Review: Saving Peace by Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar

Saving Peace by Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar
ASIN: B006VIOZ1A










 Saving Peace follows a group of women thirty years from students at  women only Peace University to their middle age.  Siobahn, calculating, in everything she does snags the man and manages to become a local news anchor.  Her ambition wreaks havoc on all her relationships, since she only interacts with people if there is some benefit to her. Mary Ann, the charming southern girl, is the first to marry but sets aside her poetry and writing to be a stay at home mom to her infant, teenage, and adult sons. Putting her dreams aside to focus on her family and her absent husband causes severe depression. Kim overcomes cancer and bulimia to become president of Peace University. Her decision to admit male students to Peace University sparks much criticism and angst amongst students and alumna of the school.

 Saving Peace intertwines the stories of the three women across the years. Although outside of the first couple pages of the books, they didn't really seem like friends.  Over the years they mainly communicate by voice messages and chance meetings.  As the story progresses, I was left to wonder why they bothered. The benefits to continued friendship or even acquaintance seemed minimal.  Not to mention that they didn't seem to have any other friends.  They all are emotional train wrecks. There were also issues with time: the term Bridezilla was thrown around and Golden Girls didn't start until 1985 although the girls were supposed to be watching it together in 1977.  Also one of the character's son had a Game Boy in 1988 even though they weren't released anywhere until 1989.
 

Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar is a South Asian American who has lived in Qatar since 2005. Moving to
the Arabian Desert was fortuitous in many ways since this is where she met her husband, had a baby,
and made the transition from writing as a hobby to a full time passion. She has since published five e-
books including a mom-ior for first time mothers, Mommy But Still Me, a guide for aspiring writers, So
You Want to Sell a Million Copies, a short story collection, Coloured and Other Stories, and a novel
about women’s friendships, Saving Peace. Most recently, From Dunes to Dior, is a collection of essays
related to her experiences as a female South Asian American living in the Arabian Gulf. After she
joined the e-book revolution, she dreams in plotlines. Learn more about her work on her website at
www.mohanalakshmi.com or follow her latest on Twitter: @moha_doha.

Review: Too Many Cooks by Shirley Ann Wilder

 Too Many Cooks by Shirley Ann Wilder
 Publisher: Bouroughs Publishing Group







Bitter news leads a San Diego widow and widower to true love—and to a scheme to
marry off their adult children, a plan that goes deliciously awry.

Gaetano Lorenzo was the sweetest man that the widowed Estelle Bennett had
ever met. That morning began terribly, with awful news, but now the owner and
head chef of a local San Diego ristorante was offering up Italian delights: red wine,
delicious food, walks on the beach, laughter when she’d never thought she’d laugh
again…. Estelle felt twenty-five. She and Gaetano had found the recipe for love, and
a simple variation might just get their adult children to settle down, too. A scoop of
sugar, two ladlefuls of lust, a pinch of deception and a whole 24 oz.-can of danger—
Suddenly, ingredients were coming from everywhere! But kitchens are crazy places,
and variety is the spice of life. And for anything to get cooked, things have to get
hot.

 Too Many Cooks is was a quick read, to the point of being rushed.  It basically the story of a romance that develops between two middle-aged people who are scheming to get their children together.  The scenes between Gaetano and Estelle are especially sweet, while the scenes between Alex and Gina are kind of cliche.  I didn't like the fact that the parents were milking Estelle's alleged imminent death for so long to manipulate the kids, but all in all this was a cute if cliched story.  If you like brisk romance reads, this is a great book for you. 

From the time she could hold a pencil, Shirley Ann Wilder wrote stories. Being the youngest of six
children, she was overlooked many times but found wonder and magic in reading books. As a youngster
she was especially fond of horse books and read every one of Walter Farley’s Black Stallion books.That passion for horses carried over into her adult life and with her husband and four children, raised
Quarter Horses and German Shepherds. Shirley’s other passion was writing, but it was put on hold until the three sons and one daughter were in high school.After taking numerous writing classes and amassing many unfinished manuscripts, one of her writing instructors suggested she join Romance Writers of America. Taking that advice she also joined thelocal San Diego RWA chapter has since completed six novels. She served on the Executive Board as Co-President of RWA- San Diego for 2006 and 2007 and held several other chair positions. She credits her fellow writers for the support and encouragement that has kept her writing during recent difficult times.
**I received this book via Innovations Online Book Tours in exchange for my honest opinion.**