Thriller Thursday Reviews: Nanny Dearest & The Night She Disappeared

March 24, 2022/11 Comments/by Sharon

Sharon is taking Thriller Thursday back! LOL! This week I am happy to share my thoughts on Flora Collins’ debut novel, Nanny Dearest and Kevin O’Brien’s new book, The Night She Disappeared (not to be confused with Lisa Jewell’s novel by the same name) 🙂

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Nanny Dearest & The Night She Disappeared

Nanny Dearest Goodreads

Author: Flora Collins

Publication Date: November 30, 2021

Publisher: MIRA

When I read the synopsis for Flora Collins’ debut novel Nanny Dearest, I was immediately intrigued. I am always in the mood for a good psychological thriller with flawed yet sympathetic characters and Nanny Dearest did not disappoint.

For the last year Sue Keller has been pretty much a recluse. Her father died in an accident a year before and it just broke her. He was all she had in her life, as her mother died when she was four years old. While on a rare day out, Sue runs into Anneliese (Annie), who was her nanny twenty years ago. Still grieving for her father and craving a motherly connection, Sue is happy to have Annie back in her life and the two become inseparable. But as Annie’s behavior starts to become smothering and as Sue starts to uncover the truth from the time Annie was her nanny, Sue realizes there is something very wrong with Annie.

This story alternates between Sue’s POV in the present and Annie’s POV in 1996 when she was Sue’s nanny. I loved having the book unfold this way. Seeing Annie’s behavior towards Sue in the present and then getting a look at her behavior when she was Sue’s nanny just added a lot of suspense to the book. It is clear from both timelines that Annie has some mental health issues. And while Annie came across as a whack-a-doodle in both timelines, the more we got on her backstory, the more I could understand why she had such a fascination with Sue and the more sympathy I had for her. Annie’s POV/timeline was my favorite part of the book. I loved getting all of the backstory and what life was like for them all back then.

I had a lot of sympathy for Sue as well. She doesn’t remember her mother very much and was devastated when her father died. When she meets up again with Annie, she so much wants to hear stories from when she was a child and about her mother. My favorite part of Sue though was when we got to see her as a child during Annie’s timeline. Sue was such a cute child, and it just broke my heart when her mother died, and she didn’t understand what was going on.

Nanny Dearest is a slow burn psychological thriller. I had no idea where this book was going to go and the not knowing added the suspense, tension, and creepiness to the read. By the end of this book I was flying through the pages to see how it was going to end. And what an ending it was! When I finished the last page, I literally sat there trying to comprehend what I just read. I am still not sure how I feel about the ending. LOL! 3 1/2 stars

Warning: There is a part in the book that has abuse to a cat. I will say I skimmed/jumped over that part of the book.

The Night She Disappeared Goodreads

Author: Kevin O’Brien

Publication Date: July 21, 2021

Publisher: Pinnacle Books

I have had Kevin O’Brien’s The Night She Disappeared on my to read shelf for almost a year. I am trying to tackle some of my older books, rather than leave them sitting there in favor of new releases (lol) and finally picked this one up to read. And I am glad I finally did. This was a twisty mystery that kept me guessing until the end.

Anna Malone is a TV reporter for a local station in Seattle. She is dating Russ Knoll, a married pediatrician. Russ’ wife Courtney is a best-selling author who Anna has just done a story on to promote her newest book. When the book opens, Anna has woken up with a terrible hangover. All she can remember from the night before is meeting Russ and Courtney at an elegant restaurant to celebrate the story that Anna has done on Courtney. She does not remember how she got into her bed at home. When she gets a call from Russ saying that Courtney is missing, Anna cannot shake the feeling that something terrible happened the night before. As the days go by and Courtney has not been found, Russ becomes the prime suspect in the police investigation. Anna is also thrust into the spotlight and the investigation when it is revealed by her TV rival, Sally Justice who has a show called “The Sally Justice Show”, that Anna and Russ were having an affair. Anna has also been getting phone calls from an unknown number and the caller says that they know what happened that night and that Anna murdered Courtney. What happened to Courtney? Can Anna piece together the events of that night and prove she is not a murderer?

I liked Anna. She is a flawed character (Hello! She is having an affair with a married man. LOL), but she was also a sympathetic character. Her older brother Stu ran away when Anna was a teenager, the following year her father was arrested for insider-trading and killed himself in jail, and when Anna was a junior in college, her mother died in a car accident. She is all alone trying to figure out what actually happened the night Courtney went missing. With the help of Sally Justice’s daughter, Taylor, Anna has sessions with a psychotherapist, who through hypnosis is helping Anna remember. I don’t want to say what came from these sessions, but I will say right from the get-go I did not trust the therapist or even Taylor.

Anna lived on a floating house on Lake Union, and I love how having the majority of the book take place there really gave this book a creepier atmosphere, especially at night when Anna is in her house and outside is just black and anyone could have been out there on the water watching her.

There is so much I cannot say about this book because I don’t want to give anything away. I loved all the twists and turns as the story unfolded. Near the end I did figure a few things out and while I am not 100% on board with the who-dun-it and why, I really enjoyed the journey to finding all the answers. 3 ½ stars

Romance Reviews – SADIE ON A PLATE and IN A NEW YORK MINUTE

March 21, 2022/23 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I’m back from my trip to New York and ready to get back to blogging. I had a wonderful trip and loved being able to share my love of the city with my son since it was his first time there. We had great weather most days, although it did rain a bit and was pretty foggy on Thursday. We took him on a boat ride so he could see the Statue of Liberty, the Freedom Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge, and other iconic sites around the island, and we also did a carriage ride in Central Park and took him shopping in SoHo, among other activities. The bright lights and chaos of Times Square was his favorite part of the trip, with New York style pizza a close second, haha. I also introduced him to Broadway with Hamilton and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I was not the biggest fan of the printed script version of Cursed Child or of she who shall not be named but I have to admit that seeing it on stage was pretty great. The special effects are amazing. My son gave two thumbs up to New York overall, but we are all definitely glad to be back to the comfort and quiet of home now.

Today I’m sharing reviews of two books I read while traveling to and from New York. Both are quick and wonderful reads, perfect for my trip.

Romance Reviews – SADIE ON A PLATE and IN A NEW YORK MINUTE

Sadie on a Plate Goodreads

Author: Amanda Elliot

Publication Date: March 15, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

Sadie on a Plate is Amanda Elliot’s debut adult romance novel and it is an absolute delight. It follows Sadie who is making a name for herself as a rising star in Seattle’s culinary world. That is, until a very public breakup with her famous chef boyfriend gets her blacklisted from pretty much every restaurant in the area. When we meet Sadie, she is sure her career is over and is reeling from the loss until a stroke of good fortune lands in her lap – she has been chosen for a coveted spot on the next season of the popular reality TV show, Chef Supreme. If Sadie can perform well in this competition, she can get her career back on track.

