Thriller Thursday Reviews: Twenty Years Later & The Shadow House

June 23, 2022/12 Comments/by Sharon

I hope everyone is having a good week and getting lots of good reading in. I am doing good, aside from working I have been getting a lot of chores done now that the good weather is finally here. I have also been reading some very good books as well. So for this week’s Thriller Thursday by Sharon, I am reviewing Charlie Donlea’s, Twenty Years Later and Anna Downes’, The Shadow House.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Twenty Years Later & The Shadow House

Twenty Years Later Goodreads

Author: Charlie Donlea

Publication Date: December 28, 2021

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation

Twenty Years Later is my first read by Charlie Donlea, but it will definitely not be my last. I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and I want to thank Goodreads and Kensington Publishing Corp for my copy of this amazing book.

Avery Mason is the host of the television show, American Events. Avery’s ratings have been soaring this past year and she has come across a story that will make her ratings go even higher next year. Little does Avery know, but the story she heads to New York to cover is only the tip of the iceberg and there is an even bigger story underneath. New DNA technology has made it possible for the New York medical examiner to be able to identify a 9/11 victim after twenty years. The victim is Victoria Ford, and it is this story that Avery is going to New York to cover. Only when Avery talks to Victoria’s sister, Emma Kind, does she find more of a story. Emma has waited twenty years to be able to put her sister to rest, but she has also waited twenty years to clear her sister’s name.

Victoria was having an affair with a famous author and when he was found hanging from the balcony of his Catskills mansion and Victoria’s DNA was all over the crime scene, it did not take long for the DA to assemble a grand jury to indict Victoria. The day Victoria was to be arrested she was meeting with her lawyer in the North Tower of the World Trade Center when the plane hit. Before she died, Victoria called her sister to tell her she loved her and to tell her she was innocent and to promise she would clear her name. Now, with the help of Walt Jenkins, the lead detective from the murder case, Avery starts to read through all the evidence and discovers that there were a lot of holes in the investigation and Victoria may very well be innocent.

Did that synopsis catch your interest? Well, hold on to your seats because that is just the tip of what goes on in the book! There were so many more smaller plots that are also taking place and they all tie together. I don’t really want to say too much because anything I say could spoil things and I think going into this book not knowing is best. I will say that I thought for sure that I knew what the outcome of everything was going to be, only to have twists and turns happen at the end of the book that proved everything I thought I knew, to be wrong.

I really liked both main characters, Avery and Walt. They were very well written and have flaws and pasts that have shaped who they are today, which I think makes them all the more relatable and realistic. I loved the growth they both had in this book and seeing them face their pasts. Again, I am being vague as I don’t want to spoil anything.

Twenty Years Later is a fast paced mystery, full of twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages to a shocking ending. 4 ½ stars

The Shadow House Goodreads

Author: Anna Downes

Publication Date: April 5, 2022

Publisher: Minotaur Books

The Shadow House is my second book by Anna Downes. It follows two women who, though separated by six years, have similar eerie experiences involving their teenage sons.

Alex Ives is a single mother who fled an abusive relationship and is determined to make a fresh start in Pine Ridge, an ecovillage in Australia, for her 2 children, fourteen-year-old Ollie, and eight-month-old Kara. But as soon as they move into their new home disturbing events start to happen: a box with a dead bird, and a doll made out of wax and sticks was left on their doorstep. Alex soon realizes that Pine Ridge may not be the peaceful community she was hoping for and that her family may be in danger. To protect them Alex has to confront the shadows that are lurking in the woods.

The book is told from the POV of Alex, as well as Renee Kellerman. Renee and her husband and their fifteen-year-old son, Gabe, lived on the farmland six years ago before they sold it to Pine Ridge. A few months before they sold the farm, Gabe went missing. As with Alex, the Kellermans also had a box with a dead animal and a doll show up on their doorstep just before their son went missing. I really liked both of these characters, their stories are quite similar, and I was very caught up in trying to uncover the mystery of what was going on.

Alex has not made the best decisions in life when it comes to men, and when the going got tough, Alex ran away. But she is determined to finally settle down and give her children the best life she can give them. When they first arrive at Pine Ridge, all of the neighbors were friendly and eager to help Alex out. But as the strange events start to happen, Alex is not sure who she can trust in Pine Ridge. And neither was I. I had so many theories on what I thought was going on and who was responsible.

Renee’s chapters are from 6 years ago and start a few months before Gabe goes missing. I had so much sympathy for Renee. Her husband really does not help out, Gabe has closed off from her and just wants to stay in his room all the time playing video games, and her in-laws are sure that Gabe is being possessed by the devil.

I loved having the alternating timelines and POV’s. With each new chapter, things slowly start coming together to a tension filled conclusion.

The Shadow House starts off slowly, but Anna Downes does a great job creating a creepy and supernatural vibe, as well as increasing the tension as the book progresses. I had no idea what the outcome was going to be and when a twist was revealed at the end, I was totally shocked. And I have to say the ending did bring a few tears to my eyes. 3 ½ stars

Reviews: MEANT TO BE MINE & THE FRIENDSHIP PACT

June 20, 2022/23 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We are slowly getting into a good post-op routine with my son so I hope to be blog hopping a lot more frequently starting this week. Having to ice his shoulder round the clock has my husband and I feeling like we have a newborn all over again, haha. Anyway, even though I’m behind on my reviews and my visits, I have been continuing to read some good books. This week’s highlight for me was finally trying Jill Shalvis’ books after two or three years of saying I wanted to read something from her. I could kick myself for waiting so long, especially since she has such an extensive backlist that I now want to go back and read.

