Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Book Review: Finding Home by Lacey Wolfe

Finding HomeFinding Home by Lacey Wolfe
Publisher: Ruby Lioness Press
Pub Date: May 11, 2012
ebook
ISBN:  9781938397103


My rating: 5.0/5.0

My Review:
Finding Home is a lovely romance novella. I love that it can be read quickly yet it's a fully satisfying romantic read. I enjoyed getting to know Julie and Mark in the setting of Clearwater. The small town made a great backdrop for the story (I'm a sucker for small towns with nosy and good people).

Even though this is short in length, I still felt like I got a good feel for both of the main characters. The background built slowly so I could get to know them and they could get to know each other (well slow for a novella). Nothing between them ever felt forced or hurried. I felt the author paced the friendship and romance between Mark and Julie very well and made it very believable. She also created a great antithesis to Mark with Jeremy.

Great romance, a few spicy scenes, and a warm lovey feeling is what I felt left with when I finished Finding Home and that's exactly what I wanted going into the book. Ms. Wolfe has written a delightful novella that will satisfy any romance readers heart and make them sigh with longing and love at the end of the book. I'm also excited to hear there will be another book set in Clearwater later and we'll get to see more of Julie and Mark. Please hurry up and write Ms. Wolfe!

About Finding Home:
Julie Miller has returned to her home in Clearwater, Wyoming after discovering she is pregnant. All she wants is her mother to comfort her after her boyfriend told her to either have an abortion or leave. The only problem is, when she gets to her mother’s house, she doesn’t find her mom—she finds a half-naked man cooking breakfast.

Mark Thomas has moved to Clearwater to escape his past. He needs a fresh start to try and forget the things that haunt him, and Clearwater seems like the perfect place.

As if it isn’t bad enough that Julie doesn’t find her mother, a blizzard buries the town, and she is snowed in with Mark. Leaving them no choice, they begin a friendship while trying to resist the attraction they feel for one another.

Once the snow melts, Julie is free to leave. Will she choose to start a life in Clearwater or run back to New York? Meanwhile, Mark struggles to let go of his past and, if he does, is Julie his future?

Buy Links: Amazon / Nook / Smashwords / Ruby Lioness Press / All Romance

Excerpt:

The sun shined brightly through the windows. Julie wished now she had noticed the blinds were open last night. Pulling the sheets over her face, she closed her eyes for a few more minutes as she tried to wake up.

Finally, after battling with herself, she climbed out of the bed. She put her jeans back on and then pulled her hair up in a ponytail. A sudden urge to use the restroom took over, and she rushed toward the bathroom. This was something new—no bladder control. She didn’t expect to already have to pee so much.

She quickly brushed her teeth then made sure everything was tidy as though she hadn’t been there. Grabbing her suitcase, she left the room. She expected to find Chloe up front, but she was nowhere to be seen. So she stopped by the front desk and scribbled a note, thanking Chloe for the stay and saying they would talk soon. After all, she was going to need someone during this process. As young girls, she and Chloe had always gotten along.

Outside, the sun was bright. There was a chill to the air, however. The few clouds in the sky were thick and fluffy. She bet there would be a light snow shower before the day was over. In fact, she was surprised to not see any snow on the ground yet. It would be anytime now.

The drive to her mother’s house was short. She lived on the older side of town, and it was unchanged except that the trees had gotten taller.

Julie was excited to see her mom. It had been almost a year since she’d seen her.  Julie had flown her out last Christmas to visit her in New York City. She’d taken her mother everywhere, showing her every tourist spot there was to see. Her mother had loved it and said it had always been a dream of hers to travel. Julie hoped one day her mother would get to. Her father had died about ten years ago, and her mother had never remarried. She had a few close friends, though, and maybe one day they would all get together and travel.  But for now, Julie needed her mom. She couldn’t wait to have her mother embrace her and hold her tight, telling her it would all work out.

She pulled up to the house. It looked the same. A small ranch-style home painted a light blue color. It was time for a fresh coat of paint, that was sure. Perhaps she could get someone out here in the spring to spruce the place up. Her mother’s car wasn’t in its usual spot but instead pulled over near the picket fence. A pick-up truck sat where the car was usually parked. Maybe something was wrong with the vehicle, and she was borrowing the truck.

Climbing out of the car, Julie could smell bacon. A smiled crossed her face. Her mom was cooking breakfast. Shutting the car door quickly, she went up the front steps two at a time. As she turned the doorknob, she found it locked. Groaning, she dug through her purse until she found the key to the house and let herself in.

Loud music blared through the house. It was set to a local country station. This was so unlike her mother. In fact, as Julie looked around the living room and saw how untidy it was, she wondered if she was in the right house. Following the smell of food, she stepped into the kitchen. Julie froze. A half-naked man stood at the stove, flipping pancakes. It was as if he sensed he was no longer alone. He turned, and Julie thought she was going to faint.

“Hi,” the man said.

“Who the hell are you, and where is my mother?” Julie demanded.



