Go me, go me

Ordering Olivia got its first review!! As you can tell from my subject line it's  great one. Night Owl romance gave OO 4 stars so I'm dancing out the door. I'll post it here so all of you can dance along with me :)

Author: Allie Standifer

Genre: Spicy Romance

Reviewed by: Maria

This is the first book in a new series based on a club opened by a six friends who happen to be successful women. The author did a good job of writing a story that kept my attention from start to finish with an interesting theme, engaging plot and scintillating dialogue. The title is easily read in an afternoon.

 

Olivia “Livia” Paisley is a retired model whose life has completely changed in the last three years. A health situation while on a photo shoot put her in a hospital emergency room. The doctor, Huntington Winslow, basically told her that she had two choices, either eat real food or die at a very young age. Her six foot body could no longer exist at the weight of 120 pounds. Livia took the doctor’s advice and started to eat a healthy diet. She became a successful model for one of the world’s biggest “real size” clothing lines and then retired at the age of 32. After her retirement, she and five of her friends opened up a club for women of any size to relax, dance and have fun. Former friends said the club would be a failure but it’s been a success since it’s opening the year before.

 

While her business life is going great, her dating life is at a standstill. Betrayed by someone she trusted, Livia has not let any man close since. Only a bet from her 5 friends and partners has her thinking about hooking up with a man who she keeps running into all over town. Livia’s friends and business partners are great secondary characters and you can tell that they will probably be focus of the other books planned for this series. These women guard each other’s backs and are more than willing to take revenge on someone who they believe has done them wrong. There’s a great scene in the book where the women are confessing the revenge that they took against Livia’s ex-fiancée, it was humorous and dare I say inspiring.

 

Ethan Newton is described as being over six feet, with brandy colored eyes and an imposing figure. He’s a successful businessman, who works in the family oil business. He’s intrigued and attracted to a woman that he keeps running into all over town, first at a restaurant, then the movie theatre, the dry cleaners and now “Club Botticelli”. Ethan realizes that he wants this woman more than any other woman he’s ever wanted and proceeds to flirt and eventually proposition Livia. He’s surprised when she admits to being one of the club owners and they proceed to go upstairs for a night of explosive sex in her apartment above the club. The problem comes the next morning when both Livia and Ethan realize that their hearts are on the line and when outside situations cause some problems. They will need to decide if they want to take a risk and see where their relationship could go.

 

I really liked how the author dealt with Livia’s growth as a woman, first from realizing that one doesn’t need to be a size 2 model to have a fulfilling and successful life, to realizing that even though you’ve been burned being open to love is always the right choice to make. I also liked how Ms. Standifer had Ethan realize that being with a woman who actually ate real food and had a body with some curves, was what he was looking for. At one point Ethan also realizes that he’s made some assumptions about women and he begins to get a new perspective on the gender as a whole. The author included some hot and well written love scenes and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

On the road again

Yep, I hit the blue skies and landed in the great state of IL. So far so good. Forgive me for what is sure to be a short post, but it's been a very long day. I'm pooped and have an even longer day ahead of me tomorrow. I'll be sure to find a new hotel with free wi-fi so I can add to this post later in the week.
Don't forget Enticing Emma, the second Club Botticelli, is out tomorrow at Total E-Bound. For those of you who loved Ordering Olivia be sure to grab Emma's story. What's better than an alpha male that refuses to walk away from the only woman's he's ever loved? Yummy, I know. So check it out and let me know if you love Brock and Emma's story as much as I loved writing it.
Until later people...Kudos,
Allie

It's Sunday again

I made it on a Sunday! Yay me even coming in from a road trip. The weekend went great & the birthday girl had a amazing party complete with everything she wanted. So as long as she's happy, I'm happy.

Here's some funny, yet happy news. I met a fantastic lady and her husband at a local B&N when I flew through town for a quick in and out visit. They had some great stories and I enjoyed meeting with them. I think if we'd stayed in the store any longer we'd have been tossed out. Nothing I love more than meeting readers that love books as much as I do. Next time I blow through town I hope to meet up with them again.

This week is dedicated to getting stuff together for Romanticon baskets. I'll have three to auction off. One all by my lonesome, the second with the amazing Desiree Holt & the last with all the talented authors in my editor's loop. Funny enough my editor loves frogs as much as I hate/fear them. So of course the idea behind the basket is squirmy little green evil buggers. Why me? Oh yeah, I love my editor. Damn the luck.

