Single Sashimi by Camy Tang

Overview: Drake Yu. Why would Drake call her after ... what, five years? Six? Venus heard in his voice that resonance that was almost a growl, that titanium-hard determination to get what he wanted. And he usually got what he wanted. The voice said: 'I want you to work for me.'

Not this time... If it was a choice between Drake and Mc Donald's—she'd choose french fries. She'd never work for him again. It would take an act of God.

Venus Chau is determined to start her own game development company and launch the next Super Mario-sized phenomenon. However, she needs an investor to back her idea. When Drake Yu, an old nemesis, approaches Venus with a contracting opportunity at his sister's startup, the offer to become Chief Technology Officer tempts Venus to think the unthinkable.

Venus would rather throw away her PS3 than work for Drake again ... except Grandma bribes Venus to do this favor for Drake's wealthy family with a coveted introduction to the most respected investor in the game industry. It's also a short job—only a few months—so Venus won't have to stand Drake's presence for very long. But one wild youth group, a two-faced assistant, and Grandma's determined match-making threaten to make them both fail—or go insane. With the encouragement of her three cousins, Lex, Trish, and Jennifer, Venus discovers that even a wounded heart can undergo a beautiful transformation ...

ISBN-13: 9780310274001

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication date: 9/1/2008

Series: Sushi Series , #3

Pages: 336

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My Thoughts: Wow. This book was absolutely amazing. I mean, I was devastated when I left it at home on accident one day and picked it up as soon as I walked through the door! I love Camy Tang's writing style and can't get over how immersed I feel in the Japanese/Chinese American Culture as soon as I start reading. The plot was engaging and had me turning page after page. I was laughing, crying, and gritting my teeth right along with Venus. With updates from our other favorite characters, Lex and Trish, this story had me hooked from beginning to end.

Venus is a very driven character. At the beginning of the book, she is tough, determined, and devoutly Christian. As the story continues, though, we see cracks in her tough exterior and we can feel her pain, anger, anxiety, happiness, and finally contentment right along with her. The development of her character was phenomenally paced throughout the book and I loved the end result. Drake, poor Drake, has a lot to overcome with our prickly heroine. I didn't feel as connected to him as I did Aiden and Spencer, though because we didn't hear a lot from him throughout the book. He is a good match for Venus, and he grows a lot in the space of time the book allows.

The message of the book resonated with me, as Camy's messages tend to do. Venus is a very ambitious individual. She knows what she wants and she's gone after it. There is nothing wrong with that. However, and this is a BIG however, as Christians we are to STOP and ASK GOD what HE wants for our lives. Why is this scary? Because God's idea of what our lives should be doesn't always add up to what WE think our lives should be. But when we submit to God and HIS WILL for our lives, the reward is more than we could ever imagine.

As always, this book was the perfect blend of humor and wit, engaging, and richly filled with a message of love from our Lord. Camy provided a perfect addition to her Sushi series, and I can't wait to get a hold of the fourth book, Weddings and Wasabi.

About the Author: Camy writes Christian romantic suspense as Camy Tang and Regency romance under her pen name, Camille Elliot. She grew up in Hawaii, where she started reading Regency romances when she was thirteen years old. Now she lives in northern California with her engineer husband and rambunctious dog. 

She graduated from Stanford University in psychology with a focus on biology, and for nine years she worked as a biologist researcher. Then God guided her path in a completely different direction and now she’s writing full time, using her original psychology degree as she creates the characters in her novels.

In her free time, she’s a staff worker for her church youth group and leads one of her church’s Sunday worship teams. She also loves to knit Victorian and vintage patterns, spin wool into yarn, and is training to (very slowly) run a marathon.

Join me on my blog, Camy's Loft!

My review of Sushi for One? by Camy Tang

My review of Only Uni by Camy Tang

Only Uni by Camy Tang

Overview: Senior biologist Trish Sakai is ready for a change from her wild, flirtatious behavior. So Trish creates three simple rules from First and Second Corinthians and plans to follow them to the letter. No more looking at men as possible dates, especially non-Christians. Second, tell others about Christ. And third, she will persevere in hardship by relying on God. And just to make sure she behaves, she enlists the help of her three cousins, Lex, Venus and Jennifer, the only Christians in their large extended family.

