Monday, October 24, 2011

(Blog Tour) Something So Right by Elyse Mady (Review+Interview+Giveaway)


Genre:Adult, Romance
Publication.Date  September 19th 2011
Pages:161
Published By:  Carina Press
About Elyse MadyWebsite, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads

Something So Right- Goodreads
My review copy:Review copy from Kismet Bog Tours (Thank you H&D!)
Where to get: Amazon | B&N




   After having her heart broken, Lily Carver fled north to manage an upscale resort—and back to her longtime friend Sam Denning. Though she’s well aware of how hot Sam’s become, she refuses to risk her heart again. No matter how incredible his kisses make her feel…

Sam’s been in love—and lust—with Lily since the summer they met. When he finally shows her how much he wants her, Lily can’t resist his seduction. But Sam’s a forever kind of a guy and she’s only interested in temporary, painless relationships.

Lily thinks she can protect both their hearts with a short affair to let their passion run its course, something where they both know the rules and can explore the sparks between them without getting burned. But their best laid plans are put to the test by their undeniable attraction—and by a secret Sam’s been keeping from Lily that could ruin everything.
(goodreads.com)









    
     Something So Right was a cute, enjoyable, short read. And that about sums it up. It's a fast-paced romance, with a decent amount of steaminess and sexual tension. It's one of those books that is fun to read on a long, cold evening, when you're sitting in your comfy chair, wrapped up in a blanket with a hot cup of chocolate in your hand. It makes a great experience. It's nice. Not exactly a mind-blowing piece of literature, but a decent short novel with a solid plot, likable characters and love that is both sweet and hot at the same time.

      Sam Denning and Lily Carver are long time best friends. Sam was always around to help whenever Lily needed him. They are both undeniably attracted to each other yet neither of them is willing to take the first step and actually turn their friendship into something even more meaningful. They both want it. Deep inside they know they are perfect for each other. They fantasize about each other (and trust me when I say, these fantasies will make your cheeks burn!), have fun together and support each other in times of need. What's sweeter than a romance that develops from an already wonderful and strong friendship? If only things were that simple! Lily was recently hurt, she carries a lot of baggage and she's can't seem to be able to put the past behind her. She's damaged and unwilling to throw herself into yet another potentially hurtful relationship. There are no obvious reasons to believe that Sam would treat her with anything else than love and respect, but we all know how it works: once bitten, twice shy. Not to mention that it never even crossed her mind that Sam could possibly be interested in her or return her feelings in any way. Unfortunately, the same goes for Sam. He doesn't want to make a move, because what is she doesn't like him back? He could lose his best friend and he certainly doesn't want that! And so we're stuck in a loop, with two people who love each other and don't really know what to with that. What will happen to these two? Curious? Read Something So Right and find out for yourself. It's definitely worth it. There's a lot going on on these 160 pages, more than you could imagine!

      What I liked the best about this story? Sam. He was so fan-freaking-tastic! So sensitive, caring, supportive, loving, warm, cheerful.. Not to mention totally gorgeous! A perfect man in every way! Where do you get a guy like that?! Lily, on the other hand, well, she went through a lot and didn't quite know how to deal with all that. She wasn't exactly my favorite heroine. I didn't like the way she acted and some of her decisions were simply hard for me to understand, but in the end I kind of got where it was coming from. I wished she was a little bit more open and trusting and wouldn't be so consistent in pushing Sam away or determined not to assign meaning to whatever was happening between the two of them. I mean, yeah, I get that you went through some heavy crap and you're having trouble getting over it, but cut the guy some slack. He's not just any random guy met on the street, he's your best friend. Someone who was always there for you! And he's so freaking hot! :)

      But these are just minor annoyances, nothing that would make me want to throw the book out the window or shred it to pieces with gardening scissors. I genuinely liked Something So Right. It was a charming, sweet little read. It's not the most beautiful love story ever, nor is it some sort of life-changing, heart-wrenching epic romance, but it doesn't aspire to be one at all. It's a simple, cute love story, filled with some cheek-reddening scenes and vivid, realistic descriptions. The plot is solid, the characters are believable, the storytelling is smooth - I don't know about you guys, but in my world that makes a pretty awesome book!
I'm excited to read more of Elyse Mady's books and I'm definitely going to be picking one up soon!


