Not Quite Enough Book Blog Tour ~ Exclusive Guest Post ~Catherine Bybee

Forever Book Lover is once again thrilled to welcome back Catherine Bybee. She stopped by to chat about about her thoughts on: Stands Alone Books vs. Series Books.  Help me in welcoming Catherine back to the blog!!!

I forgot to mention, Catherine will be offering a giveaway on this tour, scroll down to see more information. Stop by the other blogs on the tour to enter to win.... Good Luck!

Stands Alone Books vs. Series Books

What I love about series books is what will keep me writing them for many years. I have a hard time letting go of characters. I’m a voyeur at heart and I want to ‘see’ the happily ever after of my previous characters. With Not Quite Enough my readers will get a big look at how Jack and Jessie (Not Quite Dating) are moving along in their life. How they grow as a couple, as parents to Danny…how they deal with drama. I love that. I love how the characters in series books stay alive long after the books are put down.

The other big thrill with a series book is that the character that might get their HEA in book three has been in the making since book one. Talk about character development! As an author we can have children grow to become a hero or heroine. We can show the travesty that shapes a future hero…it’s great! I love writing series books for this very reason.

For the very reason I write and read series books, I know that I will eventually write a few stand alone titles. Why? Because reading a series can be a commitment and not every reader wants that. So I will write stand alones, and plan on penning one or two in the next couple of years…so stay tuned!

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned novels Wife by Wednesday, Married by Monday, and Not Quite Dating. Bybee lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Southern California.


CONTACT LINKS:

www.catherinebybe.com
catherinebybee@yahoo.com
catherinebybee.blogspot.com
twitter.com/catherinebybee

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Exclusive Guest Post by Susanna Carr- The Bridesmaid's Best Man

The Bridesmaid's Best Man
by Susanna Carr (Goodreads Author)
I am happy to announce Susanna Carr is visiting Forever Book Lover today, she is hear to rave about her latest release, "The Bridesmaid's Best Man".... 

Thanks for stopping by Susanna...

Engagement Ring Luck

by Susanna Carr

In my latest Harlequin Blaze, The Bridesmaid's Best Man, Angie is dealing with a lot of bad luck. Her bridesmaid role feels a lot like indentured servitude, the wedding preparations face one disaster after another, and her ex-boyfriend--the one that got away--needs to pretend to be her wedding date. Angie just can't catch a break.

I always knew that there were a lot of wedding traditions meant to ward off bad luck, but I didn't realize how much superstition surrounds engagement rings until I started researching for this book. Did you know that it's best to buy an engagement ring on Thursday so you will achieve all that you wish in life? Who knew? Here are a few other ways to ward off bad luck:

The right gemstone

Diamonds are the most popular stone, but it's considered good luck if the bride's birthstone is in the engagement ring. I was always told that an opal was bad luck. Only those who were born in October could wear an opal without fear because it was their birthstone.

However, a pearl engagement ring is considered bad luck no matter what because the pearl is in the shape of a teardrop (sorry, June birthdays!). Throughout history, gemstones were thought to have protective properties. Sapphires, aquamarine and emeralds are supposed to bring marital happiness and anyone can wear those jewels.

A perfect fit

Legend says a tight ring is a sign of jealousy in the union. It's also bad luck if your engagement ring becomes loose before your wedding day. The belief is that a loose engagement ring is like a loose promise. Honestly, I think it's just bad luck because there's a stronger possibility that the ring might fall off!

Is it bad luck or good luck to try on someone's engagement ring? Some folklore suggests its good luck--almost sympathetic magic--if a maiden tries on an engagement ring. Other old wives' tales warn that the woman who tries on the ring will steal the fiancé.

Second-Hand Engagement Rings

Can an engagement ring be cursed? Some traditions believe a ring that symbolized a marriage can hold a sympathetic magic. For example, when Prince William gave Kate Middleton the engagement ring that once belonged to his mother, many people believed the ring would bring the couple bad luck because it's associated with a broken marriage.

Do you think an engagement ring can carry bad luck?

I love anything Harlequin Blaze, so when I was asked to provide an unbiased review I jumped at the chance. Susanna Carr is a new author for me, I immediately found that I love her writing style. The heat is this book is right up there as being a standard for Harlequin Blaze... Sizzling.. Second chance for romance with a mystery thrown into the plot. The characters and even the secondary characters had dimension. It reminded me of Bridezilla... Gosh, I think I would have faked my own mishaps if it meant I didn't have to endure an out of control brides upcoming nuptials. (just saying).. :).  Know that I think of it, my wedding almost didn't happen either.. drama, dress mishap... oh my.. he wanted to elope .. 

Your going to enjoy the Bridesmaid's Best Man. If you enjoy second chance romance, some sexy sparks flying and just a bit of intrigue, this one is for you. I recommend this one!

Susanna Carr has read romance fiction since she was a school girl. Although romance novels were forbidden in her home, she had always managed to sneak one in from the local library or from her twin sister's secret stash.

After receiving her B.A. in English Literature, Susanna pursued her dream in becoming a romance author and wrote for traditional, small press and digital format publishers. She is a national bestselling author of sexy contemporary romances and she has also written erotica under the name Jenesi Ash. Her first novella inspired Kensington Brava's "Wicked" Women series, and she has been honored with several awards for contemporary romance, romantic comedy and sensual romance.

Reviewers describe her work as fun, sexy and very romantic. TwoLips Reviews says Susanna "delivers exactly what her readers want" and Romance Reviews Today says if you haven't read Susanna Carr's work then "you're in for a treat." Readers throughout the world find her stories a delightful escape that has often helped them through difficult times.

When she isn't writing, Susanna enjoys reading romance and connecting with readers online.

Review: The Maverick & the Manhattanite by Leanne Banks

The Maverick & the Manhattanite by Leanne Banks

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is #3 in the Rust Creek series, if you are a huge fan of Montana Mavericks, this is a great spin off. Sometimes it is a hit or miss with the Montana Maverick series, as each one of them is written by a different author. For some readers this may be a turn off as you get comfortable with one authors writing style and how descriptive they are on the characters. I really enjoyed Leanne Banks writing, it was in sync with the previous authors.
I enjoyed the bantering between the characters. There were some wonderful steamy scenes between Sheriff Gage and Lissa. She brought the New England brassiness to a small Montana town. It was a great hoot to read the two of them exchange sparks- :)

I look forward to reading more on the series... so anyone want to make a wager on who the next Mayor will be.... until we meet again in Rust Creek... enjoy all.



View all my reviews