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Monday, February 2, 2015

Give Your Heart A Break by Helen Peterson (Book Review / Contest Giveaway)

In association with Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the virtual book tour event for Give Your Heart a Break by Author Helen Peterson!






 Book Review



Give Your Heart a Break by Helen Peterson
Publisher: Marching Ink
Publication Date: December 23, 2014
Format: eBook - 201 pages
             Kindle - 390 KB
             Nook - 252 KB
ASIN: B00RB23M8W
BNID: 2940150199583
Genre: Chick Lit 


BUY THE BOOK: Give Your Heart a Break


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.


Book Description:

Gorgeous? Check.

Wealthy? Check.

Sweet? Double check.

When Rachel Thomas meets Mason Conner, it seems she has found a man who is everything she’s ever wanted. After years of the single girl life in New York City, she’s due for some luck in the romance department. But with her less than stellar track record, Rachel can’t seem to let go of her past failures to fall too hard.

That is until Mason’s ex-fiancĂ© reappears, determined to steal him back. With more than winning Mr. Perfect’s heart on the line, is Rachel finally ready to give her heart a break?


Book Excerpt:


As the club slowly started to wind down, I headed to the steps in search of Kat and Monica, who had gone on a bathroom run and undoubtedly ended up on the dance floor together. When their boyfriends didn’t show up, the two could get a little rowdy together. I stood on the edge of the dance floor, watching the alcohol-induced couples swaying back and forth, trying to find my friends amongst the crowd.

I felt a presence to my right and turned to find the guy from the bar—the one that had consumed my thoughts all night long—suddenly beside me. I couldn’t speak. I whipped my head back toward the dance floor, sure that he was just looking for his blonde bombshell so he could whisk her off into the night, carry her to his coach, and get her home before midnight. A) I have an unhealthy obsession with Disney movies. B) It was well past midnight.

“Where did you go?”

I looked to my right again and to my surprise, he was looking at me.

“What?” I asked, confused. Where did I go when?

“After I got your drink. You just vanished.” He flashed me a warm smile, making my knees buckle. How could someone have this effect on me?

“Oh, I had to get back to my friends,” I said lamely. I felt lame anyway. Say something cool! My mouth just couldn’t catch up with my brain.

“Well, could I have a dance at least? A token of good gesture for getting you that drink.” He held out one hand.

“Um, I don’t think your girlfriend would like that too much,” I said, spotting the same blonde from before staring at us from her perch on a high top table near the dance floor. I saw her narrow her eyes and gesture to us to another girl sitting at the table. Last thing I needed tonight was a girl fight.

He followed my gaze, his eyes landing on the girl. “Her? That’s not my girlfriend.”

“So you have a girlfriend, just not her?” I challenged him.

I saw his blue eyes spark. A small smile formed at his lips. “I don’t have any girlfriends actually. And I’m not married.” He held up his bare left hand for me to see. “Any other questions you’d like to ask before we get that dance in?”

What else was a girl to do? I let him lead me to the dance floor, thankful a slow song was still on. Fast dancing—not my thing.

I finally spotted my friends on the dance floor, right when the guy—hello, I need a name!—wrapped both arms around my waist. I gingerly put my arms on his broad shoulders, feeling our torsos touch. A giddy smile broke out on my face, and I was glad he was quite tall and couldn’t see me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Monica grinning like the Cheshire Cat, elbowing Kat and blatantly pointing at me. Kat’s eyes lit up and she too started pointing at me. What was wrong with them?

“So,” he said, “I bought you a drink, I convinced you I’m single, and I was able to talk you into a dance. What am I going to have to do to get your name?”

I pretended to think this over. “How about I let you off easy this time? Just give me yours and I’ll give you mine.” Smooth. Where did that line come from?

One eyebrow rose, and the smile came back on his face. “Easy enough. I’m Mason.”

“Just going by first names, huh? All right, then. I’m Rachel.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Rachel.”

“Back at you, Mason.”

We swayed in harmony, my thoughts racing. Why was he dancing with me? What did he see in me? Would I see him again? Would it be too forward if I asked him to marry me, right there in the middle of the dance floor?

The lights slowly started to brighten, the cue that the club was closing. I didn’t want to leave. We had only just started!

“I know this might sound really forward, but would you maybe like to grab dinner sometime?” Mason asked.

