Hi and welcome to my blog tour stop for Laura Griffin's The Last Close Call! I'm such a fan of Laura Griffin's romantic suspense and already can't wait for the next one. Summary.A talented genetic analyst and a detective team up to solve an elusive cold case in the next standalone romantic suspense from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin. Forensic genealogist Rowan Healy has made a name for herself by helping investigators trace the family trees of violent criminals who have eluded justice for years. But the pressure of police work has left her burned out, and she’s shifted her focus to helping adoptees find their biological parents. Austin detective Jack Bruner has spent his career tracking down vicious criminals—with the notable exception of the West Campus Rapist, a meticulous offender who has never been identified. When a new victim comes forward, Jack realizes the target of his investigation is escalating and Rowan is the only person who stands a chance of cracking this case. Moved by Jack’s dedication to finding justice for the victims and the intriguing details of the case he lays out, Rowan agrees to help through her DNA research. As the data leads them down dark and twisty paths, Rowan and Jack must race against the clock to find a ruthless killer before he strikes again. [ID: Jess’s white hand holds the ebook in front of a waterfall.]My review.Sometimes I just want to dive into a story with more danger than usual, more mystery, the highest of stakes, & some kissing to balance it all out. Laura Griffin has been one of my romantic suspense author mainstays for a while because the heroes are always alpha, the heroines are always smart, intrepid, & determined, they work together to solve the case, & they fall in love somewhere along the way. Also, because of how many Laura Griffin books I’ve read, I’m proud to say that I am now a qualified forensic detective. (Just kidding. That is a joke. I am not qualified in any capacity). Opening with a genuinely creepy beginning, The Last Close Call jumps into the action immediately. The premise of this one is quite jarring: there is a serial sexual rapist who—evidence suggests—appears to be murdering victims now. Detective Jack Bruner approaches genealogist Rowan Healy about helping with some research for the case. I hadn’t read a genealogist’s perspective on police research before & it was quite interesting, particularly as DNA / genealogy sites remain so popular. I’ve used one myself TBH. The mystery held my interest, & though I wasn’t totally blown away by the emotional connection between leads, there is eventually more emotional payoff. In short, The Last Close Call is a solid romantic suspense, & while I wanted more from the romance (more emotionsssss, please), I always recommend Laura Griffin’s books for those of us who want that mix of mystery & kissing. 4⭐️. Out now!CWs: this book includes rape & murder. Excerpt.A chime emanated from Rowan's purse. She pulled out her phone and read a text from the Austin lawyer whose client Rowan had been working for all week. Got your email. Omg TY!! The words were followed by three halo emojis, and Rowan felt a swell of pride. Anytime, she texted back. So glad I could help. This attorney had sent her three referrals over the past six months, and now there would likely be more on the way. Rowan's anemic bank account was finally getting a boost. It couldn't come soon enough. Her December credit card bill had just come in, and she hadn't even wanted to look at it. "Rowan Healy?" She jerked her head up as a man stepped over. Tall, broad-shouldered, dark hair. He wore a black leather jacket with droplets of rain clinging to it. Rowan darted a glance at Lila. Her friend didn't look up, but she lifted an eyebrow in a way that told Rowan she'd sent this guy over here. "Who's asking?" Rowan responded, even though she had a sneaking suspicion she knew, based on his deep voice. Not to mention the super-direct look in his brown eyes. "Jack Bruner, Austin PD." He smiled slightly. "Mind if I sit?" She sighed and nodded at the empty seat across from her. He slid into the booth and rested his elbows on the table. He looked her over, and she managed not to squirm. "You're a hard woman to reach." Ha. He had no idea how true that was. "How'd you know to find me here?" she asked. "Ric Santos told me you hang out here." She couldn't hide her surprise