Anna Garner

Author Anna Garner (aka Libby Mercer) has created a sweet new series called Sweet Dreams that is centered around a trio of best friends, and the forming of their business partnership in a gourmet ice cream shop called Sweet Dreams.

In Sugar Spun Sister, the first book of the series, the reader is introduced to Cricket Whittier and her best friends Lindsay and Nora. Set in San Francisco, this sweet tale follows ad copywriter Cricket Whittier as she deals with a job that she hates and a boss with a Napoleon Complex and a mean streak that makes Cricket yearn to fulfill her dream of opening a gourmet ice cream shop.

Cricket's dream of owning her own business starts with an ice cream maker as a housewarming gift from her brother Daniel (Dusk). Coming up with gourmet ice cream concoctions that provides a therapeutic and relaxing measure to combat the tensions of her job, Cricket's delicious hobby gets high praise from family and friends, that turns into a dream of someday owning her own ice cream shop. With the support and prodding of Cricket's two best friends, Lindsay and Nora, her dream turns into a reality when they form a partnership to open Sweet Dreams, a gourmet ice cream shop. Their journey of becoming business partner is filled with hurdles and humorous trials and tribulations, family issues, and romance drama, but there's nothing like a little ice cream to make life that much sweeter!

Sugar Spun Sister is a heartwarming tale about a woman who follows her dreams with the support of her two best friends and family. This was such a fun story to read, it revolves around friendships, family, and romance, with touching moments that will make you smile, and laugh-out-loud moments that will make you giggle. You can't help but get drawn into Cricket's story and follow her journey with Lindsay and Nora as they make her dream come true. While the main focus is on the development of the ice cream shop from dream to business plan to fruition; the author interweaves into the storyline Cricket's family history, an on/off casual friends with benefits relationship, and a glimpse into the lives of Lindsay and Nora as well.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the author teases her readers with the inclusion of delicious gourmet ice cream recipes at the beginning of each chapter that simply makes the mouth water. I think the inclusion of the recipe at the beginning of the chapter is a great lead into each chapter, and I really enjoyed reading how each chapter's recipe was created.

Cricket, Lindsay and Nora will each have their story featured in one of the books in the Sweet Dreams series.

With a quirky cast of characters; a richly detailed description of San Francisco; and a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable storyline; Sugar Spun Sister is a must-read for all Chick Lit fans!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2013/12/sugar-spun-sister-by-anna-garn...… (meer)

LYING TO MEET YOU by Anna Garner is a delightful story of Chloe Lane, a single nearly thirty fashion designer – boutique owner in New York and a reality show judge. Chloe’s best friends constantly devise plans for the three of them to catch a man, all of them ending in failure. While trying to figure out why no man is interested in any of them, given that they are all good-looking, they decide that an existing relationship is what they need to make them more attractive to potential suitors.
While telling her lifelong friend Ethan Webster about her evening, Ethan suggests that he and Chloe pretend to be dating to test the theory. Chloe agrees to it, but initially feels guilty about lying to her friends and family. Will their plan succeed, or will it backfire?
Anna Garner (aka Libby Mercer) has spun a tale that is full of laugh-out-loud humor, romance, friendships that have passed the test of time, family problems, and surprises. If you enjoy reading chicklit, you will love LYING TO MEET YOU. I highly recommend this book.
LYING TO MEET YOU was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.… (meer)

If you are looking for an entertaining Chick Lit story set in New York City and filled with fashion, food, romance, drama and humor, then author Anna Garner's Lying To Meet You is the book for you!

Written in the first person narrative, the reader follows Chloe Lane as she juggles her busy fashion designer / boutique owner career, being a judge on the reality show The American Dream, and looking for love with the right guy.

On the cusp of turning thirty, friends Chloe, Isabel and Veronica are still single and having a hard time finding Mr. Right. After a night on the town is fruitless in finding a guy to hook up with, Chloe tells longtime childhood friend Ethan Webster about her plight and the interesting theory that people who are in relationships are more appealing to interested parties than other single people. It's got to be the challenge of someone who is unavailable and off-limits that makes the chase more exciting. Ethan suggests that they test that theory with an experiment: engage in a fake relationship with each other and see if they become attractive and pursued by other people. Ethan wants to test the theory because he is interested in Lila, a woman he works with at The New York Times. Chloe goes along with the experiment and soon finds herself attracted to fellow reality judge, millionaire businessman William Shannon. Will Chloe and Ethan's fake relationship experiment help them find their true loves? Or will their secret experiment based on a lie backfire on them?

Lying To Meet You is such a fun story to read! From the beginning Chloe easily draws the reader into her world filled with fashion, food and romance woes. This story has everything that Chick Lit fans could ever ask for: sassy friendships, family drama, romance, humorous dialogues and interactions, fashion and media references, and yummy food all set in the town that never sleeps, New York City. You can't help but want to follow along as Chloe and Ethan's experiment takes them on a journey to find their respective other half, it's a journey that includes hilarious antics, mishaps and dilemmas that keeps the reader laughing out loud.

With a sassy cast of characters who are downright funny, a richly detailed description of the New York City setting and the fashion industry, and a lighthearted romantic storyline that will make you giggle and smile, Lying To Meet You is Chick Lit at its very best!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2013/09/lying-to-meet-you-by-anna-garn...… (meer)

A shinning example of a great chick lit heroine, an attractive hero and the under dog who ultimately gets the girl. Friends, fashion and love are always a dynamite combination and it is in abundance here. Chloe is a driven character with a good heart who I loved instantly. Ethan took me a little longer to really like him but he is of course the admirable type of character that one can rely on. William is the attractive, wealthy unattainable guy that manages to win Chloe's heart and of course the readers too. He lives up to the preconceived expectation but where would we be without that typical guy in the story so although he is not original he plays his part well. Over all I enjoyed the story and weather this author is writing under Anna Garner or Libby Mercer you are sure to read an entertaining chick lit story that will have you become a fan of hers as I have.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.… (meer)