Tuesday, June 11, 2019

#GIVEAWAY Review Sisters of Summer's End Interview with Lori Foster

I loved the first book in Lori Foster's new Summer Camp series, Cooper's Charm so when the opportunity came around for me to not only read and review book 2 Sisters of Summer's End but interview Lori I jumped at the chance. Plus Lori's fantastic publisher #Harlequin is sponsoring a giveaway, details below.
Enjoy!


ISBN-13:
 9781335007681
Publisher: Harlequin

Release Date: 6-11-2019

Length:
 368pp
Summer Camp #2
Source:
 Harlequin/Netgalley for review

ADD TO: GOODREADS

Overview:

As the summer ends, friendship begins…

When single mom Joy Lee abandoned her old life to take a job at a lakeside resort, she found something that her family’s wealth and influence could never buy: peace of mind. Not easy to come by for the once-burned divorcée who keeps everyone at a distance. But when her new friend, Maris, dares her to take a chance with the drive-in’s charismatic new owner, everything changes for Joy and her young son.

A difficult childhood has left Maris Kennedy with definite priorities. Her job running Summer’s End, the camp store and café, comes first. Always. Nothing could ever make her risk that hard-won security—especially not her free-spirited colleague. But the more she encourages Joy to open herself up to new experiences, the more Maris begins to wonder what she, too, might be missing.

Learning how to trust will bring Joy and Maris together. And soon they form a friendship that leaves them as close as sisters—and open to love where they least expect it…in Summer’s End.



Harlequin is offering one print copy of
Sisters of Summer's End US & Canada Only
Please Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter
Good Luck!

Read an excerpt:

After dropping her son off at school, Joy Lee returned to Cooper’s Charm, the RV resort where she worked and lived. It was backtracking since she had an appointment near the school later this morning, but it wouldn’t do to show up a half hour early.
Actually, nothing in the small town of Woodbine, Ohio was too far away. In fifteen minutes she could drive to the school, the park, the grocery…or visit the new owner of the drive-in, who she’d be meeting today.
Hopefully Mr. Nakirk would continue to work with her. As the recreation director of the park, she and the past owner had put together various events with a lot of success. Hallow­een was coming up and she didn’t want to have to completely restructure a tried and true camper favorite.
Coming through the grand entry of the resort, Joy couldn’t help but admire the beauty of it. She’d been seeing the same gorgeous scenery for six years now, yet it never failed to soothe her.
She’d found peace here, a kind of peace she hadn’t known existed. Now she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
Large trees, currently wearing their fall colors, lined the property and served to add privacy to the costlier campsites.
A wooden walk bridge divided a pond from the large lake. Wooden cabins were scattered about, with plenty of lots for RVs and level, grassy areas for campers who preferred a tent. Even the playgrounds were well maintained, colorful and at­tractive.
Deciding a cup of coffee wouldn’t hurt, Joy headed for Summer’s End, the camp store. Maris Kennedy, a woman close to her own age, always had coffee ready. She also worked nonstop and treated everyone like a friend.
When Joy came into the camp store, Maris was busy wip­ing down the tops of the dining booths. She glanced up and said, “Hey.”
In so many ways, Joy admired Maris. For one thing, the woman never seemed to tire. She opened early, kept it open late, and rarely slowed down throughout the day. During the busiest season, Maris employed part time help, but she han­dled the bulk of the responsibility herself.
Maris apparently preferred it that way.
Another admirable thing? Maris always managed to look fantastic with her dark blonde hair in a high ponytail and a shirt at least a size too large over her jeans.
Unfair, but Maris was so incredibly nice, and she took such great care of all the employees, Joy forgave her the perfection. “Good morning.”
“Is it?” Maris turned her gaze to the window. “Ah, sun­shine. Better than rain and clouds, right? Coffee?”
Joy hated to pull her away from her task. “Yes, but I could—”
“I’ll get it.” Toting her little carrier of cleaning supplies, Maris headed to the kitchen. Joy heard her wash her hands, and then a moment later she reappeared with two cups. “I just made a fresh pot.”
Of course she had. Smiling, Joy shook her head.
The café in Summer’s End offered a menu of sandwiches, soups, and daily specials. Positioned on the walls behind the seating area, packed shelves held basic grocery necessities and emergency items, as well as things like pool floats, sunscreen and fishing tackle. Campers didn’t have to leave the park once they arrived, and if they didn’t want to make use of the grills, Maris always had something to eat.
Joy took a sip of the coffee, fixed just the way she liked it, and sighed.
Instead of moving on to another chore, Maris stood there with her own coffee. “I’m wondering something.”
“Oh?” She and Maris were friendly; Maris was too nice for anyone not to be friendly with her. But Joy wouldn’t say they were close.
Sadly, it had become Joy’s habit to keep some measure of distance from everyone.
“How the hell do you always look so put together?”
Surprised by the question, Joy looked down at her cotton skirt and button up sweater. “It’s a casual skirt.” At least five years old, like the majority of her wardrobe. She’d updated only a few pieces since moving to the park.
“Yeah, but everything you wear looks like it came from a fashion magazine. Always, no matter what, you’re styled head to toe. There are days I can barely get my hair into a ponytail, and yet you never have a wrinkle.”
Feeling suddenly self conscious, as well as amused by the irony, Joy laughed.
“Why’s that funny?” Maris asked, looking genuinely cu­rious.
It wasn’t like Maris to linger, so Joy hastily explained, “I was literally just thinking how great you always look. Espe­cially your ponytail! No matter what’s going on, you…glow.”
“Me?” Maris snorted. “Glow?”
Even more embarrassed and feeling completely out of her element, Joy explained, “You don’t need makeup or anything. You always look fresh, even when you’ve been working all day. There’s an energy about you.” A wholesomeness that few other women could pull off. It was probably attitude as much as appearance that was responsible for that vibe. Maris per­sonified friendliness, but she owned the space around her in a way Joy could never manage. “Believe me, the natural look works for you.”
When Maris laughed, it made her even prettier, but before Joy could say so, she asked, “So what are you up to today?”
Hmmm. Had Maris just deflected? Maybe she was as un­comfortable with compliments as Joy. “Meeting the new owner of the drive-in.”
“That’s right. I heard it changed hands.”
“Very recently,” Joy confirmed.
“Heard the new guy was a gorgeous hunk, too.”
“You…what?” Joy sputtered. A gorgeous hunk? Definitely not what she’d hoped for, although it absolutely wouldn’t matter. A man’s appeal meant nothing to her—and good thing, since the guys at the park were all very handsome in varying ways. “Who told you that?”
“I’m like a bartender, you know?” Maris bobbed her eye­brows. “Everyone talks to me. You should try it sometime.”
Generally the small town shared everything about every­
thing. If a squirrel dropped a nut, someone announced it and the gossip spread like wildfire-though Joy was usually the last to hear it since she didn’t cultivate those close relationships. Maybe she should chat with Maris more, if for no other rea­son than to keep up on current affairs in Woodbine. “I don’t know about the hunk part since I haven’t met him yet, but it’s not an issue. My only interest is—”
“In recreation for the park, I know.” Maris rolled her eyes in a playful way. “But there are all kinds of recreation, and I’m thinking you should try the kind that involves a man.”
A nervous laugh trickled out. Since when was Maris Ken­nedy interested in her lack of a love life? Joy’s next thought was whether or not the lack was that obvious.
Did she seem…lonely? Or, oh God, needy?
No, Maris more than anyone else at the park understood that a woman didn’t need a man to complete her. Joy’s life was already full, thank you very much.
To keep things friendly, Joy said with a smile, “Jack gets all my free time. I don’t even know when I’d fit in a date.” Just to clarify, she added, “Not that anyone is asking.”
“Hello,” Maris said. “You realize you have a big old blink­ing not available sign on you, right? Guys would ask”-she pinched the air—”if you’d give them just a teeny tiny bit of encouragement.”
“But I don’t want to encourage anyone. I mean, not for that reason.”
“Why not? Jack’s in school now, so don’t tell me you can’t eek out an hour or two.”
“Hmm. Well, I guess technically I could…” Joy sat at the counter, and finished with, “but I won’t.”

My Interview with Lori:


Lori hi! Welcome back to The Reading Frenzy.
I loved Sisters of Summer’s End will you tell my readers a bit about it?
Thank you so much! SoSE is set in an RV resort at the end of summer (naturally – you could tell that by the title!) and it’s about the growing friendship of two of the women who work there, who’ve known each other for a while. There are catalysts in their lives that make them open to change – and open to growing friendship. Along the way they learn to trust – and to love again, with a little help from a sister. ;-)

What was the inspiration for this particular series?
I’m all about people being supportive of each other, in trying to see the good and forgiving mistakes. Sometimes in life, though, there are unforgiveable situations – and when those happen, it helps to have someone who totally “gets” you, who has your back, pushing you when you need it, hugging you when you’re down, and laughing with you over the silliest things.  That’s what I wanted to convey in this story – you can make it alone, but life is easier if you aren’t.

This is book 2 in your summer resort series.
a- Tell us how these books are connected and will fans reconnect with the characters from Cooper’s Charm?
The stories are related strictly by characters you’ve met (and some you haven’t) and location. That’s it. There’s no plot overlap at all.
b- Should they be read in order?
Eh, I always like to read in order, but out of order they’d still make perfect sense. You’d just see the first couples together already in SoSE. J
c- Do you know how many books in the series are planned?
Those two only, actually. With two storylines in each, that’s four relationships. I hope readers are left satisfied!