Reviews: MEANT TO BE MINE & THE FRIENDSHIP PACT

Meant to Be Mine Goodreads

Author: Hannah Orenstein

Publication Date: June 7, 2022

Publisher: Atria Books

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

What if you knew the exact date you would meet the love of your life? This unique premise of Hannah Orenstein’s new contemporary romance Meant to Be Mine really intrigued me. The story follows Edie Meyers, a young woman who thinks she will meet her true love on June 24, 2022. Why? Because starting with her own true love, Edie’s grandma Gloria has been able to accurately predict the day every member of their family has met their soul mate.

We meet Edie, a Jewish stylist living in New York, on the morning of this fateful June day. She is at the airport catching a flight to Maine and Edie is already on the hunt for the man she is meant to spend her life with. She scopes out everyone and when a handsome musician named Theo ends up with the seat next to hers on the plane, she just knows that Theo is the one. Or is he? Edie ends up making the first move and as the two of them get to know each other over the next few months, even though Edie really likes Theo, she has nagging doubts about whether the two of them would really work as a couple because they don’t seem to really want the same things in life.

I found Edie to be a very sympathetic character. I couldn’t imagine how I would act or what I would think if I was in her shoes. She has no reason to doubt the date her grandmother has given her based on Gloria’s track record, but should it be so hard to make things work with the one you’re meant to be with? I also liked that Edie is clearly a flawed and messy character. She tries so hard to force Theo to fit into her life and there are definitely some awkward, almost cringeworthy moments along the way. But it’s easy to understand why she’s trying so hard and why she’s so confused based on what she has been told her entire life. I also loved watching Edie interact with her quirky grandmother and with her amazing friend group.

I will say that as much as I enjoyed Meant to Be Mine, I did predict pretty early on how things would turn out for Edie. I still enjoyed watching Edie’s journey to get to that ending, but I couldn’t help but wish that I hadn’t guessed it so soon. Obviously I would have been much more annoyed if this was a thriller and the ending was that easy to guess, but I’ll let it slide since this is a romance.

Overall, I’d say Meant to Be Mine is a solid read with a unique premise and relatable characters that left me wondering, based on Edie’s experience, if I would want to know the exact date I’d meet the person I was meant to spend my life with. 3.5 STARS

The Friendship Pact (Sunrise Cove, #2) Goodreads

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publication Date: June 14, 2022

Publisher: William Morrow Books

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

I’ve had Jill Shalvis on my list of authors to try for a while now and finally decided to dive in with her new Sunrise Cove series. I requested The Friendship Pact not realizing it’s actually the second book in the series, so I immediately checked out the first book and binged it in a couple of days. I loved it and jumped right into The Friendship Pact. Let me start off by saying that, aside from the fact that both books are set in the Lake Tahoe area, there’s no crossover between characters so both books work great as standalones. That said, they’re both fabulous so I highly recommend them in whatever order you choose to read them.

Tae Holmes is an event planner in the Lake Tahoe area. When we meet her, she is in the midst of hosting her first big fundraiser for an adventure company for athletes with disabilities and for wounded warriors. Tae is sharp, savvy, and on top of things, although the weather has put a damper on the event’s turnout. Beyond the weather disruption, however, a couple of other things happen that throw Tae off kilter: 1) One of the event’s donors approaches her to chat about seeing her father recently, which is impossible because Tae has never even met her father because he died overseas before she was born, and 2) her old friend and one-night stand from high school, Riggs Copeland, shows up. It turns out he is part owner of the adventure company, along with his brother, Jake. Tae’s brain is already spinning with questions about her dad and seeing Riggs for the first time since high school just adds to her chaotic thoughts, especially when it’s clear that the sparks between them are still very much there.

I love a good second chance romance so I was hooked on this story from the very first scenes between Tae and Riggs. Both characters were so likeable but with complicated pasts that made them very reluctant to become involved with one another. Riggs is especially reluctant to start anything because he has no intentions of staying in Lake Tahoe long-term, which is where the “friendship pact” came into play. I really loved both Tae and Riggs and the scenes between them are so fun and sexy that with each passing page, I hoped the friendship pact would fail.

This story isn’t just about the romance though. There is quite a bit of personal drama as well, revolving around all those questions Tae now has about her father. Was the donor at the event mistaken or is there something more to the story? Has her mom not been honest with her? And if not, why? This aspect of the story kept me just as captivated as the blossoming romance did, especially because Tae and her mom are so close. I adored their relationship and the fear that something might tear them apart had me turning the pages late into the night.

I don’t want to give away anything, so I’m just going to say that, with the first two books in her Sunrise Cove series, Jill Shalvis has made me a fan and I’ll eagerly be checking out everything else she has written. 4.5 STARS

Reviews: MEANT TO BE and OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY

June 13, 2022/13 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I got a bit sporadic again last week with my blogging because my son had surgery to repair a fractured/dislocated shoulder on Thursday. He’s doing well, although not excited to be in a sling all summer, and we’re all a bit tired from our travels, our stay at the hospital, and from the run-the-clock post-op care since he got home late Friday. I did manage to get a few reviews written this weekend as he has slept, so today I’ll be sharing my thoughts on novels from two of my favorite authors, Emily Giffin and Kristan Higgins. No surprise, but neither of them disappointed. Side note: how adorable are those covers?

Reviews: MEANT TO BE and OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY

Meant to Be Goodreads

Author: Emily Giffin

Publication Date: May 31, 2022

Publisher: Ballatine Books

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

Emily Giffin’s latest novel Meant to Be is a captivating romance that is loosely inspired by the Kennedys, specifically John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. It’s the story of two people from very different worlds who are both trying to find their place in the world and, in the process, manage to find each other. Can their love overcome all the obstacles that stand in their way?

