Tag: romance

Book Review: Give Me a Reason, by Jayci Lee

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Give Me a Reason   
Author: Jayci Lee      
Genre: Romance    
Rating: 4 out of 5   

For ten years, Anne Lee told herself that Frederick Nam was her past. In order to save her father from bankruptcy, she left Frederick for an acting career in Korea. This was the only way she could stop him from following her and ruining his future. It was the best way she could love him.

After Anne left, Frederick spent years loving her, missing her, and hating her until he decided to live his life for himself. He followed his dream and became a firefighter in Culver City. He didn’t need romance. He had his work and his friends.

When Anne returns to Los Angeles, she and Frederick are thrown together in the same wedding—she as her cousin’s bridesmaid and he as his friend’s groomsman. Even though he is angry and distant with her, Anne can no longer deny that she never got over him. Not even close.

With so much hurt and uncertainty between them, Anne and Frederick suffer their love in silence. But all it would take is a single leap of faith to bring them together…

This was such a sweet read! I loved how all the characters were just doing life together, a part of each other’s lives and just there for each other. Anne’s father and sister were the worst, so I liked that she had something of a found family to support her. I really enjoyed the second-chance aspect of this, and just found it to be a lovely read.

Jayci Lee lives in California. Give Me A Reason is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Sandy Page Bookshop, by Hannah McKinnon

Image belongs to Atria/Emily Bestler Books.

Title: The Sandy Page Bookshop  
Author: Hannah McKinnon       
Genre: Fiction  
Rating: 4 out of 5

After her publishing career and engagement fell apart in Boston, Leah Powell has no choice but to return to her sleepy coastal hometown on Cape Cod. Feeling lost and discouraged, she stumbles upon a once prominent historic sea captain’s home that now looks as dilapidated as she feels. Suddenly inspired, Leah decides to transform it into a bookstore and café she will call The Sandy Page.

Luke Nicholson, a life-long local and contractor, remembers Leah even if she doesn’t remember him. Intrigued by her return and her project, he agrees to help her bring the old captain’s house back to life. As they work together, The Sandy Page slowly becomes the town’s go-to gathering spot for locals, tourists, and anyone who is feeling adrift during this long, sweet summer. It’s a home for second chances. But will it be enough for Leah and Luke?

I thought this was a sweet, solid read. I loved the bookstore, and the secondary characters were great, too. Leah and Luke were good characters; I just liked the quirky secondary characters more. This would be a good weekend binge-read.

Hannah McKinnon was born in the UK and raised in Switzerland. The Sandy Page Bookshop is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria/Emily Bestler Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour: Friends to Lovers, by Sally Blakely

Image belongs to Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press.

Title: Friends to Lovers
Author: Sally Blakely
Genre: Romance   
Rating: 4 out of 5

Best friends Joni and Ren have been inseparable since childhood. So when Joni moves across the country for her job, the two devise a creative way to stay in touch: they’ll be each other’s plus-ones every year for wedding season, no matter what else is happening in their lives.

It’s a tradition that works, until a line is crossed and the friendship they once thought was forever is ruined.

Now Joni is back at their families’ shared summer home for her sister’s wedding, and she’s determined to make the week perfect, even if it means faking a friendship with Ren—and avoiding the truth of why they have to fake it in the first place. How hard can it be to pretend to be friends with the person who once knew you best?

But as sunny beach days together turn into starry nights, Joni begins to question what her life is without Ren in it. And when the wedding arrives, bringing past heartaches to the surface, she’ll be forced to decide if loving Ren means letting him go, or if theirs is a love story worth fighting for.

This was a cute read! I love the friendship between these two families and all the intermingled relationships. The varied friendships were my favorite part of this read, actually. I liked the scenes in the past and the glimpses we got of how Joni and Ren got to where they are. Their friendship was great, and I loved their interactions and little inside jokes and stories. Definitely recommend this read!

Sally Blakely is from Montana. Friends to Lovers is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Book Review: An Irish Summer, by Alexandra Paigeff

Image belongs to Avon and Harper Voyager.

Title: An Irish Summer    
Author: Alexandra Paige       
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Boston has everything Chelsea her best friend, her family, a great job. She’s worked and lived at the same bed and breakfast since graduating college, and she relishes the sense of stability. That is, until she’s informed that O’Shea’s Bed and Breakfast is being sold and she has less than a month to find a new job and apartment. Desperate, she takes a summer gig at the B&B’s sister hostel in Galway, Ireland. It’ll be an adventure, she convinces herself, and it’ll give her some time to plan her Next Act.

As it turns out, Galway has everything Chelsea nonstop rain, no iced coffee, shared bathrooms. Working at The Wanderer might grant her time and a few extra lines on her resume, but Chelsea can’t help but feel like she left her life back in Massachusetts. Her new coworkers, however, are determined to change her mind, especially the handsome and charming tour guide Collin.

