Contemporary Romance

#BookReview The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen @MeganBannen @orbitbooks #TheUndertakingofHartandMercy #MeganBannen #OrbitBooks

#BookReview The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen @MeganBannen @orbitbooks #TheUndertakingofHartandMercy #MeganBannen #OrbitBooks Title: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

Author: Megan Bannen

Published by: Orbit Books on Aug. 23, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Fantasy

Pages: 448

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Orbit Books

Book Rating: 9/10

Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.

Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most – Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares – each other?


Review:

Heartwarming, humorous, and unique!

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is a sweet, action-packed, enemies-to-lovers romance that takes you into the lives of Mercy Birdsall, a kindhearted undertaker who finds herself inadvertently attracted to an infuriatingly rude marshal while also falling for her anonymous pen pal, and Hart Ralston, the lonely, hardworking drudge slayer who longs for something more than just his job working day and night to protect the outside world from the magical creatures and devious souls of Tanria.

The writing is playful and tender. The characters are quirky, hesitant, and endearing. And the plot is an adventure-filled tale of life, loss, heartache, expectations, familial drama, mystique, chemistry, attraction, witty banter, humorous mishaps, supernatural characters, and love.

Overall, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is a creative, charming, uplifting tale by Bannen that I absolutely adored and was a true delight to read with its highly entertaining storyline and abundance of precious characters I couldn’t help but root for.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

        

 

Thank you to Orbit Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Megan Bannen

Megan Bannen is a former public librarian whose YA debut The Bird and the Blade was an Indies Introduce Summer/Fall 2018 pick, a Summer 2018 Kids’ Indie Next List pick, and a Kirkus Best YA Historical Fiction of 2018 pick. While most of her professional career has been spent behind the reference desk, she has also sold luggage, written grants, collected a few graduate degrees from various Kansas universities, and taught English at home and abroad. She lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and their two sons.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

#BookReview What Eden Did Next by Sheila O’Flanagan @sheilaoflanagan @Mobius_Books #WhatEdenDidNext #SheilaOFlanagan #MobiusBooksUS

#BookReview What Eden Did Next by Sheila O’Flanagan @sheilaoflanagan @Mobius_Books #WhatEdenDidNext #SheilaOFlanagan #MobiusBooksUS Title: What Eden Did Next

Author: Sheila O'Flanagan

Published by: Headline Books on Jun. 28, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 432

Format: Hardcover

Source: Mobius Books US

Book Rating: 9/10

Eden found perfect love with Andy. How it ended was shocking. For the five years since, her little daughter Lila – and Eden’s secret letters to Andy – have been all she needed. And Andy’s family like it that way.

Rafe wants nothing more than to start a new life back home in Ireland. It’s time for him to turn the page on his own tragedy. And every woman in the neighbourhood is ready to help a single dad settle in.

When Eden and Rafe meet, it seems that everyone has a good reason for thinking their tentative relationship is bad idea, despite the distant past that links them.

New relationships are rarely easy, especially if you’ve loved deeply before. And when there’s opposition, it can bring you closer – or drive you apart . .


Review:

Uplifting, tender, and romantic!

What Eden Did Next is a heartfelt, beautifully written story set in Dublin that takes us into the life of Eden, a young mother juggling to come to grips with losing the love of her life, raising her daughter alone, and rekindling a friendship with her childhood friend Rafe, a young widower himself who has just returned home from the United States to raise his daughter and hopefully learn how to move on from the all-consuming grief he can’t seem to shake.

The prose is genuine and smooth. The characters are hesitant, scarred, and sympathetic. And the plot is a addictive, alluring mix of friendship, family, forgiveness, support, loss, drama, selflessness, parenthood, introspection, community, new beginnings, and the power of love.

What Eden Did Next was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, and it did not disappoint. Once again, Sheila O’Flanagan has written a moving, absorbing, charming tale that has an abundance of irresistible characters and a storyline I couldn’t get enough of!

