review || ELLI { blog tour } by Tina DeSalvo

Self-Published | April 23, 2014 | Romance
Second Chance, book 1
★★★★

SOURCE: GODDESS FISH TOUR

Her life could have been over with her breast cancer diagnosis, but Elli had fought and won. Now she is ready to fight for other women facing the same nightmare, but to do so she is going to need money. And she is going to need it fast.

Fortunately, Elli finds herself with half ownership of a Louisiana plantation. A twisted inheritance has set her up with an interesting future. Unfortunately, Elli no longer believes in planning a future, she just wants to take the money and run.

Ben Bienvenu wants nothing to do with the woman from California who is certain to turn his world upside down. But the conditions of the will that left the property to both of them doesn’t give him much choice. Not if he wants to keep the property that’s been in his family for generations.

A snobby diva rental dog, an impossible will, a nosy Bienvenu family, a distracting Mardi Gras season and a man who thinks he is protecting his son by standing his ground against her… Elli knows that trying to find common ground with this man known as the Cajun Dog Whisperer is going to be an uphill battle.

Two broken people.

Both in need of a Second Chance….

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{ about tina desalvo } .

Throughout her life, Tina DeSalvo has filled many roles – daughter, sister, student, wife, mother, journalist. Then one day she took on one she had not planned – breast cancer patient. In an instant her life changed. But as she had done everything else in her life, Tina threw herself into overcoming this role and becoming a survivor.

It was during this time of fighting and healing that Elli was born. Tina took all that she learned, many of the people she met during the battle and poured it all into a book full of heart and humor. Elli is the story of getting a second chance at life after breast cancer. It’s not a book about cancer, it’s about a woman who’s had it. It’s a story that will make you laugh and could even bring tears to your eyes and it’s right from Tina’s heart. So much so that she is donating all proceeds from the sale of Elli to help meet the unmet needs of other women who are going through the same fight she did.

Since Elli, Tina has continued her Second Chance series with Jewell. We hope that you will check out Jewell as well and keep an eye out for Abby coming later in 2016.

Now, as we enter October and another Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Tina is reaching out to share her story and share Elli’s story again. There will be Facebook events (https://www.facebook.com/TinaDeSalvoAuthor) and news of other contests and appearances on her website (www.tinadesalvo.com). And all month long she will be visiting blogs to share her heart and her message. She’s looking to give away Care Packages to ten Centers that work with Breast Cancer patients. You can nominate a Center or Charity that has worked with you or a friend or family member as they went through treatment for Breast Cancer. From all nominated, ten will be randomly picked and Tina will give away a basket full of goodies in the name of you or your friend or family member. Let’s spread the love in October to those that might need it the most.

{ excerpt } .

“Out!” Ben stormed into the guest room and closed Elli’s open suitcase, zipping it shut before speaking again. “You’ve got some nerve moving into my home, lady.” Two hours ago, he thought he’d made it clear to her that she was not welcome anywhere on his land. “Either go back to the bunkhouse for the night or find a hotel…preferably in Kansas!”

She lunged for the suitcase and sat on top of it before he could pick it up. “This is my house, too. I can stay here if I want. You can threaten me all you want, but I have rights. I asked my attorney, and she said I had the legal right to domicile on the plantation if I want…and I want.” She folded her arms across her chest as if that made it final. The hell it did.

He gripped the suitcase handle, looking at her a full three seconds to give her ample warning she had better move her West Coast derriere off the suitcase. When she just stared back with that stubborn look he’d seen much too often in the short time he’d known her, he figured they were at an impasse. Again. He shrugged his shoulders and yanked the suitcase off the bed, causing Elli to tumble to the floor. Her little prissy dog, resting on the bed pillow, raised her head and looked at her owner, sniffed, and put her head back down.

{ review } .

Kudos to Tina for taking a life-changing diagnosis, and writing a real story about it. Elli's thoughts and feelings certainly came across as true, making her character feel real. Elli's character is a very take-charge type female. She is Hollywood producer who worries about her work far more than her health; granted, knowing she's thirty-one and her mother passed at forty from the same disease she's being checked for, allows her to push off the impending talks with her doctor.

If you can't control you body, you can at least control the phone calls.

I loved Elli's attitude. I loved her control-freak nature and I loved her spunk, sass, and livelihood. I loved watching her journey through blogging, and meeting new people through it, as well. More than that, though, I loved how she dealt with cranky Ben.

Ben doesn't have the best past when it comes to the opposite sex, so watching him treat Elli in a cool manner was frustrating -- so much so, that I wanted his character growth to happen quicker than it did.

Regardless, watching these two bicker and learn to change their ways was done in a great way. The reading was easy to follow and the topic is one that most people can relate to on some level. For a debut, Tina did a really great job; I'm curious to look into Jewell and Beau's story.

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