Category: Contemporary Romance

#BookReview Flock by Kate Stewart @authorklstewart @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #Flock #TheRavenhoodSeries #KateStewart #PGCBooks

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#BookReview Flock by Kate Stewart @authorklstewart @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #Flock #TheRavenhoodSeries #KateStewart #PGCBooks Title: Flock

Author: Kate Stewart

Series: The Ravenhood #1

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Dec. 12, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Erotica, New Adult

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

In your heart of hearts, if you didn’t have to choose, would you?

The deal is simple: all nineteen-year-old student Cecilia Horner has to do is survive a year in the small town of Triple Falls, living with her estranged father and working at his factory. In return, he’ll not only pay her college tuition, but will hand over a small fortune that will enable Cecilia to help her single mother.

But everything changes when she meets sexy local Sean on her first day of work. He introduces her to his close-knit circle of friends – including the enigmatic Dominic – a group who live by their own rules and brandish the same raven tattoo.

Cecilia has always played it safe but, blinded by her growing feelings for Sean and Dominic, she’s determined to enjoy her last summer of freedom and be open to new experiences no matter where they might lead.

Review:

Dark, sensual, and gritty!

Flock is a spicy, seductive romance that takes you on a journey into the life of Cecilia Horner, a nineteen-year-old woman who, after having to relocate to the small town of Triple Falls to live with her father and work at the factory he owns, inadvertently finds herself swept off her feet by the ruggedly handsome, Sean who is not only her newly appointed supervisor at work but a member of a group of locals who sport the same raven tattoo and whose leader, Dominic is sinfully delicious and more than happy to share.

The writing is titillating and smooth. The characters are intense, consumed, and impulsive. And the plot is a fast-paced, salacious tale full of danger, desire, temptation, mystique, chemistry, deception, secrets, and sizzling romance.

Overall, Flock is a tension-filled, dramatic, erotic thrill ride that has just the right amount of mystery, sex, bad-boy vibes, and complex characters to keep you engaged from start to finish. It’s the perfect start to The Ravenhood series by Stewart, and I can’t wait to read what happens to this group of misfits next in Exodus, releasing later this spring.

 

This book is available now.

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

           

 

 

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

 

About Kate Stewart

Bestselling author and Texas native, Kate Stewart, lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick. Kate is a lover of all things '80s and '90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.
Her series, The Ravenhood Trilogy, consisting of Flock, Exodus, and The Finish Line, has become an international bestseller, TikTok phenomenon, and reader favourite.

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#BookReview The Rom-Com Agenda by Jayne Denker @JDenkerAuthor @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JayneDenker #TheRomComAgenda #smpromance #smpinfluencers

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#BookReview The Rom-Com Agenda by Jayne Denker @JDenkerAuthor @smpromance @StMartinsPress #JayneDenker #TheRomComAgenda #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: The Rom-Com Agenda

Author: Jayne Denker

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jan. 10, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

You know how the story’s supposed to go…but love makes its own plans.

STEP 1: Find yourself
Leah Keegan is used to being alone, especially after taking care of her sick foster mother for the past year. But now there’s nothing keeping her in the sweet town of Willow Cove. It’s time to move on. Again.

STEP 2: Win back the one who got away
Eli Masterson thought he and Victoria were meant to be together until she decided to jet off to Rome for a year. Eli is determined to win her back. But how?

STEP 3: Become a romantic hero
Changing Eli’s physical appearance is easy, but to turn Eli into the sophisticated-yet-vulnerable ideal man, his girl pals force him to watch classic rom-coms. And take notes.

STEP 4: Fall in love?
Inadvertently drawn into the makeover scheme, Leah ends up being Eli’s guide through the wild world of meet-cutes and grand gestures. Even though she believes Eli doesn’t need to change a thing about himself. Even though she just might be falling for Eli . . . and Eli falling for her.

Review:

Uplifting, charming, and cute!

The Rom-Com Agenda is a heartwarming, comical tale that takes you to the idyllic town of Willow Cove, New York and into the life of the hardworking, kind Leah Keegan as she grieves the loss of her foster mom, struggles to make ends meet, continually plans for when she can finally afford to move away and start a new life, inadvertently befriends a group of locals who take her under their wing, and tries to hide a growing attraction for a man who, unfortunately, longs to marry another.

The writing is witty and light. The characters are sweet, friendly, and endearing. And the plot is an amusing blend of life, love, introspection, friendship, family, embarrassing moments, awkward situations, misunderstandings, undeniable attraction, and taking chances.

