Note: This is my review on the book LIPSTICK ON THE STRAWBERRY. I have posted more details about the book here.
Review
Rating: 4 Stars
Lipstick on the Strawberry is a nice enjoyable read. A part of the story was spent on food and kitchen, but there are other parts of the story that will keep even non kitchen fanatics entertained.
The story is written from the first person point of view, so we are mainly in the heroine's head. Camilla is British but is now living on American soil, having followed her husband over to his country. Unfortunately, their marriage didn't last long, so she focused all her time and attention into her catering business. I enjoyed reading about the food she cooked and the challenges she faced in her business.
I find Camilla's character really believable--she sure knows food and her way around the kitchen, definitely much more than me. She was also quite down to earth and reacted in an understandable manner on various stresses in the story. As a character, Camilla exhibited growth with regard to her relationships with her siblings as certain truths came to light and her realization as to where she wanted to be near toward the end of the book.
I also enjoyed reading on her relationships with Billy and Jake. Her relationships with both were also written well. In fact, I couldn't wait to find out who she'd end up with, as both men were nice and seemed equally entranced with her.
Lastly, I find the mystery in the story quite good. However, perhaps my only reservation is that I didn't think it deserved the center stage attention that the author seems to want to give it. Perhaps if there were more meat/conflict, it would've made the story better.
Overall, a nice read. A 4 star rating for me! Well done!
Genre: Contemporary, Women's Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Historical Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Publication Date: January 8, 2018
A journey of self-discovery leads to love and passion in the search for a family’s hidden past...
Artist Theia Constas receives a tour of Italy from her grandmother as a college graduation present. Before she departs, her ya-ya’s deathbed revelation of a cache of WW II photographs and love letters extends Theia’s itinerary to Crete in search of her unknown grandfather, a promising artist who studied under Chagall but didn’t survive the war.
In the wrong place at the wrong time when their hotel in Florence, Italy, is besieged by terrorists, the two strangers find themselves thrust together in Wade’s honeymoon suite. Immediately attracted to each other, Wade conducts a siege of his own to win Theia’s heart.
"I highly recommend this fast-paced novel to readers who like historical backgrounds and rich descriptions of exotic regions. The romance adds spice and the ending satisfies."
Ms. Baron did her homework and travel to make this book so interesting. I could "see" the sites of Greece, and through fact and fiction two stories came to life.
- Maxine, Amazon Reviewer
Feature Post
Check out interesting snippets from a recent article published on Tripfiction as Marilyn Baron shares her love of Italy and Greece.
I love to travel and set most of my books in places I’ve visited. I’ve set three romantic thrillers in foreign locales...and my latest book, released in January 2018, The Siege: A Novel, set in Florence, Italy, and Chania, on the Greek island of Crete. Setting is always like a character in my books.
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The Siege, a contemporary woman’s fiction,... transports the reader back in time to World War II Crete, so it has historical elements and it is also a thriller (when the book opens, the hero and heroine are trapped in his honeymoon suite during a terrorist attack on their hotel in Florence, Italy).
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When I decided to write The Siege, I interviewed the man whose family was from Rhodes, and who generously shared their story about emigrating from the island, memories of his visit to Rhodes and life in the Sephardic Jewish community.
To read the full article on TripFiction, click here.
About Marilyn Baron
Marilyn Baron writes in a variety of genres, from women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to paranormal/fantasy. Her latest book, The Siege: A Novel, a mainstream women’s fiction set in Italy and Greece, released January 8, 2018, is her 14th novel with The Wild Rose Press, Inc. and her 23rd work of fiction. AmazonEncore republished her psychic suspense novel Sixth Sense in 2015. She is also one of six authors of Love Around the Table, a short story anthology published November 1, 2017. She’s published five short stories with TWB Press.
She’s received writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance, Novel With Strong Romantic Elements and Paranormal//Fantasy Romance. She is The 2017 Finalist for the Georgia Author of the Year Awards in the Romance Category for Stumble Stones: A Novel.
A public relations consultant in Atlanta, Marilyn graduated with a BS in Journalism (Public Relations) and a minor in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Florida. She worked in Public Relations for AT&T in Atlanta for 13 years before starting her own PR firm.
She serves on the 2018-2019 Roswell Reads Steering Committee and the Atlanta Authors committee and she presented on an Atlanta Writers Club panel at the 2017 AJC-Decatur Book Festival.
The Siege is a wonderful, historical read, especially about this little known fact about the Jews in Crete. This to me was the highlight of the story; a well crafted story that will open the eye of readers on the plight of Jews in Crete. I love how Marilyn Baron wrote it, how it could've gone down during that time, and the bittersweet love story between Theo and Eleni.
Theia, the main female lead, had a mission on her trip to Italy and Greece -- to look for answers about her grandfather after seeing letters from her grandmother. She didn't want to be distracted, but she wasn't expecting to meet Wade during the trip either. She eventually found herself attracted to Wade and his persistence and patience must've convinced her to give them a chance. What unfolded was a fascinating journey into the past as well as how it affected Theia in the present.
