Contemporary Authors

• Ruby among Us: A Novel WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 2008
• Rose House: A Novel WaterBrook Press (Colorado Springs, CO), 2009

1. Rose House : a novel https://lccn.loc.gov/2008052798 Forkner, Tina Ann. Rose House : a novel / Tina Ann Forkner. 1st ed. Colorado Springs, Colo. : WaterBrook Press, 2009. 307 p. ; 21 cm. PS3606.O7476 R67 2009 ISBN: 97814000735979780307457936 (electronic) 2. Ruby among us : a novel https://lccn.loc.gov/2008001777 Forkner, Tina Ann. Ruby among us : a novel / Tina Ann Forkner. 1st ed. Colorado Springs, Colo. : Waterbrook Press, 2008. x, 322 p. ; 20 cm. PS3606.O7476 R83 2008 ISBN: 9781400073580

• The Real Thing - 2016 Tule Publishing Group, The, https://www.amazon.com/Real-Thing-Tina-Ann-Forkner/dp/1944925058/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
• Nashville By Heart - 2016 Velvet Morning Press, https://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Heart-Tina-Ann-Forkner/dp/0692642897/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
• Waking Up Joy - 2014 Tule Publishing Group, The, https://www.amazon.com/Waking-Joy-Tina-Ann-Forkner/dp/1940296722/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

• Tina Ann Forkner - http://www.tinaannforkner.com/

  About Tina Ann Forkner:
  Tina Ann Forkner is the #1 Amazon Best Selling and Award Winning author of five novels. When not writing, she is a substitute teacher who loves sharing her appreciation of reading and writing with children and teens. She enjoys traveling, gardening, and hiking in the great outdoors, is (still) learning to knit scarves, trying to cut back on caffeine, and not much makes her happier than an extra-large Vanilla Latte.

  Before making her way to Wyoming, Tina grew up in small-town Colcord, Oklahoma, moved for a time to England, and eventually to Sacramento where she graduated with honors in English from Sacramento State. She now makes her home in Cheyenne, Wyoming with her husband, three teens, and two spoiled dogs.

  tall-poppy-graphicTina is a proud member of Tall Poppy Writers and is involved in Women Fiction Writers Association and several other writing organizations. She has a passion for libraries and served on the Laramie County Library Foundation Board of Directors in Wyoming for six years holding various offices including Foundation President. She likes to be involved in various volunteer roles in her community when she isn’t attending an event for one of her teens or on a deadline.

  Tina’s articles and essays have appeared in various publications, including Homecoming Magazine and around the blogosphere. She is also a poet at heart, having had poems published in small press literary journals, including the Sacramento Poetry Center’s journal, Poetry Now, under the pen name Tina Linde, and has had columns appear in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle under the same pen name.

• Penguin Random House - http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/80448/tina-ann-forkner

  Tina Ann Forkner is the author of Ruby Among Us. Originally from Oklahoma, she now lives with her husband and three children in Wyoming, where she serves on the Laramie County Library Foundation’s board of directors.

• Tule Publishing - http://tulepublishing.com/authors/tina-ann-forkner/

  Tina Ann Forkner is a substitute teacher and author of four novels including The Real Thing, Waking Up Joy, Rose House, and Ruby Among Us. Tina’s novel, Waking Up Joy, is a Virginia Romance Writers 2015 HOLT Medallion Award of Merit Recipient – Romantic Elements. She grew up in rural Oklahoma and currently lives in Wyoming with her husband and three teenagers.

• Happy Ever After - http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/2016/07/05/tina-ann-forkner-interview-nashville-by-heart/

  QUOTED: "I’m not afraid to call this novel a fairy-tale romance. I loved writing about talented and beautiful Gillian Heart who sets out hoping to get a record deal in Nashville, but her heart is derailed when she falls for Will Adams, a wildly attractive music manager who thinks she’s got what it takes to make it in Nashville."

  Interview: Tina Ann Forkner, author of ‘Nashville by Heart’
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  By: Joyce Lamb | July 5, 2016 12:01 am
  Tina Ann Forkner
  Tina Ann Forkner

  Joyce: Welcome to HEA, Tina! Please tell us a bit about your new release, Nashville by Heart.

  Tina: Nashville by Heart is a sweet love story. I also write women’s fiction with a touch of romance, but I’m not afraid to call this novel a fairy-tale romance. I loved writing about talented and beautiful Gillian Heart who sets out hoping to get a record deal in Nashville, but her heart is derailed when she falls for Will Adams, a wildly attractive music manager who thinks she’s got what it takes to make it in Nashville. Can their love survive the music business? Or will Gillian have to choose?