Meant to Be follows Cate and Joe. Joe, or Joseph S. Kingsley, III, comes from a family that is practically American royalty. His father was devoted to public service, first in the military, then in politics, and then in the space program, where he was tragically killed in an accident. Everyone in the country, including Joe’s mother, expects him to pick up his dad’s mantle and carry on with the Kingsley legacy. Joe doesn’t know how he feels about this and has a tendency to behave recklessly as he’s trying to figure out what he wants out of life.

Cate comes from a poor background, having spent her early years living in a tiny apartment with just her mom and a revolving door of men. Cate hates living this way and when she is a teenager, she finds her ticket out of poverty when she has the good fortune to be discovered by a modeling agency. When she meets Joe while on the beach doing a photoshoot, their attraction is instant. Cate wants to keep the relationship secret because if word gets out about her poor background, it’s all over for them since she doesn’t believe there’s a place for her in Joe’s world.

Giffin does an amazing job using Joe and his family to capture America’s obsession with the Kennedys and “Camelot” while at the same time creating a wholly fresh and engrossing love story of these two young people who just want to be together in spite of the pressures of class and society. Both Cate and Joe are just so well drawn. I loved the complicated dynamic of their relationship, the realistic angle as to whether their love is strong enough to withstand what would happen if Cate’s past were to be exposed. I was completely rapt by Cate and Joe’s story that I couldn’t put the book down and actually found myself sobbing by a huge unexpected twist at the end.

Meant to Be is a beautifully written story that will capture your heart, emotionally wreck you, and still manage to leave you feeling hopeful. 4 STARS

Out of the Clear Blue Sky Goodreads

Author: Kristan Higgins

Publication Date: June 7, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

I was hooked on Kristan Higgins’ new novel Out of the Clear Blue Sky from the very first moment we meet the protagonist Lillie Silva, who is in the process of sedating a skunk so that she can sneak it into her ex-husband’s new house. I immediately admired Lillie’s spunk and resourcefulness and, most importantly, was instantly invested in finding out what had driven her to do such a thing.

Lillie had been under the impression that she and Brad had a great life and a happy marriage. Their only child is about to go off to college and Lillie is busy planning a wonderful European vacation for just herself and Brad. She is therefore blindsided when, on the night of their son’s high school graduation, Brad announces that he wants a divorce, that he deserves to find joy for himself and that he is in love with someone else. Lillie is further blindsided when it turns out Brad’s new woman is Melissa, a newcomer to town whom Lillie actually introduced to Brad. Needless to say, Lillie is both shocked and seriously ticked off that Brad has just turned her life upside down.

What I love about Higgins’ novels is that her characters are always so realistic and well drawn. They’re full of flaws, just like us, and they find themselves in situations that are easy to relate to. In Lillie’s case, she’s dealing with Brad’s betrayal, being an empty nester once her son goes off to college, and she also has the added challenge of how she can afford to live on just her salary. Lillie’s journey is also very realistic in the sense that it takes time for her to work past the anger and pettiness she feels toward Brad (the skunk and other assorted hilarious pranks that I won’t spoil), before she comes out on the other side ready to move forward and heal. I was cheering for her every step of the way, laughing out loud at some of her more petty moments, but ultimately rooting for her to find her own joy and show Brad what he was missing out on.

This novel was also fascinating it the sense that it’s a dual POV and the other POV we get is not from Brad, but instead from Melissa, the other woman. Melissa is a seemingly irredeemable character who ended up surprising me in the end. I can’t decide if I liked her or not, but I will say that her journey is an interesting one that kept me glued to the pages even when I wanted to shake her.

If you enjoy stories about second chances and new beginnings, with a hilarious side of revenge thrown in the mix, Out of the Clear Blue Sky is the book for you! 4.5 STARS

Historical Fiction Reviews: THE BOOK WOMAN’S DAUGHTER & OUR LAST DAYS IN BARCELONA

June 6, 2022/18 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I’m back today with a couple of historical fiction reviews from two of my favorite authors. If historical fiction isn’t your usual genre but you’ve been wanting to try a novel or two, I highly recommend both of these authors. They both create such unforgettable characters and do a brilliant job of fully immersing you in the history and culture of the time periods they are writing about.

Historical Fiction Reviews: THE BOOK WOMAN’S DAUGHTER & OUR LAST DAYS IN BARCELONA

The Book Woman's Daughter (The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, #2) Goodreads

Author: Kim Michele Richardson

Publication Date: May 3, 2022

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

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

I was a huge fan of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson when it came out a few years ago. It was the story of Cussy Mary, a blue-skinned packhorse librarian determined, even in the face of extreme prejudice because of her rare skin color, to bring books and literacy to the folks living in the hills of Kentucky. Cussy Mary captured my heart as well as that of many other readers, so when I heard we were getting another book set in this world that focuses on Cussy Mary’s daughter, I couldn’t get my hands on a copy fast enough. I’m so glad I did too because I loved this book even more than the first!

When we first meet Cussy Mary’s daughter, Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, she is learning firsthand just how cruel and unfair, life can be because her parents have just been arrested and charged with miscegenation. They are each looking at several years in prison and because Honey is only a teenager, the court wants to have her committed to a home until she’s 21 years old. The majority of the story follows Honey as she tries to figure out how she can, first, evade capture by law enforcement, and second, find a way to secure her freedom, a journey that has her following in her mother’s footsteps.

Honey is such an easy character to fall in love with. She’s passionate, quick-witted, resourceful and determined, just like her mother, and she’s also born into the role of an underdog because she has inherited her mother’s blue-tinted skin, although in Honey’s case, the blue is confined to her hands and is easily hidden by gloves. I always love a good underdog story and became immediately invested in Honey’s journey, particularly after she declares that she wants to be emancipated and that a bunch of random powerful men shouldn’t be allowed to determine whether or not she can be free.

