ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Award-winning author Janice Thompson also writes under the pseudonym Janice Hanna, She got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over fifty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, childrens books and more. In addition, she enjoys editing, ghost-writing, public speaking, and mentoring young writers. Janice currently serves as Vice-President of CAN (Christian Authors Network) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the year for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).
She was thrilled to be named the 2010 Barbour/Heartsong Author of the Year with three books on the top ten list for that house. Janice is active in her local writing group, where she regularly teaches on the craft of writing. Her online course, “Becoming a Successful Freelance Writer” has been helpful to many who want to earn a living with their writing. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all.
ABOUT THE BOOK
As “Love Me Tender” plays in the background, Debbie Carmichael determines to salvage her family’s restaurant, Sweet Sal’s Soda Shoppe, when her father’s health fails. Teen heartthrob Bobby Conrad agrees to perform at a fundraiser concert. But just two weeks before the highly publicized event, Bobby backs out of the benefit. Enter Johnny Hartman, a young, unknown singer to take Conrad’s place. Debbie soon realizes the twists and turns leading up to the concert are divinely orchestrated. And it isn’t dreamy Bobby Conrad who has stolen her heart – but the tender love of Johnny Hartman.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Love Me Tender, go HERE.
My Review:
Oh my goodness! First let me start off with saying, that I LOVE LOVE LOVE Janice’s work! She is absolutely, with out a doubt, a tremendously fabulous author. She writes with God’s guidance and with lots of flavor to make each and everyone of her novels just right for her readers. WOW!
Love Me Tender is a wonderful novel! It immediately transports the reader back to the 1950’s and has them be-bopping and doin’ the twist all the way to the end of the story. Now, I was born in the 80s but I super wish I could have been born in the 50s for the simple fact that they have rockin’ good music and adorable outfits! I could hear all the Elvis (oh my, he is my absolute FAVORITE singer!) songs being sung, especially Love Me Tender, and loved the mention of Ava Gardner (I live 15 minutes from where she’s buried!). And the amazing characters! Again, I say wow! Johnny was absolutely DREAMY and I could picture him in front of me singing to me as if I was Debbie. Debbie. Now, THAT was a sweet girl. I loved how she was so concerned with her pop that she was willing to go out on a limb for him and do a benefit concert to save the soda shop (why can’t we still have soda shops?). I loved Debbie’s sweet personality and how she had a wonderful faith in God, but Johnny is my favorite! He was just an all around, good American guy. I wasn’t keen on Bobby Conrad though. Just something about him that I wasn’t fond of. The outfits that the young women wore in the story were awesome. I used to own a poodle skirt when I was younger and I so wish that we all could still wear them today. But, alas, we don’t and can’t, so will settle for Janice’s awesome books like this that are full of God’s love, twistin’ friendship, a rockin’ good time, and beboppin’ humor.
So, if you haven’t guessed it yet, I HIGHLY recommend this soda shop fun novel to EVERYONE! It will have you laughing and smiling the whole way through it’s 5 star pages. If you have never read Janice Hanna’s work before you are missing out on a fantastic author. Don’t delay! Bebop your way to the store today and grab your copy of Love Me Tender NOW. I’m anxiously awaiting now to see if Janice makes this a series (ooohhhh I do hope she does!). Well done, Janice!
