Stand-Alone Novels
These stories are near and dear to me. They include my very first novel as well as books that took years to write.
I am glad I'm able to share them with you.
SECRET LIVES OF HUSBAND AND WIVES
(Women's Fiction)
DIGITAL: 9781942052876
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TRADE PAPERBACK: 978-1942052869
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The divorce of a community's "perfect couple" exposes the cracks in the marriages of their neighbors and sets off a series of events
with life-altering consequences.
Suburbia is a jungle, filled with lots of vicious creatures.
Take the Paradise Heights Women’s League board. Lyssa Harper should have warned golden-haired DILF du jour Harry Wilder what he was getting into when she invited him to meet the mommies who run their suburban, gated community. At least he brought cupcakes. Since meeting the former Master-of-the-Universe turned stay-at-home single dad, Lyssa has been his domestic Sherpa, teaching him the ins and outs of suburban life. She just didn’t realize her friends would show up at his house unannounced with casseroles, leopard-print bikini briefs, and plans to rearrange his kitchen cabinets.
The truth is, if Harry and his wife, the neighborhood’s "perfect couple," can call it quits, what does that mean for everyone else? Lyssa’s husband, Ted, is a great father, but he pays less attention to her than her Pilates-pumped momtourage. Her friends gossip about the neighbors while ignoring their own problems: infertility, infidelity, and eating disorders.
When Harry sets boundaries with his new fan club, he is exiled from the neighborhood’s in-clique. But Lyssa refuses to snub him. What she never expects is the explosive impact her ongoing friendship with Harry will have on her close-knit pals—and on her marriage.
REVIEWS
“Already touted as the perfect summer beach read, this character-driven sometimes steamy book can best be described as the offspring of an affair between Desperate Housewives and a Jennifer Weiner novel….A quick look into the sometimes catty world of wealth where priorities get shifted, friendships get broken and marriages, like their mansions, get rearranged. It was light and fluffy with some excellent dialogue.”
—GoodHousekeeping.com
“Fans of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES will love this story. The quick pace and snappy dialogue make this a fun read.”
—Romantic Times
“Brown's novel offers an enjoyable take on suburban California family life, complete with mommy cliques, rebel teenagers, and, of course, lots of adultery. This is a town where kids have names like Tanner, McGuyver, and Temple; women meet daily at Starbucks to measure themselves against each other, and facials and pedicures are scheduled around school pickups. These women, inside their fishbowl, are fun to peer in on, and the momentum of Brown's writing and the plot keeps the pages turning.
—Booklist
THE CANDIDATE
(Political Thriller)
Seduction and intrigue are rampant on the campaign trail when a political campaign adviser discovers that Washington's power broker elite have embroiled his presidential candidate in a plot involving an act of terrorism on US soil.
Democratic political campaign consultant Ben Brinker can’t remember the last time he was excited by a candidate’s vision. He feels he’s lost his way, both emotionally and professionally. Worst yet, his show-me-the-money policy seems to have finally caught up with him. In no time at all the political pundits are calling Ben a "candidate cooler." Now Ben is desperate for any campaign gig he can get. As luck would have it, Andrew Harris Mansfield, the charismatic junior senator from North Carolina and former Marine pilot, asks Ben if he wants to run his soon-to-be-announced campaign for president.
Little does Ben know what's in store for Andrew, or their country. Nor does he realize that the key to saving both have been placed in his hands.
If you like political thrillers by David Baldacci, Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, Nelson DeMille, Chris Pavone or Daniel Silva, this is the book for you.
"Fast-paced, and full of twists. If you’re looking for great story that blends suspense, political corruption, and romance, look no farther than THE CANDIDATE." Gail Chianese, author, A Navy Homecoming
THE BABY PLANNER
(Women's Fiction)
In a world where zygotes need preschool applications and the wrong stroller can label you an unfit mother, pregnant professionals turn to Katie Johnson, San Francisco's most prestigious baby planner, long before their baby bumps become obvious under their Armani suits.
