What was the most emotional read you have ever had?

There are two books that are tied for this honor…two books that made me feel the complete range of emotions. They made me laugh…yes… out loud and they made me ugly cry too. They had my stomach tied in knots, and made me rage for and at the characters.  And then they gave me hope and lifted me up. They made me feel…erm…well…you know…that girly feeling, cuz they both have guys that I wish were real. They kept me reading feverishly until I was done. Both are brilliantly written by writers that possess a gift for telling a story so wonderful and captivating that I’ve read them over and over.

So what are they?

Gabriel’s Rapture by Sylvain Reynard

The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

What are YOUR most emotional reads ever?

Tamie Xo

“Um…Ok  Tamie, what does that have to do with Gabriel Emerson?” I hear some of you asking. That’s a fair question…and here’s my answer. During both Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture, food plays an important part in both stories right?!? Right! So it’s really not much of a stretch to see how my mind might occasionally think about what I might make or bake for Gabriel…given the chance.

That of course led me to decide that I wanted to write a post and include some recipes that I would indeed try to tempt the Professor with, and as I like to to do multi-parted posts this probably won’t be the last one you’ll see. So there you have it, and it’s really not so odd to dedicate food based posts to him…at least not if you’re me. Last year I did a 3 part series called Libations and Amuse Bouche for him. In case you weren’t around back then, and I know a lot of you weren’t…I’ll leave you some links at the end of this post mkay?

Grab an apron and join me in the kitchen while I whip up some goodies for Gabriel won’t you?…

Hmmm…what shall I do first?!? Baked goods or …

I believe I’ll begin with…Soup for the appetizer.

There are two reasons why I chose this particular soup recipe.

1) In a post a while back I mentioned it and several peeps asked for the recipe.

2) Gabriel…apples…duh…

Apple Butternut Squash Soup

3 cans (5 1/4 cups) chicken broth (If your really feeling creative make your own)

2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks

**Tip- If you boil the squash whole for just a few minutes it makes it SO much easier to peel the very tough skin off**

2 medium green apples, peeled, cored, and cut up

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. Oregano leaves

1/2 tsp. Thyme leaves

1/2 tsp. Ground black pepper (freshly ground is always better)

a small pinch of ground nutmeg

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp lime zest (you can substitute lemon if you prefer)

The Directions:

In a large saucepan combine broth, squash, apples, onion, and spices

Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until squash and apples are very tender.

Pour half of the squash mixture into a blender. Cover and puree. Repeat with remaining squash mixture.

Return all to the pot. Stir in cream and zest. Heat through.

Makes 6 (1 cup) servings.

Now for an entrée..

I make this one a lot. It’s so easy and the sauce is divine.

Chicken Diane

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons good quality olive oil

2 teaspoons butter 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

2 teaspoons good quality Dijon mustard

1/4 cup  chicken broth

3 tablespoons chopped green onions

The Directions:

Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness; sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, brown chicken in oil and butter over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side.

In the same skillet, whisk the lemon juice, parsley and mustard until blended. Whisk in broth and green onions; heat through. Serve with chicken. 

I like to serve this over fettuccine with a nice, crisp salad on the side. YUM!

Serves 4

For dessert…

Perfect Apple Pie…

Okay…I’ll admit this one isn’t a quickie, and if you don’t have good luck making pie crust there’s nothing wrong with using a store-bought one…it’s just not as good.

The crust:

3/4 cup cake flour
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
scant tsp salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon lard
4 Tablespoons Crisco shortening
large pinch Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon buttermilk powder OR:
1 Tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar ADDED TO:
5-7 Tablespoons ice water
one stick plus 1/3 stick butter, frozen in advance

The filling:

10 Apples, peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
sprinkle of vanilla
lemon juice
Flour or cornstarch for thickening

The Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F, then reduce to 375°F after pie is in the oven.

Combine dry ingredients. Mix together Crisco and lard in metal bowl. Sprinkle with flour mixture. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Remove butter from freezer and slice into 1/2 inch chunks. Add to bowl. Work butter and shortenings together into flour with fingers or a pastry blender, leaving large chunks, the size of walnuts. The purpose is to coat the butter particles with flour, but not to allow the butter or shortenings to melt. Do not overwork the mixture.

Add the lemon juice or vinegar to ice water and stir quickly into dry ingredients. Mix briefly, less than 45 seconds, leave large unincorporated pockets of butter and shortening. If mixture is beginning to melt, refrigerate briefly.

Gather mixture together into a flat disc, approximately 1 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or up to 2 days. Freeze if you want to reserve longer than 2 days. The half hour rest is necessary so that the dough will become easier to roll out. The buttermilk powder and/or lemon juice also helps relax the dough and prevent gluten, which can make for a tough crust.

Mix the nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon with the sugar. Sprinkle the sugar with a few drops of pure vanilla extract. Work the butter and 2 Tablespoons flour or other thickener into the sugar. Slice the apples into thin wedges and place apples into pre-rolled out and fitted pie crust, packing apples in tightly, since they will cook down significantly. Mound apples higher in center. Sprinkle over the apples the juice of 1/2 lemon, then sprinkle the sugar-spice mixture over the apples evenly.

Roll out and place top crust, fluting edges to seal tightly and creating several vent holes to allow steam to escape.

Brush top of crust with a mixture of one egg white and one tablespoon of water or with a little cream. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.

Bake about 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

There you have it peeps…surely even Gabriel would love this meal…

O…and the links to the libations and amuse bouche? I had a lot of fun with those.

Post #1

Post  #2

Post #3

Hey…don’t worry chocolate lovers…there’s always next time

Tamie Xo

Kate Spencer interviewed Sylvain Reynard for a VH1 online article. I really enjoyed this one…seemed more in depth than what we’ve seen in the past.

You can read the reprint below…

Fifty Shades Of Grey, Make Room: Meet Sylvain Reynard, Author Of Gabriel’s Inferno

by Kate Spencer

I need to preface this post with a bit of my own personal back story: I went through a serious Twilightfan-fiction phase for about a year, beginning in the first trimester of my pregnancy, leading into the months my daughter was a newborn. It is all Twitter’s fault, of course — I saw people tweeting about something called MOTU and then I Googled it and discoveredMaster of the Universe, the fan fiction story that would later go on to become the U.K.’s bestselling book of all time (!!!) Fifty Shades of Grey.

But it was the story I read after that, as I lay in bed at two in the morning with unbearable acid reflux (never have kids, you guys) that did me in and solidified my addiction. The University of Edward Masen, the tale of a volatile, dark professor, his impressionable young graduate student and their shared past and passion for Dante, totally owned me for a summer. The story is

titillating and romantic and filled with angst but with an academic twist, as it explores Renaissance art and literature at length.

The author of said story, Sylvain Reynard, eventually e-published it as two books (Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture) with the independent publisher Omnific, and just recently signed a substantial deal to publish the books with Penguin Group’s Berkley imprint. I’ve always been intrigued by Renard, a private figure who has spent much of his time using his fan-fiction fame to promote numerous charities. I was thrilled he agreed to answer some questions via email about publishing Gabriel’s Inferno, the fan fiction community, the Fifty Shades phenomenon, his charitable work and the possibility of his stories one day making it to the big screen.

VH1: How did you come to the decision to e-publish Gabriel’s Inferno, and how did the deal with Penguin come about?
Sylvain Reynard: The story of the Professor and his student was one I wanted to explore, even if only for myself. I didn’t anticipate it being published, but I’m grateful for the opportunity. The e-books have just been released by Berkley (Penguin). Readers have responded very positively to my writing, which led to the novels being on the USA Today best-seller list, and as of last week, the New York Times best-seller list. I didn’t expect the novels to find a home with a major imprint, but I’m grateful that they did.

VH1: Comparisons to Fifty Shades of Grey are inevitable — are you wary of this or do you welcome it?
Sylvain Reynard: I think it would be interesting (especially for readers) to see what would happen if Mr. Grey and Professor Emerson faced each other in a fencing match …

VH1: Are you hopeful that the movie rights to Gabriel’s Inferno might sell? Who do you envision as Gabriel and Julia?
Sylvain Reynard: My readers have very strong feelings about these issues, particularly in terms of who they envision as Gabriel and Julia. I think I offered my opinion once or twice on the matter and the result was the sound of crickets. So I’ve decided to allow the readers to choose their own favourites and keep my (cricket-inducing) vision to myself. The Professor, however, wishes it to be made known that he is not opposed to being immortalized on film …

VH1: You and E.L. James are friends. Has she given you any advice for navigating this new world of publishing? What do you think of the massive success Fifty Shades has had?

Sylvain Reynard: E.L. James is a good friend and has always been supportive of my writing. I’m happy for her success and I’m eager (along with others, I’m sure) to discover what her next writing project will be.

VH1: What is your connection to Dante, the art world and the academic community? It seems to be your area of expertise — tell us a bit about your interest in it and your background.
Sylvain Reynard: Dante and Renaissance art have always been two of my primary interests. I was fortunate that with my novels I was able to incorporate these subjects into the narrative and perhaps to spark the reader’s curiosity with respect to both. One of the things I enjoy the most is hearing from readers who picked up one of Dante’s writings or visited an art gallery because they were inspired by my books. I’m also flattered to learn that many readers have added Florence to their travel plans.

VH1: What are your thoughts on the explosion in popularity of erotic fiction? Do you think that’s a selling point of Gabriel’s Inferno? What is your process like for writing such intimate scenes? Where does your inspiration come from?
Sylvain Reynard: I think it’s fascinating, especially on a sociological level. I’m not sure I can explain the phenomenon, but like many others, I find it interesting and I wonder what precipitated the trend. My novels contain sensual elements and intimate scenes, but I don’t think one would consider them erotica. The romance, itself, was prompted by the love Dante had for Beatrice, but art, literature, food, and music also inspire me.

VH1: The fan-fiction community often gets a bad rap. Can you tell us why it’s important, why you value it and what it’s meant for you as a person and a writer?
Sylvain Reynard: C.S. Lewis once said, “We read to know that we are not alone.” I would add to that, “We write to know that our words have meaning.” When I began writing my first novel, I was writing for myself. I was examining issues of suffering and loss, love and forgiveness and trying to find meaning. As a first-time novelist, I knew little about where to go or what to do in order for my work to be read. This community welcomed my words and me. Members of the community continue to read my writing and to encourage me.

In addition, the community is very active in raising awareness and donations for various charities, including organizations that help children, cancer patients, and for humanitarian efforts in the wake of recent natural disasters at home and abroad. They are one of the most socially active and generous groups of individuals I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing.

In short, their spirit of inclusion, charity, and support to an absolute outsider continues to inspire me and to challenge me to share those same values with others.

VH1: Tell us a bit about your charitable endeavors and how you plan on continuing them with this new incarnation of Gabriel’s Inferno.
Sylvain Reynard: Thanks for asking about this, Kate. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to speak about this. Given the subject matter of the novels and the troubled backgrounds of the main characters, I’ve had the opportunity to deal with various social issues in my writing. But beyond that, I’ve tried to use my platform as a writer who is active on social media to raise awareness about various charities. Two groups that I’ve recently begun talking about are theKinamba Project, which raises funds to educate primary schoolchildren in Rwanda, and Covenant House, which provides shelter and safety to homeless youth. Both organizations rely on donations in order to meet the needs of those who pass through their doors and both organizations welcome support. If I could just share one anecdote. Recently, I tweeted about Covenant House, highlighting their good work. And a reader responded by sharing with me that he had lived at Covenant House when he found himself in crisis. We never know how our donations or volunteerism can affect others –– even those who we already know.

VH1: You are a very mysterious and private figure. Will you continue to keep your identity hidden or will you step into the spotlight a little as your book hits the mainstream? Are you nervous about the increased attention/scrutiny? And what do you think of the speculation about your gender?
Sylvain Reynard: I’m uncomfortable with a lot of attention. I prefer the focus of readers to be on the characters and the narrative, rather than on the author. In a society in which all aspects of life are broadcasted for public consumption, I prefer to keep my private life private.

Thanks again to Mr. Reynard for taking the time to talk to us. He lives on the Internet atSylvainReynard.com and on Twitter. You can snag Gabriel’s Inferno here and discuss it with me, here!

******************************************

Great interview Kate and SR!

