Romance Review: DONUT FALL IN LOVE by Jackie Lau

November 1, 2021/20 Comments/by Suzanne

Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau

Published by BERKLEY on October 26, 2021
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Pages: 368
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.

I seem to have developed a sweet tooth for romantic comedies that feature food, especially baked goods. As soon as I saw the title of Jackie Lau’s new book, Donut Fall in Love, with its promise of a swoony romance and delicious desserts, I knew I had to read it.

Set in Toronto, Canada, Donut Fall in Love follows Ryan Kwok, a popular Asian actor whose career has stalled a bit thanks to the less than stellar reviews his latest film has received. Ryan decides to take some time off to spend time with his sister, who is a new mom, and with his dad, who has recently become a widower. He figures he can help both of them while he also works through his own grief.

Lindsay McLeod is a talented baker who is known for her innovative and tasty cupcake flavors. She and her best friend run a very successful bakery together. Life is pretty good for Lindsay, although she is still dealing with the death of her father and the fact that her mom is now actively dating again. Ryan and Lindsay first cross paths when Ryan literally crashes into her, ruining an entire tray of gourmet cupcakes. Even though she wants to murder him, Lindsay has to admit that Ryan is pretty hot.

I thought both Lindsay and Ryan were just so adorable and likable right from the start. I was thrilled when Ryan is asked to appear on a celebrity edition of a popular cooking show called Baking Fail, and he decides to approach Lindsay to hire her to give him baking lessons. I knew it was the perfect recipe for an entertaining romcom. From the moment of their first lesson, I flew through the pages, enjoying every moment of their initial awkwardness, the increasingly cute and flirty banter and the steamy scenes as they get to know each other better and realize their attraction to one another, and of course the often hilarious moments as Ryan tries to recreate the desserts Lindsay instructs him on.

I also really enjoyed their more personal moments with their own families and friends. Ryan is trying so hard to have a relationship with his father and it’s incredibly awkward between them. I had already thought Ryan was precious, but his refusal to give up on his dad, no matter how difficult and stubborn he was being, just made me love him all the more. I also very much enjoyed the relationship between Lindsay and her new roommate. It starts off incredibly awkward and the two barely speak, but like Ryan, Lindsay is a person who refuses to give up. She keeps trying and trying until she can find something she and the awkward roommate can bond over, and I just really enjoyed the progression of that friendship.

Donut Fall in Love is exactly the kind of book I’m looking for when I’m in the mood for a rom-com. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and steamy and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who enjoys rom-coms, reality TV baking shows, and of course the hate-to-love trope.

About Jackie Lau

Jackie Lau decided she wanted to be a writer when she was in grade two, sometime between writing “The Heart That Got Lost” and “The Land of Shapes.” She later studied engineering and worked as a geophysicist before turning to writing romance novels.

Jackie lives in Toronto with her husband, and despite living in Canada her whole life, she hates winter. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, eating too much gelato, and reading on the balcony when it’s raining.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Reviews: THE PARTY CRASHER & WELL MATCHED

October 25, 2021/22 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on two contemporary reads that are perfect if you’re looking to escape your troubles for a few hours.

Reviews: THE PARTY CRASHER & WELL MATCHED

The Party Crasher Goodreads

Author: Sophie Kinsella

Publication Date: October 12, 2021

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – The Dial Press

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

If you’re familiar with Sophie Kinsella’s books, you know she’s the queen of heartwarming, humorous reads and The Party Crasher is no exception.

The novel follows Effie, a young woman who has been struggling with the news of her parents’ divorce. The fact that she thought they were blissfully happy and didn’t see the divorce coming has really tarnished Effie’s view of what she had always thought of as a happy, loving childhood. It comes as even more of a blow when Effie’s father suddenly has a new, and much younger, girlfriend, Krista, and that he and Krista have decided to sell Greenoaks, the quirky old country house that Effie and her family grew up in.

Effie and Krista have butt heads so often over the selling of the house that even Effie’s relationship with her dad has suffered, so when Krista decides to throw a “house cooling” party so the family can say goodbye to Greenoaks, she doesn’t even send Effie an invitation. Effie doesn’t want to go anyway, that is, until she remembers that she had hidden a beloved childhood toy somewhere in the house and becomes determined to retrieve it without Krista or her father knowing she has returned to Greenoaks. She decides the perfect time is the night of the house cooling party since everyone will be distracted by the festivities. What could possibly go wrong?

What I always love about Kinsella’s novels is the balance between family or personal drama and laugh out loud hilarious moments. The drama in this story is obviously Effie struggling to deal with all of these changes in her life, and her antics as she tries to stealthily crash the house cooling party provide endless comical moments since pretty much anything that can go wrong, absolutely does. I found Effie to be an incredibly sympathetic character, even if she did occasionally have some juvenile reactions to her potential new stepmother. Haven’t we all had some family drama that makes such reactions easy to relate to?

I also loved the dynamic of Effie’s relationship with her sister, Bean, who is stuck in the middle of Effie’s feud with Krista. Bean is just so pure, like a golden retriever in human form. She just wants everyone to be happy, especially Effie, and she tries her hardest to make that happen, even if it means helping Effie with her crazy scheme to crash the party. Another unexpected source of help in Effie’s scheme comes in the form of Effie’s ex-boyfriend, Joe. Plenty of awkward, hilarious, and heartwarming moments ensue.

I’ve been going through a rough time lately so I was really in the mood for a funny and heartwarming read. The Party Crasher was exactly what I needed. 4.5 STARS

Well Matched (Well Met, #3) Goodreads

Author: Jen DeLuca

Publication Date: October 19, 2021

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

With its wonderful characters and magical Renaissance Faire backdrop, I’ve been enjoying Jen Deluca’s contemporary romance series, Well Met, so much. April and Mitch, two of my favorite secondary characters from the previous books, have undeniable chemistry, so I was beyond excited to learn that Well Matched, the third book in the series, would bring them center stage and that the fake dating trope would be involved.