  Joyce: Is there anything interesting that’s happened to you while doing research for a book?

  Tina: I once got to meet Vince Gill in Nashville. Most of my “research” for Nashville by Heart wasn’t active research as much as it was just recalling experiences I’ve had or observed during my many visits. During one visit, several years ago, my sister was working for a music management company that represented Vince Gill’s wife. I got to tag along with my sister during some studio recording time for Amy Grant, and Vince Gill was seated right beside me with their baby. He was very nice and was focused on being a dad in that moment while his wife was working. It was precious, and also a nice reminder that at the end of the day, famous people are just like us.

  Joyce: Do you have any particular rituals that help you get into the writing frame of mind?

  Tina: I have coffee and read a little before I begin writing, just to get my mind focused. Then more coffee. Sometimes chocolate helps, too.

  Joyce: Who are three romance authors who turn you into a fangirl?

  Tina: Joanne Kennedy, who endorsed Nashville by Heart. She actually lives in my hometown and has always been kind and supportive, but when I’m around her I still get a little excited to think about all the wonderful cowboy books she has written. I would also have to say Debbie Macomber. I met her at a conference once and heard her speak. She was as sweet as you would imagine, but I was star struck then and would be if I met her again. Also, Diana Gabaldon. What a great example of an author who has worked hard at her craft for many years. I love the Outlander books, and she deserves every accolade she receives. I’ve never met her, but I would absolutely fangirl over her.

  Joyce: Is there a TV show that you’ve recently binge-watched?

  Tina: Believe it or not, Teen Wolf. My daughter loves the series and so I decided to watch it with her. She took me all the way back to the beginning. Those actors are no competition for Michael J. Fox who was the teen wolf of my day, but they’re pretty good. I enjoy watching it, especially through my teen daughter’s eyes.

  Joyce: Do you listen to music while you write?

  Tina: If I can’t concentrate, I usually find that I forgot to turn on some music to write to. If I am editing, I will listen to pop or country, but if I am writing, I listen only to instrumental. I love Lindsey Stirling, Yo-Yo Ma and the Piano Guys. I also love bluegrass music and often listen to an instrumental bluegrass station on Pandora or Alison Krauss.

  Joyce: What are three romance novels on your to-be-read list?

  Tina: Santorini Sunsets by Anita Hughes, One Plus One by JoJo Moyes and Dear Carolina by Kristy Woodson Harvey.

  Joyce: What would be your dream vacation?

  Tina: My dream vacation is to travel anywhere near the ocean. Send me to a beach with a bag of books and I would be forever happy.

  Joyce: Sounds good to me!
  What are you working on now?

  Tina: I’m just starting a new romance. Starting a new book is my favorite part of being a writer. Having a book make it all the way through the publishing process and into the hands of readers is very exciting, but it can’t happen without the magic that comes when a new story begins to unfold. I love starting with a blank page. The fun I have filling it with a new setting and adding new characters to see how they will react to each situation I put them in is exactly why I am a writer.

  Joyce: Thanks, Tina!

  Nashville by Heart by Tina Ann ForknerAbout Nashville by Heart:

  A fairy tale romance, Nashville style! A small town girl, a chance at stardom… or a chance at love. Does she have to choose?

  Small town girl Gillian Heart moved to Nashville to get a record deal—not end up on some playboy’s arm. That’s why she tells herself she can’t get too personal with sexy music agent, Will Adams. Will makes her heart flutter, but he’s also broken plenty of hearts in this city.

  Will thinks Gillian has what it takes to make it in Nashville, but he can’t help being wildly attracted to her in a way that has little to do with music. She inspires him to change his ways, but he’s still wary about mixing business with pleasure. He did that once before and got burned.

  But neither Will nor Gillian can deny the spark between them. As things heat up, Gillian dares to imagine a life with Will—even though she knows he’s not a forever kind of guy. And then Will makes a move—bringing back memories of the father who abandoned her—that makes her question him and her whole life in Nashville.

  Can Gillian get over the disappointments of the past and find her place in Nashville, and with Will?

  Fans of sweet romances by Lucy Kevin and characters with a lot of heart found in books by Samantha Chase will enjoy Nashville by Heart.

  Find out more at tinaannforkner.wordpress.com.

