Making Ends Meet by Anna Clifton My Review

Making Ends Meet

by Anna Clifton

My Review

Goodreads:

  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25613326-making-ends-meet

AMAZON:  http://amzn.to/1D4y0Cc

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/making-ends-meet-anna-clifton/1121803610?ean=9780857992598

From Anna Clifton comes a sweet, emotional, beautiful romance about a man whose life has been derailed and the unexpected woman who can help him get it back on track.
‘It’s for other reasons that I won’t need a nanny beyond a month.’
Twenty-three year old nanny Somer Sullivan has never had a job quite like this one: fix the messed-up, out-of-control life of high-profile artist and thirty-something dad Harry Halligan. But Somer is organised, efficient and not afraid of a challenge. She will do everything Harry needs her to do, including bringing his ex-wife home for good.

‘One month, Harry, and I’ll be out of here.’

Harry Halligan doesn’t want a nanny, but he needs one—he needs Somer. She’s the only one who can reach his troubled daughter, who can bring some measure of peace to his home. But as Somer advances her mission to fix his life, a few things become clear: his ex-wife might not be the answer, and Somer just might be. But Somer is running like hell from something in her own life and hiding in his.

Only one thing is for sure. Harry now has less than a month to make the hardest decision he’ll ever have to make—a decision that will change all of their lives forever.

Harry is a gentle and loving man.  His children are his life, no doubt about it.  Yet his life has been in flux since his divorce a year ago.  Recent health problems have reminded him of his mortality and the necessity for his children's mother to once and for all step up to the job she has abandoned.  So he is working to recuperate from his recent brain surgery so he can convince Freya to come back to him and the children.

Needing help while he recuperates, his friends help him find a nanny to help him with the children and the house.   Raising a precocious 7 year old and a similar 4 year old is not an easy task.  Add to that a rebellious Labrador and his crazy disorganized life is complete.

This is where Somer comes in to save the day.  She is reluctant at first, but since the job is only for one month, and it pays well, she is willing to give it a go.  Little did Somer and Harry realize their arrangement would become much more complicated.

This is an endearing, romantic and honest romance of the burdens we carry and the secrets we keep even from ourselves.  Sometimes we are so scared of life, we run from happiness scared to face the insecurities that shape us.  Like all of Anna Clifton books, this is a journey you will enjoy and hold close to your hearts.

About the Author
First of all, thanks for visiting!

If you’d like to get in touch please drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you.

In order to write this bio I began to think back on how I came to be writing romance novels. I soon worked out that I've held down in excess of fifty jobs in my life so far. They've ranged from scooping ice-creams, to selling glow sticks, to stumbling around in a container ship on absurdly impractical 3-inch heels, trying to work out who's legally responsible for contaminating an entire cargo of Swiss chocolate. If nothing else, my ‘interesting’ working life and the wonderful characters I've met along the way have been great 'copy'; it was probably inevitable they'd demand creative exposure in some shape or form eventually. 



My fascination with the romance novel itself first unfolded when I was staying on a friend’s outback cattle station; I just happened to pick one up from her big sister's bookshelf. As a fourteen-year-old reader, I instantly fell in love with its passion, its just-for-the-hell-of-it fun and its unbridled HEA optimism. Many years later, as a writer, I would come to love the scope that the genre offers for exploring the endless mystery around why we feel, think and behave as we do – a special focus in my stories about love, friendship and family.

In addition to writing, I also love reading and reviewing. But as I now know the sweat and tears that goes into creating any finished book I only review if I want to recommend.

I currently live in Sydney in an often too-small house with my husband and three children and our two spoilt-rotten cats. Our ‘adopted’ pets, a shamelessly randy alpha-male Brush Turkey and several roof-dancing possums, share our bush gully backdrop.