I love a good underdog story so I was rooting for Sadie to kick butt in this competition. Sadie is smart, sweet, talented, and resilient and I just really wanted her to prove everyone wrong since there have been some folks in her life who don’t think she has what it takes to succeed. I was also rooting for her to hit it off with Luke, the sexy seatmate she meets on her cross-country flight, because she deserves someone better in her life than her ex. Even though Sadie and Luke have major chemistry, however, there’s one major obstacle to any possibility of a happily ever after for them. When Sadie arrives at the Chef Supreme studios, she learns that Luke is actually one of the judges so he is off limits unless she wants to be disqualified.

While I really enjoyed the forbidden love element of their relationship because it added drama and suspense, not to mention longing looks from afar, the romance does not take center stage in this story. Instead, it bookends the main focus of the story, which is actually the competition itself. If you enjoy reality TV cooking shows like Top Chef, you are sure to enjoy the competition scenes in this book. Between the delectable descriptions of each dish Sadie and her fellow competitors created, to the tense competitive atmosphere, it truly felt like I was watching a cooking competition. The entire cast of secondary characters was great, but I most enjoyed following Sadie as she came up with so many creative ways to show that Jewish cuisine is so much more than just latkes and pastrami. By the end, she had me wishing she really did have a restaurant where I could partake of her delicious sounding creations.

I would have liked a little more focus on the romance, but honestly, watching Sadie come into her own and grow both on a personal level and as a chef was more than enough for me. I would highly recommend Sadie on a Plate to anyone who enjoys a good underdog story with a side of romance and to fans of reality TV cooking shows. 4 STARS

In a New York Minute Goodreads

Author: Kate Spencer

Publication Date: March 15, 2022

Publisher: Forever

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

Kate Spencer’s new novel In a New York Minute is a hilarious yet tender romantic comedy that perfectly illustrates how you just never know what (or who) life is going to throw your way. It follows Franny Doyle, a young woman, who in the opening scene of the book, has just been laid off from her job. It wasn’t a great job, by far, but it at least paid the bills. Feeling sad and defeated, Franny lugs her box of belongings onto the crowded subway. Just when she thinks her day can’t possibly get any worse, she feels the back of her dress get caught in the subway doors and rip wide open. A dashing stranger offers her his suit jacket so that she doesn’t moon all of Manhattan, and their embarrassingly awkward meet cute is captured on video. They go their separate ways without even exchanging names, but the incident goes viral on social media and soon, half of New York is rooting for the “Subway QTs” to get together. True to form, the local media outlets know a good story when they see it and so they set out to find and reunite Franny and her mystery hero.

I was hooked on this book from this laugh out loud funny opening scene and was immediately rooting for Franny to find happiness and to follow her dream of owning her own design business. I was also hardcore rooting for the Subway QTs. Even though their meeting on the subway was brief, there were definitely sparks, although you wouldn’t know it when they are finally reunited on the local news for an even more awkward encounter than their first one. The hero, Hayes Montgomery III, handsome and chivalrous as he is, is truly as socially awkward as they come. Pretty much everything he says comes out wrong and he is way more self-conscious than you would expect. As much as I liked Franny, it’s Hayes who really stole my heart. His awkwardness is just so endearing, especially since you can also tell what a great guy he is. I loved watching he and Franny get to know each other.

In addition to the delightful slow burn romance between Franny and Hayes, there is also a fabulous cast of secondary characters. I especially loved Franny’s best friends, Cleo and Lola. They were so much fun to watch in action and I just loved how loyal and supportive they were of each other. They were total squad goals!

I was also a huge fan of the New York setting and thought the author did a brilliant job capturing the vibrant atmosphere of the city. I was actually reading this novel while riding the train up to New York and it had me even more excited to experience the city than I already was.

In a New York Minute is a gem of a book. It’s filled with heart, humor, and heat and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a slow burn romance as well as an engaging story that is laugh out loud funny. 4.5 STARS

Reviews: THE GOLDEN COUPLE & THE BOOK OF COLD CASES

March 11, 2022/7 Comments/by Suzanne

I know Sharon usually posts the majority of our thriller reviews on Thriller Thursday, but today I actually have two thriller reviews of my own to share. I think I’m finally starting to come out of my pandemic funk with respect to darker reads because these two books were great and have me craving even more thrillers to read. If you have any thriller recs to share, hit me up in the comments.

Reviews: THE GOLDEN COUPLE & THE BOOK OF COLD CASES

The Golden Couple Goodreads

Author: Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Publication Date: March 8, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

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

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, my favorite thriller writing duo, are back with a brand new domestic psychological thriller that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. The Golden Couple follows a married couple who turn to an unconventional therapist for help when they realize their marriage is in big trouble. They get more than they bargained for when the therapist decides to play detective and uncovers a treasure trove of secrets and lies, beneath the surface of what, to outsiders, seemed like the perfect marriage.

Avery Chambers, the therapist, is such an intriguing character. She’s actually not even a licensed therapist, well not anymore anyway. She had her license revoked due to some ethically questionable actions on her part and now she works as a consultant, picking and choosing her clients based on her unconventional 10 step therapy program. She’s a bit infamous, often referred to as a rogue therapist, but she gets results, which is why Marissa and Matthew Bishop turn to her for help. I really enjoyed following Avery throughout this story – she’s shrewd, resourceful, and definitely has a knack for seeing through people and getting to the truth of the matter. In addition to the work she does for the Bishops, Avery also has a personal crisis of her own that she is dealing with. She’s being stalked by a pharmaceutical corporation because she helped one of their employees blow the whistle on their unsavory business practices. They want a name and she refuses to give them one, so they are aggressively pursuing her. I loved the extra layer of suspense, drama, and the surprisingly creepy factor this pursuit added to the story.

Avery’s work with the Bishops is what takes center stage and I loved watching Avery peel back the layers of this couple’s relationship. As soon as she meets with them the first time, she manages to coax the confession out of Marissa that she has cheated on Matthew. But even as that explosive secret comes to light, it’s clear to Avery that not only are Matthew and Marissa keeping secrets from each other; they’re also not being forthright with her. The authors do a fabulous job of creating tension and suspense in each of these therapy sessions. I found myself eager for each appointment to see what tricks Avery would have up her sleeve as she pursued her unconventional route to saving the Bishop’s marriage.

There were also several very intriguing threads running through the story that kept me thoroughly engaged because I couldn’t wait to see how they fed into the main plot. One, the whole time Avery is working to reconcile Matthew and Marissa, there is someone out there sending Marissa flowers and leaving her notes, as if trying to derail their therapy. And two, there’s Marissa’s assistant, Polly, who is acting stranger and stranger by the day – dressing like Marissa, wearing the same perfume, and even mimicking some of her gestures. And why is she suddenly trying to make contact with Matthew, whom she barely knows?