Overall, The Rom-Com Agenda is a humorous, charming, engaging read by Denker that pays homage to all the greatest rom-coms and does a lovely job of mixing some tender moments with some lighthearted fun.

 

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 providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jayne Denker

Jayne Denker is the author of romantic comedies, including The Rom-Com Agenda and the Welcome to Marsden series. When she's not hard at work on another novel (or, rather, when she should be hard at work on another novel), she can usually be found frittering away stupid amounts of time on social media.

Photo by Elizabeth Torgerson-Lamark.

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#BookReview Underneath the Sycamore Tree by B. Celeste @Read_Bloom #ReadBloom #UnderneaththeSycamoreTree #AuthorBCeleste #SourcebooksCasa

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#BookReview Underneath the Sycamore Tree by B. Celeste @Read_Bloom #ReadBloom #UnderneaththeSycamoreTree #AuthorBCeleste #SourcebooksCasa Title: Underneath the Sycamore Tree

Author: B. Celeste

Published by: Bloom Books on Jan. 3, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Book Rating: 9/10

Time is a luxury we don’t all have…

Emery Matterson’s life has been broken for a while. First, she lost her twin sister to an incurable autoimmune disease, then her father left, then her mother fell apart when Emery herself was diagnosed with the same disease that killed her sister. The only option for Emery seems to be to move in with the father she hasn’t seen in ten years, and start over.

Enter Kaiden Monroe, the brooding athlete who has baggage of his own. Kaiden makes Emery feel normal. Hated. Cared for. Loathed. And…loved. Somewhere along the way, Emery finds solace in the guy with the sad eyes.

But everything happens in stages. And nothing good ever lasts.

From fan-favorite author B. Celeste comes an raw, real, and unforgettable story of love and loss between two young people grappling with the harsh reality of invisible disease.

Review:

Poignant, pensive, and beautifully written!

Underneath the Sycamore Tree is an exceptionally moving, emotional novel that takes you into the life of teenager Emery Matterson as she tries to reap as much joy and pleasure out of each day, savouring the little things, doing the one thing in life that she thought she might never get to do, falling in love, all while dealing with a body in constant pain and a family shattered by grief over the loss of her twin.

The prose is eloquent and insightful. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are strong, compassionate, and endearing. And the plot is an absorbing, touching tale about life, love, family, friendship, kindness, honesty, fear, acceptance, generosity, romance, humour, introspection, loss, and the quiet savagery of lupus.

Overall, Underneath the Sycamore Tree is a reflective, heart-wrenching, bittersweet tearjerker by B. Celeste that does a remarkable job of reminding us of what’s truly important in life and highlighting the sheer power of love.

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

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

 

About B. Celeste

B. Celeste is a new adult and contemporary romance author that gives voices to raw, realistic characters with emotional storylines that tug on the heartstrings.

She was born and raised in upstate New York where she still resides with her four-legged feline sidekick, Oliver “Ollie” Queen. Her love for reading and writing began at an early age and only grew stronger after getting a BA in English and an MFA in English & creative writing. When she’s not writing, she’s working out, binge-watching reality game shows, and spending time with her friends and family.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview Misfit by Elle Kennedy @ElleKennedy @Read_Bloom #ReadBloom #MisfitBook #SandoverPrep #ElleKennedy #SourcebooksCasa

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#BookReview Misfit by Elle Kennedy @ElleKennedy @Read_Bloom #ReadBloom #MisfitBook #SandoverPrep #ElleKennedy #SourcebooksCasa Title: Misfit

Author: Elle Kennedy

Series: Prep #1

Published by: Bloom Books on Nov. 29, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult

Pages: 416

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Book Rating: 10/10

Finding out your mom is marrying some rich dude you’ve never met is enough to make any eighteen-year-old guy’s head spin. But for RJ SHAW, it only gets worse: he’s being sent to Sandover Prep for senior year. If there’s one place a misfit hacker like RJ doesn’t belong, it’s an ivy-covered all-boys boarding school for rich delinquents.

RJ knows his stay at Sandover will be temporary. Which means there’s no point making friends or trying to fit in. But the plan to remain antisocial goes awry when he meets a gorgeous girl in the woods on campus. SLOANE TRESSCOTT is pure temptation, with a sharp tongue and an ice princess attitude RJ’s determined to crack. Except there’s a catch. Sloane is the one girl he is forbidden from touching.

The headmaster’s daughter.

Good thing RJ doesn’t believe in rules. Sure, Sloane insists she’s swearing off guys this year, but their connection is impossible to deny. He wants her bad, and he’s going to win her over if it kills him.

Unless her ex-boyfriend kills him first.