Tamie Xo

I want to take a minute before you look at this week’s schedule to thank all of you for your support and your visits here. It means a lot to us. It was just a short time ago that we passed the 100,000 mark, and now thanks to you we’ve reached yet another mile stone. Yesterday we passed the 150,000 site visit mark.

Thanks for all the RT’s on twitter…for telling others about us on Facebook, etc. We appreciate each and every one of you!

Now go see what’s…Coming Up This Week…

Monday, August 13th - Cover Reveal: IRISDESCENT by Carol Oates

and Giveaway Winner Announcement

and Curious As a Cat

Tuesday, August 14th – Elena reviews: Don’t Forget to Remember Me by Kahlen Aymes

Wednesday, August 15th – Neda reviews: On the Island

by Tracey Garvis Graves

and Cover Reveal: Circle of Light by Jennifer DeLucy

Thursday, August 16th – Gina reviews: Covet

by J.R. Ward

and Booking Through Thursday

Friday, August 17th - FanFic Friday with Katiebird/Gina/Annie

Saturday, August 18th - Goodies for Gabriel

I’ve got some treats for my favorite Professor

and Sexy Sentence Saturday

Should be a lot of fun

Now go out and make it a great week!

Tamie Xo

USA Today’s Justine Ashley Costanza interviewed Sylvain Reynard, author of the National Best Selling books , Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture.

The interview is located online in their  Happily Ever After  book section.

Below is a reprint of the interview.

**************************************************

Interview: Sylvain Reynard, author of ‘Gabriel’s Inferno’

By Justine Ashley Costanza, USA TODAY

Last week, news broke that Sylvain Reynard’s Gabriel’s Inferno and its follow-up, Gabriel’s Rapture, have been picked up by Penguin’s Berkley imprint. Originally distributed by Omnific Publishing, the smoldering tales of forbidden love have acquired a devoted fan base, and have steadily climbed the best-seller lists, since their 2011 releases. Like Fifty Shades of Grey, the books started out as Twilight fan fiction before being reworked.

Gabriel’s Inferno tells the story of an enigmatic professor who falls in love with his new graduate student, Julia. Their passionate courtship is beautifully conveyed through poignant allegories and alluring imagery. Its gripping sequel, Gabriel’s Rapture,

focuses on the repercussions of their student/teacher affair. Higher education has never been so understatedly sexy!

Both stories are filled with allusions to classical literature, art, and music — making them compelling and thoughtful reads.

Happy Ever After had the chance to ask Reynard about the new book deal, a possible film version of the story and the likelihood that Gabriel and Julia’s story will become a trilogy.

Justine: Describe your journey from first coming up with the concept for Gabriel’s Inferno and now having a major deal with Berkley.

Sylvain: When I began writing, I was trying to explore the themes of redemption and love with respect to two flawed people — the professor and his graduate student. As time went by, I began to hear from readers about what they enjoyed in the novel. Although I began writing for myself, now my writing is primarily for my readers. I’m even more conscious of the importance of reader support as my books are published by Berkley.

Justine: Both Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture have an immensely supportive fan base. Do you think that’s why a major publishing house has decided to take them on?

Sylvain: Certainly that’s part of it. My editor at Berkley, Cindy Hwang, is very supportive of my writing and she believed in these novels. Similarly, my publicist, Enn Bocci, has worked tirelessly to put the books in the hands of people around the world who would read them and enjoy them. When you add this support to the support of my readers, it’s clear that I didn’t accomplish anything alone.

Justine: I have no doubt that if fans of the Gabriel’s Inferno rallied, there would be a film version in the works in no time. Would you 

agree?

Sylvain: I think that my readers could do just about anything. From what I’ve observed, their enthusiasm is infectious. It’s been great to hear reactions from readers on different continents on what they enjoyed about the novels.

Justine: Both books are immeasurably sensual but lack graphic sex scenes. How did you create such seductive moments while leaving so much to the imagination?

Sylvain: I think that leaving things to the imagination is what creates seduction. Sometimes one can have too much of a good thing. Part of the thrill of sex is the anticipation, so as a writer I’m conscious of that fact. In my view, sex is a mystery. If one focuses on the mechanics of sex or the awkwardness of two human beings communing physically, it takes away from the mysterious and sometimes transcendent aspects of it.

Justine: You’ve hinted that Gabriel and Julia’s story could be a trilogy. For all of the fans out there yearning for a follow-up: Are there any details that you can share?

Sylvain: Due to the response of readers, I’ve been thinking about penning a third book in the series. So I’d like readers to know that I’ve read their messages and that I’m listening.

To find out more about Sylvain, visit SylvainReynard.com. You can also connect with Sylvain on Facebook and Twitter (@sylvainreynard).

As a book, film and pop culture journalist, Justine Ashley Costanza has interviewed celebrities such as Steve Carell and Meryl Streep. She’s also an avid reader of romance novels. You can connect with her on  Facebook and  Twitter (@Justine__Ashley).

**************************************************

I love reading that SR is listening to his readers as far as the possibility of a third novel with Gabriel and Julia. If this is something you’d love to see happen, but haven’t made your feelings known to him yet, I’d encourage you to voice your opinion via twitter or by leaving a comment on SR’s website.

The thought of a movie with the Professor just makes me giddy. I’m keeping fingers and toes crossed for that to happen too

If it were to become a reality who do YOU see as the best person to portray Gabriel Emerson? Julia Mitchell? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Tamie Xo

Did the time just fly by for you?!? I know…me too.  So, now its time to talk about what’s next for the book club…

Elena and I have decided to take the rest of August off as far as the book club goes. She’ll be away for a few weeks visiting family, and I have a lot going on at work during the rest of the month. We both want and need to be able to devote the time and attention it takes to do the book club justice.

Sexy Sentence Saturday will be returning starting next week. Many of you have let me know you’ve missed it, so you can look forward to that

We’re still deciding on what to choose for our September book, but once we do we’ll make an announcement to let you know.

We’ve already chosen our book for October…actually it will run into the first couple of weeks of November as well, because there are a lot of chapters/pages, and we don’t want to have to rush to get through it.

Ok…ready?!?

We’ll be featuring, Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard.

I realize some of you are saying “Huh?!? Geez, Tamie isn’t that kinda backwards?!?”  Well…maybe…let me tell you why I chose to do what I did.

I waited almost ten months to the day for Gabriel’s Rapture to come out, and when it did, and I absolutely loved it…I wanted to talk about it with others…so did Elena. That’s it folks…that’s why we did it.

I think I’ve always been very clear about the fact that I truly love Gabriel’s Inferno…and…the Professor.  I couldn’t even begin to be able to tell you how many times I’ve reread it at this point…either partially or completely. It’s one of Elena’s favorite books as well, and I know that goes for many of you too.

There’s just one more reason…Bookish Temptations will celebrate its one year blogiversary in October, and I can’t think of a book, or author that I’d rather celebrate at the same time.

Well peeps…there you have it…O…Wait…one more thing…if you weren’t able to participate in the GR discussions as they were going on…no worries…the posts remain in our archives, and therefore are available to you at any time.

Thanks again to SR, and everybody who took the time to leave comments, answer the questions, sent questions for SR, and who visited the discussion posts.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…YOU guys ROCK!!!

Tamie Xo

The posts will all remain in our archives, so if at anytime you want to add your thoughts, or ask us a question regarding ours, either on a topic that we covered or even one we didn’t …feel free to leave them in the comments.

At the end of this discussion you’ll find the Q and A with SR…

Look at the new cover

Discussion Questions: Gabriel’s Rapture by Sylvain Reynard

Chapters 47-58

1) In chapter 47 Gabriel and Julia discuss his reasons for not having sex. There is humor, tenderness, and understanding in this chapter. What were your thoughts on Gabriel’s explanation? Julia’s reaction? Do you think that Gabriel is right? Were you surprised by anything in this chapter?

Elena : I love how SR interweaves humor and tenderness in this exchange between Gabriel and Julia. This is a scene where they are reconnecting emotionally, but not physically, even though Gabriel made sure to make Julia’s heart( and also the reader’s one) flutter in other ways.  I liked Gabriel’s explanation about not wanting to have sex yet and I think he’s right. If you think the other person doesn’t trust you enough, maybe it’s better to wait and try to regain the parter’s trust before making love. I like this quote from this chapter that says : ” If you don’t trust me with your mind, how can you trust me with your body? ” It’s not an easy choice to make of course, especially when you’ve been apart from your beloved for so long, but making love means trusting and loving your partner with all your heart, so yes, I believe Gabriel made the right decision.

Tamie: This took me by complete surprise, and I think I pretty much had the same reaction as Julia did. A moment of WTF?!? That was quickly followed by…you must be joking right?!? Once Gabriel explained it I understood and respected his reasoning. That isn’t to say that I still wasn’t a little sceptical…this is Gabriel we’re taking about after all. Had I been in Julia’s place I think I might have pouted a little more…ok, a whole lot more. One of the things I loved best where Julia is concerned throughout Gabriel’s Rapture, is her phenomenal growth and maturity. As always, I love how SR incorporates humor into the story…usually at the most unexpected times. As much as I hate to admit it…I think Gabriel is probably right about waiting. I was absolutely delighted when Julia brought up “make up” sex. Yeah…that. AND, I floved when Gabriel showed her that it had nothing to do with not wanting her anymore…MmHmm

2) In chapter 47 Julia realizes the real depth of Gabriel’s love for her for the first time. What is your take on this?

Tamie: If I tell you that I teared up when I read this part are y’all just going to think I’m the biggest baby ever?!? Because I did. That wonderful moment of realization that someone loves you deeply? That your happiness is paramount even if it means letting you go? Well…it’s just an indescribable feeling isn’t it? I think that’s especially true for Julia who has struggled with feelings of inadequacy where Gabriel is concerned. She’s never quite  believed that she could be his everything… in love or sex. I think this was an amazing scene…for me as much as for Julia.

Elena : This scene was beautiful and very moving. I believe Julia hadn’t realized the depth of Gabriel’s love for her till that moment because of her insecurities and she didn’t feel quite enough for him. I think we can all relate to her in that aspect. We all doubt ourselves at some point and then there’s the never-ending battle between human frailty and self-worth. It’s difficult to feel worthy of another person’s love because self-doubt always lurks. But when Gabriel told her he would always love her even if she didn’t want him anymore, Julia really felt what it meant to be loved fully and unconditionally. Those Gabriel’s words were the proof of his unconditional love for her. I believe this was a major turning point in their relationship, a moment where we as readers witnessed the real depth of their love, of True Love.

3) In these chapters we see Gabriel wanting to be Julia’s husband and Julia being reluctant about marriage at the beginning. If you were Julia, would you have reacted the same way as her to Gabriel’s intentions?

Elena : This is difficult to answer.  I would have needed a bit of time to learn how to be with him again, but I wouldn’t have had any doubt that the relationship was heading for marriage.

Tamie: I’m very conflicted about this. I kinda, sorta understand her reluctance, but at the same time…hasn’t Gabriel proven himself yet? I’m not saying she should want to go get married tomorrow, but still…

4) In these chapters we get to see more of how much Gabriel has changed. Discuss…

Tamie: You’ve certainly come a long way Professor. It’s funny how things that used to mean so much to us can lose their importance when we realize what really matters…when we discover how lucky we are…what gifts we’ve been given…when we’ve found and value our own personal sticky little leaves. Gabriel’s emotional growth just makes him that much more desirable, loveable…Gabrieliffic.

Elena : Gabriel proved to have changed remarkably. I never expected he would have drunk domestic beer or that he wouldn’t have cared about his suit, when little Quinn spilled milk all over it. The old Professor Emerson would have been extremely upset. Even in the little things Gabriel showed great maturity. I loved seeing this emotional growth in him.

5) In chapter 49 Richard says to Julia : ” Sometimes relationships can be conduits of grace.” What do you think of that statement? Do you agree?

Elena : Yes, I agree with Richard. I believe relationships between people can help us find the grace we look for. Love and understanding can bring that about.

Tamie: I absolutely agree with what Richard said. I also agree with what he said a couple of paragraphs later… “Don’t wait too long. Life takes unexpected turns, and we don’t always have the time we think we have.” How many times in our own lives do we regret not having said or done something that would have made a difference to somebody else…let alone ourselves? We get so caught up in our jobs, school, etc., and we end up taking people we care about for granted. It’s hard to think about our mortality, or that of those we love, but we need to slow down our busy lives to enjoy it, and to appreciate it, and those that make it better.

