Paris Adieu - Reviewed

Book Blurb: The first time Ava Fodor visits Paris as a nineteen-year old au pair, her French boyfriend introduces her to the concept of being comfortable in her own skin. If only she knew how…

One Ivy League degree later, she’s back for an encounter with a Frenchman that awakens her to womanhood. If only she could stay….

Five years later, Ava returns to Paris as a singer/pianist. She falls for Arnaud, whose frequent travel tortures her. While he’s away, a surprising stranger helps Ava on her journey to self-discovery. Armed with the lessons Paris has taught her, she bids adieu to Arnaud, Pierre and her very first love – the City of Light.

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About Rozsa Gaston: Rozsa Gaston is an author who writes serious books on playful matters. She is the author of Paris Adieu, Dogsitters, Budapest Romance, Lyric, Running from Love and the soon to be released Paris Adieu sequel, Black is Not a Color Unless Worn By a Blonde. Rozsa studied European intellectual history at Yale, and then received her master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia. In between Rozsa worked as a singer/pianist all over the world. She currently lives in Connecticut with her family. You can visit Rozsa’s website at www.parisadieu.com



My Thoughts: Ava gets the opportunity to go to Paris to be an Au Pair for the summer and to get away from her grandmother who is determined to make her go to secretarial school or get married. In Paris Adieu we get to follow Ava through the city of lights as she grows into a young woman. This is a truly fun read.

Blue - Lou Aronica

Book Blurb:
Chris Astor is a man in his early forties who is going through the toughest stretch of his life. Becky is Chris's fourteen-year-old daughter, a girl who overcame enormous challenges to become a vibrant, vital young woman - and now faces her greatest obstacle yet. Miea is the young queen of a fantasy land that Becky and Chris created when Becky was little, a fantasy land that has developed a life of its own and now finds itself in terrible, maybe fatal trouble. Together, Chris, Becky, and Miea need to uncover a secret. The secret to why their worlds have joined at this moment. The secret to their purpose. The secret to the future. It is a secret that, when discovered, will redefine imagination for all of them. Blue is a novel of trial and hope, invention and rediscovery. It might very well take you someplace you never knew existed.

My Thoughts: This was a touching story of a father and daughter. Chris creates this world for his daughter to take her away from the leukemia she is going through. It reminded me of how my own dad would do things for me when I was sick. I was very touched by this story and found myself taken to a place of memories. I highly recommend this book!

PUMP UP YOUR BOOK! Reversible Skirt - Reviewed & Giveaway

When the mother of three little girls commits suicide, their father wants more than anything to keep his family together. He remarries in haste and tells his daughters his new wife is their mother. The youngest, Laura, believes her mother must have gone through a kind of magical transformation.

Reversible Skirt is written from Laura's perspective as a child sifting through remnants of her mother's existence and struggling to fit into a community where her family's strict rules are not the norm. When Laura's father dies, her stepmother grows increasingly abusive, which propels Laura and her sisters into a lasting alliance. Their father's wish that they stay together comes true, although not in the way he'd imagined.

My Thoughts: This was a touching story, that tore at my heart. First having to deal with her mother's suicide which this young girl tries to answer Why? Then her father remarries and tells his daughters that this woman is their mother. They know that she is not because she is distant and abusive, something their mother wasn't.
This is not a feel good, fuzzy, warm book. It is an honest look at abused children and what they endure. You will gain insight and compassion for those that have gone through it.

Thanks to Laura and Pump Up Your Books I have a copy to give away. This is open to U.S. residents only. To enter you must be a follower of my blog, say so in your comment. You need to leave an email address, (at) and (dot) are fine. This will start today, Thursday, December 15th and I will use a randomizer on Thursday, December 29th to pull the winner. The winner will have 24 hrs to give me their mailing address after I contact them, or I will choose another winner.

Good Luck!

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Web of Lies - Pump Up Your Book!

Book Description:

Web of Lies takes you on an emotional roller-coaster, experienced through the eyes of Sarah Tate, an intelligent, young newcomer to Switzerland who is swept off her feet by an older, more experienced company manager. Within weeks of their meeting, Bill impresses her with a courtship vastly unusual in modern times. He lures Sarah with his intellect along with numerous gifts, expensive restaurants, and trips to luxury hotels. Sarah, who is searching for not only love but security, quickly finds herself falling for the worldly but sensitive and caring man Bill represents himself to be. In Web of Lies, she describes the highs and the lows of what it is like to be involved with a person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, how to come to terms with the abuse, and most importantly, how to escape.

Bill, who is seventeen years older than Sarah, has led what she finds at first to be a fascinating life. Married twice before, he has been recently widowed, after his second wife fell into depression and took her own life. Within months of their first meeting, Bill has proposed to Sarah, and they are planning a lavish wedding and exciting new life together. However, Sarah quickly starts to feel there may be more to Bill than meets the eye.

Sarah battles to keep the marriage on track, but is frustrated by Bill’s lackadaisical attitude towards work, and his constant bragging about how he’s going to make millions via various entrepreneurial schemes which never materialize.

Sarah eventually begins to wake up to Bill’s lies and schemes, but not before she discovers his dark side….

As the marriage ends, Sarah battles serious clinical depression in order to cope with the destructive relationship with Bill.

Sarah realizes finally that she must break the pattern of abuse in order to escape with her sanity intact. Mindful of protecting her children from him, she eventually stands up to Bill for the final time, and is left at the end to carve a new life. She is in debt and alone, but thankfully free from Bill’s negative and unhealthy influence.



Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

In celebration of Sarah Tate’s new release, he will be appearing at Pump Up Your Book’s 1st Annual Holiday Extravaganza Facebook Party on December 16. More than 50 books, gifts and cash awards will be given away including an an e-copy of her book, Web of Lies! Visit the official party page HERE



My Thoughts: I just received this book yesterday, and just cracked the cover. I am already intrigued and quickly turning pages. I don't like Bill and I don't trust him. I will write a full review when I finish this. Stay Tuned!