The Siege started off with a promising and intriguing scenario -- a chance meeting between Theia and Wade and an unbelievable hotel hostage had all the makings of a wonderful storyline. I honestly was surprised this initial tension quickly abated, and then the real story unfolded. It was a nice surprise nevertheless. There were a few moments where I felt the pace of the story slowed down a little, but overall I find it a nice evening read.
Synopsis
A journey of self-discovery leads to love and passion in the search for a family’s hidden past…
Artist Theia Constas receives a tour of Italy from her grandmother as a college graduation present. Before she departs, her ya-ya’s deathbed revelation of a cache of WW II photographs and love letters extends Theia’s itinerary to Crete in search of her unknown grandfather, a promising artist who studied under Chagall but didn’t survive the war.
In the wrong place at the wrong time when their hotel in Florence, Italy, is besieged by terrorists, the two strangers find themselves thrust together in Wade’s honeymoon suite. Immediately attracted to each other, Wade conducts a siege of his own to win Theia’s heart.
Genre: Contemporary, Women's Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Historical Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Publication Date: January 8, 2018
A journey of self-discovery leads to love and passion in the search for a family’s hidden past...
Artist Theia Constas receives a tour of Italy from her grandmother as a college graduation present. Before she departs, her ya-ya’s deathbed revelation of a cache of WW II photographs and love letters extends Theia’s itinerary to Crete in search of her unknown grandfather, a promising artist who studied under Chagall but didn’t survive the war.
In the wrong place at the wrong time when their hotel in Florence, Italy, is besieged by terrorists, the two strangers find themselves thrust together in Wade’s honeymoon suite. Immediately attracted to each other, Wade conducts a siege of his own to win Theia’s heart.
“Go back to your room,” the American tour director ordered, shouting at the woman.
“I can’t get the door to open,” Theia protested, thrusting her key card at him in frustration.
The tour director hurriedly took the proffered card in sweaty hands and tried the lock, which didn’t click. He jammed the key card into the slot again, to no avail.
A man opened the door and stuck his head out of the room. “What’s wrong? Is this some kind of a fire drill?”
“It’s no drill. Get back in your room and shelter in place until I give the all-clear. Don’t open the door to anyone.”
The tour director returned Theia’s card. “Get back in your room with your husband.”
“This is my room, but he’s not my husband,” Theia insisted.
“There must be some kind of mistake,” the man in the room announced. “This is my room.”
The tour director grabbed the woman’s key card again and examined the key holder. He shook his head, rolled his eyes, and looked at Theia like she was a recalcitrant child. “You’re on the wrong floor, miss. This is Room 515. You’re in Room 415.”
“I’m sorry.” Theia blew out a breath and turned to leave. The tour director blocked her way.
“Excuse me, but I need to get back to my room.” Tears of exhaustion pooled in her eyes. She wanted to scream.
“I’m afraid you can’t go anywhere. We’ve disabled the elevators for your safety, and hotel security is blocking the stairs, for now.” He ushered her into Room 515 and pushed her into the arms of the man standing at the door.
About Marilyn Baron
Marilyn Baron writes in a variety of genres, from women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to paranormal/fantasy. Her latest book, The Siege: A Novel, a mainstream women’s fiction set in Italy and Greece, released January 8, 2018, is her 14th novel with The Wild Rose Press, Inc. and her 23rd work of fiction. AmazonEncore republished her psychic suspense novel Sixth Sense in 2015. She is also one of six authors of Love Around the Table, a short story anthology published November 1, 2017. She’s published five short stories with TWB Press.
She’s received writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance, Novel With Strong Romantic Elements and Paranormal//Fantasy Romance. She is The 2017 Finalist for the Georgia Author of the Year Awards in the Romance Category for Stumble Stones: A Novel.
A public relations consultant in Atlanta, Marilyn graduated with a BS in Journalism (Public Relations) and a minor in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Florida. She worked in Public Relations for AT&T in Atlanta for 13 years before starting her own PR firm.
She serves on the 2017-2018 Roswell Reads Steering Committee and the Atlanta Authors committee and she presented on an Atlanta Writers Club panel at the 2017 AJC-Decatur Book Festival.
In Marilyn Baron's The Alibi, a cover-up could cost heroine Merritt Saxe her life.
Merritt Saxe, newly hired public relations specialist with the Florida prison system, answers an urgent plea from their division’s director, Willard Ware Baintree. Following his orders, she finds him in the apartment of his mistress, his bloody T-shirt and the mistress’s dead body convincing her the criminal justice superstar is himself a criminal. The director claims he didn’t kill the woman and coerces Merritt into being his alibi.
Meanwhile, as the director pulls her farther into his web of lies, Merritt breaks with her longstanding boyfriend and begins a steamy relationship with hunky attorney Israel Goodspeed, whose brother works for the director. Yet how can she trust Israel with her secret or her heart when she suspects the director has been orchestrating their relationship to keep her in line? Speaking out about the cover-up could cost her more than time in jail…it could cost her life.
Purchase Links
Available now for $3.99 only. Grab your copy today.
Follow the upcoming book tour from September 25 - October 7, 2017.
