Silver Dagger Book Tours
  • Welcome!
  • Current Tours
    • Book Tours
  • Book a Tour
  • Open Sign Ups
  • Contact
  • About
  • Welcome!
  • Current Tours
    • Book Tours
  • Book a Tour
  • Open Sign Ups
  • Contact
  • About
Silver Dagger Book Tours

 

Memories in December - Book Tour and Giveaway

11/7/2019

53 Comments

 
Picture
Picture

Memories in December
Calendar Girls Book 4
by Gina Ardito
Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: November 7, 2019

Picture
Siobhan Bendlow is struggling with her recovery from an eating disorder and the financial downturn of her photography business. The last thing she needs is to become the sole caretaker of her wacky grandmother. Especially since the man of her teenaged dreams, Jimmy Vais, has moved back to town, newly single and available. So has his pesky younger brother, Justin. One Vais is fun, but juggling two is a problem.

Althea Bendlow may be in her seventies now, but she still craves all the things she wanted in youth: joy, comfort, laughter, and happiness for her loved ones. If gaining the latter means performing some matchmaking magic for her only granddaughter, she’s up to the task. As long as her own past doesn’t keep distracting her, in the form of Captain Lou Rugerman, a man who meant the world to her for one night only.

Welcome back to Snug Harbor, where the memories of a lifetime can become the dreams of tomorrow…



**easily read as a standalone!!**


Add to Goodreads
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo ​

​

Picture
Picture
Picture
 Don’t get me wrong. I love my grandmother. But I swear she must have dropped the brown acid at Woodstock. She had no filter, no sense of decorum. I couldn’t imagine how my mom managed to grow up with Nana as her parental influence. Even Grandpa could never stifle her rowdy spirit.
Once, when I was about fourteen, I had a crush on this guy who lived across the street from us. Jimmy Vais was everything a teenage girl lusted after in those days. He was an older man, almost eighteen, and had long dark hair—even longer than mine!—and he played bass guitar in a band. He was tall and lanky and didn’t know I existed, much to my poor heart’s distress. That summer, I’d finally convinced my puritanical parents to buy me my first bikini, tame by today’s standards, by the way. One hot July day, I decided to wear my new bathing suit while washing Dad’s car. I know. Not a very original idea, but I was an MTV child, and all the sexiest videos had girls in bikinis or school girl uniforms, climbing on the hoods of sleek sports cars. So I’ve got the music blaring on some top forty radio station, and I’m soaking myself with the hose, practically kissing this enormous sponge, and here comes Nana Thea strolling up the walk.
“Well, look at you!” she exclaimed loud enough to drown out Britney Spears singing about getting hit one more time. “You’re gonna be a stunner when you’re finally able to fill out that bra cup.”
“Nana!” I screeched, but it was too late. The damage was done. I didn’t have to glance across the street to know Jimmy had heard her. His hoots of laughter rappelled down my spine and set my skin ablaze with embarrassment. It was the one and only time Jimmy paid the slightest attention to me. Of course, I did my own share of embarrassing things after that, which sent me on a tangent I’d rather never revisit. I’m sure Jimmy knew all about my stint at the clinic for eating disorders—the whole town did. To this day, whenever I hear people whisper around me, I wonder if they’re talking about me. Look. That’s her. They used to call her Barf Bag Bendlow...


​

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
I kill houseplants. There. Now you know one of my greatest shames. I'm not boasting. I just figure that if you're reading this, you're looking for more than how wonderful life is as a writer. You get enough of that elsewhere. Ditto for political rants, how to lose thirty pounds in a week, and creating gorgeous crafts with nothing more than twine and soup cans. My goal is to connect with you, dear reader, even if you're not a writer, not a New Yorker, not a mother, not a female. We're human (unless one of us is a spambot), and what we have in common is flaws. So here are a few more of mine:

I sing all the time. I sing songs most people don't know--jingles from television, crazy stuff I used to listen to on Dr. Demento, Broadway and movie soundtracks, and I can even bum-bum-bum through instrumental music. I sing in the car. In the shower. While I'm grocery shopping. And I headbop while I sing. When I'm not singing, I talk to myself. Just ignore me and move on. You get used to it after a while.

