OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR THE MEMOIRS OF HELEN OF TROY (by Amanda Elyot)

“Men do not go to war over an abducted woman,” states Theseus, king of Athens, after kidnapping young Helen of Sparta. His words are both prophetic and true. Helen, in middle age, writes her autobiography for her daughter, Hermione, revealing how she became the notorious Helen of Troy. The half-immortal daughter of Zeus by Leda, queen of Sparta, Helen grows up nearly friendless, for her looks arouse women’s jealousy. Her youthful sexuality awakened by Theseus, Helen quickly learns that her beauty is both a source of power and a curse. When she abandons her dull husband, Menelaus, for handsome Paris Alexandros of Troy, Menelaus’ brother, Agamemnon, finds his excuse to conquer that faraway city. Intelligent yet occasionally vain, Helen lives out her greatest dream only to lose nearly everything she cherishes when Troy falls. Blending mythology with history, Elyot (pseudonym of actress-novelist Leslie Carroll) details Helen’s unforgettable journey from innocence to tragedy and, finally, happiness. Fans of historical women’s fiction will savor this engrossing novel about the rewards and dangers of following one’s heart.
— Sarah Johnson; ~Booklist

Amanda Elyot may not be as new a name as you would originally think. However, for this review, I’m not going to reveal Amanda’s identity yet. Suffice it to say, I’ve been a fan of her novels since her debut.

THE MEMOIRS OF HELEN OF TROY is a fictional piece of work that is so meticulously researched that it is hard to remember this isn’t a real autobiography. The novel begins with Helen of Troy writing a letter to her daughter, Hermoine. Helen is about to reveal all about her illegitimate birth (she was Zeus’s daughter), her kidnapping and relationship with Theseus in which she found herself deeply in love, her recapture that led to her barely tolerable marriage to Menelaus, and then her passion for the King of Priam’s son, Paris Alexandros.

The author admits that she took a few liberties with adjusting aspects of the mythological legends so that they better fit her story. I never noticed them, and I doubt many readers will.

THE MEMOIRS OF HELEN OF TROY is an amazing literary work. Here is where my reveal comes into play. Chick Lit/romance author Leslie Carroll wrote historical fiction long before she became a published author with her romance. I am thrilled that she turned back to her great love—historical fiction—and submitted this novel. It is vivid, luring and impossible to put down. Leslie, I sincerely hope that Hollywood considers looking at Troy from Helen’s angle. It would make a fascinating movie!
--Tracy Farnsworth; ~www.roundtablereviews.com

Elyot sweeps readers into Helen’s life story, painting an engrossing portrait of the woman and her times.
--Kathe Robin; ~Romantic Times Book Club

ENGAGING PLAY DATES IS ONE NOVEL TO BOOK!

Featured in Entertainment Weekly and an Us Weekly "hot book pick" !

In Manhattan's world of competitive mothering, Claire Marsh becomes seriously handicapped when her 15-years-senior husband leaves her for an older woman. Without a well-to-do husband and Hilda the housekeeper, how is Claire supposed to stay in the game of birthday parties that cost more than some weddings and a full roster of baby bikram (yoga) and kinder karate? Having married her husband when she was only 18, Claire finds herself a 26-year-old mother who has never had a job. Now she must find work, care for her daughter, and try not to let the sniping comments of other moms get to her. Fans of Carroll's lighthearted comedies-Reality Check (2002), Temporary Insanity (2004)-will find more of the same here. The story is engaging, and Carroll's mockery of the snobbishness that pervades some urban parenting circles is spot on.
~ Booklist

PLAY DATES is a fresh new look at motherhood and romance, New York style, and is a guaranteed winner for those cold nights in front of the fire, with this book and a nice glass of cabernet.
-- Diana Risso; ~ Romance Reviews Today

PLAY DATES is a satiric social commentary on the materialistic manners and mores of pushy upscale parents, but it is also a playful glimpse into the lives of attractive, intelligent young single women like the Marsh girls, who can’t seem to find a good straight guy in New York.

Perhaps it’s no accident that the British-inflected school is named Thackeray, calling to mind the trenchant and engaging Victorian satirist William Makepeace Thackeray, whose Vanity Fair depicted the vicious alliance of money and class and its seductive, destructive power. Claire Marsh, however, is no conniving, social climbing Becky Sharpe, though Claire is smart, and funny, and an advocate of work that is imaginatively and honestly done. At Thackeray, however, it’s not unusual for nannies to do the children’s homework and have creative projects that children do themselves rejected because they look as though a child does them!

