WINNER and Runner-Up of the 2015 Romance Book Award

The 2015 Golden Rose Book Award for Romance went to

Lynne Shelby with French Kissing

Meet Lynne

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing, and my ambition was always to be a published author. I write contemporary romance, because that’s what I like reading the most. In January 2015 I was thrilled to win the Accent Press & Woman Magazine Writing Competition with my debut novel ‘French Kissing.’ I love travelling and I’m inspired to write by the many wonderful foreign cities that I’ve visited and explored , with a camera and writer’s notebook in hand – Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid, Venice, New York, Copenhagen, Berlin and of course Paris, the city which inspired me to write ‘French Kissing’

Discover Lynne on Twitter @LynneB1

Book Description – French Kissing published by Accent Press

Anna Mitchel has been writing letters to her French penfriend, Alexandre Tourville, for fifteen years, but hasn’t seen him since an exchange trip when they were at school. But when Alex, now a successful photographer, has the opportunity to work in London, Anna offers him a place to stay but is astounded that the small, geeky boy she remembers is now tall, broad-shouldered and gorgeous, and has just broken up with his long-term girlfriend.

Anna’s female friends are soon swooning over Alex’s Gallic charm, and Anna’s boyfriend Nick is becoming extremely jealous of their friendship. Then Alex has to return to Paris to oversee the hanging of his photographs in an exhibition, and invites Anna to accompany him so that he can show her the city he adores…

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Silver Award went to

Patricia Sands and her book The Promise of Provence

Meet Patricia

Patricia Sands lives in Toronto, Canada, when she isn’t somewhere else. An admitted travel fanatic, she can pack a bag in a flash and be ready to go anywhere … particularly if it’s the south of France. Most winters are now spent in south Florida.

Patricia’s published novels include: The Bridge Club (2010) and the Love In Provence Book Series ~ The Promise of Provence (Book #1 – 2013) and Promises To Keep (Book #2 – 2014). She has been signed to a contract with the Lake Union Publishing (women’s fiction) arm of Amazon Publishing.

Her award-winning debut novel The Bridge Club was a finalist in the Foreword Reviews 2010 Book of The Year (general fiction), 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards (First Novel) and 2012 Indie Excellence Book Awards.

Her second novel, The Promise of Provence, released in April 2013, received a 2013 USA Best Book Award ~ Women’s Lit Finalist and a 2014 National Indie Excellence Book Award ~ Literary Fiction Finalist, #4 in the Amazon Kindle store and #1 in three Love & Romance categories.

With a happily blended family of seven adult children and, at last count, six grandchildren, life is full and time is short. Beginning with a Kodak Brownie camera at the age of six, she has told stories all her life through photography and is seldom without a camera. When time permits, sports are also a big part of her life.

Patricia is also a sought-after speaker with women’s groups. Her messages inspire women of all ages to believe in themselves and to develop the confidence to pursue their dreams. She feels that life offers opportunities no matter what our age. A strong advocate for the importance of friendship, her writing and talks stress the value of the connections women make in their lives and how we are able to empower each other.

With a focus on women’s issues and aging, her stories celebrate the feminine spirit and the power of friendship. Her passion is bringing her message of motivation and inspiration to encourage women to value their stories and to find the strength within to approach every challenge as an opportunity.

Also a Flash Fiction Finalist (Winter 2010) with Women on Writing, her work was recently included in the anthology “Canadian Imprints” published by the Writers and Editors Network. Her travel writing can be found on the The Good Life France website and in her popular Friday blog, “If it’s Friday, it must be France…” which can be found on her website.

Find Patricia on Twitter @patricia_sands

Book Description The Promise Of Provence published by Lake Union Publishing

On the evening of her twenty-second wedding anniversary, Katherine Price can’t wait to celebrate. But instead of receiving an anniversary card from her husband, she finds a note asking for a divorce.

Fifty-five and suddenly alone, Katherine begins the daunting task of starting over. She has her friends, her aging mother, and her career to occupy her, but the future seems to hold little promise—until, after a winter of heartbreak, Katherine is persuaded to try a home exchange holiday in the South of France.

In Provence, bright fields of flowers bloom below medieval hilltop villages with winding cobblestone streets. Charmed by the picturesque countryside, the breathtaking Côte d’Azur, and the enchantment-filled boulevards of Paris, Katherine feels life opening up once again. Lavender perfumes the air, and chance encounters hint at romance and passion. But memories of heartbreak and betrayal linger—and her former life waits for her back home. Can she find the courage to begin again?

