Monday, July 14, 2025

The Plight of Pudgy by Tammy Waldoch ~ @RABTBookTours #RABTBookTours #ThePlightofPudgy #TammyWaldoch #Nonfiction


The Plight of Pudgy by Tammy Waldoch
 

Health & Fitness Diet & Nutrition / Weight Loss Humorous Memoir

Date Published: 07-29-2025

Publisher: BookBaby



Studies have shown that laughter and music are proven ways to facilitate healing. Author Tammy Waldoch uses this potent secret sauce in her book Plight of the Pudgy: Stories, Inspirations, and Preposterous Parodies for the Slim at Heart. From weight loss drugs, chronic diets, and toxic body shame, the book is an open invitation to connect authentically with someone who deeply understands the plight. Her own pilgrimage to finding self-love and a place to "fit in" includes a near-death car accident, a bipolar diagnosis that turned her life upside down, and a lifelong struggle with poor body image.

Waldoch authentically pours her heart and soul into sharing raw stories and songs filled with deep faith, side-splitting humor, and a resounding message that we are all perfectly made in God's eyes.

Tammy writes this book not only as a testimony of her faith but also to share her private path of redemption and healing.

Among the pages, readers will also enjoy fiction stories designed to encourage laughter and reflection, along with some preposterous (and creative!) parodies that provide a backdrop of humor to lighten the burdens of The Slim at Heart.



Early Review

Heart Felt And Honest - This book will make you laugh and cry. The lament of women who struggle with body image applies to a good majority of women.


Read an Excerpt:


A Mountain of Never Good Enough

I guess you could say it all began in childhood. By “it,” I mean my destructive habit of looking down on myself and hating my body no matter how good I looked. The years of damage I inherited as a child compounded into a mountain of never feeling “good enough” as a young adult and adult. I believe that the scars from the aftermath of my Dad’s infidelity only deepened my emotional pain, but the emotional ramifications were not addressed. I did not know what to do with the grievous shackles of insecurity that had bound me. Much of it was a severe reaction to my Dad’s actions and how he treated my mother like an object. My Dad was a salesman and a real-wheeler-dealer type. They used to say he could sell ice to Eskimos.

Unfortunately for my mom, her sweet-talking man used that charisma unprincipled. He was quite the Casanova who seduced multiple women with his flattering tongue and lips dripping in honey. To be fair, my parents were only teenagers when they married and welcomed their first child. They were babies having babies and were still trying to figure out how to be adults when they were pulled together in holy matrimony. But my Dad’s cheating ways broke both my Mama’s heart and mine as he strayed from my mom time and time again. Gone was the sanctity of sexuality and the sacredness of marriage. Even as a child, I experienced my mother’s pain and hurt as if it were my own. Even though there were four of us kids, I had always been “Daddy’s little girl,” so his actions felt like a betrayal to me as well. I had, and still have, so many questions I’d like to know the answers to.

 


About the Author:


Tammy Waldoch is an imaginative author/singer/songwriter/painter with a degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Wisconsin, Lacrosse, emphasizing Aesthetic Education—teaching using the creative arts. She did just that in The Plight of the Pudgy, combining musical parodies with literature to teach others how to overcome obstacles and rise above adversity. She is actively involved with the Writer’s Well at the White Bear Center for the Arts and gathers with other inspiring writers of all ages to explore their creativity. She also consults with the Springboard Center for the Arts in St. Paul, MN for further resources.

She and her husband of 38 years share a dynamic love for better for worse, in sickness and in health, that has endured all things.

She is also a proud parent of two sons and has two beautiful daughters-in-law who share life’s joys and challenges. Her faith is at the heart of everything she does, and this book is a testimony of her Lord and Savior’s incredible loving kindness toward her. Gilda Radner once said, “Life is full of delicious ambiguities.”

Tammy invites everyone to share those ambiguities with her!


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Sunday, July 13, 2025

#BookReview ~ The Village Cafe in the Loire by Gillian Harvey ~ #Romance #Friendship #NewBeginnings @GillPlusFive @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks



The Village Cafe in the Loire

High-flyer Becky Thorne cannot believe what she’s being told. She doesn’t need to be signed off for burnout! Life has been a bit chaotic lately, that’s all. As if dealing with her enviable job and permanent meddling from her mother aren’t enough, she’s also inherited a café in the Loire from an estranged great-aunt, complete with sitting tenant who refuses to budge.

But nobody stands in Becky’s way! Ignoring her best friend Amber’s advice, she decides to storm over to France and sort the tenant out. Then she can finally get the café sold and jump back on the career ladder.

What she doesn’t count on is the tenant being Pascale, who is six feet of tall, dark, handsome and extremely grumpy about her plans for change. Not to mention the village and the secrets it holds about her past.

Becky’s path to success is all planned out. But the Loire has a magic she might not be able to resist…

My Review: 

The Village Cafe in the Loire is a book about friendship, love, and starting over when you realize your dreams and goals actually belong to someone else.

Becky is a director at a prestigious advertising agency but when she has a meltdown, she's forced into a month long leave to destress. On top of that, she just found out she was left a café in France by her great, great aunt. With timing on her side, she takes a trip to France to settle the affairs of the café so she can get back to London and salvage her job and reputation.