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

 

Thank you to Mobius Books US for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sheila O'Flanagan

Sheila O’Flanagan is the author of nearly 30 bestselling novels including Three Weddings and a Proposal, The Women Who Ran Away, Her Husband’s Mistake, The Hideaway and The Missing Wife. She lives in Dublin with her husband.

Photo courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

#BookReview The Beachside Bed and Breakfast by Hope Ramsay @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2022 #HopeRamsay #TheBeachsideBedandBreakfast #MoonlightBay

#BookReview The Beachside Bed and Breakfast by Hope Ramsay @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForever2022 #HopeRamsay #TheBeachsideBedandBreakfast #MoonlightBay Title: The Beachside Bed and Breakfast

Author: Hope Ramsay

Series: Moonlight Bay #5

Published by: Forever on Aug. 23, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 331

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

The local quilting club has matchmaking in mind in this enchanting small‑town romance perfect for fans of Debbie Mason, Sheila Roberts, and RaeAnne Thayne.

Innkeeper Ashley Howland Scott inherited Howland House and the adjacent Rose Cottage from her grandmother. Her grandmother hosted weekly meetings of the local quilting club, and those ladies know all the gossip in town.
 
The new minister, Micah St. Pierre, is the subject of more than his fair share of that gossip. Micah has spent a decade as a Navy Chaplain and his experience in combat has deeply challenged his faith. He’s come back home because he also feels guilty about the way he abandoned his younger brothers and father when they needed him most. 
 
The Quilting Club thinks Micah’s problems can be solved by finding him a wife.  And they have a woman in mind. But despite the fact that Ashley finds him attractive, she closely guards her heart. She loved her husband very much, but his early death has left its mark. She’s also deeply worried about her young son. Jackie clearly needs a male role model, but is Micah St. Pierre the right one?


Review:

Cosy, sentimental, and sweet!

The Beachside Bed and Breakfast is a magical, heartfelt tale set in the idyllic Moonlight Bay that takes you into the lives of two main characters. Ashley Howland Scott, a young mother and widow whose main focus is raising her son and taking care of the visitors who stay at the inn she recently inherited from her grandmother, and Micah St. Pierre, a former Navy Chaplain turned small-town minister who seems to be the newest project for the local quilting club to find a wife and who unfortunately has a forbidden crush on one of his parishioners.

The prose is light and hopeful. The characters are lonely, supportive, and considerate. And the plot is a tender, engaging tale about life, loss, love, marriage, parenthood, family, friendship, attraction, self-discovery, heartfelt moments, taking chances, happiness, a sliver of the paranormal, and small-town life.

Overall, The Beachside Bed and Breakfast is another winsome, charming, uplifting tale by Ramsay that I think is a lovely addition to the Moonlight Bay series with its endearing characters and heartening storyline.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Hope Ramsay

Hope Ramsay is a USA Today bestselling author of heartwarming contemporary romances set below the Mason-Dixon Line. Her children are grown, but she has a couple of fur babies who keep her entertained. Pete the cat, named after the cat in the children’s books, thinks he’s a dog, and Daisy the dog thinks Pete is her best friend except when he decides her wagging tail is a cat toy. Hope lives in the medium-sized town of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and when she’s not writing or walking the dog, she spends her time knitting and noodling around on her collection of guitars.

#BookReview When Sparks Fly by Jo McNally @JoMcNallyAuthor @KayePublicity @HarlequinBooks #JoMcNally #WhenSparksFly #RendezvousFalls #KayePublicity

#BookReview When Sparks Fly by Jo McNally @JoMcNallyAuthor @KayePublicity @HarlequinBooks #JoMcNally #WhenSparksFly #RendezvousFalls #KayePublicity Title: When Sparks Fly

Author: Jo McNally

Series: Rendezvous Falls #5

Published by: Harlequin Books on Aug. 9, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 416

Format: Paperback

Source: Harlequin Books, Kaye Publicity

Book Rating: 8.5/10

What if the one who’s off-limits…is really the one?