at the mention of Ric. She hadn't known they were friends. But she probably should have guessed. Law enforcement was a tight-knit group. She gave him what she hoped was a confident smile. "Look, Detective, I appreciate you coming all the way out here, but I'm afraid you've wasted your time." "Just listen." Two words. A command, but not. When combined with that slight smile, it was more like a statement. Something she was going to do, even if she didn't realize it yet. Rowan felt a surge of annoyance. But again, she gave him a nod. Sasha appeared at the table and rested her cocktail tray on her hip. "Can I get you something to drink?" she asked the detective. "A Coke, please." She nodded. "Rowan?" "I'm good, thanks." She walked off, her cascade of blond hair swinging behind her. Rowan settled her attention on the detective. "I'm with APD's violent crimes unit, as I mentioned on the phone," he said. With every call, he'd politely identified himself and given a callback number. Rowan had called the number once and-equally politely-left a message with her response. But he'd stubbornly ignored it. "I'm working on a case," he said, "and I could use your help." Rowan nodded. "Like I told you before-" He held up his hand and gave her a sharp look. Listen. "It's a serial offender," he continued. "Eight sexual assaults." His dark brows furrowed. "This guy's careful. We've only recovered one DNA profile, the second attack in the series." "If you've only got one profile, how do you know it's the same guy?" "Because-" Sasha was back already with a flirty smile. She placed the detective's soft drink in front of him, and he nodded his thanks. "Because we know," he said after she left. Rowan looked the man over. He had an athletic build, but not the steroid-infused look she was used to seeing with young cops. Then again, he wasn't that young. The touch of gray at his temples told her he was maybe ten years older than she was, probably late thirties. Or maybe it was the wise look in his eyes that told her that. She sipped her drink and waited for more. "A while ago we had the sample analyzed by a genetic genealogist," he said. "Spent a lot of money and time on that. They ran into some kind of wall, and the results were inconclusive, they said." "What's 'a while'?" "Come again?" "How long ago did you have it analyzed?" He hesitated a beat. "Four years." Rowan's breath caught. In terms of DNA technology, four years was like four decades. A lot had changed in that time-new techniques, new tools, new profiles in the databases. But she tried to keep her face impassive as she folded her hands in front of her. "I appreciate your effort to track me down," she said. It told her a lot about what kind of detective he was-precisely the kind that had prompted her to shift careers. "But unfortunately, I don't do police work anymore. You could say I'm retired." "That's not what Ric told me." She gritted her teeth. Damn it, she'd known doing him a favor would come back to bite her. "Ric said you're selective, not retired." He paused, watching her. "He told me you gave him an assist recently and that your help was invaluable." "I know what you're doing," Rowan said. She was immune to flattery, even from smooth-talking detectives who liked to play head games. "And I can appreciate the pressure you guys must be under with a serial case. But I'm not in that line of work anymore." He leaned forward, and she eased back slightly. "Let me be straight, Rowan." His eyes bored into hers. "I need your help right now. Not next month or next year. Not whenever you get bored with what you're doing and decide to come out of retirement. I don't care if I sound desperate. I'm on a ticking clock here." Her stomach tightened at his words. And his prediction that she would backtrack on her career change irked her. But he held her gaze across the table, and she felt that inexorable pull that had turned her life upside down too many times to count. Excerpted from The Last Close Call by Laura Griffin Copyright © 2023 by Laura Griffin. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. About the author.Laura Griffin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty-five books and novellas. She is a two-time RITA Award winner, as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award. Are you a romantic suspense fan? Is this release on your TBR? Let me know and thanks for stopping by!
