Monday Book Review: A Chance for Sunny Skies, by Eryn Scott

A Chance for Sunny Skies, by Eryn Scott
Published July 2015 by Kristopherson Press

About the Book:

Sunny Skies is drowning. The problem, besides the whole not-being-able-to-breathe part, is that when her life flashes before her eyes, she doesn’t recognize any of it. Convinced the universe phoned in a default slideshow, Sunny gives in to the current.

After a fisherman snags the twenty-six year old in his net, she decides it's time to cast off her hermit like ways. When she meets slightly-less-awkward-than-her Brian, an archery-loving neat freak, she discovers that living her new life might be scarier than drowning. But scary or not, this may be the only chance for Sunny Skies.

My Take:
First I have to say how much I love the cover! Bright, cheery, simple, it drew me to the book. I also love the title - at least, before I knew it was talking literally about the main character...

A cross between women's fictional and chic lit, the story follows the improbably named title character Sunny Skies as she overcomes her debilitating social anxieties and learns to live life. Told in self deprecating first person POV, the book begins with Sunny almost drowning in the ocean and realizing how completely empty her life is. Rescued inadvertently by a random fisherman, she vows to make changes.

The book follows her on her journey of self help and self discovery, as she learns to make friends, stand up for herself and even find love. Her social awkwardness makes even normal situations funny with Sunny's snarky self-loathing and doubt. While the writing isn't perfect, the story is engaging and doesn't follow a straight predictable line. I enjoyed the author's fresh voice, and Sunny's pull-no-punches commentaries.

A fun read for a rainy day, but not the top of my recommendation list.


Grab your copy on AMAZON.

Monday Book Review: SPYING IN HIGH HEELS, by Gemma Halliday

Spying in High Heels, by Gemma Halliday
First Published 2006, re-released December 2013

About the Book (from Goodreads):

L.A. shoe designer, Maddie Springer, lives her life by three rules: Fashion. Fashion. Fashion. But when she stumbles upon the work of a brutal killer, her life takes an unexpected turn from Manolos to murder. And things only get worse when her boyfriend disappears - along with $20 million in embezzled funds - and her every move is suddenly under scrutiny by the LAPD's sexiest cop. With the help of her post-menopausal bridezilla of a mother, a 300 pound psychic and one seriously oversexed best friend, Maddie finds herself stepping out of her stilettos and onto the trail of a murderer. But can she catch a killer before the killer catches up to her...

My Take:

This chic lit romantic suspense is the start of a series featuring a fast talking, label obsessed LA woman who designs shoes for a living and has a strong penchant for getting herself into trouble. Obsessively curious, Maddie Springer is fearless, or maybe just a certain degree of clueless, but totally fun to watch her get in and out of crazy situations, including those that could only happen in LA.

Parts reminded me strongly of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, except Maddie has no private eye training or instincts. Plus, everything is about shoes, manicures, and food. She does have a hot Latino detective as her love interest and a crazy sidekick in her best friend Dana, an aerobic instructor and aspiring actress who has a "great" disguise for every situation. The dialogue is snappy, the characters engaging and the storyline kept going in unexpected directions, which is what you want from a mystery, even a chic lit flavored one.

Monday Book Review: White Lies, by Emily Harper

White Lies, by Emily Harper
Published 2013

About the Book (from Goodreads):

Imagine standing in line at Harvey Nichols waiting to buy the most gorgeous silk Gucci dress. The only minor problem? You can’t afford it, it’s a size smaller than you are, and you have absolutely no place to wear it.

Meet Natalie Flemming: a twenty-something woman working in London for a fabulous shoe-designing firm, but the only thing they let her touch is the company’s tax forms. She has decided to give fate a vacation and takes the task of finding the man of her dreams (or Johnny Depp if he would just return her calls…) into her own hands.

She craves adventure, spontaneity, passion- or will just settle for a decent date .

MY TAKE:
A throwback to early British chic lit a la Bridget Jones, this first person, snarky read is fast, flirty, and lots of fun.

Natalie Flemming works in accounting at Makka, an upscale London shoe company desperately in need of a business makeover. Oliver Miles is the consultant hired to do just that.

From their very first encounter in a cramped elevator, the reader feels the sparks between the pair. But Natalie's overactive imagination and creative truth telling keeps things bouncing along, and keeps the reader wondering what will happen next in this British tale of office love and the single girl.

Fun read and highly recommend for a quick pick-me-up on a cold, dark night. Or to cheer you up as we head into the season of family togetherness (and the inevitable drama that ensues.)

Find it on Amazon