Reviews – FUNNY STORY & CHRISTA COMES OUT OF HER SHELL

April 19, 2024/7 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! My blogging slump unfortunately continues, but I did have to pop on to share two of my favorite reads from April. Emily Henry and Abbi Waxman are both auto-buy authors for me, and their latest releases prove why

Funny Story Goodreads

Author: Emily Henry

Publication Date: April 23, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Berkley Romance via Netgalley and a gifted ALC from PRHAudio. All opinions are my own.

Emily Henry has knocked it out of the park yet again with her latest novel, Funny Story. It’s the perfect blend of heartache, humor, and healing, and I devoured it in a couple of sittings.

When we meet Daphne, she has just been dumped by her fiance Peter, who has decided, at his bachelor party of all places, that he would rather be with his childhood best friend, Petra. Since the house they were living in is in Peter’s name, this leaves Daphne homeless until Petra’s ex, Miles, invites her to move in with him now that he finds himself dumped and living alone.

I fell so hard for both Daphne and Miles. On the surface, they seem to have nothing in common – Daphne is a children’s librarian who has basically let Peter dictate most of her life’s choices, while Miles comes across as a stoner who spends most of his time either high or tending bar. As the two of them start to bond, however, Daphne quickly realizes there’s more to Miles than meets the eye and he realizes the same about her. Even though they initially started hanging out as a way to mourn their breakups and then shift to fake dating to make their exes jealous, they eventually start to do things together simply because they enjoy each other’s company.

I loved the chemistry and the easy banter between Daphne and Miles. Their evolution from roommates to lovers is fun, flirty, and just an all around good time. The star of the show for me though is actually the more emotional journey that each character takes on their path to healing. I thought Henry just did such a beautiful job seamlessly weaving in those more emotional moments with all of the fun ones.

Julia Whelan narrates the audiobook and as always, her narration is flawless!

Funny Story is Emily Henry at her best, so be sure to pick up a copy. 5 STARS

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell Goodreads

Author: Abbi Waxman

Publication Date: April 16, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Berkley Romance via Netgalley and a gifted ALC from PRHAudio. All opinions are my own.

I’m a huge fan of Abbi Waxman’s writing because she has a gift for creating the most wonderful characters. They’re charming, quirky, and just so lovable that you can’t help but root for them to overcome whatever struggles they are facing. And she has done exactly that in her latest book, Christa Comes Out of Her Shell.

When we meet Christa, she is happily studying snails on a remote island in the Indian Ocean. That is, until she receives a phone call that rocks her world. Her father, a beloved TV star who was presumed killed in a plane crash 25 years ago, has suddenly turned up, alive and well. As much as Christa would love to stay on her little island, she knows she has to go home, both to meet her dad and to confront the demons of her own past.

I adored Christa right from the start and absolutely loved the journey of personal growth that she goes through in this story. Christa was so young when her dad went missing that she barely knew him but both his immense fame and the media circus surrounding his disappearance impacted her young life tremendously. There were people in her life who hurt and betrayed her, making her close herself off from people. I loved watching her gradually come into her own and confront those who had hurt her, which in turn allows her to more freely open her heart to those who would never hurt her. While it definitely takes a backseat to Christa’s personal journey, there is also a delightful second chance romance with a childhood friend in this story.

While some of what Christa and her family faces veers into some heavy topics, Waxman keeps things from getting too heavy by infusing the story with her signature humor and warmth. I especially enjoyed listening to the audiobook because the narrators, Jesse Vilinksy & Jonathan Todd Ross, do such a wonderful job capturing both the heartwarming and humorous aspects of the story. 4.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Invocations & The New Couple in 5B

April 18, 2024/6 Comments/by Sharon

Welcome to another edition of Thriller Thursday with Sharon. This week I am excited to share my thoughts on Krystal Sutherland’s newest YA thriller, The Invocations and Lisa Unger’s newest thriller, The New Couple in 5B. Both of these books were amazing and I loved them both.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Invocations & The New Couple in 5B

The Invocations Goodreads

Author: Krystal Sutherland

Publication Date: January 30, 2024

Publisher: Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books

Krystal Sutherland’s newest YA thriller, The Invocations, is everything I was hoping it would be and more. The story follows three seventeen-year-olds who team up to stop a serial killer who is killing witches and stealing their powers. The Invocations has it all, badass teenagers, witches, magic, murder, and more.

A year ago, Zara Jones’ sister, Savannah, was murdered and Zara wants nothing more than to bring her back to life so she can apologize for the hurtful last words she said to her. Zara is smart and she has been reading up on everything she can find that deals with magic and bringing the dead back to life. But so far nothing has worked.

Jude Wolf is the daughter of a billionaire. Two years ago, she cursed herself and her soul is now tied to demons. Jude is slowly rotting away and is trying anything to find someone who can undo the curse before the demons eat her alive.

Emer Bryne is a witch. Ten years ago, her entire family was killed by witch hunters. Emer has vowed to find those responsible and destroy them. Emer sells spells to women who are in desperate situations, the payment for these spells is that a demon gets part of their soul. Emer was seven years old when her family was killed, and she would have died if not for the demons living in the forest. These demons knew that they needed to keep Emer alive so she could find them souls.

I loved everything about this book. I loved the magic and the demons and the gore when a demon ripped someone apart (Lol). But most of all I loved the characters. Zara, Jude and Emer will always have a special place in my heart. I loved getting to know each of their backstories. And the more I learned about them, the more I loved them. They are so different from each other, but when they finally got together they clicked. They were the piece each other was missing. I loved their banter back and forth. Especially Jude, she had me laughing so many times.