April is such a fantastic character. She’s a forty-year old, single mom who is used to doing everything herself. I really admired her sense of independence. As she says, it has always been just her and her daughter, Caitlyn, against the world and she likes it that way. She has big plans too, now that Caitlyn is heading off to college. It’s time to sell the house, leave Willow Creek, and have a fresh start somewhere else.

Even though she has no plans to stay in town and no interest in romance, she can’t help but admire Mitch Malone, the high school gym teacher. Mitch has a reputation for being a lady’s man and also for wearing a kilt every year at the Ren Faire that shows off his attributes. April can’t deny he’s easy on the eyes, so when he asks her to be his fake girlfriend at a family function to appease his grandmother, who thinks he’s never going to settle down, April agrees in exchange for him helping her with some work on her house.

April and Mitch’s journey together is a bit of a slow burn. It’s clear they are attracted to one another but April fights her attraction every step of the way, in part because of Mitch’s reputation and in part because she’s leaving anyway. Friends with benefits, yes, but an actual future together, nope. I loved watching their relationship evolve, especially as they get to know each other better and April realizes there’s a lot more to Mitch than she had previously given him credit for and finds it harder to fight her attraction to him. I thought DeLuca did a wonderful job of portraying April’s struggle over whether to follow her head or her heart and couldn’t wait to find out which path April would decide to follow.

I also had a great time being back in Willow Creek. I’m always captivated by the magic and charm of the Ren Faire setting and loved that I got to see beloved characters from the first two books in the series and see what they’re up to. I became so invested in these characters that it was like visiting with old friends and I truly loved that feeling.

If Ren Faires, sexy men in kilts, single mom protagonists, and fake dating are your jam, then you definitely want to check out Well Matched. 4.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow & Trail of Destruction

October 21, 2021/18 Comments/by Sharon

Hi there everyone! It’s me Sharon, back with another addition of Thriller Thursday. I hope everyone is doing well and getting some great reading done in this spooky season. 🙂 This week I am very excited to share my thoughts on Christina Henry’s amazing new book, Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow and Tracy Buchanan’s great new mystery, Trail of Destruction.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow & Trail of Destruction

Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow Goodreads

Author: Christina Henry

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Publisher: Berkley Books

I have always loved the tale of the Headless Horseman, so I was very excited to read Christina Henry’s Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow. And I am very happy to report that this book did not disappoint. This has everything I have grown to love with Christina Henry’s books.

Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow is not a retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but more of a continuance of what happened after. The story takes place 20 years after the Headless Horseman drove Ichabod Crane from town and is centered around Brom Bones’ 14-year-old granddaughter Bendix, or Ben as she is called. Ben’s parents died 10 years ago, and she has been raised by her paternal grandparents, Brom and Katrina. Ben may have been born a girl, but she sees herself as a boy, much to her grandmother’s dismay. Her only friend is a boy named Sander. The story opens as Ben and Sander are playing Sleepy Hollow Boys in the woods and come across a group of men from town who have discovered the mutilated body of a boy with his head and hands missing. Not long after, one of Brom’s sheep is killed and its head and hoofs are missing and then another boy is found murdered with his head and hands missing as well. Is this the work of the Headless Horseman? Or is there something more evil lurking in the woods?

I loved Ben. She had such strong determination to be the person she wanted to be and not who society thought she should be. When Ben discovers that she was not told the real circumstances surrounding her father’s death, she takes it upon herself to uncover the dark secrets that lurk in the woods. Ben is a Van Brunt and Van Brunts are not afraid of anything. I loved how even though Ben tried to be tough and brave, there was a vulnerable side to her as well. Ben also feels a connection to the Horseman, she can hear the Horseman whisper to her and can hear the thump, thump, thump of his horse and to me that just added to the mystery of the story. Why does Ben have a connection with the Horseman?

I also loved the relationship Ben had with Brom and Katrina. Ben adores Brom and wants to be just like him. But it is Ben’s relationship with Katrina that really pulled at my heart strings. They have always had a rocky relationship. Katrina wanted Ben to wear dresses and learn to sew and be the girl she was born to be, but Ben wanted to wear pants and ride and play in the woods and be the boy she feels she should have been born as. Ben was sure Katrina did not love her but when push came to shove and Ben was threatened by some local townsmen, Katrina stepped right in front of Ben to protect her. It was then their relationship took a different turn and Ben saw Katrina through different eyes.

I loved the way Henry presented the story with keeping to the original story and adding her twists to it. I loved the eerie and creepy feeling with the woods and the added threat of what else was lurking around besides the Headless Horseman.

If you are looking for a great book to finish out the spooky season, I definitely recommend Christina Henry’s Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow. 4 ½ stars

Trail of Destruction Goodreads

Author: Tracy Buchanan

Publication Date: September 21, 2021

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

The gossips of Forest Grove are back with a vengeance in Tracy Buchanan’s great new mystery novel Trail of Destruction.

Ellie Mileham has always been a problem solver. She loves the challenge, so when she took over being the moderator of Forest Grove’s local Facebook group, she figured she would have no problems at all. But no sooner does she take over then a prankster starts trolling the group. Whenever one of the members would complain about something on the group post, the prankster would retaliate. At first the pranks are harmless, but they suddenly turn violent and it becomes clear that this person needs to be stopped before someone is killed.

I love how Buchanan slowly increases the tension of the pranks. At first, someone complained about people not picking up their dog’s poop, so the prankster put a bag of dog poop through their mailbox. Another complaint about people not bringing in their trash cans right away prompted the prankster to pull everyone’s trash cans onto his property. But then when a complaint was made about fireworks, someone dropped firecrackers through their mailbox which caused a fire. And then the woods were set on fire while a couple of teenagers were making a video in the woods. With each incident and then the reaction from the residents of the village, I could feel myself cringing for what would come next.

This book is full of unlikeable characters and it worked so well. Oh, the pettiness of these people! If they were not complaining about something, then they just were not happy. And oh, don’t get me started on how fast they would turn on their neighbors. One minute they would be saying nice things about them, and the next the gossip would start flying. It was just so fun to watch. I am so glad my neighbors are not like that. LOL!

