DAY 9: Birthday Extravaganza [CLOSED]

Thanks to Jennifer Lane, today’s Birthday Extravaganza giveaway is for an ebook copy of With Good Behavior (The Conduct Series, #1) or Bad Behavior (The Conduct Series, #2) by Jennifer Lane. Jennifer Lane is also here with us today talking about TOPIC. Take it away Jennifer Lane!

The Most Thoughtful Birthday Gift

Happy Birthday to the Book Vixen! Thanks for the opportunity to do a guest post for your blog, Brianna. In honor of your birthday, today I’ll discuss awesome birthday gifts in books and life. What are the most thoughtful gifts characters have given in your favorite novels? What gifts touched your heart?

One of the most thoughtful birthday gifts I’ve received is when my bff Gwynn gave me “The Girlfriend’s Keepsake Book”, complete with her written stories and photographs of our friendship. My oldest sister has also given wonderful gifts, including birthday plane tickets to visit her when she lived in Tokyo and London.

In New Moon, I liked Edward giving Bella a CD of his music, but I was angry when he stole his family photos from the album her mother had given her for her birthday. I think he should have given Bella a motorcycle helmet to make up for it. But Edward’s present for Bella’s next birthday—the key to the secluded cottage—was perfect. Hubba hubba!

I recently read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton and wasn’t impressed by the birthday gift given to the main character Nell. For her 21st birthday, her “father” told her he’d found her on the docks at age four and so he and her “mother” had pretended to be her real parents. Not a nice gift at all to learn that bombshell at age 21!

In a YA novel I’m working on, a teenager gets pregnant but loses the baby when there’s a trauma in her boyfriend’s family, which devastates her and her boyfriend. She then gives her boyfriend a baby bracelet for his birthday as a promise that they’ll have another child when they’re ready. This gift means a lot to him.

What’s your favorite birthday gift, real or fictional? I hope Brianna receives some special gifts for her birthday!

Thanks Jennifer! I’d have to say that my favorite birthday gift (going fictional here) would be a special cake with Vin Diesel popping out of it. Shirtless. Yum!

Here is the choice of books up for grabs:

In a world gripped by organized crime, family dysfunction, and dim hopes of redemption, can true love persevere? For Sophie Taylor, a beautiful psychologist who lost everything when she violated an ethical boundary, and Grant Madsen, a handsome naval officer who sacrificed everything to protect a loved one, finding that love may carry an unbearable cost.

Starting their lives over in Chicago, both are fighting influences from their family and running as fast as they can to escape the past. When their paths cross outside the parole officer's door, the attraction is instantaneous. But a hidden connection may not only shatter their fledgling love, but prove deadly to them both.

Grant Madsen’s got issues. He’s still battling his Mafia family and doing everything possible to keep his loved ones safe. With the cruising season coming to an end, he has to find another job soon or he’ll rejoin his father in prison. And he’s trying to convince his rebellious teenage nephew to stay away from their criminal relatives (you can imagine how that’s going). But worst of all, Grant’s parole officer has mandated that he attend therapy.

The only saving grace is that they’re couples sessions with his girlfriend, Sophie Taylor, a fellow parolee who’s struggling with a few issues of her own. Sophie desperately hopes her past with Grant’s brother won’t destroy her future with him. There’s a sleazy professor at work who revels in sexually harassing women in the psychology department. And her father still hates Grant.

Their psychologist has his work cut out for him.

When Grant’s ruthless father hints at a plot to get out of prison, Grant must use everything he’s learned in therapy and beyond to try to stop him. It’s a race against time -- and a race to rescue Sophie from the Mafia’s clutches once again. But this time McSailor and Bonnie refuse to play victims. This time the cuffs are coming off.

 

Places to find Jennifer Lane online:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Thanks to Jennifer Lane, one lucky winner will receive an ebook copy of With Good Behavior (The Conduct Series, #1) or Bad Behavior (The Conduct Series, #2) by Jennifer Lane!!

• Giveaway open to Internationally.
• Comments are appreciated, however, you must fill out the form below in order to enter the giveaway. But you should really comment and answer Jennifer’s question (I want to know what all your favorite birthday gifts are/would be!)
• Please read the Contest/Giveaway Policy for complete list of rules.
• You have until midnight (your time) on Thursday, July 7, 2011 to enter.

Good luck to all who enter!