Anna x

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/anna.clifton.10?fref=ts

SALE! Bound by Duty by Stormy Smith

Bound by Duty by Stormy Smith

Nook ** iTunes ** Kobo ** Amazon

Synopsis

Amelia grew up in a world of half-truths. She knows she's an Elder, but has no idea what that means. Her father reminds her daily that she must maintain control, but he refuses to explain why. Even worse, she's betrothed to the prince of the Immortals and doesn't even know his name. Finally breaking free to live a few normal years at a community college, the last thing Amelia expects is to find her best friend in a cheeky southern girl, or fall for a self-assured human who sees her for who she is, not what she will become. As she learns more about herself, Amelia realizes the line between love and duty is a thin one. As her power continues to increase exponentially and her questions are slowly answered, Amelia must make the ultimate choice. The question is, will her head win the battle, or her heart?

  About the author: 

Stormy Smith calls Iowa's capital home now, but was raised in a tiny town in the Southeast corner of the state. She grew to love books honestly, having a mom that read voraciously and instilled that same love in her. She knew quickly stories of fantasy were her favorite, and even as an adult gravitates toward paranormal stories in any form. Writing a book had never been an aspiration, but suddenly the story was there and couldn't be stopped. When she isn't working on, or thinking about, her books, Stormy's favorite places include bar patios, live music shows, her yoga mat or anywhere she can relax with her husband or girlfriends.

Find her: Facebook ** Twitter ** Instagram ** GoodReads ** Website ** Amazon  

The Affiliate (Ascension, 1) by K. A. Linde Release Day: September 15th COVER REVEAL and Giveaway

The Affiliate (Ascension, 1)

by K. A. Linde

Release Day: September 15th

Genre: YA Fantasy

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Today we’re revealing the cover of Kyla Linde’s The Affiliate! I am so excited about this fantastic YA fantasy!!

On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm's lifelong plans come to fruition when she's chosen as an Affiliate to the Queen. Or so she thinks. When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene's position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have... King Edric himself. Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde’s new Ascension series.

 

“Do you enjoy the view?” King Edric asked. “The rains have made the gardens bloom, and it warms my heart to see it so.” “It is good to know that the gardener approves of the work.” Cyrene laughed lightly. “I have not gardened in a month’s time. I fear I can no longer call myself a gardener.” She remembered when she had told the king of her interest in gardening at the last feast day almost a week ago. After that dance, Queen Kaliana added a list of plants to her assignment, forcing her to reread every page she had already dredged through for information. It had wasted two entire days. “Perhaps I could change that,” he offered. He directed her down the staircase and into the courtyard below lit solely by the setting sun in the distance. Her stomach churned at the thought of him offering assistance to any of her needs. It was like what she had read in her children’s books of the tales of Leifs, and how one request would be necessitated by a much larger sacrifice. Her biggest sacrifice at the present moment was time. She wanted nothing more than to finish her work on agriculture and prove that she could get moved somewhere that involved traveling…and adventure. “On the contrary, My King, I am fully enthralled in my Affiliate duties, and believe that gardening would only distract me from my work.” “You cannot spare one afternoon to spend in my gardens?” His blue-gray eyes searched her face. “If you have half the green thumb you suggest, then it would be delightful to have you on the grounds.” She swallowed. “I really have much work to accomplish before we go on Processional.” “I could speak to the Queen and request it be lessened,” he whispered into the evening air. “No!” It was the first time he had ever admitted to discussing her with the Queen. Hearing him admit it aloud made her voice come out strangled. Cyrene missed her footing on the pebble path and stumbled forward a pace. Edric steadied her. He turned his body to face her in the middle of the garden, and her breath caught at the sight of him in the setting sun. “You do not wish me to speak to the Queen?” “I spoke out of turn. Please forgive me.” “I cannot forgive that which I do not understand. Did the Queen somehow offend you?” Cyrene shook her head. “I fear that the Queen does not…like me.” Edric laughed softly, taking one of her hands in his own. “Oh Cyrene, I believe that the Queen likes no one but herself.” Cyrene found that she, too, could laugh at his comment. “Now, tell me what the Queen has done to make you believe that she dislikes you.” “It’s nothing, my King.” She turned her face away from his. She couldn’t possibly tell him the real reason. “Enough to infuriate you, which is enough for me.” When she looked back up into his blue-gray eyes she felt that same magnetic pull between them. Somehow she had not realized how close they were standing. His hand felt warm against her bare skin. His body only a few inches away from her. His breath hot on her face. Her heart contracted in her chest, and she forced herself to respond. “She speaks of…of your interference, as if…as if you…” Time stretched between them, and she thought for a split second he might move even closer to her. She was rooted in place, captivated by his gaze. “Yes?” His other hand drifted to her waist, and she was suddenly on fire. Their breath mingled together as she murmured, “As if you favor me.” “And do you think that?” “I…” “Yes?” he asked, stepping closer.
“I think you have your queen,” she breathed.  

