SUMMARY: After escaping a bad relationship, Jess Cavendish is running and leaving it all behind, carrying just a few treasured belongings in her knapsack. She needs to start over, but that means sleeping where she can and making the most of her slim savings. Luckily, she comes across a recently sold, unoccupied house. It couldn’t hurt to stay there while she saves up enough to get her own place, right?
Gethin Thomas is also looking to move on after the end of a long-term relationship. He’s returned to his hometown, anxious to renovate the fixer-upper he bought and move out of his sister’s cramped guest room. When he walks through the door one morning, he finds Jess, who’s ready to run again, and surprises them both by offering to let her stay. It feels like the right thing to do, but Jess doesn’t want a handout. They strike a bargain: Jess will help with the restoration, furnishing, and decorating in exchange for room and board.
While they peel wallpaper and shop for new furniture, an unexpected friendship develops as they bond over music and food, and slowly open up to each other about their pasts. When it’s time for Gethin to move in, he convinces Jess to be his official housemate and she agrees—so long as he lets her pay rent. The connection between them soon shifts to an attraction that seems both inevitable and overwhelming, and Jess must decide what she wants. With so much hurt in her past, can she risk loving again? She was brave enough to reach for a new life—and now a future she hadn’t even dreamed possible could be just within her grasp.
REVIEW: This was written beautifully with real characters who are going through so many things emotionally. I loved Gethin and Jess connect on different levels. They were strangers, then friends, then perhaps something more? It’s a different vibe on what a love story is.
I loved how the emotional hurdles that Gethin and Jess go through. Gethin dealing with his ex and all the drama. Jess dealing with emotional baggage from many things. They both listened to each other and got along really well. I got the feeling Gethin and Jess were a bit older. I would estimate maybe in their late 30s and early 40s? It’s a different change of pace than younger folk.
Designing a house together was pretty neat to see. I don’t think I could do that. I loved how Jess had an eye for designing. I was hoping she would get a business started and Gethin would help her?
I would recommend this book if you are looking for a heartwarming contemporary romance fiction. It is different and I think you have to have patience with this book since it’s a bit heavy on the pace and learning how to cope.
Summary: Once upon a time, Sandy Macintosh thought she would have her happily ever after with her high school sweetheart, Hank Tillman. Sandy wanted to be an artist, Hank was the only boy in town who seemed destined for bigger things, and they both had dreams to escape town together. But when Sandy’s plans fell through, she stayed in their small town in Ohio while Hank went off to Boston to follow his dreams to be a musician, with the promise to stay together. Only that plan fell through, too.
Fifteen years later, Sandy runs a successful greenhouse while helping her parents with their bed and breakfast. Everything is perfect…until Hank rolls back into town, now a famous alt-country singer with a son in tow. She’s happy with the life she’s built by herself, but seeing Hank makes her think about what might have been. There aren’t enough cliché love songs in the world to convince Sandy to give Hank another chance, but when the two of them get thrown together to help organize the town’s annual street fair, she wonders if there could be a new beginning for them or if what they had is just a tired old song of the past.
Review: I picked this book up from the library because I wanted to. I was in the mood for a rom com and I have read Kerry Winfrey’s books in the past and I haven’t had a chance to read this one. I am soooo glad I did. She made me laugh and root for Sandy so much!
The summary of the book is up above. I”m not going to repeat it but it is a second chance romance. Will the love come back?
I will say I do love the connection between Hank and Sandy. I love the fact they were friends before the love started. They both are unique and both love the arts which is very cool thing. So many emotions, so many thoughts and so many ‘what ifs!’ I loved the vibe of the story and everything.
I have to point out two things from the book because one made me think of Spike from Buffy..you’ll see.. and the other made me laugh so hard that I had to include a tiny bit of it. I’ m not telling you the whole scenario!
Spike reminder bit: “Finally, he opens his mouth. ‘Love’s a bitch,’ he says with a resolute nod.” “I shake my head. ‘Ain’t it the truth, Scott.’ I say. ‘Ain’t it the truth.'”
Funny bit: ” ‘No one is biting anyone tonight!’ I shout as Hank picks up the phone.” ” ‘Good know he says,’ he says, ‘Thanks for the update.’ “
Let me know if you read this book or any of her books! Plus all her book covers are so pretty!! I look forward to the next one she has coming out.
