BOOK REVIEW: Good Sam by Dete Meserve

What would you do if you found $100,000 in cash on your doorstep? And what if you had no idea where it came from? Dete Meserve explores this concept in her novel Good Sam, in which a Los Angeles TV reporter becomes involved in a story which is about to change her life in an unexpected way...

When an anonymous donor dubbed 'Good Sam' by the media starts leaving bags of banknotes on the doorsteps of needy people, the city is desperate to find out who is behind the good deeds. One person in particular is TV news reporter Kate Bradley. After covering local murders and police stories for most of her career, Kate is sure that unmasking Good Sam will get her the story of her career.

However, discovering the identity of Good Sam proves tough for Kate. With so many people claiming to be Good Sam just to get a taste of the spotlight, locating the person who is truly behind the bout of donations is going to take a lot of digging. Digging that's made slightly more difficult with Kate's ex-fiance Jack intent on getting back together, and handsome Eric, who Kate meets whilst reporting on the Good Sam story. Ambitious reporter Kate won't stop until Good Sam is found, even if it begins to take over her personal life as well...

Good Sam is a wonderfully-written novel. It's intriguing and full of suspense, with great characters (Kate especially) and numerous twists throughout the book which will keep you guessing until the very end. I had no idea who Good Sam could be until I reached the final chapters, which made the novel even more fantastic. Admittedly it's quite hard to fully review the novel without dropping spoilers, so if you have a penchant for mystery and romance, I highly suggest that you check out Good Sam for yourselves! Dete Meserve is a very promising author and I look forward to reading any future novels.

Rating: 5/5

NEW RELEASE: An Officer and a Gentleman Wanted

The new romantic comedy from Beverley Watts has been described as 'Bridget Jones meets the Navy.' In An Officer and A Gentleman Wanted, a forty-something divorcee sets out to find love again - by working in Royal Navy officer training...

Beverley Wilkins has always dreamed of becoming an officer's wife and working at the Royal Navy's premier officer training establishment could just be the way to do it. She might be divorced and in her mid 40s, but it doesn't mean she's given up on romance - after all, she's seen 'An Officer and a Gentleman'! 

The only problem is that so far, the only man in her life is her dog Nelson who unfortunately has a mind of his own - not for nothing is he named after Britain's greatest hero. 

But it's a new semester which means new officers... 

Anything could happen! 

BLOG TOUR: The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks - Review

Chick Lit Uncovered was lucky enough to participate in the blog tour for The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks (author of The Lucky One and A Walk to Remember.) The film tie-in edition will be released next week to coincide with the release of the movie adaptation, which stars James Marsden.

Despite constantly hearing about this author and his work, and the successful movie adaptations that have followed (The Notebook, anyone?) admittedly I had not read any of his books previously. So when I was contacted about the blog tour, I was intrigued. And annoyed later, at the fact that I had left it so late, because The Best of Me is a very, very good read.

Dawson and Amanda were young lovers, forced apart in their teenage years. Despite their passion and determination, their backgrounds were enough to pull them apart in their small town. With Amanda's family deeply unhappy that she had chosen to be with Dawson, a member of the criminal Cole family, their otherwise perfect relationship ends, with Amanda heading off to college and Dawson remaining with his bullying father until finally finding work. In fact, the only person looking out for Dawson Cole is Tuck; a friendly, lonely man who shares a love for cars.

Tuck is a friend and mentor to both Dawson and Amanda, for in later years, when Amanda heads back home to visit her mother, she and widower Tuck regularly meet to talk about life.

But when Tuck dies, both Dawson and Amanda are shocked to find that they are both called to the private funeral of their old friend. That they will have to face each other again, after all these years...
With Amanda now married to Frank, and with children of her own, having to face her teenage sweetheart is going to be a hard task. And with Dawson now living a quiet life alone, having never dated since Amanda, setting foot in his hometown is going to be equally difficult. Even more so when he is sighted in town by his family. The family who still haven't forgotten Dawson and vow to see him punished...

The Best of Me is a beautifully written love story that's very hard to put down. With Cole and Amanda finally together, I found myself wanting to find out what would happen to them; would they fall in love again? Or would they finally have to part? With Tuck's clever yet saddening plan put into place, the couple find themselves fulfilling their friend's last wish, but nothing is ever simple, especially when Dawson's family show up again.