6) Gabriel’s proposal. Tell us what your feelings were when you read it.

Tamie: Well damn…How can a man…albeit a fictional one get any better? You know SR…for those of us who haven’t found our real life Gabriel…you’ve managed to set a rather high standard. I thought it was wonderful and so appropriate that Gabriel proposed in the orchard, and the golden apple was an amazing, and symbolic  gesture….not to mention creative as all get out. I don’t know why I should be surprised anymore…Gabriel has proven over and over that he has mad skillz in setting up very romantic moments. O…and I love that he chose a cushion-cut diamond.

Elena: I teared up when I read it, of course they were happy tears The proposal was so, so beautiful and very romantic. The way Gabriel set up their orchard and the words he said to Julia made my heart flutter more than once…For all the guys out there, take lessons from Gabriel One of my favorite moments of this scene is when Gabriel gives Julia the golden apple, stressing the difference with the one he gave her the first time they met. This was very moving to me.

7) Gabriel and Julia’s wedding… Share your thoughts with us on this highly anticipated scene of the book. And what do you think was the blessing they asked for in St.Francis’s crypt?

Elena: The wedding was absolutely perfect! I loved everything about it. When I  went to Assisi and visited the Basilica I could envision Julia walking down the aisle and Gabriel waiting for her at the altar It’s a beautifully written scene, sweet, romantic and touching. As far as the blessing goes, maybe they asked for a baby? I’d love to see Gabriel and Julia with a baby of their own!

Tamie: I love weddings, and this one was all that I had hoped it would be. I was so incredibly happy that it was taking place after the very long journey that Gabriel and Julia had to travel to get there. I was content as a reader and I felt lucky that I was able to take the journey with them…thanks to SR.

8) What will you bring with you from this series?

Elena : I feel like there aren’t enough words to express how much this story touched me. I’ll bring forever with me the message of hope and redemption as well as of forgiveness and kindness, of how love can heal the wounds of the soul. This series is truly a treasure. Rarely books stay with me like Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture do. I can’t get them out of my mind and I keep re-reading them and every time I find myself getting out of them something new. Thank you SR for such a wonderful series. Like I said many times before, I feel like I won’t be able to thank you enough for these books. Please, keep writing, SR.

Tamie: Hope, kindness, forgiveness, unmerited grace, love, redemption, friendship. All of these things are important to humanity…I know that they are important to me. Humor can make even the most dire of situations bearable, and SR writes, and incorporates it so brilliantly. I can’t leave out all the art, literature, and music that are a part of this series. They add yet another beautiful layer to both books. I feel incredibly fortunate that I chose to read Gabriel’s Inferno last July. I wish I had someone specific to thank for recommending it to me, but I found it because I saw several different people reading it on Goodreads in May and June. It was then that I actively looked for Sylvain Reynard on twitter, and looked at what peeps were tweeting about the book. I’ve mentioned before that the cover of a book is important…yeah I know…judging a book by its cover and all that…but it’s true. I love both the covers of Gabriel’s Inferno, and Gabriel’s Rapture, so that was never an issue for me.

Personally, and as a book blogger this series has affected me in some very profound ways. I’ve read a lot of very good books in my life, but very few have touched my heart on such a deep level as these books have. As good as some books are, I don’t usually choose to reread them once… let alone over and over again as I continue to do with both GI and GR. I think that speaks to the depth of writing, characters, and story line that belong to SR.  I believe that good writing can be taught, but I also believe that exceptional writing is a gift. I will be forever grateful that SR chose to share that gift with us through these books. I am hopeful that he will continue to share it in the future, whether it be with a third book in this series, or something completely new and different.

Lastly, I have SR and these books to thank for connecting me to so many people. The friendships I’ve gained are countless,  as well as the exposure of many new- to- me authors, and books that I might not have found if it weren’t for him. That is something I value and treasure every single day. Were it not for SR, I might never have met Elena or Morgan…both of whom are very dear to me personally, and who play an important role on this blog. Clearly, what I take from this series is so much more than what I normally take from a good read. Often, I feel very inadequate with expressing what I want to say, and this is one of those times…but I hope that I have managed to convey at least some measure of the appreciation I feel for these books and this author.

Thank you will never seem quite enough to me, but SR…thank you.

Elena : *hugs you tight* You said it better than I did, Tamie. I feel exactly the same way. Through these books and SR I met so many wonderful people who are now my dear friends. And of course I met you, who is very important to me. Were it not for this series,  our paths might never  have crossed. So thank you again SR for all this and for so much more.

9) Your favorite sentence(s)?

Tamie: ”My God, Julia, did you make me your first thinking that I merely liked you?”

“I’ll love you forever, Julianne, whether you love me or not. That’s my Heaven. And my Hell.”

“The only thing in the kitchen that would tempt me would be you on top of the kitchen table.”

“I’m going to take my time. The -ah- more vigorous activities will come later, after we’re sufficiently reaquainted.”

Elena : “There was no one else. My arms were full even when I was alone.”

“I’ll love you forever, Julianne, whether you love me or not. That’s my Heaven. And my Hell.”

“That’s what happens when you love someone. You want them to be happy.”

“You brought beauty to my life the instant I met you.”

Paragraph?

Elena : ” ‘I want to be your first and your last. I love you, Julianne. I offer you my heart and my life. Marry me. Be my wife, my friend, my lover, and my guide. Be my blessed Beatrice and my adored Julianne.’ His voice wavered slightly. ‘Say you’ll be mine. Forever.’”

Tamie: Gabriel’s rhythm was slow at first, like the patient lapping of waves upon a beach. He wanted this experience to last forever, for in that moment, as he gazed into the wide and loving eyes of his wife, he realized that their previous experiences, exciting as they were, paled in comparison with the sublimity of their current connection.

She was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. She was his soul mate and his wife, and all he wanted was to bring her joy. He was consumed by his adoration of her.

Scene?

Elena : This final part of the book is full of scenes I love. My favorites are the proposal, the wedding, the make up sex scene and the last chapter.

Tamie: I have to agree with all of Elena’s choices…her favorites are mine as well.

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Q and A with SR

Once again thanks for hosting the Book Club and thanks to the readers who have been participating in the discussions and sending in their questions. I appreciate it.

1) The Gabriel’s Inferno Series touched me in a very profound way. When I turned the last page of the book I confess I cried because I didn’t want to let Gabriel and Julia go. You mentioned that you’re considering writing a third book and this makes me extremely happy. But I’d like to ask you, since you thought Gabriel’s Rapture was going to be the last book in the series, how was it like for you to give a closure to Gabriel and Julia’s story? How did you felt as the author of their beautiful love story when you wrote the word “Fin”?

(Hands you a handkerchief) Please don’t cry. And thank you for your kind words.  Strangely, when I wrote “Fin” I had in mind the idea that the characters would live their lives and go on without me. It was the end of the story I was telling, but not the end of them, if that makes any sense. But in response to the tremendous outpouring of messages encouraging me to write a third book in the series, I’ve been thinking about it.

Elena and I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. It’s fun discussing a favorite book with others, don’t you think?

Let’s go check out the questions…

Discussion Questions: Chapters 47-58

1) In chapter 47 Gabriel and Julia discuss his reasons for not having sex. There is humor, tenderness, and understanding in this chapter. What were your thoughts on Gabriel’s explanation? Julia’s reaction? Do you think that Gabriel is right? Were you surprised by anything in this chapter?

2) In chapter 47 Julia realizes the real depth of Gabriel’s love for her for the first time. What is your take on this?

3) In these chapters we see Gabriel wanting to be Julia’s husband and Julia being reluctant about marriage at the beginning. If you were Julia, would you have reacted the same way as her to Gabriel’s intentions?

4) In these chapters we get to see more of how much Gabriel has changed. Discuss…

5) In chapter 49 Richard says to Julia : ” Sometimes relationships can be conduits of grace.” What do you think of that statement? Do you agree?

6) Gabriel’s proposal. Tell us what your feelings were when you read it.

7) Gabriel and Julia’s wedding… Share your thoughts with us on this highly anticipated scene of the book. And what do you think was the blessing they asked for in St.Francis’s crypt?

8) What will you bring with you from this series?

9) Your favorite sentence(s)?

Paragraph?

Scene?

Now that we’ve read and discussed this fabulous book together, we want you to feel free to go back and talk about anything relating to this book, the characters, the story line.

Was there something you loved that we didn’t talk about?

Please join us on Saturday…for our reactions, and to share yours…and for the Q and A with SR.

We’ll also be sharing future news about the book club.

Who knows…we might even invite a few penguins to join us

Tamie and Elena

Yesterday, it was revealed that Gabriel’s Inferno was #35 on the NYT e-book/fiction best sellers list. Today brought even more exciting news!

Below you’ll find a reprint of the press release from this morning…all I can keep saying over and over is WoW!

Berkley purchases Sylvain Reynard’s Gabriel’s Inferno Series from Omnific Publishing

Penguin Group has acquired USA Today & NYT bestselling author Sylvain Reynard’s Gabriel’s Inferno & Gabriel’s Rapture, in a two-book deal on behalf of Omnific Publishing, facilitated by Deidre Knight & Melissa Jeglinski of The Knight Agency.

PRLog (Press Release) - Jul 31, 2012 - Berkley purchases Sylvain Reynard’s Gabriel’s Inferno Series from Omnific Publishing in a seven-figure deal.

Penguin Group (USA) has acquired rights to publish two of USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Sylvain Reynard’s wildly popular books Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture, in a two-book deal on behalf of Omnific Publishing. The substantial seven-figure deal was facilitated by Knight Agency president Deidre Knight and co-agented by Melissa Jeglinski.

Both titles were purchased for Penguin’s Berkley imprint by Senior Editor Cindy Hwang and will be published in e-book and trade paperback formats.  The digital release is to occur immediately, with print release to follow in the next few months. Berkley is planning a first printing of 500,000 copies of each book in trade paper.  World and audio rights were also acquired by Berkley.   The deal came about after months of dynamic sales in both digital and print outlets, with both titles consistently staying in the Amazon Top 100.

Omnific Publishing President, Elizabeth Harper, is thrilled to see this author and these books get the recognition she thinks they deserve: “These books transcend the stereotypical romance and take readers on a deep and moving journey that will stay with them forever.” She notes that she started Omnific with a dream of nurturing talented amateur writers into professional published authors. “Our motto is “Romance without Rules,” and I think we’ve used that as a guiding principle in the development of our catalog. We believe that romance readers, who are primarily women, are intelligent, creative, sensitive, and complex, and books like these honor these qualities in those readers.”

Agent Deidre Knight sees great things in store for this union:  “When I settled in with Gabriel’s Inferno for the first time, I found it to be a downright compulsive read—even better, I loved the lovely lyricism and depth to the writing.  I think these two books are true gems, and it’s not an accident that Omnific Publishing has been so successful with them to date. It’s exciting to see what Berkley will do to give the books an even wider audience.”

About Omnific Publishing:
Omnific Publishing, founded in 2009, is a female-owned and operated independent publishing company that seeks to publish fresh, relevant and entertaining fiction in a number of different media, including eBooks, audio books, and print editions. Omnific Publishing specializes in the genre of romance, including contemporary, historical, paranormal, suspense, and erotic romance.

About Sylvain Reynard:
Sylvain Reynard is interested in the way literature can help us explore important aspects of the human condition, particularly suffering, sex, love, faith and redemption. Reynard’s favorite stories are those in which a character takes a journey – either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself. Sylvain is also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a character. In Reynard’s writing, all of these elements are combined, along with the themes of forgiveness and the transformative power of goodness.

About The Knight Agency:
Founded in 1996, The Knight Agency is one of the most successful boutique agencies in the country with more than 30 New York Times bestseller in the past two years. Collectively, the Knight Agency team has sold more than 2,000 titles to a broad spectrum of houses. Areas of fiction expertise include women’s, romance, young adult, literary, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, and multicultural and inspirational/religious fiction, as well as nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, self-help, health, and financial/business titles.

For more information about Omnific Publishing, please send inquiries to: publisher@omnificpublishing.com.

For more information about The Knight Agency, please send inquiries to:  jia.gayles@knightagency.net.

I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to SR.