I don't eat my vegetables. Seriously. I only started eating salad about ten years ago, but I'd still rather have a cookie.

Given the option, I would live in a mall where I would never have to worry about freezing temperatures or too much sun. I'm extremely fair-skinned and could burn under a 60-watt light bulb.

I can't sleep without background noise so the television's on all night. If it's too dark and too quiet, all I have are my thoughts. And even *I* don't want to be alone with my thoughts.

Don't ask me to Zumba, line dance, or march in the parade. I have absolutely no rhythm.

I color outside the lines. Not because I'm a rebel, but because I suck as an artist. My artistic ability is limited to being able to draw Snoopy sleeping on his doghouse. And I don't even draw that well.

Regrets. I have more than a few.

My favorite activity is sleep, and I'm pretty good at it. I don't clock a lot of hours, but I can powernap like a Persian cat and rejuvenate within ten minutes.

I consider shopping and dining out excellent therapy for anything wrong in my life.

My feet are always cold. Always. My husband of more than a quarter century claims it's because I'm an alien sent to Earth to destroy him. (He might be right about that.)

Coming to my house for a visit? Unless you've given me plenty of advance notice, be prepared. My floor will not be vacuumed, there will be dishes in my sink, and I only make my bed when I change the sheets once a week (I'm climbing back into it ASAP. Why make it?) Housecleaning is not high on my priority list. Okay, to be totally honest, it's not on the list at all.

I can resist anything...except ice cream.

Since this is our first date, I figure I've revealed enough secrets for now. But if you've read this bio and think I might be the author for you, pick up one of my books or stalk my website: www.ginaardito.com.



Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads


​
Picture
​This Is Not a Christmas Book


Sure, this book takes place in December. And yes, I do have a scene or two that occur on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but aside from a quick mention or two of the holiday season, the story could take place in any month. Okay, any month with snow and cold temps. The thing with The Calendar Girls books is that they’re not holiday romances. Each story in the series features two different women who’ve come to some kind of crossroads in their lives and have to choose a new path to take. The holiday is a minor event.
In Memories in December, you’ll meet Siobhan Bendlow, a recovering bulimic coping with her parents’ deaths, and Althea Bendlow, Siobhan’s grandmother who has opted to return to the place she always called home, Snug Harbor.
Siobhan’s career is in freefall, the guy she used to have a crush on has moved across the street, and his pesky younger brother has hired her to work on his ad campaign when Nana Thea arrives to add even more chaos to her life. And did I mention her spendthrift sister? Yeah. Here’s a phone conversation between the two:


“She’s interested in selling my house,” I managed to eke through tight teeth.
“It’s not your house, Bon. It was our parents’ house. And, I won’t lie. I could really use the cash the sale could bring in right about now.”
I knew it. I poured a healthy dose of almond milk in my cup, then took a hearty sip before my jaw loosened enough for me to reply, “Yeah, well, I could really use a roof over my head right about now, so rather than tossing my carcass out onto the streets in the dead of winter, I guess you’re gonna have to forego the diamond bracelet or new car you were planning to buy.”
The cluck of her tongue sounded as enraging hundreds of miles away as it did when we shared the same address. “Don’t be so dramatic. God, why do you always have to make it sound like you live in some Charles Dickens novel? I’ve got my own troubles, you know. You’re not the only one with worries looming over her head.”
Why did she have to minimize my problems while exaggerating her own? Why did she always try to make me feel guilty? She had a husband who adored her, a beautiful little girl, and the perfect life in Colorado Springs. Her only trouble was her inability to curb her spending—a problem that had haunted her since she earned her first allowance. I shook my head. Not today. I would not let her derail me from the issue at hand this time. Whatever worries loomed over her head, she wouldn’t solve by kicking me out of my home. Still, I had to make sure I’d have nothing to regret later. “Is anyone sick? Dying? In need of a kidney?”
“What? No, of course not.”
“Then I’m not selling the house,” I insisted.


With her husband dead over five years ago, Thea doesn’t want to spend her remaining days in Florida. She believes her homecoming gives her a chance to watch over Siobhan when they’re both suddenly alone in life. And then one day, there he is: Captain Lou Rugerman, a man she knew in the early years of her marriage. But the freedom to come and go as she pleased, once tasted, is hard for Thea to give up.