0 Comments
Hi and welcome to my blog tour stop for Ashley Herring Blake's Iris Kelly Doesn't Date! I've been loving the Bright Falls series and this is such a good conclusion. Summary.Everyone around Iris Kelly is in love. Her best friends are coupled up, her siblings have perfect partners, and her parents are still blissfully married. And she’s happy for all of them, truly. Iris doesn’t want any of that—dating, love, romance. She’ll stick to her commitment-free hookups…Except no one will just let her be. Everyone wants to see her settled down, but she holds firmly to her no dating rule. There’s only one problem—Iris is a romance author facing an imminent deadline for her second book, and she’s completely out of ideas. Perfectly happy to continue ignoring her problems, Iris goes to a bar in Portland and meets a sexy stranger, Stefania. A night of dancing turns into the worst one-night stand Iris has had in her life. To get her mind that terrible night, Iris tries out for the lead role in a local play, a queer retelling of Much Ado About Nothing, but comes face-to-face with Stefania, whose real name turns out to be Stevie. Desperate to save face in front of her friends, Stevie asks Iris to play along as her girlfriend. Iris is shocked, but when she realizes the arrangement might provide her with some much-needed romantic content for her book, she agrees. As the two women play the part of a happy couple, lines start to blur, and they’re left wondering who will make the real first move.... [ID: Jess, a white woman wearing a blue sweater with embroidered flowers on its sleeve, holds the ebook in front of a screen painted blue & white with a pink flower on a panel.]My review.I’ve been such a fan of Ashley Herring Blake’s Bright Falls series & Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date offers more time with the wonderful group of friends we met in book 1 & in particular irrepressible, vibrant Iris. But despite her passion & her confidence Iris can still be hurt & that’s something that’s definitely explored in this book, as Iris navigates expectations from her family & friends & meets & falls for Stevie, an actor who’s been struggling to get her big break & has problems with her own confidence. Fake dating shenanigans followed by the leads trading lessons in sex & romance ensue & of course added to all of this is the fact that our leads are catching feelings for each other even as they’re starring in a play together. There’s a nice amount of tension in this book as Stevie & Iris wrestle with those aforementioned expectations & how they butt up against their own desires, wants, & needs. The steam is also balanced by the sweetness of their relationship, their moments of bravery balanced by their moments of vulnerability. Stevie’s Generalized Anxiety Disorder is also beautifully explored & something that as an anxious person I’m always excited to see. Though I wish that at one later point of the plot Stevie takes more initiative, overall both leads end up taking a risk in this book & you love to see it. The ending wraps everything up very sweetly with this group of loving friends together again, doing what they do: being there for each other & appreciating each other. 4.25⭐️. Out 10/24.CWs: Iris has some trauma surrounding an ex who lied to her about being married & having a family. She runs into that previous lover on page. Have you read any other books in this series? Let me know and thanks for stopping by!
Hi and welcome to my blog tour stop for Chloe Liese's Better Hate Than Never! If you're interested in a Taming of the Shrew retelling with fire and heart, you should check this one out. Summary.Childhood enemies discover the fine line between love and loathing in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won’t even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home, and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno. Despite their friends’ and families' pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when a drunken Kate confesses she’s only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with Kate once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn’t sure she can trust his charming good-guy act. When Christopher’s persistence and Kate’s curiosity lead to an impassioned kiss, they realize “peace” is the last thing that will ever be possible between them. As desire gives way to deeper feelings, Kate and Christopher must decide if it’s truly better to hate than to never risk their hearts—or if they already gave them away long ago. [ID: Jess’s white hand holds the ebook in front of various plants in a Biltmore greenhouse. A brick path runs through the middle of the image.]My review.One of my fave things about Chloe Liese’s writing is how bold it is about being soft. Better Hate Than Never comes in blazing hot with its Taming of the Shrew dislike to enemies vibes but what really takes it to the next level for me is the moments of care from primary & secondary characters alike. Kate Wilmot & Christopher Petruchio have been longtime enemies. Christopher has also been a longtime addition to their family gatherings, especially when Kate is traveling the world as a photojournalist. But Kate has returned home—keeping the reasons to herself—& she & Christopher find themselves in each other’s orbit again & Christopher with a request from Kate’s dad that he try to make an effort with Kate. I have so much adoration for a hero who tries to be strong but also has to admit that he has had feelings for the heroine for *a very long time.* Also a hero who makes homemade pasta . Kate & Christopher belong together & it’s such a sweet relief when they are there for each other emotionally: like when she gives him a massage & he comforts her when she cries. There’s a great sense of emotion with this book—it’s really clear why he’s fought his feelings for so long—& overall just a sense of love & respect from all of the characters. This is my third Chloe Liese book & I’m becoming a big fan. Sooo much heart & it feels like not only could you read these & love the romance but also maybe become more empathetic too. 4.5⭐️. Out now!CWs: Loss of Christopher's family in car crash. Reference to violent and disturbing world events.About the author.Chloe Liese writes romances reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. Her stories pack a punch of heat, heart, and humor, and often feature characters who are neurodivergent like herself. When not dreaming up her next book, Chloe spends her time wandering in nature, playing soccer, and most happily at home with her family and mischievous cats. Learn more at: chloeliese.com. Have you read any other Shakespeare romance retellings? Do you have a fave Chloe Liese book you'd recommend? Let me know and thanks for stopping by!