But Trish’s dangerously tempting ex-boyfriend, Kazuo the artist, keeps popping up at all the wrong moments, and her grandmother, who has her eye on his family money, keeps trying to push the two of them back together again. Then there’s Spencer, the hunky colleague at work who keeps turning Trish’s thoughts in the wrong direction.

It just isn’t fair! She’s trying so hard, but instead of being God’s virtuous woman, she’s going nuts trying to stand firm against two hunky guys. Trish thought following her three rules would be a cinch, but suddenly those simple rules don’t seem so simple after all.

ISBN-13: 9780310297741
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication date: 5/26/2009
Series: Sushi Series

Format: eBook
Pages: 368

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My Thoughts: This is a perfect addition to Camy Tang's Sushi series. Not only do we get to visit our favorite volleyball player, Lex, and her fun, witty cousins, but we get to delve more into the life of Trish. The story flows and weaves around you as you're reading it. I loved the dialogue, Trish's smart mouth and sass. Written in true Camy Tang style, you'll feel plunged into the Japanese/Chinese American culture.

I loved getting to know Trish better. I really enjoyed following her on her journey of discovery of self and pursuit of God. She is sassy, smart, a little whiny, and a lot unsure of herself. Her relationship with Kazuo was so different from the relationship she tried to avoid with Spencer. It was comical to read about her trying to follow rule #1 and failing miserably. Spencer was another great male character. He was smart-allack enough for Trish, but loving, kind, and very true to himself.

The message of the story resonated deep with me. We all have a past, every single one of us. To God, it doesn't matter how "bad" or "good" you were. What matters is that you confess your sins to God and He will forgive you, no matter what! Sometimes accepting that is the hardest thing a Christian will do. Trish wrestles with forgiving herself, as Christ has forgiven her, throughout the entire story. I loved the Camy Tang took something that everyone will struggle with at some point in time, and made it so real.

Overall, this was a fantastic book. Full of fun characters, witty dialogue, and a deep message, readers will devour this book from beginning to end.

About the Author: Camy writes Christian romantic suspense as Camy Tang and Regency romance under her pen name, Camille Elliot. She grew up in Hawaii, where she started reading Regency romances when she was thirteen years old. Now she lives in northern California with her engineer husband and rambunctious dog.

She graduated from Stanford University in psychology with a focus on biology, and for nine years she worked as a biologist researcher. Then God guided her path in a completely different direction and now she’s writing full time, using her original psychology degree as she creates the characters in her novels.

In her free time, she’s a staff worker for her church youth group and leads one of her church’s Sunday worship teams. She also loves to knit Victorian and vintage patterns, spin wool into yarn, and is training to (very slowly) run a marathon.

Join me on my blog, Camy's Loft!

My review of Sushi for One? by Camy Tang

Sushi for One? by Camy Tang

 I received this book from a group giveaway on Goodreads. I've chatted with Camy Tang and even given away copies of her books. I just realized that I never actually posted MY REVIEW of this book, so I decided to do that!

Overview: Lex Sakai’s family is big, nosy, and marriage-minded. When her cousin Mariko gets married, Lex will become the oldest single cousin in the clan.

Lex has used her Bible study class on Ephesians to compile a huge list of traits for the perfect man. But the one man she keeps running into doesn’t seem to have a single quality on her list. It’s only when the always-in-control Lex starts to let God take over that all the pieces of this hilarious romance finally fall into place.

ISBN-13: 9780310542391
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication date: 5/26/2009
Series: Sushi Series
Sold by: Zondervan Publishing
Format: eBook
Pages: 352

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My Thoughts: I could not have asked for a better book. Camy Tang is a phenomenal writer! The dialogue was entertaining and had me laughing out loud. Lex Sakai is a character to be reckoned with. She is strong, stubborn, and determined to make her way in the world, regardless of what her grandmother thinks is best for her. Aiden is patient, caring, and a bit close-minded (in the beginning). I loved watching their relationship blossom. I loved watching Aiden's relationship with the Lord blossom as well. Camy didn't make it feel rushed and she showed us, through side characters, how sitting back and listening and really trying to connect with the other person can open their eyes to the Lord.