I did like Ellie though. She was going through a lot in her life. She has two teenage children, her husband of 20 years left her 3 months ago for another woman, and her mother had a nervous breakdown a few years ago and is living in an elderly facility at the edge of town. When she finds some threatening letters her mother received years ago, she starts digging into the history of Forest Grove to find out who would do such a thing and Ellie soon learns that there is a link between those letters and what is happening now. I really loved her determination, even when people started turning on her or when the clues pointed to someone she didn’t want to believe could be behind this all, she still pushed harder.

This was not an edge of your seat, tension filled read. It was more of a slow burn mystery that kept me turning the pages because I just had to find out who was behind everything. While Trail of Destruction is Buchanan’s third book that takes place in the village of Forest Grove, it can be read as a standalone. 3 ½ stars

Reviews: THE BOOK OF MAGIC & VESPERTINE

October 18, 2021/8 Comments/by Suzanne

Sorry I pretty much dropped off the radar by the middle of the week last week. We had a huge deadline at work on Friday, and we’re short-staffed yet again so it was all hands on deck to get everything finished. Thankfully we made the deadline but I was exhausted and just didn’t have it in me to do much of anything except be a coach potato all weekend. I plan to get caught up this week though so thanks for your patience in the meantime. I had also planned to post these two reviews last week but was too tired to even write them. Happy to share my thoughts on both of these today though. 🙂

The Book of Magic (Practical Magic, #2) Goodreads

Author: Alice Hoffman

Publication Date: October 12, 2021

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

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

It’s no secret to anyone who follows my blog that I’m a huge fan of Alice Hoffman’s books, especially her Practical Magic series. My love for this series about the Owens women, their magic, and the fact that they have been cursed in matter of love for generations has only grown with each passing book. I loved how Hoffman used the second and third books in the series as prequels to gradually take us all the way back to the origins of the Owens family curse. What I was not expecting, however, was a fourth book, and specifically a fourth book that would function as an actual sequel to Practical Magic, but that’s what we get with The Book of Magic

The Book of Magic takes us full circle back to Gillian and Sally from the first book, along with their beloved, quirky old aunts, Jet and Franny. When the story opens, we learn that Jet has seen and heard the death watch beetle and knows she only has seven days left to live. She decides it’s time to try to end the family curse. She wants future generations of Owens women to be able to fall in love and live happily ever after rather than suffer the endless heartbreaks that have plagued her, her sister, and all other Owens family members going back 300 years. Seven days isn’t enough, however, and while she sets some things into motion, she is unable to complete the task prior to her death and knows it will fall to someone else in the family to finish what she has started. She has left clues for what must come next but it remains to be seen which Owens will find her clues and if they’ll be brave enough to make the sacrifice that needs to be made to set the rest of the family free.

Jet and her sister Franny were my two favorite characters from the first book, so I was heartbroken from the opening pages of the book learning that Jet was going to die. At the same time though, I loved how determined she was to break this awful curse once and for all. Her family has had way more than its fair share of heartbreak and it has ruined so many lives over the years, and I just loved how she really wanted breaking it to be her legacy.

I also loved getting to see all the beloved characters from the earlier books – Gillian, Sally, Franny, Vincent, and so many more, as well as meeting two younger members of the Owens clan, Sally’s daughters Kylie and Antonia. Kylie and Antonia, thanks to their overprotective mother, have grown up not knowing about magic or their family’s curse, and when they start to hear whispers of it at Jet’s funeral, Kylie in particular, starts looking for answers and stumbles upon some of Jet’s clues. When her boyfriend Gideon falls into a coma, Kylie’s desperate actions put her in danger and become the catalyst for the bulk of the story’s plot, which involves the entire Owens family coming together to confront enemies from the past, try to save both Kylie and Gideon and to finish what Jet started.

I don’t want to say anything else for fear of spoiling the journey, but with The Book of Magic, Alice Hoffman has gifted me with everything I could have possibly wanted in a sequel for these beloved characters, and so much more. This story broke my heart and made me cry, and yet somehow it was also heartwarming and left me with a smile on my face. There’s just something so satisfying about closure and Hoffman absolutely nails it with The Book of Magic. 5 MAGICAL STARS.

Vespertine (Vespertine, #1) Goodreads

Author: Margaret Rogerson

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

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

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson is the atmospheric and action-packed fantasy novel I didn’t know I needed this spooky season. I’m a big fan of Rogerson’s earlier novels, An Enchantment of Ravens and A Sorcery of Thorns because I love the strong heroines she creates as well as her exquisite worldbuilding so I was thrilled as soon as I dove into Vespertine and discovered that we have another fabulous heroine to root for.

Vespertine follows Artemisia, a young nun-in-training who prefers to live a solitary life and stay in the background attending to the dead, but who finds herself thrust unexpectedly into the role of heroine when her convent is threatened and she stands up to defend it. She does so by wielding a weapon, an ancient relic, that few are able to wield and in doing so, becomes possessed by a revenant. This becomes a life-changing moment for Artemisia as she not only has to contend with this spirit basically riding shotgun in her mind and with people trying to elevate her to sainthood, but she also somehow finds herself tasked with solving a complex mystery that features old magic, nuns, spirits, saints, as well as secrets and trickery.

While the plot itself is action-packed and guaranteed to keep you turning the pages, and the world and magic system Rogerson has created here is sure to enthrall, my favorite part of the story were the characters. As an introvert myself, I found Artemisia immensely relatable and cringed right alongside her when she found herself unable to escape the spotlight. I also found her to be an incredibly sympathetic character because she comes from a troubled background, including a downright abusive childhood. The more we learn about her, the more I can understand why she is such an awkward and retreating figure.

All of that said, however, my second favorite character is the Revenant who possesses Artemisia. It is unclear whether the spirit is male or female, young or old, but what is clear is that whatever it is, it has the most hilariously snarky personality. The Revenant reminded me of a grumpy old man, and I lived for its banter with Artemisia, especially because it brought out her equally snarky side. The story itself has a very dark atmosphere and Artemisia’s overall journey is pretty dark, but you can always count on the unexpectedly funny banter between these two to keep things entertaining. I was also fascinated by the bond that formed between them even though Artemisia never knew if she could trust the spirit not to consume her completely. I wouldn’t say they become friends but there’s a very interesting dynamic between them that I became very invested in.

