I received this book for free from the publisher (Harlequin Books) in exchange for an honest review.
After reading the first book in the series, I was very excited to read this one since I loved Adelaide in the first book.
This installment was definitely a step up from the first book. The first book had a lot of awkward time jumps, while this book luckily avoided that.
As a whole, I really liked Michael and Adelaide as a couple. They had sizzling chemistry and I liked the fire Adelaide had. She was so driven in what she wanted in terms of both career and personal life.
I also loved that Adelaide’s fashion show centered on creating fashionable and sensory friendly clothes for people on the autism spectrum. I was happy to see attention brought to autism awareness. I was not expecting that from a short Harlequin romance novel.
Since this is part of series, the two main characters from the previous book have cameos in this book. It was nice to see what they were up to and how their relationship had strengthened.
My one critique of the book is that the ending could have been fleshed out a bit more. It ended rather abruptly and I wanted a little more closure.
Overall, this was an enjoyable installment to the series!
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
This was a short and sweet romance set in France!
First off, for such a short book, there was a lot of chemistry between the two main characters. Since this was a second chance romance, the characters already knew each other and had history. I enjoyed learning their backstory and seeing them get back together.
Also, there was quite a bit of plot which I was happy about. Given the length, I wasn’t expecting too much to happen but I was pleasantly surprised with the storyline.
The Christmas aspect was pretty minimal. The book takes place during winter/Christmastime but doesn’t have any super Christmasy scenes. So if you’re looking for a Christmas romance, this doesn’t quite hit that mark.
Overall, I really enjoyed this second chance romance! If you’re looking for something quick to read this winter, then give this book a go!
I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This was such an emotional poetry collection!
This collection is focused on heartbreak and healing and the author just pours her heart on every page. Books like this is why I love poetry. It’s real. It’s raw. It’s unfiltered. It’s emotion on a page. I can tell that every poem came from deep inside her.
There is also a good mix of prose in the collection which I loved. The prose was just as strong as the poems and added variety to the book.
Some of my favorite pieces were:
East Coast (pg 23)
Grievance (pg 43)
For the people who fall in love with potential (pg 59)
Past me (pg 106)
You have what it takes (pg 110)
On behalf of him (pg 111)
Re-connect (pg 142)
I also loved that she made the reader a part of the book. At the end she has a little note to the reader where she describes the book being a conversation. I found that to be a really nice touch and made me feel really connected to the poems.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of poetry and prose. If you are looking for a poetry book that packs an emotional punch, then read this one!
I received a copy of the book for free from author in exchange for an honest review.
Omg this was so damn cute! I loved it!
This was my second book by Lisa Becker and once again it was a hit. I love that her books are the perfect blend of sexy and sweet. It’s exactly what you want from a romance.
I loved the main characters. Ryan was so swoon worthy and precious. Angie really complemented him well. They were so good together and I loved the big city girl with small town boy dynamic.
I also loved the supporting characters, like Angie’s roommate, Josie. Ryan’s two best friends, Luke and Diego, were also standouts. I particularly loved the bromance between the three of them. I would love to see a spin-off featuring one of them.
Sprinkled throughout the book were comments from The Subway Girl web series and I thought they were a nice touch. They were really accurate and showcased the range of comments made on the internet.
Lastly, I loved the little Easter egg nod to her previous novel, Starfish, with the mention of Kings Quarters. Kings Quarters is the band featured in Starfish (I highly recommend that book too).
Overall, if you’re looking for a good romance to read, then pick this book up!
Click on the picture to purchase the book on Amazon
Rating: ★★★★
I received this book for free from the publisher (Celadon Books) for promotional purposes.
Given all the craziness right now, the world could use a little humor so I thought it would be the perfect time to read this book. I was right. This was such a funny little read!
The book basically consists of little cartoons about relationships/love/marriage. I am not married so I can’t necessarily relate to everything, but a lot of the cartoons reminded me of my parents and their relationship.
I found the cartoons to be really funny. Obviously some were better than others but I did laugh out loud at quite a few of them. For example, “Celebrate the little things…” on page 13 was hilarious. I also loved “If you are still fighting, it means you are still together” (pg. 91) and “Remember: if you were single, there’d be nobody to watch your luggage in the airport while you go to the restroom” (pg. 131).
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a super quick read and is the perfect gift to give to your significant other. Also, given the quarantine, I think it’s the perfect thing to read if you’re stuck at home with them and need something to lighten the mood.
I received this book for free free as part of an Instagram tour (TLC Book Tours specifically) I did to promote the book.
I was really impressed with this book. This is the first book in Alisha Rai’s new Modern Love series which is an appropriate name for it since it reflects exactly that. It tackles a lot of timely issues, like dating apps, the #MeToo movement, and CTE in the NFL. It was so refreshing seeing a romance that was very on point with what is going on in today’s world. On top of that, this is a diverse book which is always nice to encounter, especially in the romance genre.
I loved the cast of characters. I really liked the female lead, Rhiannon. She was a total boss. The male lead, Samson, was a great love interest. I loved how he was able to get through to Rhiannon since she is so guarded due to her past. Additionally, I loved Samson’s Aunt Annabelle, who was a supporting character. She was so quirky and eccentric but very endearing. Rhiannon’s friend, Katrina, was another supporting character I loved as well.
This book does fall prey to the typical miscommunication at the end of the book (a common trope in the romance genre) but it does get resolved fairly quickly.