I’m beyond happy and excited that this has happened to such a deserving person and writer.

You know what else I’m excited about?!? Maybe this year my Christmas wish will come true, and I’ll finally have audio books of Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture. SQUEEEEE! Just thinking about it

Please visit SR‘s site to read his current post, and to leave him your own congratulation messages.

Tamie Xo

Let’s go check out what’s happening here at Bookish Temptations…

Monday, July 30th- Elena’s Classic Novel Recommendation

Emma by Jane Austen

and Curious As a Cat

Tuesday, July 31st - Tamie reviews: The Redhead Revealed

by Alice Clayton

New Book Release: The Winemaker’s Dinner

by Dr. Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond

***Questions for SR due by 7 p.m. EST***

Wednesday, August 1st- Wordless Wednesday

and Gabriel’s Rapture Discussion Questions

Chapters 47-58

Thursday, August 2nd- Gina reviews: The Postman

by Antonio Skarmeta

Friday, August 3rd- FanFic Friday with Katiebird/Gina/Annie

Saturday, August 4th- Morgan Locklear…Wordslinger

and our last Book Club Discussion of Gabriel’s Rapture

with Tamie and Elena, and Q and A with SR

Go out and make it a great week!

Tamie Xo

We hope you enjoyed the first part of our discussion earlier, and now let’s jump right into part two…

***SPOILER WARNING***

Discussion Questions for Gabriel’s Rapture by Sylvain Reynard

Chapters 34-46, Part 2

At the end of chapter 42 and going into chapters 43 and 44 Gabriel and Julia are reunited. Alright peeps this was huge.  What did you think of the way he came back to Julia? If you were in Julia’s shoes, how would you have reacted? What did you think of how Gabriel acted?

Tamie: The first time I read this scene I was so anxious about them being separated in the 1st place that I felt more relief than anything else once they were back in the story line together, and I knew that it wouldn’t be completely resolved right away. Even tho it’s really hard for me as a reader to experience the conflict and angst that characters I love are going through, I have to admit that I actually prefer it to a HEA that comes too easy or too soon. I’ve always thought that characters needed to earn their happily ever after, so I’m glad that SR writes that way. I loved the lead up to and the visuals of their first sight of each other. I was really feeling tense while I read the next few pages. I remember thinking …Holy crap! What if she just sends him away? What if she can’t forgive him for the past few months? What if she won’t listen or understand his explanation of why he did what he did? UGH! I was a mess…LOL! Honestly, I just don’t know how I would’ve reacted…confused…happy…pissed…unsure. Julia probably handled things much better than I would’ve in her situation. I thought Gabriel did really well at not pushing too hard…too fast. It must have been pure torture for him on some level, realizing that the clues he sent her had gone unseen for so long. I really felt for both of them during these scenes, but I also felt hopeful for the first time in a long time. I thought it was possible again for them to mend things…to have a future…

Elena: When Gabriel appeared at the end of chapter 42 I was so happy I actually yelled “YES! Welcome back Gabriel!” . I didn’t expect he was going to come back like that but when I read he returned to Julia I actually couldn’t think of nothing else. I was so glad to see them back together at last. Of course I was worried about how their relationship was going to be from that moment on. Julia had been hurt and  there were a lot of issues they had to discuss. If I were in Julia’s shoes, I’d have reacted the same way as her. Surprised, guarded, but at the same time relieved. Like Julia, I would have liked Gabriel to talk to me and explain things before going back with him.

Tamie: I may have jumped up and screamed something too, Elena…something along the lines of …well…there were very bad words involved…I’m sure you can imagine

In chapter 44 Julia asks Gabriel about Paulina. What are your thoughts on how Gabriel ended things with Paulina?

Elena: I was very happy with how things between Gabriel and Paulina ended-they talked, forgave each other and moved on. No anger, no resentment, just forgiveness and peace.

Tamie: I won’t b.s. you guys…I really would have liked a scene that detailed their meeting. I was happy that there was closure for them. It was so many years overdue. I was glad that Paulina had finally reconciled with her family, and that she and Gabriel had both finally dealt with each other one on one…human to human.

What did you think of the elaborate set up that Gabriel had waiting for Julia at his house?

Tamie: Dood! I was giddy while reading this. I love that Gabriel did it. I thought it was so romantic and swoony…so over the top…so Gabrielific. Ok…I was also a teensy bit jealous of Julia, but in a good way.

Elena: I loved it and I was moved by how he reproduced the suite he’d shared with Julia in Florence. It was all very romantic. And I giggled when it was said “Unfortunately for Gabriel, the extravagant gesture begged the question: if he was resourceful enough to construct a Moroccan caravan in his garden, why couldn’t he have told her he planned to return?” Snarky narrator strikes again

Tamie: I have mad love for the Snarky narrator…and it’s a good point too

In chapter 44 it’s said ” She shifted her feet, actively resisting the urge to throw herself into his arms and tell him that everything was fine…” Have you ever experienced that feeling? Of wanting to just breach the gap  and pretend that everything was fine?

Elena: Yes, I’ve experienced it. Sometimes I just wanted to go back to how things were before, and try not to give much importance to the problems. I just wanted the other person to know that everything was all right and that I had already forgiven. But I believe talking , going through the issues and problems and acknowledging them are the right things to do in a relationship. Only that way can two people understand each other and heal. Communication  is extremely important to me.

Tamie: I think it’s so much easier sometimes to let things slide, but eventually it comes back to bite you most of the time. If you leave important things unresolved in order not to endure the discomfort you pay for it later on, and I think it makes you stronger as a couple, as lovers, as partners if you get the bad stuff out-of-the-way and really deal with it. I’ve experienced doing both…taking the easy out and confronting the issues that are necessary. In the end, waiting to deal with the yucky hasn’t ever really worked out in the long run…tempting as it is…

In chapter 45 Gabriel explains the details of his departure. What are your thoughts on this? Did you better understand his reasons for leaving?

Elena: Gabriel’s explanation was very moving and finally all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place for me. I understood why he left without contacting her and why he acted like he did during the hearing. It was a necessary and at the same time painful decision for him. He tried his damnedest to leave clues, but unfortunately for both of them those very clues were open to misunderstanding. I’m happy that in the end he could explain everything that went down to Julia and they both kept an open mind.

Tamie: I was really happy that the whole explanation finally came out. It did clarify things in my mind. Things that I hadn’t fully understood. The hope I had started feeling again for this couple became stronger. I too was happy that Julia seemed to be listening with an open mind, and perhaps a hopeful heart as well.

Also, Gabriel and Julia have a discussion that seems to be on a much deeper level than ever before. Do you think it was necessary for them to go through all that they did in the preceding months to be able to reach the level of emotional intimacy and communication they seem to be sharing in these scenes? Why or why not?

Tamie: Totally loving that both of them finally seem capable of real, intimate communication. It’s not easy to reach this level, and I think with the pasts they’ve each come from it’s probably even harder. Yes, I do think they needed to go through what they did as awful as it was. Sometimes it really does take losing someone even if it’s only temporary to finally be willing to go where Gabriel and Julia do in these scenes.

Elena: I believe it definitely changed things between them. By going through all the difficulties and separation they found themselves loving each other even more than they did before, it’s as if their love was brought to an even higher level. Sometimes problems and hardship make us love the other person even more.

After Gabriel and Julia reunite he says he won’t make love to her until he regains her trust. Wait! What?!? Discuss…

Elena: When I read this part I was a bit shocked that statement came from Gabriel, but this is one of the many things that prove how much he changed. Trust is the most important thing in a relationship and I understand why Gabriel wants Julia to trust him completely before he can make love to her again. It’s not about sex, but about love and sex together, and if you’re not sure your partner trusts you completely, you can’t be sure he loves you unconditionally either. So, I really admired Gabriel’s decision.

Tamie: My reaction was exactly what’s at the end of our question…Wait!!! What?!? I think I actually experienced a …jaw dropping to the floor… moment when he said that. Ok…after I recovered I thought about it…and I agreed with his decision and admired once again how much Gabriel has grown emotionally. This can’t have been an easy thing for him to decide, and I think it’ll be hard to stick to, but yeah…good for you Gabriel.

Your favorite sentence(s)?

Elena: “I never stopped wanting you”

“He ran his fingers through her damp hair, once, twice, and gazed down at her longingly.’I love you.’

“She was sweetness and light, gentleness and goodness, and the burning and searing goal of all his earthly hunts and fascinations.”

“I am your faithful one, Beatrice.”

Tamie:

“I didn’t know hair could hurt.”

“He ran his fingers through her damp hair, once, twice, and gazed down at her longingly.”I love you.”

Scene?

Elena: Assisi and the whole chapter 45.

Tamie: The scene at Maia’s memorial. I bawled my eyes out…

The scene in Dean Ara’s office.

Gabriel’s explanation.

All of chapter 45 and 46

Paragraph?

Elena: It was a kiss to mark a reunion, to pledge the continuation of fidelity and love. Gabriel kissed her to show her that he loved her, that he was sorry. Julia kissed him back to tell him that she could never give her heart to anyone else. That she was hopeful their shared imperfections, once acknowledged and explored, could be ameliorated in order to provide both of them with a healthy, happy life.”

Tamie: He asked for forgiveness. He expressed his guilt, a guilt he knew would ache for the rest of his life. He didn’t ask for his burden to be removed, for it seemed to him to be part of the consequences of his actions. Or rather, the consequences of what he failed to do for a mother and their child.

“I began to see how I’d been given chance after chance. Through no goodness of my own, I’d been given grace and love. And I’d thrown it away or treated it cheaply. I didn’t deserve the family who adopted me. I didn’t deserve Maia, who was the best part of my relationship with Paulina. I didn’t deserve to survive the drugs and graduate from Harvard. I didn’t deserve you.”

I have so many favorites of all of the above…those are just a few on so many…

*************************************************

And now from SR…

Thanks once again for hosting this book club and thank you readers for reading and sharing your questions with me. I enjoy hearing from you.

1) Why mention the letters that Gabriel wrote every day to Julianne?  And if mentioning them, if in the back of his mind he is afraid of losing her (since he thinks she cannot lie well) why would you not have them on you so that you could help prove your point of that you loved her so much and wrote her over and over again but never sent them because you couldn’t ?  It just made me upset…..because that would of been HUGE for me!!!!!!!!!

Thanks once again for your questions and your support, SR

*****************************************************

Thank you so much SR. It’s not only interesting to read your thoughts on the questions that are asked, but it’s fun to have your participation as well.

We also appreciate all of you for joining us in our discussions. We love all the insights and your perceptions of the chapters we’re reading.

So…tell us what YOU thought now…

Tamie and Elena

Elena and I hope you’ll add in your thoughts to the questions we posed for these wonderful chapters.

***SPOILER WARNING*** If you haven’t read Gabriel’s Inferno you’ll probably want to avoid reading any further…

O…and if you haven’t read Gabriel’s Inferno yet??? Dood…what are you waiting for?!?

Alright…time for our discussion…

Discussion Questions for Gabriel’s Rapture (chapters 34-46)

1) At the end of chapter 33 there is a very disturbing scene involving Gabriel. What were your thoughts and feelings as you read it?

Tamie: Before I realized it was a dream I was completely freaking out…even after I knew it my heart was pounding and I felt so bad for Gabriel. Can you even begin to imagine how awful that would be…even now just talking about it gives me chills and makes me feel anxious for him. Isn’t it great how you can get so invested in a character and what they’re going through that you actually feel emotions related to what’s happening with them as you read?

Elena: I was losing it while reading this scene but at the same time I trusted Gabriel. I couldn’t believe he was doing this to Julia. I let out a huge sigh of relief when I realized it was a dream.

2) In chapter 35 Gabriel is having a suit made from his tailor in Florence. The tailor jokes about the suit being fine enough to be married in. Gabriel shows him the ring he’s now wearing and says, “I’m newly married,” he explained, much to the tailor’s surprise. Why do you think Gabriel said that? What does it mean? Were you surprised?

Elena: Yes, I was surprised when Gabriel showed him the ring, but I couldn’t imagine he had married someone else. I kind of sensed it was related to Julia in some way, I just wasn’t completely sure to what extent.

Tamie: Elena, I was surprised too even tho the ring had been mentioned previously. I still haven’t figured out why he said this to be honest. Wishful thinking? Hopeful future thinking? I need SR to explain this one to me.