Friday also saw the release of the second book in my Erotic Escapes series, Pleasure Me in Petra. I can't wait to see what everyone thinks of it. I had a blast writing it & it's longer than anything I've written lately.
A woman down on men & a man who has nothing in common with this woman. Two people brought together by fate & the mystical meddling of three immortal matchmakers. Check out what happens after dark in the once lost city of Petra when two people come together in a clash of desire and need.
Be sure to let me know what you think. Until next week, people.
Kudos,
Allie

Here I go again

Yep, I'm here again. And aren't you lucky I'm posting twice in one week. Mostly due to irritation, summer heat and fugly looking toe nails. Seriously what's up with people and their yellow cracked toes? For under twenty bucks any man, woman, or child can get their toes done at the nearest pedi/mani salon. There's no reason in the world for you to walk around with chipped, fugly toes. I get it if you're broke, have political or religious bans on pedis. Yay for you, but for the rest of us who have to eat around near you, cover those nasty suckers up. Wear closed toed shoes, socks, something to hide the hideous condition of those little piggies. I'm not asking just for myself, think of the children. They'll be scared for life.
Whew, I feel better. If I've scared one person into the nearest Tic Tac Toe then I can sleep easy.
Had lunch with my Dad today which means I was forced out of bed way too early. I'm a night owl, I don't do sunrise unless I've stayed up all night and come trapping home as the sun comes up. So we met. I actually got there before him, a first for me :) I mainlined caffeine with coffee and Diet Coke. Ordered my breakfast, but forgot to ask our delightful waitperson to hold the berries. I'm allergic to red dye. Makes me hyper then I crash with a two day migraine. Since I forgot to mention it the berry goop was scrapped off my fluffy pancake. Smiling Sam came over asked what was wrong I explained. The next thing I know my plate disappeared along with my eggs, bacon & fruit. Bang! She's back with a new plate, new pancake and new everything. You could see my Dad almost crying in gratitude. Hey, I'm really not that bad, my Dad's just an emotional softie...NOT! So I've had no dye, not enough coffee and shoved out of bed way too early.
Has anyone seen this thing? Bark Off? 2 for 10? Keeps your dog from barking or trains him when to bark? Or something like that. What will we think of next? Useless crap that millions will buy then toss in the junk drawer within a week. Not that I have all that much room to talk, I've got my own drawer full of crap.
Sorry TV is on and the commercial popped out at me.
Today I'm determined to get the first chapter in the next Turn Up The Heat series done. I hate feeling like something is hanging over me. Makes me feel all freaked out and pressured, but it's no one's fault except my own.
And for those of you wondering, yes I forgot my to bomb another room. Some days it doesn't pay to open the coffin. Now I've got to flea bomb the very last room in the house and hang out another day outside. Hopefully I'll still have enough energy to get my work done.
I'm done for now or at least until I can think of something else to flip me out :)

Kudos!!

Missing Week

And again I've skipped a week, but hey it's summer. There's a pool outside calling my name, the kids are out of school and it's too hot to do anything. Too bad I have to work...pesky bills to pay and all that.
I have been busy...really. Last week I attended a wonderful birthday party for my mom's best-friend, Barbara. Had a great time until they threw me in the kitchen. Tammie wanted me to cook or at least attempt it. Me? Kitchen? Cook? Does anyone else see something wrong with this picture. Ahh the struggles I have in life. Finally I grabbed the knife and smooshed the garlic. Whew, no one ever told me how sticky and stinky the little buggers are. Yuck!
Then my brilliant little mind ended up spending three days stuck outside my house because I have fleas in the house. Yep, I'd bomb the room I got bit in then spend the day out in the pool. Go in get bit in a different room, bomb again the next day and so on. Today was finally the last day...I hope. Geesh why is it so hard to kill these little buggers? If I get hit by the blood squad again I think I'll move. It's got to be easier than this. 
This week's going to be just as busy. I have meetings out of town for the day job then another birthday. Because I'm clever and know my family I've convinced the b-day girl to insist on kabobs with corn on the cob, Crave cupcakes and not much else :) I'm so evil it's scary. But really what idiot wants to stand outside in the Texas sun and cook over a BBQ pit? I'd rather sit in the pool with a cool drink and toss kids around in the water.
In between all that fun I have writing to do or else my writing partner, Desiree Holt, will be kicking my butt all over Texas. She's not the only one. Deadlines are pressing down and I've got to get busy. It's just there's so many plots, characters and so little time.
I promise to do better and have a more interesting blog next week. Right now I'm just pooped. Between the fleas and the sun I need a nap :)
Until next week...
Kudos,
Allie