Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Better as a Memory by Marilyn Baxter

July 5, 2014 Kristi Blog Tour, Excerpt 1 ★★★½

Better as a Memory

Marilyn Baxter

Series:

Published on May 12, 2014

Genres: Adult, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Romance

BLURB:

Atlanta image consultant Victoria Sharpe is about to give a makeover to the man who broke her heart in college, and a

do-over to a love that always should have been.

SYNOPSIS:

Looking at her potential client, Atlanta image consultant Victoria Sharpe is convinced the job will be a cross between What Not to Wear and Man vs. Wild. She’d love to turn down the offer, but refusing it—not to mention the referrals it could generate—just might break the bank. Yet, agreeing to make over this man’s image might also break her heart. Again.
Max Brown will tolerate anything to gain access to his trust fund. Returning to work in the family business, even submitting to his mother’s demands to trade his comfortable flannel for Armani is worthwhile if he can get the money necessary to start a camp for at-risk boys. But then he sees he’ll be working with Victoria Sharpe, his college girlfriend, the one who got away. Or, really, the one he left. The impression he makes here will be the most important of his life,

and the person most as risk is himself.

REVIEW:

Better as a Memory is a fun, quick read that I enjoyed. It’s a tale of second chance romance between former college sweethearts. Tori and Max’s chemistry is apparent from the get go, which helps make this story a fast, quick and enjoyable read. The two characters not only have charisma, they have the book chemistry that makes me want to read about them more. We meet Tori first who is contemplating taking on Max as a client. Max is back in town after years of being away with a goal in his mind to get his inheritance and start building his own dream. Throughout quick memories and fast dialogue, the reader learns quickly that there’s much more to this couple’s relationship-past and future.

While I really enjoyed this story, a lot happens quickly, and what I missed was the character development and story hook that I think I would of gotten had the book been longer. I never truly connected with the characters, but I think I would have, if there was a bit more development. However, I liked the concept of this book and I liked the main characters. Max and Tori re extremely likable characters. Tori is a determined career woman who is a strong lead female character. My first impression of Max is a man who is hiding something and isn’t himself… but I wanted to know why.

This is a perfect beach read. It’s a quick, fun and easy read that will make you smile.

EXCERPT:

Max jangled his car keys in his hand as he waited at Victoria’s door. He felt as nervous as a fifteen-year-old on his first date. He wore the gray pants and navy blazer Victoria had approved together with a brilliantly white shirt and a yellow tie with small navy dots. He wiggled his toes in his new black oxfords and marveled at how comfortable they were. True to her word, Victoria had steered a wide berth around wing tips and had showed him that style and comfort were not mutually exclusive.

He knocked a second time and nervously straightened his tie. And when she finally opened the door and he got his first glimpse of her, he let out a low whistle. His gut told him he would have a hard time keeping his hands off her.

And hard was the operative word as his body twitched below his belt. The black dress had a ruffled skirt that skimmed her knee. The V neckline teased at her cleavage but left plenty to the imagination. Simple sapphire and diamond earrings sparkled as they caught the light, and he saw a matching bracelet circling her wrist. While her high-heeled shoes were plain, they made her legs seem as if they went on forever. And when she bent to pick up her purse from a table beside the door, he caught a glimpse of her black lacy bra and gritted his teeth in an effort to will his body to cooperate.

This might be a very long and very frustrating night.

After taking her arm and helping her negotiate the steps down to the drive, he held her purse and wrap while she settled into the passenger side of his SUV. She had certainly taken her own advice to heart. She was stylish and understated, but he wasn’t so sure her classic beauty wouldn’t make her stand out like a diamond among pieces of coal.

They chatted about mundane things for most of the drive to his parents’ estate, but when he turned into the long drive lined by towering pines, he posed a question. “Are you okay with me introducing you tonight as my image consultant? I mean, that won’t make you feel like…well, you know.” He was at a loss for words.

“What you are trying to ask is if I’ll be insulted if people think I am your employee.”

“Well, yeah. I mean, you’re not, but in this crowd, that’s liable to be what people assume. I was just thinking you might drum up a little business when people see how you turned the beast into Prince Charming.”

“Too bad I didn’t tame his raging ego, too.”

“Touché.”

Victoria laughed, and once again Max had to scold his misbehaving libido.

GIVEAWAY:

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About Marilyn Baxter

In 2001, Marilyn discovered Romance novels quite by accident, which led to a renewed interest in writing. She started out by writing fanfiction about Clark Kent, Lois Lane and Superman, which developed into a desire to write about her own characters. She’s had over forty short stories published in the confessions and Romance magazines.
Also, she has taught a class in how to effectively write for this genre and worked as a researcher and copy editor for several Romance authors. All this combined to give her a great love of the Romance genre and helped develop a multitude of friendships in the Romance community.
She’s a member of Romance Writers ofAmerica, as well as her local chapter, Heart of Dixie. In addition to reading, Marilyn loves to knit (as long as it’s only a scarf), cook (in the crockpot), garden (in a couple of pots on her patio), and her motto is “Have passport, will travel.” She’d love to add to the list of 32 states and 21 foreign countries she’s already visited.
After raising two great sons, she loves to spoil… er… dote on her two granddaughters.

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