I highly recommend The Best of Me, and I really wish I had read this book sooner - it's a highly enjoyable, heartwarming romance with a twist.

Rating: 5/5

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
They were teenage sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks - with a passion that would change their lives for ever. But life would force them apart. 

Years later, the lines they had drawn between past and present are about to slip . . . Called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter when they needed it most, they are faced with each other once again, and forced to confront the paths they chose. Can true love ever rewrite the past?

This is the new epic love story from the multi-million-copy bestselling author of The Notebook, The Lucky One and The Last Song.

About the Author
With over eighty-five million copies of his books sold, Nicholas Sparks is one of the world's most beloved storytellers. His novels include twelve No. 1 New York Times bestsellers.

All Nicholas Sparks' books have been international bestsellers and have been translated into more than forty languages. Nine of his novels have been adapted into major films: The Best of Me, Safe Haven, The Lucky One, The Last Song, Dear John, Nights in Rodanthe, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember and The Notebook.

Nicholas Sparks lives in North Carolina with his wife and family. You can visit him and sign up for the Nicholas Sparks eNewsletter at www.uk.nicholassparks.com, and follow him on Twitter: @NicholasSparks.

NEW RELEASE: Dispatches from the Dating Zone

Dispatches from the Dating Zone is the debut romantic comedy from British author KT Valentine, which follows desperate singleton Fleur on her mission to locate her Mr Right. Read on for the synopsis...

Having exhausted all the conventional ways to meet her ‘Mr Right’ (and because now she really is a little bit desperate), Fleur Summers turns to her well-meaning, but eccentric friends and family for help.

From ‘Man Mountain’; an engineer who eats everything in sight and tall dark handsome Tom with big hands but no idea how to use them, to the mysterious and brooding Henry Austin. Follow the trials and tribulations of Fleur’s journey as she works her way through a number of eventful blind dates, all in the name of finding true love. 

You can find out more about KT Valentine over at her website.

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five September Releases

Now that summer is drawing to a close and the days are becoming chilly, it's time to take a look at what new chick-lit releases are in store for September. Tea and a good book? Don't mind if I do! Here's our pick of this month's upcoming reads...

Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie Kinsella
Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is in Hollywood ! It's as if all her life has been leading to this moment. She's hanging out with the stars ...or at least she will be, when she finally gets to meet movie superstar Sage Seymour, whom husband Luke is now managing. There's so much to see and do! And getting Minnie through the hurdles for her A-list Hollywood pre-school will require some ...er ...help. Becky sets her heart on a new career - she's going to be a celebrity stylist . Red carpet, here she comes! But Becky soon finds it's tough in Tinseltown. Luckily her best friend Suze comes over to keep her company, and together they embark on the Hollywood insider trail But somehow ...things aren't quite working out as they'd hoped. Then Becky's big chance comes, and it's an opportunity that money can't buy. But will it cost her too much?

Twitter Girl by Nic Tatano
Meet America's Tweet-Heart. She's network reporter Cassidy Shea, better known as @TwitterGirl, with more than a million followers thanks to her sarcastic tweets. One hundred forty characters than can take anyone down a notch. But while brevity may be the soul of wit, it can also get you fired. When a controversial tweet goes viral the snarky redhead finds herself locked out of the career she loves...and watches her boyfriend take a hike. Alas, no industry values sarcasm more than politics, and Cassidy becomes a marketable commodity for Presidential candidate Will Becker, a squeaky-clean, stone cold lock to be the next occupant of the White House. This candidate is unlike any other; he's the country's most eligible bachelor. He's also looking for a running mate, and we're not talking about a Vice President. Twitter Girl has caught his eye. Cassidy finds herself swept up in a whirlwind romance that turns her into the next Jackie Kennedy and becomes the favorite to be the next First Lady. The country can't get enough of America's First Couple...will Cassidy and Will Becker bring back Camelot? But an anonymous tip triggers her journalistic curiosity. Is Will Becker all that he seems? The search for the answer teaches Cassidy the meaning of love.