I received an E-Arc by the publisher and marketing assistant Kejana Ayala (thank you!) and the author, Ava Morgyn and Netgalley for an honest review.
Author: Ava Morgyn Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Date: September 26, 2023 Pages: 416 Website Instagram
SUMMARY: Cordelia Bone’s meticulously crafted life and career in Dallas are crashing down around her thanks to a philandering husband with criminal debts. When her older, carefree sister, Eustace―a cannabis grower in Boulder―calls to inform her that the great aunt they never met has died and they must travel to a small town in Connecticut to deal with the estate, she sees an opportunity to unload the house and save herself.
But once there, the sisters learn they are getting much more than they bargained for. The Victorian mansion they stand to inherit is bound in a dynasty trust controlled by their late aunt’s aging attorney, who insists they retain and inhabit the house but keeps them in the dark about the peculiar rituals of their ancestors. Not to mention a sexy, tattooed groundskeeper with a shrouded past who refuses to leave the carriage house and a crypt full of dead relatives looming at the property line.
As both women grapple with their current predicament, they come face to face with a haunting family secret, the truth of what happened to their mother, and the enemy that’s been stalking them from the shadows for generations. In a twisting torrent of terror and blood, the sisters must uncover the power within them to heal their fractured relationship, reverse their mysteriously declining health, and claim the lineage they wanted to escape but now must embrace if they are to survive at Bone Hill.
REVIEW I could not stop reading this book. I literally was hooked on the story from the beginning to the end! I had to know what was going to happen next with the sisters!
I got this ebook from the publisher which was so nice. It was an awesome surprise! Thank you Kejana Ayala and author, Ava Morgyn.
Like I said this book had me hooked! Each chapter had me wanting to know what was going to happen next for Cordelia and Eustace. The two sisters inherit a house from an aunt they never knew and things happen!! Weird things happen! So many mysteries…so many things!
At first I thought the book would be a whimsical book but it’s a bit dark with a tiny bit of horror. So if you are looking a dark but quick paced story about witches with some creepy bits in it, then this book is for you. Just to warn you if you don’t like creepy things then maybe not read this book, ok? Creepy bits meaning: history is a bit creepy, death is mentioned, an animal is hurt badly (so animal lovers just heads up!), and there is someone who dies. I could all the creepy things happening because I kept focusing on what was Cordelia and Eustace’s next move ? Will they survive this? What will they uncover next? What is so special about this house? I had tons of questions that I wanted to know.
I love how both sisters got each other’s backs. I love Eustace’s quirky moments which made me giggle. I love Cordelia going into investigation mode. The sisters made a great team and I loved how they learned more about their family history. The sisters both have secrets of their own and eventually they are told. Are they still sisters?
There was some romance happening with Cordelia and the groundkeeper which was nice!!! I liked how the romance slowly was incorporated in the story. I loved the groundkeeper’s background story too. Do they get their happy ever after? You’ll have to find out.
I will point one thing. Eustace did cook a nice meal for her sister and invited the groundkeeper to join them. While eating Cordelia and the groundkeeper who is named Gordon ends up saying some funny things. Why is that? Blame it on Eustace, hahaha! It was funny. I wished the book had a few more of these moments.
Who’s the villain in the story? It had me guessing and you’ll have to read it to find out.
Go pick this up when it comes out because it’ll be a great autumn/Halloween read! If you like witches with a bit of spookiness and creepy elements here and there then this is the one for you. I may pick this up since the cover is so pretty too!
I received an E-Arc by Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.
Author: Max Monroe Publisher: NA Date: April 27, 2023 Pages: 420 Website Instagram
SUMMARY: A successful writer accidentally sends her new (and super-dreamy) editor the wrong manuscript. Instead of the full-length paranormal novel she promised Longstrand Publishing, she sends the fan fiction she’s written about her crush…on him—including every detail of the hot, steamy “physical activity” she’s fantasized about happening between them.
And Chase Dawson may be the hottest man alive and a super-talented editor to boot, but he’s completely oblivious that he’s the star of the manuscript he just convinced his boss to green-light.
Brooke Baker has been through a lot in her thirty-one years of life.
A divorce. A career change. A move to New York City from “small-town” Ohio. Not to mention, she has a bit of a medical condition that involves occasional fainting spells, mild embarrassment, and the companionship of her adorable service dog and canine sidekick, Benji.
But none of it has prepared her for this.
None of it prepared her for Chase Dawson.