Play Dates is a charming, timely and instructive tale that holds attention, though there’s never a doubt that the story will end happily. Parents besieged by the play-date syndrome will find solace, and single moms, regardless where their child goes to school, will probably cheer.
-- Joan Baum
~The Independent – the newspaper of East Hampton, Southampton …:

TEMPORARY INSANITY a permanent hit!!

This is the kind of letter authors dream about … when we realize how much our writing touches the life of a complete stranger:

Dear Leslie Carroll:

I happened to be inside a Borders book store on Sunday, June 27th. I saw the cover of your book "Temporary Insanity". I turned to read the back of it and knew I had to purchase it. However, I had no idea that the book would mimic my life as close as it did. I was raised by my grandmother (whom I call Mema). I've lived w/ her all of my life. I am 26 years old and unfortunately... my grandmother (Mema) passed away on Sunday, January 11, 2004. I feel like your book is about my life w/ Mema. I finished the book today (Wednesday, June 30th) and I have to say, it's by far the best book that I've ever read. I've been struggling to find some sort of happiness since she passed because we were extremely close. I have always declined the thought of imagining living life without my beloved Mema. I don't want to waste your time but I just had to let you know that your book brought some happiness into my life. Happiness is something that I have not experienced since January 11, 2004 and for that... I thank you Ms. Carroll. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Charmaine Boone
Capitol Heights, MD

And then there are the critics:

Carroll’s dramatic flair and peppy, earnest account of all-too-real office scenarios distinguish this spirited chick-lit offering.
Publishers Weekly

Author Leslie Carroll’s powerful piece of fiction takes you inside the life of a starry-eyed, young, employed hopeful, who finds out keeping her sanity isn’t an option in her position. Check out the book from your local bookseller and employ Carroll’s words to your own life.
-- Complete Woman magazine

TEMPORARY INSANITY turns the focus from Leslie Carroll’s previous romances to something a little more serious, a little meatier. Alice is a struggling actress in a sea of fellow actors and actresses all looking for that big break. I have this feeling that Leslie tapped into a lot of her own personal experience for this book. Her days are filled with frustration, joy and grief as she learns the hard way that dating fellow employees is not a good idea, that some bosses just cannot be pleased, and even that there are unfair practices in many companies. I felt Alice’s rage. Read the whole boss’s daughter’s wedding scenario, and you’ll see what I mean! Yet, I have worked for a boss that I’m sure could have pulled that off given the opportunity. Sometimes it is better to walk away from a job while your dignity is intact!

There are a few minor romances, but this book is certainly not only a romance. It is more the relationship between two generations and their struggles to live their lives to the fullest while dealing with obstacles that are thrown their way. It’s like a part of your own life put into words. Plan for a few laughs, a few heartfelt sighs, and even some angry moments that make you glad you are not in Alice’s shoes. TEMPORARY INSANITY is a great book to read with your friends in order to indulge in a few thought-provoking discussions after.
-- www.roundtablereivews.com; (Tracy Farnsworth)

TEMPORARY INSANITY introduces you to a city filled with struggling artists, rat bastards and people that do that name proud. It’s poignant, funny and touching. With it, Leslie Carroll has found the perfect outlet for her talented and entertaining writing voice and creating an approachable heroine that I’d like to be best friends with. Alice Finnegan is a struggling actress; in her thirties and with dreams of stardom she lives with her grandmother and survives on temp jobs. She survives office romances, tyrannical bosses and “well-meaning” casting directors’ recommendations with the help of her two best friends and fellow actors Izzy and Dorian. It’s her beloved grandmother though, a former Ziegfeld showgirl, who bestows on her the advice and encouragement needed to not only survive, but to actually succeed in this city.

With the subjects tackled close to Leslie Carroll’s own experiences and the setting once more in her beloved hometown, it’s no wonder that the story has a very personal and autobiographical feel to it. Being a big fan of Leslie Carroll’s two previous releases, Miss Match and Reality Check I was curious of how her writing voice would adjust to straight women’s fiction. It works! The voice has stayed the same, but now it comes with an even greater confidence.

Once more its spot-on dialogues and an unforgettable cast of characters – just take Alice’s grandmother of over ninety performing her high kicks at an Atlantic City nightclub. Do I need to say more? Temporary Insanity does have its laugh-out-loud comic scenes, but it is the quiet and introspective moments, the courage and hopes that really touched my heart. Welcome to Avon Trade, Leslie Carroll. I’m looking forward to your 2005 release, Play Dates!
-- www.aromancereview.com; (Kris Alice Hohls).