Sutherland did a great job of bringing the magic and demons to life. Especially Bael, who is one of the demons that helped Emer when she was younger. Bael is waiting for Emer to give him her soul, so right now he is just like her own personal bodyguard, and I loved it when she would sick him on someone.

I don’t really want to say much more about what happens and spoil things. But if you like YA stories, badass teenage protagonists, magic, and demons, then you definitely need to check out, The Invocations. 4 ½ stars

The New Couple in 5B Goodreads

Author: Lisa Unger

Publication Date: March 5, 2024

Publisher: Park Row

Lisa Unger’s latest book, The New Couple in 5B, was inspired by Rosemary’s Baby. But this is not a retelling of the horror classic, and Lisa Unger does a great job of giving the Rosemary’s Baby vibes, while creating her own story.

Chad and Rosie Lowan have inherited apartment 5B at 55 Park Ave, called the Windemere, from Chad’s uncle Ivan. Chad and Rosie took care of Ivan while he was dying, but they never thought he would leave them his apartment. Chad is an actor and Rosie is a true crime author. Rosie plans to write a book about the Windemere. There have been many deaths in this building, murders, suicides, accidents, and natural causes. There was a murder/suicide that took place in their actual apartment many years ago when it was owned by Paul and Willa. When they first moved in everyone was so welcoming, but Rosie soon starts to feel that things are not right with this building. The same doorman is always on duty, and Rosie is positive that she has seen the ghost of a small boy in the basement and hallways. The more Rosie digs into the building’s past, the more her life becomes in danger.

Wow! Lisa Unger sure had the hairs on my arm sticking up with this book. I loved the whole supernatural feel this book had, as well as the gothic vibe from the building itself. I will admit that when I was first reading, I thought it was going to be like a retelling of Rosemary’s Baby and I was actually comparing them when I was reading. But I am happy to report that the book took a turn, and I was like “Okay so not the same as Rosemary’s Baby.” LOL!

Lisa Unger did a great job in creating these characters and making them so untrustworthy. I loved that I didn’t know who to trust. Rosie was the only one I trusted, and I liked how she too started not trusting people. I am glad she was not a naïve character that just went along with everything.

I also liked getting chapters from the couple that lived in the apartment years ago, Paul and Willa. These were told from Willa’s POV and getting these chapters added more mystery to what was going on at the Windemere.

The more the story progressed, the more the tension built up, as well as the body count. I had no idea where things were going and when the secrets of the Windemere were finally revealed I was totally surprised. So, thank you for that Lisa Unger.

I definitely recommend The New Couple in 5B. If you are a fan of Lisa Unger and like supernatural stories with gothic buildings, then I really think you will enjoy The New Couple in 5B. 4 ½ stars

Romance Reviews: JUST FOR THE SUMMER & THE RULE BOOK

March 29, 2024/7 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! Sorry for dipping out again. I think it’s safe to say that I’m in the midst of a blogging slump at the moment. I don’t know why but I think until I’m on the other side of it, that I’m just going to post when the mood hits me to do so. Today the mood did hit me though because I just finished two of my most anticipated 2024 reads and wanted to share my thoughts with you. Abby Jimenez was already an auto-read author for me, but with The Rule Book, Sarah Adams has also landed on my auto-read list. Both of these books come out next week, so if you like what you read, you can snag copies of these on Tuesday!

Just for the Summer Goodreads

Author: Abby Jimenez

Publication Date: April 2, 2024

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Abby Jimenez is truly one of the most gifted storytellers I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Each one of her books has left me with a full heart and a smile on my face, and her latest romance, Just for the Summer, has done that and more! It’s my new favorite from Jimenez and I can’t wait for you all to read it because I think you’re going to love it too!

I fell in love with this book from the moment Emma and Justin, the two main characters, meet online through a thread on Reddit that has gone viral. In the thread, Justin is explaining that he is cursed. Every woman he dates goes on to find her soulmate as soon as they break up. Emma is captivated by the Reddit thread and reaches out to Justin because she is similarly cursed. They hit it off right away and eventually come up with a plan to date each other in hopes that their curses will cancel each other out and they’ll finally be able to find their own soulmates.

I thought this was such a fun and unique way to have a meet cute and I was immediately rooting for this curse to bring Emma and Justin together since they clearly had such great chemistry. They do have to overcome one obstacle though – distance. Justin lives in Minnesota, while Emma and her best friend Maddy are traveling nurses who are next slated to go to Hawaii for several months. When Maddy sees how into Justin Emma is, she reluctantly agrees to change their plans and they head to Minnesota instead.

While plenty of fun romcom goodness ensues as Emma and Justin start dating, what really grabbed my heart in this story is Emma’s history — why she has chosen to be a traveling nurse rather than put down roots anywhere and start a family. It becomes clear why when Emma’s toxic mother shows up in Minnesota and threatens the fragile life that Emma has started to build for herself. My heart broke for Emma, but I was so grateful that Maddy and Justin were there for her. Maddy is the ultimate mama bear when it comes to Emma and as soon as she realizes that Justin truly cares about Emma, she educates him on how best to help Emma when her mom makes her feel small. Justin was already serious book boyfriend material, but these moments are what really put him over the top for me.

I also loved how Just for the Summer also brings back several characters from Jimenez’s other books, in particular, Part of Your World. I think this book is a fantastic read even if you haven’t read Part of Your World, but I would personally recommend reading it first because it really does make reading Just for the Summer even more special.