I loved Honey and I also loved the assorted cast of characters who stepped up to help her because they loved her mother so much and because they knew Honey’s family had been dealt an unfair hand. They treat Honey like family and it’s wonderful to see. One young man even offers to marry her because he knows that will keep her from being committed, but Honey, even though she is immensely grateful he offered, doesn’t want her freedom to come at the cost of marrying for a reason other than love.

Honey’s story is so compelling and the author also does a wonderful job once again exploring the important role of the packhorse librarians and literacy. In many ways, both Book Woman books are love letters to books and reading, both for education and for escape. If you love books about books and books that feature strong resilient female characters who want to smash the patriarchy, you’ll want to check out The Book Woman’s Daughter. 4.5 STARS

Our Last Days in Barcelona Goodreads

Author: Chanel Cleeton

Publication Date: May 24, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

I’ve really been enjoying Chanel Cleeton’s historical fiction novels that focus on the women of the Perez family, a family that was exiled from Cuba after Fidel Castro took over the country. In her latest novel, Our Last Days in Barcelona, Cleeton tells the story of eldest Perez daughter, Isabel. As the eldest, Isabel feels a tremendous sense of responsibility when it comes to her family, who for the most part have settled in South Florida. The notable exception to that is Isabel’s younger sister, Beatriz, who has relocated to Spain and is engaged in espionage. When Beatriz disappears, it is Isabel who immediately books a flight to Barcelona to find her and while there, also discovers a shocking family secret that makes her question everything she has ever known about her life and family.

Through the use of dual timelines, Cleeton takes us on quite an adventure in this novel. One timeline is set in Barcelona in1964 and is the one that follows Isabel as she sets out to track down Beatriz. When Isabel arrives at Beatriz’s apartment, instead of finding Beatriz, she meets an unlikely ally and this timeline follows them on their dangerous journey to track down her sister.

The second timeline is also set in Barcelona, but this time in 1936 and it features Alicia Perez, Isabel’s mother, as well as an infant Isabel. Alicia’s marriage is on the rocks and she has left Cuba and traveled to Spain to stay with family. Her timing is awful though because Spain is on the brink of a civil war and danger is all around them. Alicia’s life takes an unexpected turn when she finds herself face to face with a man who once held her heart.

I love how Cleeton weaves together these two timelines, intertwining Alicia and Isabel’s lives, and showing how both mother and daughter found themselves, nearly 30 years apart, having to choose between being dutiful daughters or following their hearts. I found both timelines equally engrossing and was fully invested in both Alicia’s and Isabel’s journeys.

I also love Cleeton’s brand of historical romance. She not only vividly immerses me in the history and culture of both Spain and Cuba in this novel, but she also infuses the story with plenty of romance, suspense, and drama so that it’s a real page turner.

Our Last Days in Barcelona would definitely work as a standalone but I think reading When We Left Cuba, Next Year in Havana, The Last Time to Key West, and The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba gives the richest reading experience so that you know the moving histories of all the Perez women. 4.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Younger Wife & The Secretary

June 2, 2022/16 Comments/by Sharon

Welcome back to another edition of Thriller Thursday with Sharon. 😀 I hope everyone is doing well and getting in some good reading time. This week I am reviewing Sally Hepworth’s, The Younger Wife and Britney King’s, The Secretary.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Younger Wife & The Secretary

The Younger Wife Goodreads

Author: Sally Hepworth

Publication Date: April 5, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Sally Hepworth’s newest book, The Younger Wife, is a domestic thriller that follows the dysfunctional Aston family. Stephen Aston is a 63-year-old heart surgeon who is engaged to 34-year-old interior designer Heather. The only problem is that Stephen is still married to Pam, who is in a nursing home and suffers from dementia. Stephen plans on divorcing Pam so he can marry Heather, although Stephen says that the divorce is on paper only, that Pam will always be a part of his family. Stephen’s two daughters, 37-year-old Tully and 35-year-old Rachel, are not too happy with this arrangement and as family secrets start to unravel, they are determined to find out who their father really is.

That synopsis sounds more sinister than the book really is. While this was not a heart thumping read, it was a great mystery with interesting and relatable characters. The story opens with Stephen and Heather’s wedding. The whole family is there including Pam. After the ceremony is over, they all go into the back of the church to sign the registry and it is there that someone is hurt. We do not know who is hurt, how bad or who did it. All we know is there was a scream and then the pastor comes out to ask if there is a doctor in the house and the pastor has blood on her. Then the story jumps back in time and progresses forward and is told through the POV of Tully, Rachel, and Heather. I have to say after that opening chapter, I had so many questions and was already speculating on what I thought happened.

Each of the three main characters are flawed and have secrets, which to me made them all the more interesting. I also loved the growth they all had throughout the book.

Tully is married and has two small sons. Not only has her husband lost a substantial amount of money in an investment, but Tully is also a kleptomaniac. I had a lot of sympathy for her because she felt there was no one she could talk to.

Rachel was my favorite character. After an incident that happened when she was sixteen, Rachel has given up on men, that is until she hires a new delivery guy for her bakery business, named Darcy. Darcy is able to finally break down the walls that Rachel has put up.

Heather was a character I thought I was going to hate, but actually ended up liking. Heather comes from an abusive childhood and has done everything she can to put all that behind her and make a life for herself. During her chapters we get to see a different side of Stephen and it is not a good side.

I really connected with Rachel and Tully as I watched their interactions with their mother who, due to dementia, didn’t know who they were most of the time. I could relate to them, as I too lost my mom to dementia a couple of years ago and the last few months were the toughest when she would forget who we were or where she was.