Hi and welcome to my blog tour stop for Andie J. Christopher's Unrealistic Expectations! I'm excited to feature this romance--out today--and to share an excerpt! Summary.UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS follows relationship therapist Jessica Gallagher after a sudden break-up with her long-term boyfriend turns into a PR nightmare. How will she be able to sell her newly releasing dating handbook as someone who failed to make her only serious relationship work? At first, all Jessica wants is to return to the comforts of a stable relationship, even if the spark fizzled out a long time ago. But when she unexpectedly runs into her old crush, Galvin Baker, Jessica is presented with the opportunity to not only bring some spice back to her life, but also save face with a fake relationship. Luckily, Galvin seems game. Excerpt."What the fuck is going on?" That startled Luke out of his furious packing. He turned, and his normally pale skin was tomato red. Probably because Jessica rarely yelled, but she was yelling now. "I . . . uh . . . I was going to tell you-" "Tell. Me. What?" She'd managed to quiet her voice, but she knew there was still rage in her tone. "Because it looks like you are moving out of our home. And that seems weird to me, because you haven't said anything about us moving somewhere new together. So this must mean that you are moving someplace else on your own. Which is also weird, because you haven't mentioned anything about wanting to break up. But of course this means we're breaking up. People don't just live together for a decade and then not live together but remain romantically involved. Especially when they've been talking about having a baby." Jessica took a step toward Luke, and he wouldn't meet her gaze. "Do they?" Everything below her neck was cold and numb, and she couldn't hear anything but her own thoughts screaming at her. "Listen-" "That's all I do, all day. I listen to people." For some reason, him telling her to listen to him, when she'd been his steady confidant for the majority of his adult life, made her want to scream. She'd often felt a little superior, despite herself, during sessions with clients who talked about having screaming arguments with their partners. She and Luke had never had a screaming argument. They had discussions and made agreements. They-well, she-expressed feelings and needs, and Luke tried to meet them. They'd never been the kind of couple to make rash decisions or even the kind of couple who went to bed angry. Because they never made each other angry. Irritated-yes. So angry that she wanted to drag him out of the closet by his receding hairline and demand answers-no. "I was going to tell you last night, at dinner." "You were going to tell me that you were moving out and abandoning our relationship last night, at dinner? The special dinner that we were having to celebrate the release of my book?" Luke flinched. "You just seemed so excited about your little book, and I couldn't stand to see you upset." He made a lame hand motion at her. "Like this." "I'm not upset right now that you're moving out. I'm glad you're moving out. If you weren't moving out right now, I would be tempted to kill you and then retile the bathroom with your rotting bones behind the new tile." "That would really start to stink after a while . . . the decomposition." "I would dissolve your flesh with lye." This was probably not the time to make jokes about murdering him, but that had always lightened the mood before. He'd joke about giving her an air embolism in her sleep. She'd imply that she could deadlift his body easily enough to hide it-all the while knowing that they were adults, and they'd made a commitment to one another. "You really do watch too much true crime." "You mean that I watch too much television, when I'm at home, waiting for you." The only reason that she'd ended up writing the book was that she had most of her evenings and weekends on her hands and shows about murder had started to give her nightmares. Luke put his hands on his hips and looked down at his feet. They'd had this conversation before, but the stakes had