Strong jaw, blue eyes, cut muscles, and a perfect swoop of superhero-worthy black hair, Chase’s features are those of a book boyfriend and then some. Obviously, Brooke would know—she literally filled an entire manuscript with it.
A manuscript no one was ever supposed to see.
Will she survive two months of revising and editing the sizzling romance she imagined with Chase in extremely close quarters with him? Or will the constant white lies and overwhelming attraction make her spontaneously combust?
REVIEW: This story was so cute. It felt like a romantic comedy adventure. I could totally see this as a rom com movie. Hope a movie would be made from this. I can see it now. Although I’m not sure who I could cast.
It’s a slow burn. I love the build up between Chase and Brooke in the romance department. I love how they both help each other out in the little things. Both of them talk and are quirky with each other. They fit and they compliment each other. I really liked that. I liked how they are there for one another in the story. They do have steamy moments for each other but does that play out?
The book is written from Brooke and Chase point of view. It was funny and interesting to read! The pace is long so if you do read it be patient with the story.
I loved this line in the book “Fate is going to give me another opportunity. And this time, I’m going to try really hard not to vomit.”
Another part in the book I liked was when Brooke helped Chase deal with his ex-girlfriend. That had me laughing. It was the best ever!
Benji is the other character in this story who is Brooke’s dog. He’s a German Shepard who makes sure Brooke is okay with her health condition. I really thought this was good to be included in a story. Benji is an amazing character too. I love how Brooke talks to her dog like he can completely understand her. Such a nice connection there.
It’s a light, swoon, and laughing out loud read. Pick it up today if you want something like this.
I received an. E-Arc from the publisher and Netgalley for an honest review.
Author: Delphine Ross Date:July 25, 2023 Pages: 349 Publisher: NA Website
SUMMARY: In 1870 London, a scandalous love poetess and a passionate children’s book illustrator are set at odds in this sparkling enemies-to-lovers debut historical romance.
A secret identity means secret desires—and not-so-secret scandals . . .
Musa Bartham has a secret. To support her destitute family after her father’s disappearance, she’s been publishing steamy poetry under the pen name of Felicity Vita. As Felicity Vita, Musa’s scandalous books have won legions of devoted fans—including an anonymous gentleman pen pal whose letters spark unruly desires she would never ever succumb to in her orderly daily life. But when Musa’s cherished younger sister, Angela, is offered sponsorship by their aristocratic great-aunt for an advantageous marriage, Musa realizes her dangerous double life as Felicity must come to an end. Instead, she’ll write books for children.
Sebastian Atkinson is a passionate artist reduced to working nights as a printer. Though Seb is infuriated by the prim yet alluring young woman who corners him into illustrating her insipid children’s book, he can’t turn Musa away: he suspects she may be Felicity Vita, the seductive poetess with whom he’s been exchanging love letters for the past year. Egged on by his best friend, an ambitious journalist desperate for a break, Seb seeks to unmask Musa’s secret identity. But the closer Seb comes to the truth, the more Musa entices him—and the more Musa finds Seb curiously attractive and even more curiously familiar. Could he have anything to do with her anonymous gentleman pen pal?
Unable to resist each other, the two shift from enemies to lovers just as their love letters are stolen, setting Angela’s future at risk. As Seb and Musa frantically come together to contain the damage before it’s too late, it’s uncertain whose hearts and lives will be broken amid the most sensational scandal of all.
REVIEW: Writing and Art go hand in hand…I blame my inner geek librarian/creative side!
Oh my gosh. The summary up above tells you what the book is about, I”m going to retell what it is. Let me tell you that I loved this story because it was charming, cute, made me laugh and yelled no “it cannot be!” and even made me gasp a few times. I read this story in about a day. I had to know what was going to happen with Musa and Seb. I love their names.
I enjoyed the realness in this story along with the romance and drama. It was really fun to read cause it had me smiling too! As I mentioned up above that I yelled at the story a few times because it made me gasp and had me yelling at “no this can’t happen!” Isn’t that a great feeling? I get that like with rom com movies too. When the characters do make poor decisions due to real life issues or their feelings or the demands of society and they are conflict with it. This shows us the characters are human. We make bad decisions and then learn how to cope or change it. That’s what I got from this. I also could feel for Seb and Musa to make ends meet for their families. That was something they had in common along with the world being creative!
