in her can be related to her ‘motherhood’ phase – if I can call it that. It was the birth of her daughter that made way to her questioning her choices and decisions.

The Characterization: The advantage of a memoir is that the characters are all real identities. Mostly it is easy to identify them and take the journey with them. They all have good and bad sides and their own quirks. This case was no different. Shoba has masterfully created the characters and provided enough fodder for the readers to ‘know’ the people in her life. She has been quite candid about herself too.

Writing Style: I quite enjoyed reading the Authors easy language punctuated with a good sense of humour.

What I feel: It is nothing new – the idea of an Indian youth wanting to get away from the clutches of the conservative culture, the ever judging society and the overbearing and strict parents. We have all been through that ‘I-can’t-wait-till-I-can-get-out-of-here’ phase ourselves in our mid-teens to early twenties. For some it is the lure of freedom, for some it means better opportunities, for some it’s their dream while for some it’s just the lure of the unfamiliar. I know it well. Growing up in a joint-family in Kolkata (then Calcutta), with fairly open-minded family, I couldn’t wait to get away from the city. I think for me it was the lure of ‘independence’. That was a time frame when friends, social life and career were all I cared about. Now that I have spent a number of years enjoying that ‘independence’, have married and settled down in South India, my way of interpreting life and my priorities have changed. Now I often wish that everyone in our generation could stay in a single city so that instead of seeing my nieces and nephews growing up through their pictures on social networking sites, I could actually be a part of that growing up.

I know I was basically ranting there, but I just wanted to let you know that even though my life is very different from the Author’s, I still feel and understand her feelings and decisions. It was like seeing myself through a coloured glass – different yet still the same. No, I didn’t always agree with her decisions and yes, at times I felt certain narration was overdone, but it is her story that she has narrated in her own unique way.

So it is safe to say that, no matter who you are and what is your life like, you will be able to relate to this story because at the end of the day this book is about the journey of a young girl to becoming a mother, from seeing the life as a party ground to seeing life as an adult who is responsible for another life. It is all about maturing through the years, adjusting to whatever life has to offer and seeing your priorities change.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this journey with Shoba and enjoyed living her life through these pages. I hope that others will too.

PS: Not that I put much weight on cover designs, but I think the 'Airmail' design is just brilliant!

15 November, 2012

Debdatta Dasgupta November 15, 2012 11

#Special Feature :: Character Book Chat

Now Presenting:

*** SPECIAL FEATURE - November'12 ***

"RIVETING... a heartwrenching romance deftly evoking challenges between the sexes in Bible times." - Terry Long, Author of The Notorious Proposal

Book Review Roundtable: Our Hostess Debdatta with David, Michal and Ittai from Michal’s Window and Dave and Jen from Broken Build.

Debdatta: Today, I’m happy to welcome characters from Rachelle Ayala’s first two novels on b00kr3vi3ws.com. Dave Jewell and Jen Cruz from Broken Build, and Michal, King David, and Ittai the Philistine from Michal's Window. I can’t believe I’m actually meeting you, Ittai. Are you sure you’re not Indian? I mean, the resemblance to Kunal Kapoor is striking.

Ittai: How do you know Kunal wasn’t me in a past life? *winks* And you, my beauty, resemble Kajol, the beautiful Bengali actress. *reaches over and kisses Debdatta’s hand*

Debdatta: *Blushes* Why, thank you. You are my favorite character. But why is it that you didn’t get the girl?

Michal: *clears throat and glares at Ittai*

Ittai: Perhaps not in that life, but maybe after this book chat, we can have go out for pani puri.

Debdatta: Sure. Okay, let’s get started, what is your favorite book and why?

Ittai: That’s easy. At Road’s End by Zoe Saadia. It’s has everything: ambushes, knife fights, daring escapes, secret caves and of course a lovely captive woman who turns out to be intelligent and resourceful. It kind of reminds me of a certain princess when I came across her in the wilderness. *looks at Michal*

Debdatta: Hmm… I see, a man of action. How about you, King David? Did you find At Road’s End entertaining?