3) In chapter 35 Gabriel finds himself in the crypt of St. Francis in Assisi and something very moving happens there. Discuss…

Elena: This is one of my favorite scenes in the whole series and quite the turning point in Gabriel’s life, in my opinion. I find myself re-reading it often because it shows how we can all find peace and forgiveness if we’re willing to pursue them and let them in, no matter the extent of our mistakes.

Tamie: I too believe these are pivotal moments for Gabriel. Finding peace, forgiveness, redemption are not easy…especially when we don’t think we deserve it. Part of the reason I love Gabriel so much is because he’s such a complex and multidimensional character. He’s not perfect which can be boring, but instead we as readers are given a man who has faults and flaws. I saw the beginnings of growth in him as a person on several levels in Gabriel’s Inferno, and it continues in Gabriel’s Rapture.

4) In chapter 36 Julia meets with Dean Aras and Professor Martin…She’s asked and answers the questions regarding Gabriel …Whether or not he’s tried to contact or see her since the hearing. As she leaves she makes a rather pointed statement that’s directed to the both of them. What did you think of this scene? How Julia handled herself? About the statement she made to them?

Tamie: I thought Dean Aras was a complete ass. I was thrilled when Julia said what she did to them both. I felt proud of her, and thought she handled herself with absolute grace and dignity while saying exactly what needed to be said. I remember thinking, Julia, you’ve come a long ways. You go girl!

Elena: I think Julia was perfectly right to make such a remark, because it was also all true. She proved to them that she knew what she wanted and that she hadn’t  regretted her relationship with Gabriel. She showed how she wanted to make her own choices without other people interfering on her happiness and heart. I definitely liked the scene.

5) In chapter 37 we see Gabriel becoming one of the Franciscans’ volunteers and doing acts of charity. He goes through quite the change from his previous self, all because of Julia. In fact,  throughout the novel we saw Julia holding charity very dear and Gabriel admiring her generosity. Your thoughts on how kindness can affect people. Do you believe it can even change them sometimes?

Tamie: I truly believe the line from “Gabriel’s Inferno” where Gabriel says “You blossom under kindness, don’t you? Like a rose.” I know whenever someone treats me kindly, or shows me a kindness, that it makes a difference. It uplifts me, and in turn I want to pass that on to others. I also believe it really CAN and does change people. Maybe not always…maybe not right away, but I believe that acts of kindness can touch a person’s heart in profound ways.

Elena: Absolutely yes, kindness can go a long way. I’ve always believed that if we are kind to others, we can also make them want to be kind. Acts of kindness are kind of miraculous, they can touch people’s hearts and souls in ways we wouldn’t even imagine. I believe it’s right to show kindness also to those who might not be kind to us. It’s not easy and it makes us vulnerable, but a simple act of kindness might touch them and make them want to be different.  It’s not always easy to achieve that, because often our pride interferes. But the important thing is that we let kindness win the battle. Sometimes it may not have an offhand effect  but sooner or later kindness  harvests its fruits.

6) In chapter 37 Gabriel leaves Italy and in an extremely moving scene visits Maia’s memorial. What were your thoughts and feelings as you read through this scene? At the very end Gabriel calls Paulina and says he needs to see her.  What was your reaction to this phone call?

Elena: A very touching scene, indeed. There were a lot of moments in this book where I had tears in my eyes and this is one of them. The scene showed how much Gabriel changed and that he was ready to ask for forgiveness. It was an important step to do in the healing process. I was very glad he called Paulina and I guessed he was calling her in order to make amends with her and repair those wounds they both had inflicted to one another during the years.

Tamie: This scene moved me very deeply. It was unexpected, and I think it was something that Gabriel has needed to do for a very long time. It was another step he needed to take to resolve things from his past that have kept him from becoming a man capable of self forgiveness and emotional growth. I wasn’t really surprised when he called Paulina. It seemed like the next logical step to take. There is so much that needs to be said and done where she’s concerned for him.

7) In chapter 39 there’s an unexpected scene where Gabriel meets Grace and Maia. What were your feelings as you read this scene? And why do you think this happened to Gabriel?

Tamie: I thought this was an absolutely lovely scene. It was beautiful, and it seemed to me that it was a gift to Gabriel. He’d been meeting hard things head on for once, and I felt like he’d earned it. He’s lived with repressed guilt for so long…

Elena: I agree, Tamie. This was such a beautiful scene, one of the loveliest in the book. I too think it was like a gift to Gabriel, he needed to see that both Grace and Maia knew he loved them in order to find real peace.

8) The kiss between Paul and Julia. Were you surprised?

Tamie: Hmm…yes and no. I guess I’d been expecting him to do something…make some kind of move…at least to see what Julia’s response would be. I guess I held my breath for a few moments, waiting to see if there would be more of a reaction on Julia’s part. I definitely breathed a sigh of relief at her response to it. I really did understand all the stuff that went through her mind in the moments of and after. I understand how both of them felt, having been on both sides of similar situations. It isn’t easy either way. I have to say that I would’ve been devastated if it would have gone in Paul’s favor…not that I thought it would, but you never know what an author is going to do, or where they’re going to lead you.

Elena: I kind of expected Paul would have made a move to let Julia know he loved her. I was more nervous about Julia’s reaction to the kiss and the feelings it was going to stir in her.  I was glad that she stayed true to herself, to her love for Gabriel and also respected Paul. Choosing isn’t easy at all, especially when the boyfriend has left, but I liked how Julia didn’t settle, knowing that she could never love Paul the same way he did her.

Remember that we’ll be sharing part two of our discussion with you later today.

Now please join in with your comments…O and Sr’s answers to the selected questions will be in the 2nd part…you won’t want to miss out on them!

Elena and Tamie

Friday is almost here and I’m really looking forward to this weekend.

Again, I’m going to add a Spoiler Warning. If you haven’t read Gabriel’s Inferno you might not want to continue.

As promised here is part two of the discussion questions…

Discussion Questions for Gabriel’s Rapture by Sylvain Reynard

Chapters 34-46, Part 2

At the end of chapter 42 and going into chapters 43 and 44 Gabriel and Julia are reunited. Alright peeps this was huge.  What did you think of the way he came back to Julia? If you were in Julia’s shoes, how would you have reacted? What did you think of how Gabriel acted?

In chapter 44 Julia asks Gabriel about Paulina. What are your thoughts on how Gabriel ended things with Paulina?

What did you think of the elaborate set up that Gabriel had waiting for Julia at his house?

In chapter 44 it’s said ” She shifted her feet, actively resisting the urge to throw herself into his arms and tell him that everything was fine…” Have you ever experienced that feeling? Of wanting to just breach the gap  and pretend that everything was fine?

In chapter 45 Gabriel explains the details of his departure. What are your thoughts on this? Did you better understand his reasons for leaving?

Also, Gabriel and Julia have a discussion that seems to be on a much deeper level than ever before. Do you think it was necessary for them to go through all that they did in the preceding months to be able to reach the level of emotional intimacy and communication they seem to be sharing in these scenes? Why or why not?

After Gabriel and Julia reunite he says he won’t make love to her until he regains her trust. Wait! What?!? Discuss…

Your favorite sentence?

Scene?

Paragraph?

Just a reminder that you don’t have to answer all the questions unless you want to. If there are 1 or 2 that really speak to you…please join in.

Hope to see y’all Saturday

Tamie and Elena

The chapters that we’re reading this week are so complex, and so full of issues and emotions that Elena and I want to discuss, so we decided that we needed to break the questions into 2 parts. Otherwise, the post on Saturday will be so long that it might seem rather daunting.

Here is part one of the questions. We will be posting part two tomorrow. On Saturday we will post our discussion in the same way. Part one will run in the morning, and part two will be posted after 12 p.m. EST

Don’t forget that we’ll also have SR’s answers to the questions that were selected this week. Those will run in the second post.

It was brought to our attention that it might be best to include a SPOILER WARNING…in case there are those of you who haven’t read the first book yet. If you haven’t read “Gabriel’s Inferno” yet, you might want to avoid reading the questions or the discussion post til you do…

Alright then…off you go…

Discussion Questions: Gabriel’s Rapture by Sylvain Reynard (chapters 34-46)

1) At the end of chapter 33 there is a very disturbing scene involving Gabriel. What were your thoughts and feelings as you read it?

2) In chapter 35 Gabriel is having a suit made from his tailor in Florence. The tailor jokes about the suit being fine enough to be married in. Gabriel shows him the ring he’s now wearing and says, “I’m newly married,” he explained, much to the tailor’s surprise. Why do you think Gabriel said that? What does it mean? Were you surprised?

3) In chapter 35 Gabriel finds himself in the crypt of St. Francis in Assisi and something very moving happens there. Discuss…

4) In chapter 36 Julia meets with Dean Aras and Professor Martin…She’s asked and answers the questions regarding Gabriel- Whether or not he’s tried to contact or see her since the hearing. As she leaves she makes a rather pointed statement that’s directed to the both of them. What did you think of this scene? How Julia handled herself? About the statement she made to them?

5) In chapter 37 we see Gabriel becoming one of the Franciscans’ volunteers and doing acts of charity. He goes through quite the change from his previous self, all because of Julia. In fact,  throughout the novel we saw Julia holding charity very dear and Gabriel admiring her generosity. Your thoughts on how kindness can affect people. Do you believe it can even change them sometimes?

6) In chapter 37 Gabriel leaves Italy and in an extremely moving scene visits Maia’s memorial. What were your thoughts and feelings as you read through this scene? At the very end Gabriel calls Paulina and says he needs to see her.  What was your reaction to this phone call?

7) In chapter 39 there’s an unexpected scene where Gabriel meets Grace and Maia. What were your feelings as you read this scene? And why do you think this happened to Gabriel?

8) The kiss between Paul and Julia. Were you surprised?

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That’s part one of the discussion questions…part two will post tomorrow about this same time.

See ya then

Elena and Tamie

I hope everyone is feeling rested if you had the weekend off, and if you had to work I hope you’ll enjoy your days off this week.

I’ve included the BT book club reminders in this post.

We’ve got some great stuff planned for you this week. Check it out…

Monday, July 23rd- Curious As a Cat

and Observations: Twitter, Romance Novels, Authors

Tuesday July 24th- Elena interviews: Kahlen Aymes

and a Giveway from Kahlen Aymes

***Questions for SR are due by 7 p.m. EST***

Wednesday, July 25th- Wordless Wednesday

Discussion Questions for Gabriel’s Rapture (chapters 34-46)

Thursday, July 26th- Gina reviews: Father Mine 

(a novella) by J.R. Ward

and Booking Through Thursday

Friday, July 27th- FanFic Friday with Katiebird and Gina

Saturday, July 28th- Saturday 9

and Elena and Tamie discuss Gabriel’s Rapture (chapters 34-46)

Don’t miss out on all the fun

Go out and make it a great week!

Tamie Xo

I have to share something that’s kind of funny even though both Elena and I felt like two dorks when it was discovered. Both of us made a goof with one of the questions we originally posted. One referred to a scene from chapter 20…which is from last week, and then one went into something that happens in chapter 34…which isn’t til next week. So…those two q’s have been removed…go ahead…you can laugh…we did

Now go on and see how we answered the questions that were left…

Discussion Questions- Chapters 21-33

1) In these chapters we see two women helping Julia : Soraya, Julia’s attorney and Nicole, Julia’s therapist. Your thoughts on those two characters.

Elena: I’m really fond of Nicole’s character, she’s a very thoughtful woman who helps Julia analyze her relationship with Gabriel in the right way. She’s definitely very good at what she does. On the contrary, I don’t like Soraya that much, I always have the feeling she doesn’t particularly feel for her clients but she mostly has success on her mind.

Tamie: I’m right there with you Elena. There are so many different types of therapies that a Psychiatrist or a Psychologist can employ. Although I don’t necessarily agree with all of Nicole’s assertions, it’s important for Julia to think rather than to just feel. In order to be emotionally healthy there needs to be a balance between logic and emotion, and that can be very difficult to achieve, especially if you’re a survivor of any type of abuse as Julia is. I believe that Nicole’s guidance will be extremely beneficial for Julia. As for Soraya…not a fan. I too think her motivations are suspect.

