Tag: romance

Book Review: Trust, by Kylie Scott

 

trust
Image belongs to Kylie Scott.

 

Edie’s just your normal, everyday, shy, overweight teenager picking up snacks for a late-night movie marathon with her best friend, when a man with a gun takes her hostage at the gas station. In an instant, Edie’s life changes and everything takes a sharp left turn. Edie and John are the only ones left standing. In the publicity hype that follows, Edie walks away from her best friend and fights back against the girl who’s been bullying her for years. Shy, quiet Edie chucks her private school career to go to public school, where she hopes she’ll fit in better.

Of course, the hype follows her to her new school, but this time it’s because of her connection to John, school bad boy and now-former weed dealer. Edie makes new friends, but finds it hard to open up. With no one else who understands, Edie and John are drawn together and become friends, bonding over that fateful night. Soon Edie finds herself wanting more than friendship with John, but someone like him could never be interested in her.

I loved this book! Read it straight through in one sitting. Edie is a kick-butt heroine. Smart-mouthed and droll, she stands up for what she believes in, no matter what, and her wry observations frequently had me laughing. Her friendship with Han was fantastic, with none of the petty jealousies and insecurities I’ve come to expect in YA. John is beyond fantastic. The way his character grows in this story is enthralling, and seeing him evolve as he and Edie grew to trust each other showcased just how much people can change. Tons of witty banter, joking, and hijinks here, but there’s a serious side to this novel, too. I give this 5+ stars!

Kylie Scott is a NYT and USA Today best-selling author. She lives and writes in Australia. Her newest novel is Trust.

(Galley provided by author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Dream Me, by Kathryn Berla

dream me
Image belongs to Amberjack Publishing.

Babe is always the new girl in town. Always. So, when her family moves to Florida one summer, she doesn’t expect much, just a regular life working for the local country club and its upper-class members. But she makes friends and starts to imagine a life there. Then the headaches start, terrible, blinding ones that seem to be caused by the dreams she has every single night.

Zat is a dreamer from a far distant future where people no longer dream and Earth is dying. In his dreams, he sees red-haired Babe and longs to experience the life she embraces. Instead of leaving Earth with his family, he chooses to travel back in time and live in Babe’s dreams, but he never imagines those dreams will cause her so much pain. While Babe clings to their dream life together, Zat tries to pull away so he no longer hurts her. Soon they must make a choice between dreams and reality.

I’ve read some great books lately, and Dream Me is one of them. The whole premise is unique, since Zat only exists in Babe’s dreams, but the characters are so vivid they feel like I know them personally. Zat’s bleak existence made me feel sorry for him, and I could relate to Babe’s tough exterior, caused by her challenging life. These characters are deep and compelling, and the novel blends YA with fantasy seamlessly, with an added does of mystery—what is Zat hiding? Will they find a solution? Even the setting—the steamy Florida coast—lives and breathes on the page. If you love YA, fantasy, romance, or sci-fi, you should read this!

Kathryn Berla lives in San Francisco. Her newest novel, Dream Me, hits shelves on July 11th.

(Galley provided by Amberjack Publishing in return for an honest review.)

Book Review: Love, Alabama, by Susan Sands

Love, Alabama
Image belongs to Tule Publishing.

Susan Sands is from Louisiana, but lives in Georgia now. Love, Alabama is the second book in the Alabama series.

Emma Laroux had it all in college:  a shot at the Miss America title, a bright future, and a charming boyfriend she loved. But all of that disappeared because of a night she can’t remember, a night full of scandal that cost her her boyfriend and caused her to walk away from her title. Now she’s settled in her small home town, happy with her life as a pageant coach.

Except it’s been years since she dated anyone, and she’s not sure why. Sure, it would be nice to have kids, but the men aren’t exactly beating down her door. Then Matthew Pope arrives in town. He’s not happy to be back in the South, and when he sees Emma, he remembers that fateful night ten years before, when she was in trouble and he came to her rescue. But Emma doesn’t remember Matthew, and soon the past starts to haunt the two of them, interfering with the attraction growing between them.

I love book series set in the same location, where characters I loved in previous books appear in the current one, and you find out what’s going on in their lives. This is a series like that, and although I haven’t read Again, Alabama, I love the sense of family that links the two books. And the picture of small-town Southern life is scarily accurate, complete with nosy neighbors and former beauty queens with attitudes.

(Galley provided by Tule Publishing via NetGalley.)

Book Review: Internet Famous, by Danika Stone

internet famous
Image belongs to Swoon Reads.

Danika Stone writes both YA and adult fiction. Internet Famous is her newest novel.

Madison Nakama is living her dream life:  online high school—so she doesn’t have to deal with people and she can help take care of her sister, who’s on the spectrum—and her pop culture re-watch site has a massive following, giving her both income and human interaction. Maybe Madi’s real life isn’t so stellar—family angst and a mother who’s never present—but her online life is great. Especially when she meets Laurent, a cute French exchange student and fan.

