Review, Interview, Giveaway: 'Finding Amy' by Phyllis A. Humphrey (2014)

When SABRINA GILMORE attends the funeral of her grandfather in England, she learns the family manor is in foreclosure. She also finds her inheritance is nothing but an old trunk containing, among other things, her childhood doll, Amy. However, Sabrina soon discovers the doll has hidden inside it a jeweled necklace. How did it come to be there, whose is it, and is it valuable? In the process of finding the answers to these questions, Sabrina meets a handsome man, HUGH PENDLETON, who makes a play for her, but also falls prey to a kidnaper and thief who has his own interest in the necklace. This is the exciting story of how Sabrina, a Chicago girl, confronts these problems while at the same time dealing with an Englishman who wants to marry her.
I love discovering new authors and today I have a review of the novel ‘Finding Amy’ which was written by, previously to me unknown, author Phyllis A. Humphrey to share with all of you! Phyllis herself contacted me at the end of 2014 about possibly reviewing her latest release ‘Finding Amy’, which was published by Criterion House last Spring. I did a bit of research and quickly discovered that Phyllis has actually written ten romance novels over the years, so I was quite surprised I hadn’t stumbled upon her work any sooner. Luckily, I received the chance to check out her work and I’m delighted to also share an author Q&A with Phyllis and an exclusive giveaway of one of her novels with all of you; just be sure to scroll down!
Sabrina Gilmore was born an American, but finds herself back in the UK for her grandfather’s funeral and the reading of his will. She once spent a summer at Gilmore Manor, the family country home, and now is her first time back in England since she was a little girl. To her surprise, Sabrina learns she has inherited an old trunk filled with children’s books, dress-up clothes and her old childhood doll named Amy, which she left behind all those years ago. However, inside the doll someone has hidden an expensive necklace and Sabrina has no idea who the necklace belongs to or who put it there. On her search to find the answers to these questions, Sabrina is helped by the handsome British Hugh Pendleton who seems to have fallen for her. But when Sabrina’s hotel room is burgled and she even gets kidnapped, things start to become very serious very quickly…
I have to admit I wasn’t quite sure what to expect of this novel when I started reading it. I personally wasn’t particularly drawn in by the cover and the blurb seemed to promise a mixture of both romance and mystery, but already gave quite a lot of information about the storyline away. However, as soon as I had read the first chapter I was intrigued by the main character Sabrina and I finished the novel in two sittings, constantly wondering what would happen next and who had put that necklace in Sabrina’s doll. The author’s writing style was fast-paced and pleasant to read and there were quite a few twists and turns that managed to hold my attention until the last page.
The storyline includes a good dose of romance between the main character Sabrina and easily likeable Hugh Pendleton, but also includes an intriguing mystery element which made the book feel a bit like a detective novel. I really enjoyed this combination of romance and mystery and it has made me curious about Phyllis A. Humphrey’s other novels. It was a bit of a shame that we didn’t really get to know the characters, particularly Sabrina and Hugh, on a deeper, more detailed, level. I would have loved to have read more about them, their backgrounds, and the things that made them the persons they are. Overall, though, ‘Finding Amy’ is a well-paced, fun, and intriguing read that had me captivated from start to finish. I’m really glad I got the opportunity to discover Phyllis A. Humphrey’s writing and already look forward to reading more of her works in the future!

Rating:8/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Author interview with Phyllis A. Humphrey!