But setting up her clients with the latest must-have baby gadgets, top-notch doulas, and most desirable playgroups is just the start. For the anxious mommies who have her on speed dial, Katie is also therapist, referee, and best friend all in one.
Secretly, however, Katie longs for a baby of her own. Her husband, Alex, refuses to do more than what he calls keeping an open mind, but when he gives her reason to doubt he means even that, Katie throws herself into helping her most clueless client of all. Seth Harris is raising his newborn daughter solo.
While Katie helps him navigate this difficult journey, she learns one very important lesson about family: How we nurture is the true nature of love.
REVIEWS
"Josie Brown takes babymania to its illogical, hysterical extreme in this bubbly romp. But what begins as a light foray into Bugaboo country turns into something bigger than a satire of status-obsessed Bay Area yummy mummies as Brown takes a dark look at the fears of parenthood and family, with Katie's heartbreaking longing for a child unveiling a disturbing reality about her marriage and family. Still, the message from the somber realities is one full of hope: love makes a family, commitment keeps it together."
—Publishers Weekly
"We love Josie Brown. Plain and simple. We first fell for her when we read the impossibly delicious Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives, and now we’re falling all over again after consuming her latest fun, funny, and completely satisfying novel, The Baby Planner." — Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
A funny, engaging, and often bittersweet tale."
—Cincinnati Public Library Spotlight Feature
"If you’re looking for a fun and thought-provoking summer read, Josie Brown’s The Baby Planner is the one to pack in your beach bag."
—Examiner.com
"Fun with a bittersweet twist, The Baby Planner will have you putting the kids to bed early so you can put your feet up and dive into this delicious read."
—SheKnows.com
"...The other thing I loved about The Baby Planner was how realistic the characters seemed, the humor value, and the way Ms. Brown was able to get the reader to connect to and sympathize with Katie. Ms. Brown never uses exaggeration to get her point across. Her characters thrive on their own and take on various personalities, based on their role in the story. They always give off a familiar feel that makes me think they're standing right in front of me. Katie is down to earth, but also going through the longing for children that many women can relate to. And even if they can't, she's still someone you want to hug, laugh with and cry with, all at the same time."
—Melissa Amster, Chick Lit Central
"I could not put this book down. If you like Sophie Kinsella, Sarah Pekkenan or Melissa Senate, you will love Josie Brown's writing."
—Mary Jacob, BookHounds.com
"One of Brown's biggest strengths as a writer is that her characters are so very real - from their flaws to their crowning glories, they are authentic, with easily relatable emotions and paths in life that you can see your friends or yourself taking. I found myself reading well into the wee hours."
—Write Here, Write Now
"Exceptional chick lit. It was simply a fun read. And although it’s mostly light-hearted, there were some serious issues and struggles that most women go through."
—LitFest Magazine
HOLLYWOOD HUNK
(Episodic Trilogy - Women's Fiction)
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There's only one thing worse than playing personal assistant to a handsome, egotistical, oversexed actor--falling in love with him.
REVIEWS
“The tone is confessional, the writing laced with venomous humor.”
–The Wall Street Journal
“Brown captures the humor of working for a megalomaniac. A well-paced, entertaining story.”
–Publishers Weekly
“A fine piece of literary work.” –New York Post, Page Six
“Josie Brown does an outstanding job capturing the glitz and glamour of Hollywood living yet illuminating the stark loneliness present beneath the façade. Filled with good-natured humor and witty repartee…”
—Romance Reader's Connection
“Before you check out the stars walking the red carpet at next Sunday's Oscars, spend time with Josie Brown's new satirical novel, about an irritating actor nominated for an Academy Award, his harried personal assistant, and all the angst endured from the moment the nominations are announced until the winning name is read out loud. Brown, a journalist with her share of celeb interviews, drops names a-plenty.”
–Lowell (MA) Press
“With tongue-in-cheek dialogue, Josie Brown provides a fascinating look at the jet set lifestyle of the rich and for-the-moment famous. You will laugh, cry, and wonder if it's worth it to be rich and famous.”
–Romance Reviews Today