I really don’t have the words to do justice to how wonderful this book is, so all I’ll say is go pick up a copy. You won’t regret it! 5 STARS

The Rule Book Goodreads

Author: Sarah Adams

Publication Date: April 2, 2024

Publisher: Dell

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Sarah Adams is quickly becoming one of my favorite rom-com authors because I can always count on her to deliver cute swoony romances that are full of laughs. Adams does exactly that with The Rule Book, her latest sports romance, which also happens to be a companion novel to another of her books I love, The Cheat Sheet. You don’t need to read The Cheat Sheet to enjoy The Rule Book, but both are fabulous so I say go for it!

Nora Mackenzie has just been promoted to a full-time sports agent. She’s flying high until she learns her first big client is none other than famous NFL tight end, Derek Pender, who also happens to be her college ex-boyfriend. Their break-up was messy, and Derek is still clearly holding a grudge and vows to make Nora’s life hell by being as difficult and high maintenance as possible. He has clearly forgotten how stubborn and tenacious Nora can be though and she gradually starts to win him over.

I absolutely loved everything about this book! I’m a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers story but add in a marriage of convenience and a second chance romance, and I’m in heaven. Adams does a wonderful job getting me hooked on the idea of Nora and Derek rekindling their romance from their very first scene. Even though the tension between them is palpable, the chemistry between Nora and Derek is undeniable. Adams also writes some of the wittiest banter and had me laughing out loud throughout the book. It’s not all laughs though as Nora and Derek also share some moving and heartfelt moments on their journey to forgiveness. I also loved the layer of vulnerability Adams gives Derek by having him struggle with dyslexia. The rep is well done and really made Derek a more sympathetic character.

The Rule Book is the fourth book I’ve read from Sarah Adams and I think it’s my favorite yet. If you’re in the mood for a fun and heartwarming story about forgiveness and second chances, be sure to check this one out! 4.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Murder Road & The Teacher

March 28, 2024/7 Comments/by Sharon

Happy Thriller Thursday! Sharon here with two awesome books that I have recently read. Murder Road by Simone St. James and The Teacher by Freida McFadden. Both of these books were so good and I know that my reviews do not do them justice. I highly recommend both of these books as well as these authors. 😀

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Murder Road & The Teacher

Murder Road Goodreads

Author: Simone St. James

Publication Date: March 5, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

Simone St. James’ newest book, Murder Road, follows April and Eddie, a young newlywed couple who end up in the middle of a murder investigation. Throw in a creepy small town, great characters and supernatural forces and we have another winner by Simone St. James.

April and Eddie are on their way to a small resort town for their honeymoon, but they take a wrong turn off the interstate and end up on a deserted road, called Atticus Line. While traveling down this dark road they spot what they think is a hitchhiker who appears to be drunk. When they pull over to see if they need help, they realize that this person is not a hitchhiker, but a wounded young woman, Rhonda Jean. As they rush to the hospital in ColdLake Falls with Rhonda Jean bleeding in their back seat, a pickup truck comes speeding behind them, as they take the turn to the center of town, Eddie sees what appears to be a ghostly figure in the back of the truck. Rhonda Jean dies at the hospital and the detectives that show up, rather quickly I may add, immediately suspect Eddie and April as her killer. As Eddie and April work to clear their names, they find that Atticus Line has had many unsolved murders in the past nineteen years. There is a legend that the road is haunted by the Lost Girl. It is said that if you see her, you will be the next one dead on the side of the road. I got goose bumps just writing that. LOL!

I loved everything about this book. From the great characters to the eeriness of Atticus Line and the mystery of the Lost Girl. Simone St. James did an exceptional job of capturing everything in the book and making the story just jump off the pages. Every time the Lost Girl showed up I got goosebumps.

I really liked April and Eddie. When the police tell them they can leave ColdLake Falls, they find they are unable. As they are driving down Atticus Line they encounter a freak rainstorm as well as the Lost Girl and end up right back in town. April and Eddie then realize that they need to figure out who the Lost Girl is and put her to rest. I loved watching them follow clues starting with Rhonda Jean and work their way back to the Lost Girl. They were better than the police and detectives.

In addition to April and Eddie, I loved the secondary characters as well. Rose is the owner of the B & B that April and Eddie are staying at while they are stuck in town. I loved Rose, she had a rough exterior but underneath she was a nice lady and she cared for April and Eddie. Beatrice and Gracie Snell are two teenagers that are all about the ‘conspiracy theory’ and have been trying to solve the mystery about Atticus Line and the Lost Girl. They end up teaming with April and Eddie and brought some humor to the story.

Murder Road was an engrossing, spine tingling, supernatural thriller. Simone St. James knocked this one out of the park and I definitely recommend it. 4 ½ stars

The Teacher Goodreads

Author: Freida McFadden

Publication Date: February 6, 2024

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

I love when a book starts with someone digging a grave, I just know it is going to be a good one and the whole time I am reading I am trying to figure out who is digging the grave and who is going to be buried. That is exactly how Freida McFadden’s newest book, The Teacher, starts out and I loved it.

Eve Bennett and her husband, Nate, are both high school teachers. Eve teaches Math and is a very strict and hard teacher. Nate teaches English and is more easy going and all the girls love and have a crush on him. Their marriage on the outside looks perfect, but on the inside it is a different story. While they both love each other, they are not very loving. As Eve states, they kiss three times a day, a quick kiss when they leave in the morning, a quick kiss when they get home at night and a quick kiss when they go to bed. As for their sex life, well that only happens the first Saturday of every month. Such a loving couple. LOL!

Addie Severson is a sixteen-year-old junior at the school that Eve and Nate teach at. Last year a teacher at the school was involved in a student-teacher affair and the teacher was fired. Addie was the student in question and even though she denied she and this teacher had any kind of relationship no one believed her. So now Addie is more of a loner at school. When Nate takes her under his wing, Addie is more than thrilled. As their relationship grows, Eve starts to suspect there is more going on with them than teacher/student, and she will do whatever she has to to keep her husband and herself from living the scandal from last year. And Eve and Nate are willing to do whatever they have to to keep their relationship a secret. But Eve also has another secret, one that could destroy her. How far will she go to keep her secrets safe?