“Thea? Is that you, dollface?”
Only one man had ever called me dollface. I turned toward the sound of the familiar gruff voice and came face-to-face with that one man.
Lou Rugerman was always a brawny man, and time hadn’t stooped him yet. He still had a full head of hair, now shot with silver, those bright blue eyes with thick, lush lashes that all the girls envied, and an upper torso that looked hewn from a giant redwood tree. More importantly, his heart was as deep and vast as the Atlantic, a fact I knew firsthand.
“When did you get home?” Lou’s question jolted me out of my menu-studying.
“Huh? Oh! Yesterday.”
“Well, that’s great. This town hasn’t been the same without your special brand of sunshine.”
Did I mention Lou was smooth with the ladies, too? Yeah. Me, chief among them. My knees wilted. The man exuded sex appeal the way Vicks Vap-o-Rub exuded menthol.
“I’d like to take you out, Thea,” he said, his tone a sexy purr while he rubbed his calloused thumb over my palm.
Oh, no. Not again. Lou Rugerman was eighteen the first time he said those words to me. I was twenty-three, married, and six months pregnant at the time. He didn’t care. If anything, my unavailability made him pursue me all the harder in those days. These days, I didn’t have a husband and a baby to shield me from his dogged pursuit. My throat dried, and I bit my lip before digging up the sense of humor I’d been using against his charm since 1972. “I can take myself out. How do you think I wound up here?”


I hope you’ll check out these two amazing women, the men who love them, and the sweet, small town where romance is always in the air.


Picture
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Nov 7
kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
Viviana MacKade - GUEST POST
All the Ups and Downs - GUEST POST

Nov 8
Alternative-Read.com
Pen Possessed
Haney Hayes Promotions

Nov 9
Maiden of the Pages - GUEST POST
Mythical Books

Nov 10
Antrim Cycle
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! `

Nov 11
Susan Heim on Writing
The Sexy Nerd 'Revue'
Midnight Book Reader

Nov 12
Readeropolis - GUEST POST
Luv Saving Money
Teatime and Books

Nov 13
Kerrific Online - REVIEW
Thoughts with Angie - GUEST POST
The Bookshelf Fairy

Nov 14

Authors From Everywhere
nanasbookreviews

Nov 15
Breanna Hayse Romance
Literary Gold

Nov 16
2 chicks and a book
A Pinch of Bookdust

Nov 17
Nicole's Book Musings - REVIEW
Bedazzled By Books

Nov 18
Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author
Book Corner News and Reviews

Nov 19
SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews
Books a Plenty Book Reviews

Nov 20
Always Love Me Some Books Blog - GUEST POST
Reviews and Promos by Nyx - GUEST POST
Blogs By Nyx - GUEST POST

Nov 21
Books all things paranormal and romance
books are love

Nov 22
Books, Authors, Blogs
Girl with Pen

Nov 23
Romance- Sweet to Heat
Yearwood La Novela

Nov 24
Word Processor, Romance, Cats, Kids and Creed
Book Fanatics

Nov 25

4covert2overt ☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼
Dragon's Den

Nov 26
TNT Book Promotions
A Blend of Sass and Class Blog
T.L. Gray Blog

Nov 27
Good Books & Tasty Morsels
Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read

Nov 28
Thanksgiving


Nov 29
Inside the Insanity -- GUEST POST
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin'

Nov 30
❧Defining Ways❧
Taryn Jameson

Dec 1
Character Madness and Musings
Anna del C. Dye official page

Dec 2
A Writer's Life
Plain Talk Book Marketing - GUEST POST

Dec 3
Shannon Muir, Author - Infinite House of Books - GUEST POST
Cassidy's Bookshelves - REVIEW
Twisted Book Ramblings

Dec 4
ⒾⓃⓉⓇⓄⓈⓅⒺⒸⓉⒾⓋⒺ ⓅⓇⒺⓈⓈ - GUEST POST
eBook Addicts
The Book Dragon

Dec 5
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
Sylv.net
Scrupulous Dreams

Dec 6
Authors & Readers Book Corner
Insane Books

Dec 7
Cranky TBC - REVIEW
T's Stuff
Craving Lovely Books




a Rafflecopter giveaway
Picture
53 Comments
Janet W.
11/7/2019 06:46:28 am

Sounds like such a sweet romance! Beautiful cover!

