So Tough To Tame by Victoria Dahl

Photo Credit: Harlequin Books

Tough to tame, but not too tough to love… Charlie Allington is supposed to be on the fast track to the top-a small-town girl who was making it big in her career. Instead, she’s reeling from a scandal that’s pretty much burned all her bridges. Now, out of options, she needs a place to lick her wounds and figure out her future. True, working at a ski resort in rugged Jackson Hole, Wyoming, isn’t her dream job. But if there’s one perk to coming back, it’s a certain sexy hometown boy who knows how to make a girl feel welcome.

Cowboy Walker Pearce never expected a grown-up Charlie to be temptation in tight jeans. She’s smart and successful-way out of league for a man like him. But he’s not about to let that, or his secrets, get in the way of their blazing-hot attraction. Yet when passion turns to something more, will the truth-about both of them-send her out of his life for good…or into his arms forever?

Summary from Goodreads.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Ahh.. So Tough To Tame is a book that is leaving me conflicted. When I was approved for an e-galley of So Tough To Tame, I had been on a lucky streak with romance books- The Sassy Belles trilogy, Sleigh Belles in the Snow, and A Seaside Christmas (all that I really enjoyed). So, I happily downloaded this book and set about to reading So Tough To Tame. Except, I didn’t quite connect with all the characters. There were a couple who were annoying me (the landlady being one of them!) But I kept on with the book. Then I set it aside for awhile. I picked it back up and was able to enjoy some of the story of Charlie and Walker.

Victoria Dahl is taking a tried and true storyline- secrets and attraction, throwing in 2 people who are damaged, and creating a story that does hit the mark for most romance storylines. Sexy, romance, secrets, good-looking characters- check, check, check, check! However, I can’t say I 100% enjoyed it. Maybe, cowboys aren’t my thing?

If you are looking for a romance to try and like a storyline that has secrets and complicated situations (and a cowboy!), then So Tough To Tame is probably right up your alley!

*This book was requested through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Murder With Ganache by Lucy Burdette

Photo Credit: Goodreads

This book was sent to Traveling With T in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Murder With Ganache

Hayley Snow, food critic, maid of honor for her BFF’s Connie upcoming wedding, cupcake maker and referee for her family’s tiffs with one another, has her hands full. Trying to juggle all that is giving Hayley fits and that is before her stepbrother, Rory, turns up missing. Rory left that night to walk Duvall Street a bit and when he never returns, Hayley is mad. Then worried. The next day, when Rory is found- unconscious and beaten- Hayley kows there is trouble. And getting to bottom of trouble happens to be her speciality.

While Rory is in the hospital, Hayley tries to find clues to help piece together the night before. When Hayley finds a dead teenage girl’s body- she gets a sinking feeling. What happened to Rory that night? And how does this girl’s body play into it?

With Haley’s family up in arms over the Rory situation- you’d think Hayley would be relieved that Connie postponed her wedding- nope, not even a bit. Because she can smell a rat and can’t decide how Connie’s father showing up for the wedding festivities might play in the postponement?

And, on the work front, Hayley’s cute boss, Wally, says he supports her and family comes first- but he keeps throwing more work at her while she’s dealing with the other fires. What gives, Wally?

All in all, what’s a girl to do? Why go to her favorite tarot reader, of course. But, when that fails, Hayley finds a new one and gets a whole new look at life. If she can live long enough to enjoy it, that is.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Cute. Fun. Love Hayley. The recipes are yummy sounding and the setting of Key West is sublime. There is a good mystery and some sparks of romance to keep this story going. By the end of the story, readers will want to book a flight to Key West to join Hayley for some Café Con Leche and trip to see Hemingway’s cats (which Evinrude does not appreciate!)

If you like cozy mysteries, I highly recommend you discovering the world of Hayley Snow, food critic. If you already are a fan of Hayley’s- you’ll love this!

Now pass me a dessert and find Lorenzo to read my tarot cards while I impatiently await the next Key West Food Critic mystery!

*Thanks to Lucy Burdette for sending Traveling With T a copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Literary Friday, ya’ll…….

Friday, Friday, Friday… Someone play the song “Friday, I’m In Love” by The Cure 🙂 (I love that song!)

Ok, back to the bookish things now that I’ve chair-danced for a bit….

1. Deep South Magazine and their #literaryfriday- Faulkner and Flannery, Wiley Cash, Gone With The Wind, and much more… Plus… 8 Books To Fall In Love With in February– including THE WIFE, THE MAID and THE MISTRESS by Ariel Lawhon (one of the creative geniuses behind She Reads!) Read here for more info about book and the details on the upcoming Twitter chat- where you could win a copy!

2. In case you missed the good news– Me, Traveling With T, got the very good news the other day (I totally felt like Charlie when he got the last golden ticket!) Confused? Curious? Here it is: I’m going to be a World Book Night Giver! So excited! Myself and several bloggy friends got the great news the other day- and let me inform you: Waiting all day on the news because your mom married someone with basically the last letter of the alphabet kind of sucks. (Right? Anyone feel my pain on this?)

