Apple Ginger Crumb Cake | The Lost Girls of Devon

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What does one do in the midst of buying a home, renovating said home so it's livable, packing up their current home of 11.5 years, and moving? Reads a book, of course! But really, I've been extremely stressed out and on the verge of losing it, so taking an hour or two to escape in a good book here and there was just what the doctor ordered. Welcome to my TLC Book Tours stop for the latest novel by Barbara O'Neal, The Lost Girls of Devon.

Part mystery, part multi-generational drama, this book wound up being a rollercoaster of emotions (I even teared up once or twice). Four generations of Fairchild women make up this story, and we hear viewpoints from each—in order of generation, oldest to youngest, we have Lillian, Poppy, Zoe, and Isabel.

Coconut Shrimp | The Summer House

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome to my stop on the TLC Book Tour for The Summer House, Lauren K. Denton's latest novel. This is the second book I've read by Denton, the first one being her debut The Hideaway, three years ago. They are very similar in a few ways. First off, both are set in sleepy Alabama towns you might initially overlook, but where you wind up finding your place...and your people...in the end. Both focus on women in different stages of finding themselves, each has a young woman trying to find their path with the friendship and encouragement of some wisened older women. Both have an arc of change and growth, through the sometimes murky waters of love and loss.

Glazed Lemon Cake | #TheJaneAustenSocietyParty

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Hey, remember me? Huge fan of the works of Jane Austen? You may have been clued in to this fact when I hosted the #JaneAustenBites event, or from my reviews and kitchen inspiration from spin-offs such as Clueless, The Jane Austen Book Club, The Austen Escape, or Chaos Comes to Longbourn. And just ask my family about the Austen marathons I hold at home—some version or another of the films or mini-series often being rewatched. Although oddly enough, I've never posted anything directly from the source herself, though in my head I'm constantly entertaining a year-long Jane Austen challenge (for myself) right here on the blog. That may still happen one day.

But that's a thought for another day. A few months ago I was invited to take part in a virtual party for a new Austen-inspired release called The Jane Austen Society by author Natalie Jenner, thrown by The Book Club Cookbook, and today...release day...the date has arrived! The Jane Austen Society is not a spin-off or new take on any of her classics, but rather a story centered around the impact that reading Jane Austen has had on the lives of a group of people.

Ultimate Banana Cake | The Ingredients of You and Me

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

How does embarking on new adventures, cementing good friendships, moments packed with sexual tension, and getting your mojo back sound? Good, right!? I think so, which is why I adored The Ingredients of You and Me, the 3rd book in Nina Bocci's Hopeless Romantics series. To be fair, I fell for the residents of Hope Lake halfway into the first book when I read it last year, so that soft spot was just waiting for another installment.

A few months ago I shared this Garlic Parmesan Wings recipe inspired by book 2, and today I'll be sharing a book 3-inspired recipe with you as part of my TLC Book Tours stop!

Honey Thyme Butter | Salty, Bitter, Sweet

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome to my TLC Book Tours stop for Salty, Bitter, Sweet by Mayra Cuevas. Okay, I'll start by saying that overall, I enjoyed this read. Our main character Isa(bella) lives to cook and bake, and is currently living with her papi and stepmother in France, making her way through an exclusive apprenticeship competition course throughout the book.

She mentions and creates tons of food throughout the entire story, making me both hungry and eager to head into the kitchen; both of which are always bonus points in my book. Just a handful of the food mentioned: apple clafoutis, soffrito, chicken legs in wine-butter sauce, lemon tarts, pie, Tagliatelle, mushrooms, white truffles, aged cheese, Jacques Torres' Chocolate Chip Cookies, bacon cheeseburger, guava and cheese.

Garlic Parmesan Wings | Meet Me On Love Lane

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am happy to be hosting today's TLC Book Tours stop for the newest book in the Hopeless Romantics series by Nina Bocci, Meet Me On Love Lane. I hadn't read the first book in the series, but fortunately I was offered a copy of that one, called On the Corner of Love and Hate, as well. I'm not here to review Book 1 today, but I will tell you that I devoured it from start to finish. I was sucked in to the small town of Hope Lake and its residents.

While Book 1 focused on Emma and Cooper, Book 2 introduces us to Charlotte, and brings some of On the Corner of Love and Hate's supporting characters to the front lines. While reading the first book isn't essential to enjoying the second, I highly recommend you start from the beginning to add more depth to your experience.

Author Guest Post & Book Tour Stop: Nina Bocci #MeetMeOnLoveLane

This is a guest post from author Nina Bocci and a TLC Book Tours stop.

The kitchen is a happy place for me, it always has been. Spending hours with my mom making homemade pasta, ravioli for the holidays and hundreds of classic cookies for Christmas and I’m thrilled to be passing these traditions onto my son as well. So, when I was drafting out the Hopeless Romantics series, it was crucial for it to be a solid part of each book.

