Modern Persuasion by Sara Marks

Modern Persuasion
by Sara Marks

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Just released: May 29, 2017
Publisher: Illuminated Myth Publishing
Genre: Romance, Jane Austen
Paperback: 228
Rating: 4

First sentence(s):
"Your father's art collection is quite… large," said the woman sitting before me.

Which would you pick: the person you love or your own dreams? What would you do if given a second chance at that decision? Eight years ago Emma Shaw picked her career and family over the man she loved, Fredrick Wentworth. Since then she has built a career in publishing and spends her free time making sure her father and sisters are taken care of. Fredrick has spent the same years building his career as a screenwriter under increasing public scrutiny as a celebrity. When the editor of Fredrick s first book is injured, Emma is forced to travel with Fredrick on his book tour. Tension builds for the two former lovers over the course of the tour. Emma and Fredrick must face their emotional baggage and their misunderstanding about how their break-up impacted the other. Will they be able to find their way back together for a second chance at love?

My two-bits:

Loved this retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion. The characters are re-worked well into the modern day American culture.

The setting was especially fun as it is in the world of publishing with behind-the-scenes book tour and author event details as well as romance shenanigans thrown in.

It was amusing to read the description of experiences at the fictional publishing convention, PubCon. Anyone who has attended BEA can relate.

The romance pacing was similarly and properly drawn out.

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* review copy courtesy of tour

Happy Release: Modern Persuasion by Sara Marks

Modern Persuasion
by Sara Marks
-Contemporary Romance, Jane Austen
Release date: May 29, 2017
Amazon | Goodreads
Which would you pick: the person you love or your own dreams?

What would you do if given a second chance at that decision? Eight years ago Emma Shaw picked her career and family over the man she loved, Fredrick Wentworth. Since then she has built a career in publishing and spends her free time making sure her father and sisters are taken care of. Fredrick has spent the same years building his career as a screenwriter under increasing public scrutiny as a celebrity. When the editor of Fredrick s first book is injured, Emma is forced to travel with Fredrick on his book tour. Tension builds for the two former lovers over the course of the tour. Emma and Fredrick must face their emotional baggage and their misunderstanding about how their break-up impacted the other.

Will they be able to find their way back together for a second chance at love?

Excerpt: Chapter 10

Patrick dealt with the early morning shows without me. His logic was that he and Fredrick did these all the time to promote movies. We agreed to meet at the Columbus Circle Barnes & Noble for the first book signing later that afternoon so we could set up together. Not having to get up before the sun didn't stop me from turning on the morning shows to watch what happened. The interviews went off without a hitch for most of the shows. This first New York City round centered on the large, national morning shows. The anchors focused on the book and not Fredrick's personal life. Christi told me she made a point of asking them to do this. One show did ask about the insanity of PubCon and what it was like there. Fredrick didn't mention Christi's accident and I mentally thanked him for that. The only hiccup occurred on one of the later morning shows. Their newest anchor apparently didn't get or care about the requested focus.

"So," the man said. "You recently had a pretty bad break up with Abby."

"These things happen," Fredrick said.

"It surprised a lot of people considering that she has a child and you seemed to really be in a good place together."

"Things change in relationships. People change and it requires that you change the relationship."

"Abby has commented that you refused to leave Los Angeles when she wanted to make New York City her permanent home."

"That was one of many reasons."

"Well, I know there are thousands of women out there who would love to take her place. What should all the women of the world know is your number one barrier to a lasting relationship."

Fredrick sat there for a moment, thinking.

"You know, I have to say the number one barrier in a lasting relationship with me is weakness of character. If a woman can easily be persuaded by her friends and family to do something she doesn't really want, then she and I won't make a good pair."

I sat there looking at the television and I realized I was never going to be able to fix the mistake I had made. This next month was going to be torture.


--~ Blog Tour Giveaway ~--

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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FOR more details check out the blog tour:

5/22 My Jane Austen Bookclub
5/22 Most Agreeably Engaged
5/23 Half Agony, Half Hope
5/24 JustJane 1813
5/24 The Ardent Reader
5/25 From Pemberly to Milton
5/26 Diary of an Eccentric
5/26 My Love for Jane Austen
5/27 Babblings of a Bookworm
5/28 Musings from the Yellow Kitchen
5/29 vvb32 reads -- that would be here ;-)
5/29 Austenesque Reviews

Lovely Books and Things - 5.13.17

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update
Linking up with:
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)


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Due to the current U.S. political climate, this week had me in a dystopia mood. I was attracted to dystopia and feminism related books at the bookstore.