The last thing I want to mention is the lack of a romance and the fact that I liked it this way. Vespertine is very much all about Artemisia and her journey and I think a romance would have just been in the way. If you prefer your fantasies with a bit of romance, Vespertine may not be your cup of tea, but if you’re all about stories where underdogs learn they are stronger than they ever thought they could be, then Vespertine is the book for you. 4 STARS.

Romance Reviews: IT STARTED WITH A DOG, PAYBACK’S A WITCH, & A HOLLY JOLLY DIWALI

October 11, 2021/27 Comments/by Suzanne

Hello everyone! I’m back today with some October releases you’re going to want on your radar if you’re in the mood for romance. There’s a little something for the dog lovers, something for those who enjoy a good spooky season read, and last but not least, for those who enjoy a romance that also feeds their need to travel to faraway places.

Romance Reviews: IT STARTED WITH A DOG, PAYBACK’S A WITCH, & A HOLLY JOLLY DIWALI

It Started with a Dog (Lucky Dog, #2) Goodreads

Author: Julia London

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

It Started with a Dog is the second book in Julia London’s charming Lucky Dog series. It follows Harper Thompson, a young woman trying to work her way up the corporate ladder at her job. She is currently vying for a promotion and her boss has given her the major task of opening a flagship coffee shop for their Déjà Brew brand, including promoting it and making all the arrangements for the shop’s grand opening. While she has no time at all for romance, an accidental swapping of cell phones during a Lyft ride from hell leads her to meet Jonah Rogers, a scientist at NASA who is on sabbatical to help his family with their struggling business while his dad recovers from cancer. As they make arrangements to meet up and swap phones back once Jonah is back in town, Harper and Jonah really hit it off and engage in a series of flirty texts all week. Harper is already obsessed with Truck, the enormous dog Jonah has as his phone’s wallpaper, and can’t wait to meet Truck and his owner.

Once Hannah and Jonah finally meet in person, the sparks really fly as it becomes clear they have major chemistry and a shared love of dogs. They start dating, including a date where they go to a shelter and walk dogs. It’s all sweet and they’re so happy getting to know one another, until a major obstacle appears before them – the Déjà Brew shop that Harper is helping to launch is directly across the street from Jonah’s family business, a mom and pop coffee shop called The Lucky Star. Can their fledging new relationship survive the strain of being rivals?

I adored both Harper and Jonah. Harper is so fierce and determined to land that promotion. I really loved her attitude and her spunk. I loved Jonah too, especially because of the sacrifices he’s willing to make to try to help his family, including passing up an opportunity of a lifetime at his job. My heart broke for both Harper and Jonah when they realized they were rivals and that Harper could actually be the one to cause The Lucky Star to go under and devastate Jonah’s family. I was so invested in them and just really wanted them to find a solution that worked for everyone. The wondering what would happen added a nice layer of suspense to keep me turning the pages. If you like a little drama to balance out your romance, this element of the story should do the trick for you.

I’m enjoying Julia London’s Lucky Dog series so much. I’m a sucker for a book that features dogs anyway, and with this series, I think I have a new favorite romantic trope – dogs serving as the catalyst to bring couples together. 4 STARS

Payback's a Witch (The Witches of Thistle Grove #1) Goodreads

Author: Lana Harper

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

Lana Harper’s new witchy romance Payback’s a Witch follows Emmy Harlow, a young witch who abandoned her magical hometown of Thistle Grove years ago in favor of the bright lights of Chicago. Emmy left in part because a warlock broke her heart, but also because she’s tired of being looked down upon because the Harlows are the weakest and least magical of all the prominent witch families in Thistle Grove. Emmy wants to make her way in the world where her magic doesn’t define or limit her.

When the story opens, however, Emmy is reluctantly on her way back to her hometown. She has promised her father she will fulfill one last witchy duty – to serve as Arbiter at the annual spellcasting tournament. When Emmy arrives in town, she reunites with her best friend, Linden, and also becomes reacquainted with another young witch she had a crush on in high school, Talia Avramov. Emmy is appalled to hear that the same warlock who broke her heart years ago, Gareth Blackmoore, has been toying with Linden and Talia’s hearts as well. Gareth thinks he can do whatever he wants just because his family is the most powerful in the town, and the three witches decide it’s time to take him down a peg or two and that the tournament will provide the perfect opportunity for revenge.

I don’t want to spoil anything about the tournament but it definitely has a bit of a Harry Potter Triwizard Tournament feel to it with the three most magical families vying for supremacy. I loved the competition itself, which was action packed and a lot of fun, and of course, the witches putting their plan of revenge into motion made it all the more entertaining.

Aside from the tournament, Emmy’s journey is also quite compelling. Once she is back home and can feel the magic she abandoned so long ago coursing through her veins again, she becomes very conflicted about who she is and where she wants to be. She also finds herself very attracted to Talia and is beyond excited to realize that her feelings are reciprocated. I enjoyed watching Talia and Emmy get to know one another, especially since that relationship adds another layer of complexity to Emmy’s journey of self-discovery.

I also really enjoyed the author’s atmospheric descriptions of Thistle Grove. It’s such a magical place with the perfect autumn vibe. It was very easy to see why Emmy was torn about leaving once she was back under its spell.

If you’re looking for a fun witchy read to dive into this spooky season, I highly recommend Payback’s a Witch. 4 STARS

A Holly Jolly Diwali Goodreads

Author: Sonya Lalli

Publication Date: October 5, 2021

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

Sonya Lalli’s new contemporary romance, A Holly Jolly Diwali, follows Niki Randhawa, a young woman who has just been let go from her job and is trying to figure out what to do with her life. Niki has always considered herself a rule follower and a very practical sort of person and is really bummed that living in such a way clearly hasn’t gotten her anywhere. She is also being gently pressured by her parents, who think she really needs to live a little and start dating. She reluctantly agrees to go on a date with Raj, a young man her parents approve of, and surprisingly, it is this young man who convinces Niki to do the most spontaneous thing she has ever done – pack her bags and head for Mumbai, India at the last minute to attend her friend Diya’s wedding.