never been this high. Even though she'd had her moments of feeling lonely with him, their relationship had never been about their passion for each other-she'd thought that they were both passionate about the life they'd built together. He might have chosen her because she was convenient, but she'd chosen him because he'd never once made her worried that he would abandon her. He'd never given any indication that he wasn't ready to stick around for the long haul-not until now. But here she was, standing in her half-empty closet, looking at a man that she'd spent almost her entire adult life with become someone she didn't recognize-someone who would leave her without warning. She'd been grateful at the beginning of their relationship that he'd been kind and friendly and it seemed to come from a place of wanting to get to know her, not from any compulsion to see what he could get from her. "Is this because we haven't been having sex?" Their sex life had never been bad, but it also hadn't rocked her world at the very beginning-or the very end, it seemed. Over the last fifteen years, they'd gotten into a good rhythm. And most long-term couples didn't have much sex. That aspect of their relationship had never been the most important thing to Jessica, and she hadn't thought it was that important to Luke, either. But the way his skin flushed, when she asked him that, told her that she'd been making assumptions about their sex life, too. Luke finally met her gaze again. "I care about you, and I want you to be happy." "So, you were planning to disappear without telling me?" Jessica was shrieking again, and Luke looked a little befuddled. But that didn't stop him from pulling the few articles of clothing he hadn't packed off the rack. "You think I'd be happy about you leaving without a word? Without a discussion? Without even trying to work out whatever is making you unhappy?" "I knew that if we had a discussion, you'd get me to go to couples counseling, and we'd talk things out like logical adults. And I'd never really leave, but neither of us would ever be happy." Luke sounded so defeated, and Jessica started shaking. Her body literally could not hold on to the shock. "It almost sounds like you feel like a prisoner . . . in our life." Luke stepped toward her with his hands outstretched, as though he was going to pull her into a hug. As much as she could use a hug right now, she couldn't accept one from him. Not right now. Not ever again. Excerpted from Unrealistic Expectations by Andie J. Christopher Copyright © 2023 by Andie J. Christopher. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. [ID: Jess's white hand holds the ebook in front of a weathered gray and white barn wall.]Praise for Andie J. Christopher.“Thank You, Next is snarky and sharply funny but with a rich, tender heart. Andie J. Christopher is a master satirist of the absurdities of modern womanhood even as she renews our faith in the power of love.”—Jenny Holiday, USA Today bestselling author of Duke, Actually “A wild and delightful ride from start to finish. Christopher delivers a stern, grunting hero, wildly sexy chemistry, and an alpha heroine that owns every page.”--Mazey Eddings, author of A Brush with Love “As witty as it is sincere, Thank You, Next is the most refreshing take on second chance love I’ve read in a long time. Alex’s journey to self-love is perfect—and Will’s unconditional acceptance of his fierce and wonderful woman is everything I want to read in contemporary romance.”--Therese Beharrie, author of And They Lived Happily Ever After About the author.USA Today bestselling author Andie J. Christopher writes sharp, witty, sexy contemporary romance about complex people finding happily-ever- after. Her work has been featured in NPR, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and New York Post. Prickly heroines are her hallmark, and she is the originator of the Stern Brunch Daddy. Andie lives in the nation’s capital with a French bulldog, a stockpile of Campari, and way too many books. Who's up for a fake dating romance? I love that trope. Let me know what you think if you check this one out!