Collin and Chelsea strike up a he’ll show Chelsea everything Ireland has to offer, and only then can she pass judgement. Sure enough, Chelsea finds herself warming up to the hostel and Irish lifestyle… and falling for her charismatic new friend. But as the summer comes to an end, she finds herself torn between the familiarity of home and the tantalizing adventure of life abroad.

This was a cute read. I really enjoyed the description of hostel life, as that’s something I have zero knowledge of. The characters were a lot of fun, although Chelsea’s stubborn refusal to see reality got a bit frustrating at times. I loved the descriptions of the Irish scenery/life, and that made the read even better.

Alexandra Paige lives in New Jersey. An Irish Summer is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Avon and Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Den of Liars, by Jessica S. Olson

Image belongs to Macmillan’s.

Title: Den of Liars
Author: Jessica S. Olson         
Genre: Fantasy, YA    
Rating: 5 out of 5

Lola St. James is the world’s best kept secret. When her father’s loss in the Liar’s Dice Tournament–a high-stakes competition where players are forced to gamble with their deepest secrets–made her a target, she was rescued by the Thief, the notorious leader of the Tentacles. But the Thief’s kindness came with a Lola’s heart. In the years that followed, she and the Thief formed a bond like no other, able to feel each other’s emotions because of their shared heart.

Now, living under the pseudonym Astra, she is determined to prove herself and become a full-fledged Tentacle. But when a critical heist goes sideways, the only way forward is for Lola to compete in the Liar’s Dice Tournament herself. Lola is confident in her ability to pull off any heist, but the Thief’s mysterious brother, the Liar, runs the game and he turns out to be more than she bargained for. As her attraction for him grows and illusions run wild, she will be forced to confront the secrets of her past, the truth of the brothers’ shared history, and the lies she tells herself.

I was engrossed in this from the very first page. Lola is a great character, and I loved getting to know her and trying to guess what she’d do next. The Thief and the Liar were both strong characters—and both had good and bad qualities, but I was eager to find out more. Loved the worldbuilding in this, and the casino world was riveting to me. I would absolutely have binge-read the next book in this series immediately!

Jessica S. Olson lives in Texas. Den of Liars is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan’s in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Let’s Make a Scene, by Laura Wood

Image belongs to Atria Books.

Title: Let’s Make a Scene    
Author: Laura Wood    
Genre: Romance   
Rating: 4 out of 5

When Cynthie Taylor gets her first real acting job, starring in a small British movie, she is over the moon. There is only one problem…Cynthie’s arrogant and annoyingly handsome costar Jack hates her, and the feeling is definitely mutual. While they may be at war behind the scenes, their on-screen chemistry is palpable, and the studio sees an opportunity—have the two young stars fake a romance that will charm fans and draw crowds.

Thirteen years later, Cynthie and Jack have successfully kept their promise to stay far away from one another, until a surprising offer comes to make a sequel to the cult classic that launched their careers. But there’s a catch: they must also rekindle their pretend relationship…and this time there’s a documentary crew following their every move.

Cynthie and Jack both desperately need this film to work, but can two ex-rivals ever really trust each other? And what happens when the roles they’re playing start to feel all too real?

This was a really cute read! I liked Cynthie and Jack both a lot and enjoyed how much they’d gown as people between the past timeline and the now. The secondary characters were great, too, and really fleshed out the story. I liked seeing Cynthie start out just so innocent to how everything worked on set and became a comfortable, strong leader on set, too. This is perfect for a binge read!

Laura Wood is an award-winning author. Let’s Make a Scene is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Look Before You Leap, by Virginia Heath

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Look Before You Leap   
Author: Virginia Heath         
Genre: Romance    
Rating: 4 out of 5

Nine years ago, Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount of Wennington, was publicly humiliated when a reckless romantic gesture went very wrong. Despite that, his mother held tight to the promise he made her then: that she would have a house full of grandchildren by his thirtieth birthday. Still single, embittered, and swiftly approaching that milestone birthday, there’s not a grandchild in sight. His heart now lies with his land and work is his life. In desperation, his mother decides that if he refuses to venture back into society to find her future daughter-in-law, the only solution is to bring society to him via a weeklong houseparty so that she can find one for him. The first Guy knows about her plan is when her hand-picked gaggle of debutantes arrive at his estate, all competing to be his wife.

After failing miserably as a governess, Lottie Travers isn’t proving to be any better at being a lady’s companion. As the only girl in an all-male household growing up, she’s developed several bad habits she can’t shake and keep getting her dismissed. Even after years of Miss Prentice’s teachings, Lottie still climbs a tree better than she embroiders, and still cannot seem to curb the desire to gallop astride a horse in breeches whenever an opportunity arises. But with the family farm in trouble, and her father now in dire need of her wages to keep it afloat, she’s determined to conquer her wildness once and for all and concentrate on her career.

Even with his home full of eligible women, there is only one that catches Guy’s eye, as much as he tries to deny it. And succeeding in her new role is easier said than done for Lottie when the Wennington Estate is filled with horses and she can’t help but feel a spark around the grumpy Lord. By the end of the week, will the two of them remain stuck in their ways, or will they learn that they may just be the perfect match?

