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My Life Story
The book follows Tess, a young woman moving through a world that feels half dream, half reality. From her childhood prayers beneath the stars to her adult wanderings through galleries, cafés, and shadowy streets, she is haunted by questions of love, loss, and meaning. Along the way, she encounters figures like Jules, Samuel, and Sara, each carrying secrets and desires that pull her deeper into a web of longing and reflection. The novel drifts between memory and the present, mixing photography, magic, and fleeting encounters with moments of aching stillness. The story is a meditation on how people search for beauty and truth in a fractured world.
I felt a tug in two directions reading this book. On one hand, the writing is lush and cinematic, clearly born from its origins as a screenplay. Scenes play out like film reels: light shimmering on water, footsteps echoing in an empty church, faces caught in camera flashes. That worked beautifully for me, giving the book a dreamlike quality that made me want to live in its world. On the other hand, the density of description left me craving more dialogue and more movement. Still, the mood was so strong that I let myself get carried by it.
What I really liked was how the novel handles its ideas. It’s not just a story of Tess and Jules or Samuel and Sara, it’s about the ways we carry grief and desire through our lives. The characters often feel like symbols more than flesh-and-blood people, yet that abstraction made the book feel universal. I found myself frustrated at times because Tess keeps drifting, Jules hides behind charm, and Samuel slips away into the shadows. But that frustration mirrored the characters’ own struggles. It left me unsettled, and I liked that.
My Life Story feels like a novel for readers who enjoy atmosphere more than plot, who don’t mind stepping into a story that blurs the lines between memory, fantasy, and reality. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves lyrical writing, who wants a book that feels like cinema on the page, and who doesn’t mind sitting with unanswered questions. It isn’t a fast read, but it’s a rewarding one if you let yourself drift in its tide.
Pages: 128 | ASIN : B0FCCBB2BG
Blue Jeans and Lavender Gowns
Blue Jeans and Lavender Gowns, by A.W. Anthony, is a gentle and heartfelt coming-of-age romance set in the Midwest during the 1970s. Told through the perspective of Terry Deitz, a small-town high schooler, the novel follows his winding, often awkward journey toward love, manhood, and faith. At the center of this story is Debbie Douglas, the girl who catches Terry’s eye and, in time, his heart. Through football games, study hall antics, and tender moments of doubt and hope, the story paints a nostalgic picture of adolescence flavored with Christian values and clean romance.
Reading this book felt like riding in an old pickup on a country road—bumpy, charming, and unexpectedly meaningful. The writing is earnest and full of heart. It leans into its strengths: relatable characters, small-town dynamics, and the quiet courage of first love. I appreciated that the story was never rushed. The slow pace mirrors real life, especially in rural America, where relationships unfold over seasons, not chapters. Anthony’s choice to write from the boy’s point of view adds a fresh and grounded feel that sidesteps cliché. And while not every conversation crackles, many are brimming with sincerity and teenage honesty. I smiled a lot. Sometimes I winced. But I always believed them.
I do feel there are moments where the moral undertones get a bit heavy, and a few plot beats feel like they were written with a wink to Hallmark. But maybe that’s part of the charm. This book isn’t trying to be edgy or clever. It’s kind, and that’s rare these days. The moments that truly shine feel pulled straight from real life— tender, simple, and real—the kind of moment that doesn’t need big drama to feel big.
Blue Jeans and Lavender Gowns is more than a simple love story; it’s a tribute to decency, patience, and young hearts figuring it out. I’d recommend it to anyone who craves clean romance, Christian values, and a walk through simpler times. It’s especially great for teenagers and their parents, or anyone who wants to remember what it felt like to fall in love for the first time—with a girl, with life, or even just with the idea that something good might be waiting around the corner.
I was looking for ROMANCE
Musings of a Romance Addict follows a woman reentering the dating scene after the death of her long-term partner who shares her heartbreak, dating encounters, vulnerability to romance scams, and evolution as she reclaims her confidence in love. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It was based on my personal experiences and inexperience when I began dating again. It was originally just a Diary of what was happening then I wanted to share it with other women (and men).
I enjoyed the depth of the main character, Stacey. What was your process to bring that character to life?
