Monday, December 8, 2014

REVIEW: One Enchanted Evening! (+$20 Amazon GC Giveaway!)

Title: One Enchanted Evening
Author: L.A. Kelley
Series: N/A
Pages: 226
Date Published: September 29th, 2014
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Format: ebook
Genre: Fairy Tale
Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours
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Synopsis:
Enchanted clothing has a mind of its own. Restlessness plagued Charlotte Becker. Unable to settle down, she moved from place to place searching for an elusive something to calm her turbulent spirit. A sudden invitation from her sister sends her across country to Lobster Cove, Maine. Anchors abound by the sea, but surely nothing would keep her rooted in place in a pokey resort town during the off-season.

Drawn into a consignment shop named One Enchanted Evening, Charlotte is confronted by a mysterious article of clothing requesting her help to stop a man in a wolf mask from killing women. Charlotte agrees to protect the citizens of Lobster Cove and find the hunter before an innocent is slain.

Luke Maddox’s hunting days are over. Wounded in action, he left the Marines to return to Lobster Cove, the only place to bring him peace as a child. Hiding his disability, he accepts life will be nothing more than dull routine. Then he meets a singular young woman wearing an unusual cloak. She tells an incredible story of a wolf that walks on two legs. And the hunt begins…


~My Thoughts~
What a fun book! While it wasn't really what I expected, this one is a blast to read and mystery lovers everywhere should stand up and take note of L.A. Kelley's fabulous skills.

Described as sort of a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, I was expecting a bit more fairytale-esk or magical story. Instead, what I got was a tightly woven mystery with just enough hints of the classic fairytale to keep things really interesting and make me notice things and go "a-ha!" There was some kind of magic present in the fact that the cloak/hood thing in the pawnshop "attracted" Charlotte to it. There was some very cool stuff going on. I was never sure if it was really magic or not...possibly Charlotte was a tad nutso?...but the mystery itself was pretty awesome.

As far as love interests go, Luke Maddox is one of my favorites this year! He's got the wounded warrior thing going on (totally hot!) and it's fun to see him peel back the layers and let Charlotte in. His assistance on the mystery was well done as well. All too often when a man hero comes into the story, he takes over and almost sweeps the power and decisions out of the heroine's hands, leaving all the brainy and brawny stuff to him so he can rescue the girl in the end. Not so much with Charlotte and Luke, Charlotte is really smart, and though I'm not going to tell if Luke does play hero and rescue her eventually...it was a fun blend of equality, cuteness, and brains between them which made me like them so much.

The plot was pretty simple with some unexpected lurches thrown in. Overall a very enjoyable read that focuses more on the relationship and romance than on the mystery, but it was a fun ride! 
~Try an Excerpt!~
The woman’s gaze raked over Charlotte. Sharp brown eyes caught her in an unblinking stare.

“Um, hi,” said Charlotte, suddenly feeling as if she had walked out of her apartment without pants. Unconsciously, she ran her hand down her sides, and was relieved to touch denim.

“Oh? A consignment shop?” chirped Annabel. “Perhaps we could look around. My sister and I love vintage wear,” she added with her winning smile. Charlotte rolled her eyes. Annabel never gave up easily. She’d have that woman arm-wrestling over a price for the armoire before she could say interior designer discount.

“Your life is complete, Mrs. Fisher,” said the shop owner pleasantly. “Nothing in here would fit.”  Amused, Charlotte for once noted Annabel at a complete loss for words.

The coins on the woman’s scarf jangled as her head swung toward her. Charlotte swallowed hard as the pantsless feeling crept up her legs again. “You have possibilities,” the woman said. “The path traveled can be diverted. Come back when you’re ready to accept the consequences. I warn you, though; the first step to fulfilling one’s destiny can be dangerous. Good day.” She shut the door in their faces.

Annabel gawked at the building. “Helluva way to run a business. She’s not going to last long in Lobster Cove with that attitude.” She slipped her arm into Charlotte’s. “Come on, I know a fabulous little place around the corner that sells dynamite shoes.”

As Charlotte allowed herself to be led away, she glanced back over her shoulder. The curtains were still closed. The shop appeared as vacant as before, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that behind one of those obscured windows stood a little old lady peering intently in her direction.
~All About L.A!~ 
L. A. Kelley is married with three children and lives in Florida where the heat and humidity have driven everyone slightly mad. She never cleans under her sofa.

Blog: http://lakelleythenaughtylist.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/l.a.kelley.author  

Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1164

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/One-Enchanted-Evening-Lobster-Cove-ebook/dp/B00NLLP9JW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1413123923&sr=1-1&keywords=la+kelley

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-enchanted-evening-l-a-kelley/1120412392?ean=2940150546127


Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/one-enchanted-evening-3

L.A. Kelley will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $15 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host.

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13 comments:

  1. This does sound like fun. A great review thank you.

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  2. Many thanks to Unabridged Andra for taking the time to review.

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  3. I enjoyed the excerpt and I also like the cover :)
    Thanks for the review,
    Lori

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    1. I love the cover, too. It was done by the awesome Tina Lynn Stout.

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  4. I loved the excerpt! thanks for sharing :)

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  5. Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it.

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  6. Interesting excerpt! Wonder how long it takes her to go back.

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