Pear & Baby Greens Salad w/ Spiced Maple Walnuts | The Austen Escape | #JaneAustenBites

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay! I'll start by saying that I am very excited to be on this tour for a couple of reasons. First, I'm familiar with Reay by name, not (and I'm ashamed to admit this) because I've actually read any of her novels, rather because I've been meaning to read them. There's just never enough time in the day, is there?

Lavender-Lime Soda | The Welcome Home Diner

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for The Welcome Home Diner, the latest food-centric novel by author (and food blogger) Peggy Lampman! This is a novel for all of you foodies out there—it'll make your mouth water from page one with a melange of Polish and Southern-inspired food descriptions, as well as homegrown and locally sourced ingredients and creative recipe ideas.

Spaghetti Bolognese | The Silent Fountain

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for The Silent Fountain, the latest novel by author Victoria Fox. Chapter by chapter, The Silent Fountain ebbs and flows over a period of four decades, introducing the reader gradually to its two main characters, Vivien and Lucy. Both women experienced life-altering events growing up, and both find themselves in a less than ideal situations at some point in their young adult life.

Fusilli w/ Raw Tomato Sauce | The Sweet Life

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for the latest novel by Sharon Struth called The Sweet Life. This is a sweet story, if somewhat predictable. Mamie Weber is offered the chance to join a bus tour of Tuscany (sound familiar?), and though it's a covert assignment for work, she looks at it as a chance to try and move forward in the aftermath of a tragic accident that took her husband and daughter's lives 5 years ago.

S'mores Brownies | If There's No Tomorrow

Remember when you were 17 and invincible? I do. Plus, I have children that are just on either side of that age. I'm also very sensitive and empathetic, which is probably why I cried my way through a good portion of If There's No Tomorrow, the latest YA novel by author Jennifer Armentrout. It touched me, to say the least.

Spicy, Sweet, & Smoky Barbecue Sauce | The Talented Ribkins

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for The Talented Ribkins, debut novel by author Ladee Hubbard! I'll start by saying that after reading the book jacket, there were two initial things that made me want to read this novel. The first being mention of the characters having "superpowers", the second being the reference to W.E.B. Du Boi's essay The Talented Tenth. (Which, if you haven't read it before, I recommend checking out The Talented Tenth just before or after reading The Talented Ribkins.)

Orange Muffins w/ Cinnamon Glaze | The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky

You must be comfortable with the liberal use of words like vagina, penis, sex, and dildo if you're going to read The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky, the debut novel by Summer Heacock. Really. It's all about Kat's quest to fix her broken lady bits. As long as that doesn't scare you off, you're in for a hilarious...and even a little sexy...read.

Peach Iced Tea | The Innkeeper's Sister

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for The Innkeeper's Sister by Linda Goodnight! This is book 3 in Goodnight's Honeyridge Novels series, but the first (and only so far) one that I've read. I actually didn't even realize it was a part of a series until I'd finished it, which means it definitely works as a stand-alone book. When I went to look back at the descriptions for the first 2 books, they are connected by location (Honey Ridge, Tennessee), but focus on different main characters. Those characters also play a part in this book, so I'm looking forward to going back and reading their stories.

THE SWEETEST BURN, an excerpt + giveaway | #TLCBookTours

Excerpt from THE SWEETEST BURN by Jeaniene Frost

Before I could turn around to leave, a large slash suddenly appeared in the air and three people stepped out of it. At once, the supernatural tattoo on my right arm began to burn. I gripped it without looking away, and the part of my brain that wasn’t freaking out figured out what was going on.

     The minion I’d killed hadn’t snuck up on me using his supernatural stealth and speed. He’d simply crossed from a demon realm into this one through a gateway that I hadn’t known was there.

Matcha Rice Pudding | Betrayal at Iga

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for Betrayal at Iga by Susan Spann, the 5th book in the Shinobi Mystery series! I started the Shinobi Mysteries on book 3...and I've been hooked ever since. At the end of The Ninja's Daughter, Hiro, Father Mateo, Ana, and Gato have made haste out of Kyoto, and this novel picks up as they enter the village in which Hiro grew up and trained amongst the many shinobi that inhabit it.

Slow Cooker Chile Verde | Another Man's Ground

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for Another Man's Ground, the second book in the Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery series by Claire Booth. I'm pretty excited to be hosting a stop on this tour, because I've been eagerly awaiting this book ever since finishing the first book in the series, The Branson Beauty.

Chicken Caesar Wraps | Like A Fly On The Wall

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for Like A Fly On The Wall by Simone Kelly! I joined this tour really looking forward to reading a novel where the main character reads people's energies and communicates with spirit guides because, although it's not something I mention here on the blog very often, the metaphysical is a regular part of my everyday life (meaning I love meeting characters of this sort).

Cinnamon Scones | The One That Got Away

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for the debut novel by Leigh Himes called The One That Got Away!  I'll start by saying that I always love these kinds of stories...the "what if" stories. For example—would my life have turned out differently if I had said yes instead of no that one day 20 years ago? I actually think this is my first time reading one of these, so I'm basing my love on movies like The Family Man and a handful of made-for-tv movies.