When Becky arrives in France, she discovers selling the café isn't going to be easy. Not only is there a tenant who won't leave, but her great aunt left a requirement for Becky. Wanting to escalate the matter, Becky does not find a friend in the Mayor, so it looks like she's going to be managing a café. 

The Village Café in the Loire is a charming story about the real effects of burnout, and not just for the main character. Becky's job is stressful and consuming of her time and life. She's been overworked by management and she gets to her breaking point. Any other company would have probably kicked her to the curb, however, I do like the fact that her employer was willing to give her time off to decompress. She's been a terrible friend and I felt so bad for Amber, who was going through her own tribulations and couldn't depend of Becky for any type of support. 

Becky, unfortunately, learns the hard way about what her priorities should be and that shooting to the top of the corporate ladder at the expense of her friends and family has effects, not just on her but on others. I love how the author developed Becky and evolved her in a short period of time. I was hoping for an ending that brought all aspects of Becky's life together and I was satisfied at how the author pulled everything off. I was excited that what I wanted for Amber actually became a reality. Becky and Pascal are sweet together but they didn't start off that way. I enjoyed how the author introduced them, the part Pascal played in Great Aunt Maud's requirement, and how they eventually become something more than tenant and manager.

This book was my first experience with Gillian Harvey and I am enthrall by her writing. I was drawn into The Village Café in the Loire and kept engaged throughout. It was a wonderful book with great pacing, spectacular character development, and very vivid world-building. I'll be looking into more of this author's work.

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.


My Rating:



  

Purchase Link:

Amazon


Meet the Author:

Gillian Harvey is an author and freelance writer who lives in Norfolk. Her novels, including the bestselling A Year at the French Farmhouse and The Riviera House Swap, are often set in France, where she lived for 14 years.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: @GillianHarveyAuthor

Twitter: @GillPlusFive

Instagram: @GillPlusFive

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/GillianHarveyNews

BookBub profile: @gillplusfive


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#BookReview ~ Daydreams & Doughnut Cake by Rosie Green ~ Little Duck Pond Cafe, Book 40 ~ @Rosie_Green88 @rararesources #Romance


Daydreams & Doughnut Cake

With help from the Little Duck Pond Café girls, Rosie's Spice Kitchen is becoming a firm favourite at the Lockley Meadow farmers' market. But when shocking things start happening and a face from the past stirs up memories she would rather forget, widow Rosie's hopes for a better future for her and her little daughter, Amelie, are suddenly dashed. Has someone discovered her devastating secret? The secret that is preventing her from moving on and finding love again?

Meanwhile, new mum Ellie and step-daughter Maisie are both hiding emotional secrets of their own . . .


My Review:

Daydreams & Doughnut Cake is the 40th book in the Little Duck Pond Cafe series but the story is as fresh and interesting as ever. Rosie is newish to Sunnybrook. She works at the Little Duck Pond Cafe but also puts together meals to sell at the local farmer's market. When a blast from her past comes walking through the market, Rosie panics. After the death of her husband, she fled to Sunnybrook to help erase some memories and the thought of her past infiltrating her present has her scared. When horrible things begin happening to her, Rosie is downright terrified and does everything she can to figure out who is trying to scare her and sabotage her business.

I loved being back in Sunnybrook. Rosie is still a grieving widow and guilt is still a driving emotion for her. She's trying to move forward but is still stuck in the past. The author developed Rosie very well and I loved watching her bloom.

Ellie makes an appearance in Daydreams & Doughnut Cakes as a new mother coping with postpartum distress while running a household. I love how the author delivered Rosie into Ellie's distress at just the right time and provided comfort and suggestions. Ellie's older daughter Maisie is also a great character.

Daydreams & Doughnut Cakes is a fantastic novel. The author has crafted a wonderful world. I enjoyed the writing style, pacing, and vivid imagery. The characters are written with depth, emotion, and realism.


I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:



Purchase Links:




Meet the Author:

Rosie’s series of novellas is centred around life in a country village cafe. Look out for DAYDREAMS & DOUGHNUT CAKE, out in June 2025, and TEACAKES AND TANGOS, which will be published in August 2025!

Follow Rosie on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88




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Rocky Road to Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries) by Lena Gregory ~ #BookReview ~ #CozyMystery @LenaGregory03

Rocky Road to Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries) by Lena Gregory

About Rocky Road to Murder:

 

Rocky Road to Murder (Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries) 

Cozy Mystery

6th in Series

Setting: New York

Publisher: ‎ Gemma Halliday Publishing (July 1, 2025)

Number of Pages: 220

Digital ASIN: ‎ B0F7MV3JW5

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From author Lena Gregory comes a tasty summer murder mystery...

Danika Delaney is thrilled that her old fashioned malt shop, the Coffee & Cream Café, has gotten a catering contract for the biggest party of the season, the Rutherford Manor Fourth of July gala. She’ll be providing desserts for the party as well as attending the exclusive event on Eastern Long Island.

However her path to the gala quickly becomes a rocky road...