Stacey reflected my life and through her, I was able to tell the story as seen through her eyes.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I was looking for ROMANCE. I was looking for Christian Grey (50 Shades of Grey). While the BDSM that he was into was way beyond what I would do, I loved the fact that he was so in love with Anastasia and only wanted to be with her. I found in my dating experiences men were not romantic or monogamous. Christian Grey was an anomaly.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I haven’t figured out what to write in my next book. I clearly left a sequel possibility on the last page but I have not formulated the path it will take.
Visible and Invisible Wounds
In Shooting Stars Above, a best-selling author and a federal agent, both burdened by past trauma, find a love that pulls from their emotional isolation. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
There’s a saying that “hurt people hurt people,” but sometimes that isn’t true. Sometimes people in pain are able to love others in extraordinary ways. That’s the core inspiration for the book. I wanted to write a love story between two people who have experienced tragedy and violence in different ways. A love story between people in pain and who harbor visible and invisible wounds. Yet, they are deeply kind, generous, and good people. When they find each other, they decide to love with everything they have. No games or toxicity of any kind. They see what the other has endured and choose to just love and accept each other completely. Really, it’s about the healing power of love and learning to balance darkness and light in our lives.
I enjoyed the romantic relationship between Tess and Jack. How did their relationship develop while you were writing? Did you have an idea of where you wanted to take it, or was it organic?
Thank you. I loved writing about their romance. I felt it in my soul, and they had my heart completely. It was organic. I actually wrote the novel in reverse. I wrote the last scene first and the first scene last. So, I knew where I wanted them to end up as a couple and individuals. I knew the character growth, and then I wrote the arc in reverse to get the reader there.
There is so much to be said about love in this book. What do you hope your readers take away from your story?
Healing is possible. Kindness matters. Generosity matters. Love is a verb. It’s something we do, and we should do it well. That includes loving ourselves.
Can you give us a glimpse inside Book 2 of The Celestial Bodies Romance series? Where will it take readers?
There are six books written to date and I honestly love each more than the one before. We’ll be releasing one each spring. Shooting Stars Above includes the first chapter of the next book, Twinkle of Doubt.Each novel takes place a year after the last and follows the same characters, although some fun new characters are introduced across the series too. Each series title explores love and a different theme. The first book is about love and healing. Other topics include doubt, intimacy, trust, commitment, and faith. While there are different kinds of critical events that happen in each book, really, none of the books are about external threats. The series is about the audio playing in our own heads. Twinkle of Doubt was especially fun to write, and I think is a good balance of lightheartedness and deep topics. Overall, it explores the nature of doubt. Readers will be introduced to the female president of the United States, whom Tess befriends. There’s a big gala, a death threat, and someone is held up at gunpoint, but the real danger is the audio in their own head. The book ends with an excerpt from one of Tess’s novels. Of everything I have ever written, the last line of that book, her book, are the words I most often hear in my head, sort of like a mantra when things get tough.
Author Links: Website | Shooting Stars Above | Simon & Schuster | Facebook | Instagram | X | GoodReads
Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people’s innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel—but despite her extraordinary success, she’s been unable to find personal happiness. Jack Miller is a federal agent working in counterterrorism. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. He’s dedicated everything to his job, leaving nothing for himself.
The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, “I’ve never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides.” The two embark on an epic love story, but old traumas soon rise to the surface as Jack struggles with the death of a loved one and Tess is forced to confront her childhood abuse. Can unconditional love help heal their invisible wounds? Together, will they be able to move from darkness to light?
Whispers in the Night: Ryan Family Series, Book #1
Whispers in the Night, the first installment in Dorothy Elizabeth Love’s Ryan Family Series, explores the electrifying tension between love and opposition. Patricia Ryan, fiercely dedicated to saving a community center that provides vital support to impoverished children, finds herself at odds with Mac Carter. As the CEO of a powerful business, Mac threatens to demolish everything Patricia has worked tirelessly to protect. Yet, their undeniable attraction sparks a collision of worlds, forcing them to reconcile love with their conflicting goals.
This novel captivated me with its compelling lead character, Patricia. Her resilience and unwavering commitment to her cause made her deeply relatable, even without a shared history. Her journey to accept and reciprocate love added emotional depth, making her eventual happiness profoundly satisfying. Patricia’s admirable determination served as a cornerstone of the story, anchoring the narrative in her personal and moral struggles.