DUKE, the ruling king of Sandover, will stop at nothing to get rid of his competition. Luckily, RJ’s unwittingly made some friends—his new stepbrother FENN, a pretty boy with a self-destructive streak; LAWSON, self-proclaimed agent of chaos; and SILAS, the All-American Good Guy who can’t actually be as nice as he seems.

If RJ wants to survive prep school and win Sloane’s heart, he’ll need to adapt—and fast.

Review:

Captivating, sexy, and outrageously entertaining!

Misfit is a seductive, engaging tale that transports you to Sandover Prep, an elite all-boys school for rich delinquent teens that has all the usual fare, entitled students, unrelenting bullies, sexual promiscuity, forbidden romance, naughty behaviour, and innumerably delicious scandals.

The writing is steamy and fun. The characters are rebellious, self-indulgent, and secretive. And the plot, told from multiple perspectives, is a passionate, promiscuous, coming-of-age tale full of familial troubles, teenage angst, palpable attraction, witty banter, excessive indulgence, romance, friendship, and love.

Overall, Misfit is a wildly addictive, sinfully salacious, exceptionally absorbing novel by Kennedy that immersed me so thoroughly in the decadence, lifestyle, drama, luxuries, and scandalous behaviour of the characters I never wanted to put it down. It’s truly a guilty pleasure that undoubtedly not only left me craving for more but already counting down the days until I can get my hands on the second book in the series Rogue, publishing on March 7, 2023.

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

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

 

About Elle Kennedy

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

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#BookReview London, With Love by Sarra Manning @sarramanning @Mobius_Books @HodderBooks #LondonWithLove #SarraManning #MobiusBooksUS

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#BookReview London, With Love by Sarra Manning @sarramanning @Mobius_Books @HodderBooks #LondonWithLove #SarraManning #MobiusBooksUS Title: London, With Love

Author: Sarra Manning

Published by: Mobius on Nov. 15, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 432

Format: Hardcover

Source: Mobius Books US

Book Rating: 8.5/10

London. Nine million people. Two hundred and seventy tube stations. Every day, thousands of chance encounters, first dates, goodbyes and happy ever afters.

And for twenty years it’s been where one man and one woman can never get their timing right.

Jennifer and Nick meet as teenagers and over the next two decades, they fall in and out of love with each other. Sometimes they start kissing. Sometimes they’re just friends. Sometimes they stop speaking, but they always find their way back to each other.

But after all this time, are they destined to be together or have they finally reached the end of the line?

Review:

Romantic, thought-provoking, and heart-achingly beautiful!

London, With Love is a vivid, moving tale that takes us into the life of Jennifer, from her awkward teen years to her highly successful career in publishing as a mature woman, including the highs and lows of finding work, solid relationships that appear perfect but always seem to come to an end, a front row seat to some devastating tragedies, and her ongoing unrequited love for a boy, Nick Levene who somehow seems to continuously fall in and out of her life.

The writing is warm and sweet. The characters are multilayered, authentic, and flawed. And the plot is a charming rollercoaster ride of hope, heart, heartache, and humour.

Overall, London, With Love is a compelling, heartbreaking, pensive novel by Manning that is not only a love letter to the City of London but a delightfully absorbing tale that reminds us that life is complicated and messy, timing is everything, and sometimes, perhaps, things are just truly destined to happen.

 

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 gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sarra Manning

Sarra Manning has been a voracious reader for over forty years and a prolific author and journalist for twenty-five. Her seven novels, which have been translated into fifteen different languages include Unsticky, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, The House of Secrets and her latest, Rescue Me, published in 2021. Sarra has also written over fifteen YA novels, and light-hearted romantic comedies under a pseudonym. She started her writing career on Melody Maker and Just Seventeen, has been editor of ElleGirl and What to Wear and has also contributed to the Guardian, ELLE, Grazia, Stylist, Fabulous, Stella, You Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar. She is currently the Literary Editor of Red. Sarra has also been a Costa Book Awards judge and has been nominated for various writing awards herself. She lives in London surrounded by piles and piles of books.

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#BookReview Something Blue by Heather McGovern @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2022 #HeatherMcGovern #SomethingBlue #OrchardInn

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#BookReview Something Blue by Heather McGovern @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2022 #HeatherMcGovern #SomethingBlue #OrchardInn Title: Something Blue

Author: Heather McGovern

Series: Orchard Inn #1

Published by: Forever on Jun. 28, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

This wedding needs to be the event of the season. Unfortunately, the best man is doing everything he can to derail it . . .