Since it’s a historical romance drama/rom com, the time period was where you had to worry about your reputation. I thought the author did a great job covering this. It wasn’t exact historical romance to the T but it had some great aspects to it like the carriage, balls, coming out, tea/cake and having a chaperone.
The steamy bits were nice. I thought that Seb was thoughtful! I liked that. Kindness and romance go hand in hand, right? I will say that Musa does have her moments of boldness. I”m not giving away all the details. Go get the book if you want to know more.
I loved the exchanged of letters in this story too. I just realized this is the second book I’ve read lately that had exchanging of letters. Old ways of “You got Mail” type of feel is awesome.
The ball part I will say was different because I think it also had a modern twist to it with books being there at the dance party. Hey it was different and it was fun! I wished the ball had more dancing and more playful banter between the two characters. I will say there was two parts during this time that was fun to read.
I look forward to reading more from this author. You should give this book a shot when it comes out. It might feel a little rushed but to me it felt just right.
SUMMARY: Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.
Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean…
Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.
REVIEW: I could not put this book down. This book made me laugh and made my toes curl up in a good way! It was so fun to read. It was quirky, fun, cute moments, and so much more. Once again vampires…are my jam, even in a rom com!
Rom Com and Vampires…it is a must!
Main characters: Cassie and Frederick are so goofy and fun and young! They just have this vibe that clicks so well. I loved the strange but tricky situations these two get in like at the party and on the train. Cassie is a young woman who is into libraries and art. She is so creative and kind. She’s a good heroine I think. Frederick of course you find out what he is. He is so kind of making sure that Cassie has what she needs. He also slowly picks up on things which is pretty epic considering how old he is.
Basically Cassie is looking for an apartment where she comes across a good to be true place to move in on Craigslist. She takes the chance on it considering the conditions were a tad strange to her. In time she finds out the reasons for the conditions and almost flees from the apartment.
She adjusts to learning more about Frederick as he learns about her and the ways of the time. I will say there were great moments and wished the book had a bit more great moments like dress shopping, going to a party and more. I loved the reactions between Cassie and Frederick.
I loved the written letters exchange between Cassie and Frederick. That was so swoon worthy. Then the emails from Reggie aka Reginald and Fredericks were hilarious! I laughed quite a few times.
Another point I must point out is that I loved the fact that Chicago is mentioned along with Schaumburg and Naperville. I know the area! I squealed with delight seeing that.
There was a nice spicy part in the book which I thought was great!! It was just the right amount of spice for a cute rom com.
Since it’s the author’s first book, it was fun, flirty and so cute. I think she did a great job.
The ending felt like it could be left open for a sequel! I hope that will happen!
Maybe a story for Reginald?? More more drama for Frederick and Cassie? Something dramatic will happen? I want to know like now.
I spy adventure, romance, historical and rom com fiction books!
All the covers of these books are amazing and their stories sound so fascinating!
Check them out to see if you are going to pick one up today!
After a panic attack puts him in the hospital, charity executive Teagan Van Zijl is dragged by his sister to a wilderness therapy retreat in Montana. Lost in the woods while absconding from midafternoon meditation, Teagan is nearly eaten by a bear before his rescue by a furious angel in muddy hiking boots: the program’s handywoman, Darcy Albano, who was mostly worried for the bear.
Darcy thought she was going to work as a trail guide when she was hired onto the camp staff but ended up cleaning and hauling instead—merely the latest screwing-over she’s endured since her ex stole her car and her parents ruined her credit score. Teagan becomes the silver lining she didn’t expect, a man clearly going through something yet willing to commit to Darcy’s unique brand of wilderness education as the cure for what ails him.
After weeks in the mountains with Darcy, Teagan doesn’t want to return to New York without her. He hires Darcy as his sober companion—a position he doesn’t actually need filled and for which Darcy is completely unqualified—hoping she can help him figure out a way to move forward. But once they get to the city, all Teagan can think of is how to confess the truth without losing her. Together, they begin to imagine what their lives might look like if they could depend on each other for help—even in outrunning a bear.
Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.
They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.
Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.
Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?
Jasmine Randhawa likes everyone to think she has it all—great job, perfect Seattle apartment, and a handsome boyfriend. But she’s not as confident or successful as she seems, and her relationship is at a breaking point.