I loved this journey for Niki because she really breaks out of her comfort zone by going on this trip. It’s also a wonderful time for her to connect with her roots and learn more about her Indian culture and particularly about the Diwali celebration since she doesn’t really know as much about it as she feels she should. Niki’s trip gets off to a bit of a bumpy start since she is so unfamiliar with Indian customs, but after a few awkward encounters, she starts to really embrace the experience and enjoy her time with family and friends. I really enjoyed this aspect of Niki’s journey since it allowed me to learn about Indian culture and customs right alongside her.

My review wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t touch on the romance. While watching a band perform, Niki becomes somewhat infatuated with one of the musicians. When an Auntie offers to set her up on a date with her son, Sam, Niki is about to refuse until she realizes that Sam is actually the hot guy from the band she was watching. Sam and Niki cross paths later that same evening and it becomes clear that the attraction between them is mutual. Their connection only grows when they join the married couple on the group honeymoon they have booked in beautiful Goa. By the end of the vacation, Niki is so invested in her relationship with Sam that she’s conflicted – does she follow her head and go back home to Seattle where Raj, the perfectly nice guy her parents already like, is waiting? Or does she follow her heart and do the less practical thing – move to London where Sam lives and start a new life there? Niki and Sam were really cute together so I was rooting with all my might for her to follow her heart. I always enjoy stories that involve that head vs. heart debate since it’s such a relatable situation for so many people.

I’ve been hearing good things about Sonya Lalli’s novels for a while now and was eager to try them for myself. I’m so glad I did too because A Holly Jolly Diwali is an absolute delight! 4 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Rock Paper Scissors & The Stalker

October 7, 2021/20 Comments/by Sharon

Happy Thriller Thursday everyone! It’s Sharon here and this week I am excited to share my thoughts on Alice Feeney’s new book Rock Paper Scissors and Sarah Alderson’s new book The Stalker. I really loved both of these books and it wasn’t until I was writing these reviews that I realized both books are set in remote areas of Scotland and both are centered around a married couple that is being stalked LOL. Visiting Scotland is on my bucket list, and after reading these books if I ever do get to visit, I am going to make sure that the area I visit is well populated 😀

Thriller Thursday Reviews: Rock Paper Scissors & The Stalker

Rock Paper Scissors Goodreads

Author: Alice Feeney

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Publisher: Flatiron Books

I am such a fan of Alice Feeney’s writing because she always keeps me on my toes with plot twists. I have loved all of her books, so I was very excited to read her latest book Rock Paper Scissors. I have to say this book did not disappoint and is by far my favorite.

Adam and Amelia Wright, along with their black lab Bob, are taking a much-needed weekend getaway to Scotland. Amelia won the trip in a raffle, and the destination is a secluded chapel in a remote town in Scotland. This weekend is just what their marriage needs and will be a make or break. They drive through a snowstorm to reach the chapel only to find it was not what they were expecting. There is no heat, the place is dusty, all the bedrooms are locked except for their room, though the freezer is full of ready-made meals to heat up and the wine cellar is fully stocked. When they see that their bedroom is decorated almost exactly like their bedroom at home, and then the power goes out, Bob goes missing, and Amelia see someone looking in the window, it becomes clear that Amelia winning this trip was not luck, but someone wanted them there. Who would go to all this trouble of getting them there? What is their alternative motive?

I loved the way that Feeney presented the story. We get chapters that are told from the POV of Adam and Amelia, so we get to know their thoughts on everything that is going on and also learn secrets they both are keeping. We also get chapters from the mysterious person that set this weekend up. I love how these chapters brought suspense to the book, and as I was reading these chapters I kept trying to figure out who this person was and what their motive was. There are also chapters that are from letters that Adam’s wife writes him every year on their anniversary but never lets him read. From these letters we get an inside look on what their marriage was like and what went wrong.

I was also fascinated by the neurological disorder that Adam suffered from. Adam has Prosopagnosia (also known as face blindness), he is unable to recognize facial features. Alice Feeney does a great job explaining what Adam sees when he looks at someone and those descriptions really creeped me out. I cannot imagine what it would be like to not recognize anyone that I know.

I really cannot say anything more about what happens during their weekend and the secrets that are revealed because that would just spoil the entire book. I will say that I loved the creepy atmosphere of this book. The beginning of the book gave me the chills with the creepy setting of the chapel. I was so engrossed in reading that I did not see or expect the plot twist that happened. This twist took the book in a whole new direction and made me stop and digest what I had just read. The creepiness was gone and was replaced with a high dose of suspense and tension that kept me on the edge of my seat for the rest of the book. 4 ½ stars

The Stalker Goodreads

Author: Sarah Alderson

Publication Date: July 8, 2021

Publisher: Avon

When I read in the synopsis that Sarah Alderson’s new book, The Stalker, was about a newlywed couple spending their honeymoon on a remote island and that they were being stalked by someone who wanted them dead, I knew this book was right up my alley and I had to read it.

Liam and Laura have been married for a couple of months but postponed their original Greece honeymoon after the sudden death of Laura’s mother. They are now ready for a romantic getaway and have booked a private island off the coast of Scotland. The only way on or off the island is by private boat that will pick them up at the end of the week. What starts off as the perfect honeymoon, however, soon turns into a nightmare, as Liam and Laura discover that there is someone else on the island and this person wants them dead.

I loved how right off the bat the eeriness starts when a couple of local men tell Laura some stories of the island’s history, which makes Laura feel uneasy about the island. As they are enjoying their first couple of days and exploring the island, Laura cannot shake the feeling they are being watched and those feelings turn out to be true. When they are exploring an old, ruined castle, they find that someone has been living in one of the rooms. From the look of the room, they assume it is just a homeless person that made their way to the island and took up residency. But that night while they are having an intimate moment in-front of the fireplace in their cabin, Liam sees someone watching them through the window. The person is gone by the time Liam goes out to check, but that night as they slept someone has scratched ‘devil’ into the window glass. The next day they go in search of this person and while they are gone, the power is cut from their cabin and most of their food is stolen. With no way off the island, no food, and a psycho that is after them, Liam and Laura are in for the fight of their lives.