Currently reading: Cruel Beautiful World by Caroline Leavitt

I had to put it aside last weekend to read Libra by Don Delillo for book club coming up this coming Monday.

Libra took me the whole week to get through. Not really a pleasant experience, but had to do it. And now, I know more about Lee Harvey Oswald.

MAY is Zombie Awareness Month per the Zombie Research Society (here). I normally like to devote the month or at least a week for all zombies. But, this year finds my schedule busy with other things. I do plan on throwing in at least one zombie book this month - Revived by Ernesto Pavan. Also, might catch up on watching a couple of the Resident Evil films.

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Bought:

The Book of Joan
by Lidia Yuknavitch
-Dystopia
Amazon | Goodreads
THE NPR review (here) caught my attention to read this one.

The Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood
-Feminism, Dystopia
Amazon | Goodreads
I read this awhile ago, but got sucked into watching the updated tv series version starring Elisabeth Moss. I do not have time to binge it. But will be watching at least one a day. Gives the shivers but worth watching. I plan to re-read this after watching the series. This tv tie-in version includes a new introduction by Margaret Atwood.

Men Explain Things to Me
by Rebecca Solnit
-Feminism, Essay
Amazon | Goodreads
RECOMMENDED to me while at the film event at Diesel bookstore mentioned below.


For Review:

Modern Persuasion
by Sara Marks
-Contemporary Romance, Jane Austen
courtesy of author -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads
GONNA set up a Jane Austen themed week at the end of the month.

North Haven
by Sarah Moriarty
-Women's Fiction
courtesy of Amazon Kindle First -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads
PICKED this because I liked the sound of jumping into a novel set in Maine during the summer. Sibling rivalry ensues.


AND watched: in theatre

Dean (2016)
Director/Writer: Demetri Martin
Starring: Asif Ali, Jesaiah Baer, Kathrine Barnes
Release: June 2, 2017
-Comedy, Drama | imdb | my rating: 5
A comedy about loss, grief and the redemptive power of love, Dean is an NY illustrator who falls hard for an LA woman while trying to prevent his father from selling the family home in the wake of his mother's death.

THE audience was treated to a Q&A with the director/writer/actor/comedian/illustrator, Demetri Martin. Loved listening to this multi-talented creator. Found out that he will be back in SF in the Fall when he goes on a comedy tour. Another of his illustrated books will be released in September. And he is working on a book of short stories. Wheeee!


AND watched: at Diesel bookstore in Larkspur

50/50 (2016)
Rethinking the Past, Present, and Future of Women in Power
Creater: Tiffany Shlain
Writers: Karen Everett, Arne Johnson, Jennifer Traig
-Documentary | imdb | my rating: 5
50/50 gives the 10,000 year history of women + power - from setbacks and uprisings, to the bigger context of where we are today. Using her signature, cinematic-thought-essay style, Emmy-nominated filmmaker and founder of The Webby Awards Tiffany Shlain brings us on an electric ride to explore, where are we really on the greater arc of history of women and power? And what's it going to take to get to a #5050 world - not just politics and board rooms, but truly shifting the gender balance to be better for everyone.

Find out details and watch the 20 minute film free (here).

THE film viewing was part of...

50/50 Day - May 10
11,000+ Events
All 50 states
65+ countries
One film
Millions of perspectives on one topic:
#GettingTo5050
May 10th was the first annual 50/50 Day, with thousands of organizations, companies, schools, museums, libraries and homes — anywhere people already gather — in a global conversation about what it will take to get to a more gender-balanced world in all sectors of society: business, politics, culture, home, and more. There were over 500 million impression online from video views, press and on social media. Watch a 2 minute trailer about 50/50 Day (here).

SO inspiring and wonderful source for ideas on what people can do to make a difference.

I am marking my calendar to participate next year - join in, too!


Currently flipping through: from the library

A Colorful Way of Living:
How to Be More, Create More, Do More the Vera Bradley Way
by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard (cofounder of Vera Bradley)
-Biography, Business
Amazon | Goodreads
SPOTTED this at Happy.Pretty.Sweet and HAD to check it out. Fascinating thoughts on the front and back end of this business with photos and colorful whimsical pages (like the bags).

side note: Love looking at the beautiful colorful Vera Bradley bags, but have not yet pulled the trigger to get one.


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* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

:-)