As Madi steps out of her self-imposed bubble to explore this new life, someone else is watching. Someone who doesn’t want her to be happy. Madi’s site is attacked by a vicious troll, and soon the attacks spill over into real life. Can Madi figure out who’s behind it before her entire life crumbles to pieces?

Internet Famous is a quick read with likeable characters. Madi is relatable—even to readers older than the fandom crowd of the book—and she struggles with real problems: a mother more concerned about her own career than her family, a sister that’s a little bit different and who needs her a lot, and dealing with criticism, harassment, and bullying. The story is engaging and draws the reader in, rooting for Madi to figure things out before her world implodes. (Word of warning for anyone out of their teens:  Madi does re-watches of “old” shows, like Star Wars, Buffy, and Pretty in Pink, so you might feel a teensy bit like grabbing your cane and waving it at the youngsters in the book.)

(Galley provided by Swoon Reads via NetGalley.)

It Started with Goodbye, by Christina June

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Image belongs to Blink.

Christina June is a teacher who writes young adult contemporary fiction. It Started with Goodbye is her debut novel, out May 9th.

Tatum Elsea is not looking forward to summer. Accused of a crime—falsely—she’s under house-arrest with her less-than-loving stepmother while her father is out of the country. Tate is only allowed to be at home and her court-ordered community service, unless her stepmother approves it. Like that’s going to happen. So, Tatum starts a secret graphic design business, which leads to an email flirtation with a cello-playing client.

With her feisty step-grandmother in town, Tate starts to realize that maybe her way isn’t the only way, and soon she learns she’s not the only one in the family keeping secrets. Will Tate be able to use her new perspective to fix her relationship with her best friend and turn her family around? Then there’s the cello player…

I finished reading It Started with Goodbye in less than 24 hours. This is a fun, light read, but it delves into some deeper issues, like taking responsibility for your actions, healing relationships, and honesty. Tate grows a lot through the course of the book, and the author captures her growing pains vividly and emotionally, letting the reader see through Tate’s eyes and experience that awakening along with her. I loved how Tate’s relationship with her stepmother and stepsister evolved, and her step-grandmother is perfect; feisty and fun but not irresponsible. The email exchanges with the cello player are a cute finishing touch.

If you like young adult books, I highly recommend this one. It deals with some deep topics and isn’t just a fluffy romance.

(Galley provided by Blink via NetGalley.)

Brew or Die, by Caroline Fardig

brew or die
Image belongs to Alibi.

Caroline Fardig is the USA Today best-selling author of Brew or Die, book four in the Java Jive Series.

Juliet Langley has turned over a new leaf. She’s been dating a new guy, John, a detective, and she’s much calmer these days, with no trace of the Angry She-Devil in sight. She just received her P.I. license, and now she gets to work a few cases with her friend Maya, trying to expose liars, cheaters, and other run-of-the-mill criminals. Her best friend Pete encourages her new pursuits, especially when their friend Shane comes to Juliet with his suspicions about his fiancé’s drug-related death.

Sound Juliet finds herself investigating the party planning company where Shane’s fiancé worked, and some suspicious goings-on at a local business. When she runs into her ex, Ryder, on one case, her calmer demeanor vanishes, as she’s still angry at his abandonment when she was attacked by a killer. But Ryder is a new man:  calm, collected, and in therapy for his issues. Most surprising of all:  he actually apologizes for his behavior, and tries to make amends, so Juliet finds herself working with him as they try to get to the bottom of one of the cases. Soon Juliet realizes that someone close to her is far more involved than she imagined, and the cops need her help to break the case…a far cry from her past role as murder suspect/super sleuth extraordinaire.

The Java Jive Series is light-hearted and funny, with Juliet always getting into one mess or another, (like Stephanie Plum). This time, Juliet’s moving on with her life when her past shows up with a vengeance in the form of the reformed Ryder. Between wedding gowns, wigs, and the wild side of Nashville, Juliet’s got more than she can handle without questions about her ex. Besides, she’s got a new boyfriend that she prefers…right? I love this series, and Brew or Die is a great addition to it that will make you laugh at Juliet’s adventures as she bumbles her way through life.

(Galley provided by Alibi.)

Book Review: A Twist in Time, by Julie McElwain

 

a twist in time
A Twist in Time,
by Julie McElwain. Image belongs to Pegasus Books.

Julie McElwain’s newest novel is A Twist in Time, part of the Kendra Donovan Mysteries series.

Former FBI agent Kendra Donovan’s efforts to return to the 21st century fail, leaving her stranded in 1815. Her protector, the Duke of Aldridge, believes it’s because she must help save his nephew, Alec, who’s been accused of brutally murdering his mistress.