When Jasmine finds herself single and tagging along on her parents’ vacation, she’s not sure her life can get any farther off course. It’s a nightmare for someone who’s been so fiercely independent to find herself on a cruise full of family friends who’ve judged her since childhood. Things only get worse once the ship leaves the harbor and she realizes that this is a seniors’ cruise, and the only other person under fifty on the entire boat is her childhood acquaintance, cocky and successful Jake Dhillon.
Jasmine and Jake clash right away, with Jasmine smarting over how their South Asian community puts him on a pedestal as the perfect Indian son, whereas her reputation as a troublemaker precedes her. Except they can’t avoid each other forever during the ten-day cruise, and they soon recognize a surprising number of similarities, especially in how many secrets they’re keeping hidden from their families. Their restlessness seems to disappear whenever they’re together, but is this relationship strong enough to last on land?
September 1896:An aspiring archaeologist, Smith College graduate Betsy Hayes travels to Athens, desperate to break into the male-dominated field of excavation. In the midst of the heat and dust of Greece she finds an unlikely ally in Charles, Baron de Robecourt, one of the few men who takes her academic passion seriously. But when a simmering conflict between Greece and Turkey erupts into open warfare, Betsy throws herself into the conflict as a nurse, not knowing that the decision will change her life forever—and cause a deep and painful rift with her oldest friend, Ava.
June 1898:Betsy has sworn off war nursing—but when she gets the word that her estranged friend Ava is headed to Cuba with Clara Barton and the Red Cross to patch up the wounded in the Spanish-American War, Betsy determines to stop her the only way she knows how: by joining in her place. Battling heat, disease, and her own demons, Betsy follows Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders straight to the heart of the fighting, where she is forced to confront her greatest fears to save both old friends and new….
Set during an electrifying era of nation-building, idealism, and upheaval, Two Wars and a Wedding is the tale of two remarkable women striving to make their place in a man’s world—an unforgettable saga of friendship, love, and fighting for what is right.
American Josie Anderson and Parisian Arlette LaRue are thrilled to be working in the French resistance, stealing so many Nazi secrets that they become known as the Golden Doves, renowned across France and hunted by the Gestapo. Their courage will cost them everything. When they are finally arrested and taken to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, along with their loved ones, a reclusive Nazi doctor does unspeakable things to Josie’s mother, a celebrated Jewish singer who joined her daughter in Paris when the world seemed bright. And Arlette’s son is stolen from her, never to be seen again.
A decade later the Doves fall headlong into a dangerous dual mission: Josie is working for U.S. Army Intelligence and accepts an assignment to hunt down the infamous doctor, while a mysterious man tells Arlette he may have found her son. The Golden Doves embark on a quest across Europe and ultimately to French Guiana, discovering a web of terrible secrets, and must put themselves in grave danger to finally secure justice and protect the ones they love.
Known as Agent A, Alice is the top operative within the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government intelligence group that is fortunately better at espionage than at naming itself. From managing deceptive witches to bored aristocratic ladies, nothing is beyond Alice’s capabilities. She has a steely composure and a plan always up her sleeve (alongside a dagger and an embroidered handkerchief). So when rumors of an assassination plot begin to circulate, she’s immediately assigned to the case.
But she’s not working alone. Daniel Bixby, otherwise known as Agent B and Alice’s greatest rival, is given the most challenging undercover assignment of his life— pretending to be Alice’s husband. Together they will assume the identity of a married couple, infiltrate a pirate house party, and foil their unpatriotic plans.
Determined to remain consummate professionals, Alice and Daniel must ignore the growing attraction between them, especially since acting on it might prove more dangerous than their target.
Miss Genevieve Wilde―a magistrate’s daughter and independent heiress―is determined to meet life’s challenges all on her own, just as her late father had taught her. So when her father’s pocket watch is stolen, she will do anything to get it back, especially when the local authorities prove incompetent.
Upon reading an advertisement in the paper, she takes a chance and contacts a thief-taker to find the watch. It’s a choice Ginny regrets when former Bow Street officer Jack Travers arrives on her doorstep. He is frustratingly flirtatious, irritatingly handsome, and entirely unpredictable, and Ginny wonders if she’ll be able to resist such a man.
But after Ginny discovers that the missing watch is just a small part of a larger, more frightening plot against her, she needs Jack’s help more than ever. To protect her home and her reputation, the two enter into a risky charade―pretending Jack is her cousin so he can begin his investigation, starting with the household staff. As they work together to unravel the mystery, Ginny finds herself falling fast for her charismatic thief-taker, leaving her heart in just as much danger as her life.