Can you tell us something about your novel, ‘Finding Amy’? I think of FINDING AMY as "Romance and mystery in London and Paris."
Where did you get the inspiration for your novel? Is it in any way based
on your own personal experiences? I've been to both London and Paris several times and always hoped to set a novel in those great cities.
Can you tell us a bit more about the main character, Sabrina? Sabrina is a woman I think many of us would like to be: resourceful and smart, yet caring and with a sense of humor.
There’s a great cast of supporting characters in the novel as well. Which
character did you most enjoy writing? The hero's "man" Leonard, was fun to write about, because I'd never had one like him in a novel before.
Did you do any particular research for parts of the book? I did a little research about areas in London and used my book about Cockney accents and terms for a few minor characters.
Can you perhaps tell us something about your future plans? Are you
perhaps already working on a next novel? Since I often put elements of suspense or mystery in my romances, I'd like to try straight mystery. In fact I just got a contract for such a book, titled EYEWITNESS, but don't have a publication date yet. If you and your readers want to be informed when this - or my next novel - is available, please send me your names and e-mail addresses. I promise I'll only send book information and won't give your addresses to anyone else. 
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? After many years of writing, and especially trying to get published, my most important advice is "Never give up." What is the last book you read that you’d like to recommend to others? FOREVER MINE by Carolann Camillo is another romantic-suspense novel that I can heartily recommend.
Which book could you not live without? My favorite novel of all time is REBECCA by Daphne du Maurier. I reread it every few years. And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘Finding Amy’ in just
three words, which words would you pick? My three words would be: romantic, suspenseful, humorous.
Thanks so much, Phyllis!

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International giveaway!
I'm incredibly excited to be able to make 1 reader very happy with an Phyllis A. Humphrey e-book of choice! You can pick one of the following titles:
    FREE FALL.  Can a woman who's afraid of heights fall in love with a skydiver?
    THE ITALIAN JOB.  A love story in Rome, Florence & Venice with complications.
    STRANGER IN PARADISE.  This Paradise is Hawaii, and the Hero and Heroine have a misunderstanding to solve before the Happy Ever After. 
 Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below; good luck to everyone! :)
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Review, Interview & Giveaway: 'Love on the Lido Deck' by Barbara Oliverio (2014)

Sharp-witted, always-organized Keira Graham has traded in her high tech career as a systems analyst for the whirlwind world of event planning. As she builds up her fledging business, she learns that her widowed mother has news of her own – she has a serious gentleman caller! Is Keira ready for mom’s new romance?
When she gets a game-changing opportunity to organize a major event on a luxury Caribbean cruise, Keira turns to best pal chef Alexandria D'Agostino to help recruit famous chefs who will offer classes for foodies looking for fun in the sun as they gain cooking know-how. The cruise becomes a rollicking adventure for Keira, her sassy assistant Juliet, the entire D'Agostino clan, Keira's mother and other surprise guests. And has Keira meet her match in charismatic Cruise Director Brennan McCallister, who could have something more than keeping everything shipshape on his mind?
In 2013 I got the chance to read and review author Barbara Oliverio's debut novel 'Love on the Back Burner', a fun read which I ended up really enjoying (click here to read my review). Last year, I was contacted by Barbara again, this time regarding her second novel, 'Love on the Lido Deck.' I straight away liked the sound of this romantic comedy set on a cruise ship and I was lucky enough to receive a review copy (thanks, Barbara!). I looked forward to once again sitting down with one of Barbara's works, in the hope I would enjoy it as much as her debut novel!
Keira Graham used to work as a system analyst but then decided to follow her heart and her passion, resulting in her own event planning business. She is offered the chance to take on her biggest job yet, namely organising a cooking workshop programme on a big Caribbean Cruise. Next to the fact that Keira can take her best friend and well-known chef Alexandria D'Agostino with her, she's also invited to bring her own family and the D'Agostino's to enjoy the cruise. As soon as the group sets foot on the cruise ship, the adventures begin; from Keira trying to find peace with her mother's new boyfriend while trying to deal with all the chefs and their workshops, to her continuously bumping into the slightly annoying but handsome cruise director Brennan McCallister... 
Luckily I was not disappointed by Barbara Oliverio's second book, as 'Love on the Lido Deck' is just as fun and entertaining as her debut novel! I loved the setting of the book; I hadn't read any novels set on a cruise ship before and it was the perfect location for this particular cast of characters and their adventures. In the author's debut novel we were introduced to heroine Alexandria D'Agostino, and in this book the focus lies on her best friend Keira. It was great to get to know some new characters, but it was also wonderful to read more about the D'Agostino family whom it is difficult to not warm to. While this novel can definitely be read as a stand-alone, I do think it adds something if you already know some of the characters and their background stories. 
Next to plenty of main and secondary characters, there are also various storylines to keep the reader interested at all times. I love it when many different storylines are explored and brought together in a novel, and this was definitely the case for this book. Lots of topics are touched upon in a light-hearted way, such as family, friendship and of course a touch of romance as well. A nice little extra is the collection of delicious recipes at the back of the book which I look forward to trying out sometime. Overall, Barbara Oliverio has again delivered a fun, easy-going and thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy; I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! Rating:

8/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Author interview with Barbara Oliverio!

