In the Stars released!

In the Stars, my third women's fiction novel, was released today! You can order it from Amazon or find it at a bookstore near you!

What's it about?

Charlotte ‘Charley’ Southard’s life has hit rock bottom. She is fired from her job at a top law firm in Calgary, she hasn’t had a lasting relationship in years and a recent incident with a declined credit card at the grocery store has just brought her over the edge.

Charley just knows that everything was better when she was with Drew, the popular football player she dated for two years back at university. All her troubles began when they broke up after graduation. So with the help of her best friends, Josh and Heather, Charley sets out to track down the old boyfriend from her past.

But what if Drew is married? What if he doesn’t remember her? And just how far will she have to go to find the love of her life? Not to mention, what if he’s not the Prince Charming she remembers?

In a fast trip to Victoria, British Columbia, Charley Southard discovers the truth about "the one that got away," along with realizing a few unexpected things about herself in the process.

 

It's a great book, getting awesome reviews so far and I really hope you read it and tell your friends! Here's what some people are saying:

 

"I truly enjoyed this book and hope it does well. Whitney Boyd is a talented writer with a gift of making the unbelievable come to life. She has a confident style and you fall easily into her expert storytelling." - Amy Saia

 

"This was the third book by Whitney Boyd I've read and it is my favourite! So funny, thoughtful and entertaining, it made me laugh out loud and at the end I even cried. This is a romantic comedy I would recommend to everyone! The one that got away is such a relevant theme... every woman out there needs to read this! " - DJK

 

"I'm a huge fan of Boyd's writing. Her style is witty and fun, while possessing a smooth, seamless, quality. Essentially, melted Dove chocolate for the eyes. If you're looking for a fun, light read, that is well-written and laugh-out-loud funny, with a most heartwarming ending, then this is the chick-lit novel for you." - Julie Ford

 

"Love this book!!!! The story was so relateable... fate and destiny and trying to correct the past. I liked how real Charley was, esoecially how she changed and grew. And I absolutely loved the ending. Beautiful and perfect!" - Wendy James

 

Finally, just a small note about this. The kindle version was released a week ago but for some reason there was an issue with the format on Amazon and only about 2/3 of the book downloaded. Amazon has since fixed this problem, but anyone who read this book right when it came out would have found that it cut off abruptly. Please note that this issue is fixed and that Amazon has placed a corrected version on your kindle devices. Sorry for this inconvenience!

 

So... spread the word! Tell a friend, buy a Christmas gift (it gets free shipping on Amazon!) and help me get the word out! Love you all!

Final pre-publication review of IN THE STARS

So the final pre-publication review of IN THE STARS has come in... and this one made me very happy! It is by Angela Trusty, the 'Ask Angela' columnist for Washington Times and Deseret News. You can follow Angela and her hilarious slash heartfelt advice on Twitter or Facebook and you can read her blog here.


And she has cool hair... and facial expressions...

And now... drum roll, please... here is the review!

"Another excellent book by Whitney Boyd. One of the reasons In the Stars is so entertaining is because Boyd captures her main character's plight so well. Who hasn't chased after a guy? Who hasn't thought, "oops...maybe I missed my chance at happiness with this past man? Better go back and get him!" And yet literature never seems to get it quite right! The pain, the desperation the heartache and the self discovery of it all. What story can wrap all of those deep - and sometimes (in hindsight) humorous - feelings into one book?

"Where others have failed In the Stars succeeds. Through every bump in Charley Southards journey I wanted to shout, "I've been there!" or "I've felt this!" she is just such a relatable character and her honesty and vulnerability along with Boyd humor make this such an excellent read! I suggest anyone who has ever sought after true and lasting love read this book. You'll love it!" - Angela Trusty

 

Thank you, Angela! Hopefully you will check out her great advice columns. You will thank me. Anyway, In the Stars  will be released in print on November 12 and is currently available at an ebook pre-release bargain on Amazon. Only costs a couple dollars... so check it out and let me know what you think!

 

Have a lovely day, all!

Review of 'In the Stars'

Of all three of my women's fiction novels, 'In the Stars' was my favourite to write. It relates, albiet abstractly, to a lot of people I know, especially my close friends and family. The characters are real, I could visualize them perfectly, I knew their histories and their quirks and I loved them all. And the growth that I felt as the author and inside the head of the main character made it all the better.

The book is currently available as a kindle on Amazon with a pre-publication special price, and the paperback version will be out on November 12.

Anyway, because I love this one so much, I was nervous to begin sending it out for pre-publication reviews. It's like standing naked in a crowd... people get to see inside your soul. And yet, when my first review from Julie Ford came back, I was relieved that she loved it.

And now I'm ready for a great weekend because yet another great review has come in.

Amy Saia, author of 'The Soul Seekers' and blogger at ThatAmySaia, just sent me her review of 'In the Stars'. Read it below:

"Charley Southard is one of those people who thinks she has nothing but is surrounded by treasure. She just can’t see it yet.

Recently—and wrongfully—laid off from a job at a law firm, and without a penny to her name, In the Stars starts with Charley in one of those situations we all hope to avoid: too many items at the checkout counter and not enough money to pay for them all. I instantly felt bad for the girl and was glad she had cute best friend Josh to sympathize, yet push her through, all these seemingly insurmountable troubles. Unfortunately Charley is stubborn. Everything would be better if she reunited with an old flame, her college boyfriend Drew. Soon Charley is on the road with a mission that feels doomed from the start. But what does she have to lose?