I loved the vivid descriptions Alderson gives of the island. I could just feel the creepy atmosphere flowing off the pages. This book is told mainly from the POV of Laura, but we also get some chapters from the POV of the stalker, and it was these chapters that really gave me the chills. Reading those chapters really added to the suspense and tension of the book.

As the tension and suspense mounted as Liam and Laura were trying to stay alive until the boat returns to pick them up, there is a plot twist that takes the book in a whole new direction. I was so caught up in what was happening that I did not see this twist coming and literally sat there with my mouth open after I read it. The pace of the book really picks up then and I was on the edge of my seat as I was reading.

I really cannot say much more about what happens because I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you enjoy stories that have a creepy, eerie setting, and a plot twist that will throw you through a loop, then I recommend Sarah Alderson’s The Stalker. 4 stars

Reviews: EIGHT PERFECT HOURS & THE SWEETEST REMEDY

October 4, 2021/14 Comments/by Suzanne

It’s the start of another new week and I’m finally sharing the last of my September ARC reviews. I’m closing out with two great ones too, especially if you’re a fan of women’s fiction and romances of the slow-burn variety.

Reviews: EIGHT PERFECT HOURS & THE SWEETEST REMEDY

Eight Perfect Hours Goodreads

Author: Lia Louis

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Publisher: Atria Books / Emily Bestler Books

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

Eight Perfect Hours is a charming and heartwarming story about the power of fate and about living your life to the fullest. This was my first time reading a novel by Lia Louis and it was just delightful from start to finish.

The story follows Noelle Butterby, a young woman who is headed home from an event at her former college when she finds herself trapped on the interstate because a blizzard has closed the roads. Noelle has no food, no water, her phone is dead and so is her phone charger. She desperately needs to phone her very anxious mother and let her know that she’ll be later getting home than expected, but has no options. That is, until a handsome stranger named Sam knocks on her car window and offers to lend her his charger. Noelle is hesitant to agree since he’s a stranger but her desperation finally gets the better of her and she takes him up on his offer. Sam and Noelle end up chatting and bonding for the next eight hours until the roads finally open up. They part ways without exchanging numbers, never expecting to see each other again since Sam lives in America, while Noelle is in the UK.

Fate apparently has other ideas though and Sam and Noelle keep bumping into each other in the most random of places. Noelle is a romantic so she starts to feel like this is fate’s way of telling her Sam is the one. I thought both Noelle and Sam were adorable together so I of course was rooting for fate to keep on pushing them together so that something could happen between them. It’s a slow burn romance though. Both Sam and Noelle are dealing with a lot of things personally, including parents who are getting older and starting to struggle physically and mentally, so in a lot of ways, a romantic relationship is just in the way. Fate doesn’t care though and through every twist and turn of their lives, somehow Sam and Noelle keep finding each other. I swear it was so cute every time it happened. They got to the point where they would just grin and shake their heads, and I would just find myself sitting there grinning right along with them.

There are definitely some more serious moments, especially as Noelle is still working through some painful memories that the school event had returned to the forefront of her mind. Overall though, Eight Perfect Hours is just the sweetest and most heartwarming story and I highly recommend it to all of the romantics out there! 4.5 STARS

The Sweetest Remedy Goodreads

Author: Jane Igharo

Publication Date: September 28, 2021

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

I really enjoyed Jane Igharo’s debut novel Ties That Tether. In that book Igharo delivered a heartfelt, thought-provoking, and dramatic story about a young woman caught between following her heart and meeting her family’s expectations. I was eager to get my hands on a copy of her newest book, The Sweetest Remedy in hopes of getting another equally compelling story to fall into, and I’m excited to say that Igharo delivers big!

The Sweetest Remedy follows Hannah Bailey, a young woman who is the product of an affair between her white mother and a Nigerian man. Hannah only met her father once, when she was 9, but then he never came back. Hannah has therefore lived her live feeling like a piece of herself was missing and wondering what was wrong with her, that her father didn’t want to be part of her life. When he passes away, Hannah is therefore pretty shocked to receive an invitation to come to Nigeria to attend his funeral and meet the family she never knew she had, including several siblings. And what a life changing trip it turns out to be.

For those going into this story looking for a romance, it’s there and while it’s lovely, it does take a backseat to Hannah’s journey. Her journey is all about discovering and embracing her Nigerian roots, learning about her culture, and bonding with her siblings. I really liked Hannah and felt bad for her growing up feeling like her father had abandoned her, so I enjoyed this journey for her because she got to fill in so many pieces she had always felt were missing from her life.

That’s not to say that the journey was all smooth sailing. Some members of her father’s family were far more welcoming to Hannah than others, and there were a couple that were downright hostile, blaming Hannah for ripping their lives apart because they never knew she existed either and hated feeling like she had come to Nigeria to steal what was rightfully theirs. It’s hard for them to believe that their father was simply trying to right what he saw as the biggest wrong of his life, leaving Hannah alone and also keeping his children apart, living as strangers. I’m a sucker for a good family drama, so I was glued to the pages watching Hannah navigate these emotional minefields and try to win over everyone in her new family.

If you enjoy emotionally-charged stories about family, love, and finding oneself, I highly recommend The Sweetest Remedy. 4 STARS

Fantasy Review: ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART by Stephanie Garber

September 30, 2021/19 Comments/by Suzanne

Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1) by Stephanie Garber
Also by this author: Caraval, Legendary

Series: Once Upon a Broken Heart #1
Published by Flatiron Books on September 28, 2021
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 416
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.

Thanks so much to Cat Kinney from Flatiron Books for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for Once Upon a Broken Heart. I’m thrilled to share my thoughts with you today on one of my most anticipated reads of 2021.

