Blog Tour Review: Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson

February 4, 2022/14 Comments/by Suzanne

Ramón and Julieta by Alana Albertson, Alana Quintana Albertson

Published by Berkley Books on February 1, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Retelling
Pages: 304
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.

As you can probably tell from its name, Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson is a retelling of the Shakespearean tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Julieta Campos is a gifted chef who specializes in seafood based Mexican dishes. She and her mother own a restaurant in Barrios Logan. They have both sacrificed a lot to keep their restaurant open, but when Ramón Montez and his father, who own the Taco King fast food chain, buys up the entire street their restaurant is located on, they know their days as restaurant owners are numbered. It stings all the more because the fish taco recipe Ramón’s father used to build his Taco King empire is one he stole from Julieta’s mother years ago. Needless to say, the Campos hate the Montez.

Ramón and Julieta have no idea their families hate each other when they first meet at the local Dia de los Muertos celebration. Ramón helps Julieta properly honor her recently deceased father after she misses the official procession to the cemetery. Then he proceeds to serenade Julieta with romantic Mexican ballads. The chemistry between them is undeniable and they can’t wait to see each other again. That is, until Julieta realizes who Ramón is. Even though she has very strong feelings for Ramón and he feels the same attraction, how can they possibly be together when his father betrayed her mother? Not to mention the fact that he’s now her landlord and wants to turn her beautiful little restaurant and the other Mexican-American owned businesses on the block into Taco Kings and Starbucks.

I really loved Albertson’s contemporary romantic spin on the original Romeo and Juliet. The obstacles that threaten to tear Ramón and Julieta apart, while modern in nature, are still essentially the same obstacles Romeo and Juliet faced. If Ramón wants to be with Julieta, he cannot strip her beloved community of its culture, which means he must stand up to his father. If Julieta wants to be with Ramón, she has to convince her mother that Ramón is not like his father, but she also has to face the fact that she may lose her business because of his family, as well as the love of her community since they will brand her a traitor if she chooses him. They both have very tough decisions to make. Do they choose each other or do they remain loyal to their families?

What I also loved about this take on Romeo and Juliet was that aside from the drama surrounding the star-crossed lovers, there’s also a much lighter element to the story and that involves the Mexican food and the infusion of Mexican culture. I loved the author’s vivid descriptions of both the incredible sounding fish tacos Julieta was known for, and of the Dia de los Muertos festivities and costumes. She brought it to life in such a way that I felt like I was there and a part of the wonderful community vibe. She also had me seriously craving beer battered fish tacos, haha!

The big question though is that even though Ramón and Julieta is technically a contemporary romance, can a contemporary romance that is inspired by a Shakespearean tragedy have a happily ever after? You’ll have to pick up a copy of Ramón and Julieta if you want to find out!

About Alana Quintana Albertson

Alana Albertson is a multi-award winning author, current President of Romance Writers of America’s Contemporary Romance Chapter and the former President of both Romance Writers of America’s Young Adult and Chick Lit chapters. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. A recovering professional ballroom dancer, Alana currently writes contemporary romance, new adult and young adult fiction. She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two young sons, and four dogs. When she’s not spending her time playing with her sons, dancing, or saving dogs from high kill shelters through Pugs N Roses, the rescue she founded, she can be found watching episodes Homeland, Devious Maids, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Reviews: FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD & GOOD GIRL COMPLEX

January 31, 2022/24 Comments/by Suzanne

I’m back today with some of my final January reads. I don’t know about you all, but my 2022 reading year is off to a great start. So far I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read and have no DNFs. Today’s review post is unofficially the “Elle” edition since both author’s first names are Elle (I didn’t even notice that until I started putting this together, lol).

Reviews: FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD & GOOD GIRL COMPLEX

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead (Finlay Donovan, #2) Goodreads

Author: Elle Cosimano

Publication Date: February 1, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books

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

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is the second book in Elle Cosimano’s new series “Finlay Donovan” which follows the misadventures of author and divorced single mother, Finlay Donovan. For those who haven’t read the first book yet, Finlay finds herself accidentally hired as an assassin when a woman overhears her and her agent discussing the plot of the thriller she is writing. The woman thinks Finlay is the perfect person to “off” her husband and practically starts throwing money at her. Finlay could really use the cash, and thus begins a surprisingly hilarious journey into murder-for-hire, organized crime, and all the while, Finlay is still trying to write her book.

This latest book opens with Finlay learning that someone out there actually wants to murder her ex-husband. As much as she hates Stephen, she doesn’t want her kids to lose their Dad and so she makes it her mission to find out who is responsible and convince them to call off the hit. This sends her on a dangerous yet surprisingly comical adventure, full of twists and turns, that takes her, amongst other places, way closer to the Russian mob than she would ever wish to be.

It’s hard to talk about details from the story without spoilers and I definitely don’t want to spoil the plot as it pertains to her ex-husband. I’ll just say that I adore Finlay. She’s sarcastic and funny, quirky as heck and very resourceful, and she has clearly learned a lot from writing her crime thrillers. It impresses me how she and her roommate/nanny, Vero, constantly get themselves into dangerous and often ridiculous predicaments, but somehow always manage to get themselves right back out of trouble. I’m also a big fan of Vero and was pleased that we got to learn a bit more about her in this book.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is well-plotted and fast-paced, so much so that I flew through the book in just a couple of sittings. The Finlay Donovan series may involve serious topics like murder-for-hire and organized crime, but it’s truly one of the funniest and most entertaining series I’ve ever read. I really hope there will be more books in this series because I need more of Finlay and Vero. What a team they are! 4.5 STARS

Good Girl Complex Goodreads

Author: Elle Kennedy

Publication Date: February 1, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin

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

Good Girl Complex is the first installment in a new contemporary romance series by Elle Kennedy. I tend to gravitate to books with small town and/or university settings and this book has both. I also typically enjoy romances that feature the good girl/bad boy dynamic so Good Girl Complex just seemed like it would be a great fit for me.