2) In chapter 23 the University conflict continues to grow, and the hearing takes place. Both Gabriel and Julia’s lawyers form separate strategies that neither shares with their clients. What do you think about this behavior? Would the hearing later on have gone differently if Gabriel and Julia had been kept better informed? Do you think they would’ve gone along with the strategies? Why or why not?

Tamie: I have to admit that I don’t know jack about lawyers, so I’m not sure whether or not this would be the norm, but it feels wrong to me to make that kind of decision without at least preparing your client for what you’re about to do. I realize that both John and Soraya are doing what they think is best, but as well as John seems to know Gabriel I wouldn’t have thought he’d plan something behind Gabriel’s back and expect that it would go well. I think Soraya has her own agenda and feels that Julia is too naive to know any better. For me it was just all kinds of wrong. I do think the hearing would have gone very differently because Gabriel never would have allowed it… had he known. I don’t think Julia would’ve either…but for sure the G man we all know and love would’ve said “Fuck no” to John.

Elena: I agree with everything you said. I too don’t know much about lawyers and legal proceedings but I believe both John and Soraya had their own agenda, and it was a wrong one. I definitely think that if Gabriel and Julia had been kept better informed things might have ended differently. And I’m positive that neither Gabriel nor Julia would have agreed with those strategies.

3) Love scenes… In chapter 23  something changes in the way Gabriel makes love to Julia. What are your thoughts in general on the sex scenes that are in the novel?

Elena: I love them. I love absolutely everything about them. They’re erotic and tender at the same time and they perfectly convey the love Gabriel and Julia feel for one another. I can safely say they’re the most sensual love scenes I’ve ever read in a novel and I want to congratulate SR on the way he writes them. The love scene in chapter 23 was very passionate, but I could sense something was wrong with the way Gabriel was making love to Julia. It was as if he was desperate and as if he was feeling he was going to lose her. He didn’t say a word while loving her and we all know how Gabriel always wanted to make sure Julia knew how he felt during those special intimate moments.

Tamie: There are so many different ways an author can choose to write love scenes, and lovemaking. They can be slow burn, tender, passionate, graphic, fade to black…and I like all of those when they’re written well. That’s the key for me. If an author can make me feel the way I want to feel as a love scene plays out, then I’m fine with however it plays out. I love the sensuality that SR writes in his love scenes. It does what it’s supposed to do, and makes me feel. The love scene in chapter 23 was a huge surprise for me. When I was reading this part in GR for the first time I had to stop and think about it…that’s not something I normally do on a first reading of a book, but it was just so different that it kind of demanded it. I’m really curious as to how others were thinking and feeling when they read it.

4) In chapter 26 an exchange between Gabriel and Julia takes place in the hallway after they have left the hearing. What were you thinking as you read this? Did Gabriel surprise you with how he handled the situation?  What was your reaction when he quoted Hamlet?

Tamie: This whole scene was full of WTF moments for me. I clenched my jaw so many times during this part that my dentist would’ve had a stroke if he’d been sitting near me. I knew there was something more going on with Gabriel than what I was reading, and I kept saying no, no, no…this cannot be happening. I can be very stubborn and tenacious, so on the one hand I think I would’ve either chased after him like an idiot, or camped out in his apartment til he showed up. On the other hand, if I truly believed what he was doing…that he was saying goodbye for good… I would’ve been so hurt that I would’ve gone somewhere alone to hide. I’m like Julia in that I’m no good at clues or veiled references most of the time. Just give it to me straight Gabriel. I mean couldn’t he have whispered something that made it more clear? Something? Anything?

Elena: I actually cried in that scene. I didn’t want to acknowledge what was happening, I kept living in denial till the end of the chapter. And then…tears fell again. I felt something more was going on with Gabriel than what he was letting show, as if he was hiding something, but I just didn’t know what it was. I was surprised and sad at the same time. When he quoted Hamlet I was stunned.

5) In chapter 27 Julia returns to Gabriel’s apartment…as she’s leaving she has a conversation with his neighbor who happens to have the initials S.I.R…discuss

Tamie: This is another great example of how SR can make his readers zoom from one emotion to another and then back again in the space of a few pages, or even a few paragraphs. I was feeling all weepy and sad as Julia went through Gabriel’s apartment. I’m reading along and doing some major sniffling, and them BAM! I get hit with “Here,” a voice at her elbow said, holding out a man’s handkerchief. Julia took it gratefully, noticing the embroidered initials S.I.R. on it…Ok peeps, I had to stop right there and reread that a few times and it made me smile. I mean did anybody get past that and not immediately think SR?!? I thought to myself…Well that was just damn clever…clever like a FOX, and it reminded me of how Hitchcock would insert himself just for the briefest moment in his films. Definitely makes for a memorable moment…and then a few paragraphs later when Julia says “Just tell him that he broke my heart.” I was in full sob mode again, saying “mine too Julia…mine too.”

Elena: That was a brilliant scene. My mind immediately went to SR and I thought of the movie cameos. It was very, very clever. Gabriel’s neighbor is definitely a very kind man

6) In chapter 28  Gabriel thinks about what it feels like to be banished and he thinks about Odysseus. The novel teems with literature references like this one, that often reflect Gabriel and Julia’s feelings. Discuss.

Elena: I love all the literature references both in Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture. I believe it’s one of the many things that make these books so unique. They’re perfectly interwoven to the plot and the love story and they definitely make you want to go and read all the works of literature mentioned in these wonderful books. SR puts astounding knowledge in the story, every time I turn a page I feel enriched on so many levels.

Tamie: I agree Elena, besides being beautiful and romantic stories, both Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture take us into a world full of art, music,  literature, and learning. It was unexpected the first time I read Gabriel’s Inferno, and it was such a delight. It’s fun to look up the various things that SR shares with us. In both books some things were new, and some were old friends I reaquainted myself with.

7) In chapter 29  it’s said that the loss of Gabriel means a lot of things to Julia–not only the loss of the man she loved, but also of her virginity, of the ideal of deep and reciprocated love…In previous chapters we saw Gabriel seeing Julia, not only as his beloved, but also as the embodiment of the four loves, as his Muse… What do you think of this kind of attachment between two people? Do you consider it as putting your loved one on a pedestal far too high, or as a way of expressing your unconditional love towards another person?

Elena: I believe it’s a way of expressing our unconditional love towards our beloved and to show him that he means a great deal to us. I love it when Gabriel and Julia show their feelings like that.  Of course, it has its risks, since we can end up making an idol of that person and that’s not the right thing to do both to us and the person we love. We’re all human and we all make mistakes, I believe it’s important to keep that in mind in relationships. Sometimes putting someone on a pedestal far too high can be detrimental to a relationship, cause most of the times we can’t live up to that. It makes me think back to a conversation between Gabriel and Julia on pagan love. I believe even unconditional love must have its balance and we should love one person for what he is, with his flaws and his qualities, with the knowledge that none of us is perfect.

Tamie: When you love someone deeply, and passionately it can be easy to put them on a pedestal, easy to overlook the flaws that each one of us has. Inevitably, the person you place there will misstep in some way, because no one is perfect. It may be a cliché to say that love is blind, but to a degree it is, and maybe we all need at least a little bit of blindness in order to love fully.  Unconditional love is hard to do and hard to come by…again, because we are human. We have needs and desires that we want our loved one to fulfill, and when they aren’t able to it can be a hard truth to deal with.

8) In chapter 29 Julia says “I try not to give in to the anger, but trust me, it’s there”. Your thoughts on this statement and on how Julia handled being abandoned by Gabriel. If you were in Julia’s place would you have handled things any differently?

Tamie: Ugh! This is such a hard question to answer…I know what it feels like to lose a love unexpectedly. It feels like a death, and you have to go through a grieving period. It’s so hard to get to that final stage of acceptance. The anger part can be so destructive if you aren’t careful. I thought she handled it better than I would have in her place.

Elena: I admire Julia for a lot of things and also for how she handled the whole situation. I probably wouldn’t have been able to face up to Gabriel’s abandonment with the strength she had. And as far as the anger goes, I’m a bit like Julia in this. Sometimes I have people telling me that I should be more bad ass and stuff like that, but it’s not in my character and I also believe I wouldn’t accomplish anything by showing anger. Of course anger is there sometimes, especially when we get hurt of humiliated but I believe it’s far more  rewarding showing kindness than anything else.

9) Your favorite sentence(s), paragraph and scene in these chapters.

Elena: Favorite sentence : “Had any man ever loved, adored, worshipped a woman more?”

Favorite paragraph : “He cursed bitterly. What use was it to be anywhere, if she wouldn’t forgive him? Even in the hotel, she was with him. On his computer, on his cell phone, in his iPod, in his head. Oh, yes, in his head. He was correct when he said that he would never forget what it felt like to gaze upon her naked body for the first time, the way her eyes were fixed on the floor,shyly, the way her face flushed under his heated touch.”

Favorite scene: the first time Julia dreams about Gabriel coming back and feels his presence in chapter 29.

Tamie: Favorite sentence: “Shards of crystal like jagged icicles scattered over the hardwood, glimmering in the firelight.”

Favorite paragraph: “In every room he had a memory of her – some of them joyous and others bittersweet, like dark, dark chocolate. He stalked to the dining room and poured himself two fingers’ worth of his very best Scotch and downed it quickly, relishing the burning sensation as it stung his throat. He tried desperately not to think about Julia standing in front of him, jabbing an angry finger into his chest.”

Favorite scene: Even though these chapters are heavy-duty on the sad emotions I had several favorites, but I narrowed it down to two for the discussion. The first is when Julia visits Gabriel’s apartment in chapter 27, and the second immediately follows in chapter 28 with Gabriel in his apartment.

****************************************************

Here are the three questions and answers from SR that were selected this week. He also asked me to pass along his thanks to the readers for their questions.

1) When Gabriel comes to Julia’s apartment he’s been drinking and as you wrote he was “frantic and desperate.” It’s not the Gabriel we’ve seen up to this point where sex is concerned. Is the old Gabriel reappearing? Did he make love to her or just have sex? What did he mean when he said “I am talking to you,” he whispered, pressing insistent kisses across her shoulder. “You aren’t listening.” Why did he leave her and not leave a note or something? Was this hard for you to write? I’m so confused in this part.

In order to understand Gabriel’s motivation, you have to imagine that the thing you want and desire the most is about to be taken away from you. What would you do in the time you have left? It’s clear he wishes to be with Julia, but fear and desperation overlay their encounter. He knows, better than she, what may happen to them the following day but he doesn’t want to give voice to his fears.

2)  The hearing scene is a very complex one where everything Gabriel and Julia had built till that moment, their love, their trust and their promises, seem to crumble down. It’s a superb scene that elicited very strong feelings in me, and everytime I read it I relive all the tension I felt the first time. While writing it did you have all the details of the scene already planned in your mind?

Thanks very much. I’m glad you liked the scene.  When I began writing it there were key elements I wanted to include. I’d researched the academic standards policies at the University of Toronto and spent time going through their judicial procedures and materials pertaining to old cases, etc. But as always, the voices of the characters emerge and they tend to say what they think …

3) Chapter 25 has a quote that really stuck with me and stopped me dead in my tracks: ”In an instant, the fire in her veins turned to ice”

I remember coming across that line and it literally taking my breath away. That one line encompassed everything that Julia was feeling and I felt it right alongside her. Do you find it difficult to write scenes where your two main characters are warring with each other in such an intense way?

Thank you. It’s usually easier to write conflict than to write a love scene, at least for me. But my sympathy for the characters makes it challenging, because I don’t like watching them suffer.

*************************************************

Thank you SR! It’s so awesome to get your insights as the author and creator

Now peeps we ask you to share your thoughts, your feelings, and your insights on these chapters…

Tamie and Elena

I need you to give me links in the comment section that will direct me to your favorite pictures of my favorite guys to drool over look at…David Gandy, Rob Pattinson, and Dr. Ivan.

Actually, I’m going to do more than just look at them. I’ll feature the best of the best that you send me in the next few Wordless Wednesday posts. There are no limits…no holds barred…clothing is optional

Also…I’m working on a future piece…Gandy as Gabriel, so if you’d be so kind as to leave me links to those specifically I’d be ever so grateful. Just make sure you let me know that’s what the link is for by including #GandyasGabriel with the link.

Thanks in advance guys…you never let me down when I ask for your help!