And now, my beloved readers, it's time for an interview with the fabulous writer! Please give a warm welcome to Elyse Mady!

E: Evie
EM: Elyse Mady
 
E: Welcome to Bookish, Elyse! I'm very excited to talk to you today~
EM: And I’m thrilled to be here! Thanks for letting me visit.
E: Can you tell us who or what inspired you to write "Something So Right"?
EM: I don’t think there was any one ‘a-ha’ moment for this new book. It was more a case of writer’s question-itis. That’s the game writer’s like to play with themselves where they ask ‘I wonder what would happen if…” In this case, I started wondering about how men and women find love after leaving an abusive relationship. We all carry baggage into a new relationship – it’s a romantic novel stock in trade! – but what happens when it’s something really, truly devastating? How do you recover from that and learn to love (and perhaps even more critically) trust again?

That’s where Lily came from. And once I had her, Sam was right there, telling me all about himself.

It wasn’t an easy story to write. I wanted to respect the real life experiences of survivors of abuse and at the same time, let Sam and Lily find the happiness they deserved. I think I’ve done that. I certainly hope my readers agree.
E: Are any of your characters based on people in your own life?  Which of them do you think is most like you?
EM: My standard answer to this is ‘only the people I don’t like’ :) Then yes, the horrible person who gets run over by a dump truck in chapter 10? Drawn from life. Everyone else is an amalgam. There are certainly elements of each of them in me: for instance, in ‘Learning Curves’, Leanne is a grad student. I was a grad student when I wrote the book. In ‘Something So Right’, Lily loves licorice allsorts and ‘Roman Holiday’. Guilty as charged. But I wouldn’t say they’re me, so much as they’re parts of me.

That said, it was great to write a story set in northern Canada. I’m Canadian and I like seeing the geography and the people and the culture in a book. That’s one of the printed word’s most important jobs, I think, to show readers from abroad new places and to show the readers who are from that country something of themselves, too.
E: What's the most compelling part of writing to you, creating the story or getting to know your characters?
EM: My characters come to me first. I tell people they walk around in my head and it’s true. They really do. Sometimes I feel like I’m the ‘mini-van’ for a whole load of people with relationship issues. They have arguments and memories and sexy encounters, with no regard for the fact that it’s my brain they’re tromping around in. Lousy houseguests but great fodder for me all the same:)
E: Are you a plotter or a pantser?
EM: A reformed pantser, I think. Before I published, I was very much an organic growth, write it out of order kind of girl. But once you sign on as a published author and have deadlines and schedules and promotional considerations and a whole apparatus waiting for your creative output, you have to write. I’ve gotten better (not perfect – better) at sketching outlines and trying to resolve plot points before I write myself into a corner through synopsis and the like. I still don’t write in order though. I quite often write the middle or even the end before I write the first chapter.

My out of order writing aside, it’s a discipline. Agatha Christie said it so well when she wrote about being a professional writer. “There was a moment when I changed from an amateur to a professional. I assumed the burden of a profession, which is to write even when you don't want to, don't much like what you're writing, and aren't writing particularly well.”

