Love and Lists (Chocoholics #1)
By Tara Sivec
Published: October 1, 2013
Genre: New Adult
Love and Lists is the first book in the Chocolate Lovers spinoff Chocoholics:
The foulmouthed offspring tell their stories. Twenty five year old Gavin Ellis has always had the love and support of his family ever since he was a little boy and couldn't stop talking about his penis. He's also always had their unsolicited advice and uncanny knack of embarrassing him at all costs. Now that he's an adult and trying to convince the love of his life to love him back, things haven't changed very much from when he was younger. When Gavin's best friend Tyler suggests he make a todo list of items that will ensure he wins the girl, Gavin is one hundred percent on board: after a few six packs. After puking in the shrubs, a bad experience with Viagra, a SexEd course gone wrong, and a slew of other mishaps courtesy of his family and friends, Gavin is pretty sure this list will be the death of him. Sometimes, trying to make someone love you with a list isn't always the best idea. Especially when "Show her your penis" is the first "todo" item...
J&M's Book Diaries Rating:
J&M's Review:
This spin-off series the Chocoholics is about the offsprings of our two favorite couples. Gavin Ellis is now a grown 25 year old and Charlotte is a 22 year old & the oldest daughter to Liz and Jim. Since they were young, before they can even remember how or why, both Gavin and Charlotte knew they had the hots for one another. Through all the years of growing up and being best friends neither one of them ever had the courage to tell each other of their true feelings and they are unaware of the love they actually have for the other.
Now older and seeing that Charlotte is dating a guy longer than a few weeks. Gavin and his friend/dorm room-mate Tyler came up with an outrageous lists of things that will help Gavin win Charlotte's heart. Through the book he goes through the steps of doing so and makes a complete fool out of himself.
Without the knowledge of Gavin's doings. Charlotte and her "boyfriend" Rocco come up with a lists to win Gavin's heart and attention as well.
With all the back and forth between the two they finally have their moment and it becomes a sweet-disaster. Not their relationship, but their new sex life.
This book was short, but an entertaining read. Although filled with lots of awkward and embarrassing scenes. It was just hard for us to picture our 4 year old Gavin grown and talking about his sex life & let alone, can we picture our sweet-sexy Carter and old man. With that said, the story was deliciously sweet, flirty, & witty. We did appreciate the fact that she added all the previous characters in the book and they are still as loving and hilarious as ever! Even though we didn't think it was as humorous as the Chocolate Lovers series, we still enjoyed it.
cook, genius and albino squirrel hunter. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two kids. In her spare time she
likes read, write and cover things in chocolate. Most of her material comes from real life experiences with
family and friends. Lucky for them, the names have been changed to protect the innocent (aka, drunk).
Tara also writes under the pen name T.E. Sivec where she can be serious, suspenseful and not at all funny.
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What inspired you to write your first book and how long did it take you to complete it?
My kids inspired me for the most part. I used to have a Facebook page called “Shit my kids say and do” where I would post all of the…well…shit they said and did LOL! After a while, people started telling me I should write a book. I used to write short stories and poems all the time so putting all of the crazy antics of my kids into a story was kind of easy. Seriously, when my kids talk, stories just write themselves! Add to that the fact that I’m surrounded by crazy friends and family and you’ve got a laundry list of inappropriate stories to tell. Once I sat down and really focused on the actual story, I’d say it took me about a month to finish it. When I have a storyline and characters in my head that won’t shut up, I need to get them out quickly!
Out of all the books you have written which is your favorite & who is your favorite character?
Even though the Chocolate Lovers series is what initially got my name out there and is responsible for this amazing journey I’m on, Watch Over Me will always be my favorite and the closest to my heart. It’s a fictionalized story of my life after I lost my mother a few years ago and it was pure hell to tell it, but I’m so happy I did. The amazing emails I’ve received from fans telling me that I helped them learn how to move on after losing a loved one has made it all worth it.
How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
I’m pretty loud an inappropriate when you get to know me. Therefore, everyone I’m surrounded by is usually loud and inappropriate by proxy. Something funny always happens and people know by now that I can and will put those things into a book. At the end of the night, someone always says, “OMG I hope this is n the next book!”
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Probably focusing on the story I’m supposed to be telling. I have a lot of things on my plate right now and I’m currently writing books in three different genres. My brain is a scary place to live, believe me!
If you can go back and change anything you have written what would it be & why?
I would never change any of it. I hope I’ve grown as a writer with each book I put out and I know I could probably go back and do things better, but I wouldn’t. Those books got me where I am today and I have to be satisfied with what I’ve accomplished, otherwise I’d second-guess everything I do.
What books/authors have influenced your writing?
There are too many to list! I’m amazed by the indie world right now. Every book I read just makes me want to better myself and makes me proud to be associated with these authors. When I grow up, I want to turn people on and make them cringe like CJ Roberts and Madeline Sheehan; I want to make them have all the feels like Andrea Randall, Tiffany King and Jasinda Wilder.
Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Read my books. Or else ☺
everywhere). This is one day only (a separate giveaway is being done for the tour!).
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Hi! Great interview! I'm an old follower and I nominated you for the Liebster award. Check it out on my blog: http://mynookbooksnmore.blogspot.com/2013/10/liebster-award.html
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