Reviews: THE SUITE SPOT & IF YOU ASK ME
How in the world is it March already? It feels like just last week I was reading my first book of 2022 and now it’s nearly spring and I’ve read 46 books. Amazing how much reading time insomnia and cancelling your cable can get you, lol. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well. Today, I’m sharing two more fabulous reads that straddle the line between romance and women’s fiction. This was my second read from Trish Doller this year and she’s now an auto-buy author for me. This was my first time reading LIbby Hubscher and I enjoyed this one so much that I’m really hoping to read her last book Meet Me in Paradise later this month.
The Suite Spot (Beck Sisters, #2) Goodreads Author: Trish Doller
Publication Date: March 8, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
One of my first five star reads of 2022 was Float Plan, the first book in Trish Doller’s Beck Sisters series. It was such a beautifully written story about loss and grief and about how Anna Beck finds her path forward after losing the love of her life. That book just blew me away, so needless to say, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second book in the series, The Suite Spot, and meet Anna’s sister Rachel Beck. How did this book compare to the first one? 5 stars all the way!
Rachel Beck’s life is not going as she had hoped it would. She’s still living with her parents and she’s a single mom dealing with a flaky baby daddy. Rachel loves her daughter, and she loves her job as a night reservations manager at a posh hotel in Miami Beach, that is until she gets fired for telling off one of the hotel’s VIP guests when he tries to ram his tongue down her throat. With limited prospects, Rachel decides it’s time for a fresh start and she takes a management position at a brewery hotel on an island in Lake Erie called Kelleys Island.
I really admired Rachel’s spunk and determination. It’s not easy to just pack up and move across the country, but she knew she needed to do something both for herself and to make sure her daughter has the best possible life. I hated that she was wrongfully terminated from a job she loved, but I was so happy for her when it becomes clear that this new job is the chance of a lifetime, definitely professionally but also personally – if she can get Mason, the sexy but moody hotel owner to open up to her.
As much as I loved Rachel, I think I may have loved Mason even more. Under that moody exterior is a man who has suffered a devastating personal loss and is clearly still reeling from it and struggling to move forward. As soon as the townsfolk meet Rachel, they are rooting for her to be the one to help him put the pieces of his life back together. And I was rooting right along with them because I loved the chemistry between Rachel and Mason and I loved how they were such a great team when it came to bringing all of the details of the hotel together. They were just so in synch with one another and I thought they really brought out the best in each other too. Each is exactly what the other needed.
Rachel and Mason’s growing relationship had me 100% invested in the story from a romantic standpoint, and there was also plenty of angst and drama to keep me turning those pages. I also really loved all of the scenes that dealt with the brewery and with the designing of the hotel’s interior. Those scenes could have easily been dry and dull and pulled me out of the story, but instead, I thought the scenes were vibrant and really helped enhance the reading experience. I could practically see the beautiful rooms coming together and taste the new delicious craft beers that Mason was brewing.
I flew through The Suite Spot in just a couple of sittings and was left thoroughly satisfied by the book’s conclusion. If you’re in the mood for an engaging and heartwarming story with a strong focus on romance, family, and how to cope with loss and grief, you’re going to want to check out The Suite Spot. 5 STARS.
If You Ask Me Goodreads
Author: Libby Hubscher
Publication Date: March 8, 2022
Publisher: Berkley
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Libby Hubscher’s new novel If You Ask Me is a heartwarming and hilarious romance that follows what happens when a popular advice columnist finds her own life in turmoil.
Violet Covington writes Dear Sweetie, a popular advice column in North Carolina. She doles out sage wisdom on everything from matters of etiquette to parenting to relationship advice. When the story opens, Violet has just received the great news that her column is being considered for national syndication. She goes home, intending to tell her husband and celebrate, only to get there and discover he’s in their bed, naked with their neighbor. Feeling betrayed and hurt, rather than take a page from the countless times she has given advice on this subject, Violet goes off the rails, first by using her column to dole out some uncensored brutally honest advice and vent her frustration, and second, by torching almost all her cheating husband’s belongings on her front lawn. The second one isn’t all bad though as it brings a sexy firefighter named Dez to her door.