The Golden Couple is a riveting psychological thriller that is about so much more than a marriage in trouble, as becomes clear when all of the pieces finally come together in an explosive and unpredictable conclusion. If you enjoy gripping reads filled with multi-layered characters, plenty of suspenseful twists and turns to keep you guessing, and a reveal that will shock you, this is the book for you. 4 STARS

The Book of Cold Cases Goodreads

Author: Simone St. James

Publication Date: March 15, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

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

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James is a creepy, atmospheric thriller that delivers not only a riveting murder mystery but also endless thrills and chills. If you enjoyed St. James’ last novel, The Sun Down Motel, I think her latest novel will be right up your alley because it has a similar haunting vibe.

The story follows Shea Collins, a young woman who is obsessed with true-crime and who runs a successful blog called The Book of Cold Cases where she dishes about cold cases with fellow true crime fans. By day, however, Shea works as receptionist in a medical office, and is shocked when Beth Greer casually walks into her office one day. Forty years ago, Beth Greer was the prime suspect in the brutal Lady Killer Murders, a string of brutal murders where men were shot in the face at close range, the only evidence left behind being notes written in what appears to be a woman’s handwriting. Beth ended up being acquitted when she went to trial, but the murders have never been solved so a cloud of suspicion still hangs over her head. Shea follows Beth when she leaves and manages to secure an interview with the infamous woman. The rest of the story unfolds from both Shea’s and Beth’s perspectives as we finally learn the truth about the murders.

Both Shea and Beth are fascinating characters with many layers to them. We learn that Shea is obsessed with true crime in part because she was the victim of a crime herself when she was a child and was nearly abducted by a man who coaxed her into his car. Shea managed to escape, but the man went on to abduct, rape and murder another little girl. This incident haunts Shea and has colored many aspects of her life – she has an absolute phobia when it comes to getting into cars, she doesn’t trust people very easily, etc. Even with her trust issues, however, Shea finds herself irresistibly drawn to Beth and her story, even though she has no idea if she’s meeting an innocent woman or an elusive serial killer. And I could easily understand why. There’s just something almost intoxicating about Beth and the whole “Is she or isn’t she a cold-blooded killer?” vibe she has going on. I desperately wanted to know the truth as much as Shea did and I’m not even a true crime fan!

I loved how St. James kept me guessing the entire book. I didn’t know which characters I could trust and which ones I couldn’t, but each interview between Shea and Beth was that much more engrossing, especially when it became clear that it would not be Beth who revealed all, but instead it was the Greer House itself that had a jaw-dropping story to tell. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but if you enjoy a bit of supernatural creepiness in your thrillers, you’re going to love the scenes that unfold in that house. Let’s just say it had me giving my own house the side eye the entire time I was reading, haha.

It’s hard to say more without giving away the reveal, so I’m going to stop here but if the idea of a determined blogger trying to solve two forty-year old murders, while at the same time, coming to terms with her own childhood trauma, appeals to you, you’ll definitely want to pick up a copy of The Book of Cold Cases. It’s atmospheric, haunting, and unputdownable. 4 STARS

Reviews: THE SUITE SPOT & IF YOU ASK ME

March 7, 2022/18 Comments/by Suzanne

How in the world is it March already? It feels like just last week I was reading my first book of 2022 and now it’s nearly spring and I’ve read 46 books. Amazing how much reading time insomnia and cancelling your cable can get you, lol. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well. Today, I’m sharing two more fabulous reads that straddle the line between romance and women’s fiction. This was my second read from Trish Doller this year and she’s now an auto-buy author for me. This was my first time reading LIbby Hubscher and I enjoyed this one so much that I’m really hoping to read her last book Meet Me in Paradise later this month.

The Suite Spot (Beck Sisters, #2) Goodreads

Author: Trish Doller

Publication Date: March 8, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

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

One of my first five star reads of 2022 was Float Plan, the first book in Trish Doller’s Beck Sisters series. It was such a beautifully written story about loss and grief and about how Anna Beck finds her path forward after losing the love of her life. That book just blew me away, so needless to say, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second book in the series, The Suite Spot, and meet Anna’s sister Rachel Beck. How did this book compare to the first one? 5 stars all the way!

Rachel Beck’s life is not going as she had hoped it would. She’s still living with her parents and she’s a single mom dealing with a flaky baby daddy. Rachel loves her daughter, and she loves her job as a night reservations manager at a posh hotel in Miami Beach, that is until she gets fired for telling off one of the hotel’s VIP guests when he tries to ram his tongue down her throat. With limited prospects, Rachel decides it’s time for a fresh start and she takes a management position at a brewery hotel on an island in Lake Erie called Kelleys Island.

I really admired Rachel’s spunk and determination. It’s not easy to just pack up and move across the country, but she knew she needed to do something both for herself and to make sure her daughter has the best possible life. I hated that she was wrongfully terminated from a job she loved, but I was so happy for her when it becomes clear that this new job is the chance of a lifetime, definitely professionally but also personally – if she can get Mason, the sexy but moody hotel owner to open up to her.

As much as I loved Rachel, I think I may have loved Mason even more. Under that moody exterior is a man who has suffered a devastating personal loss and is clearly still reeling from it and struggling to move forward. As soon as the townsfolk meet Rachel, they are rooting for her to be the one to help him put the pieces of his life back together. And I was rooting right along with them because I loved the chemistry between Rachel and Mason and I loved how they were such a great team when it came to bringing all of the details of the hotel together. They were just so in synch with one another and I thought they really brought out the best in each other too. Each is exactly what the other needed.

Rachel and Mason’s growing relationship had me 100% invested in the story from a romantic standpoint, and there was also plenty of angst and drama to keep me turning those pages. I also really loved all of the scenes that dealt with the brewery and with the designing of the hotel’s interior. Those scenes could have easily been dry and dull and pulled me out of the story, but instead, I thought the scenes were vibrant and really helped enhance the reading experience. I could practically see the beautiful rooms coming together and taste the new delicious craft beers that Mason was brewing.

I flew through The Suite Spot in just a couple of sittings and was left thoroughly satisfied by the book’s conclusion. If you’re in the mood for an engaging and heartwarming story with a strong focus on romance, family, and how to cope with loss and grief, you’re going to want to check out The Suite Spot. 5 STARS.

If You Ask Me Goodreads

Author: Libby Hubscher

Publication Date: March 8, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

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

Libby Hubscher’s new novel If You Ask Me is a heartwarming and hilarious romance that follows what happens when a popular advice columnist finds her own life in turmoil.

Violet Covington writes Dear Sweetie, a popular advice column in North Carolina. She doles out sage wisdom on everything from matters of etiquette to parenting to relationship advice. When the story opens, Violet has just received the great news that her column is being considered for national syndication. She goes home, intending to tell her husband and celebrate, only to get there and discover he’s in their bed, naked with their neighbor. Feeling betrayed and hurt, rather than take a page from the countless times she has given advice on this subject, Violet goes off the rails, first by using her column to dole out some uncensored brutally honest advice and vent her frustration, and second, by torching almost all her cheating husband’s belongings on her front lawn. The second one isn’t all bad though as it brings a sexy firefighter named Dez to her door.

