Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the Count Down To Love blog tour hosted by Lexie at The Book Bug.
Countdown To Love
by Julie N Ford
Paperback, 240 pages
Published July 14th 2011
by Bonneville Books
ISBN 1599555166
Paperback, 240 pages
Published July 14th 2011
by Bonneville Books
ISBN 1599555166
source: Tristi Pinkston Blog Tours
5 stars
Abandoned at the altar, Kelly Grace Pickens finds herself left holding not only the bouquet but also the exorbitant bill for an A-list wedding. Homeless, a once promising singing career floundering, and her life bearing an uncanny resemblance to one of her country music ballads, she reluctantly accepts a last minute offer to appear on a reality TV show akin to the bachelor. Pitted against silicon-enhanced supermodels in four-inch heals, Kelly feels confident that she will be among the first would-be fiancés to be excused. Only, when the mysterious bachelor from New York City, Dillon Black, invites her to stay, Kelly finds herself thrust into the vortex of a game she doesn’t have the first idea how to play. Nursing her hopelessly broken heart while avoiding the foils of her fellow contestants, Kelly is oblivious to Dillon’s affections as she wades through hurt and betrayal to discover, in the end, that she has landed firmly on both feet.
Leaving behind Nashville’s Music Row for the majestic Grand Teton mountains, Count Down To Love takes readers on a journey from duplicity to sincerity as Kelly discovers that being true to oneself is the first step in finding happiness and everlasting love.
Heather’s Review: What a fun summer read! Countdown to Love is one of the few books this year that I can definitely say I would pick up and read again. Fans of the movie Sweet Home Alabama and the T.V. series the Bachelor will eat this one up. Countdown to Love opens with Kelly Pickens, a sweet Southern singer on the rise to stardom abandoned at the alter. Left with no where to live and no idea where her fiance has gone, Kelly’s not quite sure what to do with her life. In sweeps Kelly’s cousin Sissy, the producer of a popular reality show who is also left in a lurch as she’s down one female contestant. While Kelly certainly isn’t looking for love herself, she has bills to pay from a wedding that never happened so she accepts a spot on the show.
There a million laugh out loud and toe curling romantic moments in Countdown to Love. Kelly must overcome her past to be able to trust again and find out who she really is, but Dillon is just the man to help her out! Readers will enjoy all the settings and vivid descriptions of American terrain the author weaves into her storyline. I’d call Countdown to Love a must have for fans of chick lit/ Christian romance. I can’t wait to read more from this author! My fingers are crossed for a follow up novel.
Content: The main man smokes and drinks. There are a few mentions of cleavage and past sexual relationships. No violence or swearing. Overall a clean read recommended for adults.
You might also like: Austenland by Shannon Hale or Previously Engaged by Elodia Strain
About the Author: Julie N. Ford has a BA in political science and a minor in English literature from San Diego State University. In addition, she earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Alabama. Professionally, she has worked in teaching, childbirth education, and family therapy. Along with Count Down to Love, she is the author of two other women’s fiction novels due for release in 2011. Currently, she lives in Nashville with her husband, two daughters, and one very feisty fish.
In her spare time, Julie loves to ride her mountain bike, practice yoga, spend time shopping, walking and listening to music with her daughters and of course reading. Some of her favorite authors include, Daphne Du Maurier, Bronte, P.D. James, Michael Crichton, Linda Davies and Sophie Kinsella.
Visit the author’s website and subscribe to her blog .
Grand Prize Giveaway: As part of the tour, Julie is generously offering a grand prize giveaway of a hard copy of Count Down to Love, a CD of the band Due West, and a copy of the single, “Who I Am”, which Julie and Due West wrote and recorded specifically for the book. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post or any of the other stops on the tour. The more stops you comment on, the more entries you have into the contest!
emfawcett
Great review! Definitely sounds like an interesting read!
hristina
This sounds like a interesting book. 🙂
Kelly
It sounds like a really sweet book. I loved Sweet Home Alabama so now I can’t wait to read this!!
delivery.RN at gmail dot com
Tyler-Rose Neath
Sounds like an interesting read.. Might have to look into it 😀
Gayle
I’m not a huge fan of reality TV, but I did enjoy this story. I love how there is a song to go with it!
Julie N Ford
Heather,
Thanks so much for posting this great review and for agreeing to be apart of a second tour for Count Down to Love!
Julie N. Ford
Lexie@BookBug
Thanks again for being part of the tour!!