I really liked Lottie and found her a lot of fun. Guy was fine, but nothing that stood out to me. Now his aunt, on the other hand, was quite a trip, and when she started scheming with his mother, I wanted to run away. I can’t imagine being held hostage in my own home and surrounded by a gaggle of husband-hunting ditzes. This was a cute, fun read.

Virginia Heath is from London. Look Before You Leap is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Lost Book of First Loves, by RaeAnne Thayne   

Image belongs to Harlequin/Canary Street Press.

Title: The Lost Book of First Loves
Author: RaeAnne Thayne    
Genre: Romance   
Rating: 4 out of 5 

Raised by her literary icon father Carson Wells, Allison Wells always felt loved, even though her mother died when she was a teen. But when she takes a DNA test on a whim and discovers she has a sister that she’s never heard about before, it’s clear there are things her father never told her before he died. Determined to meet Juniper—her half sister—and unravel the truth of what happened all those years ago, Ali finds herself taking a job as Juniper’s intern. She’ll eventually figure out a way to tell Juniper the truth of their relationship. But she never could have imagined what would happen next…

Juniper Connolly has always been incredibly healthy…until she wakes up in the hospital after experiencing cardiac arrest, with her new—and recently fired—intern to thank for saving her life. It’s clear June needs to de-stress her life a little, so when Ali offers her the use of her family’s cabin in a small Wyoming town, June has no reason not to go. But when she arrives in the small town, her life will never be the same.

Under the wide-open spaces of the Wyoming summer sun, Ali and June will untangle the secrets and lies their lives were built on to discover who they really are and what family really means. But even more than that, they’ll build a real relationship with one another and finally become sisters.

I was on the fence with this for the first 20% or so, but then the characters sort of settled and I connected with them. The small-town life in Wyoming was vividly portrayed—enough to make my skin crawl, frankly. (I’m not much for the small-town thing.) I enjoyed the growing relationship between Ali and June, and watching June realize there was more to life than what she’d been living. This was a solid read.

RaeAnne Thayne lives in Utah. The Lost Book of First Loves is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Canary Street Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour: Writing Mr. Right, by Alina Khawaja

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title: Writing Mr. Right   
Author: Alina Khawaja      
Genre: Romance
Rating: DNF

Ziya Khan is a legal secretary by day, but she spends her nights working hard to be a published author. She’s spent the last few years trying to get her novel published about a young brown woman falling in love with a small-town brown man—but with no luck.

After one particularly painful rejection on the night before her thirtieth birthday, Ziya decides to give up her pen for good and instead just wishes to be happy. Then, the next morning, Ziya wakes up to find Aashiq, a physical manifestation of her writing muse, sitting on her couch.

Aashiq has materialized to help Ziya find her love for writing again, despite Ziya’s determination to keep her dreams in the past. But bit by bit, Aashiq starts to remind Ziya of why she loved writing and that her words matter more than she thinks. And impossibly, something more starts to blossom between them.

But as Ziya falls for Aashiq, he begins to disappear, which prompts her to choose: her art or her heart?

I tried. I read about 35% of this before giving up. Aashiq was too…honestly, he felt a little too ridiculous to be real, and Ziya was so closed off to everyone and everything that she got on my nerves. Strong writing, but this just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Alina Khawaja lives in Ontario. Writing Mr. Right is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Come As You Are, by Dahlia Adler

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Come As You Are  
Author: Dahlia Adler          
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5 

Hot on the heels of a broken heart, Everett “Evie” Riley arrives at Camden Academy ready for a new beginning – one far away from her cheating ex-boyfriend, the sister who stole him, and the best friend who let it happen. But her fresh start is stopped in its tracks when she’s accidentally placed in an all-boys dorm, with no choice but to stay.

When rumors and gossip about Evie’s housing predicament spread like wildfire, she decides the only way to survive is to lean into her questionable new reputation… but she’s definitely going to require help. Her grumpy emo dorm mate Salem Grayson isn’t exactly her first choice, but he does need her help to repair his relationship with his parents every bit as much as she needs his to learn how to be cool. And so they make a pact – he’ll teach her how to be bad, if she teaches him how to be good.

It’s a flawless plan, except while Salem thrives academically, even romantically, and – annoyingly enough – even physically, Evie’s quest feels like one dead end after another, and the girl she’s becoming certainly doesn’t feel remotely cool. But when Evie realizes what she wants more than anything, she’ll have to contend with her thrice-broken heart and figure out how to become someone capable of chasing happiness.

I thought this was a cute read! I liked Evie and Salem a lot, and even the secondary characters were fun (except Archie and Lucas). There were surprisingly-few Mean Girls moments which I liked. Some of the diversity bits felt shoehorned in there, not like they belonged in the story, but for the most part, this was a solid read with some really funny moments and a lot of character growth.

Dahlia Adler lives in New York. Come As You Are is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)