I found Violet to be a very sympathetic character and I liked her a lot, even though some of her rogue moments had me cringing for her, knowing she would regret her actions later. I also really loved Dez. It’s clear from those first moments with Violet that he’s a sweet and caring man, and that he’s a bit smitten with Violet even though she’s obviously a hot mess. I was so excited for her when he stopped by the next morning to make sure she was okay and left his phone number for her. I was rooting hard for the two of them to get together because they just seemed so perfect together, and Violet deserves so much better than a man who had the nerve to bring another woman into their bed.

As sweet as Violet and Dez’s journey to a possible happy ending is, it’s really Violet’s personal journey that drives this story. When she goes off the rails, it is not without consequences. There’s fallout professionally and personally because her boss is also her best friend. The hole she digs for herself forces Violet to take a good hard look at herself and decide how she’s going to find her path forward from the infidelity, especially if she hopes to have a future with Dez.

If You Ask Me is one of those books that has a little something for everyone. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me angry at times, and I loved how hopeful it had me feeling as the story wound to its conclusion. The writing is also wonderful, flowing smoothly so the story is an easy read, and I especially loved the entertaining excerpts we get from Violet’s Dear Sweetie column.

If You Ask Me is an enjoyable read that is sure to appeal to romance fans and to fans of women’s fiction. 4 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: A Flicker in the Dark & Greenwich Park

March 3, 2022/16 Comments/by Sharon

Happy Thriller Thursday! Sharon here and this week’s theme is debut authors. 🙂 I love finding new authors to read, so I was very excited to read Stacy Willingham’s debut novel, A Flicker in the Dark and Katherine Faulkner’s debut novel, Greenwich Park. The synopsis for both of these books just jumped out at me and I am happy to report that I enjoyed both of them and look forward to reading more from both authors.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: A Flicker in the Dark & Greenwich Park

A Flicker in the Dark Goodreads

Author: Stacy Willingham

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Publisher: Minotaur Books

A Flicker in the Dark is Stacy Willingham’s debut novel and OMG! What a debut this was. I originally borrowed this from the library and I wasn’t even finished reading it and I had already gone and bought a copy of the book because I needed to have this in my collection.

The story follows 32-year-old psychologist Chloe Davis. When Chloe was 12 years old, six teenage girls went missing in her hometown of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Chloe’s father was arrested and eventually confessed to the murder of these girls. Her mother ended up trying to kill herself and now lives in a nursing home. All of this left Chloe and her older brother Cooper with many emotional scars. It is now twenty years later, and Chloe is still fighting her demons, but she has made a life for herself. She has her own practice in Baton Rouge and is engaged to be married to pharmaceutical rep Daniel. But when 2 local teenagers, with connections to Chloe, go missing and are eventually found dead, Chloe is transported back to that fateful summer when she was twelve.

I was in Chloe’s corner from the start. Chloe is a damaged, sympathetic, and strong character. She is also an unreliable character at times as well, which made her all the more intriguing. The book is told from the POV of Chloe, both in the present as well as memories of the summer when she was twelve. I loved getting her perspective of the events that happened during that summer twenty years ago. As more things were revealed from back then, I just fell in love with Chloe all the more and wanted to give her such a big hug. Now that it is the twentieth anniversary of the original murders, Chloe is being hounded by a reporter who is writing a column for the anniversary. When the 2 local teenagers are murdered, Chloe teams up with this reporter to try and stop history from repeating itself. I have to say, I did not trust this reporter at all. Then again, I didn’t trust anyone in this book except Chloe. LOL!

I loved the brother/sister relationship with Chloe and Cooper. They are there for each other no matter what. Cooper is always trying to protect Chloe, as is she with him. Cooper does not like or trust Chloe’s fiancé Daniel and I had to agree with him on that one because I didn’t trust Daniel either. I was also skeptical of Cooper at times. I don’t want to say what had me not trusting any of these characters because that would spoil things, but believe me, you won’t trust them either.

I cannot even begin to describe how good this book was. Nothing I say will do it justice. I was hooked right from the start. This book was full of suspense and tension, with twists and turns around every corner. Stacy Willingham did an amazing job creating characters and a tense setting that floated off the pages. Her writing had me fully engaged the entire time I was reading. With a debut novel like A Flicker in the Dark, I cannot wait to read whatever Willingham writes next. 4 ½ stars

Side note: A Flicker in the Dark has already been optioned by Emma Stone for a limited series and I am beyond excited.

Greenwich Park Goodreads

Author: Katherine Faulkner

Publication Date: January 25, 2022

Publisher: Gallery Books

Katherine Faulkner’s debut novel Greenwich Park follows Helen Trope and her family (her husband Daniel, brother Rory and sister in-law Serena) as a mysterious woman, Rachel, worms her way into their lives and tries to destroy them.

Helen and Daniel are expecting their first child in a few weeks, after years of heartbreak from many miscarriages. When Helen attends her first prenatal class she meets Rachel, a young, single pregnant woman. Rachel and Helen could not be any more different. Where Helen is quiet, shy, and excited about becoming a mother, Rachel is loud, smokes and drinks and does not seem all that excited about having a baby. Despite their differences, Helen is drawn to Rachel and a fast friendship is formed. But their friendship is soon falling apart, as Rachel’s behavior becomes unsettling. After a heated argument with Helen, Rachel goes missing. As the police investigate, it becomes clear that Rachel meeting Helen was not by chance. Rachel had an ulterior motive, and she was threatening to expose secrets Helen’s family has been keeping.

While the story centered around Helen, and I did like her for the most part, her friend Kate was my favorite character. She is a reporter who is currently reporting on a rape case, and it is while she is working on this case that she discovers another rape case years ago that took place at the same college that Helen, Daniel, Rory, and Serena attended. As she digs deeper, she learns some disturbing facts about the case. I also really liked how she was there for Helen after Rachel disappeared and she even started investigating Rachel’s disappearance on her own. Kate’s digging into Rachel’s past turns up some disturbing facts and unearths secrets that Helen’s family was hoping would stay buried.

As I said, I did like Helen for the most part, but there were a few times that she annoyed me. Helen was too trusting and naïve in my opinion. There was one point in the story when Rachel showed up at Helen’s house on the night of her and Daniel’s anniversary. She was upset and looked like she had been abused so Helen let her stay the night (rightfully so), but one night turned into a couple of weeks. Rachel pretty much took over Helen’s house and all I could think of is ‘Why are you letting her walk all over you?”