Ms. Carroll provides a storyline, which includes friendship, family, survival and hope, an interesting mix. Excellent characterizations and strong secondary characters, such as Gram make this an enjoyable read.
-- Reviewed by Charlene McConnell; ~www.theromancereadersconnection.com, 4 hearts

TEMPORARY INSANITY is Leslie Carroll's first chick lit book for Avon Trade, and she has succeeded in creating a character who is smart, witty, and at the same time, vulnerable to the foibles ofthe dating game. Alice Finnegan will make you laugh, cry, and suffer with her through the trials of temporary employment, acting auditions and romance, and perhaps elicit a poignant smile as Gram tells Alice how to best proceed with her life. [It’s] a fast paced, funny tale of life in the Big Apple that is sure to please any reader, whether they are looking for a "happily ever after" or not. Ms Carroll has proven that she knows how to write for the modern woman, and readers should look forward to her next Avon Trade contribution.
-- Patti Fischer; Romance ReviewsToday

The author, Leslie Carroll, is an actress herself and has supported herself as a temporary service employee. With this novel, she brings the world of New York drama, both stage and screen, to life with interesting backstage details. The city, a vivid backdrop to Alice's misadventures, is as colorful as the quirky cast of characters... anyone who has juggled career and personal life with a dream will enjoy sharing Alice’s TEMPORARY INSANITY.
-- LDRS RL DazzleRomance Fiction; Susan Lantz/AOL Romance Fiction Forum

Reviews for Leslie Carroll’s
MISS MATCH

"Contemporary romance fans are in for a special treat with Leslie Carroll's debut, MISS MATCH for Ballantine, March 2002! A 30-something NYC drama teacher feels her biological clock ticking and decides to join a dating service, Six In The City, in hopes of finding her life mate. Immediately attracted to the dating service's temporary manager, who has sworn never to marry, what ensues is hilarious dating high-jinks! Will MISS MATCH ever meet her match? Romantic comedy has definitely found its match in the refreshing new voice of Leslie Carroll! Don't miss the absolutely adorable, terrific and touching MISS MATCH!
 - Patricia Rouse, Romantic Times Columnist

The ups and downs of the wild world of dating are riotously explored in this fun-filled debut. Fresh, funny, and fast-paced, author Leslie Carroll starts off her career with a bang!
 - Romantic Times, 4 ½ stars - “top pick” for April, 2002

Debut author Leslie Carroll skyrocketed her way up to the top of my automatic purchase list. MISS MATCH blends scintillating narrative, scorching love scenes and a vivacious heroine and teddy bear hero whose witty banter added just the right dose of humor to the well-rounded romance. The supporting cast of characters are just as brilliant, yet they never outdid the main characters, they were blended in perfectly. With its fast pace, entertaining story line and passionate romance, I know MISS MATCH will gain quite a following. I cannot wait for Ms. Carroll's next book and truly hope it will not be too long a wait!
 - www.theromancereadersconnection.com, 4 ½ plugs

Leslie Carroll has penned a winner! I had the privilege of reading this book to quote and thoroughly enjoyed it. Anyone who loves chick/Brit lit as I do, can’t help but be taken in by Ms. Carroll’s engaging characters and witty dialogue. Ms. Carroll obviously knows her setting of NYC well, and does a great job of bringing it to life. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great, fun read.
 -Millie Criswell, bestselling author

Leslie Carroll's debut book is a joy and will satisfy readers of romance and chick literature alike. Intelligent writing with a colorful cast will boost MISS MATCH right up on many a keeper shelf… MISS MATCH paints an honest and very often hilarious picture of relationships. It's not sweet and mushy but real without losing the romance and the utterly charming desirable romantic moments…. She's got the rhythm and language just right for her colorful cast of characters, giving them all their own quirky and unique personality, proving her to be an author with a very good ear for snappy/witty dialogue.
 - www.aromancereview.com

MISS MATCH is such an entertaining story, full of enigmatic characters and lots of laugh out loud moments. Leslie Carroll is definitely an author to watch. This is her first book and MISS MATCH has made me impatient to sample the author's next offering. If you enjoy a story filled with humor, sensuality, romance and strong characters, you'll love this book!
 - www.romanceandfriends.com