Between her business, her recent divorce and her teenage daughter who needs her right now, Zoey Hartford has her hands full. Thank goodness she has her best friend, Mike McKinnon, to keep her laughing. Zoey and Mike have gone through everything together—from chemistry class to heartbreak. They would never risk their friendship…until one unexpected but sizzling night changes everything.

Mike is torn. Funny, down-to-earth Zoey in her flannel shirts and messy ponytail always seems so in control…until she melts into his arms. But he won’t come between Zoey and her daughter. They’ll just keep it casual. No drama. No feelings. No messiness. What could go wrong?

But the meddling, matchmaking book club won’t be denied. They may not have set them up, but they recognize a perfect match when they see one. And they’re determined to help Zoey see what’s been right in front of her for so long…

In Lost in Love, single mom Andrea will do anything to make the fall festival a success…even ask the town bad boy for his help.


Review:

Engaging, heartfelt, and fun!

When Sparks Fly is an alluring, tender, friends-to-lovers romance that transports you to the idyllic Rendezvous Falls and into the lives of the reliable, handsome Mike McKinnon and the hardworking, single mother Zoey Hartford as they discover that even though they’ve been the best of friends forever perhaps there’s a little something more underneath that’s worth taking a chance on.

The writing is light and playful. The characters are supportive, kind, and genuine. And the plot is an entertaining, amusing mix of friendship, family, community, responsibilities, parenthood, snappy banter, undeniable chemistry, humorous moments, small-town antics, and unconditional love.

Overall, When Sparks Fly is a sexy, sweet, uplifting tale by McNally with characters I couldn’t help but fall in love with, a charming storyline that kept me engaged from start to finish, and a happy-ever-after ending that made me swoon.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

           

 

 

Thank you to Harlequin Books and Kaye Publicity for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jo McNally

Jo McNally lives in coastal North Carolina with 100 pounds of dog and 200 pounds of husband – her slice of the bed is very small. When she's not writing or reading romance novels (or clinging to the edge of the bed...), she can often be found on the back porch sipping wine with friends, listening to great music. If the weather is absolutely perfect, she'll occasionally join her husband on the golf course, where she always feels far more competitive than her actual skill-level would suggest.

Photograph by Jo McNally.

#BookReview Bend Toward the Sun @kisscrafter @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JenDevon #BendTowardtheSun #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers #StMartinsPress

#BookReview Bend Toward the Sun @kisscrafter @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JenDevon #BendTowardtheSun #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers #StMartinsPress Title: Bend Toward the Sun

Author: Jen Devon

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Aug. 9, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 384

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 10/10

Two imperfect people. One year under the sun. A love story you won’t ever forget.

Rowan McKinnon doesn’t believe in love. With a botany PhD, two best friends who embrace her social quirkiness, and some occasional no-strings sex, she has everything she needs. But she hides deep wounds from the past—from a negligent mother, and a fiancé who treated her like a pawn in a game. When an academic setback leads Rowan to take on the restoration of an abandoned vineyard, she relishes the opportunity to restore the grapes to their former glory.

She does not expect to meet a man like Harrison Brady.

An obstetrician profoundly struggling after losing a patient, Harry no longer believes he is capable of keeping people safe. Reeling, Harry leaves Los Angeles to emotionally recover at his parents’ new vineyard in Pennsylvania.

He does not expect to meet a woman like Rowan McKinnon.

As their combative banter gives way to a simmering tension, sunlight begins to crack through the darkness smothering Harry’s soul. He’s compelled to explore the undeniable pull between them. And after a lifetime of protecting herself from feeling anything, for anyone, Rowan tries to keep things casual.

But even she can’t ignore their explosive connection.


Review:

Alluring, intimate, and sweet!

