Book Review/Giveaway: Dancing with JouJou by Barbara Louise Leiding

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!!!!!!!!! 

I admit I am NOT a big reality TV watcher. Dancing with the Stars? Sorry kate, but watch I saw in clips, you were on the chopping black long before the fans let you go home. You gave it a good shot and moms everywhere say thanks, but.... The original Shall we Dance is still one of my favorite movies- I like ballroom dancing, just not reality tv wise. And sports figures? UGH, do NOT get me started.

BUT if they were all like this wonderful little book, I'd watch EVERY thing they did or were on! Yup, I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Synopsis: The hero of the new novel, Dancing with JouJou by Barbara Louise Leiding, is a beloved tennis champion known around the globe for his quick wit, impeccable Southern manners, and a voracious appetite for burritos. To camouflage himself from the paparazzi, he zips around in a beat up VW Bug, while the media has a field day speculating on his presumed sexual activities. The rumor is that he must be having multiple affairs with beautiful women. Perhaps even a man?

The plot is set in motion when a sweet-talking con artist ropes his trusting girlfriend into a madcap scheme for swindling a pair of lottery winners out of a fortune. When a diamond heist goes hopelessly awry, a wild chase begins, and the tennis celebrity is swept into the madness. In the process, he becomes romantically attracted to a most unlikely heroine who may be wanted by the police. Despite the media brouhaha, the beloved tennis star proves to be they type of man who can only focus on one woman at a time, and delights in the joys of finding true love.

Author Comments:

"I've never followed sports, especially golf," the author said. "The inspiration for the book was the proliferation of media circuses that pop up from time to time, along with the apparent basic human need to indulge in gossip until the truth is completely unknown. The main characters buy lottery tickets with hopes of financing lifestyles as lavish as those of the rich and famous, then become tangled up in love triangles involving not just lust,but greed."

"Even though his personal life is placed under a microscope for all the world to see, he says he simply does not care," the author said. "In fact, he uses humor to deflect media rumors, firm in the belief that no one's sexual activities are anyone's business, but his own. I think it's his ability to be indifferent to the opinions of others that makes him a hero. I think few people are as self-confident or secure."  
 

About the Author:

Barbara Louise Leiding aspired to become a concert pianist, but gave up her dream after learning that the piano she practiced on for nearly twenty years was grossly out-of-tune. Sadly, she never noticed. She has no ear for music. Upon the request of her closest neighbors-seconded by animal cries, both domestic and wild-she now restricts her keyboard activities to tapping out words. The result is her first novel, Dancing with JouJou which was the second place winner at the 17th Annual Hawaii Writers Conference.

Review:  THIS is the book that you hope and pray that all first time writers can publish. Something that is at once funny, heartwarming and just plain great to read! I was hooked by the first chapter and read it in 2 sittings. The main characters change and yet everything flows so smoothly that you don;t mind, as the center narrator stays the same (in fact the cover shows all the 'main' characters!). I'd love to tell you more about the book, but I would be giving too much away- it is just such a super read! I will say this- I APPLAUD Leiding for her advocation of the foster care system, that's something you just don' get in many fiction books! This book is the PERFECT beach read and I urge everyone to get a copy!

Unfortunately it may be hard to find! Amazon has it on Kindle, but not in paperback on their site. You will more than likely have to order it until it reaches a certain status and then it will be available in their site. Here are the ISBN in case you want to order/have your library snag a copy for you to read:  Paperback: ISBN-10: 0595527558 and ISBN-13: 9780595527557

GIVEAWAY:

 ONE lucky reader will win this review copy of Dancing with JouJou!

 EXTRA ENTRIES:

Make sure I have an email address, with your comment, so I can contact you, if you win!   
If I don't have a way to contact you, you will forfeit your win!

USA/ Canada only 
 

3 day winner's rule : Winner has 3 days to acknowledge they won prize,
and confirm address, if no contact, then new winner will be picked in their place. 

 

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Contest will end on May 12th, at midnight. Winner will be picked by Random Number (random.org) on May 13th, and emailed. As soon as winner's info is received, Sterling shall be advised and they will send the book directly to the winner.

Disclosure: This book was sent to me free of charge, for review purposes, by Sterling the author via Bostick Communications. I was not told how to review it however.