That’s me. Writing is something I do, whether I want to or not some days, like going to the gym or filing your paper work. It doesn’t negate the creative flashes – those are still critical. Without them, your work is bland – but creative flashes and intuition have to be supported and nurtured. You can write one book with nothing but them. Twelve? Twenty? Impossible.
E: What the strangest thing you've ever had a character do in a story?
EM: Brandon, the hero in my last contemporary, was a male exotic dancer. That was an interesting research task, to be sure. Very…um…eye-opening?? But by and large the characters I write about are very real, even in the historicals. No tall buildings scaled, no transmogrification into exotic, hairy beast. Just their lives at a moment when they’re falling (or trying not to fall, in Lily and Sam’s case) in love.
E: What’s next in line for you? Are you working on a new book now?
EM: Yes, yes and yes. Finished my next historical, “The White Swan Affair”, which will be coming out in May, 2012. It’s great. It’s a Regency but based on a real life criminal trial that took place in 1810, so I’ve really enjoyed both the writing and the research involved. It’s been very absorbing.

Then in the WIP pile, I’m in the early stages of a sequel to “Learning Curves”. I’ve had so many people want to know what happens to Leanne and Brandon that I’ve started writing a new story about Jeremy (the duped bridegroom) and his new love interest. She’s already one of my favourite new characters and she and Jeremy are fantastic together. We’ll get some glimpses of Lee and Brandon and it’s been so wonderful to revisit them.

And I’m also about a quarter of the way through a prequel to “The Debutante’s Dilemma”. Georgiana’s story this time. And the man she falls so unfortunately in love with (and she does consider it a misfortune because they start off disliking each other intensely) is a wonderful stuffed shirt who thinks marriage and love are for the poor saps who couldn’t get out of their Almack vouchers fast enough. He’s wrong, of course, but lots of sexy sparks ensue.
E: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
EM:  Write. Write. Write. Your book has to be yours and not everyone will like it or think it’s a fit. You have to believe in what you’re writing because if you don’t, who will?
E: Which of your favorite books would you recommend everybody to read?
EM:  You want me to choose one? Geez, save the hard question for last. OK. So in keeping with the Can-Lit theme I’ve got going, I’m recommending Margaret Atwood’s haunting historical novel, “Alias Grace’. It’s about a real-life murder that took place in Canada in the 19th century. It stays with you after you’ve read it.
fun random questions:

- white or dark chocolate?
Dark.
- coffee or tea?
Tea.  I don’t drink coffee at all.
- favorite character?
Anne Elliot from “Persuasion”
- M&Ms or Skittles?
M&Ms
- guilty pleasure?
My fabric stash.  When I’m not writing, I love to sew and let’s just say that my collection of fabrics is healthy.
- ebook or printed copy?
If it has words, I’m happy.

Elyse, thank you so much for joining us today! 
It was a great pleasure for me to read and review your book, I had a lot of fun!
Looking forward to reading your next books!


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About Elyse Mady - website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads

Elyse Mady is the author of “Learning Curves” and “The Debutante’s Dilemma”, both with Carina Press. Upcoming books include “Something So Right” (September, 2011) and “The White Swan Affair” (2012). She blogs at http://www.elysemady.com. You can also find her on Twitter at @elysemady and Goodreads.

In addition to her writing commitments, Elyse also teaches film and literature at a local community college. In her free time she enjoys (well, enjoys might be too strong a word – perhaps pursues with dogged determination would be better) never ending renovations on their century home with her intrepid husband and two boys.

With her excellent writerly imagination, she one day dreams of topping the NY Times Bestseller’s List and reclaiming her pre-kid body without the bother of either sit-ups or the denunciation of ice-cream.

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~GIVEAWAYS~

Contest Info: Elyse is offering two give-aways for her tour!

The first give-away is a daily one.  Each tour stop can give away an eCopy of either The Debutante’s Dilemma, Learning Curves or Something So Right to any of the commenters on the post.  Open internationally!