Bend Toward the Sun is a heart-tugging, enchanting tale that takes you into the lives of two main characters. Rowan, a young woman who is thoughtful and hardworking but much more comfortable surrounded by plants than other people, and Harry, a caring obstetrician who is struggling to overcome a professional loss that has left him traumatized and emotionally astray.

The writing is heartfelt and tender. The characters are supportive, layered, and loving. And the plot is a touching tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, taking chances, growth, healing, tender moments, light drama, community, and new beginnings.

Overall, Bend Toward the Sun is an uplifting, absorbing, magical debut by Devon that was so much more than I ever expected and one which I undoubtedly highly recommend.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jen Devon

Jen Devon wrote her first romance when she was eight. Now she writes vivid, cinematic love stories about imperfect people finding their perfect match. A former biology academic and lecturer, she currently works in the tech industry and dreams of writing full-time. She’s an avid gardener, photographer, and boardgamer, a thrift store enthusiast and unapologetic nerd. She’s a mom of six (three kids, three rescue mutts) and lives in central Ohio with her engineer husband. Bend Toward the Sun is her first book.

Photo Credit: Maya D Photography

#BookReview Husband Material by Alexis Hall @RaincoastBooks @SourcebooksCasa #AlexisHall #HusbandMaterial #LondonCalling #SourcebooksCasa

#BookReview Husband Material by Alexis Hall @RaincoastBooks @SourcebooksCasa #AlexisHall #HusbandMaterial #LondonCalling #SourcebooksCasa Title: Husband Material

Author: Alexis Hall

Series: London Calling #2

Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca on Aug. 2, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback

Source: Raincoast Books

Book Rating: 9/10

Wanted:
One (very real) husband
Nowhere near perfect but desperately trying his best

In BOYFRIEND MATERIAL, Luc and Oliver met, pretended to fall in love, fell in love for real, dealt with heartbreak and disappointment and family and friends…and somehow figured out a way to make it work. Now it seems like everyone around them is getting married, and Luc’s feeling the social pressure to propose. But it’ll take more than four weddings, a funeral, and a bowl full of special curry to get these two from I don’t know what I’m doing to I do.

Good thing Oliver is such perfect HUSBAND MATERIAL.


Review:

Sweet, charming, and outrageously entertaining!

Husband Material is an amusing, spirited tale that takes us back into the life of Luc O’Donnell and Oliver Blackwood as their two-year relationship is put to the test during a stressful, emotional season of exes, friends, and co-worker weddings and an unexpected family death.

The writing is clever and witty. The characters are supportive, patient, and multilayered. And the plot is a push-pull tale full of life, love, familial responsibility, workplace comedy, tender moments, hilarious mishaps, sharp banter, pressure, expectations, grief, closure, friendship, acceptance, and swoon-worthy romance.

As some of you may remember, Boyfriend Material was one of my top reads of 2020, so when I heard Hall would be writing a second book about these much-loved characters, I was beyond ecstatic, and he didn’t disappoint. Husband Material is another dramatic, humorous, romantic tale that confirms that Luc and Oliver have definitely found contented, committed domesticity together and is the perfect way to wrap up this duology I highly recommend.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

               

 

 

Thank you to Raincoast Books & Sourcebooks Casablanca for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Alexis Hall

Alexis Hall lives in a crumbling gothic manor that he inherited in mysterious circumstances. He is a genial host provided you swear that you will under no circumstances venture into the west wing.

#BookReview The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden @uplitreads @BerkleyPub #themagicoflemondroppie #rachellinden #uplitreadscampaign

#BookReview The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden @uplitreads @BerkleyPub #themagicoflemondroppie #rachellinden #uplitreadscampaign Title: The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie

Author: Rachel Linden

Published by: Berkley Books on Aug. 2, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: Uplit Reads

Book Rating: 10/10

An uplifting novel about a heartbroken young pie maker who is granted a magical second chance to live the life she didn’t choose. . . . from the bestselling author of The Enlightenment of Bees.