My favorite sections of In the Stars were the descriptions of Charley’s job as a law clerk. I found these parts of the book extremely unique and well done. Also interesting is that the novel takes place in Canada. Perhaps I’ve been missing out, but there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of modern fiction in that particular setting and I really liked reading about the landscape, architecture and society of Canada.

I will admit to cringing as Charley headed toward what could be called stalker status as she located and pushed herself on Drew. Oh no, Charley. Nooooooo. At the same time, I could see those exact moments the kind that would make a really fun movie. The author takes you through each moment you told yourself couldn’t and shouldn’t happen and yet still manages to wrap things up in a realistic and bittersweet way. In the Stars is a young book with a wise heart. I truly enjoyed the author exploring all aspects of the flawed Charley: her life, how she treats people, what it means to grow up and accept responsibility, yet still stand up for what you believe. You feel as if no stone has been left unturned. You the reader have been respected with a novel that has been written with grace and honesty.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book and hope it does well. Whitney Boyd is a talented writer with a gift of making the unbelievable come to life. She has a confident style and you fall easily into her expert storytelling. "
- Amy Saia

 

 

The Racketeer by John Grisham - Book Review

I love John Grisham. He is probably my favourite author in the entire planet... his writing style is intelligent yet easy to read, his books are fascinating and his characters are always believable. However, his newest book, The Racketeer, that came out late last year, is better than any book I've read by him yet!

 

Seriously.

 

Amazing book. I give it a 5 out of 5 rating and would give it even more if I could. It's that good.

 

What's it about? Malcom Bannister, a former marine and former lawyer, is in prison. As a lawyer, he had become involved in a real estate transaction in good faith. However, this turned out to have involved the purchase of a secluded hunting lodge where a crooked Capitol Hill lobbyist invited corrupt Congressmen for orgies with underage girls. When the scandal was exposed, Bannister was caught up in big a FBI sweep, his name was added to many others on a hundred-page racketeering charge sheet, his protestations of innocence ignored, and he got a ten-years prison term. It's been five years... his wife has left him, he has been disbarred and his son hasn't seen him since he was arrested. He is extremely bitter because his life has been effectively ruined by the government.

 

But then a federal judge is murdered and the FBI have no clues... except Malcom knows. He knows who killed the judge and why and promises to tell the FBI if they set him free.  This he achieves by the middle of the plot, dictating his own terms to the FBI. However, his revenge on the US Federal Government is far from complete.

 

There are so many twists and turns in this book. Just when I thought I knew what was happening, everything got mixed up again and again. This is the most fascinating book I've ever read by anyone. Period. Loved every page and will definitely read it over and over again! Go read it. You will thank me for it!

 

And when you're finished, if you want to read something lighter, how about trying one of my novels... Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It is the story of a celebtiry caught up in Hollywood life.  Iced Romance is the story of a highly publicized scandal that sends Kennedy on the run... escaping to a brand new life while trying to hide from her past. My third novel, In the Stars, will be released on November 12.

 

Have a lovely day, everyone! And, if you've read The Racketeer, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Did you love it as much as I did? 

In the Stars - Book Review

My third women's fiction novel, In the Stars, is being released on November 12, 2013! Very exciting news for me and all you wonderful people who have read and enjoyed my previous two novels.

Here is the first pre-publication review of In the Stars. The review was written by Julie N. Ford, an author of many women's fiction and chick lit novels.

"What’s a woman to do when she has no boyfriend, no job, no foreseeable prospects, and so no money to speak of—essentially no definable future? She does what many of us do, and confuses the irrational with the rational. Desperate times compel desperate measures, and all that. Falling back on her deceased grandmother’s superstitious advice, Charlie surmises that all her troubles began when her college sweetheart dumped her. And since she doesn’t have work or a current relationship to fill her time, and against the advise of friends and family, she concocts a plan to win back this man’s heart.

For me, this novel started out on the verge of unbelievable. I mean, is it feasible that a smart, formally successful woman would arrive at the conclusion that her life, and future, will miraculously get back on track by reconnecting with the “one that got away”? But then, whom I am I to judge another person’s misguided assumptions? And when it came right down to it, I wasn’t far into the story before I was hooked, rendering Charlie’s motivations inconsequential. Truth be told, I was captivated by a sick fascination to discover what calamities this poor, confused woman would bring upon herself. And I wasn’t disappointed ;)

And to make this novel even more compelling, woven into Charlie’s injudicious path is the most endearing hero, Josh, and love-in-the-making story I simply couldn’t get enough of.

I’m a huge fan of Boyd’s writing. Her style is witty and fun, while possessing a smooth, seamless, quality. Essentially, melted Dove chocolate for the eyes. If you’re looking for a fun, light read, that is well-written and laugh-out-loud funny, with the most heartwarming ending, then this is the chick-lit novel for you."

For more about Julie N. Ford, you can visit her website: http://julienford.com/  Julie is an amazing author and I have read and enjoyed many of her novels.

You can find my first two novels, Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It  and Iced Romance, on Amazon, at Barnes and Noble and many other bookstores near you! Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It is the story of a celebtiry caught up in Hollywood life. However, as secrets come out and those close to her betray her, she realizes that fame isn't everything... especially when the truth about who she is threatens to destroy what matters most. Iced Romance is the story of a highly publicized scandal that sends Kennedy on the run... escaping to a brand new life while trying to hide from her past.