Stephanie Garber’s new novel, Once Upon a Broken Heart, is the first installment in her new fantasy series of the same name and it’s a companion series to her wildly popular Caraval series. As the title hints with its “once upon a time” tease, Once Upon a Broken Heart has a fairytale-like feel to it. I loved this vibe and found it very fitting for the main premise of the story, which explores how far a person will go to secure a happily ever after for themselves.

The protagonist of the novel is Evangeline Fox, a young woman who grew up in her dad’s curiosity shop, where she steeped herself in myths and legends. When Luc, the love of Evangeline’s life, abruptly dumps her in favor of her stepsister and wants to marry her immediately, Evangeline is desperate to stop the wedding and win Luc back. It comes quite naturally to her that she should seek out help from one of the legendary Fates, in particular Jacks, the Prince of Hearts. If anyone can help her, she’s sure it’s him and is willing to pay whatever price he asks of her. She knows that whatever bargain she makes with the Fate will change her life forever; she just doesn’t know if that change will be for better or for worse.

I really adored Evangeline. I felt so bad for her in those opening scenes because she’s absolutely distraught that Luc and her stepsister would betray her like this and doesn’t know who to trust anymore. She’s somewhat naïve about love and relationships and the fact that some people just cheat, but I did admire the sense of determination she displayed when going to the Prince of Hearts. Her plan to get help from a Fate might not be the smartest idea, but I had to give her credit for taking matters into her own hands to try to make something happen for herself. I don’t want to give away any spoilers about Evangeline’s journey overall and whether or not she gets that happily ever after she so desperately wants but if you enjoy a story where the protagonist experiences tremendous growth as the story progresses, you’ll enjoy this one.

Now, let me talk about Jacks, the Prince of Hearts. Jacks is your guy if you love a story that features an anti-hero because he’s the ultimate anti-hero. He was one of my favorite characters from the Caraval series and was the main reason I was so excited to read this book. And he does not disappoint. I love Jacks so much! He’s mysterious and broody, and he’s also a sexy, bad boy. He’s all about tricks and making deals with desperate souls like Evangeline, and his motives are always selfish and sometimes nefarious. He’s just such a great character, and what I loved in Once Upon a Broken Heart, is the added depth we are given with respect to him. Even though he’s clearly making this bargain with Evangeline for his own personal gain, he still can’t seem to stop himself from helping her and protecting her whenever she finds herself in trouble, which is quite often thanks to the precarious situation the deal puts her in. There’s an almost indefinable connection between them. I wouldn’t call it a romantic connection and it’s not quite a friendship either. Whatever it is though, the chemistry between the two of them is fantastic and I became immensely invested in the relationship between them as soon as they struck that fateful bargain. Trying to figure out what it is that Jacks wants out of the deal, coupled with whether or not Evangeline will get her heart’s desire, had me flying through the pages and I devoured the book in a day.

The worldbuilding is also exquisite in this story. We are introduced to a new kingdom in this series that we didn’t see in Caraval. This kingdom is in the North and Garber beautifully uses imagery and myths and folklore, to add to that fairytale-like atmosphere I mentioned earlier and vividly bring the setting to life.

Once Upon a Broken Heart is a companion to Caraval, and while it would work quite well as a standalone, if you’re ever planning to read Caraval, it’s probably best to read that series first to avoid any possible spoilers. Scarlett and Tella from Caraval make a brief appearance and it was delightful to see them again, but otherwise there isn’t much overlap in plot at all. As much as I enjoyed Caraval though, I have to admit that I actually loved Once Upon a Broken Heart even more and can’t wait to see what’s next for Evangeline and Jacks!

About Stephanie Garber

Stephanie Garber is the #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of THE CARAVAL SERIES, which has been translated in over 25 languages. Her newest book, ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART, releases September 28, 2021.

When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading or watching television shows with vampires. Now that her dream of becoming a published author has come true, her new dream is to visit Club 33 at Disneyland.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Fantasy Review: UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by T.J. Klune

September 27, 2021/20 Comments/by Suzanne

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

Published by Tor Books on September 21, 2021
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 373
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.

T.J. Klune’s new novel Under the Whispering Door is pure, heartwarming magic. I loved this story so much that I know nothing I write here is going to convey just how special this book is. I’m going to try though so bear with me.

The story follows Wallace Price and it actually begins with his death. Wallace was apparently such a jerk while he was alive that only four people show up for his funeral — his ex-wife and his three partners from his law firm — and based on their comments, they all clearly did not like him. Also in attendance at the funeral, is Wallace himself, or rather the ghost of Wallace. He’s somewhat in disbelief that he’s actually dead and mad because he still had so much work to do, cases to prepare for, etc. He’s also furious about the nasty comments the funeral attendees are making about him.

Wallace is distracted by all of this, however, when he realizes that a mystery woman who is also attending the funeral can actually see him in his ghost form. She introduces herself as Mei and explains that she is a Reaper who has come to collect his soul and help him to cross over to the afterlife. Instead of taking him directly to the afterlife, however, Mei instead leads the reluctant Wallace to a tea shop located in a small, remote village. There she introduces him to Hugo, the owner of the tea shop who also happens to be a ferryman to souls who need to cross to the afterlife. Wallace insists he isn’t ready to leave his life behind and thus begins a journey with Hugo that allows him to fully discover and explore all the things he missed out on in life while he was so fully obsessed with work and power, including love, kindness, and family, just to name a few biggies.

This story is filled with laugh out loud moments as Wallace adjusts to his “life” as a ghost and particularly as he is constantly teased by Mei and punked by another resident ghost, Hugo’s grandfather. Hugo’s grandfather steals every scene he is in, as does Hugo’s loyal ghost dog, Apollo. Aside from being hilarious though, Under the Whispering Door is also just an all around moving, emotional story because of its focus on love and loss, and living life to the fullest. It explores death and how we all deal with loss and grief differently, and I guess maybe because I had just lost a loved one right before I read this book, that aspect of the story really resonated with me. I cried just as much as I laughed, especially because Wallace grows so much throughout the story that I went from hating him and thinking he was the worst person ever to absolutely adoring him and never wanting him to pass on and leave Hugo and Mei, his wonderful found family, behind. That’s a pretty powerful transformation for a character to make and T.J. Klune does it in such a beautiful and realistic way.