I found Violet to be a very sympathetic character and I liked her a lot, even though some of her rogue moments had me cringing for her, knowing she would regret her actions later. I also really loved Dez. It’s clear from those first moments with Violet that he’s a sweet and caring man, and that he’s a bit smitten with Violet even though she’s obviously a hot mess. I was so excited for her when he stopped by the next morning to make sure she was okay and left his phone number for her. I was rooting hard for the two of them to get together because they just seemed so perfect together, and Violet deserves so much better than a man who had the nerve to bring another woman into their bed.
As sweet as Violet and Dez’s journey to a possible happy ending is, it’s really Violet’s personal journey that drives this story. When she goes off the rails, it is not without consequences. There’s fallout professionally and personally because her boss is also her best friend. The hole she digs for herself forces Violet to take a good hard look at herself and decide how she’s going to find her path forward from the infidelity, especially if she hopes to have a future with Dez.
If You Ask Me is one of those books that has a little something for everyone. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me angry at times, and I loved how hopeful it had me feeling as the story wound to its conclusion. The writing is also wonderful, flowing smoothly so the story is an easy read, and I especially loved the entertaining excerpts we get from Violet’s Dear Sweetie column.
If You Ask Me is an enjoyable read that is sure to appeal to romance fans and to fans of women’s fiction. 4 STARS
Thriller Thursday Reviews: A Flicker in the Dark & Greenwich Park
Happy Thriller Thursday! Sharon here and this week’s theme is debut authors. 🙂 I love finding new authors to read, so I was very excited to read Stacy Willingham’s debut novel, A Flicker in the Dark and Katherine Faulkner’s debut novel, Greenwich Park. The synopsis for both of these books just jumped out at me and I am happy to report that I enjoyed both of them and look forward to reading more from both authors.
A Flicker in the Dark Goodreads Author: Stacy Willingham
Publication Date: January 11, 2022
Publisher: Minotaur Books
A Flicker in the Dark is Stacy Willingham’s debut novel and OMG! What a debut this was. I originally borrowed this from the library and I wasn’t even finished reading it and I had already gone and bought a copy of the book because I needed to have this in my collection.
The story follows 32-year-old psychologist Chloe Davis. When Chloe was 12 years old, six teenage girls went missing in her hometown of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Chloe’s father was arrested and eventually confessed to the murder of these girls. Her mother ended up trying to kill herself and now lives in a nursing home. All of this left Chloe and her older brother Cooper with many emotional scars. It is now twenty years later, and Chloe is still fighting her demons, but she has made a life for herself. She has her own practice in Baton Rouge and is engaged to be married to pharmaceutical rep Daniel. But when 2 local teenagers, with connections to Chloe, go missing and are eventually found dead, Chloe is transported back to that fateful summer when she was twelve.
I was in Chloe’s corner from the start. Chloe is a damaged, sympathetic, and strong character. She is also an unreliable character at times as well, which made her all the more intriguing. The book is told from the POV of Chloe, both in the present as well as memories of the summer when she was twelve. I loved getting her perspective of the events that happened during that summer twenty years ago. As more things were revealed from back then, I just fell in love with Chloe all the more and wanted to give her such a big hug. Now that it is the twentieth anniversary of the original murders, Chloe is being hounded by a reporter who is writing a column for the anniversary. When the 2 local teenagers are murdered, Chloe teams up with this reporter to try and stop history from repeating itself. I have to say, I did not trust this reporter at all. Then again, I didn’t trust anyone in this book except Chloe. LOL!
I loved the brother/sister relationship with Chloe and Cooper. They are there for each other no matter what. Cooper is always trying to protect Chloe, as is she with him. Cooper does not like or trust Chloe’s fiancé Daniel and I had to agree with him on that one because I didn’t trust Daniel either. I was also skeptical of Cooper at times. I don’t want to say what had me not trusting any of these characters because that would spoil things, but believe me, you won’t trust them either.