Overall, I loved this very modern (and diverse) take on romance and will be looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.
I received an ARC of the book for free from the publisher (Harper Books) in exchange for an honest review. Since I received an ARC, my quotes from the book are tentative.
I found this to be a very relatable memoir. There were some passages that really spoke to me. For example, a paragraph from the chapter, Tottenham Court Road, perfectly describes me right now. She writes:
“When you begin to wonder if life is really just waiting for buses. . . and ordering books you’ll never read off Amazon. . . You are realizing the mundanity of life, You are finally understanding how little point there is to anything. You are moving out of the realm of fantasy ‘when I grow up’ and adjusting to the reality that you’re there; it’s happening. And it wasn’t what you thought it might be. You are not who you thought you would be.”
pg 167-168
That passage really hit home. I am definitely still coming to terms with the face that I am “grown up.” At another point she states, “Online dating is for the brave” (pg. 324). All I can say is amen to that!
This book is not just relatable, it is also very humorous. There are some funny moments. I particularly liked the satirical emails she interspersed throughout the book. On the flip side, there are some more heartbreaking moments that added contrast. I liked the balance between the two because it really showcases the ups and downs of life.
Lastly, I really liked the author’s writing style. It was very accessible and conversational, as if you were two friends catching up.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it. It isn’t just a book about love. It’s also about female friendship and growing older which will resonate with a lot of women.
I haven’t read much of anything this January but I’m glad the one book I did read was this one. This book was exactly what I needed right now.
So many of the poems spoke to me. For example, one of my favorites was “If Someone Really Cares.” I related a lot to that one. Other favorites of mine included, “The Staircase,” “Never Close Enough,” “Happy New Year,” ”When Will I See You Again?” “Awake,” “Pleasure Bound,” and “A New Romance.” Also, I loved that he made a reference to Lana Del Rey (my favorite singer) in “Our Pretend Summer.”
I’ve been a huge fan of Michael Faudet since he published his first book, Dirty Pretty Things. None of his subsequent books quite lived up to that except for this one. This book reminded me so much of Dirty Pretty Things. If you missed his romantic and sometimes erotic poems, look no further than this collection.
Overall, I really loved this collection and it is just as strong as his first book.
I received this book for free as part of a blog review tour.
This was a very interesting book. I’m not quite sure what to make of it.
Initially I was drawn to the premise. It’s about a woman getting involved with a married professor who helps her with her novel writing. I didn’t quite know how this would play out. I didn’t know if it would take a more scandalous route or play it safe.
In the end it did go a safe route. For me, I thought it got too safe past the halfway mark. I was really into the story in the first half, but once I got into the second half it got a bit boring. There wasn’t much conflict to make it more interesting.
There was an unexpected touch of magic to the story. I’m not quite sure it really added much to the plot. It definitely gave the book an extra something but it also felt a bit out of place and random at times.
I did like the setting. The story takes place in Ireland which gave it a very quaint feel. I loved Oliver’s house by the sea. He had an amazing library. The book states, “the minute the library door was fully open, there was a heavenly smell of books, the intense aroma of lots and lots of books. The smell was like a heavenly perfume…it was truly a spectacular literary oasis. There was a gold mine of books in this enchanted nook. And the whole atmosphere was entirely magical” (pg. 41-42).
I also liked the message of finding love later on in life and the message of not giving up on your dreams.
Overall, there were some things that I didn’t like, but there were also things that I did like. If you like the premise and you’re looking for something quick to read, then consider reading this.
Synopsis
Flora Air is passionate about writing and she dreams of becoming an author, but she’s in a fog with her mundane day job. She meets a charismatic professor who nurtures her writing and suddenly her dreams seem possible. A touch of magic at the professor’s home adds old-fashioned charm and enchantment to Flora’s writing journey. When she realises she loves the married professor, her journey takes a wild turn. Can Flora actually succeed in becoming an author? What happens to the love Flora Air feels for the professor
Author Bio
Janice Cairns is the author of quality romantic fiction. For more than thirty years she has lived in Edinburgh and her first three novels are set there. She now lives in a historic market town not far from Edinburgh. Most of her time is spent writing or thinking about writing. She loves long country walks, reading good books and eating out in lovely restaurants.
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I received this book for free as part of an Instagram tour (Just Read Tours specifically) I did to promote the book.
I was interested in reading this book because I am a fan of C.S. Lewis. I hadn’t heard of Joy Davidman before, so I was curious to learn more about her. Please note that although this book is based on real people and real events, it is still a work of historical fiction.
This book was incredible. It beautifully depicted the relationship between Lewis and Davidman. Their romance was unconventional but epic. The love they had for one another is truly remarkable. I loved how they influenced each other’s work and treated each other as equals.
Joy was such a strong woman. I enjoyed learning her backstory and seeing how she had the courage to not only leave her alcoholic and cheating husband, but also to start a new life with her children in another country.
I loved the epilogue. It really gave Joy a voice. She comes from a time where people often silenced her voice and contributions. I liked that the author let Joy have the final word.
Since this is a book about C.S. Lewis, is also discusses the Christian faith but it doesn’t go overboard with it. If you’re worried that it might be too religious, don’t be. The heart of the book is really their love story.
Lastly, the endpapers of the book feature a map of Oxford which I found to be a really nice touch, since the Narnia books are known to have maps.
Overall, this is an amazing read! If you are fan of C.S. Lewis or love books about incredible women, then pick this one up!
Odd and Bookish 