Virtual Tour & #Giveaway for Adding Lib by Kathryn Elliott

Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Tour, presented by Goddess Fish Promotions, for the Adding Lib by Kathryn Elliott.  Please leave a comment or question for Kathryn to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway, for a $25 Amazon/B&M GC, by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.  You can follow all of Kathryn’s tour stops by clicking on the banner above.  The more stops you visit, the better your odds of winning.  

Adding Lib

By Kathryn Elliott

The McGinn Series, Book 1

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Release Date: December 19, 2014

Genre:  Romantic Comedy

Length:  346 Pages

ISBN: 978-1628306408

ASIN: B00Q3NBSD6

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON | B&N | THE WILD ROSE | iTUNES | KOBO

About the book:

Libby O'Rourke has a short fuse. Her mother, Mae, carries a big match. Engulfed in the never-ending life-juggling of suburbia, Libby fails to notice Mae's emerging dementia symptoms until a kitchen fire puts the problem on the front burner.

Proficient in the art of denial, Mae brushes the shattering diagnosis aside and sets her sights on a matchmaking crusade for her eldest son. After all, if her lucid days are numbered, Mae’s going to make damned sure he makes it down the aisle while she still recognizes the groom.

It’s going to take a razor wit and an iron stomach to handle Mae's diagnosis. Thankfully, just like her mother Libby has both.

EXCERPT

Libby felt the weight of the coming conversation bear down on her shoulders like a lead blanket and struggled to find the right words.

“It’s all right, Libby,” Mae said, interrupting her thoughts. “Say what you need to. We’re here for a reason. We both know it.”

Shocked by her mother’s perception, Libby stared at Mae.

The older woman’s eyes were moist but holding back. She continued. “Spit it out, honey. I won’t have a public tantrum. It’s obvious you have something important to talk to me about, and I think you’ve delayed long enough.”

Libby’s shoulders slumped. “How’d you know?”

“Well, let’s examine the facts...” Mae grinned despite the gravity of the moment. “You took me to church, plied me with brunch, and now you’re standing there biting your bottom lip raw. Daddy used to call that your tell. We always knew something was wrong if your bottom lip looked like it had a run-in with a cheese grater.”

“Huh?” Libby ran her tongue over her bottom lip. “I never noticed.”

“In your teens, we were pretty sure you were going to bite clean through it,” Mae joked. “At least your nervous habit isn’t offensive; whenever Kevin lies, he grabs his testicles. Since the day he was born that boy treated his penis like an accessory. It’s terribly inappropriate, especially at parties.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Kathryn Elliott is a lifetime journalist with awards in political satire, human interest, and commentary. A Connecticut native, she is a happily married mother of two sons with high hopes one of them will pay for a delightful rest home.

A true believer in laughter's healing power, Kathryn writes characters whose flaws resonate with readers long after "The End."

ADDING LIB is her debut novel, and the first in The McGinn Series.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/KathrynElliottAuthor?ref=bookmarks

TWITTER: @CandidKathryn

BLOG LINK: http://candidkathryn.com/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5961246-kathryn-elliott 

Dealing with everyday life and family dilemmas, Adding Lib by Kathryn Elliott, the first book in the McGinn series, is filled with colorful characters, funny dialogue and a light romance.  From the first page to the last, Ms. Elliott’s story grabbed my attention, made me laugh and even brought tears to my eyes.  Reminding us what’s best, and worst about family, everyday life and dealing with sometimes difficult and serious situations, Ms. Elliott’s debut novel is a genuine delight.  She’s definitely going to be an author to watch.

Ms. Elliott does a good job developing all of the characters in her story and I found myself easily connecting with Elizabeth “Libby” O’Rourke and her colorful family.  I especially liked her husband Bob, a public defender, and enjoyed their sweet relationship and how they dealt with their children and gastronomically challenged dog.  I also enjoyed getting to know Caroline, Libby’s best friend from childhood, and her older brother Sean, who secretly has a crush on Caroline.  One of the best characters of all though was Mae McGinn, Libby’s mom, who is a force to be reckoned with.  She actually reminded me a little bit of the title character in “Auntie Mame” with her eccentric behavior and sharp wit.

Tackling family dynamics with humor and realism, Ms. Elliott addresses peer pressure, teenage angst, getting older, and even Alzheimers.  She even reminds us that we need to get yearly checkups and that watching what we eat, exercising and just generally taking care of ourselves is important from childhood to the end. 

Will Libby be able to get her mother to deal with her impending health issues?  Will Mae find her son a wife before it’s too late for her to remember?  And how will Libby’s family deal with everything that’s going on all at once?  You’ll have to read Adding Lib to find out.  I loved it and can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

My Rating:  5 out of 5 Crowns 

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