• Women Writers, Women's Books - http://booksbywomen.org/the-real-thing-a-conversation-with-tina-ann-forkner/

  QUOTED: "I am a stepmom and in a second marriage myself, so Manda first came to me because I wanted to write about the challenges and joys of being a stepmom, but as a writer I had to disconnect myself from her. I did this by giving her an opposite personality than me and by changing up her family dynamics."

  The Real Thing: A Conversation with Tina Ann Forkner
  July 8, 2016 | By Brandi Megan Granett | Reply
  TheRealThing-300dpiIn The Real Thing by Tina Ann Forkner, we meet Manda as she learns to be a cowgirl through the ups and downs of her new marriage to a rodeo star, Keith and the specter of his missing ex-wife, Violet. While the ride isn’t always smooth, readers can enjoy how Manda learns to take the reins in this metaphoric rodeo.

  How did you find Manda? How did her story unfold for you as a writer?

  I am a stepmom and in a second marriage myself, so Manda first came to me because I wanted to write about the challenges and joys of being a stepmom, but as a writer I had to disconnect myself from her. I did this by giving her an opposite personality than me and by changing up her family dynamics.

  All stepfamilies are different, so that part wasn’t too difficult, but the insecurity and uncertainty that one can easily fall into in a second marriage with children was a little bit close to home. Instead I thought about what I might have told myself if I could go back to the early years of my more than eleven years of marriage. Manda wrestles with what I feel are often universal themes for “second” wives and stepmoms. In fact, some of those themes, including broken trust, fear of infidelity, and living with regret, are universal in the journey of any marriage.

  How does the rodeo work as a metaphor for the challenges this couple faces?

  When a bronco rider gets on a wild horse, no matter how well-prepared he is, he never knows what will happen. That is very true in the marriage of Manda and her bronco-riding husband, Keith. In the same way that the bronco begins bucking the second the chute flies open, Manda and Keith are flung into a ready-made family situation. Manda is trying with all her strength to hang on to her family. Anyone who has ever observed bronco riding at a rodeo knows how hard the cowboy falls when he’s thrown off, but Manda is doing her best not to lose her grip. She wants a marriage that lasts more than eight seconds, but life’s unexpected twists and turns keep catching her off guard.

  Manda loves her clothes and being sexy for Keith. How did you decide which fabulous outfits for her to wear?

  This aspect of the novel was so much fun! I live in Cheyenne, Wyoming and we have an annual rodeo called Cheyenne Frontier Days. During that time the town is teaming with western wear. Even ladies who aren’t really western don the most fun western clothing you’ll ever see. I also asked a rodeo queen friend what was hot in women’s western apparel, especially for the part-time cowgirls, and she helped me do things like add fringe and rhinestones when needed.

  But this book isn’t all rhinestone rodeo clothes and steamy love scenes, Manda and Keith face some tough choices. How did you decide on the path they choose to take? What do you think gives them strength?

  Tina Ann Forkner - AuthorWithout giving too much of the plot away, Manda and Keith face some decisions that are definitely uncommon, and yet, the test of true love is really not an uncommon thing. True love is tested all the time, or break ups would never happen in relationships, but the choices we make when tough times come along in our lives reflect our true character and strength, no matter what decisions we make.

  Some people might not have made the same decision Keith and Manda made, but I feel like they made the decision together because no matter how silly their disagreements are, there is a depth to them that is only revealed when their relationship is tested. What gives them that depth and strength is their ability to learn from past mistakes and to take wrangle their pain and land on their feet, much like the cowboy side of Keith does when he’s on a bucking horse.

  What message do you hope The Real Thing sends about family? How does this connect to your own experiences at building a family?

  Love and family are worth fighting for. A particular family may not be perfect or conventional, but in whatever form family comes to us, whether it is a single parent situation, an adoption, a stepfamily, or we are grafted into someone else’s family, our family matters.

  For me, I’ve been in a stepfamily for more than a decade, and while it is not traditional because our love is not the product of a first marriage and our children are not all biologically related to us, it is our family. If other people don’t get that, then too bad. At the end of the day, the family that is my own is what matters most in the world to me, and that includes my husband, daughter, and two sons, even though I am a stepmom to some of our children. I think that’s a universal thing.

• Title Trakk - http://www.titletrakk.com/author-interviews/tina-ann-forkner-interview.htm

  QUOTED: "Being a single mom can be a challenge ... but it is the time when the idea of Ruby Among Us was first conceived. I was sitting alone at my computer one night worried about my daughter’s future. That worry culminated into a few chapters that I laid aside until that fateful day when I set out to prove that I was really a writer."