I did enjoy trying to figure out what Rachel was up to. I liked the mystery about her and trying to piece things together. This book did have lots of twists I did not see coming and an ending that left me satisfied. Unfortunately though, for me the book did seem to drag at points. Despite the slow pace of the book, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Rachel and why she targeted Helen and her family. All in all, I thought Greenwich Park was a solid debut and look forward to reading more from Katherine Faulkner. 3 ½ stars

Reviews: BY ANY OTHER NAME & A BRUSH FOR LOVE

February 28, 2022/20 Comments/by Suzanne

I’m back today to share some reviews for two wonderful new romances that are coming out on March 1. While I’m excited to share my thoughts on these two books, I did want to take a moment to say that my heart is with the people of Ukraine. I don’t know what the future holds for them, but their bravery and determination has really been inspirational.

Reviews: BY ANY OTHER NAME & A BRUSH FOR LOVE

By Any Other Name Goodreads

Author: Lauren Kate

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

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

Lauren Kate’s new novel, By Any Other Name, follows Lanie Bloom, a young woman who chose to be a romance editor specifically because of her love of the novels of Noa Calloway. Lanie has learned everything she knows about love and romance from Noa’s books and even agreed to marry her fiancé, Ryan, because he matched all the items on a checklist Lanie made, inspired by one of Noa’s books. Noa also happens to be a client at the publishing house where Lanie works. Fans (and the publishing house of course) are anxiously awaiting Noa’s latest novel, but there’s a problem – the elusive Noa is four months late delivering the manuscript and no one knows why, not even her editor, who is Lanie’s boss.

When Lanie’s boss doesn’t return to work after her maternity leave, Lanie is promoted, which means working side by side with her idol Noa. There’s one catch – Lanie only gets to keep the promotion (and probably her job as well) if she can get Noa to deliver a best-selling novel in the next three months. Lanie is excited to meet her idol but feels like a rug has been pulled out from under her when the meeting takes place and Noa is not at all what Lanie was expecting. Once Lanie got over her initial feelings of shock and betrayal, she and Noa bonded quickly and I loved watching the two of them work together. Noa’s issue is of course writer’s block and when Lanie hears the heartbreaking reason why Noa is struggling to write the latest book, she is determined to do everything she can to help make this book happen.

Working so closely with Noa makes Lanie reconsider some things in her own life and I really loved her journey and growth as a character. I also loved Lanie’s passion and her big heart and was really cheering her on to break through Noa’s writer’s block. Although Lanie and Noa were my favorite characters, I also had major love for the secondary characters as well, especially Lanie’s best friends and her grandmother. They were all charming, hilarious, and the best possible support system for Lanie.

I was also a huge fan of the book’s setting, which moved from New York to Italy, two of my favorite places in the world. Noa’s books have always been set in New York, but during their first big conversation about the writer’s block, Noa confesses that New York feels used up. I loved that Lanie was able to find a way to refresh Noa’s thoughts on New York and that we got to explore lesser known gems of the city with them.

One of the most special elements for me in By Any Other Name is Noa’s book. We are given an inside look at the premise of the story, as well as some actual excerpts. It’s beautiful and romantic and had me wishing it was a real book so I could read it from cover to cover.

If you’re like me and you enjoy books about books, books that make you laugh as well as shed the occasional tear, stories where a character’s personal growth takes center stage and that also feature a slow-burn, low-key romance, By Any Other Name is the book for you. 4 STARS.

A Brush with Love Goodreads

Author: Mazey Eddings

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

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

I love stories that feature academic settings so I was drawn to Mazey Eddings new romance A Brush with Love because it’s set in a dental school. I thought this was an absolutely delightful read and found myself cheering for Harper and Dan from their first fateful meeting when Harper falls down the stairs, crashes into Dan and shatters the dental mold he has been slaving over for hours. I don’t usually do insta-love but something about their eyes meeting during this funny, clumsy meet cute just really appealed to me and I was hooked on seeing where this first meeting would take them.

Harper has no time for romance. She’s in her final year of school and is hoping to earn a placement in one of the top oral surgery residency programs in the country. She’s intense and driven and dedicates all her free time to studying. She also frequently experiences anxiety and feels like she has to be in control of all aspects of her life to keep that anxiety at bay. Harper feels bad about crushing Dan’s project though so she volunteers to help him recreate it, but that’s it, then it’s back to studying…even though she does think he’s cute. I really liked Harper a lot. I loved her determination and her passion for her career choice. I also felt that she could use a little more school/life balance though and that Dan might be exactly what she needs.

Dan is almost the opposite of Harper. Although he’s her age, 26, he’s just beginning dental school, and where she’s a superstar, Dan is struggling. He’s not doing well in his classes and he just doesn’t feel nearly as passionate as Harper does about going into this field. We learn that he has another passion but has given it up in order to help his mother with her dental practice, which she co-ran with Dan’s father until he passed away. I adored Dan. I loved that he was willing to make such a huge sacrifice for his mom, but at the same time, my heart broke for him since he was so clearly unhappy studying dentistry. Meeting Harper has clearly been the high point of his time at school and I loved him all the more for him understanding how important school is for her. Even though he really likes her, he respects her wishes to just be friends

I thought the author did a wonderful job of making their budding relationship feel very realistic, especially in terms of the ups and downs. Dan and Harper start spending a lot of time together and the more they bond, the harder it is to just stay friends. But there’s a lot of turmoil as they are both working through personal issues in addition to just the normal school stress. I loved how Dan was always so supportive of Harper and didn’t give up on her no matter how difficult she could sometimes make things. Dan was so good for her that I just kept hoping he would win her over for a more-than-friends relationship.

Aside from Harper and Dan, I also loved most of the side characters in this book, especially Harper’s friend group. Her squad is filled with vibrant personality; they’re both hilarious and also just such an awesome support system for Harper.

I highly recommend A Brush with Love to anyone who enjoys a sweet, realistic friends-to-lovers romance, an academic setting, and a cast of awesome secondary characters. 4 STARS.

Reviews: DELILAH GREEN DOESN’T CARE and FULL FLIGHT

February 21, 2022/10 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey fellow book lovers! I hope you all had a nice weekend and were able to get in plenty of reading time. I had a pretty good weekend. We’re in a lull right now between winter and spring travel soccer so we didn’t really have anywhere we needed to be so that was nice. Today I’m back with my last two February review books, just in time for their publication dates tomorrow. I’ve been trying to do a better job of getting my ARCs reviewed before the publication dates this year. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep up with it, but so far so good. Anyway, on to the reviews. One is the adult debut from one of my favorite YA authors, Ashley Herring Blake, and the other is a YA contemporary from Ashley Schumacher, whose first novel Amelia Unabridged was a big hit in 2021. I didn’t review it on the blog but I did read it and thought it was wonderful.