Local bad boy Cooper Hartley is tired of the rich “clones” who invade Avalon Bay to attend college every year and act like they own the community and everyone in it. One night, at the bar where he works, he witnesses one of them forcing himself on a waitress. When the clone won’t take no for an answer, Cooper intervenes and ends up punching the guy. Rich boy whines to the owner and gets Cooper fired, which only fuels Cooper’s hatred of this guy and everyone like him. Cooper learns the guy has a girlfriend and decides he’s going to steal her right out from under the guy’s nose. Cooper’s quest for revenge doesn’t go exactly as planned, however, because when he meets the girlfriend, whose name is Mackenzie (Mac), he realizes that she’s not at all like her boyfriend and his kind, and Cooper wants to be friends, maybe even more than friends, with her. But can any kind of relationship survive between them if the truth about his revenge plot comes out?

I loved both Mac and Cooper right away so it was very easy to become invested in their journey. Both characters are flawed and come across as very realistic and relatable because of those flaws. Yes, Mac comes from money, but she is also an entrepreneur and a self-made millionaire. It’s an impressive accomplishment, particularly for someone her age, so it shocked me to learn that neither her parents nor her boyfriend Preston support her in this endeavor. They have her life mapped out for her and there’s no room on that map for anything that doesn’t revolve around her mother’s charity work and becoming Preston’s wife. Mac has always just gone along with what they’ve dictated, not wanting to upset anyone. But when she meets Cooper and they start talking, Mac suddenly realizes there’s more to life than pleasing everyone else. It’s a true awakening for her.

I also loved that as much as Cooper teaches Mac about being her own person and not letting anyone hold her back, Cooper also learns a lot along the way, particularly about passing judgment on an entire group of people just because he has had a few bad experiences. I also love that there’s so much more to him than his bad boy reputation and that he and Mac aren’t very different from one another, despite their different backgrounds. I enjoyed watching them interact – whether they’re being sassy, supportive, or sexy, their chemistry was off the charts. They made such a great couple that I was truly on the edge of my seat waiting for the truth about the revenge plot to smack them both in the face and hoping that they could survive it when it did.

Good Girl Complex is a great start to Elle Kennedy’s new series and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys watching characters figure out who they’re meant to be as well as who they’re meant to be with. 4 STARS

Reviews: SOMETHING FABULOUS & GETTING HIS GAME BACK

January 28, 2022/12 Comments/by Suzanne

Happy Friday all! I’m so ready for the weekend but first I want to share reviews for a couple of romances that come out this week that you’re going to want to add to your TBR. One is from a recent favorite author of mine, while this other is a wonderful debut.

Reviews: SOMETHING FABULOUS & GETTING HIS GAME BACK

Something Fabulous Goodreads

Author: Alexis Hall

Publication Date: January 25, 2022

Publisher: Montlake

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

I’m a relatively new fan of Alexis Hall’s, having read and loved two of his most recent novels, Boyfriend Material and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake. He has such a knack for creating lovable characters and putting them in hilarious predicaments that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on his latest book, Something Fabulous. Something Fabulous is a Regency romance but it’s not like any Regency romance I’ve ever read. I honestly don’t know that I’ve ever laughed so hard while reading a book. On Goodreads, Hall describes the book as such: “It’s a big gay regency romp about an overly dramatic beautiful rainbow sunshine unicorn and an overly dramatic demisexual grumpy duke, going on a cross-country chase.” That description is spot-on and I can’t improve upon it.

I’m all about a good grumpy-sunshine romance so I was enamored with the two main characters as soon as they were introduced. Valentine Layton is an ultra-reserved Duke who is intent on doing his duty at all costs, even if it means marrying Arabella Tarleton, a woman he really has no romantic interest in, just to carry out his father’s wishes. Valentine comes across as a stuffed shirt who could really use a good roll in the hay, and it becomes obvious early on that it’s not Arabella who gets under Valentine’s skin, it’s her twin brother, Bonaventure or “Bonny,” who is just as much of a ray of sunshine as his nickname makes him sound and who pretty obviously has a massive crush on Valentine. Valentine initially thinks Bonny is a pain in the rear but the two of them are forced to work together to find Arabella, who is so repulsed by the idea of a marriage of convenience with a man she doesn’t love, she runs away in the middle of the night.

I don’t want to spoil what happens when Bonny and Valentine embark on this cross-country chase, but let me just tell you, hilarity ensues. Basically, they’re one step behind Arabella throughout the chase and she plants outrageous lies about Valentine everywhere she has been, so that trouble is waiting for him every time he stops somewhere she stopped and inquires about her. There were a couple of times I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes.

There are also some tender moments and some super steamy ones as Bonny and Valentine finally start to acknowledge their feelings for one another. I loved watching the two of them grow closer. The banter is still there so most of these scenes are still quite funny, but they’re also pretty touching as well. There are also a few more serious moments as Valentine reflects on his own sexuality, what is socially expected of a man in his position versus what he realizes he actually wants for his life.

Something Fabulous is not exactly what I was expecting going in, but I still thought it was a very entertaining read. The humor is silly and over the top at times, think Monty Python or The Princess Bride when you start reading and you’ll have a pretty good feel for the overall tone of the book. If you’re looking for a read that is pure escapism in its silliest form, grab yourself a copy of Something Fabulous. 4 STARS

Getting His Game Back Goodreads

Author: Gia de Cadenet

Publication Date: January 25, 2022

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell

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

Getting His Game Back is a contemporary romance and it’s also Gia de Cadenet’s debut novel. Based on the cover, I was expecting a rom-com, but while it does have some humorous moments, this is a more serious love story that tackles some pretty big topics, like mental health, the challenges interracial couples can face, and even gender stereotypes.

