***REVIEW*** Catching Whitney by Amy Hale

 

Title: Catching Whitney

Author: Amy Hale

Reviewer: Angie

Rating: 5 Stars

 

REVIEW

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this novella by Amy Hale! It was a quick read that left me satisfied, and, yet, excited to read more about Aiden and Whitney (and Lindsey and Blaine).
The premise is fun, and very relatable, especially for an elementary teacher. Whitney and her best friend, Lindsey, go to a town miles away from their own, so they can have a fun Girl's Night Out and not worry about embarrassing themselves in front of students' parents or coworkers. What Whitney doesn't realize is that the world is a small place, and one night will come back in a most interesting way. She has to decide if that is a good thing, or not.
I love the care Whitney has for her students and the fact that this story made teaching a huge part of Whitney. Although this book was based on romance (and definitely did a great job with it), her career was an integral part of the story. I found this very realistic, and refreshing. It wasn't about billionaires, or people who didn't seem to have to go to work, but about what real people may fantasize about.
I sincerely hope to read more with these characters and will definitely read more Amy Hale works.
I received an ARC in return for an honest review.

 

BLURB

 

My name is Whitney Dawson, and I suck at love. I’m not exaggerating. My relationships don’t just end; they die a horrible, agonizing death.

With a nasty break up behind me, and my mind made up to avoid relationships like the plague, I try to enjoy a girls’ night out with my best friend Lindsey. That’s where I meet Aidan. Despite my reservations, I agree to one mind-blowing, amazing, curl your toes night with the hottest guy I’ve barely met, knowing full well that I’ll never see him again. Or so I think…

As a teacher with a new school year in full swing, I contact a parent about a new student and end up face to face with Aidan. His son is in my class, and avoiding this widowed dad, and any complicated emotional entanglements falling for him will bring, becomes a test I may very well fail.

Should I take the cowardly way out, or give love one more chance?  

 

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About the Author

 

 



Amy Hale is a best selling author, mother, and wife living in Southern Illinois. Her husband and kids are the center of her universe, although her cat believes otherwise. She also loves reading, music, and photography.

Amy started her writing career in 2003 with non-fiction and educational pieces, but decided to take the leap to fiction in 2014. Her whiteboard is full of crazy ideas and she's always plotting new projects. She's a hopeless romantic and adores all the various ways a love story can be told. Amy also loves comedy, mystery, suspense, and other action filled stories, so her goal is to blend action and fun in with the romance and keep you on your toes.

Learn more at www.authoramyhale.com

 



**REVIEW** Within This Frame by Lindy Zart

 

 

Title: Within This Frame

Author: Lindy Zart

Reviewer: Angie

Rating: 5 Stars

 

 

REVIEW

 

Do you believe in second chances? Third? Fourth? At what point do you take a stand and say, "No more!"? What if there were extenuating circumstances that explained the other person's bad behavior? Does forgiving someone make you weak, or strong? The answers to these questions will most likely be different, depending on your previous experiences AND how you feel about YOURSELF. Within This Frame made me think about all those questions and, by the end of the book, I actually changed some of my answers. Lindy Zart has a way of making me laugh and cry, all while making me think deeply, without my own knowledge.

Lance and Maggie were childhood celebrities, and yet they were completely relatable (sometimes it was almost scary how similar their story was to my own). I wanted to dislike Lance, but the more I got to know him, the more I was rooting for him. On the other hand, I thought that Maggie forgiving him would make her weak. The hurt was too deep. As I read their story, I realized that once Maggie loved herself, WHATEVER decision she made, was the right one. And the same went for Lance. I was good with whatever ending they/she (Zart) chose.
I highly recommend this beautiful story. 

 

BLURB

 



 It comes in the mail—a beautiful invitation that promises humiliation and horror. Unless Maggie Smiley, former child celebrity and now overweight recluse, gets her courage and motivation in check, along with her health.

The phone call offering fitness expert Lance Denton a chance to work with Maggie Smiley promises retribution. He messed up a lot as a punk kid on the too-fast road to stardom, and how he treated his co-star never left him. It is that—and a long list of secrets she doesn’t need to know—that has him show up at Maggie’s doorstep.

 

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EXCERPT

 

His eyes went smoky, his expression and stance set for wooing.

“Stop it. I’m immune.”

“Since when? That kiss we shared a few days ago says otherwise.”

Maggie blinked, warmth flooding her veins at the reminder. “I was acting. I’m an exceptional actress.”

 

“Mmm. Is that so?” Lance rubbed a thumb over his mouth, and her eyes were drawn to the motion. She wasn’t able to look away until he dropped his hand. “Even you can’t act that well.”

Briefly pausing behind the couch, she pointed the remote control at the television and pressed the ‘on’ button. “Let’s see what form of debauchery Lance Denton gets his pleasure from when he’s alone.”

 

He caught her around the waist, the force of his movement and his weight toppling them forward and over the back of the couch. It was too late—the sound of young, familiar voices filled the air. Face down on the couch cushion and legs in the air, and with Lance beside her, she lifted her head to look at the television screen.

 

The air stopped inside her lungs. Maggie watched for a moment, not able to talk. It was them during an episode of ‘Easier Said’, crazily in love with one another. Struck hard with emotion, she swallowed, striving for nonchalance when her insides were screaming with yearning. Maggie placed her chin on her fist and continued to observe the younger versions of Lance and Maggie. Lance was quiet beside her, and that was just as well. She didn’t know what to say to him right then.

 

“This would make a great yoga pose,” she said after a time, her neck and back stretched to the point that they were sore.

 

When Lance didn’t respond, she finally turned her head to look at him. He wasn’t watching the television—he was watching her. The look on his face was open and raw, like a wound always kept hidden, until one day, it could no longer remain so.

 

Swallowing hard, she looked down. “You watch these a lot?”

 

“Yes.”

“Why?”

 

“They make me happy.”

Maggie looked up in time to catch his sardonic smile as he added, “And nostalgic, and maudlin.”

 

Unveiled as they were, she couldn’t take the look in his eyes any longer, and needing somewhere else to focus, Maggie chose his lips. It was a bad idea—perfectly chiseled, hard when they should be, soft when necessary, a shade of mauve that couldn’t be replicated—she wanted them on hers.

 

As though reading her mind, and knowing what she desired, Lance dropped his attention to her mouth. When he looked up, his eyes were midnight blue with lust. “I think, if I’m going to remain uninvolved with my clients, I must forbid you to look at me like that.”

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lindy Zart is the USA Today bestselling author of Roomies. She has been writing since she was a child. Luckily for readers, her writing has improved since then. She lives in Wisconsin with her family. Lindy loves hearing from people who enjoy her work. She also has a completely healthy obsession with the following: coffee, wine, bloody marys, peanut butter, and pizza.



 

FIND LINDY AT:

 

Google.com/+LindyZart

Twitter.com/LindyZart

Facebook.com/LindyZart

Lindyzart.com

Lindyzart@gmail.com

Listen to the playlists for Lindy’s books on Spotify.com

Get an eBook autograph from Lindy at Authorgraph.com

Check out Lindy’s YouTube channel.