Wow! This was a fast-paced book, that had a bunch of unlikable characters that I still cared about. LOL! I started off really liking Addie. The more I learned of what happened last year as well as what her home life was like, I had a lot of sympathy for her. She was also being bullied at school, which made her all the more sympathetic to me. But as her actions progressed I flipped to not liking her very much and then flipped to having sympathy for her again.

Eve was always stand-offish for me. She came across with an “I am better than you” attitude. And she was not so innocent herself when it came to their marriage vows. I never liked Nate and kept that attitude through the whole book. I kept hoping that he was going to get what was coming to him.

If you are a fan of Freida McFadden then I think you will really enjoy The Teacher. 4 stars

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Other Mothers & The School Reunion

March 14, 2024/8 Comments/by Sharon

Welcome to another edition of Sharon’s Thriller Thursday! I hope everyone is getting in some great reading. I know I have, pretty much every book I have read so far this year has been a hit for me. 🙂 This week I am reviewing, The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner and The School Reunion by Shalini Boland.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Other Mothers & The School Reunion

The Other Mothers Goodreads

Author: Katherine Faulkner

Publication Date: December 5, 2023

Publisher: Gallery Books

I read Katherine Faulkner’s first book, Greenwich Park, a couple of years ago and while I liked it, it didn’t knock my socks off. So, I didn’t go into her new book, The Other Mothers, with high expectations. Well, I am happy to report that I loved The Other Mothers.

In July 2017 a young nanny named Sophie Blake was found drowned in a reservoir in London. After the coroner’s inquest, her death was deemed a likely accident. Sophie’s mother does not believe her daughter’s death was an accident and a year and a half later she approaches Tash James, a freelance journalist to look into Sophie’s death. Tash is eager to jump start her freelance career, so she takes on the job. Tash’s two-year-old son Finn is having a tough time adjusting to his new playgroup, but then she befriends three other mothers, Laura, Clare, and Nicole, and as their kids’ become friends, Tash has finally found a happy balance to work/motherhood. As Tash starts her investigation into what happened to Sophie, she realizes that her new friends have a connection to her, and they are keeping secrets.

The story is told in a dual timeline. We get Tash’s POV in the present as she works her investigation into Sophie’s death. We also get Sophie’s POV that starts fifteen months before her death and works its way up to the night she died. I loved having the story unfold this way. I loved getting information as Tash would uncover it and then get Sophie’s POV on that information. Sometimes what Tash thought was the truth, we learned from Sophie to not really be the case. And at times what we learned from Sophie turned out not to be truthful. I loved reading and not knowing what really to believe.

I really liked Tash. I was so engrossed in following her as a journalist and watching her investigate Sophie’s death, and also, as she navigated her relationship with her new friends. Tash and her husband, Tom, did not have a lot of money and Tash got herself into some financial trouble trying to keep up with the other mothers. I liked that Tash had the support of her husband though. A lot of times when I read these types of books, the husband is so quick to blame his wife for everything that happens and not support her. So, it was very refreshing to see them as a supportive couple.

I liked Sophie as well. She was young and naïve to start, but as the book progressed she became a stronger woman. Though she was not without her faults, and I soon realized that she was not so innocent after all.

There is not a lot I can say about what happens in this book because I don’t want to spoil anything. But as I was reading I found myself jumping all around on who I could trust.

The Other Mothers was full of twists and turns. The end of the book had so many twists, that I was getting whiplash. LOL! 4 stars

The School Reunion Goodreads

Author: Shalini Boland

Publication Date: January 16, 2024

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Shalini Boland is a go to author for me. Her books are always fast paced reads, that keep me glued to the pages. So, it is no surprise that her latest book, The School Reunion, was another winner for me.

When Chloe Flynn graduated from high school fifteen years ago she never thought she would go back. Even when she got the invitation to her reunion she didn’t plan on going. But Chloe is recently divorced, has a job she hates, no real friends, and is bored with her life. Maybe turning back the clock could be just the thing Chloe needs to start her life over, and the chance to reconnect with her high school crush, Nathan Blake, is what makes Chloe decide to attend the reunion. Once she accepts the invitation though, Chloe starts getting anonymous e-mails warning her about attending. Though these emails have rattled Chloe, she is not going to back down. Chloe figures her ex high school boyfriend; Chris Tamber sent them, and she plans to confront him and put the past to rest once and for all. But going back could become a fatal mistake for Chloe. As past secrets emerge, things take a deadly turn.

OMG guys! There is not much I can say as this book is best to go into blind. I did love the Mean Girls / Romey and Michele’s high School Reunion vibe I got while reading. Though this book in no way is anything like either of those movies, that was just the feel I kept getting while reading.

The story is told from the POV of Chloe as well as Dean Bradley, a contractor who has a beef with Chris Tamber. Dean did some work for Chris, and Chris stiffed Dean the money that was owed, so now Dean is about to lose his contracting company as well as his reputation. I really liked Dean, not only is he trying to salvage his company, but he is also a single dad to 5-year-old Ellis (who is just such a cutie pie), and he just lost his mother a few months ago. Dean is also carrying around the grief of losing his sister when she was sixteen years old. Seeing everything he had on his plate I just wanted to punch Chris in the face for him. LOL!

