REVIEW WEDNESDAY - October Forever

 Good morning, friends.

I'm running behind this morning. My back has decided to be a pain, literally. Not sure why but I am moving slower this today.

I thought this week's title was the perfect way to close October. Aren't there times when we wish something could go on forever?

AMAZON

BLURB:

When Lucy Wheeler returns to her family’s gothic hotel on the shores of Lake Michigan, she’s hoping for a quiet reset after losing her job in the city. Instead, she’s juggling fussy brides, quirky tourists, and her mom’s ambitious plan to turn the grounds into a haunted village. The last thing she needs is another distraction… especially not a grumpy contractor who insists on getting under her skin.

Cameron Fox didn’t come to Underwood looking for distractions, either. As a single dad, he’s focused on finishing this haunted village project and keeping his distance from the stubborn hotel heiress, whose quick wit keeps pulling him in. What starts as bickering and flirtation soon turns into an agreement: they’ll just have a casual fling until his contract is up at the end of October. No strings attached. 

As the leaves change colors and the days get shorter, Lucy and Cameron can’t help wishing October would last forever.

The Underwood Hotel sounds like a beautiful hotel to visit throughout the year. I mean, who thinks to bring in carpenters to build a small haunted village? Or to think ahead to Christmas in much the same manner? I will say, Cameron Fox (aptly named) has the skills in more ways than one, but we'll get to that in a minute. He appears to be a really great dad. 

I personally know someone who had the exact same thing happen to him, causing the divorce and shared custody of their son. The casualties are many but in the story, Cameron is determined to be a part of his son's life on a daily basis and is a big factor in his life changing decisions. 

As Lucy remembered all the things she loved about her family legacy, the more she became a part of the hotel and all the offerings. While she was technically an adult when she left home. she returned more mature and able to see things both from her mom's point of view and what the hotel meant to her, her parents, and the community. She was ready to be a part of something lasting. 

While there were a couple of explicit scenes (showing Cameron's other skills) in the story, for some reason these didn't bother me nor detract from the story. I also wasn't crazy about some of the language, and am not happy with it, I understand the cussing is part of the society. Not necessary, but natural in today's world. 

Katie Cawood does an excellent job of bringing the Underwood Hotel to life with all of the history and nuances that make the hotel special and worth making October last forever.

I'm giving OCTOBER FOREVER...

.8

All my best!

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Katie Cawood

 Good morning!

Can you believe that October reads are coming to an end? We still don't have colors to our leaves here in southeast Missouri. 

Well, we might not have them here, but we've seen plenty in our books this month. Here's our final October Author Spotlight...

A bit about Katie:

Katie Cawood is a romance author with an affinity for slow burns, soft MMCs, and happy ever afters. She is an indie bookstore enthusiast and is never far from a tall cup of iced coffee.

Katie lives in Indiana with her husband, son, and a small army of cats.

To learn more about Katie, please check out her links below and I'll see you back here tomorrow for my review of October Forever.

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   IG   TIK TOK   GOODREADS   AUDIO

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best!

~ Angela

THOUGHTFUL MONDAY

 Good morning, friends!

All my best!

~ Angela

FRIDAY PHOTO

 Good morning, friends!

 Just a couple more October-themed inspiration photos. Are you using them to kickstart your words for the day?

AI generated from Pixabay

All my best!

~ Angela

BOOKS TO MOVIES - DO THEY ALWAYS MATCH?

 Good morning, friends!

Back on September 23rd I reviewed a book, Pumpkin Everything. The book was made into a Hallmark movie and within a week or so of my review, the movie ran on Hallmark. I couldn't wait to see the book come to life.  I was sorely disappointed. I couldn't get past what would have been chapter two in the book. Here are a couple of points that threw me and kept me from watching more than the first twenty minutes.

In the book, Amy is basically dealing with writer's block. Fans are clamoring for her next book and her publisher isn't really happy with the ever-present delay either.

In the movie, Amy is in a meeting with the publisher planning the social media and marketing appearances she'll be doing for the book - you know the one in the story she hasn't written yet.

In the book, Amy is on a stressful phone call from her mom. Amy's grandfather drove through the front of a coffee shop and her mom basically guilts her into going back to her small hometown to care for him. This puts her life on hold while providing the perfect excuse to not be writing.

In the movie, the phone call with her mom is pleasant and no where in the book did I get the impression her mom was even at the hospital - as she was in the movie. She just couldn't be bothered.

