mercoledì 9 dicembre 2015

Review & Giveaway: The Coming Of Arabella by Joanne Guidoccio


The Coming of Arabella
by Joanne Guidoccio

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GENRE: Paranormal Romance

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BLURB:

On the day of her engagement party, an ex-mermaid’s life is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of another mermaid—a sister she has never known. Under normal circumstances, Barbara Davies would be overjoyed, but her special day is already wrought with tension. While Barbara is not the first mermaid from the Mediterranean kingdom to settle in small town Ontario, she has yet to reveal her origins to her fiancé. So when Arabella, the gorgeous sister whose disturbing black eyes banished her to the island of Crete, saunters into her life, clutching the arm of Barbara’s discarded lover, a powder keg of emotion is released.

Relationships falter and careers stall as envy stirs in the hearts of the sisters. On the verge of meltdown after her fiancé leaves Canada for a teaching job in Vermont, Barbara flees to Arizona hoping for a reprieve. There, she finds solace at a retreat for ex-mermaids and a second chance at love with a charismatic preacher. As she contemplates a new life in the desert paradise of Sedona, shocking secrets emerge and tragedy strikes. A stronger and wiser Barbara rises up to face these new challenges and embrace the best parts of her mermaid heritage.

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My Review:



I like stories about mermaids, I was very curious to read this book. It was really a pleasant reading, is an original and addictive story written with much irony and there are several twists.
Barbara is a mermaid becomes  a human in the body of a fifty. She has just received the proposal of her boyfriend and is very happy. To ruin her moment of glory there is the coming of Arabella. She's a also a mermaid  but is became human in the body of a twenty. She claims to be Barbara' sister but has no at all fraternal affection. She will try to hinder her in any way.
Barbara is a great character, I had great fun with her. It is not easy to tell your boyfriend that you are a siren. Then comes a stunning twenties and her life becomes a hell.
This is the second book in this series although I haven't read the first book, it in no way disrupted my enjoyment of this book. And I will be reading first book in this series and subsequently every other book.
It 's very well written, the pace is smooth and engaging, the plot had me hooked from the first page.

If you are looking for a cute and funny book then you need to read this one.




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EXCERPT:


Arabella threw back her shoulders and gazed down at Barbara. With her heels, she was almost a head taller. “What I need is a relationship with you.”

“A relationship with me?” Barbara repeated. She had been prepared for almost any response but not that one.

“That’s right. BFFs, soul sisters, whatever you want to call those tight bonds these humans have.”

Barbara’s eyes widened. “Do you even know or understand the concept of BFF?”

“Of course, I do. A BFF is a best friend forever. You’re my twin sister. You can’t get any closer than that.”

“It doesn’t work that way,” Barbara said. “You can’t order up BFFs. Friends have the same value systems and look out for each other. I can’t imagine you doing that for me.”

“Or you doing that for me,” Arabella said. “Mama’s explained all the reasons you’ve been avoiding me, and I do understand the envy and bitterness.” She shuddered. “I can’t imagine losing everything like you did. I don’t know what I would do. But that’s neither here or there. I’m a part of your life, whether you like it or not. And I’m not going anywhere. So, you better start being nice to me.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Arabella smiled and tossed her hair. “Everyone in your circle likes me. How would it look if you ignored me?”


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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

In high school, Joanne dabbled in poetry, but it would be over three decades before she entertained the idea of writing as a career. She listened to her practical Italian side and earned degrees in mathematics and education. She experienced many fulfilling moments as she watched her students develop an appreciation (and sometimes, love) of mathematics. Later, she obtained a post-graduate diploma as a career development practitioner and put that skill set to use in the co-operative education classroom. She welcomed this opportunity to help her students experience personal growth and acquire career direction through their placements.

In 2008, she took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.

Social Media Links
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio

Interview Questions

Where are you from?

While I’ve lived in Southern Ontario for more than half my lifetime, I have fond memories of my childhood and adolescence in Sudbury, also known as the Nickel Capital of the World and Slagtown. Growing up, I would sneak in to see the big coin, and while walking in the evenings, I took in a spectacular view of the slag dumping. Not exactly what most children would enjoy, but I was fascinated by the contrast between the darkening sky and the fiery colors.

What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

After writing Between Land and Sea (Book 1 of The Mediterranean Trilogy), I imagined more books involving the mermaids and ex-mermaids in the protagonist’s life. One night I dreamed of another mermaid, one not as kind and supportive as the characters in the first novel. The following day, two What if scenarios emerged:

What if the new mermaid was somewhere on the Narcissist/Sociopath continuum? 

What if she was determined to wreak havoc in everyone’s life? 

Do you write full-time or part-time?

While I have devoted my second act to writing, I do have a patchwork of other activities that I enjoy. Each day, I set a goal of 1000 words. Once that is achieved, I am free to participate in other activities, among them yoga, scrapbooking, photography, Toastmasters, and get-togethers with other writers and retirees. Life is good.

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Maintaining the momentum, especially when navigating what I like to call the “murky middle” is what I find most challenging. At that point, I have to take a break from the narrative. While writing Between Land and Sea, I found inspiration when psychic Kendra Adams, one of the secondary characters in the novel, appeared in a dream. In writing The Coming of Arabella, I struggled a bit when the storyline shifted to Arizona. This time, I found inspiration on a long country drive.

Who are your favorite authors?

I have eclectic tastes and enjoy reading contemporary women’s fiction, cozy mysteries, thrillers, historical fiction, self-help, and memoirs. Some of my favorite authors include Ann Patchett, Ann Lamott, Jane Green, Maeve Binchy, Gail Bowen, Louise Penny, Adriana Trigiani, Louise Hay, and Dr. Christiane Northrup.

What are you working on next?

Right now, I’m working on The Making of a Mermaid Psychic, Book 3 of The Mediterranean Trilogy and Too Many Women in the Room, Book 2 of the Gilda Greco Mystery Series.

Buy Links for THE COMING OF ARABELLA by Joanne Guidoccio
Amazon (US):   http://is.gd/DQhWmI
Amazon (Canada):  http://is.gd/JrwC1l
Amazon (UK): http://is.gd/fJ2x4E
Amazon (Australia): http://is.gd/6KovIe

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Joanne Guidoccio will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

20 commenti:

  1. I enjoyed the excerpt from the book, and the interview with the author.

    RispondiElimina
  2. Thanks for the review and the interview :)
    I enjoyed the excerpt and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the book.
    Lori

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. Hi Lori, Glad to hear you enjoyed the excerpt. Happy reading! :)

      Elimina
  3. Enjoyed the interview, excerpt and the review, Sounds like a great read, thanks for sharing!

    RispondiElimina
    Risposte
    1. You're very welcome, Eva. Good luck with the giveaway. :)

      Elimina
  4. Great post! Thanks for sharing your review and the excerpt, I'm looking forward to reading more :)

    RispondiElimina
  5. Hi Victoria, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed the post. Happy reading! :)

    RispondiElimina
  6. I enjoyed reading the interview and review!

    RispondiElimina
  7. Wow! Excellent post! I really enjoyed reading the excerpt, the interview, and your review. This book sounds like a very interesting and intriguing read! Looking forward to reading this book!

    RispondiElimina
  8. Thanks for the endorsement, Ally. I hope you enjoy reading the book. :)

    RispondiElimina
  9. I enjoyed the entire post. Thank you!

    RispondiElimina

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