It follows Khalil Sarda, a young man who has been dealing with depression and seeing a therapist. He’s feeling much better than he did a year ago and is hoping to leave his depression in the past as he focuses on his chain of barbershops and thinks about dating again. A self-professed ladies’ man, Khalil thinks the dating will be the easiest part of his recovery, that is, until Vanessa Noble walks into his shop and sets his heart aflutter. Vanessa is a career-driven Black woman working in the male-dominated tech industry. She has no time for romance because she’s too busy stomping on every stereotype that gets thrown at her. That is, until fate and a fire at her favorite hair salon, sends her running to Khalil’s shop because she desperately needs her hair done prior to a huge presentation. Vanessa has no interest in dating anyone who isn’t Black because of some bad past experiences, but after chatting with Khalil, she has to admit the temptation is there.

I really enjoyed watching Khalil and Vanessa get to know one another. Both characters are so likeable and they’ve both been burned by past relationships, so I liked that hint of vulnerability we see as they consider the possibility of romance with one another. I especially liked the frank discussions they have with one another about interracial couples. Even though he looks white, Khalil is actually French-Algerian and the product of an interracial relationship himself so he knows firsthand the challenges Vanessa speaks of and the microaggressions that have been directed toward her. I also thought the author did a wonderful job exploring Khalil’s depression and the impact depression can have on a person and on all their relationships. I loved the respect and support Vanessa and Khalil showed one another, and I especially loved that Vanessa doesn’t let Khalil push her away when his depression resurfaces and threatens their relationship. They’re a team in every sense of the word, and I was 100% invested in their relationship and hoping they would find their way to a happy ending together.

While not the rom-com I was expecting, Getting His Game Back is still a satisfying read and a wonderful love story that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys romances that explore weightier topics. 4 STARS.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: My Darling Husband & The Second Marriage

January 27, 2022/8 Comments/by Sharon

It’s Thursday, I’m Sharon, so you know what that means; It’s Thriller Thursday! This week I am happy to share my thoughts on Kimberly Belle’s; My Darling Husband and Jess Ryder’s; The Second Marriage. The common thread with both of these books is a strong female protagonist, whose husband’s lies puts their family in danger.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: My Darling Husband & The Second Marriage

My Darling Husband Goodreads

Author: Kimberly Belle

Publication Date: December 28, 2021

Publisher: Park Row

Kimberly Belle’s My Darling Husband is a tension filled, nail-biter that starts off with a bang and does not let up until the very end.

Jade and Cam Lasky are happily married with 2 children (nine-year-old Beatrix and six-year-old Baxter). Cam is a celebrity chef who owns five restaurants, and he is known as the “Steak King of Atlanta.” Their life is perfect, that is until one day when Jade and the children return home and are confronted by a masked intruder who holds them hostage until Cam pays a very specific ransom, in the amount of $734,296. And so sets the scene for a very wild and heart stopping read.

This book takes place over the period that Jade and her children are held hostage and is told from the POVs of Jade, Cam, and Sebastian (the home invader) as well as a TV interview that Cam does that takes place months after the home invasion. From each of their perspectives we get their thoughts and actions regarding what is happening. We also learn why Sebastian has targeted the Laskys and what the significance of the unusual ransom amount is. As the story progresses we find out that Cam has been keeping secrets from Jade and that they are not as financially secure as he has been letting on.

I loved watching mamma-bear Jade. She would do anything to make sure her children survived this ordeal, and that included putting her own life on the line. She never did anything stupid that would put them in jeopardy; she bid her time and thought things through. And when she did act I was like “Yes! You go Jade!”

Sebastian was a character that while I hated him for what he was doing, as we learned more about him and his reasons, I am not going to say that I liked him or justified his reason, but I sort of sympathize with him. He was at the end of his rope and this was the only option he thought he had left. I don’t want to say what his reasons were because I think learning about him as you read is the best way to go into this book.

From Cam’s POV I could see how much he loved his family and how it was killing him knowing that if he could not come up with the money, his family could die. And in that respect I did sympathize with him. But during the interview chapters, he came across as arrogant to me. Though at the end I did change that opinion of him.

I also have to mention the children. Though we do not get a POV from them, we do get to know them via Jade and Sebastian. I fell in love with them and prayed they would be okay. I loved how strong, stubborn, and brave Beatrix was. She really got under Sebastian’s skin LOL. Baxter was just a cutie. He had me laughing at one point when they were tied to chairs and Sebastian was dealing with Beatrix. Baxter kept trying to get his attention and then yells “The Poop is coming!”

While there were no major plot twists, this book kept me on the edge of my seat and filled me with anxiety the entire time I was reading. 4 stars

The Second Marriage Goodreads

Author: Jess Ryder

Publication Date: November 3, 2021

Publisher: Bookouture

When I read the synopsis for Jess Ryder’s The Second Marriage, I thought I was going to be in for a wild ride. Though it was not the wild ride I thought it would be, it was still an entertaining read that was full of well written characters and a mystery I couldn’t wait to be solved.

Lily Baxendale needed a change, so she accepted a job to home school Edward Morgan’s nine-year-old son Noah. Edward is very protective of his son. Their home is practically a fortress and Noah does not have any friends. Noah’s mother died when he was three and Edward has one rule, do not talk to Noah about his mother. After only a few months Lily and Edward began dating and then were married, though the honeymoon was over before it even really started. Edward’s two adult daughters are very cold to Lily, so cold that when one of them caught the bouquet they wanted to place it on their mother’s grave. Talk about awkward! None of Edward’s family showed up to the wedding. And Noah tells Lily that Edward is lying to him, “They think I’ve forgotten, but I remember everything. I know my mummy is still alive.” Then Lily discovers that Noah has a hidden memory box in the trees by the gate and he is leaving his mother pictures and letters. Not only is he leaving her letters, but he is getting responses back. As Lily starts digging more into Edward’s past she realizes she does not know her husband like she thought she did and that he is lying to her. Lily realizes she has to find out what happened to Noah’s mother, not only for his sake, but for hers as well.