A laugh a minute love story with the best food fight ever written.
 - RENDEZVOUS

Reviews for
Reality Check

REALITY CHECK is another declaration of love to New York, a city that proves to be the perfect setting for Leslie Carroll's clever and sexy romantic comedies.
Liz Pemberley and her roommates audition for a new reality show, are chosen to participate, and now have to reveal their worst dating disasters to a live audience, with the rest of America watching and listening. Hosting the show is none other than Rick Byron, hunky Hollywood actor and bad date experience for Kitty Lamb in Leslie Carroll's wonderful debut novel, Miss Match.
Written in short chapters, which come across staged like scenes of a movie, Reality Check is very well paced, moves along smoothly -- and is a very witty, extremely sexy and oh soooo romantic comedy. Ms Carroll's alternative jobs as actress and scriptwriter are obvious in the wonderful dialogues, to-the-point character descriptions and the short but poignant scenes.
With an excellent supporting cast and a story that kept me riveted until the very last page, it was impossible to put down Reality Check until I was assured of all the protagonists' well deserved happy endings. It will be sad to lose Leslie Carroll to Avon Trade Paperbacks and away from the romantic comedies I like her for, but I'm sure that love and laughter will always be part of her stories no matter who she will write for. I enjoy her writing voice enough - and I'm positive others do too -- to keep on reading any of her stories for any of her publishers.
 - www.aromancereview.com

Carroll offers a tongue-in-cheek look at one of television's hottest trends in this comic contemporary romance. This cheery caper will strike a chord with readers who have had plenty of dating dilemmas.
 - Publishers Weekly

The huge national obsession with reality-based television makes its way into romance novels. To be honest, I was prepared not to like REALITY CHECK. I
was surprised by its pithy, humorous look at the craze that has swept the world. Leslie Carroll gives readers not one, not two, not even three.... but fourteen contestants who share their woefully painful stories of dating, yet manage to find love and romance among their fellow contestants! I found myself unable to put the book down; waiting anxiously to see which contestant would win the million dollars. I won’t tell you who, or how...you need to read this one for yourself. I will say, however, that I was singularly impressed with how Leslie Carroll came up with the perfect solution.
The characters in REALITY CHECK run the gamut from the elegant, born with a silver spoon in her mouth, trust-fund baby Anella Avignon, better known as
Nell, to the gum-popping, stripper, hooker, who dates every mobster in New York, Candy Fortunato on the women’s side. On the men’s side they run from
elegant, classy, sexy, handsome restauranteur Jack Rafferty to smarmy personal injury lawyer who was the first runner-up in the George Hamilton tanning contest Millard Milhaus. The characters, needless to say, keep the laughter rolling.
Readers will not want to miss this laugh-a-minute offering from Leslie Carroll. REALITY CHECK definitely deserves a sequel.
 - Judith Rippelmeyer, www.thewordonromance.com

"Leslie Carroll hits a bull's-eye as she cleverly taps into the current reality based TV craze. Funny, yet filled with cutting edge wit, irony and human foibles, REALITY CHECK is a truly modern courtship tale. Definitely an author on the rise!"
  - Jill Smith, Romantic Times

REALITY CHECK, the new urban romantic comedy by Leslie Carroll is nothing but a bundle of laughter and wit in the convenient form of a book! Ms. Carroll has penned a lightly satirical, sassy, sexy and exciting book that mocks the current craze for reality TV shows.
Picture three trendy and hip bachelorettes sharing an apartment and living in the skyscraper city of NY-- Liz Pemberley is a smart-mouthed ad copywriter who's disenchanted with foisting useless products onto the gullible public and has an incurable penchant for nosiness; Anella 'Nell' Avignon is a good natured Park Avenue "trust-fundette" who works at not working; and thirdly we have Jemima Lawrence who's a cool and collected lady, a teacher by profession, who can't believe that her other, a black woman, gave her daughter that awful name!
Ms. Carroll has made terrific use of the growing trend of reality based TV shows in her scrumptious new book REALITY CHECK. She not only takes the readers onto the set of Bad Date, but also behind the scenes. She shows the deep and hidden motivations of the participants who're willing to reveal their most personal details to millions of viewers. It's not just the prize money, as we come to learn. Episode by episode, the story progresses until it reaches the most unpredictable but highly entertaining ending!! How true or honest these 'reality' shows are -- well, Ms. Carroll reveals that too. The dating disaster stories will strike a chord with many of us and the readers are bound to see bits of Liz, Nell and Jem in their own girl friends.
These plucky gals come to life under Leslie Carroll's deft touch and they're sure to remain in our memories long after the last page has been turned. The heat between Liz and Jack leaps right of the page and the sizzle factor increases astronomically! Kudos to Leslie Carroll who sensitively tells this fast-paced story in a funny and yet poignant manner that will touch the readers to their very soul! Charming, upbeat and an outrageous romp!
  - www.roadtoromance.ca

