Monday, March 25, 2013

HEART LIKE MINE by Amy Hatvany (and previous winners announced too!)

Congrats to NOVA aka Sparkle - you have won HEART LIKE MINE! Email stephanieelliot(at)gmail.com with your full name and address to receive your book!


At the end of this post, previous winners are announced,
please see if you've won a book!!




As with all of Amy Hatvany's books, I have fallen in love with her characters. I started Heart Like Mine and found myself sneaking moments to read it. We got to hear Grace's story - the woman who was newly engaged to a man with two children who had no desire for children of her own. She was fine with the every other weekend parenting gig.

Then we hear Ava's side. She's the 13-year-old who's pretty lukewarm to Grace, but she only has to deal with her twice a month so she does her best to manage the arrangement - it's not that hard. At first. 

The most surprising and exciting part of the book that I was not expecting was we also got flashbacks of the ex-wife, Kelli's story. (When I discovered that we were let in on Kelli's life, it was like a bonus for me! Like the reader was being let in on a really cool secret -- definitely the icing on the cake for me with this book!) Kelli is Ava's mom, and it's not a spoiler to let you know she dies early in the book, which means Grace is thrown into a parenting role to Ava and her young brother Max - a role she had no desire to be in.



Here's the back-of-the-book blurb:

 
Thirty-six-year-old Grace McAllister never longed for children. But when she meets Victor Hansen, a handsome, charismatic divorced restaurateur who is father to Max and Ava, Grace decides that, for the right man, she could learn to be an excellent part-time stepmom. After all, the kids live with their mother, Kelli. How hard could it be? 


At thirteen, Ava Hansen is mature beyond her years. Since her parents’ divorce, she has been taking care of her emotionally unstable mother and her little brother—she pays the bills, does the laundry, and never complains because she loves her mama more than anyone. And while her father’s new girlfriend is nice enough, Ava still holds out hope that her parents will get back together and that they’ll be a family again. But only days after Victor and Grace get engaged, Kelli dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances—and soon, Grace and Ava discover that there was much more to Kelli’s life than either ever knew. 


Narrated by Grace and Ava in the present with flashbacks into Kelli’s troubled past, Heart Like Mine is a poignant, hopeful portrait of womanhood, love, and the challenges and joys of family life.


Amy's books are the type where when you get to the end of a chapter, you can't stop reading. It's that simple. The chapters were simply titled by the character's name. So I'd read a "GRACE" chapter, and think, "OK, I have got to get to bed." Then the next chapter would be an "AVA" chapter, and I'd think, "NOOOO! I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT AVA'S THINKING NOW!" … and on and on it went… it's a vicious delicious cycle, these Amy Hatvany books - they suck you in, and you're turning pages to find out who's doing what, who's thinking what, and what is going to happen next. 


Her characters are absolutely, positively normal, real people. Doing real things, and facing real challenges and Amy writes with such heart and writes such realistic themes, you might as well be in the room with Grace while she's handling a situation - whether she's trying to break up a squabble between Ava and Max or whether she and Ava are attempting to bake a cake!


In Heart Like Mine, Grace's fiancĂ© Victor is a restaurant owner. This one is really simple: If you'd like to win a copy of Heart Like Mine, tell me your favorite restaurant! 

Did YOU win a BOOK???? CHECK HERE!!!!
(please email me at stephanieelliot(at)gmail.com and send your full name & address so I can send out your book!):

Market Street 
Erin G. 
(YOU won TWO BOOKS see below - how LUCKY IS THAT?!?!?!)

The Sunshine When She's Gone (two winners)  
SLM8803
Erin G.

A Whole New You 
EKB


Covet 
FAITH'S PAGE 

And yes, as usual, I have to include this, so please read:
If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please leave a comment on this post and use an identifying name when commenting. It's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in a few days to see if you've won the book -- I will either list the winner in a new post OR highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. I do NOT personally contact the winners. It is YOUR responsibility to come back to see if you've won. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot[at]gmail.com. Thank you for your support!


 

58 comments:

TaraUB said...

Right now, it's a toss up between Dawson's on Main, The Tamale Place, and Super Torta.

susieqlaw said...

My favorite restaurant is Rocco's.

sendsusanmail AT gmail dot com

Kayo said...

My favorite is Paul & Jacks. A great bar & grill. Thinking abou† it is  making me hungry.

Laura Kay said...

my favorite restaurant is Marc's Fusion Cafe in my hometown. It's a sushi restaurant and it is AMAZING! Everything is so fresh! You do have to wait FOREVER for a table because they are so packed. But worth it.

Megan said...

My favorite restaurant is Hot Chocolate in Chicago.
Eloise peaches

Anonymous said...

My favorite restaurant is one of those Japanese steak houses with the hibachi grills.

-Donna W.

absolutahnie said...

my favorites was sel de la terre (the long wharf location) but sadly it's closed now. my current favorite the makaha - divey chinese at its best.

jdstec said...

a local Italian restaurant, Napoli

Juliet Farmer said...

currently it's my very own kitchen!

Carly said...

Pretty much any Chinese food place in Chinatown, San Francisco. So yummy!

Carly H

CAnative said...

Franco's. They have an entree salad that I just love!

Nicole

Mary Jo Burke said...

Zander's Café. It closed and I still miss their food.

Emma S. said...

This is so hard to answer. I have favorite restaurants in each city i visit and/or frequent a lot. One of my all time favorite's is a local place called Duffy's Tavern in Boalsburg, PA. P.F. Chang's, Uno's pizza, and The Cheesecake Factory are some of my favorite chain restaurants.

equinn726 said...

wow - hard one to answer. I guess I have to go back to an old standard: Back to Chicago, where my fave restaurant is Select Cut at Halstead & Diversey. I have always had great food and excellent wine and amazing company whenever I've had the pleasure of dining there.