Wedding planner Beth Shipley has seen it all: bridezillas, monster-in-laws, and last-minute jitters at the altar. But this wedding is different—and the stakes are much, much higher. Not only is her best friend the bride, but bookings at her family’s inn have been in free fall ever since an unfortunate food-poisoning incident. Beth’s got one chance to save her family’s business, and she knows she can do it. As long as she doesn’t let Sawyer Silva’s good looks and overprotective, overbearing older brother act distract her.

Sawyer learned firsthand that forever doesn’t last. So when his brother decides to race down the aisle with a woman he barely knows, Sawyer is determined to keep him from making the biggest mistake of his life. Yet the more time Sawyer spends around the passionate and hardworking Beth, the more trouble he has disentangling his feelings—about the wedding and the wedding planner. When Beth discovers Sawyer’s plans, can he convince her that his only real objection is to a future that doesn’t include her?

Review:

Amusing, sweet, and uplifting!

Something Blue is a charming, tenderhearted tale that transports you to the Texas Hill Country and into the life of the loyal, overworked Beth as she struggles to save her family’s inn, plan the perfect wedding for her best friend, and do whatever it takes to stop the groom’s older brother Garrett from ruining the upcoming nuptials with doubts, suspicions, and excessive pessimism.

The prose is smooth and light. The characters are fun-loving, hesitant, and protective. And the plot is a delightful blend of heart, humour, misunderstandings, family, friendship, tension, chemistry, awkward situations, taking chances, and finding the one.

Overall, Something Blue is an engaging, witty, cosy tale by McGovern that has just the right amount of emotion, passion, and drama to make this story a quick, easy, enjoyable read. 

 

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 gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Heather McGovern

Heather McGovern writes contemporary romance in swoony settings. While her love of travel and adventure takes her far, there is no place like home. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and son, and one Maltipoo to rule them all. When she isn't writing, she enjoys hiking, scuba diving, going to Disney World, reading, and streaming her latest favorite on television.

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#BookReview Down in Flames by Kate Meader #DowninFlames #KateMeader #HotinChicagoRookies

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#BookReview Down in Flames by Kate Meader #DowninFlames #KateMeader #HotinChicagoRookies Title: Down in Flames

Author: Kate Meader

Series: Hot in Chicago Rookies #2

Published by: Kate Meader LLC on Dec. 6, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA

Pages: 358

Format: ARC, eBook

Source: Kate Meader

Book Rating: 10/10

It was supposed to be a random hookup.

At a crossroads, my life a hot mess, I swiped right on the guy with the washboard abs and the tree-trunk thighs. His handle was Holt (yeah, really) but as soon as he opened the door, I recognized him: Hudson Grey, the hottest prospect in pro-hockey and apparently, secretly playing for my team. Not mind-blowing enough? He needed someone to punch his V-card and I was only too happy to volunteer as tribute . . .

Then he ghosted me when it got to be too much.

A year later, my life is back on track and I’m a candidate firefighter at legendary Engine 6. While I might be new to the Chicago Fire Department, I’m a veteran in the game of steamy hookups. My No. 1 rule? No newbies. Except now Hudson has been traded to my hometown team, the Chicago Rebels, and he’s out, proud, and ready to date. And he wants my help introducing him to the local gay scene.

My messy past means I’m the worst guy to be mentoring the shy, sexy jock. But neither can I stand by and watch while others touch the man who already feels like mine.

I might have been his first, but I’m about to learn that the new guy has even more to teach me about hunger, hope, and falling hard . . .

Includes: First times, hot firefighters, sexy hockey players, meddling friends, and fighting like hell for the love of a lifetime.

Review:

Passionate, provocative, and steamy!

Down in Flames is a sweet, sultry, heartwarming romance featuring the shy, inexperienced NFL star Hudson and the wild, sexy candidate firefighter Jude as they discover that the heart wants what the heart wants and that some things are definitely worth fighting for.

The prose is fervent and spicy. The characters are multi-faceted, vulnerable, and endearing. And the plot is an alluring mix of palpable chemistry, sizzling tension, heartfelt emotion, flirty banter, friendship, tricky situations, awkward moments, and explosive heat.

Down in Flames is, ultimately, a seductive, swoon-worthy, heartwarming tale by Meader with scrumptious characters and an intriguing storyline that is not only a fantastic addition to the Hot in Chicago Rookies series but hands down one of my favourite MM romance novels of the year!

This book is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Kate Meader for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kate Meader

Originally from Ireland, Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, a fire hose, or a hockey stick, and she's there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines (and heroes) who can match their men quip for quip.

