My Website Address Is Now Under Construction!

If you are reading this on my blog site you already know this because you got here using the www.pammeyerswrites.blogspot.com address.  That is now the direct access to my blog.

The www.pamelasmeyers.com domain address is currently undergoing an extreme makeover.

Slow Moon Rising -- Another Great Read from Eva Marie Everson

I have been reading Eva Marie Everson's Cedar Key series of novels since she began writing them, and have loved each one. A good author friend of mine told me about Cedar Key, Florida many years ago and made it sound so delightful I was ready to jump on the next plane and plant myself there to do nothing but write. But, so far I've not yet made the trip. At least by reading this series, I've been able to vicariously enjoy the setting through Eva Marie's wonderful characters.

I jumped at the chance to review her latest -- Slow Moon Rising. But when it arrived I was in the middle of a number of writing projects and other things and had to put the book on my to-be-read pile. When I realized a few days ago that the blog tour was this week, I made myself take time to start reading and I'm better than halfway through it. I only wish I could just sit for a whole day and do nothing but read. It's that good!

The only complaint I have is that the first couple chapters were a little too slow-paced for my taste. But having read many of Everson's books, I had faith that the pacing would pick up, and it did. If you find this small nit-picky point to be the case with you, hang in there because the best is yet to be!

The back-cover blurb gives a tantalizing description of what's inside.

The beautiful Claybourne home on Cedar Key has long been a place of rest, healing, and release. Each member of the family has turned there in times of confusion, loss, and hurt, only to feel their spirits renewed and their hearts restored.

But Cedar Key might also be the birthplace of a lie that is poisoning the family from within.

Join the five Claybourne women--Anise, Kimberly, Jayme-Leigh, Heather, and Ami--as they search the past and confront the truth. Their unique paths will lead them through heartbreak, misunderstandings, and pain. But their journeys will also bring reconciliation with each other and the precious renewal of love in their own lives.

In her lyrical, evocative fashion, Eva Marie Everson weaves a tapestry of complicated relationships that, when complete, reveals the most beautiful work of art there is--family.

You can purchase the book at Amazon or any other online store, as well as your favorite bookstore.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I was born and reared just outside of Savannah, Georgia. Yeah, I have a southern accent. It gets a little more southern every time I cross the Florida/Georgia state line.

If I had all the time in the world, I'd probably lie on the sofa all day and watch old movies. I usually have to get sick for something even close to that happening.

I can quote entirely too many lines from Pretty Woman (You do? You think I've got potential?). In fact, I quote lines from movies and songs so often that most people are unaware of what I'm doing. I may or may not have offended some folks. If I have...I'm sorry.

I'm an ex-nurse and a seminary graduate. I hated nursing but love God with a passion and can hardly get through a conversation without talking about our relationship! I think the Old Testament is totally FUN to read (I mean, HOW much stuff can one clan of people get in to?) and the New Testament draws me closer to Heaven. Yeah!

I'm married even though my hubby had to have his wedding band cut off due to an infected spider bite. The nurse said either that or the finger would fall off. I was going for the second option, but was alone in that. :) Now he wears it on his right hand. I can live with that. We have kids and grandkids and two absolutely adorable dogs, Hope and Poodar.

I'm rarely still and I sleep very little.

Life is good.  

Note: I received a complementary copy of Slow Moon Rising from the publisher for review purposes. All opinions are my own. 

That Certain Summer by Irene Hannon - A Great Read for Summer!

I have always enjoyed Irene Hannon’s suspense novels. When I learned she had written a

contemporary romance, I was intrigued by the plot, and knew it would be a good story because I was familiar with Irene’s writing. I wasn’t disappointed!

That Certain Summer is about two sisters who couldn’t be more opposite in personality, outlook on life, and the directions they took as adults. Karen Butler had married and never left their small Missouri hometown, while her sister, Val Montgomery, had moved to Chicago to seek a career in theatre. 

The story opens with newly divorced Karen struggling to raise her teenage daughter mostly on her own since her ex seems to float in and out of their lives. Never married, Val teaches drama in a Chicago area high school and seems to have everything going right for her (in her sister’s eyes at least).

The one thing they have in common is their aging mother who has just suffered a stroke and is in the midst of rehab. Cranky before the stroke, Mom is now more crotchety than ever  and testing the patience of Karen. As much as she and her sister don’t always get along, Karen cannot wait for Val to take over some of the weight of caring for their invalid mother. Val’s summer break from her teaching duties can’t come any too soon.

What Karen doesn’t know is that Val is bringing home more baggage than then kind you put in a suitcase. She has a secret from her past that she hopes to resolve by coming back to where it all happened.

What is unexpected for both women, are the two good-looking guys that enter their lives that summer or the women's admissions that their mother isn’t the only one who needs healing.

I really enjoyed this story and how Hannon deepens her characters as the story develops and the sisters start peeling back onion-like layers to get to the nub of what has caused misunderstandings between them over the years. I hope to see more multi-layered romances from Irene Hannon. She is certainly an author I’ll be looking for in this genre!

I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher for purpose of review. The opinions expressed here are my own and no one else’s.

About the Author:

Since then, she has written more than 40 romance and romantic suspense novels. Her books have been honored with two RITA awards—the “Oscar” of romantic fiction—and she is a six-time finalist for that prestigious honor. Her books have also won a Daphne du Maurier award, a Carol award, a HOLT Medallion, a National Readers’ Choice Award, a Retailers Choice Award and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT Book Reviews magazine. One of her novels was also named by Booklist as one of the top 10 inspirational fiction books of 2011.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full-time. She is happy to say she has no regrets!

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing.  A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.

When not otherwise occupied, Irene and her husband enjoy traveling, Saturday mornings at their favorite coffee shop and spending time with family. They make their home in Missouri