THE PINK WINNER IS . . .

CRYNA!! Lindsay drew your name - Congratulations! Thanks so much to everyone who played! I hope you'll check out the Susan G. Komen site - the Promise Store has lots of neat gifts to choose from, especially for the women on your holiday shopping list. Don't forget the two contests that are still running here! Cryna, please contact me by Sunday evening with your mailing info.
Have a great Friday, everyone!
Laurie
xo

THINK THIN THURSDAY - this one's for the Hungry Girls!

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Lori Foster - one busy woman!

Update: A dear friend of mine, Judy F., has offered up another book duo for giveaway - Lori's HEARTBREAKERS and SERVANT: THE AWAKENING! Thanks Judy, you're such a doll!
My good friend Lori Foster has releases and reissues all over the place right now (with even more coming up) and I thought I'd chat about a few of them, starting with SERVANT: THE ACCEPTANCE. This series has been a huge hit with Lori's readers and her "L.L." readers, but this is where I have to admit that I haven't read the first book in this series (yes, Lori knows this and no, she doesn't hate me for it!) and don't know if I'll read the second, but I do have the first one in the event I decide to start. As a matter of fact, I have three extra copies of the first book, SERVANT: THE AWAKENING. At Lori's get together in June there were a couple of books at each person's place at their table - dear friends Judy, Chris and Lisa gave me their copies to use for blog giveaways, as they already had copies (thanks, ladies!). More on the giveaway coming up!







DOUBLE THE PLEASURE will be coming out in December and I can't wait! Four very well-known authors of women's fiction share the bill on this one. I especially like the cover - clean and simple beats a glitzy, too busy cover anytime as far as I'm concerned.











CAUGHT! is the reissue of Taken and Say Yes. Thanks to Lori I also have a copy of CAUGHT! for giveaway. It just keeps getting better, doesn't it?











One more! THE WATSON BROTHERS is only available at WalMart stores. I have yet to see it at either of the WalMarts I frequent, so I'm hopeful it's been more available in other areas. It is the reissue of My House, My Rules, Bringing Up Baby, and Good With His Hands. Lori has also provided me with a copy of THE WATSON BROTHERS for giveaway.


Here's how I'm going to do this one. I'll draw one name for CAUGHT! and SERVANT: THE AWAKENING, another name for THE WATSON BROTHERS and SERVANT: THE AWAKENING, and a third name for SERVANT: THE AWAKENING. If I get to the bookstore between now and the time I draw names, I'll get a copy of SERVANT: THE ACCEPTANCE to put with the lone copy of THE AWAKENING, but I can't make any promises. Interested? I thought you might be! Post a comment below to be entered. If you're interested in one set of books and not another, feel free to mention that and you'll only be entered in that drawing. Is that clear as mud? lol I'll draw a name on Wednesday, November 5th.
Scan down, there are still two other contests running!
Laurie

Alison Kent's KISS & TELL - you could win a copy!

Alison Kent churns out books that are never anything less than satisfying. And by "churns" I don't mean they're coming out with assembly-line quickness - readers can't get them soon enough and often it seems like forever between releases! I'm sure you all get tired of me talking about (IMO) so many Blazes being too fluffy or silly, with ridiculous reasons for the characters to immediately have sex. Ok, yes, Alison's characters do have sex, often immediately, but it doesn't have the slutty feel of so many. Her characters are sensual (although I remember her disliking that term) creatures who are aware of and embrace their sexuality. They're written with grit, sharpness and intelligence and know what they want and how to get it. They don't come off as hormone-driven young men and women who simply can't control themselves.
I'm not doing a full-fledged review of KISS & TELL because 1) I'm only about a third of the way into it and 2) I do have some other review obligations to wrap up, but I did want to share the love, so to speak.
When I first saw the cover for this book, I thought "That's Logan from The Gilmore Girls!" - I've adored Logan (Matt Czuchry) since he first appeared on TGG and often thought that if I was a young woman (as in not old enough to be his mother, sniff) I could sure go for him! Look at these two pics and see if you don't agree!

I have a copy of KISS & TELL for giveaway. If you're interested, just say so in the comments. I'll pull a name on Monday 11/3.
I hope everyone has a terrific week!
Laurie

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND - don't forget the "pink" contest!