King David: If you go for those wild western themes, sure. But honestly, I don’t need to relive battles through a book. What I missed was being a father to my many children. I can absolutely relate to Matt Patterson in My Emily. His struggles with Emily’s health problems and their final goodbye reminded me of all the times I had to bury a child. The other book that interested me was Only In Her Dreams. How many times I wished I could have protected my daughter the way Guy did. Yes, he was absent because of his kingly duties, but he at least had the foresight to send a protector, a loyal one, to watch over her. I’m sure Dave Jewell agrees with me.

Dave Jewell: Oh, yes. I lost six years with my daughter because I *glances at Jen* well, never mind. It would have been nice to have a demi-god protect her. *laughs* Don’t elbow me, Jen. We’re over it, remember?

Jen Cruz: Keep this up and I’ll tell them my favorite book is Wedlocked. What was the tag line? If marriage is an institution, then the groom belongs in one? Talk about queen of broken hearts, Rebecca is played by a playboy and then bamboozled by a fraudster.

Dave Jewell: Oh, that isn’t fair. I’m neither a playboy nor a fraudster.

Jen Cruz: Then what were Claire and Melissa doing? Baking cookies for the church bingo game?

Dave Jewell: Sure, and my favorite book is Always & Forever – a suspected murderess flees her former life, remind me of anyone I know? Did you really think I wouldn’t have recognized you, Miss Cruz?

Jen Cruz: I could get you for sexual harassment. You know, like in Deep as Bone where that guy porks the nanny?

Dave Jewell: Nanny? Hey, I never touched you, not when you were the Napping Nanny.

Debdatta: Time out, guys. Aren’t you two engaged to be married in a month? I mean, Rachelle finished your book early and you’re supposed to be shopping the bridal registry.

Dave Jewell: Don’t expect me to be as nice as Ryan in Kat Fight. She attacked me first. Playboy and fraudster. At least I never stole code. Okay, so I had several girlfriends.

Jen Cruz: Married women. I’m really beginning to think there’s something about that name David, Dave, David, you know… and married women.

King David: Leave me out of this. In my day, polygamy was the practice.

Jen Cruz: Does the name Bathsheba ring any bells? Michal, don’t you have anything to say?

Michal [looking out the window]: You have a good man, Jen. He’s repentant and has forgiven you. I’ve learned in my long life to let go of bitterness. Besides, as a mother who has lost time with my children, it is not something you can ever recover from. Dave’s not blaming you, just wishing he had protected his daughter better.

Jen Cruz: I feel so guilty. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. *wipes a tear*

Dave Jewell: *hugs Jen* Hey… We can put that behind us. Sometimes you make me as confused as Alex in Twenty Weeks. He couldn’t figure out why Maya was pushing him away. Oh, by the way, you’re not hiding anything from me, are you?

Jen Cruz: That’s Maryanne Torres in Rachelle’s upcoming book. Not me. I’m an open book.

Debdatta: That’s true. All your secrets were spilled in Broken Build. Let’s ask Michal what her favorite books are.

Michal: Ones with courageous women, whether they triumph or meet tragedies at the end. I love the stories about the journey, a woman against adversity, being oppressed or mistreated, yet rising above her circumstances through heartache and loss and gaining self-realization at the end.

Debdatta: Examples?

Michal: Secrets From the Dust is about a mixed-raced Australian Aborigine (Koori) girl who was stolen from her people and put in re-education center to be forcibly assimilated into the white world. They took the high spirited and daring Snake-woman-child and turned her into a subservient Margaret. Throughtout the book I kept hoping and praying that she’d find strength in herself, but sadly, she shed so many skins that she no longer knew who she was.

Debdatta: Yes, it was perhaps too much to hope for a happy ending, given the history of Australia and the Lost Generation.

Michal: That’s true. There was a moment when I thought Margaret had found love. But it wasn’t based on acceptance of Margaret as Margaret, but of an image of her, the way her lover wanted to portray her as. I could relate to that since for the longest, David thought of me as the princess, daughter of Saul, as an idealized role.

King David: Wait, what are you talking about?

Michal: Simply, would you have married me if I had not been the princess?

King David: Michal, you were the girl who captured my heart the moment I met you. Yes, it was in your father’s chamber. But you were friendly to me, a servant, and treated me like an equal, even a person to admire. I’ve never forgotten that moment. Such courage and determination. Unforgettable. And had you lived in the 20^th century, you would have prevailed just like Danielle in Scent of Triumph. Of all the heroines in these books, she reminded me the most of you.