Tamie Xo

Here are the book club discussion questions for chapters 21-33 for Gabriel’s Rapture by Sylvain Reynard.

We look forward to another lively exchange of ideas this Saturday too…

Discussion Questions- Chapters 21-33

1) In these chapters we see two women helping Julia : Soraya, Julia’s attorney and Nicole, Julia’s therapist. Your thoughts on those two characters.

2) In chapter 21 Nicole has a very interesting exchange with Julia about chivalry and protecting the person we love. At one point she says : “Sometimes the chivalrous man ends up doing more damage through his protection than can be done by the force threatening his partner.” What are your thoughts on this? And do you think protecting a loved one ( not necessarily your partner) can indeed end up being damaging sometimes?

3) In chapter 23 the University conflict continues to grow, and the hearing takes place. Both Gabriel and Julia’s lawyers form separate strategies that neither shares with their clients. What do you think about this behavior? Would the hearing later on have gone differently if Gabriel and Julia had been kept better informed? Do you think they would’ve gone along with the strategies? Why or why not?

4) Love scenes… In chapter 23  something changes in the way Gabriel makes love to Julia. What are your thoughts in general on the sex scenes that are in the novel?

5) In chapter 26 an exchange between Gabriel and Julia takes place in the hallway after they have left the hearing. What were you thinking as you read this? Did Gabriel surprise you with how he handled the situation?  What was your reaction when he quoted Hamlet?

6) In chapter 27 Julia returns to Gabriel’s apartment…as she’s leaving she has a conversation with his neighbor who happens to have the initials SIR…discuss

7) In chapter 28  Gabriel thinks about what it feels like to be banished and he thinks about Odysseus. The novel teems with literature references like this one, that often reflect Gabriel and Julia’s feelings. Discuss.

8) In chapter 29  it’s said that the loss of Gabriel means a lot of things to Julia–not only the loss of the man she loved, but also of her virginity, of the ideal of deep and reciprocated love…In previous chapters we saw Gabriel seeing Julia, not only as his beloved, but also as the embodiment of the four loves, as his Muse… What do you think of this kind of attachment between two people? Do you consider it as putting your loved one on a pedestal far too high, or as a way of expressing your unconditional love towards another person?

9) In chapter 29 Julia says “I try not to give in to the anger, but trust me, it’s there”. Your thoughts on this statement and on how Julia handled being abandoned by Gabriel. If you were in Julia’s place would you have handled things any differently?

10) At the end of chapter 33 there is a very disturbing scene involving Gabriel. What were your thoughts and feelings as you read it?

11) Your favorite sentence(s), paragraph and scene in these chapters.

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Again, we wish to thank all those who’ve joined in up to this point, and have made this such a wonderful experience. If you haven’t yet participated we hope you will this Saturday.

We look forward to sharing SR’s answers with you as well.

See y’all Saturday morning

Elena and Tamie

It’s Sunday night once again which means it’s time to let all of you know what we have planned for this week…

Monday, July 16th- Curious As a Cat

and Book Blogger Confessions

Tuesday, July 17th- Tamie reviews: The Unidentified Redhead

by Alice Clayton

Questions for SR are due by 7 p.m. EST

Wednesday, July 18th- Elena reviews: Heart of Steel

by Jennifer Probst

and Discussion Questions for Gabriel’s Rapture  will be posted

(chapters 21-33) #bookclub

Thursday, July 19th- Gina reviews: The Darkest Surrender

by Gena Showalter

Friday, July 20th- FanFic Friday with Katiebird and Gina

Saturday, July 21st- Gabriel’s Rapture Discussion #bookclub

(chapters 21-33) including the weekly Q and A with SR

I’m also working on a few other things that might get posted this week. If they do they’ll just be a bonus

Go out and make it a great week!

Tamie Xo

As always we have a schedule for you so that you don’t miss out on anything…

Questions for SR are due by Tuesday, July 17th for the chapters we’ll be discussing this week (21-33) please make sure to have any q’s to me by 7 p.m. EST Tuesday evening.

You can either email them to bktemptations@gmail. com or ask them in the comment section after any post. We check both the comments and email account several times a day.

Wednesday, July 18th- We’ll post the next set of discussion questions for you to reflect on while you read.

Saturday, July 21st- Elena and I will post our discussion as well as the answers from SR to the questions that were submitted. Just to clarify something that I’ve been asked about regarding the q’s…I know how much you all enjoy getting SR’s unique perspective on his book…we do too, and we’re deeply appreciative that he agreed to take the time to participate. We limit the questions to three each week for this reason…we want to keep the focus on the book that we all love so much. Getting a Q and A with SR each week is just icing on the cake

I hope you’re all having as much fun as Elena and I, and we want to encourage YOU… yes, that really does mean YOU to join in the discussions. You can still talk about chapters 1-8 or chapters 9-20 with us whenever you’d like to.  Everyone brings something new and different, so don’t be shy.

Tamie and Elena

18 and Over Book Blogger Follow is hosted by Crystal at Reading Between the Wines

Question of the Week: When going on vacay; do you pack your print books, ereader or both?

O…vacay…books…what a perfect duo that is for me…

When going on vacay; do you pack your print books, ereader or both?

I love vacation…well who doesn’t right? Whether it’s a short one…say a long weekend, or a vacation where I’ll be gone a week or more you can be assured that books are going with me.

For my last two big vacations…one was to Disney World in Florida last September, and the other was to TO, Canada in April… I took my paperback copy of Gabriel’s Inferno with me.

I thought the Professor could use a break last September, and for some reason I was quite sure he’d never been to Disney World

I tweeted pictures of him to SR, but I never posted them on my blog…guess what I’m going to do now??? Yeah…you guys are so smart…

All buckled in and ready to go…

After a very long drive we made it to Florida…

The Professor insisted on the Star Wars ride…and meeting R2D2…

He wasn’t thrilled with DW food, but he kept his grumbling to a minimum…

Who knew he’d want his own Mickey ears…sigh

Of course he insisted on having his name added…If I remember correctly he muttered something like “They’re MY ears and I want My name on them.”…

Getting ready to go for a swim…

He was exhausted after the 1st day…sleep well Professor…

The Professor LOVED meeting the Princesses at Cinderella’s Royal Table, and as you can imagine they were all enRAPTUREd by him as well…

Enjoying a lie about on the man made beach near our hotel…The Caribbean Beach Resort…Yes…he brought the purple towel…

Who knew he’d want a Mickey trick or treat pail???

Dinner one night at The Rain Forest Cafe…he deemed the food…quite palatable…

Quite a haul there Professor…yes…that’s his character autograph book…

It was quite a trip…now to pack up and head home…

That was a great trip, and the Professor had a wonderful time…once he got over the throngs of people and just let himself relax

Mkay…back to the question…

I always take my Kindle and aside from GI, I normally take at least two paperbacks with me.

What about you? E-reader, physical book(s), or both?

Tamie Xo

Here’s a few links from DW:

Caribbean Beach Resort Great place to stay on property.

Cinderella’s Royal Table This is a must if you’re a Princess fan.

Rain Forest Cafe This is the one located at the entrance to the Animal Kingdom.

This week we move into chapters 9-20 and some very emotional and powerful scenes play out. In fact, you might want to bring some tissues with you…

Discussion Questions: Chapters 9-20

1) At the beginning of chapter 9 Julia says no to Gabriel…he doesn’t react very well to the rejection but it’s interesting as to why…”He needed to make love to her to know that it was all right -  that they were all right”  Have you ever experienced that kind of  feeling? Of needing physical reassurance?

Tamie: I really love the way SR crafts his stories and this is a great example of what I’m talking about. I thought that Julia was rejecting him physically because she was upset with him. I felt the pain of that rejection for Gabriel, and then a few pages later it’s revealed that something entirely different was going on. SR does that a lot…sometimes I think to myself…Tamie are you never going to learn? Things aren’t always what they appear to be with this couple. There is no predictability in the way SR writes.  I love when an author is able to do that…keep me surprised and glued to the book. As for the question…yes…I have experienced those feelings…that need for physical contact. Sometimes a hug or a cuddle will suffice, but sometimes not. 

Elena: I agree completely. I love the way SR surprises his readers. While reading I often tried to make a few guesses and then I always had to take back what I had initially thought…In this scene I too thought Julia was rejecting Gabriel because of what happened that afternoon and I felt for both during that particular scene-for Julia because of the terrible day she had, a day where all the insecurities came back to nag her and for Gabriel, because he was not able to express how much he loved Julia through the act of making love. I found the whole exchange between Julia and Gabriel very interesting, especially because we get to see how Gabriel reacts in front of a real rejection. We saw him angry and frustrated when Julia said no to him in the museum, but I never saw that ”no” as a real rejection, because the excitement was there. While in this scene there’re a lot of issues at hand. True, Julia wasn’t rejecting him because she didn’t want him, the reason was another, but the whole atmosphere between them was already tense and that made her rejection even more painful to Gabriel. As far as the other question goes, I am a person who needs physical reassurance, so yes.  

2) In chapter 10 Gabriel and Julia are celebrating Christmas…what would YOU put in a stocking for Gabriel? What present would YOU like to receive from him?

Elena : Hmmm… Probably a cd with songs that are particularly dear to me. Then, let’s see…some argyle socks for him and for me ( you know for the playful times coughKitchenTablecough ) , a set of book ends painted and decorated  with Botticelli’s images and a reproduction of “The Kiss” by Gustav Klimt. I’m very fond of that painting, for several reasons.  And I’d also include some Baci Perugina As for what I’d like to receive from him, I’m sure whatever he decided to give me would be wonderful.

Tamie: Let’s see…I’d include a Mont Blanc fountain pen, a few pairs of uber sexy argyle socks, as well as some fine silk boxer shorts…MmmHmm, and because I happen to think it’s erm…stimulating to watch a guy shave I’d certainly include some sandalwood scented shaving soap and perhaps a new mug and shaving brush as well. Lastly, I’d include some sort of confectionary treats…chocolates, peppermints…O and a few mini bottles of Laphroaig. What would I like to get from Gabriel? Hehehe…ok aside from that…a poem or letter written from the heart…that’s all I’d want.

3) Richard says to Gabriel not to wait too long to make a commitment to Julia, because it could be too late. What do you think of Gabriel wanting to wait? Would you have agreed with him?

Elena : I understand Gabriel wanting to wait in order to give Julia room to pursue her dreams, and that’s honorable, but I have to say I agree with Richard. Sometimes we think we have all the time in the world, and then something happens and turns our lives upside down, leaving us with our own regret. Especially when love is involved I think we should grab every opportunity that’s given to us to stay with that person, and if we feel he’s THE person for us, I believe we shouldn’t  wait to make a commitment, because we never know what could happen. I’m not saying it’s right to rush things, far from it. But if we are sure of our feelings for a person and there aren’t other external factors interfering, then why wait? There will never be an absolutely perfect time to do things. Problems and difficulties will always be there. So the sooner, the better, for me.

Tamie: Elena, I couldn’t agree more. Nobody knows what the future holds. None of us have a guarantee for tomorrow. Too often I think people spend way too much time and energy worrying about the future, and don’t give enough consideration to the here and now. We take people for granted. We expect that they’ll be around when “the time is right”, or worse “when I have the time”.  We worry about being politically correct, or wonder if others will think we’re being too forward, too fast, too familiar…on and on. What I’m talking about is letting people know that they’re important to you…that they mean something…they have value to you. It doesn’t have to be a big production, or public. I realize that some people are uncomfortable with expressing emotions, but I have to ask…is your comfort level worth more than what it would mean to the person(s) you need to tell it to? My advice to Gabriel would be this…Carpe diem DOOD! …you might wake up one day and find yourself without, and how sad and wasteful is that?!? I saw an awesome quote on twitter that I want to share with all of you because there is so much truth in it… One day, you’ll be just a memory for some people. Do your best to be a good one.

Elena: Beautiful quote, Tamie. It brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing it.

4) Julia’s discourse to Gabriel about the sticky little leaves is a very powerful one. What do you think about it and about the effect it had on Gabriel? What are your sticky little leaves?