Does anyone have exciting plans for the weekend? I'm going to be under a self-imposed house arrest tomorrow to do some heavy duty cleaning that has been overlooked for far too long. On Sunday we might head to the Prime Outlet mall in Jeffersonville, a little south of Columbus. I'm a fair weather outlet mall shopper - if it's too hot or too cold, I'd just as soon stay home. I think it's supposed to be cool, like low 50's with a chance of rain all weekend around here.
Don't forget the PINK contest below - it runs until Thursday the 30th, so there's plenty of time to enter!!
Look for upcoming contests for books by Lori Foster and Alison Kent! I'll also be introducing the newest member (of the four legged variety) of our family!
Have a great weekend!
Laurie

THINK THIN THURSDAY - a fun snack tip

I've thought for some time that I needed to get back on track with Think Thin Thursdays and had even started this particular blog about a week ago, saving it to post later. My pal Sasha White indicated that she's starting her Thursday Slim Camp blogs up again today so I decided this was a good time to get my extra grande ass back in gear too - solidarity, you know?

I'm sure you've probably all seen the commercials for The Laughing Cow cheeses on television. I think I've mostly seen them on The Food Network - they make the mini Babybel cheese rounds and little individual serving cheese wedges in different flavors. I've recently discovered the Light Swiss wedges, which make an excellent afternoon snack on Reduced Fat Wheat Thins, with pretzels, or on a mini bagel. Don't be put off if you don't like swiss cheese - I don't care for it myself, but I love these. They're so rich and creamy, you would never know that they're only 35 calories, two grams of total fat, 1 gram of sat. fat. The round (eight wedges) is a little over $3. at my grocery store - very reasonable for eight days' worth of snacks - if you can make them last eight days, that is!
So check it out - and let me know how you like it!
Laurie
P.S. - Don't forget the contest that's running until the 30th - scroll down!

Celebrating BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH!

I doubt very much that there's anyone who stops here who hasn't been touched by cancer of some sort. I know my family and friends seem to have had more than their fair share of it. I'm a little late in getting this post up, I know, but better late than never, right?
I wanted to do something to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure, but also wanted to give all of you the chance to benefit too. I finally decided to buy something from the Promise Store on the Susan G. Komen site and offer it up here as a contest. But what to choose? Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to buy one of the beautiful watches or an interesting piece of furniture, but I liked the looks of the Garth Brooks Ultimate Hits album, especially when I saw that $10 from each purchase goes towards the cure. I bought two - one for myself, although I'm not a huge country music fan, I do like a couple of Garth Brooks songs a bunch, and I'm offering one for giveaway here.
Check out the description below and if you're interested, just say so. If you're not a country music fan, you could always gift it to someone who is - gift-giving holidays are just around the corner, you know! Feel free to share your cancer stories if you'd like, but please don't feel pressured to do so - I don't ever want to make anyone uncomfortable here.

I'm going to let this contest run a little longer than usual because I have a couple of reviews that I'm terribly behind on (I have yet to finish both books - yikes) - I'll draw a winning name on Thursday, October 30th. Send a friend and you'll be entered an extra time if they mention your name.
I hope you'll all check out the Susan G. Komen site - if you don't know how this wonderful effort began, read the story on the website - you'll be teary by the time you get to the end, I guarantee. It's a beautiful testament of the love between sisters.
Hugs,
Laurie


Garth Brooks has joined forces with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® in the promise to end breast cancer forever, with the release of the “Pink Edition” of The Ultimate Hits album. The album is a new 3-disc set, and contains 30 classics, 3 new songs and a bonus track on two CDs. The set also includes a DVD with videos for all 33 songs, including new and never-before-seen footage.

AND THE WINNER IS . . .

ddurance! Congratulations! Please email me at ljodamron@gmail.com with your mailing info by Monday evening.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Laurie

NOT a political statement - but we're going to see Hillary Clinton

I commented here a while back that I hate politics - I still hate politics and would never put anything political on my blog. I'll go so far as to say that I'm still very much undecided in the presidential race, still doing my own research and detail-checking - and that's all I have to say about it!

Hillary Clinton is coming to our small city in Ohio this afternoon and Linny and I are going to go hear her speak. I think it will be monumental to see someone who has gone where no other woman has gone before in the political world and who knows, maybe she'll have something to say that will sway me one way or the other.

I hope everyone has a great weekend - don't forget the latest contest - scan down a post or two for details!

Laurie

I'm at Romancing the Blog - please stop over!

I'm the columnist at Romancing the Blog today - I invite everyone to stop by and check it out! Please share your thoughts!
It's Hump Day! The weekend will be here before we know it. They're predicting a high of 59 degrees in my neck of Ohio for the weekend - sweatshirt weather, yay!!
See you at RTB!!
Laurie

Jo Leigh's MS. MATCH - Your chance to win a copy - and more!

