RELEASE DAY BLITZ - CONTEMPORARY - LOVE IS WHAT YOU BAKE OF IT (Meraki, #1) by Effie Kammenou

 

LOVE IS WHAT YOU BAKE OF IT

Meraki, #1

by Effie Kammenou 

Release date: March 24th 2020

Designer: Tugboat Designs ( https://www.tugboatdesign.net/ )

Genre: Contemporary Romance; Single Dad 

 

The only love Kally Anadarakis is baking is in the form of the sweet treats she whips up in her café, The Coffee Klatch.

Kally never believed herself to be a person worthy of love, but when an intoxicating man she considered out of her league pursues her, she risks everything to be with him. Later, when tragedy strikes, truths are revealed that leave Kally brokenhearted and untrusting.

Eight years later, Kally is a successful pastry chef running the café she’d always dreamed of owning. With a home of her own, a profession she’s passionate about, and the support and love of friends and family, Kally is content with the life she has carved out for herself.

Until the day Max Vardaxis walks into her café…

With arguing parents, meddling relatives, an overly energetic grandmother, a man-crazy best friend, and the long ago, mysterious disappearance of a grandfather, this new man in town is just one more complication in Kally’s life, if not the main one.

Kally must now decide whether to keep her heart safe or to once again take a ‘whisk on love.’

 

AMAZON | NOOK | APPLE BOOKS | KOBO

 

Effie Kammenou is a believer that it is never too late to chase your dreams, follow your heart or change your career. She is proof of that. At one time, long ago, she'd thought that, by her age, she would have had an Oscar in her hand after a successful career as an actor. Instead, she worked in the optical field for 40 years and is the proud mother of two accomplished young women.

Her debut novel, Evanthia’s Gift, is a women’s fiction multigenerational love story and family saga, influenced by her Greek heritage, and the many real-life accounts that have been passed down. She continues to pick her father’s brain for stories of his family’s life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to America. Her interview with him was published in a nationally circulated magazine.

Evanthia’s Gift: Book One in The Gift Saga was a 2016 award finalist in the Readers Favorite Awards in the Women’s Fiction category. Waiting for Aegina is Book Two in The Gift Saga and Chasing Petalouthes is Kammenou’s latest release, completing the series.

Effie Kammenou is a first generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, or posting recipes on her food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com, you can find her entertaining family and friends or traveling for ‘research.’

As an avid cook and baker, a skill she learned from watching her Athenian mother, she incorporated traditional Greek family recipes throughout the books.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from Hofstra University.

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BLITZ Audio - CONTEMPORARY WOMEN'S FICTION - Chasing Petalouthes (The Gift Saga, #3) by Effie Kammenou

Chasing Petalouthes

(The Gift Saga, #3)

by Effie Kammenou 

Genre: Womens Fiction/ Contemporary Romance 

The Gift Saga concludes with the next generation coming into the forefront of the story during their tumultuous years between adolescence and adulthood.

*Read as a standalone or as part of the trilogy

Evvie has lived through more tragedy than a young girl should ever endure, having lost both her father and a most beloved grandmother at a young age. Her rebellious ways are her only defense to mask the ever-present pain in her heart. Closing herself off emotionally, Evvie vows to never let anyone into her heart. But will her determination to keep everyone out see her lose the only person who could heal her broken soul?

Over-achieving, focused, talented, determined to succeed. Those are the traits Stella envies in her siblings and cousins. Her insecurities and lack of confidence stunts her ability to realize her own worth. When an older, handsome young man claims her as his own, Stella believes she has finally found who she has been looking for—someone to love her enough to mold her into the best version of herself. But has she fallen in love too quickly for a man she barely knows anything about?

Chasing Petalouthes (Chasing Butterflies) is the coming of age story of two flawed, young women who push their way out from the confines of the cocoons they’d built around themselves and discover how to soar.

Chasing Petalouthes can be read as a standalone novel. To understand the full emotional impact of these characters histories and lives read Evanthia's Gift & waiting for Aegina.