Chloe is also dealing with issues of her own. Her mother never seems to have a positive word to say to her, and not only is she trying to avoid Chris at the reunion, but she is also dealing with trying to avoid her old high school enemy Abigail, who has her sites set on Nathan and has told Chloe in no uncertain terms to back off. Chloe also has secrets she wants to keep hidden.

The School Reunion had so many twists and turns. Just when I thought I may know what is going on, Shalini Boland would throw in a twist that made me stop and process what I just read. At the end of the book there was a twist that literally had my jaw drop. 4 stars

Thriller Thursday Reviews: No One Can Know & There Should Have Been Eight

February 29, 2024/10 Comments/by Sharon

It’s Sharon’s Thriller Thursday! I hope you are all doing well. I cannot believe tomorrow is March already. This week I am excited to share my thoughts on Kate Alice Marshall’s, No One Can Know and Nalini Singh’s, There Should Have Been Eight. I loved both of these books so much and I know nothing I said in my reviews will do them justice. If you have these on your to-read list or even if they are not, I definitely recommend them.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: No One Can Know & There Should Have Been Eight

No One Can Know Goodreads

Author: Kate Alice Marshall

Publication Date: January 23, 2024

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Kate Alice Marshall is a relatively new author to me, but after reading No One Can Know, she is now on my auto buy list.

When Emma Palmer was sixteen years old, her parents were murdered. Emma had been out the night her parents were murdered, but when she returned home, her two sisters, eighteen-year-old Juliette and twelve-year-old Daphne were in the hallway where their mother lay dead. Emma did not know who killed her parents, but she took it upon herself to protect her sisters, even if that meant letting people think it was her who killed them. Emma is now thirty years old and has not been back to her hometown since she was eighteen. She has also been estranged from her sisters and has not seen or spoken to them in years, but Emma and her husband Nathan now need to return as they have lost their apartment and their bank account has dwindled to almost nothing. Coming home means that Emma must now face her past and finally get answers to who killed her parents.

The story is told from the POV of Emma, Juliette (who now goes by JJ), and Daphne, both in the present as well as the past. I really loved Emma. She got the short end of the stick when it came to her parents’ affection. Neither of her parents were great to any of the girls, but Juliette was the obedient one and her mother’s favorite, and Daphne kept in the shadows and was more their father’s favorite. Emma was the defiant one. I loved learning more about the girls and what happened that night from the past chapters. I really hated how Juliette and Daphne let Emma take the fall for their parents’ murder though. But I did like that as adults they were there for her now and had her back.

Emma is pregnant and being back home and seeing how everyone in town still thinks she is guilty of her parents’ murder has made Emma determined to find out what really happened. Emma does not want her child to grow up with a mother who everyone thinks is guilty of murder. The more Emma learns about what happened that night, the more her life was in danger. I loved her determination though. Her child is her top priority, even if it means she needs to turn one or both of her sisters in.

I was all over the place on who I thought was the murderer. With each new piece of information that Emma uncovered my mind would change on who I thought was guilty. No One Can Know was full of so many twists and turns right up until the very last page. I did not figure anything out and was shocked when all was revealed. 4 ½ stars

There Should Have Been Eight Goodreads

Author: Nalini Singh

Publication Date: November 21, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

I have only read one other book by Nalini Singh and when I read the synopsis for There Should Have Been Eight, I knew I was going to enjoy it. And I was right.

Luna, Vansi, Kaea, Ash, Aaron, Phoenix, Bea, and her sister Darcie met when they were teenagers and have all been best friends since. That is until nine years ago when Bea killed herself. Though they have stayed in touch, they are not as close as they once were. Darcie organizes a reunion at her family’s isolated estate. This reunion is a chance to reconnect and reminisce about Bea, as well as celebrate Aaron’s engagement to Grace. What starts out as a fun reunion soon takes a deadly turn. A storm has moved in, and the group is stranded at the estate and must fight to survive the night.

I loved everything about the book, though there is not a lot I can say without spoiling things. I loved the gothic setting. The estate has been in Darcie and Bea’s family for generations and is run down and has a lot of secret passageways to move about. Nalini Singh did a great job of creating this eerie setting.

The story is narrated by Luna, and I just loved her. Luna is a photographer, and she was in her glory taking photos of the estate. I love to take photos, though I am in no way a photographer, so I was getting excited with Luna as she pulled out her camera to take photos of the estate and grounds. I also had a lot of sympathy for Luna. She has a condition that is making her lose her eyesight, which is just devastating for her. Luna is also having a hard time coming to terms with Bea killing herself. That was not like Bea at all, and Luna does not believe it for a minute. Luna is having a hard time forgiving Darcie, since Darcie had Bea cremated right away and scattered her ashes alone without any of the others there.

As things start to happen to the group – someone put a beloved doll of Bea’s on Darcie’s bed, cut Kaea’s hiking boots, so he fell while hiking and hurt his leg bad, pushed one of them down the stairs – the group realizes that someone is out for revenge. I thought I had things figured out, not only with who was behind everything that was happening at the estate, but also what really happened to Bea. I was kind of right, though not completely.

There Should Have Been Eight was a slow burn mystery, with lots of twists and turns. Singh did a great job of creating this story. Between the great characters, the eerie gothic setting, and the mystery of what was going on and who was responsible, I was engrossed from beginning to end. 4 ½ stars

Reviews: FANGIRL DOWN & NOT YOUR CRUSH’S CAULDRON

February 26, 2024/7 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! Sorry for disappearing yet again. I had yet another blog issue where Jetpack kept disconnecting from my site therefore removing all of my posts from the wpreader. Jetpack has been such a hot mess ever since they started monetizing it and I would really love to dump it but all of my blog stats are tied to it so I feel stuck. It has been one thing after another with it for the past few months and I just needed to step away and take a deep breath before I did something drastic like delete my entire blog, haha. It seems to be working now so I’m carrying on and hoping for the best because I really do have a lot of reviews and book recs I want to share with you!