3. It’s been cold. No, this is not news. I know. It’s February. But, seeing this picture the other day has made my heart long for Spring and the first flowers and the butterflies and all the goodness of Spring!

4. Traveling With T has a copy of DAYS OF WINE AND ROQUEFORT to give away! Go enter. Now. I’ll wait. Seriously.

5. Valentine’s Day is 1 week away- read about Traveling With T likes and dislikes Valentine’s Day.

6. What are your #fridayreads? I’m reading THE WIFE, THE MAID, and THE MISTRESS by Ariel Lawhon.

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Guess Who Is A World Book Night Giver?

Guess who has 2 thumbs, loves books and got selected as a World Book Night Giver? Yep, that’s right- THIS GAL. Excuse me while I dance around a bit, sing a song and throw some confetti……

Ok I’m back! Very excited! What is World Book Night you ask? Well here is the technical info, the official info (straight from the website’s mouth). But, basically, World Book Night wants to share the love of reading- so they pick a selection of books, people apply to be givers, and then the givers hand out 20 copies of a book they were selected to hand out. But, you are to hand out the book to light readers/non readers or people who do not have access to books. How cool is that? Sharing the love of reading! Continue reading →

Weekend in Granbury, TX- a weekend filled with bookish delights

A few weeks ago, it was time for Unofficial Booktopia. What is Unofficial Booktopia, you ask? Well, Unofficial Booktopia is a play on Official Booktopia (hosted by the fantastic Books on The Nightstand). How did it all start? A few of us met in Oxford, MS back in 2012- and we became fast friends- discussing books, going out for drinks, and just having a good time. After that weekend, we all stayed in touch through the power of social media and monthly phone chats. Unofficial Booktopia happened, though, because in 2013- none of the Booktopia sites were close for 2 of us to get to be able to attend (basically, it was a wing and a prayer kind of thing). So, one suggested- let’s get together in Jackson, MS (home to Lemuria Books). So we began the plan and it worked! We all managed to get together (and engage in some literary hijinks!) We had such a good time that Unofficial Booktopia was born- and this year, it was in Texas. Continue reading →

How I cannot wait for Spring….

I like to take pictures. Actually love to take pictures is really more accurate. Today, on a cold day, a day that is overcast and kind of drab- I find this picture. A picture that reminds me that spring, butterflies and flowers are not as far off as they seem. And that makes me happy.

Are you counting down the days till Spring? Or is winter more your season?

Guest Post: Avery Aames, author of Days of Wine and Roquefort (plus giveaway!)

Today, as part of the Days of Wine and Roquefort by Avery Aames blog tour sponsored by Escape With Dollycas, Traveling With T has Avery Aames stopping by with a guest post for you foodies and a giveaway for you readers! Avery’s sharing her recipe for Roquefort Bosc Pear Quiche (and doesn’t it look fab?)

Guest Post from Avery Aames:

SAY CHEESE, ANYONE?

From Avery Aames aka Daryl Wood Gerber

People often ask: where do you get your ideas? For one, I have a very vivid imagination. It scares my husband sometimes. I often think: what if? What if that woman is really a spy? What if that man is having an affair?

When I write A Cheese Shop Mystery, however, I start with what cheese? The cheese makes me come up with a fun title, like DAYS OF WINE AND ROQUEFORT (a play on the old movie, “Days of Wine and Roses”). And then I think, what if?

At the beginning of book five in the series, Charlotte’s cousin Matthew and his twins have moved out of her house, and she’s now alone. What if she decided to finally get to all her to-do projects? What if one day she came home to find a friend of Matthew’s, a former sommelier, attacked and dying in her workshop? Between the sommelier’s hotheaded ex, the cagey owners of the winery, its jaded manager, and a wily reporter, Charlotte has her pick of suspects, but she needs to act fast—this is a mystery that only gets more dangerous with age.

Of course, Charlotte will need sustenance to solve the crime. What could be better than dining on a savory Roquefort & pear quiche?

Roquefort Bosc Pear Quiche

(Serves 6)

1 pie shell (homemade or frozen)

2-3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) Roquefort cheese (or good blue cheese)

½ cup whipping cream

3 eggs

¼ cup sour cream

1 ½ cups milk

Pinch: nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger

Pinch: salt and pepper

1 Bosc pear, peeled, sliced

1 teaspoon honey

Remove the Roquefort cheese from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

In 425 degree oven, bake the pie shell for 12-14 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven. Let cool.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, mush the Roquefort cheese with 2 tablespoons of the whipping cream. Add the rest of the cream and beat for 1 minute.

Add the eggs and beat until the mixture is blended, but not whipped to a froth. Add the sour cream, milk, spices and mix until blended.

Peel, core, and slide the Bosc pear in 6-8 slices. Arrange the slices on the bottom of the baked pie shell. Drizzle with honey. Put the pan on a baking sheet. Stir the egg and cream mixture once, then pour the mixture on the pears. Carefully move the baking sheet to the oven.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until the quiche is puffy and lightly brown on top.