The story, itself, was absolutely fantastic. I loved getting a look into the Japanese and Chinese cultures. It was interesting to see how Japanese Americans and Chinese Americans still practice some of their cultural norms. The message of the book is waiting on the Lord and seeking Him in all areas of our lives. Trust him with everything. Be patient and wait on Him. It was phenomenal to see how Lex's decisions affected her life and at the end she realized she made her life harder than it had to be. I absolutely loved it. I can't say enough great things about this book and I can't wait to get my hands on the next books in the series, Sushi Series.

**I received this book for free as part of Christian Fiction Devourers group giveaway on Goodreads.com. I was not required to give a review.**

About the Author: Camy writes Christian romantic suspense as Camy Tang and Regency romance under her pen name, Camille Elliot. She grew up in Hawaii, where she started reading Regency romances when she was thirteen years old. Now she lives in northern California with her engineer husband and rambunctious dog.

She graduated from Stanford University in psychology with a focus on biology, and for nine years she worked as a biologist researcher. Then God guided her path in a completely different direction and now she’s writing full time, using her original psychology degree as she creates the characters in her novels.

In her free time, she’s a staff worker for her church youth group and leads one of her church’s Sunday worship teams. She also loves to knit Victorian and vintage patterns, spin wool into yarn, and is training to (very slowly) run a marathon.

Join me on my blog, Camy's Loft!

Prelude for a Lord by Camille Elliot

Overview: Bath, England 1810.

At twenty-eight, Alethea Sutherton is past her prime for courtship; but social mores have never been her forté. She might be a lady, but she is first and foremost a musician.

In Regency England, however, the violin is considered an inappropriate instrument for a lady. Ostracized by society for her passion, Alethea practices in secret and waits for her chance to flee to the Continent, where she can play without scandal.

But when a thief ’s interest in her violin endangers her and her family, Alethea is determined to discover the enigmatic origins of her instrument … with the help of the dark, brooding Lord Dommick.

Scarred by war, Dommick finds solace only in playing his violin. He is persuaded to help Alethea, and discovers an entirely new yearning in his soul.

Alethea finds her reluctant heart drawn to Dommick in the sweetest of duets . . . just as the thief’s desperation builds to a tragic crescendo . . .

ISBN-13: 9780310320357
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication date: 8/5/2014
Pages: 352

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 Read an Excerpt

My Review:  I loved this book. The author did an excellent job with every part of this book. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the music and how it affected the characters in the book. They lent an extra layer of interest to the story and allowed me to really connect with the characters, even though my interest in music is elementary at best.

The characters were very well written. I could feel the struggle Alethea went through in her life. The emotions she had and the anger and bitterness she carried were tangible. Lord Dommick's struggle with PTSD (though it was not identified as such back in 1800's) was also tangible and well-incorporated in the story. Their romance was swift, but sweet. 

The message of the story was also very well written. Alethea struggled to learn that the God of her childhood was not the God real-life. The verses the author chose to use to portray this message to Alethea were unusual and well appreciated. Lord Dommick's struggle to capture the trust of his childhood, before the war, was relatable and real.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable. I look forward to learning more about the rest of the phenomenal characters in this book!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via the BookLook blogging program in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.*

About the Author: Camy writes Christian romantic suspense as Camy Tang and Regency romance under her pen name, Camille Elliot. She grew up in Hawaii, where she started reading Regency romances when she was thirteen years old. Now she lives in northern California with her engineer husband and rambunctious dog.

She graduated from Stanford University in psychology with a focus on biology, and for nine years she worked as a biologist researcher. Then God guided her path in a completely different direction and now she’s writing full time, using her original psychology degree as she creates the characters in her novels.

In her free time, she’s a staff worker for her church youth group and leads one of her church’s Sunday worship teams. She also loves to knit Victorian and vintage patterns, spin wool into yarn, and is training to (very slowly) run a marathon.

Join me on my blog, Camy's Loft!

Birthday Bash! - Day 4 - Camy Tang Guest Post / Water Your Faith Wednesday (July 16)

Hi guys, this is Camy Tang! I'm so excited Shannah's letting me guest post during her birthday bash on her blog!

Shannah asked me to write a little bit about my writing process. I have to admit, each book is different, but for most of my books, I start out with the characters. I have to have a good handle on the hero and the heroine, and the emotions and memories that drive them, before I can really work on the story.