Honeymoon Hotel by Hester Browne
The Bonneville Hotel is the best kept secret in Mayfair: its art deco suites and glittering ballrooms a former home-away-from-home for royalty and film stars alike. Recent years haven't been kind, but thanks to Events Manager Rosie, the Bonneville is reclaiming some of its old cachet as a chic retro-glam wedding venue. While Rosie's weddings are the ultimate in romance, Rosie herself isn't; she's focused on the details, not the dramas. But when the hotel owner appoints his eccentric son Joe to the Bonneville staff, Rosie finds herself up against an unprecedented challenge: a rival whose predilection for the unconventional could derail not only Rosie's own career, but the most elaborate, high-profile wedding the Bonneville has ever seen.

Saving Grace by Jane Green
Grace Chapman has the perfect life, living comfortably with her husband, bestselling author Ted, in a picture-perfect farmhouse on the Hudson River in New York State. Then Ted advertises for a new assistant, and Beth walks into their lives. Organized, passionate and eager to learn, Beth quickly makes herself indispensable to Ted and his family. But Grace soon begins to feel side-lined in her home - and her marriage - by this ambitious younger woman. Is Grace just paranoid, as her husband tells her, or is there more to Beth than first thought?

The Seafront Tea Rooms by Vanessa Greene
The Seafront Tea Rooms is a peaceful hideaway, away from the bustle of the seaside, and in this quiet place a group of women find exactly what they've been searching for. Charismatic journalist Charlotte is on a mission to scope out Britain's best tea rooms. She knows she's found something special in the Seafront Tea Rooms but is it a secret she should share? Kathryn, a single mother whose only sanctuary is the 'Seafront', convinces Charlie to keep the place out of her article by agreeing to join her on her search. Together with another regular, Seraphine, a culture-shocked French au pair with a passion for pastry-making, they travel around the country discovering quaint hideaways and hidden gems. But what none of them expect is for their journey to surprise them with discoveries of a different kind ...Full of romance, tea and cake, The Seafront Tea Rooms is a heart-warming tale about the strength found in true friendship.

INDUSTRY NEWS: Awards shortlists announced for Festival of Romantic Fiction

Shortlists were released today for the Romance Reader Awards, New Talent Award, and Romance Industry Awards. The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony at the Festival of Romantic Fiction on Saturday, 13th September.

Awards organiser Sarah Taylor said: "With the highest number of entries the awards have had in their four year history, the standard this year was exceptionally high with many highly rated novels not making the shortlists. The breath and depth of quality writing in romantic fiction should be celebrated and that's what these awards are all about."

Congratulations and good luck to all those who made it to the final lists! And now, on with the shortlists...

Best Romantic Read
Two Weddings and a Baby by Scarlett Bailey (Ebury)
The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman (Ebury)
The Cornish Stranger by Liz Fenwick (Orion)
After The Honeymoon by Janey Fraser (Arrow)
The Unpredictable Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell (Headline Review)
One Hundred Proposals by Holly Martin (Carina)
The Wedding Proposal by Sue Moorcroft (Choc Lit)
The Proposal by Tasmina Perry (Headline Review)
One Step Closer to You by Alice Peterson (Quercus)

Best Historical Read 
The Downstairs Maid by Rosie Clarke (Ebury)
Monsoon Mists by Christina Courtenay (Choc Lit)
The Maid of Milan by Beverley Eikili (Choc Lit)
The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans (Quercus)
Crosscurrents by Jane Jackson (Accent Press)
Home For Christmas by Lizzie Lane (Ebury)
A Rose in Flanders Fields by Terri Nixon (Carina)
Queen of Bedlam by Laura Purcell (Myrmidon)

Best Short Romance
Don't Tell Penny by Anna Bell (Quercus)
Taming Her Italian Boss by Fiona Harper (Mills and Boon Cherish)
A Western Heart by Liz Harris (Choc Lit Lite)
Just You by Jane Lark (Harper Impulse)
The Right Side of Mr Wrong by Jane Linfoot (Harper Impulse)
Grand Designs by Linda Mitchelmore (Choc Lit Lite)
The Bookshop on the Corner by Rebecca Raisin (Carina)

Best E-Book
The Second Time I Saw You by Pippa Croft (Penguin)
The Wedding Cake Tree by Melanie Hudson (Choc Lit)
Summer at Castle Stone by Lynn-Marie Hulsmann (Harper Impulse)
Dear Lizzie by Annie Lyons (Carina)
The Guestbook by Holly Martin (Carina)
Room For Love by Sophie Pembroke (Carina)
The Oyster Catcher by Jo Thomas (Headline)
Doubting Abbey by Samantha Tonge (Carina)