About K. A. Linde: USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde is the author of The Affiliate, the first book in the Ascension Series. As a military brat, she traveled the world with her family, imaginary friends, and ever-increasing supply of books. She has spent much of her life dreaming up new worlds and characters and forcing them into uncomfortable, usually life-threatening scenarios. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a masters degree in political science, she began spending every waking hour putting those characters onto paper. When not writing, she spends her time dancing, collecting paperbacks in the hopes of filling a Beauty and the Beast style library one day, traveling to visit her friends who live all over the country, and still reading anything she can get her hands on. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and two puppies, Lucy and Riker, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

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The Bliss Series Boxed Set The Whole Damn Harem Series: Bliss #1-5 by BJ Harvey SERIES SPOTLIGHT & SALE

The Bliss Series Boxed Set
The Whole Damn Harem

Series: Bliss #1-5

by BJ Harvey

Release Date: June 30, 2015

Blurb

All five books in the international bestselling Bliss erotic romantic comedy series by BJ Harvey together in one super-sized boxed set.

The books are interconnected standalones focusing on a group of twenty-somethings’ in Chicago. Think Sex in the City meets Friends with a side of drama, a lot of crazy humor, and romantic scenes that'll have you swooning one minute and fanning yourself the next.

Includes;

Temporary Bliss (Bliss #1) - Winner 'Best Humor Romance' 2014 Indie Romance Convention

A woman who has sworn off relationships but not off sex – with ‘three friends with benefits’ no less – meets a man who wants to be everything she needs.

True Bliss (Bliss #2)

A woman wanting her fairytale ending goes online in her search for Mr Right, only to find that he’s been right under her nose all along.

Blissful Surrender (Bliss #3)

An ice queen cop comes face to face with the only man she’s ever loved and finds that with age comes maturity, and skill.

Permanent Bliss (Bliss #3.5)

The wedding nobody ever thought would happen between the two most suited Bliss characters (with all of the others along for the ride)

Finding Bliss (Bliss #4) 

The dirty doctor finally meets his match having watch all of his friends settle down. He sets out to show the world there is more to him than his famous “WD” nickname and reputation.

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Links to Buy

AMAZON US / UK / AU

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS
GOOGLE PLAY

 Author Bio

BJ Harvey is the International Bestselling Author of the Bliss Series. She writes contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and romantic suspense.

An avid music fan, you will always find her with headphones on while writing, and the speakers blaring the rest of the time. She’s a wife, a mom to two beautiful girls, and when she’s not writing – she’s reading.

BJ resides with her family in what she considers the best country in the world—New Zealand.

She describes her writing as a little swoon, a lot of heat, a bit of drama and a whole lot of love.

 Author Links

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TWITTER
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THE SECRET SISTER by Brenda Novak New Release and Review Release Date July 28, 2015

THE SECRET SISTER

by Brenda Novak

New Release and Review

Release Date July 28, 2015

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23638962-the-secret-sister?ac=1

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1Ku5tWq

Did she once have a sister? Has her mother lied all these years? Why?
After a painful divorce, Maisey Lazarow returns to Fairham, the small island off the North Carolina coast where she grew up. She goes there to heal—and to help her brother, Keith, a deeply troubled man who's asked her to come home. But she refuses to stay in the family house. The last person she wants to see is the wealthy, controlling mother she escaped years ago.