I cannot even begin to describe how good this book was. Nothing I say will do it justice. I was hooked right from the start. This book was full of suspense and tension, with twists and turns around every corner. Stacy Willingham did an amazing job creating characters and a tense setting that floated off the pages. Her writing had me fully engaged the entire time I was reading. With a debut novel like A Flicker in the Dark, I cannot wait to read whatever Willingham writes next. 4 ½ stars
Side note: A Flicker in the Dark has already been optioned by Emma Stone for a limited series and I am beyond excited.
Greenwich Park Goodreads Author: Katherine Faulkner
Publication Date: January 25, 2022
Publisher: Gallery Books
Katherine Faulkner’s debut novel Greenwich Park follows Helen Trope and her family (her husband Daniel, brother Rory and sister in-law Serena) as a mysterious woman, Rachel, worms her way into their lives and tries to destroy them.
Helen and Daniel are expecting their first child in a few weeks, after years of heartbreak from many miscarriages. When Helen attends her first prenatal class she meets Rachel, a young, single pregnant woman. Rachel and Helen could not be any more different. Where Helen is quiet, shy, and excited about becoming a mother, Rachel is loud, smokes and drinks and does not seem all that excited about having a baby. Despite their differences, Helen is drawn to Rachel and a fast friendship is formed. But their friendship is soon falling apart, as Rachel’s behavior becomes unsettling. After a heated argument with Helen, Rachel goes missing. As the police investigate, it becomes clear that Rachel meeting Helen was not by chance. Rachel had an ulterior motive, and she was threatening to expose secrets Helen’s family has been keeping.
While the story centered around Helen, and I did like her for the most part, her friend Kate was my favorite character. She is a reporter who is currently reporting on a rape case, and it is while she is working on this case that she discovers another rape case years ago that took place at the same college that Helen, Daniel, Rory, and Serena attended. As she digs deeper, she learns some disturbing facts about the case. I also really liked how she was there for Helen after Rachel disappeared and she even started investigating Rachel’s disappearance on her own. Kate’s digging into Rachel’s past turns up some disturbing facts and unearths secrets that Helen’s family was hoping would stay buried.
As I said, I did like Helen for the most part, but there were a few times that she annoyed me. Helen was too trusting and naïve in my opinion. There was one point in the story when Rachel showed up at Helen’s house on the night of her and Daniel’s anniversary. She was upset and looked like she had been abused so Helen let her stay the night (rightfully so), but one night turned into a couple of weeks. Rachel pretty much took over Helen’s house and all I could think of is ‘Why are you letting her walk all over you?”
I did enjoy trying to figure out what Rachel was up to. I liked the mystery about her and trying to piece things together. This book did have lots of twists I did not see coming and an ending that left me satisfied. Unfortunately though, for me the book did seem to drag at points. Despite the slow pace of the book, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Rachel and why she targeted Helen and her family. All in all, I thought Greenwich Park was a solid debut and look forward to reading more from Katherine Faulkner. 3 ½ stars
Reviews: BY ANY OTHER NAME & A BRUSH FOR LOVE
I’m back today to share some reviews for two wonderful new romances that are coming out on March 1. While I’m excited to share my thoughts on these two books, I did want to take a moment to say that my heart is with the people of Ukraine. I don’t know what the future holds for them, but their bravery and determination has really been inspirational.
By Any Other Name Goodreads Author: Lauren Kate
Publication Date: March 1, 2022
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Lauren Kate’s new novel, By Any Other Name, follows Lanie Bloom, a young woman who chose to be a romance editor specifically because of her love of the novels of Noa Calloway. Lanie has learned everything she knows about love and romance from Noa’s books and even agreed to marry her fiancé, Ryan, because he matched all the items on a checklist Lanie made, inspired by one of Noa’s books. Noa also happens to be a client at the publishing house where Lanie works. Fans (and the publishing house of course) are anxiously awaiting Noa’s latest novel, but there’s a problem – the elusive Noa is four months late delivering the manuscript and no one knows why, not even her editor, who is Lanie’s boss.