It is at the end of the book that we finally find out what happened at the wedding, and I have to say after reading all that leads up to the end, I was quite happy with what happened. If you like domestic thrillers about dysfunctional families with lots of secrets, then Sally Hepworth’s The Younger Wife is the book for you. 4 stars

The Secretary: A Psychological Thriller Goodreads

Author: Britney King

Publication Date: January 20, 2022

Publisher: Hot Banana Press

When I read the synopsis for Britney King’s new book The Secretary I was immediately intrigued. What murder does the protagonist Gillian have to cover up? I couldn’t wait to find out. But while I did enjoy this book, it was not what I was expecting at all. This was one weird and twisted book.

Gillian Martin wants to be a writer and is currently working as a Doordash delivery person, but she can hardly make ends meet. When she lands a job at Shergar, a medical research company, Gillian does not realize that her life is about to change, and not for the better.

The book is told from the POV of Gillian. I did have a lot of sympathy for Gillian because so many bad things happened in her life. She was living paycheck to paycheck, one day she was robbed by a bunch of teenagers, her father died of a sudden heart attack the day before her interview at Shergar, and there was a lot of family drama with her mother and sister. But even though I had sympathy for Gillian, I also wanted to shake her and tell her to wise up because she made a lot of bad decisions. Her boss, Ellis Harrison, left her a note on her desk “Will you have dinner with me?” “Check yes or no” and even though Gillian has a boyfriend who is overseas doing mission work for their church, she checks yes. Dinner leads to a more intimate relationship with her boss. There was also an occasion when her supervisor tells Gillian that Gillian needs to have her wisdom teeth out because they did not get a lot of participants to sign up for the procedure that would include some of the medical research the company is doing. I am sorry but heck no! No way would I do that.

We also get a few chapters from “Helper 256”. We do not know who this person is, but boy did these chapters give me the chills. Don’t let the name Helper fool you. The Helpers are not there to help you; they are there to help the company clean up anything that may have gone wrong. That could be anything from eliminating a threat to cleaning up a murder.

There is not a lot I can say without giving anything away, except that this book had a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing. I had no idea where this book was going and right near the end there was a twist that I totally did not see coming. There were also a few spots in the book that made me cringe, the wisdom teeth extraction being one of them.

If you are looking for a fast, weird, and twisted read, that features a sympathetic protagonist who makes questionable decisions, then be sure to check out Britney King’s The Secretary. 3 ½ stars

Reviews: THE LOVE CONNECTION & THE EMMA PROJECT

May 30, 2022/14 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I hope your week is off to a great start. I have a three-day weekend so I’m using the time to relax but also to get caught up on some reviews I had gotten behind on due to busy times in my personal life (end of school year activities, soccer tournaments, an upcoming shoulder surgery for my son, etc.). Today I’m sharing my thoughts on two romances I was able to squeeze in in between all of those activities.

Reviews: THE LOVE CONNECTION & THE EMMA PROJECT

The Love Connection (Airport Novellas, #1) Goodreads

Author: Denise Williams

Publication Date: May 17, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

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

You wouldn’t think romance could blossom within the confines of an airport, but in her new novella The Love Connection, part of her Airport Novellas series, Denise Williams not only convinces me love in an airport is possible, but that it can also be quite a magical experience!

The story follows Olivia Wright (Ollie), who, along with her best friend Jess, owns a pet grooming salon in a busy airport. Having just come out of a bad breakup with a cheating fiancé, Ollie is 100% focused on expanding her business and has no interest in putting herself out there for another man. That said, she does enjoy watching the eye candy that passes through the terminal adjacent to her salon, in particular, the sexy guy in a suit that comes through every week, obviously traveling for work. Ollie is quite content to watch this sexy man from afar, but when a runaway soapy dog leads to the most adorable meet-cute in the middle of the airport, Ollie’s life takes a most unexpected turn and one she’s not sure she’s ready for.

I adored Ollie from the moment we meet her. She’s smart, funny, and I love that she’s willing to take a chance on such an unusual business. I mean, really, a dog grooming salon at the airport? I admired her creativity and her determination, and I immediately wanted her to also have a personal life that made her happy because she deserved so much better than her loser ex.

The sexy stranger, Bennett Baker, is pretty great too. His day job is a professional risk assessor, but in his free time, Bennett actually writes historical romance novels. He is experiencing writer’s block at the time of the meet-cute with Ollie, but inspired by his chance encounter with her, he is suddenly able to write more than he has written in months and the two of them start having the most adorable dates in the airport every time he comes to town – coffee dates, dates at the pretzel kiosk, picnics. I was practically swooning at how romantic each of their meetups were and by the flirty texts they start sending each other.

Normally novellas leave me frustrated and wanting more because they’re just so small, but Williams does a phenomenal job with The Love Connection. The character development is wonderful, the banter is hilarious, and the evolution of their relationship is perfectly paced, from meet cute to some deliciously steamy moments. Nothing felt rushed, and Williams also very realistically explores the theme of taking chances after being hurt as well as the obstacles involved in a long-distance relationship. I did want more and was sad when I reached the end, but it was just because Ollie and Bennett were so perfectly suited to one another, not at all because I felt like I had been cheated by a novella.

The Love Connection is fun, fresh, and oh so sexy. If you’re looking for a quick but satisfying romance to read this summer, be sure to check it out! 5 STARS

The Emma Project (The Rajes, #4) Goodreads

Author: Sonali Dev

Publication Date: May 17, 2022

Publisher: Avon and Harper Voyager

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

The Emma Project is the fourth installment in Sonali Dev’s popular Jane Austen-inspired series, The Rajes. The Rajes are a prominent Indian American family, and each book in the series focuses on one of the adult children in the family. This time, it’s Vansh’s turn and Dev tells Vansh’s story in the form of a wonderful gender-bent retelling of the Austen classic, Emma.

