Friday, March 1, 2013

Woman of Substance Review & Giveaway

Tour Schedule
 
BLURB:

"You will never understand what it means to be fat.”  With those words, grad student Robbie Smith begins the Fat-Like-Me project.  In order to support her thesis, she puts on a fat suit to measure people’s reactions to the new her.

Accused of embezzling funds, Professor Jake Proctor returns home to spend quality time with the only father he has ever known.  There, he meets an intriguing overweight woman who reminds him of his late grandmother.  She’s witty, charming, and cares deeply for those around her, including his dying grandfather.

When Robbie meets Jake while she’s in disguise, she deceives him for all the right reasons.  But how long can she maintain the deception before Jake discovers that she is not who he believes her to be?


Excerpt:

Setting: Robbie in her disguise meets Jake Proctor for the first time and there are not good impressions shared.
 
Robbie’s cheeks burned.  “You, you think I’m asking Frank for money?”  She forced herself to stand straight and gripped her hands so she wouldn’t brush at the dirt clinging to the front of her jacket and kept both feet on the ground so she wouldn’t kick him in the shins.  These solid shoes would give him a good bruise.
 
“For starters, you look as if you could use some clean clothes.  There’s bread on the bench.  And there’s the open wallet and a frail, old, man.”  His clipped words and flashing eyes when he nodded toward each item left no room for doubt as to exactly what he thought.
 
Struggling between her outrage and the genuine concern in Jake’s eyes, she said, “Ah, Sherlock Holmes, I presume.”  Nincompoop.  Just goes to show a well-fitted jacket and height can disguise real character, too.
 
“No.”  He put his hands behind his back and jutted his chin forward.  “I’m a concerned grandson.”
 
“Stop it, both of you,” Frank growled.  “Here’s the picture of Mabel I wanted to show you before Jake turned up out of the blue.”  He handed his billfold to Robbie.  Behind yellowed plastic was the image of a woman with dark curls smiling at the camera holding a baby wrapped in a blanket.
 
“That’s our Mabel.”  He looked from Jake to Robbie.
 
“Yes.”  Jake stood behind Frank and his hands hung loosely at his side.
 
Robbie felt a sense of relief.  She turned toward Jake and pointed at the baby.  “You?”
 
“No.”  Jake sounded resigned.  Robbie understood that sometimes a person just has to allow the story to be told.”


Meet Annette Bower:
Annette Bower writes about women in family and women in love and women’s quest for love.  Her short stories are published in magazines and anthologies in Canada, United States and in the United Kingdom.

Her first sweet contemporary romance Moving On, A Prairie Romance is e-published by XoXo Publishing™.  Her second novel which is a blend of sweet romance and women’s fiction, Woman of Substance is e-published by Soul Mate Publishing.

Annette Bower lives and writes stories from a high rise where she can see the immediate hustle and bustle of downtown Regina and experience the changes in the grain fields throughout the Saskatchewan seasons.

Annette is also the author of:

Moving On-A Prairie Romance

Christmas Wishes
(available at Amazon | XOXO Publishing | All Romance)


Robin “Robbie” Smith is a twenty-five year old grad student majoring in Human Resources.  Robbie’s thesis is to determine how society treats people who are different from them.  Mainly how society judges people who are obese.  In her case, how obsese women are treated.

Jake Proctor is a thirty-five-year old professor of Anthropology.  He has been accused of stealing $15,000 from his project’s fund.  He is taking a leave of absence while the investigation into the missing funds is going on and he is using the time to spend with his dying grandfather, the only family member he has left.

With the help of three women, Mavis, Sharon, and Margaret, who are all overweight themselves and struggling with and finding their own ways to deal with society’s perception of them, Robbie transforms from a small sized woman into a large woman.

On Robbie’s first outing as Robin, she meets an elderly man named Frank Proctor.  Frank is the grandfather of Jake and he is also dying of leukemia.  Robin reminds Frank of his late wife Mabel.  They quickly begin a friendship.

In the beginning, Jake is suspicious of Robin and thinks she’s trying to pry upon an old man.  Frank and Robin like each other and get along really good.  Once Jake realizes that Robin isn't trying to pry upon Frank, he asks Robin to spend more time with his Grandfather.  Jake is even willing to pay Robin for her time; something she is very upset by.  Jake’s heart is actually in the right place.  He’s concerned about his Grandfather being alone too much in the final days he has left.

While Robin is forming a bond with Frank, she’s also forming a friendship with Jake.  At different points in time throughout the book, Jake and the real Robbie meet on various occasions.  Robbie is terrified that at some point Jake is going to figure out what she’s up to.  Jake seems to become very comfortable with Robin, but not so comfortable with Robbie.  It appears that Robin with her size and her caring nature reminds Jake of his Grandmother.

