There's No Coming Back From This: one woman's journey to reinvent herself

There’s No Coming Back From This by Ann Garvin is one woman’s journey to recover from a disaster and find a new greater life. As she drops her daughter off at the airport for a summer in New York City, Poppy Lively is internally crumbling. After her accountant fled with her money, leaving Poppy with a massive debt to the IRS and virtually bankrupted, Poppy is on the verge of losing everything she worked so hard for. With perhaps a work of kismet, Poppy runs into an old flame, now a big time producer, who offers her a job. A job in the costumes department on a Hollywood film set. She doesn’t know anything about costumes but willing to learn anything and with nothing to lose, she accepts. Added bonus, she is unaware of the ins and outs of Hollywood intrigue and the star status of the actors. As an outsider, Poppy stumbles across corruption with a surprising person at the center of it all. Now she is faced with a choice. Does she keep her head down and not say anything as she usually does? Or does she find the inner strength to show others not to underestimate her? 

There’s No Coming Back From This was an Amazon First Read pick and I have not read anything by Ms. Garvin before. I was intrigued by a “witty and emotional” book. I was quickly annoyed at how whiny Poppy was. Right off the bat, I did not like her. At one point, she recalls a call to the bank and she explodes at the teller because she assumed Poppy was married: “There’s no husband! What year is this?” I understand she was under immense stress, owing money to the IRS will do that, but geez louise! The main thing that really irritated me about this story is the violation of the Writing Golden Rule: “show, don’t tell.” Poppy, throughout the story, tells the reader how much of an outsider she is, how much her boss doesn’t like her and how she has grown as a person. Readers should be shown how much she is an outsider, show how much her boss doesn’t like her, etc, etc. Is she ignored? Pranked? Overall, I did not enjoy There’s No Coming Back From This. I may not be Ms. Garvin’s target audience but if you are a fan of Ms Garvin, you may enjoy this book. 

There’s No Coming Back From This is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Selling Point: when even the best of intentions can have harmful results

The Selling Point by Marci Bolden is the second book in the Chammont Point series. In this story, we see the unique Darby Zamora take center stage. She has marched to a different drum. First as an outcast in high school to the brightly dressed free spirit adult, Darby has always worked jobs that suited her unique way of life. Success hasn’t been a sure thing. With many different failed ventures under her belt, she is always looking for and willing to do the next job to reinvent herself. A former bridal seamstress, Darby gave up making custom gowns as her heart was always too big for her pocketbook. Until she comes up with an idea that would make the old new again: The Un-Do Wedding Boutique with the tagline of Her bad luck is Your great deal. Selling dresses online in her bridal consignment shop has been a success. People are lining up to buy the dresses as well as desperate brides are trying to sell their unused wedding items. It is such a success that she is featured on a popular podcast. But Darby is about to pay a steep price as someone takes offense with Darby’s use of her story to sell dresses. She must face the harsh realities of life and business. With the help of her friends, Jade and Taylor, will Darby be able to reassess her business, herself, and find her selling point? 

I loved Darby with her willingness to be so vibrant in a subdued world. But that vibrantness covers a deeply hurt and wounded soul. I related to her story as she tries to justify her actions, insisting she never intended to hurt anyone before realizing that her intentions may have been good, the results still caused pain. Throughout the story, I wanted to reach through the pages and hug Darby and fight by her side as she tries to save her business and ultimately herself. We often think of bullying as a schoolyard problem but adults still suffer from bullying known today as cancel culture. I understood the outrage against her use of the brides’ embarrassing and heartbreaking stories, I didn’t understand the argument against Darby selling the dresses she made for these weddings. But when someone has been so deeply hurt, they will take their pain out on anyone, regardless if they deserve it or not. I also loved the friendship between the three unlikely friends: Jade, the straightlaced, motherly type who is still reeling from her own heartbreak (featured in book 1) and the gruff Taylor, who has had her own share of heartbreak and disappointment (her story will hopefully be featured in the upcoming book 3). Overall, I enjoyed the story of being true to yourself, friendship and finding your purpose. I highly recommend The Selling Point. 

The Selling Point is available in eBook

The Chammont Point series

The Restarting Point, book 1, is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Breaking Point, book 3, coming soon

My name is Venus Black: a young adult story I could not finish

My Name is Venus Black by Heather Lloyd is the story of Venus Black, who at the age of 13, committed a crime which has her incarcerated until she’s 18. During her incarceration, her half-brother, Leo, goes missing. After 5 and half years, she’s released, and she slowly tries to rebuild her life, putting her past behind her and creating a new identity. As her old life begins to remerge in her new one, Venus must find a way to truly leave the past behind her in order to move forward. Will she be able to move past her crime? Will she be able to find her brother after so many years?

Unfortunately, My Name is Venus Black is a book I could not finish. With seven parts, 51 chapters and multiple points of view, it became way too long and too muddled that I found myself getting bored and not caring about Venus, her crime or her life after incarceration. The book is marketed as young adult book which I don’t like it’s why I couldn’t finish it as I’ve read a decent amount of young adult books and was entertained. I cannot recommend My Name is Venus Black. The book started with a great idea, but it didn’t live up to it.

My Name is Venus Black

is available in hardcover and eBook

The Promise Kitchen: a story of two women's drive to achieve their dreams

The Promise Kitchen by Peggy Lampman is the story of two women who comes from different areas, different lifestyles and must reinvent themselves for the best. Shelby Preston lives with her young daughter and her mother in a rural town in Georgia. She follows the food column of Mallory Lakes and dreams of becoming a chef. When the opportunity arises for her to follow her dream, she must leave her daughter with her mother and move to Atlanta. There she struggles with life in the city, missing her daughter and trying to pursue her dreams. Mallory Lakes learns that the newspaper she works for is folding. She has the idea to turn her food column into an online daily blog for the paper. She also struggles with the recent breakup with her longtime boyfriend and her best friend seems to be drifting from her life. Life in Atlanta brings the lives of Shelby and Mallory together until the two united after a life-altering incident. Will Shelby fulfill her dream of becoming a chef? Will Mallory be able to get her life back on track and do what she loves?

The Promise Kitchen is a very touching story. I enjoyed Shelby’s journey more than Mallory’s. A young mother who is willing to sacrifice and work hard for the benefit of herself and her daughter. Mallory’s journey is one of reinvention and personal crisis which causes her to confront a situation she never gave any thought to before. Overall, the book kept my attention. I wanted to see both women succeed and overcome the adversity they face. I also enjoyed that the author included every recipe that is mentioned in the book at the end of the story. So if you were interested in cooking these delicious meals, you could. I recommend The Promise Kitchen.

The Promise Kitchen

will be available September 27, 2016

on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

in paperback, audiobook and Kindle