To enter this giveaway please leave a comment on this post and tell me which book you'd like to win!
You can find the info about Dilemma and Learning Curves below. 
Open to everyone, as long as you're a follower of my blog.
Please don't forget to include your email address!
Ends: November 1st

Leanne Galloway has no time for dating; her focus is on launching her academic career. Dragged along to her childhood frenemy Gillian's bachelorette party at a male strip club, she just wants to get through the evening—but she can't help interfering when Gillian sends a note to a sexy dancer proposing a hot hookup.Brandon Myles is working backstage at the Foxe's Den to fund his post-graduate studies in dance, but he's forced onstage when the headliner fails to show up. He feels a surprisingly strong connection with a quiet woman watching from a table full of tipsy bridesmaids, and he's delighted when she appears backstage after his set.
After a scorching spontaneous encounter, Leanne and Brandon agree to go their separate ways. But they're both grad students on a small campus, and avoiding each other and denying their attraction won't work for long, especially when a jealous rival appears, determined to ruin both their academic careers.



One woman in search of passion
Miss Cecilia Hastings has achieved what every young lady hopes for during her first London season…in duplicate! She’s caught the eye of not one but two of England’s most eligible bachelors. Both Jeremy Battersley, Earl of Henley, and Richard Huxley, Duke of Wexford are handsome, wealthy and kind, the epitome of proper gentlemen. But Cecelia doesn’t want proper, she wants passion. So she issues a challenge to her suitors: a kiss, so that she may choose between them.
Two men in love with the same woman
Friends since childhood, and compatriots on the battlefields of Spain, falling for the same woman has set Jeremy and Richard at odds, and risks destroying their friendship forever. But a surprising invitation to a late-night garden tryst soon sets them on a course that neither of them could have anticipated. And these gentlemen quickly discover that love can take many forms…


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The second give-away is a grand prize pack of a a gorgeous hardcover photography book about Muskoka history, a beautiful set of Group of Seven mugs, a set of note cards and some Canadian maple syrup!
Comments from each tour stop also act as an entry into this grand prize give-away.  Open US/Canada.  See full contest rules here.


 If you're entering this giveaway as well, please mention that in your comment.
Please also specify whether you're from US or Canada~

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Tour Schedule:

Tuesday, October 18th - Grace, Books Like Breathing
Wednesday, October 19th - Rowena, Book Binge
Thursday, October 20th - Sophia, Fiction Vixen
Friday, October 21st - Cindy, Oodles of Books
Monday, October 24th - Loretta, Between the Pages
Tuesday, October 25th - Evie, Bookish
Wednesday, October 26th - Jodie, Riverina Romantics
Thursday, October 27th - Julie, A Tale of Many Reviews
Friday, October 28th - Alyssa, Hesperia Loves Books
Monday, October 31st - Janie, Colloquium
Wednesday, November 2nd - Hikari, Imaginary Reads
Thursday, November 3rd - Shannon, Cocktails and Books
Friday, November 4th - Stella, Ex Libris

Tuesday, November 8th -Grand prize announcement on Elyse MadyÆs blog!

Thank You Kismet Blog Touring for organizing this fantastic blog tour and letting me be a part of it! :)
Heather and Danny - you rock!!!


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About the Author
Evie is the Blogger behind Bookish. She enjoys reading many different genres, especially YA, Paranormal, Contemporary Fiction and Fantasy.
She loves talking to authors and is always happy to welcome them for interviews, and guest posts. She also likes spreading the love for awesome books and  chatting with fellow book-worms.
You can find Evie here: Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Shelfari | The Library Thing

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

0o0o!
Enter me in for the exclusive prize pack!

Wow, Evie, this blog tour post is chock full of awesome! I really loved your review. Something So Right sounds fantastic!


-Wendy from A Cupcake and a Latte: YA Reviews

Bonnie said...

I love that you are featuring another Canadian author! We are starting to get a true Canadian fall around here and I can just imagine myself curled up in front of the fireplace reading this book!

Thanks so much for the giveaway Evie! I would love to win a copy of Something So Right! ;) And that prize pack looks fantastic!

Alexa S. said...

Your interview with Elyse was pretty cute! I loved getting to know her a little bit.

I'd love to win a copy of The Debutante's Dilemma. Sounds mighty intriguing to me...

Danny said...

Awww Thanks Evie for the Shout Out!!! We are glad you enjoy the Tour. But we also have to thank you for this fantastic Tour Stop!
Cheers!
Danny

AliPeli said...

