Cover Envy: Shuffle Up and Deal by Susan DiPlacido

Cover Envy is a weekly feature posted on Mondays at As the Pages Turn where we find only the most beautiful, spectacular jaw-dropping covers in the world of books. Today’s Cover Envy Spotlight goes to Shuffle Up and Deal by Susan DiPlacido and this is why I think it is so deserving.

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• File Size: 744 KB
• Print Length: 427 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 145058859X
• Publisher: Neon Fiction (March 3, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003AYEMKC

Meet Izzy Santillo. She’s a charming-but-lonely thirty-four year old woman who loves poker and harbors a secret crush on the reigning king of Hold ‘em.

Meet Nick Nolan, the reigning king of Hold ‘em. On the tables, he’s fast and loose and almost always wins. But when it comes to women, playboy Nick holds his cards too close and always loses.

When Izzy and Nick meet in embarrassing fashion at a Las Vegas poker tournament, Izzy’s secret dreams turn into a public nightmare. But despite her humiliation, she may have finally sparked Nick’s interest in something other than cards. Before long, Nick takes a gamble on Izzy and raises the stakes when he offers to help her sharpen her game. But Izzy’s convinced that Nick is bluffing and will fold his hand after he’s had her on the flop. But a string of outrageous proposition bets and steamy trips on the poker tour, from Los Angeles to Miami, make these two fierce competitors realize that it may be time to put all their chips on the table. Will Izzy and Nick pair up? Or will they lose it all if they go all-in for each other? Sit down, ante up, and hang on, as Nick and Izzy get ready to Shuffle Up and Deal.

Isn’t this the most fun cover you’ve ever seen?  I talked to the author about how it was made and she gave me some delicious pointers!  For one thing, I chose this cover to be featured today because it had the wow factor for me.  The colors just pop right off the page, don’t they?  And second, I love illustrated  covers.  It all goes to prove that even self-pubbed books have fantastic covers.  WTG, Susan!