I really like the determination Lily had to find out the truth. With the help of her best friend, she was able to uncover some shocking information about Edward. Although there were times I wanted to scream at her because when she would confront Edward about his lies she would believe his explanation. All I could keep thinking was “OMG! What is it going to take for you to stop believing him?” And then there came a plot twist that made her actually stop believing him. Finally! LOL.

I also love Lily’s connection with Noah. She was very sweet and caring with him. She really wanted to help him, be it reuniting him with his mother or come to terms with her death. Although she did get on my nerves a few times when Noah would confide in her and she would turn around and tell Edward. I was just like, Ugh! “Stop telling Edward things.”

Even though The Second Marriage did not have the WOW! Factor I was hoping for, I still thought it was an enjoyable read and I needed to know what happened to Noah’s mother. The tension picked up at the end and had me turning the pages to a satisfying conclusion. 3 ½ stars

Review: THE ROUGHEST DRAFT by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

January 24, 2022/20 Comments/by Suzanne

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Also by this author: The Breakup Tour

Published by Berkley Books on January 25, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Pages: 336
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.

The Roughest Draft is a slow-burn contemporary romance from co-authors Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka. It follows another pair of cowriters, Katrina and Nathan, who, after penning a best-selling novel together, had a major falling out and haven’t spoken to each other in three years.

Neither Katrina nor Nathan have any desire to work together again, but unfortunately for them, their book deal was for two books so unless they want to pay back the advance, they need to make peace and write together one more time. Reluctantly, the pair agrees to move in together for a few months and get this second book written. They actually move into the same house they used the last time they wrote together so they are both surrounded by memories, both good and bad, and it’s all fireworks from there!

I will say up front that it does take a few chapters to really get a feel for just how much bad blood and hurt feelings there are between Katrina and Nathan. At first I was just sitting there like “OMG, why are they feeling so hostile toward one another? What could have possibly been so bad?” As the story begins to unfold, I became completely engrossed in learning the details about what happened and in seeing if they would be able to move forward and write together again without killing one another. Both characters are immensely likeable and their chemistry is undeniable, even when they’re sniping at one another. Think Emily Henry’s Beach Read but way angstier and that should give you a pretty good feel for this book.

The Roughest Draft was such a wonderful read for me. It just checked so many boxes. It’s filled with romance tropes I love like enemies to lovers (actually more like friends to enemies to lovers), second chance romance, and forced proximity. The story is presented to us from both Nathan and Katrina’s perspectives and through the use of dual timelines, which I always love when they’re used well. In this case, they are used to perfection: the present-day cowriting experience is presented parallel to the cowriting journey that went so wrong. I loved watching Nathan and Katrina trying to navigate in the present while simultaneously learning what happened in their past to create the present-day angst and awkwardness.

I also tend to really enjoy books that give us an inside look at writers and their process, and The Roughest Draft gives us that sneak peek at Nathan and Katrina’s cowriting process because while the two of them are unable to really talk about what happened between them, everything they’re feeling comes pouring out onto the pages as they write together. There’s so much passion and emotion flying between them I’m surprised they didn’t melt their keyboards!

If you’re in the mood for a slow-burn, angsty contemporary romance, you’re definitely going to want to add The Roughest Draft to your must-read list.

About Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka met and fell in love in high school. Austin went on to graduate magna cum laude from Harvard, while Emily graduated magna cum laude from Princeton. Together, they are the authors of Always Never Yours, If I’m Being Honest, Time of Our Lives, What’s Not to Love, The Roughest Draft, and Do I Know You? Now married, they live in Los Angeles, where they continue to take daily inspiration from their own love story.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Reviews: THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET & THE MAGNOLIA PALACE

January 21, 2022/24 Comments/by Suzanne

Happy Friday fellow bookworms! I don’t know about you but I’m so ready for the weekend. Today I’m sharing reviews for new book releases for two of my favorite authors, Diane Chamberlain and Fiona Davis. Both books feature rich history, compelling characters, and intriguing mysteries that kept me fully captivated as I was reading.

Reviews: THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET & THE MAGNOLIA PALACE

The Last House on the Street Goodreads

Author: Diane Chamberlain

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

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

My first 5 star read of the year is The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain, a beautifully written work of historical fiction with such a compelling element of mystery that it kept me turning the pages long into the night.

The story follows a young woman named Kayla who is about to move into her new home in Round Hill, North Carolina. She is unexpectedly confronted by a strange woman who tells her she shouldn’t move into the house, that the house should never have been built there in the first place. Kayla is rattled by this and when strange things start happening on the property, she is downright spooked.

It’s obvious someone is trying to scare her into leaving. Something terrible clearly happened on her property and Kayla is determined to find out what. Ellie, a neighbor down the street seems like she may know more than she’s telling. Kayla stops by Ellie’s house, hoping to befriend her since hers is the only other house on the street. But every time Kayla tries to talk to her, particularly if it’s anything about the history of Round Hill and in particular the property Kayla’s house now sits on, Ellie clams up and gets extremely defensive.

The story is told in dual timelines, Kayla’s which is present day, and Ellie’s, which takes us back to the 1960’s and the Civil Rights Movement. What we get as the threads from the two timelines come together is a powerful and heartbreaking story filled with secrets, lies, shocking prejudice and violence, forbidden love, as well as a quest for justice.

