Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway for The Seduction of Esther by Jennifer Wilck

Welcome to my stop on Jennifer Wilck's Virtual Book Tour for The Seduction of Esther.  Please leave a comment or question for Jennifer below to let her know you stopped by.  Jennifer will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC and Chocolate to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (International Giveaway).  You can follow Jennifer's tour here, the more often you comment, the better your odds of winning. 

The Seduction of Esther
by Jennifer Wilck

Publisher: Rebel Ink Press, LLC.
Release Date: May 31, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance (Jewish Themed)

Buy Links:  

Amazon │ B&N │ ARe 

Book Description:

Samara Goldberg has a problem even the most beautiful singing voice can’t fix. She’s a walking disaster, especially when she’s around handsome men. To make matters worse, she’s in desperate need of someone to play the character of Mordecai for the Purim spiel she’s producing and the new congregant, Nathaniel Abramson, is a perfect fit. Nathaniel is a divorced dad who’s recovering from the biggest public scandal of his life. The last thing he needs is a relationship with the choir director at his new synagogue, who also happens to be playing the lead female role of Esther in the very play he’s been coerced into joining.

Woven around the Jewish holiday of Purim, The Seduction of Esther is a story of two people whose lives mirror the plot of the Purim story. Like Esther, who had to hide her Jewish identity from the King of Persia, Samara and Nathaniel are hiding key pieces of themselves. Evil Haman wanted to destroy the Jews, and the nasty Josh will do anything to keep Samara and Nathaniel apart. Will their love survive, like the Jewish people in Shushan, Persia, or will their fear keep them apart?

About the Author:

When I was a little girl and couldn’t fall asleep, my mother would tell me to make up a story. Pretty soon, my head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Each character had a specific personality, a list of likes and dislikes, and sometimes, even a specific accent or dialect. Even as an adult, I think about the characters and stories at night before I fall asleep, or in the car on my way to or from one of my daughters’ numerous activities (hey, anything that will drown out their music is a good thing).

One day, I started writing them down (it was either that or checking into the local mental hospital; the computer was way less scary) and five years later, I’ve gotten two book contracts from Whiskey Creek Press. To check them out, click here.

So now it’s time to introduce myself to you. In the real world, I’m the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men I know. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading, traveling and watching TV. In between chauffeuring my daughters to after-school activities that require an Excel spreadsheet to be kept straight, running youth group activities, training the dog we recently adopted from a local shelter, and cooking dinners that fit the needs of four very different appetites, I write freelance articles for magazines and newspapers and edit newsletters.

When all of that gets overwhelming, I retreat to my computer, where I write stories that let me escape from reality. In my made-up world, the heroines are always smart, sassy and independent. The heroes are handsome and strong with just a touch of vulnerability. If I don’t like a character, I can delete him or her; if something doesn’t work, I can rewrite it. It’s very satisfying to be in control of at least one part of my life.

My inspiration comes from watching the people around me and fantasizing about how I’d do things differently. I look forward to publishing many more stories in the future and hearing my reader’s comments about my characters and the life they lead.

Want to learn more about me?

Check out my Website 

Find me on Facebook and on Twitter!

My Review

A sweet and often humorous contemporary romance, The Seduction of Esther by Jennifer Wilck captured my attention from the very first page and never let go.  Likable and well developed characters, good dialogue, a somewhat slapstick sense of humor and a second chance romance for a dad with a small kid, make this book very enjoyable.  Mixing in interesting tidbits about the Jewish faith and celebration of one particular holiday, added another layer of depth to reading this story.  

A talented singer and music arranger, Samara Goldberg is young, beautiful and a terrible klutz.  Especially if she gets anywhere around an attractive man, a man she might be interested in.  A chance encounter at a local grocery store brings Samara into direct contact with Nathaniel Abramson, a handsome single attorney who has just joined the synagogue she attends.  Getting him, and his daughter, involved in the synagogue and in her play for the Purim celebration is easy…….not embarrassing herself and not injuring Nathaniel during their encounters due to her clumsiness….not so much.

Divorced and raising his young daughter on his own, Nathaniel Abramson is determined to focus on his career and being a single parent.  Unfortunately he keeps running into Samara and can’t resist her beauty and natural charm.  Wary of risking his heart, Nathaniel isn’t sure what to do about the singer whose voice and companionship lift his heart, and stirs his interest in a romantic relationship.      

The scenes between Samara and Nathaniel are a lot of fun; both likable and nice people, everyone around them can see they are perfect for each other.  Both afraid of being hurt, and possibly embarrassed, they can’t deny their natural attraction.  Ms. Wilck does a good job developing both characters as individuals and as a couple, it’s apparent from the very beginning that these two people belong together.

The secondary characters are well written and all contribute a little something to the story.  From Zoe, Nathaniel’s daughter, a precocious child who plays an important part in bringing Samara and Nathaniel together, to Josh, an architect and fellow member of the synagogue, who wants to be Samara’s romantic interest and at first can't understand her interest in Nathaniel. 

Will Samara and Nathaniel realize their relationship was meant to be?  Will their adaptation of The Story of Esther go off without a hitch for the Purim holiday?  You’ll have to read The Seduction of Esther to find out, I enjoyed it and encourage you to give it a try too.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Crowns

                                       

FTC Disclosure:  I was given a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour.  I did not receive any additional compensation for my opinion of the reading material provided.

Don't forget to leave a comment or question for Jennifer below to let her know you stopped by.  Jennifer will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC and Chocolate to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour (International Giveaway).  You can follow Jennifer's tour here, the more often you comment, the better your odds of winning.