Music Monday - "Let's Dance" by David Bowie (1983)

This is one of those time and place songs for me. It was popular during my college years, and I loved it -- along with the album it came from (also called Let's Dance). It is just a song that reminds me of being young, going out dancing, and feeling very optimistic about life.  I actually had never seen the music video until I looked it up on Youtube.  In the 1980's I watched very little tv (I was at school or out with friends), so I sort of missed the whole 1980's music video craze.

Do you remember "Let's Dance"?  What's your favorite David Bowie song?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Book Review and Giveaway - Girl Meets Class by Karin Gillespie

Girl Meets Class
Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Paperback: 266 pages
Publisher: Henery Press (September 8, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1941962855
E-Book ASIN: B00ZD1VIXO

Synopsis:

The unspooling of Toni Lee Wells’ Tiffany and Wild Turkey lifestyle begins with a trip to the Luckett County Jail drunk tank. An earlier wrist injury sidelined her pro tennis career, and now she’s trading her tennis whites for wild nights roaming the streets of Rose Hill, Georgia.

Her wealthy family finally gets fed up with her shenanigans. They cut off her monthly allowance but also make her a sweetheart deal: Get a job, keep it for a year, and you’ll receive an early inheritance. Act the fool or get fired, and you’ll lose it for good.

Toni Lee signs up for a fast-track Teacher Corps program. She hopes for an easy teaching gig, but what she gets is an assignment to Harriet Hall, a high school that churns out more thugs than scholars.

What’s a spoiled Southern belle to do when confronted with a bunch of street smart students who are determined to make her life as difficult as possible? Luckily, Carl, a handsome colleague, is willing to help her negotiate the rough teaching waters and keep her bed warm at night. But when Toni Lee gets involved with some dark dealings in the school system, she fears she might lose her new beau as well as her inheritance.

My Review

What a delightful read!  I have heard of Karin Gillespie's books for a while now, but this is the first one I've read.  It will not be the last.

I started with a little trepidation, because I usually don't enjoy books with spoiled, entitled protagonists.  That's the thing, though.  Toni Lee starts out spoiled, but she changes.  And that is the heart of this novel.

This novel has lots to enjoy:  southern charm (my home state of Georgia, no less!), a school setting (one of my favorites), and a romantic relationship with sparks and heart.  Carl is one of my favorite book boyfriends in recent reads.

And it has Toni Lee.  I loved watching this character grow and change, discovering her passion in life and love ... and I only hope this is just the first book about Toni Lee and the other characters in this book.

I really enjoyed this book and have already recommended it to friends.   I'm recommending it to you here, too.  Read it!  You are in for a treat.

About The Author –

Karin Gillespie is national bestselling author of five novels and a humor columnist for Augusta Magazine. Her nonfiction writing had been in the New York Times, The Writer Magazine and Romantic Times. She maintains a website and blog at Karingillespie.net. Sign up for her newsletter on her website, follow her on Twitter or connect with her on Facebook. 

Purchase Links

Amazon B&N

Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive an eBook of Girl Meets Class.

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I received this book from Great Escapes Book Tour in exchange for an honest review.

 

Guest Post and Giveaway: Taking the Ice by Jennifer Comeaux

Series: Ice #3

Release date: August 17th 2015

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Olympic rings and an engagement ring.

Courtney Carlton is ready for both.

She and her boyfriend Josh have skated together and dated for four years, and they’ve reached a critical point in their partnership both on and off the ice. With the Winter Games coming up and their career nearing an end, they are fighting to win a spot on the Olympic team, something Courtney has dreamed of since she was ten years old.

She also has another wish she hopes comes true soon. She’s waiting for a marriage proposal from Josh that she expected to happen by now. Will she realize either dream or will her heart be broken from disappointment?

Jennifer Comeaux Guest Post

All-Time Favorite Books

Thank you, Trish, for having me as a guest today and helping me celebrate the release of Taking the Ice, the third and final book in the Ice Series! I was asked to share my all-time favorite books, which isn’t an easy task because I read a lot and my favorites are constantly changing. I thought I’d start by going back to my childhood, and the first thing that came to mind was the Sweet Valley High series. I devoured those books and couldn’t wait until the next in the series showed up in my local bookstore. Those stories majorly influenced my writing when I was young, and I find that they still creep into my writing even now!

My favorite book that I read in school was by far To Kill a Mockingbird. I read it over and over and was completely enthralled by the characters and the story. There was something about that book that totally fascinated me. In recent years, most of my favorite reads have been YA contemporary romances. I loved My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord, On the Fence by Kasie West, Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, and I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios. I’m a sucker for a sweet, swoony romance, and all of these books have that and then some!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a die-hard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is traveling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. 

http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com/ | facebook.com/jennifercomeauxauthor | twitter.com/LadyWave4

GIVEAWAY:

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