Remove from oven and cool slightly for about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Question: What is your favorite snack food when working on a project or reading?

Giveaway:

Each tour participating in the DAYS OF WINE AND ROQUEFORT are getting to host their own giveaways- with 1 copy of DAYS OF WINE AND ROQUEFORT going to a lucky person (US only, sorry!)

Visit the Rafflecopter link for details on how to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Reading & Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Days of Wine and Roquefort by Avery Aames (EWD Blog Tour)

Photo Credit: Goodreads

Today, Traveling With T is a stop on the DAYS OF WINE and ROQUEFORT by Avery Aames blog tour sponsored by Escape With Dollycas. This tour has multiple stops- guest posts & giveaways! There is a big, huge tour-wide giveaway happening (with a great prize- 4 Cheese Shop Mystery Books PLUS the 1st book in the Cookbook Nook series- written by Daryl Wood Gerber, who you know as Avery Aames!) Continue reading →

Bloggers Made of AWESOME: Shannon @ River City Reading

Shannon at River City Reading is a blogger I noticed as she was interacting with 2 bloggers who I totally respect and admire. Seeing Shannon interacting with them gave me a good feeling about her- and I have not been disappointed! Her blog is smart- it’s a blog I can sit and read for hours.

Bloggers Made of AWESOME: Shannon at River City Reading

Shannon- when did you begin blogging?

February 2013, so I’m still just a baby blogger.

How did you come up with the name River City Reading?

I wanted to make a connection to Richmond, VA, the city I live in and love. Richmond calls itself the River City – so River City Reading was born!

What are your thoughts on blogging today in an ever-changing book-ish world? Are blogs helping other readers connect with good books?

Sometimes I wonder if my reviews are only reaching other bloggers or if they actually get to the more casual reader, but every once in a while there will be a great confirmation that I am helping to connect a reader with a book.

When you are not blogging (or reading!)- what do you like to do?

Working, reading and blogging definitely take up a big chunk of my time, but the rest of it goes to spending time with my husband and dog.

Do you have any #literaryconfessions?

I’m incredibly guilty of judging books by their covers. I’m very easily won over by pretty covers and can just as easily turn down a good book with a bad one.

Do you have a #literarycrush?

I don’t find myself crushing on characters, but every once in a while I’ll get a little swoony over an author!

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2014?

I’m really excited about The Last Days of California by Mary Miller, Careless People by Sarah Churchwell and The Quick by Lauren Owen.

In your opinion, what book has been the best book you have read in 2013?

Definitely The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I’m still thinking about those characters and feeling jealous of everyone else who gets to read the novel for the first time.

You have a beach vacation planned. What are the 3 books that you must bring?

Cheryl Strayed’s Tiny Beautiful Things and two new books. I very rarely re-read, except for the books I’m constantly dipping in and out of like Strayed’s advice columns.

Are you an e-book or tree book lover? Or does it not matter?

I love both equally! I usually have one book of each type going at the same time.

What has been your most liked (or shared) blog post? Why do you think it was so popular?

Book Blogging Survey Results We had so many people participate in the survey and it was just a topic that piqued so many interests.

If you could have dinner with any author (dead or alive) who would you pick? And why?

George R.R. Martin, because I totally want to pick his brain about EVERYTHING related to A Song of Ice and Fire. Did you think I would pick someone highbrow? I’m going for practicality. There are things I need to know.

Shannon, what genre is your favorite?

General contemporary fiction, but I have a soft spot for Southern fiction (specifically Southern Gothic)

As a blogger, what advice would you give to a new blogger or a person who wants to begin blogging?

I still feel too green to be giving much advice, but I would encourage everyone starting out with book blogging to jump right into the community as quickly as possible. Comment and participate without comparing yourself to others too much and you’ll realize how fun and supportive everyone can be.

Want to connect with Shannon? Visit her blog, Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook and follow her on Bloglovin!

Tuesday Mashup

The Tuesday Mashup is here- and whoo- does it have some stuff! Crafty, bloggy and giveaways!

Tally-ho and onward to Tuesday Mashup!

Giveaways:

1. Always With A Book is giving away BIG GIRL PANTIES by Stephanie Evanovich (ends TODAY! So get over there quickly!)

2. Books in the Burbs is giving away THE COMFORT OF LIES by Randy Susan Meyers (ends Feb 14th)

3. Utah Mom’s Life is giving away GIRL ON THE GOLDEN COIN by Marci Jefferson (ends Feb 7th).

4. Femmes Fatales is giving away a copy of MURDER WITH GANACHE by Lucy Burdette as well!

5. And, lastly, H2O Bungalow (and some of her bloggy folks) are giving away a $500 Visa Gift Card! What could you buy with $500? Man, I’m getting all dreamy-eyed thinking about what I would use it for! Go visit the link, and feel the “Week of Love” they are sharing with you! Good luck! (ends Feb 8th- so HURRY!) Continue reading →