Elena: The discourse about the sticky little leaves was wonderful and very touching. I find myself re-reading it often and it’s one of my favorite moments in the series. I loved what Julia said about goodness in the world. There’s a saying in Italy that says : “Trees that are cut down make more noise than those that grow.” There is goodness in the world, a lot of it, but it’s the evil that makes the news.  I believe the discourse was a sort of epiphany for Gabriel, Julia gave him hope and made him see the world and what happens to us with different eyes. My sticky little leaves are my family, especially my parents, who always wanted to make sure I missed nothing, despite all the enormous difficulties they went through; I love them with all my heart. My friends, those in RL and also those whom I met through this wonderful book. And my faith in God.

Tamie: I thought it was stunning. It was so beautiful, touching and powerful, yet so simple. I was so emotionally moved by it that I stopped reading and just thought about it for a while. When I wrote my review I listed it as one of the things I FLOVED because I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I wanted to talk about it with somebody so bad, but I couldn’t because I was reading it as an ARC. It just about made me break one of my own rules which is no discussions with the author about the book until after my review is published. OMG! I started to email SR so many times…but I didn’t.  It’s certainly one of my favorites as well. My sticky little leaves are my family,  friends, and my belief in God. As for Gabriel, I think it had a powerful effect on him as well. I think Julia is his biggest sticky leaf, and she certainly opens his mind as well as his heart over and over again.

5) In chapter 11 Gabriel makes some new revelations about him and Paulina. Did your opinion of her change at this point of the novel?  What about at the end of chapter 12 when we’re given a scene of Paulina in a motel room?

Tamie: I gotta admit I was shocked by the revelations. If I were Julia I swear I would have slapped him…several times, hard, and I am NOT a violent person. Then I probably would’ve started bawling my eyes out…ugly crying for sure. My opinion of Paulina didn’t really change until the motel room scene…that scene made me cry.

Elena: I had several reactions when I read Gabriel’s revelations. Like you Tamie, I was shocked and taken aback, cause I didn’t expect them. We see Julia being very hurt and stating to Gabriel she won’t put up with more lying on his part. The whole scene tore at my heartstrings, I was sad for Julia, who got hurt once again, and for Gabriel, whose past came to taunt him again and to present him with the clear possibility he could very well lose Julia at that moment. It makes me think back to chapter 31 of Gabriel’s Inferno, where Gabriel reveals his past to Julia for the first time and in both scenes we witness the power of forgiveness, something that always moves me. I admit I pity Paulina. On one hand, I don’t like how she constantly tries to reach for Gabriel and to break him and Julia up. Her attachment to him is one of a desperate woman, and it’s clearly shown from the fact that she doesn’t want to let him go. But on the other hand I feel compassion for her. Gabriel himself admits he slept for years with her without loving her while she did. Furthermore, she created a child with him, and that could have given her the chance to have a part of him forever and even that reality was taken away from her. I wanted her to find her own personal redemption. When I read the motel scene I had to stop reading for a second and regain my composure, cause tears fell. It was a touching scene.

6) In chapter 15 there’s a scene where Paul worries about what might have happened to Julia.  Was there ever a moment when you thought Paul’s attentions toward her were too strong? What is your opinion of Paul in general?

Elena : I’ll be wordy here because, when it comes to Paul, I find myself having mixed feelings about him. On one hand, I believe he’s a great guy and an awesome friend to have.  I’d gladly spend hours with him talking, going out for walks, having coffee, helping each other with our respective University work, in general doing what we usually do with dear friends.  I particularly like him when he tries to protect Julia from Christa’s bitchiness and in all those moments  when he behaves like a friend to her( and I stress the word “friend”) .  I probably mentioned this before but  there’s a scene where my fondness for Paul started and I’m talking about the Starbuck’s scene in Gabriel’s Inferno: Julia’s top strap falls off and he immediately puts it back  into place covering her from prying eyes. He really showed his kindness in that scene and respect for women whereas others would have probably just ogled at her. But  he can’t  hold a candle to Gabriel Emerson. I’m irrevocably in love with the wonderful, complicated, charming, ever-so-hot character of Professor Emerson. I never rooted for Paul and Julia together, not even for a second. They’re great as friends, and I believe Paul  is the best friend Julia could ever have, but that’s it. Her soulmate is Gabriel and Gabriel alone.  Thus, yes, I believe Paul’s attentions sometimes were too strong towards Julia, especially since she told him she had a boyfriend.  From that moment on Paul should have just taken a step back. I know, he was in love, but to keep being attached to a person who doesn’t reciprocate your feelings, takes away from you your own happiness. Sometimes it’s better to just let it go and see that person with different eyes, the eyes of friendship.  I believe Paul was too invested into Julia and that made him act too strongly toward her than it was appropriate.

Tamie: O dear…I might make a lot of peeps unhappy with what I’m about to say, but I have to keep it real. Paul is not a favorite for me. Don’t get me wrong…I don’t dislike him. I would love to have him as a friend. He’s smart, caring…but there’s just something missing for me as far as any romantic/sexual feelings towards him, and I never thought for one minute that he belonged with Julia. Now I realize that my strong feelings for Gabriel color my perspective, but I think it’s a very rare situation when you don’t know that the feeling of attraction isn’t mutual, or is unreciprocated. Paul certainly knew that, and so I would answer yes, I did think his attentions were misplaced and too strong on more than one occasion.

7) What was your reaction when Julia received the letter from the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies, and when Gabriel told Julia about Christa accusing him of sexual harassment to the University?

Tamie: I may have said WTF out loud…more than once. I wasn’t necessarily surprised because I knew Christa was going to do something drastic. I wasn’t expecting a twofold attack as was written, but I was waiting for bad stuff to happen. I’m telling you guys… my neighbors must think I’m an absolute nut sometimes. I read on my balcony…a lot, and I shudder to think how many times while I was reading this book that I laughed, cried, and O yes…I cursed, and then realized that peeps were passing by below. I’d sheepishly grin and hold up my Kindle, saying…great book. I got “the nod” many times.

Elena: Me too, Tamie. I actually jumped from the couch with the book in my hands and yelled “No way! This can’t be happening!” I was so mad both at Christa and the Dean…I think my neighbor heard my hysterics LOL!

8) Food and sensuality…In chapter 19 there’s a very sensual scene between Gabriel and Julia that involves a fruit…Is there a  food you find particularly aphrodisiac?

Tamie: There are actually several foods that I find lend a certain umph…chocolate, avocados, strawberries, figs, and things with a very strong taste and scent of vanilla.

Elena: Chocolate for sure, honey and almonds.

9) Several times during these chapters we learn that Gabriel has withheld information from Julia…what are your thoughts on this? Also, is omission the same thing as lying?

Elena: I’m not pleased whenever he does this, both Gabriel and Julia end up hurting everytime despite his attempt to protect her. I understand that some things must be difficult to reveal to your partner but I also believe there has to be honesty in order to have a healthy relationship. As far as the other question goes, I think omission isn’t always the same thing as lying. It depends on the reason why we omit something. For example, in Gabriel’s Inferno Julia chooses to omit to say to Gabriel that she’s his Beatrice, the girl he met in the orchard. She doesn’t tell him because she doesn’t want to break him, because she’s good. “Sometimes goodness doesn’t tell everything it knows…” I believe it depends on the reason why we omit. True, sometimes even when we omit in order not to hurt someone, it can backfire. I admit it’s tricky.  But I still believe omission and straight out lying are two different things.

Tamie: Every time Gabriel does this I feel extremely frustrated. Whether he’s doing it to “protect” Julia or himself is irrelevant to me. It always comes back to haunt him in some way, and he’s not a stupid man. Why doesn’t he learn from it? UGH! And you’re right Elena…Julia does it as well. I’m kind of on the fence where this is concerned, but overall I would agree that there is a difference between omission and straight out lying. Having said that I think it’s very clear that both can be equally damaging to a relationship. Once trust is lost it’s so hard to gain it back…sometimes it’s impossible.

10) What are your favorite sentence(s), paragraph, scene in these chapters?

Elena: sentences :  -”I have become a great many things since you made me your lover.”

-” I would rather spend the rest of my life drinking your love, than emptying all the oceans in the world.”

-”I wandered in the darkness looking for something better, something real. I found you, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to lose you.”

paragraph: “Everyone wants to know where evil comes from and why the world is riddled with it. Why doesn’t anyone ask where goodness comes from? Human beings have a tremendous capacity for cruelty. Why is there any

goodness at all? Why are people like Grace and Richard so kind? Because there’s a God, and he hasn’t allowed the earth to be entirely corrupted. There are sticky little leaves, if you look for them. And when you

recognize them, you can feel His presence.”

scene: Belize…

Tamie: sentences: Julia laughed at the sight of him, this very proper professor sitting in his spectacles and underwear, attacking his presents like a four-year-old. 

“I would never have pegged you as a cuddler, Professor Emerson.”

“You are my sticky little leaf.”

paragraph: It was a subtle language – this shared language of lovers: the reciprocation of sigh and groan, anticipation growing and feeding until groans became cries and cries became sighs once more. Gabriel’s body covered hers completely, a delicious weight of man and sweat and naked skin upon naked skin.

scene: Belize…

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Here are the three questions and answers from SR that were selected this week. He also asked me to pass along his appreciation to all of you who are participating.

1) Gabriel seems to omit or withhold information from Julia quite often in these chapters. Is he being protective towards Julia, himself, or both? In your opinion is omission the same thing as lying?

2) In these chapters we begin to learn more about Katherine Picton’s personality. She’s one of my favorite characters in the story, even though I admit that I’d be very intimidated by her if I met her. What was it like for you to write this particular character?

3)  It was so difficult for me to come up with a question – so much happening in all these chapters!  But, this is something that really resonated with me – after Gabriel opens his Christmas “gift” from Paulina and runs off to the orchard, he and Julia have a rather heated discussion.  It seems that just when this couple takes a step forward, they fall two steps back with Gabriel retreating to safety and coldness (both represented in the safety of his orchard and the real cold in the air).  You have a gift for writing such exchanges with an honesty and passion.  When you are in that place writing such heartfelt, tumultuous exchanges, do you find that you can just let the words flow through your fingers to the pen (or keyboard) all in one sitting, or do you have to stop and collect your thoughts before you can continue?

It’s nice talking to others that share our love of this book, and to read other people’s perspectives don’t you think? I just want to remind everyone that it’s perfectly acceptable to join in at any time, the more the merrier. Also, please don’t feel as though you have to answer/discuss every question unless you want to. If you feel strongly about just one or two then talk to us about those.

We’re having a great time, and hope y’all are as well

and now let’s go look at those q’s…

O…hi there pretty book.

Discussion Questions: Chapters 9-20

1) At the beginning of chapter 9 Julia says no to Gabriel…he doesn’t react very well to the rejection but it’s interesting as to why…”He needed to make love to her to know that it was all right -  that they were all right”  Have you ever experienced that kind of  feeling? Of needing physical reassurance?

2) In chapter 10 Gabriel and Julia are celebrating Christmas…what would YOU put in a stocking for Gabriel? What present would YOU like to receive from him?

3) Richard says to Gabriel not to wait too long to make a commitment to Julia, because it could be too late. What do you think of Gabriel wanting to wait? Would you have agreed with him?

4) Julia’s discourse to Gabriel about the sticky little leaves is a very powerful one. What do you think about it and about the effect it had on Gabriel? What are your sticky little leaves?

5) In chapter 11 Gabriel makes some new revelations about him and Paulina. Did your opinion of her change at this point of the novel?  What about at the end of chapter 12 when we’re given a scene of Paulina in a motel room?

6) In chapter 15 there’s a scene where Paul worries about what might have happened to Julia.  Was there ever a moment when you thought Paul’s attentions toward her were too strong? What is your opinion of Paul in general?

7) What was your reaction when Julia received the letter from the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies, and when Gabriel told Julia about Christa accusing him of sexual harassment to the University?

8) Food and sensuality…In chapter 19 there’s a very sensual scene between Gabriel and Julia that involves a fruit…Is there a  food you find particularly aphrodisiac?

9) Several times during these chapters we learn that Gabriel has withheld information from Julia…what are your thoughts on this? Also, is omission the same thing as lying?

10) What are your favorite sentence(s), paragraph, scene in these chapters?

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Ok peeps, Elena and I will see you on Saturday and we look forward to another great discussion with all of you. Remember to hold your answers for chapters 9-20 until we post our discussion. We’ll also post SR’s answers to 3 of the questions that were asked this week.

Until then…take care…be kind <3

Tamie and Elena