Fangirl Down (Big Shots, #1) Goodreads

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: February 13, 2024

Publisher: Avon

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley and a complimentary ALC from Libro.fm. All opinions are my own.

Fangirl Down is a golf romance and the first book in Tessa Bailey’s new “Big Shots” series. I’m fairly new to sports romances and even though I’ve enjoyed all that I’ve read so far, I wasn’t sure if a golf romance would be my thing. I love Tessa Bailey’s books though so I knew if anyone could win me over, it would be her. Not only did she win me over, but Fangirl Down is actually my new favorite book from her.

I fell in love with the premise of the story right away, that Wells Whittaker, a down-on-his-luck pro golfer ends up turning to his biggest fan to help him out of his slump. I also adored the main female character from the first moment we meet her. Josephine “Joey” Doyle is smart, sassy, upbeat, loyal to a fault, and she probably knows more about golf than even Wells does.

I wanted to hate Wells at first because he was so unpleasant to Joey, but just like Joey’s charm quickly won Wells over, his newfound appreciation of Joey once he finally stopped having a pity party and opened his eyes won me over. He especially won me over though when he learned that Joey is a diabetic who has been rationing her medical supplies to save money. Once she agrees to caddy for him and help him out of his slump, he becomes determined to mount a comeback and split his earnings with her so that she can afford to take care of her health and buy the supplies she needs.

I’m a big fan of the “he fell first” trope and so I enjoyed every moment of watching Wells realize what an absolute gem of a person Joey is. She’s not just a great caddy, but the more time they spend together, the more Wells appreciates that Joey is the perfect partner for him in every way. Throw in some of Tessa Bailey’s fun banter and plenty of sexy, steamy moments and Fangirl Down was a hole-in-one for me!

The audiobook was narrated by Callie Dalton and I highly recommend it because Dalton does such a wonderful job of bringing these two characters to life and making their banter and chemistry just pop! It was also a very comfortable listen at a speed of 1.75x.

4.5 STARS

Not Your Crush's Cauldron (Supernatural Singles, #3) Goodreads

Author: April Asher

Publication Date: February 13, 2024

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffn

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy and an ALC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is the third book in April Asher’s paranormal romance series, Supernatural Singles, and it focuses on the youngest Maxwell sister, Olive. Unlike her sisters who are major players in the magical community, Olive has chosen to teach about the supernatural rather than to actively take part. When she assigns a project to her students that requires them to step out of their comfort zones, she decides that it’s time for her to do the same and creates a to-do list of challenging tasks that will accomplish just that.

Bax Donovan, a Guardian Angel, is Olive’s friend, long time secret crush, and now also her roommate. Bax is the pierced, tattooed, motorcycle-riding opposite to Olive’s shy, introverted personality but the two of them still have amazing chemistry.

Bax finds himself in an uncomfortable situation when something on Olive’s to-do list puts her on the Guardian Angel Affairs radar as needing protection and they make her Bax’s assignment. Bax is not allowed to tell Olive she’s his assignment, so he decides to accompany her as a friend to help her complete the tasks on her list.

There’s just one problem with that – the more time they spend together, the more Bax and Olive realize they have more than friendly feeiings toward each other, which is another no-no for Bax as her Guardian Angel. Is an HEA possible for them?

This one was so much fun! I enjoyed being back in this world and seeing Olive’s sisters again, and I also really loved the chemistry, and especially the fun banter between Bax and Olive. They’re just so cute together. I also loved that underlying tension that comes with forbidden love. It really made for a fantastic read that I couldn’t put down.

The audiobook was narrated by Zura Johnson who did a beautiful job capturing all aspects of the relationship between Bax and Olive and really enhanced my reading experience. 4 STARS

Reviews – THE BRIGHT SPOT & RED STRING THEORY

February 16, 2024/7 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! Well, we’ve made it through another week. I can’t decide if the year is already flying by or if it’s dragging, but all I know is that I’m ready for some warmer weather. The older I get, the less I like the cold. Anyway, today I’m back to share a couple of romance reads that I enjoyed this month. I’m so late to the Jill Shalvis game, but I am really loving her Sunrise Cove series. I want to read some of her backlist titles but the list is overwhelming. If anyone has a rec for which series I should try next, let me know! I’m also sharing my thoughts on Lauren Kung Jessen’s latest novel, which is just as much of a gem as her debut was last year. Let me know if you have read either of these!

The Bright Spot (Sunrise Cove, #5) Goodreads

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publication Date: January 16, 2024

Publisher: Avon

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The Bright Spot is the fifth book in Jill Shalvis’ heartwarming Sunrise Cove series. As with the other books in the series, The Bright Spot is set in the picturesque Lake Tahoe region and even though it’s part of a series, it works quite well as a standalone.

Luna Wright, adopted at birth, grew up knowing little about her biological family. She has created a home and family for herself at Apple Ridge Farm, the charming but struggling farm she has managed for years. When the crotchety owner Silas passes away suddenly, Luna is surprised to find that she has inherited one half of the farm. The other half is under the control of his investment manager, Jameson Hayes, who arrives unexpectedly to help Luna save the farm. Luna doesn’t trust him but is willing to do whatever it takes to save her beloved farm so she and Jameson begin to forge an uneasy alliance.

There’s so much to love about this book. Apple Ridge Farm is just the most perfect setting, filled with adorable rescue animals, including a baby goat named Dammit Ziggy who had me laughing from the very first page of the book. There’s also a quirky and lovable cast of secondary characters who all adore Luna and think she’s amazing, even when she doesn’t see it for herself. The found family vibes on this farm are everything!

