For Sale by Owner by Marlene Bateman + $25 and Book Giveaway!

McKenzie Forsberg is headed home. She's quit her big-city job to return to her roots in the small town of Lake Forest. Kenzi hopes to buy her childhood home from her brother, Tom, as a way of revisiting the peace and security she's been missing in her life. But soon she is shocked to discover that the house has a pending sale, and Tom won't budge from the sale—not even for his sister.

Handsome widower Jared Rawlins catches Kenzie's eye until she realizes that he's the one who is buying her house—but he can only close the deal if he sells his own house by Christmas Eve. Jared is more than a little interested in Kenzie but has second thoughts when it seems that she may be sabotaging the sale of his home.

Slippery feelings of animosity and distrust ensue, with both Jared and Kenzie denying the chemistry between them. But then an unexpected discovery about their connected past puts a new twist in the dynamic. Now, can they put their differences aside and come to terms on a relationship that could last forever?

 * Goodreads * Amazon * Deseret Book *

First off, I have to say that I love this cover.  It's so cute and connects well with the characters and story in this book.  Yay for fun covers!

The story itself left me wanting a bit.  I just didn't find myself connecting with or loving the characters in this book.  Kenzie is just off putting.  I really didn't like her much at all.  And Jared just felt flat.  The connection between them didn't work for me.

In theory, this book has all the elements I look for- conflict, family issues, a past that connects with the future- lots of great ideas.  It just didn't come together for me.

I did love all the cookie recipes.  It fit in well with the story and the Christmas season theme of the book.  And again, the cover.  So perfect!

Content:  LDS fiction although nothing overly preachy, references to past marital affairs, clean

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

*Oct. 3rd: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/, http://www.rockinbookreviews.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/

*Oct. 4th: http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://thethingsilovemost.com/, http://iamareader.com/, http://empowermoms.net/

*Oct. 5th: http://www.wishfulendings.com/, http://heidi-reads.blogspot.com/, https://joyinthemoments.wordpress.com/, http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/

*Oct. 6th: http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/

*Oct. 7th: http://justcommonly.blogspot.com/, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/ 

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Spotlighting Crooked House by Marlene Bateman + Excerpt

Someone is trying to kill Liz Johnson and it’s up to quirky private investigator, Erica Coleman, to find out who. Erica is no stranger to murder and mystery, which is why her best friend’s daughter, Megan, turns to her when unaccountable and potentially fatal “accidents” threaten her roommate’s life.

Once Erica arrives at the ramshackle old mansion known as Crooked House, matters go from disturbing to deadly as it becomes clear someone is trying to kill Liz.  As Erica begins to unearth secrets, she discovers a twisted web of love, money, greed, and deception. Although the police and friends sometimes find Erica’s OCD annoying, its those very traits that help her sift through evidence and see clues that others miss. Erica must draw upon her all her investigative prowess to keep Liz safe and unmask the killer before he can accomplish his deadly objective.

 With a dash of romance and surprising twists, this thrilling mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. As with all Erica Coleman mysteries, ten delicious recipes are included.  

 * Goodreads * Amazon * Deseret Book *

“I’m scared.”

Erica’s heart turned over when she heard the quaver in her young friend’s voice on the phone.

Then Megan asked, “Can you come?”

 “Of course.” Erica’s reply was automatic. She would do anything she could to help. Although she often received emotionally-laden phone calls in her job as a private investigator, there was a difference when the call came from the teen-aged daughter of her best friend. The very fact that Megan—who was usually so calm and composed—sounded frightened out of her wits, put Erica on high alert.

“I think someone’s trying to kill my roommate, Liz,” Megan said.

“What makes you think that?”  Erica asked. “Has someone threatened her?”

“No, but Liz has had a couple of serious accidents lately—at least she says they’re accidents, but either one of them could have killed her.”

Erica made an effort to reel in her skepticism. “Tell me about them.”

“First, someone tampered with her car. The brakes went out and Liz ended up driving across someone’s yard and hitting a tree. Fortunately, she was okay. The second one happened downtown. Liz was on the sidewalk waiting for the bus when someone shoved her. She fell into the road. A truck was coming and if a guy hadn’t pulled her back, Liz could have been killed.”

Still, they could have been accidents, Erica thought, at least until the third one occurred—this time at Crooked House.

Marlene Bateman was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She is married to Kelly R. Sullivan. Her hobbies include gardening, camping, reading, and enjoying her four cats and three dogs.

Marlene’s first novel was the best-selling Light on Fire Island. Her next novel was Motive for Murder—the first in a mystery series that features Erica Coleman, a quirky private eye with OCD. The next book in that line, (they do not have to be read in order) is A Death in the Family.

Marlene has also written a number of LDS non-fiction books under the name Marlene Bateman Sullivan. Those books include: Gaze Into Heaven; Near-death Experiences in Early Church History, which is a fascinating collection of over 50 documented near-death experiences from the lives of early latter-day Saints, Heroes of Faith, and Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines. Marlene also wrote three books about documented accounts in early LDS church history when a person either saw or heard an angel; Visit’s From Beyond the Veil, And There Were Angels Among Them, and By the Ministering of Angels.  www.marlenebateman.info