Book Details:
Book Title: Degrees of Love: A Novel by Lisa Slabach
Category: Adult Fiction, 344 pages
Genre: Women's Fiction
Publisher: Bookbaby
Release date: Dec 1, 2017
Tour dates: Jan 3 to 31, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (Adult themes including infidelity, occasional F-word, non-explicit sex scenes)
Book Description:
At thirty-six, Susan Sinclair has it all. She's just been promoted to Senior Vice President of Mobile Banking at her firm, a prestigious position bringing fresh creative challenges and a hefty salary increase. Like the shiny new BMW in the driveway of the Silicon Valley home she shares with her husband, Matt, and their two beautiful boys, Susan exudes confidence and style.
Yet despite her success in juggling the roles of wife, mother, and businesswoman, Susan struggles with a secret dissatisfaction. Matt's work in cutting-edge computer research pays less than her job, and with each advance in her career, he has grown more distant. But Matt refuses to admit there is a problem, and Susan forces herself to play along, determined to give her boys the close-knit family life she never had.
Then she meets her new boss, Reese Kirkpatrick. Working and traveling together, she and Reese become a crackerjack team, but little by little, pleasure mixes with business. For the first time in a long time—maybe ever—Susan feels seen and appreciated for who she is. Certain she would never allow their friendship to cross the line, Susan lets herself stray dangerously close to the edge.
A moment of weakness changes everything. Now, unable to stomach the façade her marriage has become yet unwilling to decimate her family by moving forward with Reese, Susan faces a choice that could cost her everything—including her children . . . but possibly bring her more than she can dream.
Praise for Degrees of Love:
"Slabach crafts a relatable, heartbreakingly real story that will no doubt resonate with those at a similar station in life: women who love their families yet yearn for just a little more—to feel wanted rather than needed, to feel passion rather than complacency. In engaging prose and through skillful storytelling, Slabach captivates with an all-too-familiar story that raises questions with no easy answers."
-
Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
"This does not read like a debut author’s book. Slabach shows herself to be adept at portraying the complex emotions of the human condition. Her characters live and breathe on the page in a way that every author strives for, but few actually manage. Susan’s struggles ring true, and the way she handles everything makes her a very likable and relatable character."
-
Sarah Perry, San Francisco Book Review, 5 Stars
"Profound, heart wrenching and very emotional, it is hard to believe that Degrees of Love is a debut novel by Lisa Slabach. This is one of the best novels I have read this year."
-
Rabia Tanveer, Readers' Favorite
To read more reviews, please visit Lisa Slabach's page on iRead Book Tours.
Buy the Book:
Meet the Author:
Degrees of Love is Lisa Slabach’s debut novel. She is currently working on her third full-length manuscript and a collection of short stories inspired by her experiences growing up in a small farm community in Washington’s Yakima Valley. In addition to writing, Lisa works for a Fortune 500 Company, leading a sales team in the financial industry. She currently resides in Northern California with her husband and has two daughters, who are both pursuing careers in film. In her free time, she enjoys drinking wine with friends and cooking in her pink kitchen.
Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
Interview with Lisa Slabach
What genre do you write and why?
I write Women’s Fiction mainly because it is what I enjoy reading and relate to most. Plus, there is so much to write about. Women’s lives have become incredibly complex between balancing family and careers while trying to lead fulfilled individual lives and dealing with the pace of modern life. Yet, despite the complexities, women have the same basic need to love and be loved. It’s a commonality we all share and what I love writing about.
Tell us about your latest book.
Degrees of Love: A Novel is about a modern, working mother who goes through a life-changing awakening and is caught in a moral tangle after becoming intimately involved with her new boss. In many ways, it’s an exploration of love, which includes love of family and self as well as variations of desire.
Your writing has been described as being deeply emotional. Are there any specific techniques you utilize?
This is where my acting background comes into play. Part of being an actress is being able to manifest emotions on demand. I utilize that skill as a writer. When I write, I try to put myself in the head and heart of the character and pay attention to not only the words that come out of a character’s mouth, but the actions and physical sensations--where the emotion is manifesting in the body. Is it a lump in the throat or tightness in the chest? A zippidy-doo in the heart or tingling toes?
What is your work in progress? Tell us about it.
I am currently working on a novel about a woman who married her high school sweetheart after becoming pregnant in high school. In her mind, they have a successful, happy marriage and is completely blindsided when he leaves her the day after their daughter graduates from high school. The working title is First Time Single. Themes of love, marriage, and forgiveness are explored, but the tone is much lighter than Degrees of Love.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only bring 3 books, which would they be?
The Complete and Unabridged Short Stories of Somerset Maugham to keep myself entertained, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare to keep my mind sharp, and a copy of the Bible for comfort and hope. On the other hand, I might just grab what is on my nightstand, which currently is The Copenhagen Affair, Highland Pursuits, and Norse Mythology!
Do you have a stupid human trick?
I can pop both of my shoulders in and out of their sockets. I know it sounds painful, but it doesn’t hurt a bit!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
How Far Would You Go For Happily Ever After?
