And the WINNER is...

Who is the lucky winner of an autographed copy of Rachel Hauck's newest book, Dining With Joy?????


First, before I make the announcement, here are a few pictures I took recently at Rachel's book signing earlier this month. This is where I picked up the autographed copy just for YOU! Oh, wait! Who are you? Oh, you'll just have to wait a little bit longer and take a look at these pictures....

Look how much fun it is to meet Rachel Hauck!!!!


Ok, now for the winner.....

JENNY

(jennycohen104)

Jenny, I will be emailing you for your address. Congratulations on winning this book! I know you are sure to enjoy reading this one.


And for everyone else, thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. I wish I could send a copy to everyone because I love Rachel's books and know you all will enjoy this one!


**NOTE: If you have twitter...come follow the newly started OFFICIAL twitter for Rachel Hauck Fans @RachelHauckFans. Keep up-to-date with all the latest Rachel happenings and news and events and also look for prizes and giveaways!

Miscellaneous...

So, today on my way to work, I finished listening to Heat Wave by Richard Castle on my audible.com app on my DroidX. WOW! What a total surprise ending!!! I never saw it coming and usually I am good at figuring out mysteries. I mean, I hope I am cause that's kinda my job description. LOL! Anyway...I downloaded the second Richard Castle book, Naked Heat, to start listening to tomorrow on my commute to work. Can't wait!!!


And don't forget...I have a giveaway going on right now for Rachel Hauck's newest book, Dining With Joy! Did I mention this is an autographed copy??? Oh yes it is!!! So, click here to go to my giveaway post and leave a comment. There is still time to get your name in the pot!

Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Dining with Joy by Rachel Hauck

Dining with Joy
Book Description from Rachel Hauck. Advanced reader copy received from the author. All thoughts about this book come from my own head! 


Joy Ballard has a secret: she's a cooking show host who can't really cook.


When her South Carolina-based cooking show, Dining With Joy, is picked up by a major network, Joy Ballard's world heats up like a low country boil.


Joy needs help. Then she meets chef Luke Davis who moved to Beaufort after losing his Manhattan restaurant. A cook at the Frogmore Cafe, he's paying debts and longing to regain his reputation in the elite foodie world.


Luke and Joy mix like oil and water...until Joy is exposed on national television. With her career and his reputation both under fire, they'll have to work together to fix the mess. Is it possible that they can learn to feast on God's love and dine with joy?


My Thoughts:


Dining With Joy is the third in Rachel's Low Country series. The first two being, Sweet Caroline and Love Starts With Elle. First of all, I have to comment on the covers of all three of these books. They are very attractive and creative! I love them! I have older cover versions of the first two and may have to go get the newer versions just so I have all three matching books, :-) 


Ok, enough about the cover, you want to know about the insides! It's kinda like a Boston Creme Donut...yummy looking on the outside and totally delicious on the inside. 


The blurb "cooking show host who can't cook" should draw anybody to want to read this book. Who doesn't love a great dilemma like that?! Imagine if Rachel Ray didn't actually know how to cook but nobody knew her little secret??? Man, that would be intense and hilarious!


And then there is the dynamic relationship between Joy and Luke. It's kinda like watching a cat and mouse game. Except the cat and mouse have to try and work together because they are both stuck in the maze together.


And then as we all know, secrets always come out some way, some how. And Joy's secret is exposed! What will she do??? Does she throw in the towel? Pick up a copy of Dining With Joy and find out!!! Dining with Joy (A Lowcountry Romance)


GIVEAWAY:
I will be giving a new, autographed copy of Dining With Joy to one lucky winner who leaves a comment on this post. Don't forget to leave an email addy so I can contact you if you win! The giveaway ends November 19. I would love to have this book mailed out to the winner just in time for Thanksgiving. What a great way to relax Thanksgiving weekend but to have a great book to read! And I assure you, this is a great book! 