With just these two points, we have great tension in the beginning. Will Amy get her book written? Will her mom quit acting like she can't be bothered to put her career as a popular QVC hostess and step up?  While in the script writing, we lose all of that. Everything is just peachy. The conversation with her mom is friendly and drama-free and Amy's life is on course. 

Then there's her grandfather. I really liked him in the book. he loves his granddaughter and seems to support her writing, while in the movie, he's a gruff old man who we are led to believe doesn't support her writing and has been miffed at her for years for not going to business school so she could take over his store, Pumpkin Everything.

Now, I am personally aware of instances where an author was happy to see his book on the big screen. They could pretty much do whatever they wanted as long as he got a check. 

I don't know Beth Labonte's feeling on the matter but if it were me, while I'd be happy for a check, I'd also want something on the screen that represented my story - not a scriptwriter's versioin.

Please let me know in the comments below, Have you found books to movies be similar? Have you liked what they did when converting from book to script? What would be your preference to (in this case) drastic changes?

All my best!

~ Angela

REVIEW WEDNESDAY - Love At The Salted Caramel Cafe

 Good moring, friends!

I had a very enjoyable day yesterday at my 'local' Starbucks with a Caramel Macchiato and this week's novella.

AMAZON

BLURB:

Sierra Blake has returned home to Mill Hollows, Virginia. She's lost her job as a hotel marketing executive. She knew getting romantically involved with the son of the franchise owner was a bad idea. Turning down his marriage proposal left Sierra updating her resume and needing a change of scenery. Returning to the small football-loving town located in view of the Blue Ridge Parkway is definitely a change of scenery from the sultry heat and water sport enthusiast city of Tampa. Wes Carter is new to Mill Hollows and stirring up more than sediment and rocks for geology sampling upon meeting the beautiful Sierra Blake at the Salted Caramel Cafe. Renting the cabin next door to the Blake family gives him views of the Roanoke Valley and reasons to contemplate leaving behind his days of suitcase living. Fall in Virginia isn't the only chill in the air. The last time Sierra saw her younger sibling, Roxie, the two didn't exactly leave each other on the best of terms.

Reading Love At the Salted Caramel Cafe was a trip back to my ancestral home for me. My Daddy and his family going back generations were from the Blue Ridge Mountains & the Roanoke area. Think Walton's Mountain and that was where my family lived.  I was blessed to live in the area briefly and experience the Blue Ridge Mountains in the fall. I called a little community called Rapidan home. While the town wasn't as big as Mill Hollows, there was an old mill along the creek across from the Civil War era home we lived in. I'd love to visit again. 

One of the key points I loved about this book was the immediate connection I could feel between Wes and Sierra in the very beginning. That kismet feel when you meet 'the one' for the first time. Both had their relationship obstacles so when the time came, Wes and Sierra had that feeling of coming home. Besides that, a complete stranger on the trail saw the love blooming between them. Their instant love was tangible to those around them. 

My quill rating isn't just about my connection to the story, but overall about the almost-flawless writing and putting me in the location as well as the little moments between Wes and Sierra as their atraction grew. Sometimes you just know where you're supposed to be and who you are meant to be with. 

I'm giving Love At the Salted Caramel Cafe ...

All my best! 

~ Angela

 

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Angie Ellington

Good morning, friends!

I'm a bit behind again this morning. I've been sorting through Fall & Halloween decor. Trying to make the house look a bit less scattered and a lot more cozy. Also, because this is the waxing moon, I'm trying to acquaint myself with what I want to acquire for future coziness. Are you decorating for fall? Halloween? Please let me know in the comments.

This week's author is Angie Ellington:

Here's a bit about Angie:

Angie Ellington's sweet romances are filled with summer breezes, lemonade, hot cocoa, and snowy settings. If you're looking for a book that gives you the feel of gently rocking in a hammock or snuggled under a blanket by a cozy fire, Angie's books can transport you there. She also includes inspirational messages of hope and confidence, includes fun side characters to adore, & sets her books where family and friendship are at the core of finding one's happily ever after.

Her book, Autumn at Apple Hill, has recently been adapted as a Hallmark Channel Original Movie of the same name, and her book, Dancing by the Moonlight, is currently in development for a tv/streaming movie.

I look forward to reading this book, as well as finding the movie. Speaking of movie's I'll be posting my thoughts on movies transitioning to Hallmark movies on Thursday.

In the mean time, please click on any of the links below to learn more about Angie Ellington

WEBSITE   TWITTER-x   IG   BookBub  GoodReads

LinkedIn   SubStack   Imbd   YouTube  

Amazon Author Page 

I'll be back tomorrow for my review of Love At The Salted Caramel Cafe. 

All my best!

~ Angela