***I received this book from the author through Sizzling PR for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***

Author Interview: Lacey Wolfe (Finding Home)



Today I welcome Lacey Wolfe, author of the novella Finding Home which I am featuring today.  I will start today with an interview and come later today will post the review of Finding Home, a wonderful love story. The tagline in the banner really does describe it best, "A little dash of sweet with a whole lot of spice."


Thanks for joining us today Lacey.



Describe the area you write in.
Currently, it’s wherever I can find a quiet corner. But, we are closing on our new home soon and I plan to set up an office in my bedroom. We have a cut out with a big window that I think it will be the perfect place for me and inspiration as I watch the people in the neighborhood.

What's your favorite season?
Fall. I’m a GA girl so that means temperatures in the 70’s.

Describe your ideal reading space (no expense spared here).
A big comfy chair with a blanket and one of my kitties. I want to be somewhere that if I doze off, it really doesn’t matter.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
I’d love to visit where the amish live as well as go west. I’ve never really left the south except to visit family in the north.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
Its something I always wanted to do, but was too scared of the Big Six houses and all the traveling that might follow. My kids are young and I don’t want to be away from them. When I discovered the world of ebooks, I thought I’d give it a try. And so far, I’ve been very happy. I love writing and telling stories and I like that I can get stories to my readers quickly this way.

How would you describe yourself?
If you know me, I’m talkative. Otherwise I’m pretty quiet.

What's the first sentence in Finding Home?
The first one is a little boring. So here are the first three.

Welcome to Clearwater, Wyoming. We hope you enjoy your visit.

Julie Miller rolled her eyes as she passed the sign that welcomed her back to her hometown

Tell us what is Finding Home about.
Finding Home is about a woman who basically needs her mom. She finds out she is pregnant and returns to her hometown to get the advice from her mom after her boyfriend dumps her. Only, I had to make it much more complicated. She doesn’t find her mom. She instead finds a half-naked man in the kitchen instead.

Dish, who’s your favorite character?
I loved Mark, the hero of the story. He is full of pain from his past and Julie changes everything in his life.

Mark is amazing, I really enjoyed how you wrote him.  Sometimes the heroes of romance novels seem to take a backseat, but not Mark, he's strong, he's good-looking and he's just what every woman wants in a man.

How did you feel when you finished Finding Home?
I know I wrote this story, but this is one of those ones I love. I think this story is sweet, full of love, as well as pain. I cried some while I wrote it. And when it finished, I didn’t want it to end. Luckily, I have another sweet romance that will follow this one and its called Bare Necessities. Readers will see Julie and Mark again when Julie’s cousin Ava moves to Clearwater to open a lingerie shop.

Oh good - I didn't want it to end, so I'm glad I'll see more of Clearwater and Julie and Mark!

For all of us impatient readers, what is up next for you?
The third book Accidental Love, in my Hot Bods erotic series just released. And I have a BDSM novella, Bound By Pleasure releasing in August. Finding Home is a sweet romance and I believe Bare Necessities will be releasing in October.

Thanks Lacey for joining us today!

About Finding Home:
Julie Miller has returned to her home in Clearwater, Wyoming after discovering she is pregnant. All she wants is her mother to comfort her after her boyfriend told her to either have an abortion or leave. The only problem is, when she gets to her mother’s house, she doesn’t find her mom—she finds a half-naked man cooking breakfast.

Mark Thomas has moved to Clearwater to escape his past. He needs a fresh
start to try and forget the things that haunt him, and Clearwater seems like
the perfect place. 


As if it isn’t bad enough that Julie doesn’t find her mother, a blizzard buries the town, and she is snowed in with Mark. Leaving them no choice, they begin a friendship while trying to resist the attraction they feel for one another.


Once the snow melts, Julie is free to leave. Will she choose to start a life in Clearwater or run back to New York? Meanwhile, Mark struggles to let go of his past and, if he does, is Julie his future?


Waiting On Wednesday (27)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I found this one in my Shelf Awareness newsletter last week and it sounds amazing. I have found myself drawn to WWII novels lately (must be my husband's influence) and this just sounds intriguing, gripping and so many other adjectives that I can't wait to get my hands on it!


City of Women by David R. Gillham
Release Date:  August 7, 2012

It is 1943—the height of the Second World War. With the men taken by the army, Berlin has become a city of women. And while her husband fights on the Eastern Front, Sigrid Schröder is, for all intents and purposes, the model soldier’s wife: She goes to work every day, does as much with her rations as she can, and dutifully cares for her meddling mother-in-law, all the while ignoring the horrific immoralities of the regime.

But behind this façade is an entirely different Sigrid, a woman who dreams of her former Jewish lover, who is now lost in the chaos of the war.

Sigrid’s tedious existence is turned upside down when she finds herself hiding a mother and her two young daughters—whom she believes might be her lover’s family—and she must make terrifying choices that could cost her everything.

Doesn't that sound really great?  What are you waiting on this week?