Hi and welcome to my blog tour stop for Stacey Abrams' writing as Selena Montgomery The Art of Desire! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Summary.Trouble comes in threes... One doomed love affair after another has made lovely Alex Walton swear off men. Now, she's determined to try something that maybe she can succeed at: a writing career. Little does she know that a chance meeting with a strikingly handsome stranger, a mysterious obelisk, and a lost kingdom will change her life forever. As Alex is about to discover, truth can be stranger—and far more dangerous—than fiction. ...but true love comes only once. After three years inside a terrorist organization, Phillip Turman is trying to rebuild his life. His first assignment is to pick up Alex Walton, the maid of honor for his best friend's wedding, at the airport. His second is to deal with his instant attraction to her. But his third may be the toughest: to keep Alex out of danger as his past—and her need to know about it—threaten to destroy their future. [ID: Jess’s white hand holds the ebook in front of a group of multicolored zinnias.] My review.A rereleased romantic suspense, The Art of Desire by Stacey Abrams writing as Selena Montgomery is action-packed & full throttle, with intriguing leads who are forced to spend more time together (yay!) as they attend a wedding, try to stay safe from various attacks, & realize that they’re both embroiled in the monarchic affairs of a country on the brink. The hardest thing about reviewing this book is that it definitely feels like a romantic suspense book that released in 2002, for better or for worse. I mean no shade whatsoever by that comment. But there are aspects of characters & books that I remember enjoying as a reader in 2002 that I wouldn’t appreciate nearly as much now. With that being said, the hero Phillip Turman is not always my fave, he also has a mustache (not my preferred facial hair accoutrement ), the shifts in perspective mid-chapter are a bit confusing, & the romantic suspense plot is kinda bonkers in moments. But there are lots of things to appreciate about this book too. Phillip & Alex are very passionate & while Phillip sometimes frustrates with his temper, his unwillingness to fully appreciate Alex, &/or his strategies in trying to dissuade her from possible harm, I adore how Alex stands up for herself. She doesn’t fade into the background, she knows her worth, & she’s talented in so many different ways. Though aspects of this book don’t always work for me I’d like to try another Selena Montgomery book in the future. Maybe it will work better for me. 3⭐️. Out now! Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs. About the author.Selena Montgomery is the nom de plume of Stacey Abrams—she is the three-time New York Times bestselling author of Our Time Is Now, Lead from the Outside, and While Justice Sleeps; an entrepreneur; and a political leader. As Selena Montgomery, she is an award-winning author of eight romantic suspense novels. Do you like romantic suspense? Do you have any Selena Montgomery books you would recommend? Let me know what you think about this one and thanks for stopping by!
Hi and welcome to my blog tour stop for Jenna Levine's My Roommate is a Vampire! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Summary.True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy. 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. [ID: Jess, a white woman wearing a yellow skirt with white flowers, holds the ebook in front of a white bookcase.]My review.This is the first book I’ve read with a cinnamon roll vampire lead & I was immensely charmed. He is so considerate & formal in his speech & has beautiful stationary. I didn’t think I was looking for the two latter things in my romance heroes but I guess I am. Jenna Levine’s My Roommate is a Vampire is adorable, with a roommate romance between Cassie, an artist who initially feels like a failure, & her kind of strange, rich roommate Frederick who turns out to be a vampire who’s been in a coma-like state for decades. They begin to send letters back & forth to each other & after she learns what he is, agree that she will help acclimate him to modern life by giving him tutelage. There are some funny misunderstandings, a kissing for science plot point, & even a “who did this to you?” moment so basically a cornucopia of awesome things. Balancing the sweetness & the adorability is Cassie’s growing self esteem which Frederick helps along by helping her see how wonderful she is & how talented she is. And I never knew I was missing a reference to MFA student loan debt in romance but I loved it here. This book is quick & winsome & exactly what I needed in that moment. Super cute & I can’t wait to see what Levine writes next! 5⭐️. Out today!Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.About the author.By day, Jenna Levine works to increase access to affordable housing in the American South. By night, she writes romance novels where ridiculous things happen to beautiful people. When Jenna isn't writing she can usually be found crying over k-dramas, starting knitting projects she won't finish, or spending time with her family and small army of cats. Do you like cinnamon roll heroes? Let me know what you think about this one and thanks for stopping by!