Reviews: DELILAH GREEN DOESN’T CARE and FULL FLIGHT

Delilah Green Doesn't Care (Bright Falls, #1) Goodreads

Author: Ashley Herring Blake

Publication Date: February 22, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

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

Ashley Herring Blake’s adult debut Delilah Green Doesn’t Care follows Delilah Green, a young woman who is in New York following her dream of becoming a professional photographer. She is finally getting noticed professionally and she’s also content with her personal life, which is filled with fun casual hookups, basically a different woman in her bed most nights. Having been burned in her last serious relationship, Delilah has no interest in falling in love again. She also has no interest in returning to Bright Falls, the town she grew up in. As far as she’s concerned there’s nothing there for her. Her mom died when she was very young, and although her dad remarried, he died as well, leaving Delilah with her stepmother and with a stepsister, Astrid, who clearly doesn’t like her. For reasons Delilah cannot fathom, however, Astrid begs Delilah to be her wedding photographer and offers to pay her $10,000 to do it. Short on cash, Delilah reluctantly agrees and mentally steels herself for a painfully awkward visit home.

Claire Sutherland is a single mom raising an 11 year old daughter. The dad is partially in the picture but is unreliable and seemingly not up to the task of being a full time dad. In addition to all of her parental duties, Claire also runs a bookstore in Bright Falls. For Claire, raising her daughter is her number one priority and everything else comes second, and that includes romance. On a rare night out with her best friends, one of whom happens to be Astrid, Delilah’s stepsister, Claire’s friends tease her mercilessly about her lack of a love life and dare her to get someone’s phone number before she leaves the bar that night. When a sexy tattooed brunette dressed all in black struts into the bar, Claire decides to make her move, not realizing that the woman she is about to hit on is none other than Delilah.

Oh goodness, where to start with what I enjoyed about this book! I of course loved Delilah and Claire. They’re both strong women trying to make their way in the world. I also loved their chemistry, but even more so that it’s not a straightforward insta-love situation. Instead, it’s actually super awkward, which felt so much more realistic to me. Any attraction between Delilah and Claire is hampered not only because of Astrid and Delilah’s strained relationship, but also because Astrid’s whole circle of friends, including Claire, completely ignored or made fun of Delilah while they were growing up. They were some of the main reasons why Delilah couldn’t wait to leave Bright Falls. Is there any way Claire and Delilah can move past that and make a fresh start?

I loved watching Delilah and Claire navigate this journey, but even more so, I was completely engrossed by the relationship between Delilah and Astrid. I’m a sucker for a sibling story, and man, theirs is a good one with lots of layers. I have to admit that I kind of hated Astrid and a couple of the ladies in her circle early on in the novel, but by the end of this journey, they won me over.

With its combination of fully developed characters, riveting family drama, fun wedding antics, a lovable found family, as well as a sexy steamy romance, Delilah Green Doesn’t Care has it all. 4 STARS

Full Flight Goodreads

Author: Ashley Schumacher

Publication Date: February 22, 2022

Publisher: Wednesday Books

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

Don’t let that beautiful swoony cover fool you, Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher packs an emotional punch that will make you ugly cry. It’s a heartbreaking but beautifully written story about feeling like you’re missing half of yourself, until you finally find someone who makes you feel whole, and what happens if you were then to lose that someone…

I was drawn to this book because of its focus on high school students in the marching band. I didn’t personally play an instrument myself but I was in the color guard when I was in high school so I felt a kinship to this entire group of kids. The main characters, Anna James and Weston Ryan, are both members of the band, and are assigned to play a duet together. Anna is new to the band and struggling with her half of the duet, so she begs Weston to help her since the band director is threatening to give her part to someone else. Anna and Weston have never so much as exchanged a single word with one another prior to Anna’s request for help so it’s awkward to say the least.

Weston is the character who intrigued me the most, mainly because he just has so many layers. He has somehow earned the reputation of being a weirdo and a troublemaker, even though it doesn’t appear to be who he really is at all. Aside from a small circle of friends, most of his fellow students don’t really have much to do with him and he feels very much out of place and alone, with music as his only solace. Because of his reputation, he’s absolutely shocked that Anna wants his help and at first tries to push her away.

I loved Anna, not only because she was stubborn and persistent enough to finally convince Weston to help her, but also because she flat out did not care about what other people thought about Weston. She thinks he’s a great guy and that’s all that matters to her. She makes it her mission to make others give Weston a chance, including her parents who judge Weston very harshly when they find out their daughter is associating with him.

I really enjoyed watching Anna and Weston connect, both in the practice rooms as they worked to perfect their duet, and in their personal lives as they first become friends and then realize they feel more than just friendship for one another. Watching their first love blossom was just so sweet and endearing, which made the tragedy that brought it all crashing down that much more heart-wrenching. I don’t want to spoil anything but you might want to have some tissues handy.

My absolute favorite part of Full Flight is a reference to the Kauai O’o bird that runs through the entire book. On the brink of extinction, this bird was the last of its kind and still called to its mate, ever hopeful that its mate would respond. Weston did a school report on the bird when he was younger and felt that it was a kindred spirit. The way the author ties this bird to Weston and Anna’s story was beautiful and heartbreaking and yet still somehow filled with hope, just like Full Flight itself. This is a story that is going to stay with me for a very long time. 4 STARS

Romance Reviews: HOOK, LINE AND SINKER & MR. WRONG NUMBER

February 18, 2022/7 Comments/by Suzanne

Happy Friday! I’m back today to share reviews for two of my most anticipated romance reads of the year. I actually have a couple more February ARCs to read and review, but my inner mood reader just wouldn’t wait for these two any longer. So happy to report that both of these reads lived up to my very high expectations, which is always nice. 🙂

Romance Reviews: HOOK, LINE AND SINKER & MR. WRONG NUMBER

Hook, Line, and Sinker (Bellinger Sisters, #2) Goodreads

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Avon Books

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

Tessa Bailey’s new novel Hook, Line and Sinker is the follow-up to last year’s popular romance, It Happened One Summer. The main characters of this installment are Hannah Bellinger and Fox Thornton, who we met in the first book. It was pretty clear in that first book that the two of them were attracted to one another, and I loved both characters so I was very excited to head back to the small coastal town of Westport, Washington to see what, if anything, might develop between them. I was also hoping for a few glimpses of Hannah’s sister, Piper, and her significant other, Brendan, our sunshine/grumpy duo from the first book and was not disappointed.

What I found most intriguing about Hannah and Fox is how truly vulnerable they both are. On the surface, Fox seemingly prides himself on being a ladies’ man and his reputation precedes him everywhere he goes. The more we get to know Fox though, the more we see that Fox is actually quite uncomfortable with his reputation. It has almost beaten him down to the point that he feels like he has nothing to offer any woman he actually cares about. He’s also attracted to Hannah but has been warned by pretty much everyone in Westport to stay away from her, that’s she’s too sweet for a player like him. He therefore settles for a friendship with her.