Nola McCollum is the most desirable girl in Arthur’s class, and he is thrilled when they become friends. But Arthur wants far more than friendship. Unfortunately, Nola has a crush on the wrong Moses—Arthur’s older brother, Frank, who is busy pursuing his own love interest and avoiding the boys’ father, a war veteran with a drinking problem and a penchant for starting fights. When a sudden tragedy rocks the family’s world, Arthur struggles to come to terms with his grief. In the end, it is nature that helps him to understand how to go on, beyond loss, and create a life of forgiveness and empathy. But what can he do about Nola, who seems confused about what she wants in life, and only half aware of the one who loves her most?
When Emma Jansen discovers that the grand Long Island estate where she grew up is set to be demolished, she can’t help but return for one last visit. After all, it was a place filled with firsts: learning to ride a bike, sneaking a glass of champagne, falling in love.
But once Emma arrives at the storied mansion, she can’t ignore the more complicated memories. Because that’s not exactly where Emma grew up. Her mother and father worked for the family that owned the estate, and they lived over the garage like Audrey Hepburn’s character in the film Sabrina. Emma never felt fully accepted, except by the family’s grandson, Henry—a former love—and by the driver’s son, Leo—her best friend.
As plans for the property are put into motion and the three are together for the first time in over a decade, Emma finds herself caught between two worlds and two loves. And when the house reveals a shattering secret about her own family, she’ll have to decide what kind of life she really wants for herself now and who she wants to be in it.
When Gerry, the beloved Williams patriarch, dies suddenly, his grandchildren flock from across the country to the family home in Eulalia, Georgia. But when Gerry’s best friend steps up to the microphone to deliver his eulogy, the funeral turns out unlike anyone expected. The cousins, left reeling and confused, cope with their fresh grief and various private dramas. Delia, recently heartbroken, refuses to shut up about her ex. Her sister Alice, usually confident, flusters when she spots her high school sweetheart, hiding a secret that will change both of their lives. Outspoken, affable Grant is preening in the afterglow of his recent appearance on The Bachelorette and looking to reignite an old flame with the least available person in town. Meanwhile, his younger brother Red, unsure of himself and easily embarrassed, desperately searches for a place in the boisterous family.
The cousins’ eccentric parents are in tow, too, and equally lost—in love and in life. Watching over them all is Ellen, Gerry’s sweet and proper widow, who does her best to keep her composure in front of the leering small town.
n a Pacific Northwest hospital far from the Rummani family’s ancestral home in Palestine, the heart of a stillborn baby begins to beat and her skin turns vibrantly, permanently cobalt blue. On the same day, the Rummanis’ centuries-old soap factory in Nablus is destroyed in an air strike. The family matriarch and keeper of their lore, Aunt Nuha, believes that the blue girl embodies their sacred history, harkening back to a time when the Rummanis were among the wealthiest soap-makers and their blue soap was a symbol of a legendary love.
Decades later, Betty returns to Aunt Nuha’s gravestone, faced with a difficult decision: Should she stay in the only country she’s ever known, or should she follow her heart and the woman she loves, perpetuating her family’s cycle of exile? Betty finds her answer in partially translated notebooks that reveal her aunt’s complex life and struggle with her own sexuality, which Nuha hid to help the family immigrate to the United States. But, as Betty soon discovers, her aunt hid much more than that.
In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots―fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe.
The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio–a past spent hunting humans.
When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.
Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?
Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.
Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.
When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.
Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.
But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.
In love . . .
For twenty-six-year-old Adelaide Williams, an American living in dreamy London, meeting Rory Hughes was like a lightning bolt out of the blue: this charming Englishman was The One she wasn’t even looking for.
Is it enough?
Does he respond to texts? Honor his commitments? Make advance plans? Sometimes, rarely, and no, not at all. But when he shines his light on her, the world makes sense, and Adelaide is convinced that, in his heart, he’s fallen just as deeply as she has. Then, when Rory is rocked by an unexpected tragedy, Adelaide does everything in her power to hold him together―even if it means losing herself in the process.
When love asks too much of us, how do we find the strength to put ourselves first?
With unflinching honesty and heart, this relatable debut from a fresh new voice explores grief and mental health while capturing the timeless nature of what it’s like to be young and in love―with your friends, with your city, and with a person who cannot, will not, love you back.
There was a plan.