Best Author Published
Mary Bennet by Kate Allan
Sweet Occasions by Linn B Halton
Drumbeats by Julia Ibbotson
Fairlights by Jan Jones
Christmas Yves by Nicola May
A Change of Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

New Talent Award Shortlist
An Infamous Seduction by Glenda Cooper
Country Strife by Debbie Fuller-White
Fancy Cakes and Skinny Lattes by Melanie Griffiths
For One Last Time by Louise Hall
The Gossamer Trail by Brenda Hawkey
Who Does He Think He Is? by Emily Kerr
Hats Off To Love by Susan Jones
Meeting Halfway by Mairibeth MacMillan
The Perfect Blend by Catherine Meadows
True Colours by Caroline Rayner
Maggie's Child by Glynis Smy

Industry Awards Shortlists

Innovation in Romantic Fiction - Publisher
Accent Amour – new commercial imprint from independent publisher Accent Press investing in backlists as well as new authors
Carina UK – celebrating it's first birthday in 2014, Carina digitally publishes over 75 authors from around the world and has been exceptionally successful in the ebook charts
Mills and Boon – launching a brand new reader-centred website including an interactive story world The Chatsfield that blends fiction and reality
Simon and Schuster – continuing development of their Books in the City website, a popular hub for readers to connect with authors

Innovation in Romantic Fiction – Author
Jenny Barden – for championing the whole genre with innovation in events for the Historical Novels Society and Romantic Novelists Association
Rowan Coleman - after writing Dearest Rose, Rowan was inspired to raise money for women suffering from domestic abuse by writing Woman Walks into a Bar and donating the royalties to Refuge
Nadine Dorries – for shining light on the romantic saga by topping the bestseller charts with her debut novel The Four Streets
Belinda Jones – for connecting with readers with an engaging theme across her website and social media including the Belinda Jones Travel Club on Facebook and Va-va-vacation.com website
Holly Martin - for her debut novel The Guestbook which uniquely tells the story through guest comments left in a leather-bound guestbook

Romance Blogger of the Year
ChickLitClub.com – an excellent example of a group of readers working together to share book news and reviews
Reviewedthebook.co.uk – passion shines through from blogger Sophie Hedley who has been nominated for her dedication and professionalism
Onemorepage.co.uk – blogger Amanda is described as an indefatigable advocate for books and their authors she champions

NEW RELEASE: First to Fall by Carys Jones

We first heard about Carys Jones when her April novel, romantic thriller Prime Deception, was released. Carys's new novel, First to Fall, was released on Thursday, and it follows lawyer Aiden Connelly, whose latest case turns out to be much more difficult than he expected...

Aiden Connelly’s first case…

Lawyer Aiden Connelly has traded the frenzy of Chicago for a slower pace in sleepy Avalon – and his first case appears to be as open-and-shut as he could hope for. Hired to defend a local ex-beauty queen accused of murdering her husband, he’s confident that he’ll have the case closed in record time. But below the surface lurks a darker truth…

Will be one he’ll never forget.

Suddenly, a quiet backwater has transformed into a dangerous pressure cooker. In a town where everyone knows everyone, gathering evidence should be easy… but the harder Aiden searches, the more he appreciates how tangled this net of loyalties is. And as he digs deeper, Aiden begins to realise that his very first case in Avalon could be the beginning of his undoing…

Head over to Amazon to download First to Fall. You can also find out more about Carys and her books over at her website, or by following her on Twitter, @tiny_dancer85. Also, check out the stops on the First to Fall blog tour!

About the Author

Carys Jones loves nothing more than to write and create stories which ignite the reader's imagination. Based in Shropshire, England, Carys lives with her husband, two guinea pigs and her adored canine companion, Rollo.

When she's not writing, Carys likes to indulge her inner geek by watching science- fiction films or playing video games.

She lists John Green, Jodi Picoult and Virginia Andrews as her favorite authors and draws inspiration for her own work from anything and everything.

To Carys, there is no greater feeling than when you lose yourself in a great story and it is that feeling of ultimate escapism which she tries to bring to her books.