"Leslie Carroll's second romantic comedy for Ballantine/Ivy (Jan. 2003), REALITY CHECK really rocks! This terrific, topical contemporary has three savvy NYC roommates checking in as contestants for the new reality game show, Bad Date, where they must reveal their worst dates weekly on national TV to stay in the running for the million dollar prize. A no fraternization clause in the show's contract proves a problem for clever copywriter, Liz Pemberley when she's immediately smitten with co-contestant and Floridian restaurateur, Jack Rafferty, who is just too good to be true and actually craves love and marriage. Ms. Carroll's latest comedy of errors kept me smiling throughout as each contestant reveals their worst dating nightmares and Liz and Jack's relationship really steams up. Readers should definitely check out REALITY CHECK at their local bookstores on January 1, 2003 to put smiles on their faces as well!"
  - Patricia Rouse, Author PR/Romance Readers' Groups Liaison

REALITY CHECK is romantic comedy at its very best! Ms. Carroll's characters are today's men and women with all their sass and creativity to deal with the modern world. Set in New York City, it pulls on all the zany characters that grow like mushrooms in its rich diversity.
Three roommates decide to interview for the Bad Date Game Show where you tell about your worst dates ever. The carrot held in front of you is a million dollars. However, one of the rules is that you can't fraternize with any co-contestants. Bull's-eye! Right off the bat, Liz Pemberley, a cool copywriter who has won prestigious awards, is headed for trouble when she tangles with tall, dark and handsome Jack Rafferty, a restaurateur from Florida. Jack is adorable, smart, polite, sexy and so delicious you could eat him with a spoon.
Jack has had rotten luck with women, but when he meets Liz he is smitten. I have to tell you, I fell in love with Jack instantly. I had the time of my life reading about how he and Liz carried on a fabulously heady, and sometimes torrid, love affair right under everyone's noses. The best part was they truly fell in love and it's sooo beautiful. Liz has a quick wit and has everyone wondering what she will say next as she duels weekly with the Hollywood movie star/host who is trying to move in on Jack's territory.
The secondary characters will have you howling. Liz's matchmaking skills are a hoot and a half and will have you grinning as well at her hilarious escapades with playing cupid to her two roommates. REALITY CHECK is first-rate entertainment. Put this on your list as the first book to read in the New Year. Ms. Carroll makes the most of every situation. Her characterization is nothing short of brilliant! I'm ready to read it again!
  - Suzanne Coleburn Winner of Melinda Helfer Fairy Godmother Award 2002/Reader To Reader Reviews

Leslie Carroll's storytelling ability and wit make this story work. It is at times funny, witty, and sexy. The first person narrative from Liz's exclusive point of view is a unique way to tell a romance; it allows the reader to experience the heroine's reactions to the eveloping relationship right along with her. REALITY CHECK is a thoroughly modern and entertaining way to spend the afternoon.
  - romanceandfriends.com

Leslie Carroll went to the top of my auto-buy list last March when MISS MATCH was released. Her biting sense of humor, effervescent characters, and madcap stories struck a chord with me. Having grown up with a British mom, I am a fan and relate best to British comedy...and Leslie has a knack for that style of humor. If you enjoy BRIDGET JONES, you have to check out Leslie Carroll. You won't be disappointed!
  - theromancereadersconnection.com

This delightful romantic comedy is a tongue-in-cheek spoof of reality TV shows, but at its core, REALITY CHECK is a story of hard choices and of the power of love to overcome obstacles. The characters, both main and secondary, are likable and engaging, and the bad date stories are drolly amusing. Although Liz tries to fight her attraction to Jack and her growing feelings for him, deep in her heart she wonders if her focus on the prize might cause her to miss the perfect match.
Leslie Carroll's deft humor, sparkling dialogue, and very readable style draw the reader into Liz's life from the first page. Humorous yet poignant, REALITY CHECK is a wonderfully entertaining read, and Leslie Carroll is a name fans of romantic comedy will want to watch for.
 - Susan Lantz; Romance Reviews Today www.romrevtoday.com