The trail of the bizarre murder—Lady Dover was found stabbed with a stiletto, her face carved—leads straight to the Ton, London’s elite class, where things are never as they seem. As Kendra uncovers Lady Dover’s relationships with various men, sordid details about her past also emerge, leading a crime boss to threaten Alec. Now Kendra must learn the truth about the murder—before Alec is found guilty of a crime he didn’t commit.

A Twist in Time was an entertaining, fun read. I have not read the first book in the series, but I would, gladly. Kendra is a great character—tough, smart, and independent—stuck in a society where women are treated like property incapable of intelligent thought. I cannot imagine her frustration with the culture and with society, but the similarities she finds to modern times are disturbing, showing that our culture is not necessarily the better of the two.

(Galley provided by Pegasus Books via NetGalley.)

Book Review: All the Forever Things, by Jolene Perry

all the forever things
All the Forever Things, by Jolene Perry. Image belongs to Albert Whitman & Company.

Jolene Perry lives in Alaska and writes young adult fiction. Her newest books is All the Forever Things.

Gabe’s family runs a funeral home, so she knows about death and the truth about life:  everything ends. Gabe has embraced her reputation and her Wednesday Addams-vibe, complete with vintage clothes and an I-don’t-care attitude. Her best friend, Bree, is all she needs, someone who understands the weirdness of her life and loves her anyway.

But when Bree starts dating a boy who is the epitome of everything Gabe—and Bree—has hated for years, she wonders if the really knows the truth, or if she knows Bree at all. The only one she can turn to is new boy Hartman, who doesn’t know quite what to make of Gabe, but who gets Gabe out of her shell anyway. Driving a hearse to prom will change Gabe’s life more than she ever imagined.

All the Forever Things is an enjoyable read. Gabe is a character I both loved and sympathized with, and her faux pas and missteps made me laugh and cringe at the same time. Her friendship with Bree broke my heart, and made me hope everything would work out for the two of them, and Hartman is a wonderful contrast for Gabe. If you love young adult books, definitely pick this one up.

(Galley provided by Albert Whitman & Company.)

If Not for You, by Debbie Macomber

if not for you
Image belongs to Ballantine Books.

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times best-selling author, and has written dozens of books in her career. She also loves to knit and help others, including her Knit 1, Bless 2 program. Debbie’s newest book is If Not for You, in the New Beginnings books, a series of stand-alone novels.

Beth Prudhomme loves her parents, but she’s had enough of her loving but domineering mother. So, Beth moves to Portland, near her Aunt Sunshine, a free-spirited artist. Beth gets the job she’s always dreamed of, as a high-school music teacher, and makes new friends, including Nichole and Rocco, who set up a blind date with Sam, a tattooed mechanic. Beth is reserved and proper, Sam is rough around the edges and unconventional:  the opposite of everything Beth’s mother wants for her.

After their awkward blind date, Beth and Sam leave, thinking themselves unscathed, but Beth is in a bad wreck, which Sam witnesses. He stays to comfort her, and finds himself drawn to her hospital room…and to Beth herself. Their attraction surprises them both, and they have many obstacles to overcome. Sam has the secrets of his past, and Beth her tendency to take trying to help a little too far. And then there’s her mother…

I loved A Girl’s Guide to Moving On, a previous book in the New Beginnings series, and some of those characters show up here, which I’ve always loved. The characters in this book really make it so worth reading. Beth is fighting a lifetime of habit and trying to forge a life of her own when calamity strikes. The she must deal with an injury as well as her own faults. And Sam has spent so many years hurting that he can’t imagine not hurting. As the two of them grow—together but separately as well—the reader is privileged to watch their choices change them.

(Galley provided by Ballantine Books.)

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I Wanna Be Loved by You, by Heather Hiestand

i-wanna-be-loved-by-you
Image belongs to Kensington Books.

Heather Hiestand writes period romance, as well as contemporary. Her current series, Grand Russe Hotel, are set in the 1920s. I Wanna Be Loved by You is her newest release.

Sadie Louden grew up in her grandfather’s vicarage, but now she’s left that constricting environment for a life of excitement in the big city. She dreams of a glamorous life like the starlets she reads about, and even before she starts work as a chambermaid at the glitzy London hotel the Grand Russe, she meets a handsome, charming, stranger who seems like he might make all her dreams come true.

Les Drake is a British Secret Intelligence agent on the lookout for Bolsheviks when he meets sweet Sadie and decides to use her as part of his cover. But when his dangerous targets put Sadie in danger, Les must decide just how deeply his feelings for Sadie run.

Confession:  I love the ‘20s era, so the setting of this novel made me want to read it. The flappers, the clothes, the attitudes…. love it. Poor Sadie is completely clueless—and completely charming—and Les doesn’t know what’s hit him. I enjoyed reading about a historical era (with the Bolsheviks) that I know next to nothing about, and these characters are a lot of fun.

(Galley provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley.)