Watch out for exclusive excerpts, book reviews, interviews, and more. To check the latest tour schedule, visit the The Alibi Book Page at Book Unleashed.
Giveaway
WIN $25 GIFT CARD AND MORE!
Prizes up for grabs:
$25 Amazon Gift Card
eBook copy of Stumble Stones
Stilt House print by Florida artist Sharon Goldman* * "Stilt House," a signed, matted decorative print by Florida artist Sharon Goldman. Stilt House is on St. George Island off the Florida Panhandle, where The Alibi is set. The location is representative of where the hero and heroine go for their weekend beach getaway.
Marilyn Baron writes in a variety of genres, from humorous coming-of-middle age women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to paranormal/fantasy. She’s published 13 novels with The Wild Rose Press, five short stories with TWB Press and self-published three books. AmazonEncore republished her book Sixth Sense on September 15, 2015. She’s received writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance, Novel With Strong Romantic Elements and Paranormal//Fantasy Romance. She is a Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) Maggie Award winner. She is the Finalist in the 2017 Georgia Author of the Year Award for Stumble Stones: A Novel in the Romance Category. She’s a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and GRW and winner of the GRW 2009 Chapter Service Award. A public relations consultant in Atlanta, Marilyn graduated with a BS in Journalism and a minor in Creative Writing from the University of Florida. She worked in Public Relations for AT&T in Atlanta for 13 years before starting her own PR firm. She serves on the 2017-18 Roswell Reads Steering Committee. She was selected as a featured author in the 2016 Atlanta Authors Series. She presented on a panel at the 2017 AJC-Decatur Book Festival (the largest independent book festival in the country) on September 3, 2017. Read more about Marilyn at http://www.marilynbaron.com.
Estranged from her English family, Camilla Fetherwell now lives in the United States and owns a successful catering business. Returning home for her father's funeral, she reunites with her first love, Billy, whom she hasn't seen since her father broke up their teenage romance. Billy seems eager to resume their love affair. But after one blissful night together, things take a turn.
Camilla suspects her father may have led a secret life, and when Billy reveals something he, too, has discovered, her apprehension grows. Billy holds her heart, but their relationship might be tainted by what her father hid. A reunion seems impossible.
Her life feels as splattered as her catering apron. As she watches her food stylist make a strawberry look luscious with a swipe of lipstick, Camilla wonders if a gloss has been put over a family secret? Can she and Billy survive what's underneath?
Lipstick on the Strawberry won FIRST PLACE, Romantic Elements Category in the 2015 Beacon Contest sponsored by First Coast Romance Writers.
Purchase Links
Available now for $5.99 only. Grab your copy today.
Take an inside look at Lipstick on the Strawberry with this intriguing excerpt from the book.
My fingers searched the back of the drawer and felt something glossy. I pulled, and saw in my hand a colored photograph of a woman who looked to be about the age I was now. She had hair the color of fallen leaves. Only the woman’s shoulders were visible below the head, she was wearing a scarf of blue and green, which reflected the color of her laughing eyes. In the background was the blurred green of a field. I flicked the photo over. The penciled initials N.B. were the only notation.
A cold prickle ran down my back as I stared at it.
I tucked the photo into my pocket. How peculiar was it to find this woman’s image stuffed in the back of a drawer? Daddy had gone to pains to hide the picture.
In one hand, I lifted the plastic bags of trash, picked up the passport in the other, and went to find Tilda.
“Would you mind if I went home and rested?” I asked. “I feel a headache coming on.”
“Yes, of course. What did you find in there? Oh, good, Daddy’s passport. I’d like to keep that. How thoughtful of you. Anything else of interest?”
I turned so Tilda couldn’t see and fingered the pocketed photo. The letters N.B. intrigued me. Was this just the acronym to remind our father of something important? Or did it mean something else?
Margaret Ann Spence was born in Australia and has made the United States home for many years. In Lipstick on the Strawberry she takes as backdrops Boston, Massachusetts and Cambridge, England, cities she's lived in and loved. ` Lipstick on the Strawberry won First Place, Romantic Elements Category, in the 2015 Beacon Contest, sponsored by the First Coast Romance Writers.
Sarah Keller is convinced that her Mr. Right is stuck in traffic…in another country…on another planet. ‘Thirty-one and still single’ isn’t how she wants to be introduced by her dad. That’s why she’s on five dating websites, posing as anything from an avid gardener to a crazed thrill seeker.
Sam Turner is a single dad, workaholic, who owns his own company. Long-term relationships have never worked out for him. That’s why he needs a nanny.
When a mutual friend suggests Sarah take the job temporarily, everything changes for them both. Sarah begins falling for the man who meets almost none of her online criteria. And when strange things start happening—things that jeopardize the safety of Sarah, Sam is the last person she would imagine is hiding something.
Julieann Dove began her writing career not long ago. Taking a break from her job as a bookkeeper was just what the doctor ordered, to tap into her creative side. When she’s not writing, she loves playing with fabric at her sewing machine, baking new recipes, and playing in the dirt, trying to get things to grow. Julieann loves old movies, and never tires of listening to music—it’s where she finds most of her inspiration for her books.