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Final congratulations to all the Romance nominees.

Helen Pollard with HOLDING BACK

Heather Hill with THE NEW MRS D

Donna Brown with PLAYING HOUSE

Emily Arden with LOVERS BY MOONLIGHT

 

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Jessie reviews Playing House by Donna Brown

Today we have a book review from team member Jessie, she blogs at http://behindthewillows.com/

Jessie chose to read and review Playing House by Donna Brown

I can be a bit of a Goldilocks when faced with a new romance novel.

I held this new book in my hand hoping it would strike just the right balance…

That it would be a love story that wasn’t too sappy, but yet not too uptight.

I wished for romantic interludes that kept the bodice ripping to a minimum, but not so much as to be puritanical.

I looked at the cute cover hoping the plot would be realistic, but not to the point of boredom.

I wanted to fall in love with the characters, yet hoped those characters would have plenty of annoying, humanizing faults.

I longed for those characters to grow through painful experiences, but not so much trauma that it becomes hard to read.

And finally, I hoped that this book would know its own length. A story should never stretch itself too long or cut things off short.

Would I recommend it? Yes. This sweetly painful, refreshingly real, novella was, decidedly, just right!

This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Diane reviews Losing Heart by Donna Brown

Today we have a review from Diane, she blogs at http://www.fictionzeal.com/

Diane chose to read and review Losing Heart by Donna Brown

Losing Heart by Donna Brown

FictionZeal’s Review:

No one knows how they will react to certain situations until said situations actually come about.  In the case of forty-five year old Helen Winslow, her heart was failing.  If she didn’t receive a donor heart, she would most certainly die within a few weeks / months leaving behind her husband, Tom, and their eighteen year old daughter, Josie.  But, Helen is one of the lucky ones.  She receives a donor heart after Sylvia Chambers, a twenty year old young lady, dies tragically in a car accident. 

After the surgery, Helen is doing well and shortly thereafter falls into bed with her surgeon, Dr. Jack Meadon.  Marian Chambers doesn’t like that.  Marian is the mother of Sylvia, whose heart now resides and beats in Helen’s chest.  Only a good person should have the heart of her precious daughter.  Marianne decides it’s time to do something about this mess.

This novel was thought provoking.  It demanded and received my full attention.  It was fast-paced and intense; a quick read at only 83 pages. However, the characters were not fully developed leaving me with as many questions as answers.  Like, why was Tom and Helen’s marriage so dysfunctional?  Why was her husband so eager to believe other people more than his wife?  How did Marian gain so much insight into stuff that she wasn’t privy to?  Although the ending was action filled, it was rather abrupt begging for an epilogue for a couple of months later.  Overall, I rated Losing Heart at 3 out of 5.  

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Terry reviews Losing Heart by Donna Brown

Today’s book review comes from Terry, she blogs at http://terrytylerbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/

Terry chose to read and review Losing Heart by Donna Brown

Losing Heart by Donna Brown

3 out of 5 stars

I’ll start by saying that this is a terrific plot, a great idea. Helen has a heart transplant but gets more than she bargains for when the mother of the donor invades her life. Marion Chambers does so in such a way that at first the reader feels sorry for her, then thinks she’s a bit full-on, then realises that there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye. That was good – I didn’t expect it. Losing Heart would make a great thriller film (something like The Hand That Rocks The Cradle) – or a novel. The problem with the book I’ve just read is that it’s crammed into novelette length.

We find out at the beginning of the story that Helen is having an affair with her doctor, Jack. There is no build up to this, or explanation for why she is being unfaithful to her husband other than a basic lack of communication. Helen comes over as a cold, selfish person who cares only about herself and her own needs, from what I could tell from the brevity of the narration, as does Jack, who keeps reassuring Helen that she is perfect and has done nothing wrong, despite the fact that she appears to consider her husband and Marion Chambers nothing more than irritating inconveniences. When Marion’s behaviour becomes more bizarre and overwhelming, however, she has a personality u-turn and just accepts it. There are some excellent opportunities for development, with a story line that is reasonably well thought out, but it just felt so rushed, as if I was reading a first or second draft, or something with the bare bones written down that is waiting to be fleshed out into a novel. Period breaks are given with small horizontal lines, but in some cases just plunge straight back into another scene without it being clear who is talking or what is going on.

To sum up, it was good enough for me to get to the end to see what happened; it has potential but needs more work and attention to structure, I think. Sorry I couldn’t be more positive about it; people who like a quick read that concentrates on events rather than character development might enjoy it more.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com