Jake accidently discovers that Robbie is actually Robin and that she put on a fat suit for the purpose of her thesis, on the same day his Grandfather passes away.  This discovery makes Jake question just who Robbie/Robin really is and if everything about her was just part of her act.  Jake has to come to terms with his past and be willing to look inside himself.

Woman of Substance is categorized as being a woman’s fiction/sweet romance book.  For me, Woman of Substance is simply about realizing that it isn’t what a person looks like on the outside.  It’s about realizing that the true heart, soul, spirit and beauty of a person is what’s on the inside.

Rating: 4

Release Date:  December 11, 2012
Book Length:  237 pages
Source:  Blog Tour Host
Reading Format:  Available in eBook

Purchase Links: Amazon | Soul Mate Publishing
 
Connect with Annette Bower:
 



Giveaway time!
Annette will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.  Leave a comment below and be sure to include your email address.  To increase your chances of winning, follow the tour and leave comments at the other sites.


42 comments:

  1. I'm going to enjoy reading WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE - being a gorgeous size myself.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good Morning Mary,
      Thank you for being the early gorgeous visitor at Read Your Writes Book Reviews.
      Kim and I appreciate you dropping in and reading the review of Woman of Substance.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
    2. Thanks Mary & Annette. I really truley enjoyed reading the book. It's been awhile since I've read it, but if I'm not mistaken, I cried a little bit. The three women who helped Robbie were funny and such great friends. You're going to love the ending.

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Good morning Kim,
      Thank you for reading and reviewing Woman of Substance. I appreciate the time and consideration you have given to assist readers in their choice of books.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
    2. Thanks ladies.

      Annette, you are more than welcome.

      Delete
  3. What a nice review. This is a sweet and sensitive sounding story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good morning MomJane,
      I agree that Read Your Writes has provided a nice review.
      Thank you for your assessment of Woman of Substance as a "sweet and sensitive" journey for Jake, Robbie/Robin and Frank too.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  4. Woman of Substance sounds like a "feel good" kind of read...the kind you want to cuddle up with on a comfy couch or chair with a cup of tea or coffee :) Sounds great!

    andralynn7 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello Andra Lyn,
    Thank you for stopping in a Read Your Writes and reading Kim's review of Woman of Substance. I like to think of it as a good read, however one of my reader's told me that she was kept up at night trying to finish the book. She ended up finishing it in bed on a Saturday morning.
    Yours truly,
    Annette

    ReplyDelete
  6. I need to have a like button here. Andra, it is a comfy read. Hopefully, my review did the book justice. Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great review, it really is what's on the inside that matters.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Ingeborg! Nice to see you again!!

      I wish I could have my 10 year read part of this book.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
    2. Hello Ingeborg,
      I agree it is on the inside that matters but sometimes our own insides have to be ready to look deeper at ourselves and others. Both Robbie and Jake end up looking deeper into themselves to grown.
      Thank you for stopping in at Read Your Writes.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
    3. Hello Kim,
      May I ask what your 10 year read is all about?
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
    4. Sorry. That's what happens when I'm multi-tasking. I meant 10 year old child.

      Delete
    5. I got it. Now I understand. With children you have to multitask.
      I suppose just your awareness of different types of prejudice whether they are silent or obvious and talking to them about it will be what is important right now.
      Thanks for thinking of it though.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  8. I loved learning more about your book, looking forward to reading it!

    shadowrunner1987 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Ami,
      Thank you for taking the time to read Kim's review. I am constantly amazed at reviewers who take the time to read and then form their insights into meaningful information for readers. There are so many choices on book shelves in stand alone stores as well as internet stores that we all need a little help finding a book that will suit our moods and reading diversities.
      I hope you do have the opportunity to join Robbie/Robin, Jake and Frank too on the journey toward knowledge, friendship and love.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  9. Thank you for the review, it helped me to decide if this is a book I would enjoy! I love reading stories, who don't have superficial heroines!

    lennascloud AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Lena,
      Thank you for stopping in at Read Your Writes Book Review of Woman of Substance.
      I appreciate the time Kim took to read and give readers her insights into the story.
      I think all heroines are superficial at some times because they are trying to represent human nature. I know I can be superficial when I am in a space that I don't want to share.
      I hope that if Woman of Substance isn't the book for you that you discover the story that will take you away on an adventure for awhile.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  10. The book sounds good and has a great message to give out too, going by your review. :)

    reviewing.shelf@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Reviewing Shelf,
      Many times a review is what will either topple a reader toward a book or away from a book. We authors thank reviewers like Kim for their work.
      Thank you for stopping by and reading the review and considering Woman of Substance when you are looking for a book with a message or two and a romance.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  11. Excellent review, I'm looking forward to see how it will all work out
    for Robin/Robbie.