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/7/2019 05:20:34 pm

Thanks, Janet. I like to say my romances are sweet but sassy!

Reply
Bea LaRocca
11/7/2019 12:02:04 pm

I love the cover, synopsis and excerpt. This sounds like a wonderful read. Thank you for sharing your book and author details

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/7/2019 05:21:15 pm

Thanks for reading, Bea!

Reply
Victoria Scott
11/7/2019 12:20:19 pm

Love the cover!

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/7/2019 05:22:26 pm

Thanks, Victoria (my name, too btw!) I'm fortunate that I've got a great cover artist who manages to capture just the right spirit despite my disjointed ideas of what I want. LOL!

Reply
Calvin
11/7/2019 01:23:39 pm

Nice snowy theme, perfect to read now.

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/7/2019 05:23:17 pm

A reviewer said it's the perfect book with a nice cup of tea on a chilly day. I'll take that. :-)

Reply
rana durham
11/7/2019 01:32:10 pm

I LOVE THE COVER AND EXCERPT

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/7/2019 05:23:56 pm

Thanks, Rana! I'm very proud of this one.

Reply
Elaine G
11/7/2019 02:17:40 pm

Sounds like a good book.Nice cover too

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/7/2019 05:24:49 pm

Thanks, Elaine! It was a fun story to write. Thea's one of a kind!

Reply
wendy hutton
11/7/2019 02:32:26 pm

great cover, thanks this book sounds pretty interesting

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/7/2019 05:28:35 pm

Thank you, Wendy. It's a fun story!

Reply
Debbie P
11/7/2019 03:20:28 pm

This sounds like a great read. Very pretty cover!

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/7/2019 05:29:12 pm

Thanks, Debbie! I hope you'll give it a try.

Reply
Kelly Nicholson
11/7/2019 04:59:12 pm

december and romance go together

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/7/2019 05:30:09 pm

Something warm on a cold night, right?

Reply
LYNN CLAYTON
11/7/2019 06:34:07 pm

NICE COVER LOOKS LIKE A GREAT READ

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/8/2019 04:02:56 pm

Thank you, Lynn!

Reply
Dale Wilken
11/7/2019 07:02:50 pm

Sounds really great.

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/8/2019 04:03:42 pm

Thanks, Dale. I'm fond of it. :-)

Reply
Amy F
11/8/2019 07:44:21 am

Love a sweet romance! Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/8/2019 04:04:26 pm

Thank you, Amy. I hope you'll pick up a copy!

Reply
Wanda B
11/8/2019 02:00:00 pm

Beautiful romantic book cover photo!

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/8/2019 04:05:07 pm

Thanks, Wanda. And my cover artist thanks you, too!

Reply
Kelly D
11/8/2019 09:25:47 pm

I like the cover. It looks like a cute book.

Reply
Marcy Meyer
11/9/2019 01:37:42 pm

I like the winter cover. Looks cute.

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/19/2019 11:50:28 am

Thanks, Marcy!

Reply
Elizabeth H.
11/9/2019 05:43:36 pm

Oooo! This book sounds so good! I love a romance that's full of family! It sounds like the romance is multi-layered with Siobhan AND her grandmother having love interests! Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Gina Ardito link
11/19/2019 11:51:46 am

Thanks, Elizabeth. And yes, Siobhan's grandmother is a hoot. I think you'll love her.

Reply
Laurie Nykaza
11/9/2019 10:09:49 pm

Love the cover looks like a great romance book to read.

Reply
Gina Ardito
11/19/2019 11:52:13 am

Thanks, Laurie. I'm very proud of it!

Reply
Ann Fantom
11/10/2019 06:37:54 pm

I like the cover. It is very cute!

Reply
Gina Ardito
11/19/2019 11:52:52 am

Hi Ann! Yes, I have a wonderful cover artist who's been with me for many years. She seems to always know what I'm looking for.