Debdatta: How so? Danielle is a French perfumer living during World War II.

King David: Ah, but Danielle could be Michal’s descendent. She was a Jewish woman who lived in France. Her son, Nicky, was lost to the Nazi’s in Poland, and her husband was killed while she was pregnant with her second child. Her family was destroyed in a tragedy, but Danielle persevered through poverty and hardship to give her family a life in America. She was doggedly loyal to her rotten second husband, and no matter the temptation, she tried to do the right thing, always caring and putting her family first. Passionate, opinionated, dedicated, and loving. A brave woman, like my wife.

Michal: A story with a happy ending, like ours. *they gaze lovingly at each other*

Debdatta: *clears throat* So, Jen, how about you? Which books did you especially enjoy?

Jen Cruz: *flips through pile and blushes* Can I plead the fifth? And why is Ittai looking at me with that knowing grin? Oh, crap. Well, at least Rachelle didn’t pick any with the naked male torsos on the cover.

Debdatta: Tell us, which books made you feel things you weren’t supposed to?

King David: I have harp practice. Some of these books have highly inappropriate material. Michal, are you ready to leave? *heads for the door*

Michal: Not yet. I want to hear what modern women find acceptable in literature.

King David: Good day to you, Debdatta. My harp is calling. *leaves*

Debdatta: Okay, Jen. The prude is gone. Which books left you tingling and moist? Which hunks had your breath puffing? Which ones do you wish you were the heroine in?

Jen Cruz: This is between us girls, right? No men allowed.

Debdatta: Ittai, Dave, do you mind?

Dave Jewell: Of course I mind. I want to know how naughty my future wife is apt to be.

Ittai: *grabs Dave by the shoulder* Come on, man, let’s go lift weights. If she’s anything like the heroines in Rachelle’s books… trust me, you’ll enjoy married life. *they leave*

Michal: Okay, Jen, spill. I’ve been criticized for being too sexy for my time.

Jen Cruz: Oh, well, ahem, yes your book was way too steamy. But as for this pile, I’d say the two romantic suspenses, Always & Foreverand Falling for Sarah were both hot and had heroes to die for. I couldn’t get over how understanding Zach was. He tried really hard to bring Lilly out of her shell. And Ethan in Falling for Sarah? An absolute doll. He was so afraid of hurting Sarah that he ended up hurting her by staying away from her. But when they were together, they just couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

Michal: I’m not sure God will allow me such reading material in Heaven. Were they very explicit?

Jen Cruz: Much more so than my book, but the one that really got me all achey and wanting was The Notorious Proposal. That scene where Michael charges up the tower where he locked his wife in.

Michal: Wait? He locks his wife in a tower?

Jen Cruz: Oh yes, he kidnaps her and marries her because he finds her unsuitable for his younger brother. So, in his most wise decision, he marries her himself and keeps her locked up.

Michal: Interesting. So why is this book the one that got to you the most?

Jen Cruz: There’s something about holding back, not doing things, trying to keep apart, and then not being able to help it that made it so much more romantic than the modern romances where they’re tearing the clothes off and jumping each other in the bathroom. In The Notorious Proposal, both Michael and Allie determine to make the marriage one in name only. But little by little, they bond in things such as riding horses, critiquing paintings, and watching sunrises together. Even though they see good things in each other, they resist their feelings. That’s what makes it all the better when they finally give in to both love and lust. That scene in the field of bluebells… That’s to dream of.

Michal: *sighs* Oh, I’m not sure I’ll be allowed such thought patterns anymore.

Debdatta: But Michal, you got more than your fair share of scenes in your book.

Michal: Oh, yes, David was quite a lover. Then there were also the scenes Rachelle cut. *fans herself*

Jen Cruz: Ah, the cut scenes. One could only wish. Perhaps I can still reenact them once I’m married.

Michal: Yes, you do that. And do take my advice. Let the past go. Behind that prickly exterior, Dave Jewell is a sweet honey bear.

Debdatta: I agree. Oops, I see Ittai raising his eyebrow at me. It’s been great having you review these wonderful books with us. Readers, please enter the giveaway and tell your friends. I have a hot date for pani puri. Gotta run!

Stalk the Author

Blog I Facebook I Twitter I Amazon I Goodreads I Shelfari I Pinterest

Buy Her Books