    lyra.lucky7(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Lyra L7

      I hope that you do have the opportunity to see how it all works out in the end for Robin/Robbie. Remember now this is also a romance and endings are specific to be HEA.
      Thank you for stopping at Read Yours Writes Book Review and sharing Kim's insights.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  12. Thanks for the great review. It sounds like a book I must put on my reading list!

    pippirose59 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Pippirose,
      One of the great benefits of being on a review is that I see all sorts of names attached to email addresses. I often wonder where they came from. My first email address was anetathome--phonetic for Annette at home. Then I signed up for an email account without giving much thought to the name and called it after our dog Daisy. So now I am Daisy Bower. I know that for professional purposes I should change it but Daisy was a great Basset Hound who followed scents without concern where she may end up. I'm sort of like that when I write.
      Thank you for stopping in at Kim's review and both of us are pleased that you will put Woman of Substance on your reading list.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  13. Great review, will there be other books featuring characters from this book?

    hopefull1978ATgmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Hope,
      Thank you for commenting on Kim's review of Woman of Substance. No I do not have any plans at this time to have Robbie and Jake in a future book but as many successful authors have said, never say never.
      Thank you for stopping in at Read Your Writes Review.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  14. It was an interesting idea for a story.

    http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2013/02/book-woman-of-substance-2012-annette.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Teena,
      Thank you for stopping in at Read Your Writes Book Review. Thank you for agreeing that it is an interesting idea for a story.
      I appreciate reviewers like you and Kim who take the time to review books and provide readers with insights to help them decide if a book is for them. Reviewers provide a valuable assistance to authors.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  15. Hallo Annette,
    I liked Kim's review very much, the book sounds like an interesting read, it reminds me of a movie, with Cameron Diaz.

    emiliana25(at)web(dot)de

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Emiliana25,
      I'm not familiar with the Cameron Diaz movie. There are movies where disguises are used for various reasons and usually the disguised person is discovered and trust issues evolve. This is similar to Woman of Substance. When trust is broken it is hard to repair.
      Thank you for dropping in and reading Kim's review at Read Your Writes.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  16. I don't think that a thin person could understand what it's like to be fat, even in a fat suit. You get to take off a fat suit at the end of the day. I look forward to reading Woman of Substance to see how this sensitive issue is handled.
    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Catherine Lee,
      Actually you argue the very same point that Robbie's thesis consultant uses. She can take it off but even if she gains glimmers of insight it is a step forward.
      This is similar to those who wear earmuffs learning what it feels like to be hearing impaired or a blind fold to learn about sight impaired. They can be taken off but during the time it is scary.
      Thank you for looking forward to joining Robbie's journey but don't forget Jake has a journey as well and Frank is a pretty nice guy who is an elder and wise for both Robbie and Jake.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  17. Wow love the cover and I love what I read so far now I need to see what happens..Thanks for this great giveaway..adgali(at)ymail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Teena3940,
      Thank you for mentioning the cover. I'm pleased with it as well. Soul Mate's cover designer listened to what I told her about the story and came up with a great representation. The only thing I would have added was a park bench but hey, I can't have everything and it may have been to much. This is when it is time for the author to step away and leave things to the experts.
      I hope that you do have an opportunity to see what happens to Robbie/Robin, Jake and Frank.
      Thank you for stopping in at Read Your Writes Book Review.
      Yours truly,
      Annette

      Delete
  18. Good Morning Everyone,
    The draw is now closed. I have all names to be placed in the random draw. The winner will be placed on the Goddess Fish Promo.com http://www.goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.ca/ and on my blog. www.annettebower.com/blog

    Thank you for participating.
    Yours truly,
    Annette

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Annette for stoping by and talking with everyone who left comments.

      I really loved the way Jake grew and the discovers he made.

      Kim
      Read Your Writes Book Reviews

      Delete
  19. I think somewhere in the back of my mind I have heard of this book but haven't had a chance to read it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a good read. It's different from the romances I usually read. I love books which make you and the characters look within oneself.

      Thanks for stopping by.
      ~Me

      Delete
  20. Can't wait to read this. Sometimes I wish it were a suit that could be taken off though.

    Michelle Tucker
    michelletucker at baconnation dot net

    ReplyDelete

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