  Tina Ann Forkner Interview
  by C.J. Darlington
  "When I am in the middle of a story, it doesn’t let go unless I get to writing." -- Tina Ann Forkner

  Tina Ann Forkner writes contemporary fiction that challenges and inspires. Originally from Oklahoma, she graduated with honors in English from CSU Sacramento before ultimately settling in the wide-open spaces of Wyoming where she now resides with her husband and their three children. Tina serves on the Laramie County Library Foundation Board of Directors and enjoys gardening, spending time outdoors with her family, and works as a full-time writer.

  C.J. I hear you've wanted to write since you were a little kid. What was it that first drew you to writing?

  Tina: I loved to read and I loved to tell a good story when I was a child. I remember that after reading a book, I would feel very inspired to make up my own story. I even once made a picture book and bound it together with my mom’s needle and thread. My parents, especially my dad, told me I could write anything I wanted, so I started writing things down.

  How did you know God was calling you to be a writer?

  I just knew. There were other things I wanted to be too, like a doctor and an archaeologist, but those were careers I thought of because my mom said I would need a backup job. She informed me that writers don’t make much money. She is a wise woman.

  Share with us the story of how you came to write and publish your first novel, Ruby Among Us.

  I wrote Ruby Among Us in thirty to forty-five minute increments daily before my family got out of bed and long before I headed to my then full-time job. It was my husband who encouraged me to start writing early in the morning. At first I thought he was crazy, but I also wanted to show him that I could do it. He is a very left brained person and telling him I was a writer meant nothing if he didn’t see me writing. Once he saw the pages filling up and read some of my writing, he encouraged me to make the manuscript.

  Before he came along, I was in a period of my life where time to write was limited and on most days wasn’t even an option. God had me focused on raising my daughter at that time and not writing. Being a single mom can be a challenge that way, but it is the time when the idea of Ruby Among Us was first conceived. I was sitting alone at my computer one night worried about my daughter’s future. That worry culminated into a few chapters that I laid aside until that fateful day when I set out to prove that I was really a writer.

  The mother/daughter relationship theme runs through this book on every page. Was that something you set out to consciously write or did it come about organically as the characters evolved?

  I wish I could say that I had the whole thing planned out and that writing about mothers and daughters was part of the master plan. It might have been part of God’s plan, but I was just free writing when I first conceived the idea. The mother/daughter theme was born organically as you put it. I have really strong relationships with the women in my family, so I’m not surprised that it came out in the story.

  Ruby Among Us takes place in the Sonoma Valley. Why this setting?

  During my mid-twenties I lived in Sacramento where I attended school at Sac State. During those years I spent quite a bit of time in the Sonoma Valley and the Santa Rosa areas. The setting just grew on me. I loved the gardens, the vineyards, the people and everything about the area. It just seemed to fit the story very well. I understand that people have also talked about the area being very symbolic to the story and I can see that too, although it isn’t the reason I initially chose the setting.

  Ruby Among Us by Tina Ann ForknerWhat's a little known fact about this area that maybe you weren't able to include in the story but wished you could?

  I’m no history expert, but apparently a man named Colonel Agoston Haraszthy is the founding father of California’s wine industry that began in the Sonoma Valley in the mid 1800’s. Haraszthy gathered the first cuttings in Europe that developed California's vineyards and wine industry.

  Did you find it difficult to distance yourself from the characters in Ruby Among Us who might've experienced similar emotions and/or situations, or did you find your own experience was really a benefit to the writing?

  I didn’t worry about distancing myself. Even though I was so close to the experience, I knew I had the freedom through fiction to do whatever the story needed. If anything, it helped me to write about it as I sought to understand things about the world, faith, and my own life. In fact, it was actually a benefit to the writing that I have had a single parent experience.

  Kitty and Ruby have a harder time in the book than I had to have in real life. Many single moms have been through much worse and I’ve known several of them, so I have some very strong feelings about what that experience is like. As a result, I hope that by having gone through some of that myself, as sad as it is for me and my daughter to have experienced, I have been shown God’s grace and hope in it.

  I hope that my experiences, through fiction, translate in a positive way to people who feel ashamed of their pasts or even to people who might have difficulty coming to terms with somebody else’s past. We are all human, after all.

  Being on the foundation board of directors at your local library probably gives you a perspective about books other writers might not have. What have you learned in your time there that's helped you in your writing?