Lolly Blanchard’s life only seems to give her lemons. Ten years ago, after her mother’s tragic death, she broke up with her first love and abandoned her dream of opening a restaurant in order to keep her family’s struggling Seattle diner afloat and care for her younger sister and grieving father. Now, a decade later, she dutifully whips up the diner’s famous lemon meringue pies each morning while still pining for all she’s lost.

As Lolly’s thirty-third birthday approaches, her quirky great-aunt gives her a mysterious gift–three lemon drops, each of which allows her to live a single day in a life that might have been hers. What if her mom hadn’t passed away? What if she had opened her own restaurant in England? What if she hadn’t broken up with the only man she’s ever loved? Surprising and empowering, each experience helps Lolly let go of her regrets and realize the key to transforming her life lies not in redoing her past but in having the courage to embrace her present.


Review:

Charming, hopeful, and tender!

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie is a touching, uplifting tale that takes you into the life of Lolly Blanchard, a young woman who gave up her own dreams ten years ago to come home and run the family diner and help take care of her younger sister after her mother died, as she embarks on a journey to complete at least one of her teenage goals before her upcoming thirty-third birthday of living in another country, owning her own restaurant, falling in love, helping her family be happy forever, or owning her own horse with a little help from three magic lemon drops courtesy of her Aunt Gert which will transport her to another time and place and allow her to live another life for one day.

The prose is heartfelt and smooth. The characters are multilayered, genuine, and conflicted. And the plot is an absorbing tale about life, loss, love, grief, family, friendship, relationship dynamics, introspection, heartbreak, and hope, all interwoven with a thread of magical realism.

Overall, The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie is a beautifully written, must-read book that tugs at the heartstrings, makes you think of all those what ifs, and reminds you that life is complicated, love is powerful and everlasting, and things often happen for a reason.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

 

Thank you to Uplit Reads for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Rachel Linden

Rachel’s taste for adventure and interest in people first led her to a career as an international worker with a faith-based aid organization, and her experiences living and traveling in more than fifty countries around the globe continue to provide excellent grist for her stories. She loves writing novels that combine so many of her favorite things – strong women facing big challenges, food, travel, and second chances at love. Rachel enjoys crafting bittersweet stories of struggles and triumphs infused with a touch of magical realism and with ultimately happy, or at least very hopeful, endings.

Currently Rachel lives with her husband and children on a sweet little island near Seattle. When she’s not dreaming up a new story, she enjoys camping with her family in their pop top campervan, exploring the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, eating sushi, and having grand adventures in far flung places.

#BookReview The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForever2022 #FarrahRochon #TheHookupPlan #TheBoyfriendProject

#BookReview The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForever2022 #FarrahRochon #TheHookupPlan #TheBoyfriendProject Title: The Hookup Plan

Author: Farrah Rochon

Series: The Boyfriend Project #3

Published by: Forever on Aug. 2, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 9/10

Strong female friendships and a snappy enemies-to-lovers theme take center stage in this highly anticipated romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Dating Playbook.

Successful pediatric surgeon London Kelley just needs to find some balance and de-stress. According to her friends Samiah and Taylor, what London really needs is a casual hookup. A night of fun with no strings. But no one—least of all London—expected it to go down at her high school reunion with Drew Sullivan, millionaire, owner of delicious abs, and oh yes, her archnemesis.

Now London is certain the road to hell is paved with good sex. Because she’s found out the real reason Drew’s back in Austin: to decide whether her beloved hospital remains open. Worse, Drew is doing everything he can to show her that he’s a decent guy who actually cares. But London’s not falling for it. Because while sleeping with the enemy is one thing, falling for him is definitely not part of the plan.


Review:

Sassy, charming, and sweetly romantic!