There are some cute pups front and center on the covers of both the books in the series.
Are dogs featured prominently in the books?
Dogs are featured in almost all my books – and occasionally a cat or two. I’m a huge animal lover, and rescuing a pet is a good way to bring characters together – plus it has the added benefit of showing their compassion. J

You usually have more than one series going at a time.
How do you keep everyone separate?
Wellll, I do go a little crazy on occasion. I’m one of those people who wants to finish everything NOW. Patience is not my strong suit, which is funny, considering it takes me 3 months to write a book. Anyway, back to separate series... 
I keep cheat sheets for myself. They’re all about characteristics, locations, cars, houses, towns... anything I might need to know at a glance to refresh my often flagging memory. When I open up a manuscript to work, I also open my character document/cheat sheet.
I like bouncing back and forth so that I don’t get too stale in any one “world.” I bore easily, and this way, it often feels fresh when I’m writing.

Lori Thanks a bunch for answering my questions.
Good luck with the new book.
Are you touring with this release?
Thank you so much! I love any and all opportunities to connect with readers.
I’ll be signing Sisters of Summer’s End at my own event (it’s in its 15th year – www.ReaderAuthorGetTogether.com ) plus at Turn The Page July 20th and Readers On The River Sept 13 & 14.
Thank you again. Happy reading!


My review of Sisters of Summer's End:


Sisters of Summer’s End
Lori Foster

Welcome to Cooper’s Charm, the RV resort with everything even a romance or two.

The Sisters of Summer’s End, book two in Lori’s fantastic Summer Resort series is a great summer read even though it takes place in the fall. Set in Cooper’s Charm RV resort it brings back the characters of book one, but delves more deeply into the lives of Joy, Maris and Daron plus introduces us to new drive-in owner Royce.

As Lori unpeels the layers of her star characters for this novel she’ll focus on misconceptions, new beginnings and families whether chosen or born into while spinning two fabulous love stories and introduces a new fab four legged friend.

The plot is rock solid, the pace is steady and both the human and canine characters rock making this a must read for fans of romance or women’s fiction and a great choice for either your vacation or staycation This novel stands on its own but reading the books in order will fill in all the blanks

Joy Lee is used to being alone, relying only on herself to care for herself and her young son Jack but since coming to Cooper’s Charm the RV resort where she works as the recreation director and lives she’s found a sort of family, especially Maris owner/operator of the camp store, Summer’s End whose become like a sister. So when the new hunky owner of the Drive-In wakes up her libido she’s glad she’s got Maris to confide in.

Royce Nakirck has big plans for the run down Drive-In theatre he bought right next to a successful RV resort. He also needs to focus just on himself after years of caring for his dying mother. He’s not looking for love or a ready made family. But sometimes you get things you don’t ask for.

Maris Kennedy needs to be self-reliant because of how she grew up. She loves Cooper’s Charm and is very proud of the success of her camp store. What she doesn’t need is the park’s hot young playboy handyman sniffing around as she has no desire to be a notch on someone’s bedpost. But what if she’s wrong about him? Is she brave enough to take a chance? She’s just glad she’s now got Joy her new BFF to ask about it.

Daron Hardy is about out of options and ideas to gain a second look from the sexy camp-store owner. He just wants a chance to prove to her that he’s more than she thinks he is.

  
About the Author
Lori Foster is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author with books from a variety of publishers, including Berkley/Jove, Kensington, St. Martin's, Harlequin and Silhouette. Lori has been a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance. For more about Lori, visit her Web site at www.lorifoster.com.

Author Links
Twitter: @LoriLFoster
Instagram: @lorilfoster

Buy Links


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18 comments:

  1. A delightful summer escape which I would enjoy. Thanks.

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  2. I've read Lori Foster before but haven't read this one and it sounds good.

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  3. This looks so good and I loved the interview! Hope I win because I've been meaning to try this author. ;) Thanks for the chance!!

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  4. Really sounds good, I like that this book mentions the previous characters of book one, too many series books never link except for place which I happen not to like. And two books in the series - this writer knows what goes together well! Loved the interview.

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  5. Awww yes I would read this. And read books in that things too

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  6. Great interview, sounds like a good read!

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  7. I had fun with theses books and the campground. Fantastic interview Debbie :)

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    1. I know you did Kim, she is one fantastic romance writer

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  8. I've read a few lori foster books and loved them

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  9. Great interview and book review Debbie! I love that each book has two love stories in one and the theme of life is better with someone to help you through everything. I can't believe Lori can write a book in three months. It would be hard for me to do that and keep everything straight when writing more than one book at a time. I've read quite a few books by Lori Foster and enjoyed them. Her books are guaranteed good reads!

    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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    1. Thanks Lindy and yes authors like her and Roberts etc just amaze me

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  10. Excellent interview. This book looks very interesting.

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