Vansh is the baby of the family. He’s handsome, engaging, his family completely dotes on him and so do most other people who meet him. Vansh spends his time working on various charitable projects and has lived a charmed life thus far. The only person who ever challenges him is his long-time friend, Naina.

Naina is a career-driven young woman who up until recently, was fake dating Vansh’s older brother, Yash. This arrangement allowed Naina to focus on her work without her family pressuring her to find a man. When Yash breaks off their relationship because he has met someone he wants to marry, things become strained between Naina and the Raje family, including with Vansh.

The situation between Vansh and Naina becomes even more awkward and tense when one of Naina’s financial backers proposes diverting some of the funding from Naina’s foundation to one of Vansh’s pet projects. After some initial arguing, Vansh and Naina soon realize the only way to move both of their projects forward is for them to team up. Both of these characters were quite likeable and I liked the way they interacted with one another as friends. There’s plenty of fun banter between them, and it’s pretty clear that they have more than friendly feelings toward each other.

As with the previous books in the series, Dev has crafted wonderful characters with so much depth. Naina, in particular, has a complicated and strained relationship with her mother and father, and Dev does a marvelous job delving into that and fleshing out Naina’s character. It became very easy to understand why she seems so aloof and closed off most of the time.

My only issue is with the romance trope used, mainly because it doesn’t quite match up with the original Emma. In that one, Emma and Knightly are friends who are completely oblivious that they have feelings for one another until nearly the end of the book. If you’ve seen the movie Clueless, another Emma retelling, think Cher and Josh. This modern retelling doesn’t really have that same level of obliviousness, or at least I didn’t sense it. It didn’t really hamper my enjoyment of the read since I do enjoy a good rivals-to-lovers story, but if you’re an Austen enthusiast, just don’t expect the read to exactly mirror the original.

With its rivals-to-lovers vibe as well as several scenes that are much steamier than in the earlier Raje novels, The Emma Project concludes the series on a very sexy and satisfying note. 3 ½ STARS.

Reviews: STARRY-EYED LOVE & SEE YOU YESTERDAY

May 24, 2022/20 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I know today is usually Top Ten Tuesday but I wasn’t feeling this week’s topic and I’m behind on reviews, so I decided to use this slot to play catch up. Today I’m sharing my thoughts to two new releases that I really enjoyed, one from a new-to-me author, Helena Hunting, and one from an auto-buy author, Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Reviews: STARRY-EYED LOVE & SEE YOU YESTERDAY

Starry-Eyed Love (Spark House, #2) Goodreads

Author: Helena Hunting

Publication Date: May 10, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

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

Starry-Eyed Love is the second book in Helena Hunting’s contemporary romance series, Spark House, a series that follows three sisters who run a small boutique hotel together.

London Spark is the focus of this second installment, and I loved her from the opening scene when we encounter her and her two sisters, Avery and Harley at a bar together. London has just broken up with her boyfriend and the sisters are celebrating her newly single status. London is ready to focus her attention on the family business and has no interest in dating right now, so when a handsome stranger at the bar flirts with her, she tells him she’s not available. Little does she know at the time, but that man, Jackson Holt, is about to change her life in more ways than one.

I really loved the chemistry between London and Jackson right from that first meeting and was actually disappointed when she blew him off. Color me tickled then when London is invited to a meeting to discuss bringing Spark House on board as a partner for a huge environmentally friendly initiative. If you guessed Jackson Holt is the founder of this initiative, you would be correct. This of course forces London in close proximity to Jackson, whether she likes it or not, and things take off from there. London and Jackson are a great match on pretty much every level and there are plenty of flirty sexy moments between them, but I’ll say now to prepare yourself for a slow burn since they do have a working relationship and there are some angsty moments as they try to figure out how to navigate the professional and the personal.

As much as I enjoyed London and Jackson’s story, I was also a big fan of the relationship between the sisters. They are experiencing some growing pains as the hotel expands and so even though they adore each other, there is still the occasional tension. London, in particular, is in an awkward position. She has somehow landed in the position of business administrator, so she is responsible for bringing in new clientele and planning events. This isn’t her wheelhouse at all, as she is more of a creative type, and as much as she wants to help her sisters with the business and doesn’t want to create drama, this particular job and the way Avery is pushing her and refusing to hire outside help, is running her ragged. I loved how realistically Hunting portrays these relationships, especially the angst and tension, as London comes to terms with the idea that the only way out involves confronting Avery. Hunting hits that perfect and very relatable balance of “I love you more than anything but something has got to give.”

Starry-Eyed Love was my first time reading something from Helena Hunting but it definitely won’t be my last because this book was just such a delight – equal parts charming, and funny, and with a delicious side of drama and angst to spice things up. 4 STARS

See You Yesterday Goodreads

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publication Date: May 17, 2022

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing

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

I love Rachel Lynn Solomon’s books and I love stories that feature time traveling or time loops, so you can imagine how excited I was to learn that Solomon’s latest YA novel See You Yesterday features a Groundhog’s Day style romance. I couldn’t hit that request button on Netgalley fast enough and I’m thrilled to share that this book was everything I hoped it would be and more!

The story follows Barrett Bloom, a college freshman who is really hoping this year will be a fresh start for her after a pretty rough senior year of high school. Instead of being a fresh start, however, her first day of classes is an absolute nightmare. She learns that she’s stuck rooming with an old friend she had a falling out with in high school. Then, an obnoxious know-it-all embarrasses her in Physics class, and she goes on to completely blow her interview to be on the school newspaper, and then as if all that isn’t bad enough, she goes to a frat party that night and accidentally sets the place on fire. All she wants to do is crawl in bed and pretend this day never happened. Instead, however, she wakes up and it’s the first day of classes all over again. Needless to say, Barrett is perplexed by this, especially when it keeps happening. After another encounter with Miles, the annoying guy from her Physics class, Barrett soon learns that Miles has also been similarly trapped and has been repeating the same day for over two months now. The two of them set out on an interesting quest to try to fix their timelines and free themselves from this endless loop.