Hannah also has some insecurities. She is passionate about music and would love to pursue a career putting together soundtracks for films, but she just doesn’t feel she has what it takes. As she tells Fox, she’s just not “leading lady” material and will always be in the background. Fox knows about her passion for music because it was at a vinyl album convention that the two of them first bonded and he makes it his mission to get her to see that she can do anything she puts her mind to. Hannah treasures his friendship and support, and they grow even closer when Hannah, who is planning to stay with her sister when she comes to Westport, ends up staying with Fox instead due to some logistical issues. Temporarily living together is all it takes for their friendship to grow into something more and I enjoyed watching them navigate the waters between friendship and more than friendship.

It takes a while for Fox and Hannah to get to where I wanted them to be, but I found their friendship to be very endearing so the slow burn didn’t bother me at all. They always have a great time together, but they are also there for each other when it counts, offering emotional and moral support as they each set out to figure themselves out and what they’re actually capable of. Just as Fox makes it his mission to give Hannah the boost she needs, she does the same for him, making it her mission to prove to him that he is so much more than just a ladies’ man with a handsome face.

Bottom line, Hook, Line, and Sinker is a slow burn romance that is worth the wait. 4 STARS

Mr. Wrong Number Goodreads

Author: Lynn Painter

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

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

Lynn Painter’s novel Better Than the Movies was one of my favorite YA reads last year, but I think she has really outdone herself with Mr. Wrong Number, her new adult rom-com.

The story follows Olivia Marshall, a young woman who has a streak of bad luck a mile long. She was cheated on and then dumped by her longtime boyfriend, she loses her job, and in a freak accident involving a bucket of burning love letters and a runaway possum, she manages to burn her apartment down and has to temporarily move in with her brother and his roommate, whom she loathes. Olivia feels like she has pretty much hit rock bottom, but then life throws an unexpected twist at her in the form of a steamy text from a random wrong number. With nothing else better to do, Olivia strikes up a conversation with Mr. Wrong Number and their exchanges form the basis of the hottest, most entertaining relationship she has ever had.

I adored Olivia. She’s hilarious, sarcastic, down to earth, and just so relatable. I love that she’s able to laugh at herself even when she’s dealt a terrible hand and that she’s even able to take her bad luck and spin it into a writing gig for herself. Her text exchanges with Mr. Wrong Number also kept me in stitches. Without even having met, the two of them obviously had major chemistry.

I also quite enjoyed the relationship between Olivia and Colin Beck, the roommate she loathes. Olivia’s hatred of him springs from a childhood of him mocking and teasing her. Olivia soon realizes that Colin isn’t that obnoxious boy anymore. He has in fact grown up into a sexy beast with abs to die for, and he’s actually quite thoughtful and kind-hearted. I loved watching the two of them realize they’re attracted to one another and then proceed to fight that attraction every step of the way. Colin, in particular, tries hard to fight his growing attraction to her because she’s his best friend’s little sister, but then everything goes off the rails for him, when to his horror, he spots Olivia’s phone one night and realizes she’s the Miss Misdial he has been sexting with for weeks! What’s he supposed to do now?!

I don’t want to give anything away but what a ride! The shenanigans, the miscommunication, it’s the perfect blend of high drama and humor as we journey to the end to see if there’s the possibility of a happy ending for Mr. Wrong Number and Miss Misdial. I loved every page of this book and devoured it in a day. I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed out loud so many times while reading a book – Mr. Wrong Number was pure joy for me and left me all the more eager to read more from Lynn Painter. 5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: When You Are Mine & Do You Remember?

February 17, 2022/12 Comments/by Sharon

Hi everyone! It’s Sharon, back with another edition of Thriller Thursday! This week I am happy to share my thoughts on When You Are Mine by Michael Robotham and Do You Remember? by Freida McFadden. Both of these books have a strong female protagonist, who I was rooting for all the way.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: When You Are Mine & Do You Remember?

When You Are Mine Goodreads

Author: Michael Robotham

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Publisher: Scribner

I fell in love with Michael Robotham’s writing when I read The Secrets She Keeps and he became a must-read author for me with his next 2 books Good Girl, Bad Girl and When She Was Good. So I was very excited to read his latest book When You Are Mine, and I am happy to report that this book did not disappoint.

Philomena (Phil) McCarthy is a police officer with the Metropolitan Police in London. She loves her job and has worked hard to overcome the obstacles in her way, mainly being a woman on the force, but also the fact that her estranged father and uncles are very powerful known criminals. Phil is engaged and her life is going very well at the moment, but that is all about to change when she responds to a domestic violence call. It is at the call that Phil encounters the victim, Tempe Brown, and her abuser, Darren Goodall, a married man who is also a decorated Scotland Yard detective. Phil has a scuffle with Goodall as she is trying to handcuff him. Phil also befriends Tempe Brown as she takes her to the hospital. It is these two encounters that are going to turn Phil’s life upside down and put her career and life in jeopardy.

I loved everything about Phil. She is a woman trying to make it in a man’s world and every time she is pushed back, she pushes harder ahead. Phil goes out of her way to help Tempe and keep her safe from Goodall, even though she knows that trying to get Goodall to pay for his crimes will not sit well with the men in the department. It also doesn’t sit well with Goodall who uses his reputation to go after Phil. As Phil digs into Goodall’s life, she uncovers that not only has he been abusing Tempe Brown, but he has also been abusing his wife and children. But no matter what Phil does, she cannot get anything to stick to Goodall because he is being protected by others in the department. I loved how determined she was to bring Goodall down, though I did worry that instead of Goodall going down, it was going to be Phil instead.

Phil’s friendship with Tempe starts off as a great bond between them, but then takes a dark and twisted turn. Tempe latched herself onto Phil and went to great lengths to try and please her, lengths that bordered the stalkerish line. Phil was fine with this at first, but the more she learned about Tempe’s past the more she started to try and distance herself from Tempe, though Tempe was having none of that. When a dead body turns up and Phil is suspected of the murder and Tempe is her only alibi, Phil has to turn to the one person she does not want to for help, her father. I really liked watching the father/daughter dynamic play out with Phil and her father as they try and overcome the past that pushed them apart and work on fixing their relationship.

When You Are Mine had me hooked from the first to the last page. This book was full of tension and suspense and family drama, with twists and turns that had me turning the pages to the very end. 4 stars

Do You Remember Goodreads

Author: Freida McFadden

Publication Date: January 10, 2022

Publisher: Hollywood Upstairs Press

Freida McFadden’s newest book Do You Remember? follows protagonist Tess, who wakes up thinking it is the morning after she and her boyfriend Harry got engaged, only to find out that seven years have passed and she cannot remember any of it, especially the fact that she is not married to Harry but to someone entirely different.

The book opens with Tess waking up and noticing that her bedroom and bathroom look different. When she went to sleep the night before, the house she shared with her fiancé Harry needed a lot of work, but now everything is done. While this does cause her concern, it is when she looks in the mirror and sees how much older and different she looks that sends her into a panic and screaming for Harry, but the man that enters the bathroom is not Harry. This man tells her that his name is Graham, and he is her husband and that she was in a car accident a year ago that has affected her memory. He shows her a letter that she wrote to herself explaining about the accident and how every morning she wakes up with no memory of the last seven years and to trust Graham. Tess has no choice but to accept that this is her life now, why would she doubt a letter she wrote to herself. But then she receives a text message that says, “Don’t trust the man who calls himself your husband.” And so sets in motion one roller coaster of a ride as Tess tries to figure out what has happened to her and who she can really trust.