Instead, she finds herself living next door to someone else she'd prefer to avoid—Rafe Romero, the wild, reckless boy to whom she lost her virginity at sixteen. He's back on the island, and to her surprise, he's raising a young daughter alone. Maisey's still attracted to him, but her heart's too broken to risk…

Then something even more disturbing happens. She discovers a box of photographs that evoke distant memories of a little girl, a child Keith remembers, too. Maisey believes the girl must've been their sister, but their mother claims there was no sister.

Maisey's convinced that child existed. So where is she now?

4.5 out of 5 Stars

This thrilling suspenseful book will keep you at the edge of seats trying to solve the secret of a sister that may have existed and nobody talked about.

Maisey returns to the place of her birth seeking to heal after her gut-wracking divorce.  Her brother is using again and cannot get cleaned up.  His call for help came just in time for Maisey to consider going back to Fairham, North Carolina is the right decision.  The biggest deterrent is that she will have to deal with her mother.  Josephine is an autocratic, controlling, verbally abusive woman.  She has lived her life selfishly, acting entitled due to the immense power and fortune she has inherited.  Maisey can only imagine how destructive her mother's attitude and words will be regarding her recent divorce.  Her ex, Jack, was never a favorite of her mother, and now that he has abandoned their marriage, she can only imagine how hurtful her mother's comments will be.

To add to Maisey's troubles, after she chooses not to move in with her mother, but rather stay at one of the vacation bungalows owned by the family, she finds she will be living next to the man to whom she lost her virginity.  Rafe has grown up to be a mature super hottie and the chemical reaction between them notes that all the feelings they felt in their youth have not died away.

But this book is more than a romance and a "mother from hell".  Photos found hidden within a wall are discovered and as Maisey looks at them, she realizes there was an older child with their family when she was only two years old.  Who is this child?  What happened to her?  Why is it no one ever mentions her?  Digging into this mystery can only upset the delicate balance of Maisey's and Josephine's relationship.  Josephine controls everything and everyone surrounding her and within her sphere of influence.  Digging into her secrets is bound to bring emotional fireworks... and it does.

True to Brenda Novak's amazing style with mystery and suspense, this is a gripping story of the search for truth and honesty.  Money, although necessary to survive, and pride of birthright are not priorities that outrank love, affection, and nurturing as far as Maisey is concerned.  This is in direct opposition to her mother who seems to live only to control everyone and preserve her good name.  Yet appearances can be deceiving... loved this story!

About the Author

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s bestselling author career.

“I caught my day-care provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol to get them to sleep while I was away,” Brenda says. “It was then that I decided that I needed to do something from home.”

However, writing was the last profession she expected to undertake. In fact, Brenda swears she didn’t have a creative bone in her body. In school, math and science were her best subjects, and when it came time to pick a major in college, she chose business.

Abandoning her academic scholarship to Brigham Young University at the age of 20 in order to get married and start a family, Brenda dabbled in commercial real estate, then became a loan officer.

“When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda admits. “I learned how to write by reading what others have written. The best advice for any would-be author: read, read, read….”

Brenda sold her first book, and the rest is history. Many of her novels have won or placed in contests such as the National Reader's Choice, the Bookseller's Best, the Write Touch, the Award of Excellence and the Beacon Award for Published Authors.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five children—three girls and two boys. She juggles her writing career with her children’s softball and soccer games, field trips, carpool runs and homework sessions.

When she’s not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually working on her annual fundraiser for diabetes research—an on-line auction held at her website May 1st – May 31st. Her youngest son, Thad, has diabetes, and Brenda is determined to help him and others like him. She also enjoys traveling, watching sporting events and biking--she rides an amazing 20 miles every day!

Brenda's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-