I'm really excited to welcome Barbara Oliverio to the blog today to answer some questions about her lovely new novel 'Love on the Lido Deck', her future plans and her own favourite reads!
Can you tell us something about your new novel, ‘Love on the Lido Deck’? Keira Graham is looking for a career break in her first big project as an event planner on a foodie-themed cruise. As a complication, she learns that her widowed mother has a questionable new beau. This sets the stage for mom and the new beau, along with Keira’s best friend and family, to join the cruise where sapphire eyed cruise director Brennan McAllister is on deck for shipboard romance and revelry. 
Where did you get the inspiration for your novel? Is it in any way based on your own personal experiences? 'Love on the Lido Deck' is the follow-up to my debut novel 'Love on the Back Burner' and follows the best friend of the protagonist of that novel on her own adventures. The idea came to me after going on several cruises and learning about the idea of specialty cruises. I thought it would be fun to have a character involved in a cruise dedicated to foodies.
Can you tell us a bit more about the main protagonist, Keira?  She is somewhat of a perfectionist and is accustomed to being in control of any situation. She was matched with melodramatic Alexandria (star of the first novel) as roommates in college, and through the years they have been two halves of the same coin through many adventures. 
There’s a great cast of supporting characters in the novel as well. Which character did you most enjoy writing?  I found Keira’s mother, who has developed a relationship with a (slightly) younger man, joyful to write. I wanted to show that this type of relationship can be based on love and respect and not something less wholesome.
Did you do any particular research for this book?  My husband and I took a fantastic cruise on the largest cruise ship in the world, where I was able to interview some of the crew, and in addition, I tested and retested all the recipes in the book.
Can you perhaps tell us something about your future plans? Are you perhaps already working on a next novel?  I am in the middle of a new story that I am loving! The protaganist is having a travel adventure, and the supporting characters in this one are so much fun to write.
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?  My number one tip is always this: READ, READ, READ. The more you read, the better your own writing will be. The other thing I always say is WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. Contrary to what you see in the movies – the muse generally doesn’t miraculously strike in the middle of the night. You need to exercise that writing muscle!
What is the last book you read that you’d like to recommend to others?  I just finished 'All the Light We Cannot See', by Anthony Doerr, on the plane home from vacation. Loved it!!
Which book could you not live without?  Well, I have to cheat here a bit. The Bible is very important to me for a lot of reasons as I think it should be to everyone. So I think that one is a “gimme”, and also say I would give away almost every book on my shelves except my Jane Austen anthology. I’ll read something out of that at least once a year.
And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘Love on the Lido Deck’ in just three words, which words would you pick? Uplifting. Romantic. Laugh-out-Loud. Thanks to the amazing Barbara, I can give away 2 e-book copies of her lovely novels to one lucky winner! This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY (end date is the 24th of January 2015), so be sure to follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter giveaway below! Good luck to everyone! :)

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The Great Chick Lit E-book Giveaway (1- 14 March 2014)

Who wants to win some books? Here's your chance! The Great Chick Lit E-book Giveaway runs from the 1st until the 14th of March and offers 5 lucky winners a bundle of 10 ebooks from some of the new and exciting names in chick lit!

Up for grabs are:

    

 

• After Wimbledon by Jennifer Gilby Roberts
• Thirty-Two Going on Spinster by Becky Monson (Click here to read my review!)
• Dangled Carat by Hilary Grossman
• Zoey and the Moment of Zen by Cat Lavoie
• Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley (Click here to read my review!)
• Saving Saffron Sweeting by Pauline Wiles
• The Shopping Swap by Erin Brady
• The Great British Date Off by Sheila Brady
• Super Natalie by Caitlin McKenna
• Hard Hats and Doormats by Laura Chapman

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For more information on these books and this great giveaway, go to Jennifer Gilby Roberts' blog. Good luck to all of you!