This book is told over a five-day period, with each day having Tess start from scratch trying to figure out what is going on. I really liked how strong Tess was. I cannot even imagine waking up every day and not remembering the last few years of my life. Since her brain and memory are not reliable, Tess relies on her gut instincts and her gut is telling her that her husband Graham may not be the loving and caring man he is trying to portray himself as. Which I agree with, I did not like or trust Graham from the start. Plus, their dog Ziggy didn’t like him and growled at him all the time, so if a dog does not like you, then I do not like you. LOL! Tess knows that what she learns during the day, she will forget by morning, so she starts to write herself notes on her body to help her remember. I thought this was a genius idea.

I really cannot say too much about this book because I do not want to spoil anything, and I think going in not knowing anything (pardon the pun lol) is best. What I will say though is that with each day the tension mounts as Tess is able to put more pieces together and I couldn’t wait to see how this was going to end. I did get a bit teary eyed at the end and also a bit upset when a twist was revealed, but then there was another twist that made everything all right for me again.

I really need to check out more of Freida McFadden’s books. I loved the first book I read, The Wife Upstairs. I loved how she was able to keep me guessing with both reads. 4 stars

Reviews: ONE NIGHT ON THE ISLAND & THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES

February 14, 2022/26 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a nice weekend. Did anyone watch the Super Bowl? I had it on as background noise while I was blogging but wasn’t really rooting for anyone this year. It’s hard to believe that we’re already halfway through February and that Valentine’s Day is upon us, but here we are. Today I’m sharing reviews for two outstanding books that I was fortunate enough to read last week. I was having a busy, draining week because of work so it was lovely to have two 5 star reads round out my week for the better. One Night on the Island is the third novel I’ve read from Josie Silver, and Jennifer E. Smith is a new-to-me author.

Reviews: ONE NIGHT ON THE ISLAND & THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES

One Night on the Island Goodreads

Author: Josie Silver

Publication Date: February 15, 2022

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine

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

Josie Silver is the queen of writing beautiful, heartfelt stories and her latest novel, One Night on the Island, is exactly that. It features a young woman named Cleo, who writes a popular dating column for a British publication. Her column follows her as she searches for her soulmate. Thus far her journey has been entertaining but unsuccessful, and now that she is about to turn 30, her boss thinks now would be a great time for Cleo to do something special for her column to mark the occasion. The boss’ idea of something special is to send Cleo to Salvation, a remote island in Ireland, on a mini sabbatical of sorts, where she can relax, re-energize, and basically fall in love with herself. The culmination of this journey would be a self-coupling ceremony where she marries herself, to signify that she’s at peace with herself and happy she’s single.

Cleo isn’t completely sold on the self-coupling idea but decides time for self-care in a remote location might not be such a bad thing. That is, until she discovers that the cabin she is supposed to be staying in has been double-booked and there’s no where else to stay on the tiny island. Great…how is she supposed to embark on a journey of self-reflection and self-love with an unwanted roommate, especially when that roommate is a handsome American photographer named Mac who gets under Cleo’s skin from the first moment they meet?

I really loved the chemistry between Cleo and Mac. There are some hilarious moments between them as they verbally sparred over who was most entitled to stay in the cabin and when they resort to drawing a chalk line through the center of the cabin to carve out space for themselves. But it’s not all humor between these two. Mac is separated from his wife, on the verge of divorce, and is missing his kids like crazy. He’s pretty heartbroken and has no idea what his future is going to look like. He has, on the surface, come to Salvation to photograph the island for an exhibit, but he’s also there to do some soul searching. In spite of their initial animosity toward one another, Cleo and Mac begin to talk and realize that their reasons for being on the island aren’t so different. I really loved once they made it to this part of their relationship and began to grow closer.

While Cleo and Mac and their growing relationship definitely stole my heart, I was also completely enamored with all of the residents of Salvation. They’re basically one big extended family and they welcomed Mac and Cleo with open arms. The sense of community and how they were all there for one another just made my heart swell.

I have to admit that I was a little nervous that the self-coupling aspect of the story would be a little hokey, but Silver pulls it off flawlessly and it ended up being one of the most moving and magical moments of the whole book for me. The rugged terrain of Ireland didn’t hurt either, adding so much atmosphere and beauty to the moment.

If you enjoy heartwarming books that feature both a romance as well as an intimate personal journey for its characters, I highly recommend One Night on the Island. 5 STARS

The Unsinkable Greta James Goodreads

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine

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

The Unsinkable Greta James is the first novel I’ve read from Jennifer E. Smith and boy does it pack an emotional punch! It follows successful indie musician Greta James as she takes a week-long Alaskan cruise with her estranged father. The cruise was meant to be a 40^th wedding anniversary trip for Greta’s parents, but Greta’s mom passed away unexpectedly. When her father announced he was going on the cruise anyway because the trip meant so much to his wife, Greta reluctantly agrees to accompany him so that he won’t be alone with his grief.

The complicated dynamics of the relationship between Greta and her dad captivated me from the start. It’s clear that they love each other immensely and would do anything for each other, as is evidenced by Greta agreeing to be stuck on a ship with her dad for a week. But, that said, it’s equally clear that the relationship is very strained and that much of the strain is due to Greta’s dad not approving of her career in music. I immediately became invested in them mending their relationship, especially seeing how much they were both hurting over the loss of Greta’s mom. Whether they realize it or not, they need each other more than ever before.

Greta’s journey in this book isn’t just about repairing her relationship with her dad though. It’s also a journey of healing for herself. Her mom was her biggest fan, attending her rock concerts and holding up a sign that read “Greta’s Mom” on it. Knowing that she would never again see her mom’s face and sign in the crowd again emotionally wrecked her and she actually breaks down on stage in the middle of her first performance after her mom’s death. The moment went viral and she received a lot of bad press over it, to the point where she doesn’t even know if she has a career anymore. She’s at a crossroads and trying to figure out how she can move forward.

I adored Greta and was 100% in her corner as she navigates her way through the minefield of pain and grief that surrounds her. I became especially enamored with her when a teenage girl recognizes her on the ship and tells her that she plays guitar like Greta and wants to be just like her. They share several scenes throughout the book and it’s so sweet to see Greta take the time to mentor this girl even with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

The Unsinkable Greta James is one of the most moving books I’ve read in a while. It’s a sad but hopeful story and it really made me think a lot about the importance of family and the power of healing. I will also freely admit that I cried my eyes out several times, especially as I approached the final heartwarming moments of this beautiful story. It’s one that is going to stick with me for a while, no doubt about it. 5 STARS