  I love that libraries keep books alive long after the bestseller lists have given up on them or after booksellers have taken them off shelves. From what I have learned during my time on the foundation board, the librarians and their staff put their hearts into providing a great variety of books, programs, reading groups, and author presentations for their patrons. As a writer, being around the library and seeing the passion the librarians and employees really do put into their jobs increases my passion for writing. Knowing my book will eventually end up in their hands is encouraging.

  Do you listen to music when you write? If so, who are some of your favorite bands/artists?

  Oh definitely. Sometimes, I will find myself in a writing funk. I will be staring at the screen and trying to figure out why my mind is lagging, then I’ll realize I didn’t turn on the music! There are so many different artists I love and it really varies to the point of strange when you consider the combinations. Some of my favorites are Amy Grant, R.E.M., U2, Point of Grace, Johnny Cash, Jewel, Joss Stone, John Mayer, Aaron Shust, MercyMe, Travis Cottrell, James Blunt, Michael Buble’ and Harry Connick Jr. And when I’m really on a roll I like to turn on Celtic Woman or Enya. Enya is really good to work to because the lyrics aren’t distracting.

  I love listening to southern gospel music too. If it comes from the Gaithers, I will love it.

  What is it that motivates you to get out of bed and head to your keyboard?

  The need to finish the story. When I am in the middle of one, it doesn’t let go unless I get to writing. Tina Ann Forkner

  Where is your favorite place to write?

  In my living room with my laptop, facing out the back window. My laptop is on the fritz right now though, so I’m writing in my office. It’s a small room with a small desk, some nick knacks, a chair and tons of books. I have this bookshelf in my office that was built by my late father-in-law. It covers one wall and is full of books. I admit I don’t read them all, but there is something about the presence of books in my work area that inspires me. Anyway, it makes one feel like a writer to be surrounded by lots of books, doesn’t it?

  Confession time! What's been your most embarrassing moment so far as a writer (if you're telling! :) ?

  Only one? There have been so many! Every time I stutter or forget what I’m trying to say in a live interview I am mortified.

  What was the lowest point in your career, and how did you get out of it?

  I haven’t been at the business side of writing long enough to have had what I would call a true low point just yet. I am sure it will come, but right now I am just thanking God for every part of the journey and enjoying it.

  What are two things people might be surprised to know about you?

  Even though I write about Mother/Daughter issues and am very close my own wonderful mother, I am a Daddy’s girl. The second would be that I love to go fishing.

  When you're not writing, what do you enjoy doing?

  My husband and I love going to watch our kids in all of their events and take them to their school carnivals and all that goes with that. When I’m not doing that, I work in my garden and try to get something to grow here in southeastern Wyoming. We have a very short growing season, so it can be a challenge. I am a gardener, but not the kind of gardener that my characters are in my novel.

  What did you eat for breakfast this morning?

  Shredded wheat squares with brown sugar.

  Three things always found in your refrigerator:

  My fridge is not very exciting. We always have milk, eggs, ketchup.

  You're next in line at Starbucks. What are you ordering?

  A tall, skinny, vanilla latte, please.

  What's left unchecked in your "goals for life" list?

  So many things, I can not list them all. One of them is to write a masterpiece. I hope I will write a novel that is very meaningful and life-changing by the time I am very old.

  When was the last time you cried?

  On the plane a few days ago when I was reading the opening chapters of the novel, The Shack.

  Three words that best describe you:

  I had to ask my hubby this one. He says, creative (of course honey, I’m a writer), witty (he is the only one who laughs at my jokes), and nerdy (so…what’s wrong with that?).

  What's currently in your CD player/iPod?

  Jewel’s newest CD, Perfectly Clear. I love her as a country music artist. It fits her perfectly.

  Anything else you'd like to share with TitleTrakk.com readers?

  Thank you so much for having me. I love this site! Come visit me at my site and blog at www.tinaannforkner.com

QUOTED: "Offering no surprises ... Forkner delivers a fairy tale rather than a contemporary romance."

