Virtual Tour/Excerpt: North to You by Tif Marcelo

In this warmhearted and charming debut, a food truck chef and 

her long lost Army love clash when they cross paths in San Francisco.

NORTH TO YOU

Journey to the Heart #1

Tif Marcelo

Releasing June 5, 2017

Pocket Star

Camille Marino has got a full plate. As the sole guardian of her eighteen-year-old sister and the head chef and owner of a food truck, she’s used to life being a juggling act. With food to cook, social media accounts to manage, and a little sister to look after, she doesn’t have time for much else.

That is, until Drew Bautista walks back into her life.

Drew is Camille’s former high school crush and he returns to San Francisco to repair his relationship with his father before he ships out for deployment. By helping his father renovate his failing Filipino restaurant, he hopes to win back his respect. But when sparks fly between Drew and Camille—his father’s major competition and sworn enemy—Drew is conflicted. Should he join his father in the war against her food truck? Or surrender to the woman who’s given him a second chance at love?

Excerpt

Above the low hum of the traffic, the people, and the planes passing overhead, a bell chimes. Then two, then three. Soon, surround-sound church bells, signaling the start of the new day, sweep over the breadth of my view.

“Wow.” The music becomes the backdrop of the city I thought I knew. My eyes follow the path of Market Street and the twinkling outline of the Bay Bridge. It scans to the Transamerica Building, which cuts the ombré of the night sky down to the yellow of the city lights. Sights now enhanced, brought to greater depth and meaning.

“Right?” he whispers next to me.

“Beautiful.”

“She is definitely beautiful.”

My breath hitches at Drew’s statement. He leans against the barrier, his back to the city lights. His eyes are solely on me.

This man and I know nothing about each other as adults except for what we revealed in the last hour. He knows nothing of my dreams and hopes. I don’t understand the life he’s chosen. And yet I’m bound to him with leftover feelings that are so innocent and pure, feelings I’m not sure where to place now that they’ve been pulled from memories packed away.

One thing is sure. Right now is perfect.

I approach him, place my hands on his chest.

He rests his fingers lightly on my waist. “Camille—”

I stop him with a kiss. Tonight has been crazy, magical, fuzzy, and weird, and I don’t want to think about consequences, my overloaded plate of responsibilities, of everything waiting for me down there, in the city below.

Tif Marcelo believes in and writes about heart-eyes romance, the strength of families, and the endurance of friendship. A veteran Army Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Public Administration, she is a craft enthusiast, food-lover and the occasional half-marathon runner. As a military spouse, she has moved nine times, and this adventure shows in some of her free-spirited characters. Tif currently lives in the DC area with her own real life military hero and four children.

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Day 4 of 25 Days of Christmas Reviews: The Perfect Gift by Dani-Lyn Alexander

The Perfect Gift by Dani-Lyn Alexander

Published: October 13, 2014

Publisher: Pocket Star

Format: via NetGalley

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

It’s the season of second chances in this heartwarming, contemporary holiday romance where two single parents find each other—and another chance at love—in the most unexpected of places!

’Tis the night before Christmas…and businessman and single father Jason is scrambling to find the dollhouse of the season for his seven-year-old daughter Emily. But when he finally strikes gold at an obscure toy store, he’s met with resistance—literally, as a beautiful woman named Leah is grabbing onto the dollhouse box from the other side of the aisle, determined to get the same Christmas present for her own daughter.

Desperate not to let the other win, Jason and Leah forge a pact: stay together until they find the same dollhouse at a different toy store. It sounds simple, but ten stores and many hours later, they still come up empty. They might not be finding another dollhouse, but they sure are finding a lot to talk about and, as their mutual attraction grows, the unlikely pair finds the greatest holiday gift of all—love.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this tale of two parents desperately searching stores for a dollhouse each of their daughters want for Christmas. It starts off with Leah and Jason both grabbing for the same dollhouse in the ultimate meet cute. They both decide that they will buy the dollhouse but will search together for another in hopes that both of their children will get what they want under the tree come Christmas morning. I really liked how this is a cute read but it’s also very funny. You can’t help but fall for both of these wonderful characters. The chemistry both them is undeniable and how they interact with each other is great. I loved how there was always a little give and take between them.

As the story goes on we get their back stories which will pull at your heartstrings. You really become invested in their stories and especially to them as characters. although this story takes places within a day you feel as though the story is much longer than that, and I mean that in a good way. The story is so full and complete it feels so much like a novel than a short story. I for one was so rooting for them as a couple and the ending was just perfection! Do yourself a favor and add this to your list of holiday reads this one is a MUST for the holidays!

Review: Reality Ends Here by Alison Gaylin

Reality Ends Here by Alison Gaylin

Published: June 10, 2013
Format: E-Arc provided byNetGalley
Publisher: Pocket Star
Rating: 3/5

Summary via Goodreads

With a major crush on an adorable pop star, annoying younger siblings, and a mom and stepdad who are too strict, Estella Blanchard is a typical teenage girl-except that her daily struggles are plotlines on the reality show, Seven Is Heaven, which relentlessly documents her life as the older half-sister of sextuplets. Estella's an Oscar-worthy actress at hiding her true feelings from the camera.

However, she can't outrun the spotlight when she receives a Christmas present from her biological father...who died ten years ago under mysterious circumstances. Blamed for this "sick prank," Estella is placed in an unorthodox support group for troubled child stars-including a twenty-three-year-old has-been, a backstabbing drama queen, and a super-cute (but very off-limits) boy bander. And, as weird as the group is, when a creepy paparazzo starts stalking her, claiming that her dad is actually alive, Estella's going to need their help to uncover the truth and stay alive.

My Thoughts

All in all I thought this book was ok. I didn’t love it but it wasn’t awful either. It’s a very quick read, read it in just one sitting. I liked the premise of the book I just felt something was missing. I felt the “romance” between Estella and her love interest was well lacking…romance. I didn’t feel the connection between these two. No sparks, I thought they made better friends than potential boyfriend/girlfriend.

I did feel that it captured the right feel of the whole reality television vibe that’s going on right now. Showing how everything isn’t as it seems, that in actuality “reality” isn’t really real at all. Everyone it seems wants their 15 minutes of fame; even if it means hurting and exploiting those they “love”.