BT Luna Rising by Selene Castrovilla {Book Review & Giveaway}

Title: Luna Rising 
Author: Selene Castrovilla 
Publisher: Last Syllable Books 
Publication date: April 25, 2017 
Target Audience: Adult 
Genres: Romance, Women's Fiction 
Length: 450 Pages 
Source: Author 
Format: eARC 
Find It: Goodreads 
Buy It: Amazon|B&N 



My Rating:  

Life begins at thirty-eight for Long Island mom and writer Luna Lampanelli, when she kicks her secretly gay husband to the curb. She�s got her freedom, but what she wants is love.

Luna knows she doesn�t need a man to exist, but try telling that to her heart. Against the advice of Sunny, her snarky best friend, and Jiminy, the cautioning voice in Luna�s head that just won�t shut up, Luna sets course to find a mate.

Luna speed and on-line dates her way into several short-lived, surreal relationships. There�s Ari, the humorless Israeli who refuses to assimilate � to America, and to humanity. There�s Alex, the young and handsome ex-crackhead who informs Luna he doesn�t want to be monogamous while they�re in bed. There�s Memphis, the wild-eyed sadomasochist. There�s Red, angry and crippled, who becomes the catalyst for Luna to join Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous.

But before Luna can proceed to recovery, she meets the elusive but oh so appealing Trip. He�s emotionally unavailable and has the Madonna-Whore Complex, but how can Luna (aka �whore�) let him go when she enjoys his dry wit so much, and his naked body even more?

Humorously haunting and packed with unspeakable truths, Luna Rising follows a woman�s funny and heart-breaking struggle to relate with un-relatable men and an un-relatable world, and to figure out something even more un-relatable: herself.

I always make sure I read Selene's books as soon as they come out. I almost missed this one but luckily I was still able to get an early copy. I am so glad I did. I absolutely loved it as I knew I would. Selene's writing style never fails to impress me. She sucks me in from the beginning. This novel was a bit different than the ones I've read before but she still delivers a great story and even some funny quips along the way. 

Selene creates an interesting character in Luna Lampanelli, an almost-40-something mom who finds herself without a man after separating from her husband (who has kept the fact that he's gay a secret since before the wedding bells and after the birth of their two boys.) Luna is not a typical women's-fiction heroine. Though she's funny and smart, she's also deeply damaged. Her father was a heroine addict who left her in the hands of her narcissistic mother. Thus, Luna's obsessive desire for love is understandable, but her pursuit of it can be frustrating as she falls for one unsuitable man after another. You will find yourself shouting at her many times during the story "No, not him" "Stop the madness". Even with all this, Luna is still an enduring character that hooks the reader in. 

LUna kept seeking companionship over and over and just kept failing miserably each time. A funny part of the story is that she had an "inside voice" that desperately kept trying to teach her right from wrong although she rarely listened. I think many of us have been in LUna's shoes one time or another. Picking the wrong relationsips, going for the wrong guys, etc. It is exciting to see where Luna ends up when everything is said and done. 

I would highly recommend this new novel by Selene Castrovilla. She continues to be a favorite of mine. 

$25 Gift Card to Amazon or Book Depository (International)

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TOUR SCHEDULE 

Feb 1st � A Nook for Books

Feb 2nd � Her Book Thoughts

Feb 3rd � A Leisure Moment

Feb 9th � Actin� Up With Books

Feb 10th � A Chick Who Reads

Feb 14th � The Invisible Diva

Feb 16th � Reese�s Reviews

Feb 22nd � Jersey Girl Book Reviews

Feb 24th � vvb32 reads

About Selene Castrovilla

Selene Castrovilla is the award-winning author of multiple narrative nonfiction picture books and young adult novels. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School and a BA in English from New York University. She lives on Long Island with her two sons and too many cats.

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Book Review + Giveaway: Your Forever Love by Layla Hagen

               

Genre:	New Adult, Romance, Fiction
Publication.Date	July 31st, 2016
Pages:	340
Published By:	Amazon Digital Services Inc.
Author	Layla Hagen
	Your Forever Love on Goodreads
My review copy:	Sent by the author in exchange for an honest review

Where to get:

Amazon Apple

Book #3 in the Bennett Family Series: Pippa and Eric

Eric Callahan is a powerful man, and his sharp business sense has earned him the nickname �the shark.� Yet under the strict fa�ade is a man who loves his daughter and would do anything for her. When he and his daughter move to San Francisco for three months, he has one thing in mind: expanding his business on the West Coast. As a widower, Eric is not looking for love. He focuses on his company, and his daughter.

Until he meets Pippa Bennett. She captivates him from the moment he sets eyes on her, and what starts as unintentional flirting soon spirals into something neither of them can control.

Pippa Bennett knows she should stay away from Eric Callahan. After going through a rough divorce, she doesn�t trust men anymore. But something about Eric just draws her in. He has a body made for sin and a sense of humor that matches hers. Not to mention that seeing how adorable he is with his daughter melts Pippa�s walls one by one.

The chemistry between them is undeniable, but the connection that grows deeper every day that has both of them wondering if love might be within their reach.

When it�s time for Eric and his daughter to head back home, will he give up on the woman who has captured his heart, or will he do everything in his power to remain by her side?

Pippa Bennett has been a fun loving character in all of the Bennett's brothers book, but getting to know her was beyond exhilarating. I just fell in love with Pippa right from the beginning of this book. She's one of the older Bennett children and is usually the one found taking care of others, but who will ever take care of her? Pippa is funny, affectionate and easy to love but she isn't confident in herself because of her past. 

Here is a woman who has been through a lot when it comes to love, married to man that never loved her and only wanted her money, she believes herself to be unlovable. She isn't sure love is meant for her even though her heart urns for happily ever after.

In walks the sexy, hot and tantalizing Eric Callahan and he is out to prove Pippa wrong. But Eric has his own demons when it comes to love and a beautiful daughter to raise which is his main focus besides his business. Will Eric be able to draw the line at flirting with Pippa or will his desires finally make him reckless in the matter of his heart? Eric is a hard nosed business man of a huge multi location jewelry business and he doesn't have time for love. He prides himself on being the "shark" in his work place and not letting matters of the heart get to him. 

This was by far my favorite book in the Bennett series so far. All these books can be read as a standalone, although in my personal opinion you are MISSING OUT BIG TIME if you don't curl up and read the whole series. The Bennett family dynamics are incredible. Layla really brings each and every one of these stories to life for the reader. I can't get enough of this family or Layla Hagen's magnificent writing style. 

Layla Hagen is giving away 5 ecopies of "Your Forever Love" Enter below.

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