I would like to win Learning Curv
GFC - alipeli
alipeli2010(at)gmail(dot)com

Carmen Shaw said...

Learning curves sounds really good and I love the cover! Thanks for the opportunity! Ooh and the prize pack, looks cool!

Carmen Shaw said...

forgot the email lol
shae_carcar(at)yahoo(dot)com

roro said...

I would like to win Something So Right
gfc; rogier

rogcaprino at hotmail dot com

Unknown said...

Something so right sounds really interesting. the plot is cute. I hope I’ll win so I can read this:)

jenna_jcm@yahoo.com
I’m wishing to win “Something so right”.
gfc: jennachristy

thank you!

Kylie1403 said...

The Debutante's Dilemma sounds AWESOME!!!!

Kylie1403 AT gmail DOT com

Giselle said...

Oh wow this sounds incredibly cute and fun! I'd love to win the exclusive prize pack! Thanks for the review I really enjoyed the interview as well..

Giselle
Xpresso Reads

Unknown said...

the interview is amazing :) i really would love to win The Debutante’s Dilemma :)

I´m a GFC follower fo soooo long :) gfc name: Sue

email: sanna.neyma@gmail.com

Aislynn said...

Great giveaway Evie!!

I'd love to win a copy of the Debutante's Dilemma! I've always been a sucker for romance! And it sounds like an amazing read!!

Thank you!

aislynnt(at)gmail(dot)com

elaing8 said...

Great interview.
I would love to win Something So Right.It sounds really good.

Please also enter me in the Exclusive Prize Pack

I am a follower
elaing8(at)netscape(dot)net

Literary Chanteuse said...

I love to win Debutante's Dilemma. I'm a follower and in Canada. Thanks!

Margaret
singitm@hotmail.com

Cathy De Los Santos said...

First of all great interview, All the books look really great. I think I wouldn't mind having Learning Curves right now though :-)
Thanks
GFC-Boriquaz
boriquaprincess@hotmail.com
Cathy

Zoey @ Uncreatively Zoey said...

Something so Right sounds interesting =)

Seattlelover7@aim.com

Alexis @ Reflections of a Bookaholic said...

All the books sound awesome! Great interview.

reflectionsofabookaholic[at]gmail[dot]com

divavixenqueen said...

Really nice interview.
The Debutante's Dilemma sounds really interesting.

divavixenqueen(AT)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

Please enter me for for the prize pack, it looks awesome. And I'd love to win The Debutante's Dilemma. The cover looks amazing!!

Loved your review and interview. Thanks for the chance...
Sarita Lopez
isamar2122@yahoo.com

engelsigh said...

Hi Evie,

Please enter me for your prize pack...and thanks so much for stopping by my blog and entering my giveaway. My name, rasberryswrlgirl I made from a Tori Amos song...I was a HUGE fan of hers when I was younger. I really appreciate all the great book suggestions. I will look into all of those! I've read a couple books lately that you might like - The Celestra series by Addison Moore (kindle or kindle app only), The Fallen Star series by Jessica Sorenson and Mythos Academy by Jennifer Estep.

Good luck with your giveaway!

Emelie_C said...

I would love to win Dilemma and also the grand prize pack. My email address is ecomeault@hotmail.com and I am from Canada.

Aaa said...

Nice review ! I would love to read it :) and I hope the heroine is not going to disappoint me too much because I have read a lot of books with the same heroines like her , not trusting people and keep pushing people away and I kinda hate that type of girls :(

Kelly said...

ooohhh! THanks for the review. I love short and sweet romances. I am gonna go to amazon now and get a copy. Love the trailer too!

Gaby said...

Great Review! Can't wait to read this :D

Jaime Lester said...

Sometimes the best friends turning into more stories are the cutest. And this one sounds like it fits that. I like how short it is. It is a book that I could get through in no time. I might have to check this out if my TBR ever calms enough!

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