The Hookup Plan is a heartwarming, amusing, enemies-to-lovers romance that transports you to Austin, Texas and into the lives of London Kelly, an intelligent pediatric surgeon who is juggling the end of her residency, offers from across the country in far more prestigious facilities, and a temporary arrangement that sees her falling into bed with her adversary from high school, and Drew Sullivan, a successful businessman who has his work cut out for him between coming to grips with the guilt over his mother’s death, auditing a hospital in need of serious financial help, and convincing his high school crush to give him a chance to woo her out of the bedroom as well as in.

The writing is heartfelt and light. The characters are hardworking, passionate, and stubborn. And the plot is a push-pull tale full of familial responsibility, workplace drama, tender moments, witty banter, expectations, friendship, community, chemistry, and love.

Overall, The Hookup Plan is the third and final story in the Boyfriend Project series, and even though it’s a little bittersweet to say goodbye to these three strong, independent women we’ve come to know and love over these past three novels, it is nevertheless a superb ending to a fabulous series that I highly recommend and will undoubtedly miss.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Farrah Rochon

USA Today bestselling author Farrah Rochon hails from a small town just west of New Orleans. She has garnered much acclaim for her Holmes Brothers, New York Sabers, Bayou Dreams and Moments in Maplesville series. When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading, cooking, traveling the world, visiting Walt Disney World, and catching her favorite Broadway shows. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.

Photography by Tamara Roybiskie.

#BookReview Paradise Girls by Sandy Gingras @smpromance @StMartinsPress #ParadiseGirls #SandyGingras #smpromance #SMPInfluencers #StMartinsPress

#BookReview Paradise Girls by Sandy Gingras @smpromance @StMartinsPress #ParadiseGirls #SandyGingras #smpromance #SMPInfluencers #StMartinsPress Title: Paradise Girls

Author: Sandy Gingras

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jul. 5, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Sandy Gingras’s Paradise Girls features a broken engagement. A ruined vacation in paradise. One adorable little girl. The perfect recipe for the chance of a lifetime…

Mary Valley is in a funk. She’s a writer for home magazines, but she’s lost touch with what home means. Her life seems meaningless. The last house she wrote about was a gazillion-dollar mansion with a moat! Plus, she’s estranged from her daughter, CC and granddaughter, Larkin and mired in a dead-end relationship with her boss.

Daniel is a man adrift since his son Timmy was killed in Afghanistan. He’s living on a houseboat in Florida with Timmy’s three-legged dog, Tripod and taking tourists out on fishing charters. But his life is on the edge. He’s painting his houseboat black, and he can’t stop thinking about “getting lost at sea.”

When Mary’s boss tells her he’s spending Christmas with his ex, she books a trip with her family to The Low Key Inn, a hotel on the edge of the Everglades. But things go wrong from the get-go. CC bails out of the vacation, and Mary is stuck with an unhappy Larkin. The hotel is dated and down-on-its-luck, and perhaps its owner is a witch. Then Mary meets Daniel, casts a hook into his head and wrecks his boat.

This is the story of how wounded people can help each other heal, how lost people can help each other find their way home. How life can become a love story…


Review:

Sweet, heartwarming, and tender!

Paradise Girls is an optimistic, engaging novel that takes us into the lives of three main characters. Mary, a kind-hearted young grandmother who, after her recent breakup with the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with, decides to embark on a little getaway to regroup and discover what she truly desires. Daniel, a divorced father who, after losing his only son in Afghanistan, decides to lead a simpler life involving a houseboat and his late son’s three-legged dog, Tripod. And Ollie, a widow who is just beginning to struggle with her love for a dilapidated inn and her need for something more.

The prose is sweet and reflective. The characters are caring, supportive, and generous. And the plot is a compelling tale of life, loss, family, friendship, generosity, self-discovery, support, consideration, happiness, taking chances, companionship, new love, and the intricacies of mother-daughter relationships.