When I first started writing, I didn't need visual props for my characters, but as I started adding more and more characters to my story worlds, I found that I needed something to help me keep the different characters separate so I could write them without muddling their personalities together.

For my Sonoma romantic suspense series, I have four books in the series published with Love Inspired Suspense with one more book coming in December, and one novella published in the Inspy Kisses collection, First Kisses. Inspy Kisses also just released a second collection this month, Sealed With a Kiss, and in it I have a "short novel" (I'm not sure what else to call it because it's longer than a novella but a little shorter than my Love Inspired Suspense books) that's also in my Sonoma series.

So with a total of 7 stories in my Sonoma series, that 7 heroes and 7 heroines, and maybe it's age or something, but I just needed pictures to keep them straight in my head!

For this latest story, titled "Unshakeable Pursuit," choosing a visual aid for my hero was a no-brainer--I've been watching the TV show Arrow and the hero is just so awesome! He's got a great backstory with that haunted look behind his eyes that makes you realize he went through a lot of suffering in those years he was away from civilization.

My hero, Dr. Geoffrey Whelan, also went through a lot of suffering in his years serving as a medical missions doctor in Japan after the devastating tsunami, and so I immediately cast the actor, Stephen Amell, as the visual prop for my hero.

For my heroine, nurse Maylin Kinley, she's compassionate but also clever and has a little bit of a smart mouth when the hero gets too overbearing. :) Maylin came from a verbally abusive family and also a verbally abusive ex-boyfriend, and so she's a bit over-reactive to strong, masculine guys like my poor hero. She's not about to let anyone bully her, much less the new doctor on staff.

I had recently been watching the TV show Primeval: New World, and one of the characters, Toby Nance, was perfect for my heroine. In the series, Toby is smart but also kind. So I cast the actress, Crystal Lowe, for the visual prop for my heroine.

Once I had my two characters staring at me (literally) from my screen, I was able to fill in their backstories and also create a suspense mystery around them, taking advantage of the fact that Sonoma, California, is a small town that also gets a lot of tourist traffic. Even an innocent doctor and nurse can inadvertently attract danger.

I also made sure to make the characters' careers play a significant part in the mystery. And lastly, I figured out the characters' families, because family really does play a big part in shaping who we are. Geoffrey's family makes an appearance in "Unshakeable Pursuit," and I hope to write their romances soon!

So that's it, my writing process for this latest book! I hope you all check out Sealed With a Kiss, an Inspy Kisses collection, which is on sale right now for only 99 cents.

Thanks for letting me blog, Shannah!

Camy

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Romans 12:10-13 (ESV)

I recently had several days where I wasn't feeling very well--one or two days each week, not all in a row. Breaking up my week with a couple sick days really undermined my productivity for my work, which is writing. In addition to writing my own novels, I also do some write-for-hire projects which help pay my mortgage, and I'm in the middle of one of those right now. And right after that, I have one of my romantic suspense novels due to my editor at Love Inspired Suspense.

The stress has hit me in the form of zits. Yes, pimples. All over my face. And they HURT! (Camy whines a little.) And when I'm just recovered from being sick, and my face is covered in zits, I really don't want to do much work.

And so I tell myself, "Jesus didn't slack off. He worked night and day healing people and then he prayed all night." Which, unfortunately, only makes me feel more like a loser. After all, my only job is writing. It's not running assays and caring for cells like I did when I worked in biology. It's only sitting in front of a computer to write.

But these verses from Romans remind me that we all have lots of different things we're to do. We're not just to work, we're to serve the Lord. We're to love one another. We're to pray for one another. We're to show hospitality. There is so much more to life than just work and stress and zits.

Paul isn't trying to give a pep talk, nor is he trying to shame people into doing better. He's reminding us that our lives in Christ are more than one dimension, more than just going to church or Bible study or Sunday School. We're to love, work, pray, and serve for Jesus's sake.

When things get stressful, it helps me to take a step back and see the larger scope of my life. It's not just all the things on my to-do list, it's all the things Jesus is doing in me to make me more like Him.

I encourage you to take a step back today in prayer, to see how Jesus is molding you through all the things you do, and make sure you're doing them all for Him.

See my review of Sushi for One?

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