Nashville by Heart
Publishers Weekly.
263.20 (May 16, 2016): p39.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text: 
Nashville by Heart
Tina Ann Forkner. Velvet Morning, $11.99 trade paper (208p) ISBN 978-0-69264-289-4
What's meant to be a sweet romance comes off as cliched, with an overly saccharine premise of a naive songstress pursuing a dream. Small-town
woman Gillian Heart moved to Nashville three years ago hoping to become a country music singer-songwriter. She finally lands a meeting with
successful agent Will Adams, who is blown away by her singing and wildly attracted to her. Will is supposedly a bit of a player and heartbreaker,
though there are no ex-girlfriends to support this claim. After signing Gillian and showcasing her around town, he quickly lands Gillian a
contract, which both excites and flusters her, sending her back to her hometown. While she works through her issues, which include the requisite
absentee father, Will waits in the wings, ready to whisk her back to Nashville whenever she's ready. Offering no surprises or sexual tension,
Forkner delivers a fairy tale rather than a contemporary romance. (July)
Source Citation   (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Nashville by Heart." Publishers Weekly, 16 May 2016, p. 39. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA453506781&it=r&asid=2e259ef6656cf7b924b4eb936bbf0e8f. Accessed 5 Feb. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A453506781

"Nashville by Heart." Publishers Weekly, 16 May 2016, p. 39. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA453506781&it=r. Accessed 5 Feb. 2017.

• The Reader's Room
  https://thereadersroom.org/2016/07/14/guilty-pleasures-review-nashville-by-heart-tina-ann-forkner/
  Word count: 825

  QUOTED: "This is a straightforward, love-at-first-sight romance with a few small hitches along the way. The chemistry between the main characters is believable."

  Guilty Pleasures Review: Nashville by Heart Tina Ann Forkner
  by Book Worm on July 14, 2016
  29753317

  I know we normally review literary fiction and “high brow” literature but we all have guilty pleasure reads and I’m a break from literary fiction to bring you one of my guilty pleasure reads. Check out my review and let us know what sorts of guilty pleasure books you enjoy.

  Nashville by Heart by Tina Ann Forkner
  Published in: 2016
  Reviewed by: Book Worm
  Rating: ★★★
  Find it here: Nashville by Heart

  This ARC was provided by Velvet Morning Press (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

  Synopsis from Goodreads: Small town girl Gillian Heart moved to Nashville to get a record deal—not end up on some playboy’s arm. That’s why she tells herself she can’t get too personal with sexy music agent, Will Adams. Will makes her heart flutter, but he’s also broken plenty of hearts in this city.

  Will thinks Gillian has what it takes to make it in Nashville, but he can’t help being wildly attracted to her in a way that has little to do with music. She inspires him to change his ways, but he’s still wary about mixing business with pleasure. He did that once before and got burned.

  But neither Will nor Gillian can deny the spark between them. As things heat up, Gillian dares to imagine a life with Will—even though she knows he’s not a forever kind of guy. And then Will makes a move—bringing back memories of the father who abandoned her—that makes her question him and her whole life in Nashville.
  Can Gillian get over the disappointments of the past and find her place in Nashville, and with Will?

  Book Worm’s Thoughts: Time for shocking confession number 3. If you are a regular reader, you already know that: 1) I don’t like short stories and 2) I don’t really like non fiction. Now for confession number three. I love cowboy romances! There is a very specific for reason for this. I am a line dancer (not professionally, just for fun) and I love country music. My dream holiday would be a trip to Nashville. So this book ticked all the boxes for me. Even before reading the first page I knew I would love this book. My only disappointment was that there was no mention of the Blue Bird Café and the hit TV series Nashville (which we in the UK are impatiently waiting for season 4 to hit our screens) has lead me to believe that the Blue Bird Café is the center of life for country music stars.

  I have given this a rating of 3 stars for the blog because it is not a deep or literary book. If I was rating it on sheer enjoyment I would give it 4 stars.

  I have had a lot of things going on in my personal life lately and this lighthearted romantic fiction provided the perfect escape from a sad and stressful time. Sometimes the best gift a book can give you is to transport you to another place where away from your real life.

  This is a straightforward, love-at-first-sight romance with a few small hitches along the way. The chemistry between the main characters is believable and the “happy ever after” left me feeling happy. I loved the details about life in Nashville for those struggling to make it in country music. I also enjoyed reading the lyrics to the songs the protagonists writes in the book and I would have liked to see more of them.

  Favourite quote: “She personally loved line dancing. It was great exercise, and the songs were always fun.”

  She is so right about the exercise, although some of the songs we dance to are what I would class as “dead dog” songs. Overall, this is pure happy escapism served up on a Kindle.

  Who would like this book? I would recommend this to those who like straightforward romances and need some escapism in their lives. It’s a fun read for those who love country music and the series Nashville. And of course line dancers like me, who can put themselves in the place of the heroine and imagine that the hero is Deacon Claybourne, will find this book swoon worthy.

  Want to try it for yourself? You can find a copy here: Nashville by Heart

  We want to hear from you! Have you read this book? What did you think? What kind of book is your guilty pleasure read?

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