Wow, what a book! Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. I was just dying to know what the heck happened at Kayla’s house all those years ago and I cried when the truth came out and the full scope of the tragedy was revealed. It was so heartbreaking and made all the more poignant by Chamberlain’s exquisite writing. 5 STARS

The Magnolia Palace Goodreads

Author: Fiona Davis

Publication Date: January 25, 2022

Publisher: Dutton

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

New York City is my favorite city and I love learning the history of its many landmarks so Fiona Davis’ historical fiction novels are always such a treat for me. In her latest novel, The Magnolia Palace, Davis gives us an inside look at the history behind the iconic Gilded Age mansion that we now know of as The Frick Collection. Not only do we get to explore the rich history behind the mansion and the wealthy Frick family who lived there, but Davis also gives us an engrossing mystery or two to sink our teeth into as well.

Davis explores all things Frick using two very compelling timelines, one set just after World War I and the other set during the 1960s. The early timeline follows Lillian Carter, a famous artists’ model who has found herself embroiled in a scandal and wanted for questioning by the police in connection with a murder. Lillian needs a place to hide until she can get out of town and follow her dreams to Hollywood. She somehow manages to luck her way into a job as the private secretary of Miss Helen Frick. Lillian thinks she’ll be able to hide in plain sight while earning money to pay for her trip west, but she has no idea what she has signed on for. She soon finds herself hired by Helen’s father to secretly play matchmaker for her, and even gets caught up in a web of lies involving stolen family jewels and yet another murder. Lillian is an intriguing and resourceful heroine and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her navigate the endless minefield of drama that seems to surround the Fricks.

The second timeline features an equally resourceful and intriguing heroine that is easy to root for. Veronica, like Lillian, is a model, and also like Lillian, finds herself unexpectedly at the Frick House. Veronica is there for a big modelling job and is trying to earn enough money to help support her family after the death of her father. Veronica gets fired from the job after butting heads with the arrogant photographer and then somehow ends up locked in the building overnight. While looking for a way out, she stumbles upon a dusty old packet of what appears to be clues for a scavenger hunt and decides to try to follow them since she has nothing else to do. Following those clues leads her on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica’s financial troubles but it also leads her to the truth about the now decades-old murder that we see in Lillian’s timeline.

I loved the way Davis wove the threads of these two timelines together. I was a little more captivated by the old Hollywood glamorous feel of Lillian’s timeline, but honestly, both made for great reading because I was invested in both Lillian and Veronica’s stories and completely fascinated by the Fricks.

If you’re interested in learning more about one of New York’s most iconic buildings and families, and in being entertained by an engaging mystery while you learn, be sure to check out The Magnolia Palace. 4 STARS

Reviews: HOW TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR & MUST LOVE BOOKS

January 17, 2022/16 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! Today I’m sharing reviews for some contemporary fiction. These two novels will be out in the world on January 18, 2022, so you won’t have to wait long if they sound like something you would be interested in. I enjoyed Sophie Sullivan’s last novel, <em>Ten Rules for Faking It</em> so I was excited to learn that her new novel How to Love Your Neighbor takes place in the same world and we get to see Everly and Chris from the first novel again. I’ve also been wanting to read more debut novels so I was excited to be approved for Shauna Robinson’s book.

Reviews: HOW TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR & MUST LOVE BOOKS

How to Love Your Neighbor Goodreads

Author: Sophie Sullivan

Publication Date: January 18, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

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

How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan is an absolute delight. It’s an enemies-to-lovers romance that is packed with equal parts heart and humor, not to mention a healthy dose of interior design and home renovations.

Life is going pretty well for Grace Travis. She is currently finishing up her degree in interior design and she has just inherited a cute little house on the beach from her grandmother. Grace can’t wait to fix the house up so that she has a place of her own. There’s just one problem. Her neighbor Noah Jansen is a successful real estate developer and he wants to buy her house so he can tear it down and make his property larger. Noah is also a jerk, or at least Grace thinks so anyway, even though she has to admit that he’s a pretty cute jerk.

I was hooked from the moment Grace and Noah first encounter each other – a hilarious meet-cute on the beach involving a collision and two enormous and overenthusiastic dogs named Tequila and Lime. They didn’t know they were neighbors at this point and the chemistry between them was so undeniable. Then when they realized they were neighbors and started butting heads over whether or not Grace should sell her house to Noah, the sparks really started to fly. I loved Grace so much. She’s strong and independent, creative and resourceful, and she’s hilarious on top of it. When it came to Noah, at first I agreed with Grace, that he was a jerk used to always getting his way by throwing money at what he wanted. But the more we learn about him after he and Grace come to an understanding, the more I loved him. He’s a lot more vulnerable than he lets on, especially because he has a strained relationship with his father.

Watching Grace and Noah’s relationship grow was my favorite part of the story. Not only do they agree to a truce, but they even start helping each other with their home renovations. I really loved all the scenes involving interior design and painting, especially if they led to opportunities for flirting and sassy banter or if they involved the fabulous cast of secondary characters that are in the book, including Noah’s siblings and a grumpy but lovable elderly man named Morty who is like a dad to Grace. Aside from getting flirty with each other, Grace and Noah also learn a lot from each other, including how to support one another when dealing with dysfunctional parental relationships. I especially loved that aspect of their relationship and it had me flying through the pages hoping they would get a happy ending together.

If you’re in the mood for a light-hearted romantic read with a side of family drama, How to Love Your Neighbor is a great choice. 4 STARS.

Must Love Books Goodreads

Author: Shauna Robinson

Publication Date: January 18, 2022

Publisher: Sourcebooks

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

I’m always drawn to books about books and book lovers so I couldn’t resist requesting Shauna Robinson’s debut novel, Must Love Books. I’m so glad I did too because I think the journey of self- discovery the protagonist Nora Hughes embarks on is one that will resonate with many readers, especially anyone who is searching for their “dream” job or anyone who thought they had their “dream” job until it became more of a nightmare than a dream.