AUDIBLE | APPLE

https://soundcloud.com/effie-kammenou-speyer/chasing-petalouthes_sample

Effie Kammenou is a believer that it is never too late to chase your dreams, follow your heart or change your career. She is proof of that. At one time, long ago, she'd thought that, by her age, she would have had an Oscar in her hand after a successful career as an actor. Instead, she worked in the optical field for 40 years and is the proud mother of two accomplished young women.

Her debut novel, Evanthia’s Gift, is a women’s fiction multigenerational love story and family saga, influenced by her Greek heritage, and the many real-life accounts that have been passed down. She continues to pick her father’s brain for stories of his family’s life in Lesvos, Greece, and their journey to America. Her interview with him was published in a nationally circulated magazine.

Evanthia’s Gift: Book One in The Gift Saga was a 2016 award finalist in the Readers Favorite Awards in the Women’s Fiction category. Waiting for Aegina is Book Two in The Gift Saga and Chasing Petalouthes is Kammenou’s latest release, completing the series.

Effie Kammenou is a first generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, or posting recipes on her food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com, you can find her entertaining family and friends or traveling for ‘research.’

As an avid cook and baker, a skill she learned from watching her Athenian mother, she incorporated traditional Greek family recipes throughout the books.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from Hofstra University.

Both Available in Kindle Unlimited

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TOUR - CHASING PETALOUTHES (The Gift Saga, #3) by Effie Kammenou Narrator: Emily Lawrence

Chasing Petalouthes

The Gift Saga, #3

by Effie Kammenou

Narrators: Emily Lawrence

Length: 13 hours 21 minutes

Released: August 27th 2018

Publisher: Effie Kammenou

Genre: Contemporary Romance

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . CHASING PETALOUTHES (The Gift Saga, #3) . . . Just from my aspect of things you really don't have to have the previous stories to fall in love here, but it will most certainly give you a broader picture of all the characters, place, and various references. You get like a lifetime of understand with this saga. You find a family that through time and place have made more of the life given to them. Then we come to this generation, Evvie and Stella both have surrounding themselves with shields. Shields for different reasons and as they two grown and become women and more they find that the shield they placed around them-self may be more of a hindrance than anything else. Watching these two young women grow in to more comes at a cost. Life hands them much, pain, sorrow, understanding, confusion, joy, love, self-awareness, and then some. 

Emily Lawrence has been there from the start. She helps you to make that connection with each of the characters but in a different way. You could feel the pull of her vocals. The visual allure brings you deeper in. You find a greater desire to see what life holds for this new generation. The diction clear, the audio smooth, the emotional connection cemented. 

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Effie Kammenou. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

The Gift Saga concludes with the next generation coming into the forefront of the story during their tumultuous years between adolescence and adulthood. 

Evvie has lived through more tragedy than a young girl should ever endure, having lost both her father and a most beloved grandmother at a young age. Her rebellious ways are her only defense to mask the ever-present pain in her heart. Closing herself off emotionally, Evvie vows to never let anyone into her heart. But will her determination to keep everyone out see her lose the only person who could heal her broken soul? 

Over-achieving, focused, talented, determined to succeed. Those are the traits Stella envies in her siblings and cousins. Her insecurities and lack of confidence stunts her ability to realize her own worth. When an older, handsome young man claims her as his own, Stella believes she has finally found who she has been looking for—someone to love her enough to mold her into the best version of herself. But has she fallen in love too quickly for a man she barely knows anything about? 

Chasing Petalouthes (Chasing Butterflies) is the coming of age story of two flawed, young women who push their way out from the confines of the cocoons they’d built around themselves and discover how to soar. Chasing Petalouthes can be read as a standalone novel. To understand the full emotional impact of these characters histories and lives read Evanthia's Gift & waiting for Aegina.