I also just loved watching Luna find her way, especially after several big secrets Silas was keeping are discovered after his death and practically turn her life upside down. Jameson has some issues that he is working through as well so in many ways, the story is a journey of self-discovery for them both. I also enjoyed the two of them interacting. Once they get past those initial trust issues, it was lovely to watch them start to grow closer. I loved the easy banter between them and that they worked together so well as a team.

If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming story, you can’t go wrong with The Bright Spot! 4 STARS

Red String Theory Goodreads

Author: Lauren Kung Jessen

Publication Date: January 9, 2024

Publisher: Forever

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Red String Theory is the latest romance novel from Lauren Kung Jessen. I really enjoyed her debut, Lunar Love, so I was eager to read this new one, an opposites-attract romance that explores the idea of whether or not some people are fated to be together.

Rooney is a Chinese-American artist who wholeheartedly believes in the Chinese legend that everyone is tied to their soulmate by the red string of fate. She believes in this idea so passionately that she has even created an outdoor art exhibit that is inspired by it. Jack is a NASA engineer who is all about science and facts. He doesn’t believe in fate at all but on a trip to New York, he happens across Rooney’s red string art and is very intrigued by it.

When Jack later meets Rooney, he has no idea that she is the red string artist, but the two of them really hit it off and end up spending the most magical night seeing all of the sights around the city and just enjoying each other’s company. By the end of that night, they both feel that they have a special connection and Jack tells Rooney his number so that they can keep in touch after he heads back home. Sadly, Rooney mistypes the phone number and Jack is lost to her. When fate unexpectedly reunites them months later as coworkers, Rooney is convinced that this is a sign and that Jack must be her soulmate.

I really enjoyed this one. I’m always on the fence about whether or not I believe in fate, so as Jack and Rooney find themselves debating the topic, I could understand where they were both coming from since they were each voicing some of my own thoughts on the subject. Ultimately though, I just loved them together so much that I was just rooting for them to find a way to agree to disagree and just be happy together.

Jack and Rooney’s magical night in NYC was a highlight of Red String Theory for me, as was the inclusion of so many elements from Chinese culture. This was a sweet romance, but at the same time, a thought provoking read, which is a combination I enjoy. I look forward to reading more from Lauren Kung Jessen. 4 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: For the Last Time & The Engagement Party

February 8, 2024/10 Comments/by Sharon

Happy February everyone! It’s Thursday, so that means another edition of Sharon’s Thriller Thursday. This week I am happy to share my thoughts on For the Last Time by Heidi Perks and The Engagement Party by Darby Kane. I really enjoyed both of these books.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: For the Last Time & The Engagement Party

For the Last Time Goodreads

Author: Heidi Perks

Publication Date: December 5, 2023

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Erin and Will Harding had a perfect marriage, that is until one Valentine’s Day when something triggered Erin and now she no longer trusts Will. They decide to go to marriage counseling, but walking into the office of Maggie Day could be the worst mistake they made. During one of their sessions Erin mentions something that is connected to Maggie’s past and Maggie is determined to figure out what Erin knows, even if that means crossing ethical lines and putting Erin’s life in jeopardy. That is the premise of Heidi Park’s latest book, For the Last Time, and what a read it was.

The story opens with the prologue in which Erin has been rushed to the hospital after being struck by a car and left on the side of the road in a hit and run. She has severe internal injuries and is in a coma. What was Erin doing out so late at night on such a deserted road? Detective Lynsey Clayton is assigned to the case and after her preliminary interviews with Will and Erin’s best friend, Zoe, it looks like this may not have been an accident and someone deliberately ran Erin down. The book then jumps back six months, to Valentines Day and is told from the POV of Erin and Maggie and at the end of some of the chapters the story jumps to the present and the investigation.

I really liked getting the build up to the accident and learning more about what is going on in Erin and Will’s lives. I really liked Erin, but at times I did find that she was an unreliable character and I think that added to the mystery of the story. Erin accuses Will of doing all sorts of things and he denies them all, which had me thinking that he was gaslighting her. I had a lot of sympathy for Erin, as something was definitely going on, but no one believed her. Not even her best friend Zoe. Whenever Erin voiced her concerns about Will to Zoe, Zoe would defend him. Which shot up red flags to me.

I started out liking Maggie. Her sister was killed twenty years ago, and she has been carrying around that grief, since Maggie is the one that was supposed to be keeping an eye on her. The murderer was caught and convicted, but now that he is about to go before the parole board, Maggie is starting to have doubts that he is guilty. When Erin mentions something that connects to her sister’s murder she becomes obsessed with finding out what Erin knows. And it is here that I started to not like Maggie so much. LOL! I understand she wants the truth for her sister, but she did not have Erin’s best interest at heart.

For the Last Time was full of twists and turns and I didn’t know what to believe or who to trust at times. By the end of the book the tension ramped up and I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen. 4 stars

The Engagement Party Goodreads

Author: Darby Kane

Publication Date: December 5, 2023

Publisher: William Morrow

I have loved all the books I have read by Darby Kane, so I was excited for her newest book, The Engagement Party. This was described as, And Then There Were None meets I Know What You Did Last Summer and I think that was a perfect description.