She had the money, the connections, even the brains. It was simple: become one of the only female necromancers, earn as many degrees as possible, get a post in one of the grand cities, then prove she’s capable of greatness. The funny thing about plans is that they are seldom under your control.
Now Aelis de Lenti, a daughter of a noble house and recent graduate of the esteemed Magisters’ Lyceum, finds herself in the far-removed village of Lone Pine. Mending fences, matching wits with goats, and serving people who want nothing to do with her. But, not all is well in Lone Pine, and as the villagers Aelis is reluctantly getting to know start to behave strangely, Aelis begins to suspect that there is far greater need for a Warden of her talents than she previously thought.
Old magics are restless, and an insignificant village on the farthest border of the kingdom might hold secrets far beyond what anyone expected. Aelis might be the only person standing between one of the greatest evils ever known and the rest of the world.
Author: Helen Hardt Pages: 316 Publisher: Self Date: October 22, 2022 Website
SUMMARY: She’s a reluctant vampire princess.
He’s an alpha werewolf…and a murder suspect.
Half-human Hannah Bates isn’t thrilled when her vampire king father orders her to seduce an alpha werewolf—a suspect in a recent murder—to gain his trust and then gather evidence against him. She’s a little less hesitant when she sees a photo of gorgeous Victor Rogan, but even though she must do as her father commands—her blood requires it—she still resists.
Victor Rogan finds the vampire princess intoxicating, and his reaction to her perplexes him. He doesn’t simply desire her. She’s his fated mate…at a time when fated mates among his people have become virtually non-existent. Hannah is no less mesmerized. She craves Victor’s body, his blood, even his love.
But danger and mystery lurk everywhere, and Hannah’s investigation may ultimately cost her much more than her heart.
REVIEW: I picked this book from my local library while I was browsing the shelves. The cover caught my eye. I flipped the book over and read the description. Well….vampires and werewolves! Let’s go. (Yes I have seen all the Underworld movies and Twilight so I know how it could go down.)
It took me about two days to read this story.
Well this story took me on an adventure. I was jumped into this world with no idea what the background was which was different. I had no idea the vampires were about nor the wolves. I felt like I was shadowing Hannah which was fun.
Hannah was thrown into an investigation and one thing after another happens. I liked Hannah’s attitude towards everything. While she is in Las Vegas trying to figure it all out, the attraction happens with Victor. I loved how she got to have a huge hotel room to lavish in. I want that one day.
Well…sparks went flying when Victor and Hannah see each other. Just wow!
Vampires and wolves are not supposed to mid but somehow they did. They had some spicy moments and some of the moments felt like they were stuck in a succubus mode. Not that am I complaining but it was happening a lot. Why? I am curious. Maybe the author will explain it in book 2? And taking up on each other’s abilities during this process too? It was very interesting. There is biting..so just be warned on that if you do read this amazing story.
So may twists and turns happening in this story that even I felt frustrated like Hannah was. I got the feeling Hannah was having a hard time who to trust. Can Hannah and Victor be together or something is manipulating them? What is going on? The investigation, is it real? What lurks beneath everyone that Hannah comes face to face?
I wish there was more talking between Victor and Hannah.
I am curious to learn more about Victor as well. What about his past? What about his pack?
There are even demons in this story. I did not see that coming. Danger is everywhere! Although I thought the nurse at the end was cool. I had to mention that.
I do want to know more about her mom. Something tells me her mom will be a key to things.
I do hope Victor and Hannah actually do make it!
I will say the cliffhanger caught me off guard! I was like “Whatttttt?”
I definitely need to read the next book! Can I have it now?
(I just looked at the author’s website and she has another whole series on vampires. My to read pile is growing!)
SUMMARY: Ama Torres is an optimistic wedding planner who doesn’t believe in marriage. But weddings? They’re amazing. Elliot Bloom is a brooding florist who hates owning a flower shop…until a certain bright-eyed, donut-loving workaholic shows up at his door.
Once upon a time, they collaborated on events by day, and by night, Ama traced the intricate flower tattoos etched along his body. Then Ama shattered his heart and never spoke to Elliot again.
Now they’re working on an event that could make or break both of their careers—except neither of them has gotten over what happened two years ago. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. But as the wedding takes on a life of its own, Ama and Elliot are about to discover that some things can survive a complete catastrophe . .