Nora loves books and all she knows when she starts looking for her ideal job is that it has to somehow involve books. When she lands an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, she is in heaven because what could be better than working for someone who actually puts books out in the world. Nora’s job isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, however, and after a series of layoffs and corporate restructuring, she finds herself bogged down in administrative tasks like ordering lunches and office supplies rather than doing much that is directly involved with the books themselves. It’s a bit disheartening for Nora as is but then things take an even worse turn and she is asked to take a 15% cut in her pay. Nora can barely make ends meet with her existing salary, so when her pay is cut, she is forced to take drastic measures and secretly takes on part-time freelance work at a rival publishing company.

About the only thing that makes her happy at all these days is Andrew Santos, a bestselling Parson author who has taken an interest in Nora after they exchange some flirty banter involving avocados, of all random things. As the two of them grow closer, Nora finds herself uncertain of where her loyalties should lie – the full-time job she has but hates or the freelance job that has the possibility of becoming permanent if she could score a big author like Andrew for them even though it involves manipulating Andrew. All Nora knows is that she is so unhappy that her mental health is suffering, so something has got to give.

Even though there is the possibility of a budding romance there with Andrew, Must Love Books is really all about Nora and her search for what is going to make her happy both personally and professionally. Nora is a very likeable and relatable character in the sense that we’ve pretty much all been where she is at some point in our lives, that crossroads where you have to make some tough choices if you’re ever going to change your life. I was rooting hard for her to find the happiness and sense of fulfillment she deserves. I also liked that the author presents what Nora did with the two rival publishers in a very realistic manner and that the character development is equally realistic. Nora is not presented as a hero trying to stick it to the company that has wronged her; instead, there are real consequences for what she does, and she really doesn’t like the person she becomes while she’s living this double life of secrets and lies.

If you’re in the mood for a heartfelt, reflective story about finding yourself and your place in the world, definitely check out Must Love Books. 4 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Last Girl Ghosted & The Replacement Wife

January 13, 2022/20 Comments/by Sharon

Happy New Year and Happy Thriller Thursday! Yup, that’s right it’s me Sharon. 🙂 I hope 2022 is treating everyone good so far. I have started off 2022 on a great reading note. My first 2 books of the year, Lisa Unger’s; Last Girl Ghosted and Darby Kane’s; The Replacement Wife were awesome!

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Last Girl Ghosted & The Replacement Wife

Last Girl Ghosted Goodreads

Author: Lisa Unger

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

Publisher: Park Row

As soon as Lisa Unger’s newest novel Last Girl Ghosted was released I bought a copy of it, but for some reason every time I went to start a new book I would pass this over. I am kicking myself now for passing it over so many times, but glad I finally picked it up to read because this book was great.

Wren Greenwood is an advice columnist who writes under the name of “Dear Birdie”. Wren has had a traumatic childhood and it takes a lot for her to open herself up to anyone. So needless to say, she does not date much. Wren’s best friend Jax encourages Wren to sign up on the dating APP “Torch”. It is on the dating app that Wren meets Adam, a nerdy IT guy. They hit it off instantly and after dating for a few months, Wren tells Adam about her past. The next day Adam disappears, all of his social media accounts are deleted and his phone is disconnected. Wren has been Ghosted. As Wren is trying to come to terms with how she could have let this happen, she is contacted by a private detective, Bailey Kirk. Bailey is looking for a missing woman named Mia, who also used the Torch app and after meeting a man on there she has disappeared. And there have been two other women who have also disappeared after meeting a man on Torch, and the man they all met is the same one. After doing online searches on Mia and the other missing women, Wren decides to help Bailey in his search for “Adam” and the missing women. But helping Bailey in his search brings up Wren’s dark past which sends her on a dangerous path.

I loved Wren. As more and more layers of her were revealed, I had such sympathy for her and was rooting for her to be able to come through this safely. As the book progressed and her past and her present connected, I loved watching how she would be vulnerable, but then shake it off and become one strong, bad-ass woman. Adam better watch out because he messed with the wrong woman this time! LOL.

I also loved Bailey Kirk. I loved how determined he was to find out what happened to Mia. Even when his boss told him it was time to admit they were not going to find her, he kept pushing and would not let it go. He was also sympathetic to Wren. Through his digging he was able to uncover the secrets of her past, but he made it known to her that what he knows would stay with him. He was not out to ruin her life, he just wanted to find Mia.

I really don’t want to say a lot about what happens in this book because that would spoil things. I can say that I was hooked from the first to the last page. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to the missing women and find out who ‘Adam” really was and why he targeted Wren as well as the other women.

The only issue I had with this book was that near the end I thought it dragged a bit. But other than that, I loved everything else about this book. If you are looking for mystery that has a deadly game of cat and mouse, then I recommend Last Girl Ghosted. 4 stars

The Replacement Wife Goodreads

Author: Darby Kane

Publication Date: December 28, 2021

Publisher: William Morrow & Company

I loved Darby Kane’s debut novel Pretty Little Wife, so I was excited to read her next book The Replacement Wife, and I am happy to report that this was just as good.

Elisa Wright used to enjoy when her brother in-law, Josh, would come over to hang out, that is until she became convinced that he is a murderer. Josh’s wife died a few years ago when she slipped and hit her head on the stairs in their home and then a few months ago his fiancée went missing. Though Josh was cleared of any wrongdoing in both cases, Elisa has uncovered some information that makes her question Josh’s innocence. Josh now has a new girlfriend, Rachel, and Elisa fears for her safety. As Elisa starts looking into the death of Josh’s first wife and his missing fiancée, memories of a shooting that happened to her almost a year ago surface, along with panic attacks and a mysterious illness. Elisa starts to question whether she is having a breakdown or is this all Josh’s doing. What she does know is that she needs to keep pushing forward and uncover the truth before something happens to Rachel.