Luvschocolate said...

Asado, a local Argentinian restaurant

Jeffie T said...

Mexico Viejo

Becki***** said...

Park Avenue - Stanton, CA

Lizett said...

hmmm...my favorite would have to be a place called Sup. They have the most amazing soups and sandwiches, delicious!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

F. McLintocks in Pismo Beach, CA - I love me a steak at the end of a 4 hour drive for dinner. :)

ncsuloges said...

Melting Pot- love fondue :)

Bridget T. said...

A local Mexican place, Cotijas. The best carne asada chips around!

Iambtinrb

BrendaL71 said...

Wow, that's hard since I live in Chicago. So many good places. and I hate to say a chain so I'll say this mexican restaurant in Streamwood: Los Burritos Tapatios. YUM!

Jessica said...

My favorite restaurant is called Red Orchids. It's a local chinese place. It's the best chinese I've ever had before! I loveee it. Just typing this made me hungry for it. =]

Thanks!
-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

Kim W. said...

The Keg Steakhouse. For as long as I can remember, my family has celebrated birthdays and other happy times at The Keg.

PS: looooooove Amy's books!

Kelleyc said...

We don't go out enough to really have a favorite! (my favorite is wherever we go when we DO get a night out!) lol. But favorite chain right now would be LongHorn and favorite local place would be Pidos Pub.

Bev V said...

Two local restaurants -- Margaritas for Mexican and BBQRed for bar-b-que

Tanya Quilts in CO said...

My favorite restaurant is 1000 miles away in San Diego--The Fishery. It is fish market and amazing small fish bistro. Every time I visit I can't wait to eat there!

betsy_blixt said...

This is a tough one but I think I just found it last week. Lucca in the Northend of Boston was fabulous!!!!!

CherylB said...

My current favorite restaurant is Los Ocampo--a local place with fantastically fresh Mexican food!

cabest@yahoo.com

Caroline N said...

Favorite Restaurant is La Hacienda. Dee-lish!

Margie said...

My favorite restaurant is Famous Daves.

EKB said...

Archie Moores...OMG they have the BEST salads ...and mozerella sticks :-} And grilled cheese.

GoGreen said...

My favourite restaurant is Da Gino Ristorante in Vancouver



Bonnie

Click on blogger name for email address.

Lina S said...

Cheesecake Factory!

Melissa said...

Loving Souplantation right now.

-tmd636

Unknown said...

My favorite restaurant is our local hibachi, called Osaka. Love it, but they always give you so much food, I feel like I need to unbutton my pants when I'm done :)

Natalie M. in VA said...

My favorite restaurant is called Ford's Fish Shack. It's in Ashburn, VA and it's AH-mazing. It's brilliant from the drinks and apps all the way through to the after-dinner dessert beverages. :)

your invisible pixie said...

my favorite restaurant is broadway heights in chico, california

Na S. said...

I don't have a favorite restaurant but have a weakness for steakhouses! I'll always go out of my way to check a new one out.

Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

slm8803 said...

Longhorn Steakhouse and the Olive Garden. I can't pick one!

Melissa said...

My restaurant choices are more limited now that I keep Kosher, even though I still eat vegetarian out. I love Olive Garden though. Hard to resist their breadsticks and they make great tiramisu. When I lived in the Chicago suburbs, I used to go to Yen Yen all the time. It was my favorite Chinese restaurant and I even worked there for a few years.

Melissa A from CLC

Book Mama said...

I love Pasta Pane. They have the best Italian food in my area.

mengel2@nycap.rr.com

Nova said...

My favorite restaurant is a local one that is a family business. It has been open for 30 years and its name is Stonehearth Restaurant.
sparkle40175(at)hotmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

We love Lazy Dog Cafe. Thanks for offering this contest!
martinezwriter AT yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

My favorite is Ten 22 (http://ten22oldsac.com/). Their motto is "Eat, Drink, Relax" ... three of my favorite activities!

Anonymous said...

My favorite restaurant has always been my mom's kitchen. She makes the best German food. It's so delish! :)

- Michele

Hailey Fish said...

My absolute favorite restaurant is Olive Garden! Why, you ask? The food is delicious, the service is great and you have so many different things to choose from. Plus, you can have unlimited salad, soup and breadsticks. I think it's authentic Italian cuisine. :)

Tiffany Drew said...

Outback Steakhouse, yuuuuumy. Sadly, they closed down the one near us and the closest one is now an hour away. So sad!

Gail said...

Serendipity 3 in Las Vegas. Love the outdoor patio (all-season!) and the ah-mazing food

Anonymous said...

La Fogata Mexican restuarant in San Antonio, TX!

- Melinda Garza

Erin G said...

Burger Bar 419 - so good...

Reese78 said...

anything Mexican. We have a couple places here that are locally owned and delicious!

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

I favorite is Red Lobster. The closest one is 50 miles away so whenever we get a chance to go there, we do.

Kristi said...

I LOVE PF Changs and Pei Wei... I frequent Pei Wei more because it's easier on the wallet. But both are soooo yummy!

aggiekristi04

Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

My favorite restaurant is a local Thai place called Cool Basil! Yum!!!

missamberljohnson at gmail dot com

I'm a new reader! Can't wait to read more!

LeslieGC said...

My favorite is a local one: Demos'

Krystal said...

I can't say that I have a specific favorite restaurant. I like any authentic Mexican Restaurant! :)

kndyer