I loved this story so much! Barrett and Miles are adorable together even when they’re plucking each other’s nerves. Their relationship also slowly transforms as they explore all avenues to freedom – researching at the library, trying to right wrongs from their pasts, trying to find closure from events where they’ve left loose ends, etc. While nothing they try works, what does happen is that the two of them get to know each other and grow close, first as friends but then as more than friends. I loved this so much for them because they’re both so lonely and out of sorts, even before being trapped in the loop. It was lovely to see them connect with each other and also so much fun to watch some of the antics they would come up with to pass the time while they’re stuck. There’s also tremendous growth for Barrett as she finally conquers some demons from her past and is able to move forward.

There’s also the huge question of what happens to Miles and Barrett if and when they finally come unstuck from time. Will they still be a couple, will they still know each other? Or will they go back to being alone? If you want to know the answer to those questions, you’ll have to check out See You Yesterday. You won’t regret it! 4.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Where They Wait & All These Bodies

May 19, 2022/10 Comments/by Sharon

Hi everyone. Welcome to another edition of Thriller Thursday with Sharon. 😀 This week I am happy to share my thoughts on Scott Carson’s, Where The Wait and Kendare Blake’s, All These Bodies. Both of these books were more on the side of Supernatural Thrillers, and I really enjoyed them.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Where They Wait & All These Bodies

Where They Wait Goodreads

Author: Scott Carson

Publication Date: October 26, 2021

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

I read Scott Carson’s debut thriller The Chill a couple of years ago and while I liked it, it didn’t knock my socks off. But I was still eager to read his newest book While They Wait, and I am very happy to report that this book exceeded my expectations and I’m already looking forward to his next book.

Nick Bishop is a war correspondent who has recently been laid off from the newspaper he works for. Nick gets a call from his longtime friend who tells him that there is a job waiting for him to write a profile for a new mindfulness App called “Clarity” if he wants it. Nick needs the money, so he heads back to his hometown in Maine. Nick uses the App and at first it seems like just a retread of Apps already out there, with relaxing white noises and guided meditation. But then there are the “sleep songs” with a woman’s hauntingly beautiful voice, but really disturbing lyrics. After listening to the sleep songs, Nick starts having very vivid nightmares that even start to affect him when he is awake. Nick soon learns that the profile he was hired to write is just a ruse and it is Nick that the creator of Clarity, Bryce Lermond, really wanted. Though he has no memory of it, Nick is the only person still alive out of twenty people who have heard these songs.

I don’t even know how to explain what I loved about this book without giving away any spoilers. This book has a creep factor of ten! When I first started reading, all I could think of was “Well remind me not to download any relaxing apps.” LOL. And then the more I got into the book and the creepy factor increased, I was ready to delete any and all apps on my phone, relaxation or not. Hahaha.

Scott Carson did a great job of bringing all the characters to life. All of the characters flowed so well together. I also really got a kick out of how Carson used the Northeast accent in his writing. I live in Massachusetts, which is only a couple of hours from Maine, and I visit there often. We like to drop our R’s, so ‘car’ becomes ‘cah’, things like that. So I had no problem when the locals were speaking in the book, but some not used to it may have a bit of a hard time understanding what was written.

As well as being a creepy thriller, Where They Wait is also a supernatural tale. There are ghosts that haunt Nick while he is asleep and awake and there is also mind and memory manipulation going on, which just added to the creepiness. 3 ½ stars

All These Bodies Goodreads

Author: Kendare Blake

Publication Date: September 21, 2021

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

I have had Kendare Blake’s newest book, All These Bodies, on my to read list since last August. I really enjoyed her Three Dark Crowns series but kept putting off reading this book in favor of newer and more anticipated books that I wanted to read. I am really glad I finally picked this up and read it because I really liked it.

In 1958 a string of murders plagued the Midwest. All of the victims had the blood drained from their bodies, but there was never any blood found at the murder scenes. These murders became known as the “Bloodless Murders.” In a small town in Minnesota, the Carson family are the latest victims in the bloodless murders, only this time a suspect is found at the murder scene. Fifteen-year-old Marie Catherine Hale is found standing in the middle of the Carson’s living room and she is soaked from head to toe in their blood.

Seventeen-year-old Michael Jenson, the local sheriff’s son, wants to be a journalist, but he never thought that his first assignment would be the biggest story in the country or that he would be pulled into the bloodless murders investigation. But that is just what happens when Marie decides that she will confess and tell everything, but only to Michael. And what a story she tells.

This book is told from the narrative of Michael Jenson. While he is excited at first to have this opportunity, he soon realizes that he is in over his head. Not only due to the information that Marie is telling him, but also because Michael is starting to have feelings for Marie, and he knows that once she is done telling him her story, she is going to be brought to Nebraska to face charges there and will most certainly be put to death. I really liked Michael. He was an easy character to get behind. He was just an all-around good kid who was trying to make sense of the story he was being told, as well as his feelings for Marie. I also liked that Michael had a great support system in both his parents and his best friend. They were there for him when he needed them and stuck by him no matter what.

I also loved the character of Marie Catherine Hale. She was such a complex character. At times she seemed like the child she was and other times she came across as more mature. She was also a very unreliable character. There were times I was not sure if what she was saying was true or not.