I do feel that the lack of insight into Mac’s perspective left the romance feeling somewhat incomplete. Without access to his backstory or emotional motivations, I struggled to fully understand his connection to Patricia and what drove his feelings for her. I believe a deeper exploration of Mac’s character would have strengthened the romance, providing a more balanced view of their relationship and making it easier to root for their union. This would have added an extra layer of intensity to their bond, enriching the story’s romantic appeal.
Whispers in the Night delivers a powerful story of determination, love, and personal growth. Patricia’s strength and vulnerability make her an unforgettable heroine, but a fuller exploration of Mac’s perspective would have elevated the romance to greater heights. Dorothy Elizabeth Love crafts a heartfelt tale that leaves readers eager for the next chapter in the Ryan Family Series.
Pages: 302 | ISBN : 978-1965437155
Private Lives of the Rich and Famous
The King of Nothing follows a struggling college dropout woman who crashes a wedding and ends up married and, for the first time, finds herself opening up and being vulnerable with someone. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration came directly from, believe it or not, real-life experience. Like Ruth, I went to school in Malibu and worked as a personal assistant with access to the private lives of the rich and famous. These experiences drew me to the theme of ‘success’, and the paradoxical ways it can manifest in our lives, both internally and externally. I even lived in a ramshackle cabin in the woods, on a literal wedding venue property! Ruth’s home is a real place, and really functions like it does in The King of Nothing—with a fictionalized name and several embellishments to cater more directly to the story, as well as future stories in my series of interconnected standalones.
I wanted to explore, through Ruth and Seba’s story, the two sides of the success coin: how do you define success after you fail to achieve your lifelong dream? What if you achieve all your dreams but still fail to feel successful? What, then, does success look like? Can we identify universal traits of success, or is it completely individual? And most of all, what is the difference between the perception of success and the felt experience of success, and how does that catalyze the potential of a new romantic relationship?
Ruth and Sebastian’s story isn’t the typical Rom-Com romance. Their relationship is filled with raw emotions and soul-searching. Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
Yes, to the point that I surprised myself by the end of it! I drafted this novel during my first year of therapy, and The King of Nothing reflects many of the emotions I worked through at the time. Ruth and Seba’s story also allowed me to process and contextualize my time at college and the immediate aftermath—both toward my own experience and those of my friends, colleagues, and coworkers.
I went in with questions around how the characters would approach the theme (and each other!), and I discovered some profound answers. Particularly through the supporting characters of Carol Ann Noble and Griselda Mane—they are love/hate ladies for everyone who’s read the book, and they were genuinely shocking additions to The King of Nothing. They are both headstrong women who demanded more presence in the story, and by the end, I understood why—and how they drove Ruth and Seba’s story to even greater heights.
Are you a fan of the Romance genre? What books do you think most influenced your work?
I’ve been a big fan of romance since my early days of dealing JR Ward novels like illicit drugs out of my middle school locker. Though in recent years, my relationship to romance has felt more love/hate. All genre fiction is subject to commercialization and the whims of social media, but romance has felt especially prone to sacrificing story for the sake of a quick churn or trendy trope. I’m passionate about writing romance because I feel there’s so much the genre still has left to explore while staying true to its roots, and I’m convinced that there’s a vast audience of romance lovers like me who are ready for more nuance and innovation in our love stories. All while honoring genre conventions, of course!
As far as direct influences, I would say Mariana Zapata for heady, deep-POV emotion (The Wall of Winnipeg & Me), Amy Harmon for spiritually infused love stories (Where the Lost Wander) and, ironically, Katherine Paterson’s ‘Bridge to Terabithia’—because the story was so enticing and the ending so gut-wrenching that my nine-year-old self couldn’t not write her own version, and thus a writer was born.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My sophomore novel is The Prince of Whatever, a reimagining of royalty romance and the next book in my series of interconnected standalones. Fans of my work will recognize the two leads, especially our heroine, the fiery Psych student Georgie Macklin (yes, her last name is a subtle nod to Parks & Rec!) and can expect a release in 2025.
Author Links: Website | Instagram
LITERARY TITAN 