Effie Kammenou is a first generation Greek-American who lives on Long Island with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not writing, or posting recipes on her food blog, cheffieskitchen.wordpress.com, you can find her entertaining family and friends. Evanthia’s Gift: Book One in The Gift Saga was a 2016 Readers Favorite Awards finalist in the women’s fiction category. Waiting for Aegina: Book Two in The Gift Saga is Kammenou’s latest release. For updates on the release of Book Three, the conclusion of The Gift Saga, follow Effie on Twitter, Facebook or Amazon.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads⎮Pinterest

Emily is an actor and writer passionate about bringing stories to life. Her greatest strength as a performer is her ability to bring herself to the role, creating a wide range of emotionally resonant performances that leap off the page, stage, or screen. Her favorite characters are complicated, conflicted, and still searching for their inner truths. Emily's passion for her work is complimented by her persistence, resilience, and inexhaustible work ethic. She’s narrated more than 160 audiobooks, half of which were USA Today or New York Times bestsellers, and has also worked in film, television, and theater. Born and raised in New York, Emily moved to Los Angeles shortly after receiving her BFA in drama from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She also had the privilege of living in London while studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). ​Emily’s greatest loves are acting and reading, so narrating audiobooks is a dream come true. Her other passions include traveling, LARPing, aerial circus, and chocolate.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Instagram

Author Effie Kammenou's Top Ten Books of 2018

1. Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

I’ve read quite a few incredible books this year but, by far, Next Year in Havana was my favorite. This bestseller is a historical and, at the same time, a contemporary fiction. The story drifts back and forth from past to present, shedding light on life in Cuba during Batista’s reign, Castro’s revolution and dictatorship, and the conditions of today. Next Year in Havana is a love story. Love of country, heritage, tradition, family and romance. This is a story with substance. One where there is much to learn, much to ponder and consider. I found myself thinking about this book for many days after I had finished it.

2. The Man in The Black Suit by Sylvain Reynard

SR is my favorite contemporary author. I will read anything he writes. Not only is he a master at romance and sensuality, but the literary level of his writing is far superior to most in his genre. This standalone novel carries some weighty moral messages. In between the romance, intrigue, danger and gorgeous locals, I found myself contemplating right from wrong and what I might do if placed in the character’s predicaments. 3 & 4. The Scrying & The Hallowed by Jaci Miller These are books one and two of a fantasy / paranormal fiction trilogy. The Scrying gave me a taste of what was to come and I loved every second - best friends, a hot new, mysterious man, an awakening of powers. The Hollowed was a tornado of strange realms, revelations, and supernatural creatures. I can’t wait for the last book in the trilogy.

5. White Horse Slave by Rett Tyler

This is a very unique story by a debut author. At first, i thought, ‘This is nothing but a young woman spewing out foul language.’ But as I read on, I was soon hooked. Rhiannon was sold as a sex slave from the age of four and remained one until she was rescued when she was eight years old. Now, at twenty-three, the repercussions are long lasting and debilitating. This is not a story of what happened to her, but rather how it has affected her life and her inability to live a normal one. A beautiful romance blossoms, if she will only let it fully bloom. Ethan knows her history. He fights for her and tries to pull her from the darkness. 6 & 7. Constellation & Chaos by Jennifer Locklear These are books one and two in a trilogy. I could not put them down. I was so invested in the characters. Jack was a man, disappointed in his failed marriage. Katherine was a woman who was never able to find love. Not as a child in her family home and not as a woman. These two souls were fated to be together but there were so many obstacles in their path. 8 & 9. TouchStone for Play & TouchStone for Giving - Books one and two in The Story of Us Trilogy. I’m about to read the third book in the trilogy. This is a sweep you off your feet, fantasy romance with two star-crossed lovers - true soulmates. And the love scenes are smoking hot!

10. Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

I had read, Hopeless, a while ago and I really enjoyed this sad, haunting tale. Losing Hope, is the same story, but from the young man’s perspective. It answers quite a few questions and gives insight into what he was feeling through some very dark days.

Prize: Audible 3-month membership

Chasing Petalouthes Giveaway: 3-month Audible subscription  

Nov. 1st: T's Stuff 

Nov. 2nd: Jazzy Book Reviews 

Nov. 3rd: Chapter Break 

Nov. 4th: Lynn's Romance Enthusiasm 

Nov. 5th: The Book Junkie Reads . . . 

Nov. 6th: Book Lover in Florida 

Nov. 7th: The Book Addict's Reviews 

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