This is the most fun I've had reading a book to review in quite a while!

Olivia has been barely getting by while she waits for her big break. Lo and behold, she gets it just as she gets fired for messing up big with a high value, big spending customer.

Olivia hits it big time with a co-host position on a very well-known television show. And then she hits it big-time with her shallow, lying, conniving, scheming co-host, William. (Do you get the feeling I don't care much for William?)

Read as things soon spirals out of Olivia's control and she loses her footing while running down that figurative yellow-brick road, seeking Oz all the while thinking, there's no place like home, where the heart is.

This is the first novel I've read by Julie N. Ford, but if this is any indication of the quality of her writing, it definitely won't be the last!

I highly recommend Home Matter by Julie N. Ford, Book 1 in The Ripple Effect Novella Series.

~Patricia, Room With Books~ © March 18, 2014 ( )

I received this book for free for review purposes. This in no way influenced my review.

I really enjoyed this book. This is a perfect romance novella, although completely predictable.

For my full review, check out my blog after March 21st. Here is where you can find my blog: http://bookreviewsfromachristiangal.blogspot.com/ ( )

I received this book for free for review purposes. This in no way influenced my review.

I really enjoyed this book. This is a perfect romance novella, although completely predictable.

For my full review, check out my blog after March 21st. Here is where you can find my blog: http://bookreviewsfromachristiangal.blogspot.com/ ( )

WHAT A FUN BOOK!

Olivia has her work cut out for her!

She wants to be famous!

She lands a job with a popular TV show...

She also has a chance with heartthrob William...

Then there is arrogant Pete...

She can't stop thinking about him and his suggestion that she really reach for her full potential.

Somehow her job isn't all it seems to be.

"Should she continue to reach for the stars? Or does she design a new happily ever after? One that leads not to the fading lights of fame and fortune, but to a love that will burn forever."

A SWEET contemporary romance!
Watch for more reviews of this series :) ( )

Olivia Pembroke fought with an inner struggle. On one hand, her mom wanted her to become famous. On the other hand, Olivia had a secret desire and talent for art and design. The problem was, her mother's dreams had somehow morphed into her dreams and she had no idea what she really wanted anymore. She played the part of the TV star diva with attitude and prestige and found it thrilling in its own way but, at the same time, she reveled in pulling out her sketch pad and bringing to life her idea of the perfect design. She had her moments when she sacrificed her integrity with "little white lies" but when it came to promiscuous sex she drew the line and I was glad to see that stardom didn't completely corrupt her morals.

Pete was the lead contractor of the reality show, "Home Matters", Olivia co-starred in. I have read about a lot of heros in romance books, and I have some favorites, but Pete is probably one of my very favorites of all time. I mean, where do you find a guy like Pete? Really! This guy lost his fiancé to Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a debilitating form of cancer, and started a nonprofit in her honor to help caregivers renovate their homes to accommodate the special needs of their sick loved ones. Sigh! He has such a huge heart and it's evident in, literally, everything he does. I won't go into detail because that's something you need to find out on your own. But, trust me, you will love this guy.

I have to say, I literally smiled through ninety five percent of this book. I kept catching myself with this big goofy grin. Partly due to the sparks that flew between Olivia and Pete. Here's an example.

___________________Book Quote___________________

Pete hooked the drill back to his belt and reached for another sheet of drywall. "Right," he said, like he could see right through her. "Whatever you say, Peaches."
A prickly burr worked its way up her spine. One minute he was warm and friendly, and the next, teasing her for no good reason. "Excuse me?" she chided. "It's 'Peach.' And my daddy's the only person on God's green earth allowed to call me that. So, I'd much appreciate it if you'd refrain from now on."
A wry smile lit his eyes with mischief. "All right," he conceded. "How 'bout I call you Olive instead?"
Olivia knotted her arms together and held her position. "How 'bout Olivia?"
Replacing the drywall to the stack, he sidestepped until he was facing her straight on, the reached out and lifted her glasses to rest on top of her head. "No, I think Olive is better." He hijacked her gave with his. "It matches your eyes when you're angry and not hiding behind those ridiculous contacts."
"What could I possibly have to hide?" she challenged.
Crossing his arms over a set of firm pecks, Pete looked to the ceiling in thought. "For starters," he began, "you have an overwhelming fear that you'll never be good enough for either the career you've chosen or the love of a man who deserves you."
Planting one hand firmly to either side of her, he leaned closer. "Which only exacerbates the fact that you might never have kids though there's and ache inside you yearning for a family. But how can you heed that impulse when your mother's happiness depends on living her own dreams vicariously through you?" He finished by sending her a piercing look of concern, a thread from his heart to hers. "That's a lot of pressure, taking responsibility for someone else's dreams at the expense of your own happiness."
___________________End Quote___________________

I loved their battle of wills and sharp returns and Pete's sense of humor had me cracking up. It lead into some great kissing scenes, too, which contained passion with and edge but never went too far. I loved the whole concept of the reality show which did home renovations. I was a huge Extreme Home Makeovers fan and related Pete's character to TY Pennington. In essence, this was a very enjoyable clean read. It's the first novella in the Ripple Effects Romance series and I am very much looking forward to the rest of the books that follow. It was a light-hearted romance that had a few tense moments and I loved that it shed light on the very serious subjects of debilitating diseases and caregivers. The humorous aspect reminded me of Janice Thompson's writing style and the passionate scenes bring to mind Julie Lessman's way of drawing you into a kissing scene and keeping you enraptured. Put them both together and you have one fantastic book! If you like either of these authors you will love this book. I have never read anything by Julie M. Ford before but I will be adding her to my favorites list. Highly recommended!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are mine alone. If I recommend a book it's simply because I enjoyed it. I received no monetary compensation for this review. ( )