Rachel just posted a video promo for her book on her facebook fan page. Check out Rachel's story behind her next best-selling book here!

Rachel Hauck Book Signing!

Your favorite author, Rachel Hauck, will be hosting a book signing TONIGHT!!!


The book signing will be at Barnes and Noble in Melbourne, FL from 5-7pm. Come on out and support Rachel with the release of her latest book, Dining with Joy. There will be other authors in attendance, but at the moment, I don't have access to who those authors are at this time. I will update this if I get that information before the event.


I will be posting a review of Rachel's book, Dining with Joy in the near future...but don't wait for that...just buy the book! You will not be disappointed! The book is about a cooking show host who can't cook! Now that makes for some good reading!

Teaser Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add teh book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

""By the way, I think Lyric had a date with a vampire tonight." He tugged his keys from his pocket and motioned to his neck, nodding towards the stairs."

~From Dining with Joy by Rachel Hauck~

WWW Wednesday

Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

What Are You Currently Reading?
Right now I am reading Resurrection in May by Lisa Samson. Look for my review in the very near future, but for now I will tell you that this is a really good book! Purchase a copy today! Resurrection in May

What Did You Recently Finish Reading?

I recently finished reading Lonestar Sanctuary by Colleen Coble. Read my review here. Purchase your very own copy Lonestar Sanctuary (Lonestar Series, Book 1)

What Do You Think You Will Read Next?

I am very excited to read the next book on my reading list....Dining With Joy by Rachel Hauck! I know Rachel is a phenomenal author and can't wait to read about her latest character, a cooking show host with a secret. Purchase your very own copy today and read along with me! Dining with Joy (A Lowcountry Romance) 

Local Author - Rachel Hauck in the Hometown News

Read the article here.

Be sure and pick up Rachel's latest book, The Sweet By and By, a project worked on with country music artist, Sara Evans.

Book Review: This Time by Rachel Hauck (e-book)

This Time is an e-book written by Rachel Hauck from the early days of her writing career. It is one of my favorite stories written by Rachel. The story is about a love lost from years gone by that has been given a second chance...but will it be different this time around? Retired NFL player Burke Benning returns home and is reunited with his first love, Belle Jamison. For Belle, his return uprooted her life and made her confront feelings she has buried for years. After all, he inflicted the ultimate pain, something not so easily forgiven or forgotten.

This story made me feel hope that all wrongs can be righted and that something you believe is gone forever can come back to you. Rachel created good characters in Belle and Burke. When reading their stories, you feel a comfort when they are together and look forward to the next time they meet up or run into each other knowing that each time they do, a little more of the wall is chipped away that looms between them.

I recommend anyone who has an e-reader of some sort to purchase this book and enjoy the story of Burke and Belle as they discover what this time around holds for them. You can purchase a copy here.

Rachel Hauck's Facebook Birthday Party...

Tonight, award-winning, best-selling author, Rachel Hauck hosted a Facebook birthday party for her birthday on her Fan Page. Attendees posted comments on the wall and "chatted" about their best and worst birthday party memories, favorite Christmas movie and song, answered trivia questions about Rachel and won prizes. Rachel gave away copies of her books, gift cards, CDs by Sara Evans, country music recording artist and co-author with Rachel on her upcoming book, The Sweet by and By. It was a really cool and innovative idea!


All of Rachel Hauck's books are a must-read. She writes the everyday life of her characters and mirrors so well life's ups and downs that we all face each day. At times you want to laugh and cry with each character in their circumstance. And even in the character's chaos, Rachel hits home with just the right truth about life that makes you realize that the ups AND the downs are all worth living.

I have read all her books multiple times and am torn as to which one is my all-time favorite. I really like Georgia on her Mind and Love Starts with Elle, a RITA award finalist.


Oh, and did i mention I know Rachel personally! She is one of my biggest heroes in life! ;-)


For more information on Rachel Hauck visit her webpage at www.rachelhauck.com