I loved how this book was told from the POV of Elisa and how she was an unreliable narrator. Elisa survived a shooting a year ago, outside the hospital where she used to work. While she has recovered physically, she still understandably has emotional scars. She suffers from panic attacks and only feels comfortable in her home. Elisa has never really come to terms with Josh’s fiancée, Abby, disappearing. She and Abby were best friends, so she cannot understand how she could just leave without contacting Elisa. When Elisa finds Abby’s favorite sweatshirt and laptop in Josh’s house she becomes suspicious, especially when she sees that Abby saved messages from someone calling themselves “Concerned” saying that Josh is dangerous and killed his first wife. I loved how Elisa pushed herself out of her comfort zone to investigate what happened to Josh’s first wife and Abby. Even though every time she caught Josh in a lie and he would talk his way out of it making Elisa look like the unstable one, she held her ground and kept pushing.

As much as I liked Elisa, I despised Josh lol. He was so arrogant. No matter what lie he was caught in, he would turn it around like it was Elisa who was in the wrong. And when he got away with it he would just give a smirk. Ugh! I wanted to punch him in the face so bad. LOL!

Rachel was the character I was going back and forth on. There were times I thought she and Josh were in this gaslighting of Elisa together, and then there were times I thought she was on Elisa’s side. And though I did figure some things out about her, there was a twist at the end I did not see coming with her.

I loved how this book kept me guessing on who to believe. And even though I did figure some things out, there were still some plot twists that caught me off guard. If you like psychological thrillers that have you doubting everyone then Darby Kane’s The Replacement Wife is the book for you. 4 stars

Reviews: WEATHER GIRL & MADE IN MANHATTAN

January 10, 2022/24 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone, hope your week is off to a great start. It snowed 14 inches here last week and since we don’t really do snow well here in central Virginia, the whole area was pretty much shut down all week. I work from home so it didn’t impact me too much, plus it made for a great excuse to cozy up in front of the fire with some wonderful books, two of which I’m sharing reviews for today.

Reviews: WEATHER GIRL & MADE IN MANHATTAN

Weather Girl Goodreads

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

Rachel Lynn Solomon’s latest contemporary romance, Weather Girl, follows Ari Abrams, a young Jewish woman whose lifelong fascination with the weather has landed her a dream job as a TV meteorologist. Working alongside her longtime idol, legendary Seattle weatherwoman, Torrance Hale, Ari’s job is everything she ever hoped it would be. That is, with one exception: the unbearable tension in the workplace between Torrance and Seth, who happens to be the news director at the station as well as Torrance’s ex-husband. The two of them are constantly at each other’s throats, making everyone around them feel awkward and uncomfortable, including one of Ari’s coworkers, sports reporter Russell Barringer. Unable to take it anymore, Ari and Russell cook up a scheme to get Torrance and Seth back together. Adult version of The Parent Trap, anyone?

I had a lot of fun with this story. Ari and Russell are both such likeable characters and I enjoyed their attempts at nudging Torrance and Seth back together, especially since it became clear that the two of them were also growing closer along the way.

I also just loved how realistic and relatable Ari came across, particularly when it came to her struggles with mental health. Ari suffers from depression but has also struggled with the fear that no one would like her if they knew of her depression. Her way of coping with that has been to keep her depression and therapy a secret, put on a happy face and be a walking ray of sunshine to everyone around her. It was clearly not healthy and in fact, was downright exhausting at times, because all Ari really wanted was to feel like she could be herself. Could Russell finally be the one who gets her to let her guard down?

Speaking of Russell, I really loved this guy and honestly found him to be more realistic than most of the male leads I’ve read about in romance novels. He’s a Jewish single dad and he hasn’t been on a date in at least five years. Russell also struggles with his weight and so doesn’t really think of himself as a “catch” for any woman. I liked that sense of vulnerability about him, and I also liked that the more he and Ari hung out together, the more it was clear what a great match they could be because, even though their matchmaking schemes weren’t exactly professional, they really did bring out the best in each other.

If matchmaking a la The Parent Trap, a realistic exploration of a person coping with depression, excellent Jewish representation, and a friends-to-lovers romance appeal to you, Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon needs to be on your must-read list. It’s the fourth novel I’ve read from Solomon, and it’s definitely another winner for me. 4 STARS.

Made in Manhattan Goodreads

Author: Lauren Layne

Publication Date: January 18, 2022

Publisher: Gallery Books

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

As soon as I saw that Lauren Layne’s new contemporary romance, Made in Manhattan, was being advertised as a modern-day reverse My Fair Lady, I knew I had to read it. I’m a huge fan of My Fair Lady, the musical and the film, so I’m always up for a fresh take on an old favorite.

Made in Manhattan follows Violet Townsend, a young woman born and raised in the wealthy, privileged Upper East Side of Manhattan. Violet is an expert when it comes to knowing what to say, how to act, and what to wear in all elite social settings. Violet also loves to make people happy, especially Edith, who while not a blood relative, has practically raised her since Violet’s parents and grandparents all died when she was much younger. Edith runs a successful international corporation and has been troubled by the fact that she has no living family to take over the business when she retires, that is until she learns that she has a grandson named Cain Stone she never knew about. Edith is determined to groom Cain to take over the business, but there’s just one problem: Cain, who hails from New Orleans, is about as rough around the edges as they come. With his long hair, scuffed boots, faded jeans, and a vocabulary that consists largely of the four-letter ‘f’ word, Cain doesn’t exactly fit in with NYC’s elite. Edith enlists Violet to help give Cain a Manhattan makeover. Less than thrilled at the prospect, Violet reluctantly agrees because she just can’t say no to Edith. Unfortunately for Violet, Cain is even less thrilled at the prospect.