Dani arrives at the event, only to find the gala's hostess, Cressida Rutherford, dead! What's worse, one of Dani's signature parfaits sits next to the dead woman, with what looks like peanuts in it—a food Cressida is severely allergic to. Amid the melted ice cream mess, Dani initially blames herself, thinking she made a mistake while rushing with the desserts. However she quickly learns that what appeared to be an accident was actually foul play, and suddenly Dani has to spring into action proving that she isn't the perpetrator. Along with her friends, Dani uncovers a string of people in Cressida's life who might have wanted the socialite dead. Can she prove her innocence and make sure the killer gets their just desserts?

My Review:

Rocky Road to Murder is the sixth fantastic book in the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries. Dani love for the old fashioned malt shop is so evident in this book and throughout the series. She's even taking things to new heights. Having secured a catering contract for the social event of the season, the Rutherford Manor Fourth of July bash, is the cherry-on-top. That is, until Cressida Rutherford, the hostess of the bash is found dead with a Coffee & Cream Café dessert nearby.

Lena Gregory has dished up another winner with Soft Serve Sleighing. A cleverly crafted mystery, delightful characters, and a fun small town with the infamous busybodies just gives this series such realism. Dani, Gwen, Eli, and Jake are some of my favorite cozy characters. I loved being back in this world.

The murder mystery was well-developed, and I was completely engaged in the group's search for the suspect, since we all know Dani is not a viable suspect. Dani does, however, uncover many other potential suspects with the means, motive, and/or opportunity. There are many twists and turns, and every time I thought I solved the murder, the arc shifted, and we were chasing down someone else.

I loved every single page of this book from the characters, the setting, the mystery, and the author's writing style. I found myself totally immersed in every facet of Soft Rocky Road to Murder. The pacing was perfect and once I started the book, I just couldn't put it down. (Due to my last minute realization that I didn't have the book and had to obtain a copy, I read this into the night last night and this morning.)

I was provided with a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Rating:

 

About Lena Gregory:

Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.

Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.

Author Links

Purchase Links:

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Saturday, July 12, 2025

#BookReview ~ Exposing Lethal Secrets by Deena Alexander ~ @DeenaAlexanderA ~ Inspirational Romantic Suspense #RomanticSuspense

 

Exposing Lethal Secrets by Deena Alexander

About Exposing Lethal Secrets:

Exposing Lethal Secrets

Inspirational Romantic Suspense

3rd in Series

Setting: California desert and Florida forest

Publisher: ‎ Love Inspired Suspense

Publication date: ‎ July 1, 2025

Print length: ‎ 208 pages

ISBN-10: ‎ 1335980687

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1335980687

Digital ASIN: ‎ B0DFQCVR9L

Audiobook ASIN B0DK44F6MS

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This bodyguard and his K-9 will do anything to uncover the truth.

Stumbling upon a burning car and rescuing an injured woman wasn’t on bodyguard Caleb Miller’s vacation itinerary—nor were the gunmen who open fire on them. But Olivia Delaney has no memory of who she is or how she got there, only that she is under threat. Vowing to protect the woman in danger, Caleb and his K-9 go on the run with Olivia. As they work to stay a step ahead of her pursuers, they must untangle her past together…before her family’s deadly schemes bury them both.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

My Review:

Exposing Lethal Secrets is a fast-paced romantic suspense novel. Full of heart-pounding action, this books takes the reader on a wild ride. This story is filled with secrets, amnesia, shot-down planes, and figuring out what Olivia's family is scheming. All while Olivia scrambles to get her memories back.

After an accident leaves Olivia Delaney at the bottom of a cavern with no memory of how she got there and her driver dead, she flees the scene. Caleb Miller comes across the limo's wreckage and calls it in to the authorities. Tracking the footprints away from the scene, he comes across a lone woman, injured and wielding a gun. 

He knows he's stumbled into something dangerous when the gun-wielding woman is the least of problems. He now finds himself protecting the woman, his K-9 Ranger, and himself against decidedly not nice men who are now shooting at them. He's got to get her out of California and into a safehouse and they find themselves on their way to Florida. Things really get supercharged when they are shot out of the sky by unknown assailants and are on the run through a densely populated forest. 

As they run for their lives, decisions are made to help expedite Oliva's memories. As things start to unravel, Olivia begins to realize they are in more danger than they could ever imagine. 

Deena's writing style is smooth and conversational. Her characters are three-dimensional, interesting, and well-developed. The setting and world-building are done in such a way that I feel like I'm in the middle of the action with the characters. The story, characters, and need-to-know elements kept me engaged. The wrap-up and writing style is what keeps me coming back for more by this author.

This author is a favorite because she's so versatile. I love her cozies as much as I love her love inspired romantic suspense novels. If you haven't had a chance to ready anything by Deena Alexander, I highly suggest you add her books to you TBR.

I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating: 


About Deena Alexander:

Deena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, where she met and married her high school sweetheart. She recently relocated to Florida with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Now she enjoys long walks in nature all year long, despite the occasional alligator or snake she sometimes encounters. Deena's love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn't sleep through the night, and she now works full time as a writer and a freelance editor.

Author Links

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

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