Reply
Lydia Goodman
11/10/2019 06:44:13 pm

Sweet cover, sounds like a good read

Reply
Gina Ardito
11/19/2019 11:53:20 am

Hey, Lydia.Thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll give the book a read.

Reply
Mood Reader
11/10/2019 07:03:45 pm

Sounds great!

Reply
Gina Ardito
11/19/2019 11:53:53 am

Thanks, Mood Reader. I tend to think it's great, but I'm kinda biased. :-)

Reply
Mary Cloud
11/11/2019 09:46:15 pm

The cover is nice. No questions for the author.

Reply
Gina Ardito
11/19/2019 11:54:59 am

Hi Mary! Really? You don't want to know how I take my coffee or my favorite color or how many siblings I have? (With almond milk, purple, and six.)

Reply
Terri Quick
11/11/2019 10:26:55 pm

Cute cover

Reply
Gina Ardito
11/19/2019 11:55:15 am

Thanks, Terri!

Reply
Tracie Cooper
11/12/2019 07:39:02 pm

I am so excited to read this book!

Reply
Gina Ardito
11/19/2019 11:55:50 am

Hi Tracie! Thanks for saying so! Be sure to let me know how you like it. I welcome input from my readers!

Reply
Heather Mahley
11/16/2019 01:23:17 pm

Cover looks amazong

Reply
Gina Ardito
11/19/2019 11:56:18 am

Hi Heather,
On behalf of my cover artist, I thank you!

Reply
Mya Murphy
11/21/2019 10:23:18 am

What a gorgeous, romantic cover!! 💙

Reply
debra34walker@gmail.com
11/28/2019 11:14:29 pm

Cover, looks, Great

Reply
heather
12/3/2019 02:39:30 pm

I am loving the cover of this one makes me want to read it even more now.

Reply
Sharon Extine
12/4/2019 07:44:58 am

Like the cover and excerpt. Thanks.

Reply
Daniel M
12/5/2019 06:24:41 pm

like the cover

Reply
Jerry Marquardt
12/7/2019 11:56:51 pm

I would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, and wishing the best in keeping up the good work in the future.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Action
    Activity Book
    Adventure
    African American
    Alt History
    Anthology
    Apocalyptic
    Audiobook
    Australian
    Bdsm
    Billionaire Romance
    Biography
    Chick Lit
    Childrens
    Christian
    Coloring Book
    Comedy
    Coming Of Age
    Contemporary Fiction
    Contemporaryromance
    Contemporary Romance
    Cookbook
    Cozymystery
    Cozy Mystery
    Crime
    Cyberpunk
    Dark
    Dark Romance
    Drama
    Dystopian
    Educational
    Eroticromance
    Erotic Romance
    Fairytale
    Fantasy
    Financial
    Giveaway-hop
    Gothic
    Health-and-wellness
    Historical
    Historicalromance
    Historical-romance
    Holiday
    Horror
    Humorous
    Inspirational
    Legal-thriller
    Lgbtq
    Literaryfiction
    Mafiaromance
    Mafia-romance
    Magicrealism
    Magic-realism
    Mcromance
    Mc-romance
    Memoir
    Menage
    Middlegrade
    Middle-grade
    Military
    Mystery
    Newadult
    New Adult
    Nonfiction
    Paranormal
    Paranormalromance
    Paranormal-romance
    Parenting
    Pets
    Poetry
    Postapocalyptic
    Pulp-fiction
    Reverseharemromance
    Reverse-harem-romance
    Rockstarromance
    Rockstar-romance
    Romance
    Romanticcomedy
    Romantic-comedy
    Romanticsuspense
    Romantic-suspense
    Satirical
    Sciencefiction
    Science Fiction
    Scifi
    Scifiromance
    Scifi-romance
    Selfhelp
    Shortstories
    Short-stories
    Speculativefiction
    Speculative Fiction
    Sportsromance
    Steampunk
    Supernatural
    Suspense
    Sweetromance
    Thriller
    Timetravel
    Time-travel
    Urban
    Urbanfantasy
    Urban Fantasy
    Western
    Womensfiction
    Womens Fiction
    Ya
    Youngadult
    Young-adult
    Youngadultya
    Young Adult Ya

    Picture

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016

© 2021 Silver Dagger Book Tours