Happy reading! Hi and welcome to my blog stop for Alicia Thompson's With Love, From Cold World! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Summary.Lauren Fox is a glass-half-empty kind of girl who is very content with her life. One could argue maybe too content. She may be the bookkeeper at a theme park, but she doesn’t find her work experience nearly as fun as those around her. She much rather hide in her office then have to socialize with customers—or worse, her co-workers. Specifically, Asa Williamson. Ever optimistic Asa loves finding ways to brighten his days at Cold World—whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or playing Snow Globe Guard. He also happens to be super attractive—something Lauren annoyingly can’t seem to ignore. But as glass-half-full as Asa may appear to Lauren, he has every reason to be jaded—his uber religious family disowned him for being bisexual and he hasn’t spoken to them since. When Cold World’s owner calls Lauren and Asa into a meeting to tell them that the theme park is in trouble, the last thing they want is to work together to come up with a solution. It turns out a winter wonderland in a summer destination is quite niche, and it’s becoming increasingly harder to compete with the major amusement parks down the road. But because the situation is dire, they must put their feelings side and find a way to save Cold World. As these polar opposites work together to save the day, things start to heat up. If Asa thought Lauren didn't know how to enjoy herself, he's surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn't serious about anything, she's surprised by how seriously he seems to take her. ID: Jess, a white woman wearing a beach hat and a red vintage-style bathing suit, holds the ebook while standing in front of some palm trees.My review.That exciting moment when you find a new author whose book you love… Alicia Thompson’s With Love, From Cold World masters that mix of components in my favorite reads: emotionally striking, great tension between leads, & (a bit rarer) moments of humor/eccentricity that make the book distinctive. I adored this book for many reasons, including: ❄️the enemies to lovers arc, which felt realistic given how seemingly different each lead is & their various insecurities/challenges/personality habits. ❄️a locked in scene, where both MCs are locked in at their attraction & where things really progress emotionally & physically in their relationship! ❄️ found family rep. Talk about getting to your heart…I love how friendship is portrayed in this book & Lauren’s efforts to put herself out there more. ❄️bisexual rep. I’ve only read a few books where the hero is bisexual & the other lead is a female. Asa has a backstory that I think will be meaningful to many readers. (Please check out trigger warnings). This book has steam and poignancy, & I had such a great time on the journey. Love these characters—do I relate to the self-conscious heroine or do I relate —& the happiness they find with each other. 5⭐️. Out 08/01.CWs: references to foster care experience, parental drug use. Asa’s parents made him leave their home when someone outed him without his consent. He is estranged from his parents for much of the book.Is this one also on your TBR? Are you as much of a fan of found family romances as I am?Let me know what you think and thanks for stopping by!
Hi and welcome to my blog stop for Ashley Poston's The Seven Year Slip! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Summary.An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics. Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it. So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it. And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again. Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future. Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed. After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing. [ID: Jess’s white hand holds the ebook in front of a peacock mural painted on a slate colored wall. The peacock’s feathers are blue, orange, red, yellow, & green.] My review.Approximately 30 seconds into The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston & I had immediate feelings. I just knew it was going to be one of those books & it was, it was. Poston offers a book that had me on a knife’s edge between sadness & the lovely certainty that a HEA was coming. A HEA that *has* to happen despite the fact that our leads meet in a magical apartment but outside of that apartment, they’re living seven years out of time from each other. Grief is a part of this book, as well as career aspirations & personal happiness & how people change. Is it possible to love someone as they change / after they’ve changed, the book explores, & the answer is of course a resounding yes. While this book is a rich & decadent consideration of feelings & of life in general, & while the characters are adorable, I wanted more from their current, present-day relationship. And overall, the book has a definite HEA & and ends wonderfully on all fronts, but it remained a bit too sad for me. I closed the pages feeling happy but also with a lingering feeling of wistfulness & contemplation. Not a bad thing, but maybe not quite the light feeling I was hoping for. Still, this is a lovely book & I’m entranced by Poston’s writing. 4.5⭐️. Out today!CWs: grief, suicide. Is this one on your TBR? Did you also fall hard for The Dead Romantics? Let me know what you think and thanks for stopping by!