All These Bodies may not be for the weak stomached, as there are a few squeamish moments such as when Marie was telling about why there was no blood at the murder scenes, vampires, and drinking of the blood. I did get a bit sad at the end of the book. I was hoping it would have ended differently, but at the same time, I thought it was a satisfying ending, though I did have a question or two. 3 ½ stars

Review: THE SUMMER PLACE by Jennifer Weiner

May 16, 2022/23 Comments/by Suzanne

The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner
Also by this author: Mrs. Everything, Big Summer

Published by Atria Books on May 10, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction
Pages: 432
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Goodreads

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

It’s almost summer so you know what that means — it’s time for a new novel from Jennifer Weiner! The Summer Place is everything I’ve come to expect from Weiner’s novels – a healthy dose of family drama, juicy secrets, flawed but relatable characters, and a whole lot of heart.

The drama in the story revolves around an upcoming wedding. The story opens with Sarah Danhauser’s 22-year-old stepdaughter unexpectedly announcing that she and her boyfriend are getting married in three months. Everyone in the family, Sarah included, thinks she’s too young and the wedding is too soon, but Ruby is determined so wedding plans commence and the wedding is set to take place at Sarah’s mom’s beach house in Cape Cod. The house is about to be sold so the wedding will also serve as a perfect goodbye to a house that has been in the family for generations.

As the wedding plans are being made, however, it soon becomes clear that nearly every character in the book has a secret they’re trying to keep under wraps. You can almost immediately tell that there’s going to be some pretty intense drama if and when these secrets start to come to light, especially since there are hints that the secrets could very well derail Ruby’s wedding.

Weiner is a master when it comes to fully fleshing out her characters, and The Summer Place is no exception to that. She has the story unfold from the perspective of several key characters: Sarah; her husband Eli; Ruby; Sarah’s twin brother, Sam; Sarah’s mother, Ronnie, and Rosa, the mother of the groom. Weiner provides pretty extensive background on each of these characters, and I have to admit that it took me a little while to really become invested in the story. Once all the characters are fully introduced though, the story takes off and becomes one heck of an addicting ride!

I can’t say much more without spoiling the plot, but I will say that there are secrets and mistakes from the past that come back to haunt many of these characters, there are misunderstandings that get blown way out of proportion, and there are confrontations and revelations that could rock everyone in the family to the core. That said, The Summer Place is also a heartfelt and satisfying story about love, sacrifice, and especially about families sticking together no matter how messy things get. Throw this one in your beach bag because you’re going to love it!

About Jennifer Weiner

Jennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of seventeen books, including Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, and, most recently, Mrs. Everything. Her new novel, Big Summer, debuted May 5, 2020. A graduate of Princeton University and contributor to the New York Times Opinion section, she lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.

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Review: SET ON YOU by Amy Lea

May 13, 2022/16 Comments/by Suzanne

Set on You by Amy Lea

Published by Berkley Books on May 10, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 384
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Goodreads

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

SET ON YOU is Amy Lea’s debut novel and it is a delight! It’s a contemporary romance that focuses on fitness, features a plus size heroine and her sexy gym rival, but that also shines a light on the unfair standards our society has when it comes to beauty and anyone who isn’t a size zero.

The protagonist Crystal Chen is a biracial curvy fitness influencer. The gym is her happy place and she doesn’t go there to lose weight. She goes there because she loves to lift weights. Being strong and healthy is her goal. Her social media channels are devoted to supporting others like her who aren’t a size zero but who are looking to improve their overall fitness. She posts workout tutorials and lots of support and encouragement. Crystal is such a fabulous character. I loved that she embraced her curves and that she worked so hard to inspire others and keep them motivated to achieve their goals. I also liked that even though she’s so inspirational, she also comes across as a realistic and relatable character, and sometimes she’s a downright hot mess.

The romantic element of the story is fresh and fun too, as it centers on Crystal and her gym nemesis. Crystal is meticulous and regimented when it comes to her gym workouts. For that reason, she doesn’t take too kindly to Scott, the new guy at the gym, a sexy firefighter who seems to be going out of his way to be annoying, even taking equipment that she is clearly about to use. Now I’ll admit that some of Scott’s antics were a little juvenile, but it was hilarious watching him get under her skin, especially when she starts referring to him as Squat Rack Thief. It’s pretty obvious that Scott is attracted to Crystal and trying to get her attention, and it’s equally obvious that no matter how mad Crystal gets at the Squat Rack Thief, she is pretty obsessed with him.

The evolution of their relationship is adorable too. Crystal and Scott are forced to relate to each other as something other than rivals when they realize that Crystal’s grandmother has been dating and wants to marry Scott’s grandfather. Getting to see each other outside of the competitive gym environment really helped take their relationship to the next level. Crystal begins to think of Scott in ways she never would have imagined, while Scott becomes one of Crystal’s biggest supporters when it comes to both her career and her fitness, working out with her and even helping her film workouts for her social media account. Both of their families are great too, and I especially enjoyed watching the grandparents embrace a second chance for love. They were so sweet together!

Aside from the fun rivals to lovers romance, Set On You also does a lot to tackle those unfair perceptions about size and beauty and it offers some interesting commentary on the body positivity movement and the effect internet trolls and haters can have on a person’s self esteem. As much as I enjoyed the romance between Crystal and Scott, Crystal’s work to inspire others and to honestly talk about her struggles with her own perception of her curvy body really made this a powerful read in addition to being a super fun one. If you’re looking for an entertaining and timely read to toss in your beach bag this summer, definitely check out Set On You!

About Amy Lea

Amy Lea is a Canadian bureaucrat by day and contemporary romance author by night (and weekends). She writes laugh out loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, witty banter, mid-2000s pop culture references, and happily ever afters.

When Amy is not writing, she can be found fan-girling over other romance books on Instagram (@amyleabooks), eating potato chips with reckless abandon, and snuggling with her husband and goldendoodle.

Her Spring 2022 debut romantic comedy SET ON YOU from Berkley Romance at Penguin Random House is now available.

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