I could go on and on about everything I loved about this book, but you’ll really want to experience all of its magic yourself. Under the Whispering Door is a book that’s going to stay with me for a long time and it has definitely placed T.J. Klune on my list of auto-buy authors.

About T.J. Klune

TJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include the Green Creek series, The House on the Cerulean Sea and The Exraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it’s important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.

Tj can be reached at tjklunebooks@yahoo.com.

Website | Goodreads | Instagram

Fantasy Reviews: DEFY THE NIGHT & THE INHERITANCE OF ORQUIDEA DIVINA

September 24, 2021/21 Comments/by Suzanne

TGIF! Work has been kicking my butt so I’m even more happy than usual that Friday is upon us. I haven’t been reading much fantasy since the start of the pandemic, but I just couldn’t resist reading new fantasy releases from two of my favorite authors, Brigid Kemmerer and Zoraida Córdova. I’ve loved everything I’ve read from Kemmerer, both her fantasy novels and her YA contemporary books, and I’m a big fan of Córdova’s Brooklyn Brujas YA fantasy series. I’m excited to share my thoughts on their latest with you today. 🙂

Fantasy Reviews: DEFY THE NIGHT & THE INHERITANCE OF ORQUIDEA DIVINA

Defy the Night (Defy the Night, #1) Goodreads

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Publication Date: September 14, 2021

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

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

Brigid Kemmerer’s latest novel, Defy the Night, is the first installment in her brand new fantasy series of the same name. The series is set in Kandala, a kingdom that has been ravaged by a deadly pandemic. The only way to treat the sickness is with an elixir made from moonflower petals, but there’s only a limited supply of such petals and those regions of the kingdom who have them charge a premium for them, thus making it easy for the rich to hoard more elixir than they could ever possibly need and hard for poor folks to afford the elixir at all. How can there be any hope of helping everyone survive with such an uneven distribution of resources? Tessa Cade, an apprentice apothecary, wonders the same thing and decides to take matters into her own hands. She and her partner, Wes, steal moonflower petals from anywhere they can, manufacture their own elixir, and sneak out in the dead of night to deliver it to poor families across the kingdom, under penalty of death if they are caught.

I really loved everything about this book, but I especially adored Tessa and this whole Robin Hood “rob from the rich, give to the poor” vibe she has going on. Tessa is feisty, brilliant, and she just has the biggest heart. All she wants to do is save everyone she can, and I had tremendous sympathy for her because she’s following in her parents’ footsteps and they were both killed for doing exactly what she’s doing. She’s also quite headstrong and sometimes acts rashly. When Wes is captured by the royal guards on one of their runs, Tessa, heartbroken and alone, races off to the palace looking for revenge. Little does she know, however, but her life is about to change forever.

Another character in the story I adored was Prince Corrick, who Tessa encounters when she enters the palace. Corrick is the King’s Justice. His job is to dole out punishments to those who break the law, and he’s known by all to be brutal and ruthless. Corrick is hard to like, at first, just based on his reputation alone. But I grew to love him as soon as I realized there’s so much more to Corrick than meets the eye. Corrick and his brother the King were forced to take on their roles at a very young age because their parents were murdered. Corrick is determined to protect his brother at all costs, even if it means doling out the most horrid of punishments to discourage any future betrayals. He hates what he does, however. It tears him up inside and he desperately wants to be a different kind of person. Could Tessa be the one to help him become who he wants to be?

I don’t want to give anything away about what happens when Tessa and Corrick encounter each other, but it’s a game changer for both and one heck of a ride for the reader when they unexpectedly join forces to take on those who pose a threat to the health and stability of the kingdom. If you like a little romance in your fantasies, there’s definitely plenty of chemistry between Tessa and Corrick. And if you like a little political intrigue, with a side of backstabbing and treachery, Kemmerer has you covered there too. I enjoyed Defy the Night immensely and can’t wait to see what happens next! 4 STARS

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina Goodreads

Author: Zoraida Córdova

Publication Date: September 7, 2021

Publisher: Atria Books

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

I’ve enjoyed Zoraida Córdova’s YA novels for a few years now. I love her style of storytelling, particularly her lush worldbuilding and unforgettable characters, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her adult debut, The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina. This book was everything I hoped it would be and more.

It’s a multi-generational family saga that centers on Orquidea Montoya. Orquidea is the matriarch of the family and she has always been a bit of an enigma to her children and grandchildren, especially the fact that she has refused to leave her home for any reason and thus has missed out on weddings, graduations, baptisms, etc. When Orquidea realizes she is near the end of her life, she unexpectedly invites her entire family to her home for her funeral. She promises to give them each their inheritance and to finally shed some light on why she has lived her life the way she has. The family obeys her wishes, but instead of getting the answers they seek, Orquidea transforms right before their eyes, her life ending in a most unexpected and magical way, and they are left with even more questions than they had before.

This is a hard story to review because I think it really does make the reading experience more special to go in blindly, but I do want to mention a few elements that I really enjoyed that I can talk about without spoiling anything. The first thing I loved was the use of the dual timeline. In one timeline, we follow Orquidea’s descendants through several years and see how the gifts she bestowed upon them have improved their lives. That is, until they all start to sense danger and realize they are being targeted and travel to Ecuador where Orquidea once lived, looking for answers. The second timeline, which alternates with the first, follows Orquidea through her life and slowly reveals the secrets she was hiding for most of her life. I loved how the author intricately wove the details of these two timelines together and it was most satisfying, although heartbreaking, when the two timelines meet and everything is revealed.

I loved the focus on family, the vivid descriptions of Ecuador, the use of South American folklore, and I also really enjoyed the way the author used magical realism in the story. Magical realism seems to be one of those storytelling elements that people either love or hate, but Córdova uses it effectively and beautifully here to add to the sense of mystery surrounding Orquidea, very reminiscent of the way Alice Hoffman, one of my favorite authors, weaves it into some of her stories.

If you enjoy intricately-plotted stories that feature family, love, magic, danger, long-held secrets and curses, The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina is sure to captivate you. 4 STARS