MY REVIEW: Wow! I kept seeing this book on Instagram by the publisher Forever and I knew I had to request it on Netgalley. Behold I got it. I’m so glad I read it because this was a second chance romance with so much fun and quirky moments and a few steamy moments. Whoo!
Ama is the main character in the story who breaks from from working with Whitney and starts on her own for a wedding planner. I love how Ama is filled with creative ideas and takes on challenges. You see her grow which is awesome. Best ever to see. She is also the type of gal who wants to do it all.
Elliot is a guy who is a man of a few words and has a this instinct to know what people want for flowers and set ups. He works magic with creations. He does hate donuts until he meets Ama. Under his gruff expressions, he’s a kind soul with tattoos! Tattoos are art…I love how you get to know what tattoos Elliot has.
The connection between Ama and Elliot is electric! I loved the banter between them and how they click so well together. I was hooked on their story and could not stop reading. The book does go back and forth from the present and to the past. I could follow along with that. I thought the pace of the story was well done. I just really really liked this story.
Since this is a second chance romance, but will they get their chance? I’m not telling..go get the book when it comes out.
Author: Geneva Lee Publisher: Estate Books Date: May 2022 Pages: 392 Website Instagram
SUMMARY: Julian Rousseaux has a problem. He’s single, and for the world’s wealthiest vampires, the social season is about to begin. Julian would rather stake himself than participate in the marriage market. But as the eldest, eligible Rousseaux he’s expected to find a wife before the season ends-whether he likes it or not.
When cellist Thea literally stumbles into his life at a gala, he knows she’s the last person he could ever fall in love with. She’s too innocent, too kind, and way too human. But now that she knows about his world, she’s also a walking target. She needs protection. He needs a fake girlfriend to discourage overzealous vampire matchmaking.
So, Julian makes Thea an irresistible offer: pretend to be his lover and he’ll change her life. For one year, they’ll attend the season’s social events together in exchange for his protection and a way out of her mother’s crippling medical debt.
She can’t say no. But the vampire world is impossibly decadent and darker than Thea ever imagined, and Julian’s filthy rich vampire family wants her out of the way. But with each moment they share, new dangers emerge: a desire as forbidden as their stolen touches, an awakening of a long-dead heart, and secrets that could tear them both apart.
My Review Oh I enjoyed this book. This was a different twist on vampires. I would say about 98% of vampire books that I read, I enjoy them.
Adventure begins with Julian meeting Thea. So much goes on and I’m surprised how Thea could handle everything that was sent her way. One thing after another for her to deal with along with lust between Julian and Thea. Danger lies in many places for her.
The book picks up in the middle as Thea and Julian are thrown into the mist of politics of the vampire world. Julian is not impressed and yet his mother wants him to follow the rules of it all. She even wants to remove Thea from his life. Does she get her chance?
The attraction between Julia and Thea is interesting. There are things that pop up that explain why the attraction was there. I will admit there were some spicy bits in this book such as the opera part. I was not expecting that and how it went down. Warning this book doesn’t have steamy parts 24/7 like some. So if you are looking for steamy all the time, then this book may not be for you.
I liked the story. I liked all the characters who have their own personality and quirks. Thea is cute and musically talented who is also innocent in some aspect. She also has a spot for being sassy/flirty with Julian. She also worries of her mother who is in the hospital.
Julian is a grumpy vampire but also is a tad possessive of Thea. Why is that? You gotta read the book to find out. He also is sooooo wealthy that he doesn’t have to worry about day to day struggles. I get the feeling that Julian struggles with what is right and wrong. Perhaps his human side battles within him?
His mother is one strict bad ass. She is very old and set in her ways and can switch to a killing mode if needed to be. She sounds scary and yet I wonder if you were a friend of hers in a weird way she’d fight for hell for you? That type of thing comes to mind to me.
His father, not much is known about him.
Jacqueline is cool. I like how nice she is to Thea and takes her shopping! Money is no limit. Imagine!! She is professional and kind with Julian even though they have some kind of history.
Julian’s brothers are one of the kind. One of them seems nice as the other seems cocky. Would be interesting to see the author do stories when it’s their turn to get married.
I felt like I needed to express my thoughts on some of the characters. The book does leave at a cliffhanger as I am like..”No!” I may have to buy book number 2 and I just saw there is a book 3 too. I have way too many books to read. I’m hoping more drama, action, and steamy moments in the next book. I’m glad I picked this book up.
Blue Reader Gal Corner 
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