When Lanie’s boss doesn’t return to work after her maternity leave, Lanie is promoted, which means working side by side with her idol Noa. There’s one catch – Lanie only gets to keep the promotion (and probably her job as well) if she can get Noa to deliver a best-selling novel in the next three months. Lanie is excited to meet her idol but feels like a rug has been pulled out from under her when the meeting takes place and Noa is not at all what Lanie was expecting. Once Lanie got over her initial feelings of shock and betrayal, she and Noa bonded quickly and I loved watching the two of them work together. Noa’s issue is of course writer’s block and when Lanie hears the heartbreaking reason why Noa is struggling to write the latest book, she is determined to do everything she can to help make this book happen.
Working so closely with Noa makes Lanie reconsider some things in her own life and I really loved her journey and growth as a character. I also loved Lanie’s passion and her big heart and was really cheering her on to break through Noa’s writer’s block. Although Lanie and Noa were my favorite characters, I also had major love for the secondary characters as well, especially Lanie’s best friends and her grandmother. They were all charming, hilarious, and the best possible support system for Lanie.
I was also a huge fan of the book’s setting, which moved from New York to Italy, two of my favorite places in the world. Noa’s books have always been set in New York, but during their first big conversation about the writer’s block, Noa confesses that New York feels used up. I loved that Lanie was able to find a way to refresh Noa’s thoughts on New York and that we got to explore lesser known gems of the city with them.
One of the most special elements for me in By Any Other Name is Noa’s book. We are given an inside look at the premise of the story, as well as some actual excerpts. It’s beautiful and romantic and had me wishing it was a real book so I could read it from cover to cover.
If you’re like me and you enjoy books about books, books that make you laugh as well as shed the occasional tear, stories where a character’s personal growth takes center stage and that also feature a slow-burn, low-key romance, By Any Other Name is the book for you. 4 STARS.
A Brush with Love Goodreads
Author: Mazey Eddings
Publication Date: March 1, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I love stories that feature academic settings so I was drawn to Mazey Eddings new romance A Brush with Love because it’s set in a dental school. I thought this was an absolutely delightful read and found myself cheering for Harper and Dan from their first fateful meeting when Harper falls down the stairs, crashes into Dan and shatters the dental mold he has been slaving over for hours. I don’t usually do insta-love but something about their eyes meeting during this funny, clumsy meet cute just really appealed to me and I was hooked on seeing where this first meeting would take them.
Harper has no time for romance. She’s in her final year of school and is hoping to earn a placement in one of the top oral surgery residency programs in the country. She’s intense and driven and dedicates all her free time to studying. She also frequently experiences anxiety and feels like she has to be in control of all aspects of her life to keep that anxiety at bay. Harper feels bad about crushing Dan’s project though so she volunteers to help him recreate it, but that’s it, then it’s back to studying…even though she does think he’s cute. I really liked Harper a lot. I loved her determination and her passion for her career choice. I also felt that she could use a little more school/life balance though and that Dan might be exactly what she needs.
Dan is almost the opposite of Harper. Although he’s her age, 26, he’s just beginning dental school, and where she’s a superstar, Dan is struggling. He’s not doing well in his classes and he just doesn’t feel nearly as passionate as Harper does about going into this field. We learn that he has another passion but has given it up in order to help his mother with her dental practice, which she co-ran with Dan’s father until he passed away. I adored Dan. I loved that he was willing to make such a huge sacrifice for his mom, but at the same time, my heart broke for him since he was so clearly unhappy studying dentistry. Meeting Harper has clearly been the high point of his time at school and I loved him all the more for him understanding how important school is for her. Even though he really likes her, he respects her wishes to just be friends
I thought the author did a wonderful job of making their budding relationship feel very realistic, especially in terms of the ups and downs. Dan and Harper start spending a lot of time together and the more they bond, the harder it is to just stay friends. But there’s a lot of turmoil as they are both working through personal issues in addition to just the normal school stress. I loved how Dan was always so supportive of Harper and didn’t give up on her no matter how difficult she could sometimes make things. Dan was so good for her that I just kept hoping he would win her over for a more-than-friends relationship.
Aside from Harper and Dan, I also loved most of the side characters in this book, especially Harper’s friend group. Her squad is filled with vibrant personality; they’re both hilarious and also just such an awesome support system for Harper.
I highly recommend A Brush with Love to anyone who enjoys a sweet, realistic friends-to-lovers romance, an academic setting, and a cast of awesome secondary characters. 4 STARS.