Overall, Paradise Girls is a cosy, charming, uplifting debut by Gingras with its small-town charm, endearing characters, heartfelt storyline, and reminder of how important it is at any age to find that place that truly feels like home.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

Thank you to SMP Romance – St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sandy Gingras

Sandy Gingras is the author and illustrator of over twenty gift books. She’s also published fiction, poetry and narrative non-fiction, and she won the Debut Dagger Award for mystery writing in 2012, for her story Beached. She’s designed hundreds of products for national stationery companies and owns two retail stores of her own. She lives on an island six miles out to sea in a happy cottage on the bay with her husband and a dog named Turtle. Paradise Girls is her debut novel.

Photo Credit: Sandy Gingras

#BookReview Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs @susanwiggs @uplitreads @WmMorrowBooks #sugarandsalt #susanwiggs #uplitreadscampaign

#BookReview Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs @susanwiggs @uplitreads @WmMorrowBooks #sugarandsalt #susanwiggs #uplitreadscampaign Title: Sugar and Salt

Author: Susan Wiggs

Published by: William Morrow on Jul. 26, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Uplit Reads

Book Rating: 10/10

The New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookstore returns to Perdita Street with a can’t-miss tale of friendship, hardship, redemption, and love between a San Francisco baker and a barbecue master from Texas.

Jerome “Sugar” Barnes learned the art of baking in his grandma’s bakery, also called Sugar, on historic Perdita Street in San Francisco. He supplies baked goods to the Lost and Found Bookshop across the street.

When the restaurant that shares his commercial kitchen loses its longtime tenant, a newcomer moves in: Margot Salton, a barbecue master from Texas.

Margot isn’t exactly on the run, but she needs a fresh start. She’s taken care of herself her whole life, pulling herself up by her fingernails to recover from trauma, and her dream has been to open a restaurant somewhere far, far from Texas. The shared kitchen with Jerome Sugar’s bakery is the perfect setup: a state-of-the-art kitchen and a vibrant neighborhood popular with tourists and locals.

Margot instantly takes to Jerome’s grandmother, the lively, opinionated Ida, and the older woman proves to be a good mentor. Margot thinks Jerome is gorgeous, and despite their different backgrounds their attraction is powerful–even though Jerome worries that Margot will simply move on from him once she’s found some peace and stability. But just as she starts to relax into a happy new future, Margot’s past in Texas comes back to haunt her…


Review:

Emotional, sweet, and heart-wrenching!

Sugar and Salt is a raw, compelling tale that takes you on a journey into the life of Margot Salton as she struggles to juggle a new rewarding endeavour, a handsome, kindhearted man whom she’s wary of loving and a devastating past littered with injustice, violence and heartbreak.

The prose is sensitive and tender. The characters are vulnerable, scarred, and strong. And the plot is a moving tale of life, loss, friendship, family, trust, shame, self-blame, sexual assault, finding love, moving on, and the intricacies of the Texas legal system.

Overall, Sugar and Salt is a timely, affecting, heart-tugging tale by Wiggs that is a little darker than I originally expected, packs a real emotional punch, and ultimately does an exceptional job of highlighting the psychological and emotional devastation caused by rape and the cultural stigmatization that regrettably still surrounds it.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

            

 

 

 

Thank you to Uplit Reads for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Susan Wiggs

Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends…and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and in good weather, she commutes to her writers' group in a 21-foot motorboat. She’s been featured in the national media, including NPR, PRI, and USA Today, has given programs for the US Embassies in Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and is a popular speaker locally, nationally, internationally, and on the high seas.

From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her books celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family and the fascinating nuances of human nature. Today, she is an international best-selling, award-winning author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries and languages. According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable."

Her novels have appeared in the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, and have captured readers’ hearts around the globe with translations into more than 20 languages and 30 countries. She is a three-time winner of the RITA Award,. Her recent novel, The Apple Orchard, is currently being made into a film, and The Lakeshore Chronicles has been optioned for adaptation into a series.

The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. She lives on an island in Puget Sound, where she divides her time between sleeping and waking.