Twelve years ago, Emily Hunt was found dead floating in a river near her college campus. Her death was ruled a murder and the police focused their suspicions on a quiet, shy student Brendan Clarke. A week later Brendan committed suicide and even though he was never convicted, that convinced everyone he was guilty. Twelve years later Emily’s closest friends; Mitch, Will, Alex, and Cassandra, are getting together on a secluded island in Maine to celebrate Will’s engagement to Ruthie. However, someone has other intensions and this someone wants to find out the truth about what happened to Emily. When a storm comes in and strands the group on the island and then a body is found in the trunk of a car with a note, time to tell the truth, it becomes clear that this group of friends know more than they are saying, and they are all hiding secrets. To survive the night and stop a killer, this group will have to come face to face with their past.

This story is told from the POV of Ruthie, Alex, and Sierra. Sierra is Mitch’s guest, they work with each other and though they won’t admit it, they have feelings for each other as well. Sierra and Mitch were the only two characters I really liked, and I hoped they would survive and finally get together.

Right off the bat we know that Ruthie has a hidden agenda, but things do not go as she planned. She planned somethings for this weekend, but not the murders. So, who else is on this island and is taking Ruthie’s plan and expanding it?

As with all slasher books I have read, I found myself yelling at the characters and asking how they can be so stupid. LOL! Stay together people, do not break up into groups and do not go out by yourself. And if you happen to escape from would be killer, arm yourself so when you face them again, which you know you will, you will be able to defend yourself. Hahahaha!

We also get excerpts from a book someone is writing that gives a backstory on what happened twelve years ago. Between these excerpts, the secrets that are revealed and the body count that starts to rise, I was on the edge of my seat and my adrenaline was pumping the whole time I was reading.

The Engagement Party was a fast-paced read, full of twists and turns. There was a twist at the end that I need to give Darby Kane two thumbs up for. I so did not see that coming. 4 stars

Reviews: EVER AFTER ALWAYS & WITH YOU FOREVER

January 30, 2024/6 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I hope your week is going well and that you’re finishing the month with some amazing reads. I had a pretty great reading month and one of the major highlights for me was continuing to read the Bergman Brothers series. This one had been on my TBR for a few years, but it wasn’t until Berkley started re-releasing the books with these gorgeous new covers that I was convinced to finally take the plunge.

Ever After Always (The Bergman Brothers #3) Goodreads

Author: Chloe Liese

Publication Date: Originally published January 12, 2021, Rereleased on January 2, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I started reading Chloe Liese’s Bergman Brothers series late last year and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite romance series. I reviewed the first two books in the series over on my instagram account but wanted to spread my love for the series here as well, especially since books 3 and 4 are my favorites so far.

Ever After Always actually features Freya, a Bergman sister. We meet Freya and her husband Aiden in the earlier books and learn so much more about them here. I loved their relationship in those earlier books so my heart sank when I started reading this one and realized they actually have a marriage in crisis. I thought Liese did a fabulous job in this book of giving accurate portrayal of the fact that marriage is hard sometimes no matter how much a couple loves each other. I found all of the struggles that Freya and Aiden went through to be very realistic and relatable, and the range of intense emotions both of them experience felt so authentic.

After seeing Aiden play the fun matchmaker in the first book, my heart especially broke for him in this story. We learn that Aiden grew up poor and when he and Freya start talking about having a baby, it triggers a deep fear within him that he will not be a good provider for a growing family. Instead of talking to Freya about his fears, Aiden chooses to keep them all bottled up, which then puts a tremendous strain on their relationships because Freya can tell he’s keeping something from her. The lack of communication was frustrating but again, very realistic.

I also thought it was fabulous that Liese has them actually choose to go to marriage counseling and that we get to sit in on one of their appointments. I loved that they were both willing to put in the work to try to get their relationship back on track. I’ve not seen marriage counseling in a romance novel before and again, I really appreciated the authenticity.

One last highlight for me is, of course, the whole Bergman family. I adore this family and Liese has brought them to life so vividly that I feel like I actually know them. I just love how they have accepted Aiden as one of their own, and they aren’t letting his marriage fall apart without a fight.

If you’re a fan of marriage in crisis stories and second chance romances, you’ll definitely want to take a chance on Ever After Always. 4.5 STARS

With You Forever Goodreads

Author: Chloe Liese

Publication Date: Originally published September 14, 2021, Rereleased on January 23, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I’ve probably said this with every book I’ve read in this series so far, but I’m saying it again. I’m obsessed with the Bergman Brothers!

I just love how heartfelt each of the stories in the series are, but that they are also infused with a bit of humor. With You Forever definitely falls on the less humorous end of the scale, but wow, did it have my whole heart! I really liked Rooney Sullivan and Axel Bergman when we first met them in earlier books, but fell head over heels for them here.

Rooney is an outgoing ray of sunshine even in spite of the fact that she is dealing with an often debilitating chronic illness. Axel is her polar opposite in many ways, quiet, reserved and a bit broody. But he’s also sweet and gorgeous and Rooney has had a secret crush on him forever. When Rooney needs a quiet getaway and ends up staying at the Bergman’s cozy A-frame, right next door to Axel, it soon becomes clear that he also has a crush on Rooney. When Rooney overhears that Axel can’t inherit money he desperately needs for his business unless he’s married, Rooney volunteers to help him out with that.

Watching Rooney and Axel spend more and more time together as they pretended to be a couple truly melted my heart since it was so obvious how much they really did care for one another. I especially loved when Axel confesses to Rooney that some of the reason why he’s the way he is is because he’s autistic and when Rooney shares with him the details of her chronic illness and how it impacts her life. The two of them are so gentle with one another and so respectful and understanding that I actually cried more than once because they were just so freaking perfect together.

I don’t want to give away anything else, but if you’re a fan of grumpy sunshine, opposites attract, marriage of convenience, and/or forced proximity romances and also love when an author does a wonderful job with autism rep and chronic illness rep, please go read this book. It’s amazing! 5 STARS