As with the original My Fair Lady, there are just sparks flying everywhere between Violet and Cain as soon as the makeover commences. Cain is impossible, fighting Violet every step of the way, and Violet becomes more and more frustrated. She can’t understand why he even bothered to come to New York if he’s not willing to do whatever it takes to become CEO of the company that is pretty much being handed to him. Cain, on the other hand, can’t understand why Violet, or Duchess as he refers to her, has nothing else better to do with her time than treat him as a human mannequin. While I found all the awkward, snarky banter at the beginning of their relationship quite entertaining, what I really enjoyed was watching their relationship evolve as they got to know each other better and could look past their initial impressions of one another. It becomes all too clear that the two of them have the hots for each other, whether they want to admit it or not.

The only thing better than watching their relationship evolve was watching Violet herself evolve. She really does start to question what she is even doing with her life and why she feels the need to be such a people pleaser all the time, even if it makes her miserable in the process. The more time she spends with Cain, the more she finds herself willing to step out of her lifelong comfort zone and try new things. It’s as if she’s undergoing just as much of a transformation as Cain is, and I loved to see it.

Made in Manhattan was everything I could have wanted from a My Fair Lady-inspired book and then some. I flew through the pages in less than a day and was sad when the story was over, even though the ending was immensely satisfying. 4 STARS.

Reviews: THE MAID & RECKLESS GIRLS

January 7, 2022/26 Comments/by Suzanne

I’m not Sharon and it’s not Thriller Thursday, but today I have two mystery/thriller reviews to share. One is in the vein of a cozy mystery, while the other is somewhat of a locked door mystery that reminds me a lot of the TV show Lost. I read both of these while I was on vacation the week after Christmas and quite enjoyed them.

The Maid Goodreads

Author: Nita Prose

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Publisher: Ballatine Books

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

The Maid by Nita Prose follows a lovable, quirky maid named Molly who discovers a dead man in one of the hotel rooms she cleans and then ends up wrongfully accused of the man’s murder.

Molly is such a unique and charming character that I fell in love with her right away. She may only be 25 but she has somewhat of an old soul, probably because she was raised by her recently-deceased grandmother. Molly is all about cleanliness and order, and so she loves working as a maid to help bring a sense of order to the lives of others. It was actually adorable listening to her describe her work with such pride and passion. She reminded me a bit of Mary Poppins! Although she comes across as this old soul, Molly is also quite naïve and innocent in the ways of the world. When someone befriends her, she immediately trusts that their motives are sincere. Her trusting nature, endearing as it is, is unfortunately what lands her in hot water regarding Mr. Black, the murdered hotel guest.

The bulk of the story follows Molly as she sets out to prove her innocence and to figure out what really happened to Mr. Black. I don’t want to give away too many details about the plot itself since it is a murder mystery, but I did want to share that what made this such a special read for me was that the entire story comes to us from Molly’s perspective. As you can imagine based on what I’ve shared about Molly and the way she views the world, it’s quite an interesting and unique perspective.

Molly stole my heart and had me cheering her on to prove her innocence, but there were also several other fantastic characters in the story, a number of whom come to Molly’s aid because they believe in her and because they know she has no one else in her corner now that her grandmother has passed away. There’s a definite “found family” vibe with these characters and I loved that for Molly. It’s not often that I think of a murder mystery as having a heart-warming element, but this one definitely does.

The Maid is an engaging mystery that is filled with twists and turns and features a heroine that you can’t help rooting for. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys mysteries, especially cozies. 4.5 STARS

Reckless Girls Goodreads

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

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

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins is advertised as being perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware and I agree wholeheartedly as those two authors immediately came to mind once I started reading this book. Reckless Girls is a variation on the locked door mystery in the sense that it takes place on an isolated island in the Pacific Ocean and the characters in the book end up stranded there. We all know that no good can come from that and as the story unfolds, we get to see firsthand just how bad things can get.

The novel’s main character is Lux, a young woman who has recently been fired from her job and is temporarily crashing at a friend’s place with her boyfriend. In need of cash and eager for an adventure, Lux and her boyfriend accept an offer to earn a tremendous amount of money by sailing two women, Amma and Britney, out to a remote island in the South Pacific that they keep hearing about. What they don’t realize is that they’re about to get way more adventure than they had planned on, starting with a treacherous storm that nearly capsizes their boat before they even get to the island. When they finally make it to the island, they realize they won’t be alone because another man and woman apparently had the same idea they did. No worries though. The more the merrier, right? That is, until yet another stranger shows up and things take an ominous turn. Missing people, disappearing boats, sabotaged radio equipment, the list goes on and on. If they’re alone on the island, who is responsible?

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I will say that the most fascinating part of the book for me were the backstories we get on each of the other characters who are on the island with Lux. As their stories unfold, it becomes clear that no one is as they seem and there are definitely some hidden agendas as to why they have all converged on this island at the same time. I enjoyed watching all of their threads come together to give a complete picture, especially as we follow Lux who is trying to put all of the same pieces together we are. Hawkins definitely kept me guessing the truth about all of them until the very end.

Aside from the twisty mystery itself, I also really loved how atmospheric the story is. The island itself has an ominous, creepy history that we learn about as the story progresses. It reminded me a lot of the TV show, Lost. The story also has a Gothic, almost supernatural vibe to it at times.

One element that surprised me was that I didn’t really like any of the characters in the book. I guess Lux is probably the one I cared about the most, but even then, I wasn’t overly attached to her. Normally I don’t like books where I don’t feel like I’m rooting for anyone, but with this book, I was so curious about what bad things would happen next and whether or not they would all make it off the island alive, that not liking them didn’t really bother me.

If twisty thrillers, locked door mysteries, and Gothic settings are your jam, be sure to check out Reckless Girls. 3.5 STARS