Jo Leigh's latest Blaze (from her "The Wrong Bed" series), MS. MATCH, is an excellent romance. While I'm not doing a review because I'm behind on a couple of review obligations for Romance Junkies, I still wanted to give a shout about this book. Sometimes I find books in the Blaze series to be frivolous, with the silliest excuses for characters to have sex (and lots of it!). This book is fluff-free - it has great emotion and steamy passion - a very meaty romance! Ms. Leigh reaches right in and touches your heart with this one.

I'm giving away a copy of MS. MATCH and because I've been cleaning out some series romance that have been collecting in a grocery sack in my closet, I'm going to throw in five other books too, some older/some newer. I'm not posting covers for them or even chatting about them, but I'll name the titles and authors - you can decide if you're interested in them.

Titles/authors:

Heated Rush by Leslie Kelly

Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly

The Player by Rhonda Nelson

In the Flesh by Rita Herron

With the Material Witness in the Safehouse by Carla Cassidy

If you're interested, simply leave a comment saying so - I'll draw a name this Saturday (10/18) in the evening.

I would encourage you to check out Jo Leigh's books - I'm fairly certain that I've read everything she's ever written and there's not a stinker in the bunch!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Laurie

Suzanne Forster's THE PRIVATE CONCIERGE - celebrating with a giveaway!

UPDATE: Ok, I didn't hear from Deb so I've drawn another name - the new winner is Jen in Wa! Jen, please email me by Weds. I hope everyone has had a great weekend!

The winner of TEASE is deb! Congratulations, Deb! Email me at ljodamron@gmail.com with your mailing info by Sunday evening. Thanks to everyone who stopped by - I loved reading your comments about Suzanne's books. I hope you'll all get a copy of THE PRIVATE CONCIERGE!

Suzanne Forster has a new release, THE PRIVATE CONCIERGE, and while I haven't had time to read my copy yet because of review obligations, early reviews and chatter have been especially good, so I wanted to spread the word - you know how important those early sales numbers are to authors.

A blurb:
L.A.'s rich and powerful rely on Lane Chandler's company, The Private Concierge, to anticipate their every whim…and to guarantee unparalleled discretion. But then one of Lane's celebrity patrons is found murdered in the most undignified manner imaginable. In rapid succession, three other prominent clients become embroiled in separate scandals, thanks to what looks like a security breach of TPC's communications systems.

As word gets out, clients drop Lane like last week's gossip. She's bent on keeping TPC's name out of the papers, but when former police officer Rick Bayless starts nosing around, she has more to worry about than bad PR. Rick knows about Lane's shadowy past, and he's certain she's hiding new secrets. With no other options, Lane must face a dangerous conspirator who knows more about her every move than she does.

Sounds great, don't you think? If you think so, pop over to Amazon and order your own copy!



To celebrate the release of THE PRIVATE CONCIERGE, I'm giving away a copy one of Suzanne's earlier releases, TEASE. If you're interested, leave a comment and you're entered! As always, chatter is encouraged! Let us know if you've read any of Suzanne's work, what's your favorite of her books, etc. - I'll draw the winning name sometime Thursday evening.
Thanks for stopping!
Laurie

Random silliness

I'm catching up on some review reading these days and don't really have anything worthwhile to chat about, but as I carried some clean laundry in my oldest daughter's room last night I spotted her strongman light switch cover and thought you all might get a chuckle out of it. A single friend of mine has one in her apartment and Lindsay always laughed about it. When we went to visit her for a Christmas lunch, she gave Linny one as a gift. At the time, Linny was still in school and couldn't put the cover where her roommate's parents would see it because they would not approve. Which brings us to Trixie . . .

Trixie is a mannequin we picked up at an antique/flea market a few years ago. Trixie has taken up residence in various places throughout our home - the basement, the sunroom, Lindsay's room; she has moved with Lindsay from the dorm room to a rental house to an apartment and now she sits on top of stacked boxes of Lindsay's belongings in our garage. When Lindsay's roommate's parents would come to visit, they would throw a pair of shorts on Trixie. When my friend Carly and I went to visit for Mom's weekend in May, Carly stuck a dollar bill in Trixie's thong - it's still there. Big difference in families, huh? I guess we're just not very sophisticated people!
Does anyone have anyone have any special weekend plans? Will you take a moment to share your whereabouts? Are the leaves in your area beginning to change? Ours have started to change in Ohio and the mornings are nice and crisp - my favorite time of year!
I'll see what I can come up with for a new contest in the next day or two, so stay tuned!
Laurie
xo