I looked up so we were eye to eye. Was he playing me? Had he asked other girls to dinner as well tonight? Did I really mean anything to him? Would it be a casual fling?

“Um, I don’t know. I don’t even know you,” I replied, biting down on my lip. Was I seriously going to turn this guy down? What was wrong me?

I knew it was the fear talking. My past relationships had all ended—obviously—but all of them had one thing in common—they ended badly. I was cheated on, all four times. And worse—my ex’s all seemed to find “the one” right after they stopped dating me. How unfair was that? I worried the same would happen with Mason, and my heart really couldn’t take it happening again, especially so soon after my breakup with Mark.

“Well, that’s what dates are usually for. To get to know people.” Mason smiled at me, and I thought I saw a look in his eyes, one of sincerity. Or was that just what I was hoping?

I paused, still hesitating. “Or I could get your number and just text you maybe. We don’t have to do dinner right away.” Still I paused, and he continued, “Or maybe you can just give me your last name? I can look you up on Facebook if you don’t feel comfortable giving your number out.”

The lights came completely on at the moment, causing me momentary blindness. I stepped back from Mason’s embrace, nearly tripping over my own feet. “I’m sorry, I should find my friends,” I said, turning to go. I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t pull the trigger. My heart needed a break. I couldn’t risk the disappointment and hurt that my past relationships handed to me.

“Rachel, wait!” I heard Mason call out from behind me.



My Book Review: 

In her debut novel, Give Your Heart A Break, author Helen Peterson weaves a lighthearted tale about the trials and tribulations of romantic relationships and friendship. This entertaining story follows the year long dating journey of New York City advertising executive Rachel Thomas.

Told in the first person narrative, Rachel takes the reader along on her dating journey to find Mr. Right. With a terrible track record of ex-boyfriends who all cheated on her and found their "right one" after breaking up with her, Rachel is tired of trying and getting her heart broken .... that is until she meets sexy attorney Mason Conner at Kiss Crush, a local NYC nightclub. With best friends Kat, Monica, and James in her corner, can Rachel let down her walls long enough to give her heart a break?

Give Your Heart A Break was such a fun chick lit story to read! I really enjoyed the mixture or humor, drama, friendship, and romance that intertwined within the storyline. Author Helen Peterson easily draws the reader into Rachel's story, you can't help but feel for Rachel as her dating trials and tribulations take her on a bumpy year long journey to find romance, and a chance to make the choice to not give up on love.

Not only does the reader get to follow Rachel and Mason on their romantic journey with its drama, obstacles, and bumps along the way (like Mason's crazy stalker ex-girlfriend), they also get to follow the lives of Rachel's best friends Kat, Monica, and James. I really enjoyed the friendship that these besties shared, with all the personal dramas and ups and downs in their lives, they always had each other's back and showed what true friendship is really all about.

With a realistic cast of characters; humorous dialogue; dramatic interactions; and a storyline that had enough interesting twist and turns that made it just plain fun to read; Give Your Heart A Break is a thoroughly entertaining chick lit story about the trials and tribulations and misadventures in life and love that will tickle your funny bone and leave a smile on your face!


RATING: 5 STARS 







About The Author




Helen Peterson is a native of Toronto, Canada who went to college to pursue Marketing . She currently works at a bank as an administrative assistant but her love of writing and telling stories that others can relate to has helped her complete her first manuscript Give Your Heart a Break. Helen has always loved telling a story especially through song, Staring in all her high school musical theatre productions Like Oliver! And Anything Goes. Helen currently resides in Markham, Ontario.


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Contest Giveaway

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Virtual Book Tour



Tour Schedule:

February 2 - Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
February 2- Chick Lit Goddess – Excerpt 
February 3 - Two Children and a Migraine - Review
February 4 - Chick Lit Plus – Review
February 5 - Ai Love Books - Review & Excerpt
February 5 - Sultry Steamy Reading- Review & Excerpt 
February 6 - Change the Word – Excerpt
February 9 - Ski-Wee’s Book Corner - Excerpt
February 9 - The Phantom Paragrapher – Review



2 comments:

  1. Thank you for that wonderful review!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This book definitely has my interest! It sounds like there really could be a girl fight going on here - where they both want the same man. I wonder who comes out on top ;)

    ReplyDelete