Happy reading! Hi and welcome to my blog stop for Mary Balogh's Remember Me! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Summary.Can Lady Philippa Ware forgive the man who once shattered all her youthful dreams? Discover the passionate and heartwarming new novel on the redemptive power of love from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh. Philippa, elder daughter of the Earl of Stratton, grew up eagerly anticipating a glittering debut and a brilliant marriage. Then her brother caught their father out in a clandestine affair and denounced him publicly. The whole family was disgraced, and Philippa’s hopes grew dim, then were fully shattered when she overheard the dashing, handsome Marquess of Roath viciously insult her upon learning of her father’s identity. Only years later does Philippa find the courage to go to London at last to meet the ton. She is an instant success and enjoys a close friendship with the granddaughter of a duke. Only one man can spoil everything for her, but surely he will not be in London this year. The Duke of Wilby is nearing death and has tasked his grandson and heir, Lucas Arden, Marquess of Roath, with marrying and producing a son before it is too late. Lucas, who usually shuns London, goes there early in the Season in the hope of finding an eligible bride before his grandparents come and find one for him. He is instantly attracted to his sister’s new friend, until that young lady asks a simple question: “Remember me?” And suddenly he does remember her, as well as the reason why the daughter of the Earl of Stratton is the one woman he can never marry—even if his heart tells him she is the only woman he wants. Unfortunately for Philippa and Lucas, the autocratic duke and his duchess have other ideas and believe them to be perfect for each other. They will simply not take no for an answer. Telling Philippa the full truth is the hardest thing Lucas has ever faced, and the discovery of it will change them both before they discover the healing power of love. [ID: Jess’s white hand holds the ebook in front of a slate-colored brick wall with a blue & yellow butterfly painted on it.] My review.The fact that I am a new-ish Mary Balogh fan hasn’t stopped me from collecting her books like it’s going out of style. Remember Me is my third book by the author & once again, I’m reminded of how much I enjoy the character-driven romances MB writes & how thoughtful & measured they are. As the book opens Marquess Lucas is tasked by his grandfather the Duke to marry, marry well, & marry soon for the sake of their family line. He agrees & travels to the London season where a beautiful woman catches his eye. Unfortunately, that woman is also the person who overheard him insulting her at a party years previous. This story has so many of the things I’ve come to associate with MB—a sedateness with passion roiling underneath, a lot of emotion & consideration of feelings. & while I enjoyed those things here, the angsty bits dragged on a bit too long for me. I also found some of the language used in the book to describe disability & virginity to be outdated &/or even offensive. This one wasn’t my favorite Mary Balogh I’ve read—& it seems somewhat lacking at moments in its sensitivity & progressiveness—but I plan on continuing my Mary Balogh journey because of glowing recs for past series. 3.5⭐️. Out today!Please read a list of additional CWs from a trusted reviewer. About the author.Mary Balogh has written more than one hundred historical novels and novellas, more than forty of which have been New York Times bestsellers. They include the Bedwyn saga, the Simply quartet, the Huxtable quintet, the seven-part Survivors’ Club series, and the Westcott series. Learn more online at marybalogh.com. Is this one on your TBR? Are you a Mary Balogh fan? Let me know what you think and thanks for stopping by!
|
About me.Give me that HEA, please.
Join my mailing list.Want to receive a weekly email with links to my latest blog posts? Sign up below!
Archives
April 2024
Categories
All
|