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#BookReview The Lilac House by Barbara Josselsohn @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2022 #BarbaraJosselsohn #TheLilacHouse #LakeSummers

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#BookReview The Lilac House by Barbara Josselsohn @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2022 #BarbaraJosselsohn #TheLilacHouse #LakeSummers Title: The Lilac House

Author: Barbara Josselsohn

Series: Lake Summers #1

Published by: Forever on Dec. 14, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 288

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

Summer brought Anna and Aidan together, but can she finally let go of the past for a chance at a new beginning?

Lilac House has always been a source of comfort for Anna Harris. Though things will never be the same since her husband’s death, she knows the cottage, nestled in Lake Summers in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, will be the perfect place for her and her two children to build a new life.

The house is just as beautiful as Anna remembers, and soon she’s caught up in the rhythm of small-town life, helping her Aunt Hope run the little shop on Main Street and beginning to finally feel like herself again. Then she meets Aidan. Handsome, strong and quiet, he also knows what it’s like to lose someone. In each other they recognize something they’ve both been missing…and a spark of undeniable attraction.

But Aidan’s past holds a different set of complications. He’s hiding a secret about why he came to Lake Summers. And just as the Lilac House starts to feel like home, Anna learns something devastating about her husband’s death that will make her question everything she’s always known to be true.

Review:

Heartwarming, sweet, and uplifting!

The Lilac House is a heartfelt, tender story set in the idyllic Lake Summers that takes you into the life of Anna, a young mother of two juggling to come to grips with losing the love of her life, raising her children alone, and one last trip to the summer house to put the all the memories finally to rest, and Aidan, a young widower himself who has recently moved to this small, cosy town to keep his son and himself under the radar and away from the troubles waiting for him back in his hometown.

The prose is light and hopeful. The characters are lonely, helpful, and considerate. And the plot is a reflective, engaging tale about life, loss, love, marriage, parenthood, family, friendship, attraction, grief, happiness, community, self-discovery, mental illness, taking chances, new beginnings, and small-town living.

Overall, The Lilac House is a sentimental, charming, optimistic tale by Josselsohn that is definitely a lovely start to the Lake Summer 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 gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Barbara Josselsohn

Barbara Josselsohn loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. She is the author of the Lake Summers series, which is set in the fictional town of Lake Summers, nestled in the Adirondack Mountains, and includes the books The Lilac House, The Bluebell Girls, The Lily Garden, and The Cranberry Inn. Her debut novel was The Last Dreamer, and she is also the author of hundreds of articles and essays in major and specialty publications about family, home, and relationships. She lives just north of New York City and enjoys escaping to the beach or the mountains whenever she can. Other than writing, her biggest passion is her husband and her three kids.

Photo Credit: Andrea Harnick Tuchman

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#BookReview Summer on Blackberry Beach by Belle Calhoune @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2022 #BelleCalhoune #SummeronBlackberryBeach

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#BookReview Summer on Blackberry Beach by Belle Calhoune @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2022 #BelleCalhoune #SummeronBlackberryBeach Title: Summer on Blackberry Beach

Author: Belle Calhoune

Series: Mistletoe Maine #2

Published by: Forever on Jun. 28, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

A faux summer fling seemed like the perfect solution . . .  until they start falling in love for real.
 
Teacher Stella Marshall’s summer break has just began, but the gossip is already sizzling: Luke Keegan’s back in town! Stella’s high school crush is all grown up and smolderingly sexy. She might even consider a fling with the former Navy SEAL, if she hadn’t already sworn off all romantic entanglements. But there isn’t a single thing she can do to stop the rumor mill whispering about her and Luke being together—unless . . .

A showmance! Luke never thought he’d propose a fake relationship, but it’s the only way to stop the runaway speculation about their love lives. Pretending to date a woman as stunning as Stella is easy. Not actually falling for her is the hard part. Luke isn’t sure he deserves a hometown happy ending, when members of his SEAL team never made it back at all. But there’s real attraction buzzing between him and Stella . . . and he knows she feels it too. Could their faux summer romance lead to true love?

Review:

Lighthearted, cosy, and cute!

Summer on Blackberry Beach is a tender, feel-good tale that mixes the kind, caring, second-grade teacher Stella, who’s determined to do whatever it takes, even if it means fake dating her high school crush, to prove to the town she’s finally moving on from being jilted by her fiancé, and the sexy, wounded, former Navy Seal Luke who may, at last, have found that special someone that can help him heal from his guilt, grief, and injuries and discover there’s a lot more life still to be had.

The prose is smooth and easy. The characters are friendly, lovable, and sweet. And the plot is an engaging, push-pull tale of family, friendship, tricky situations, playful banter, heartfelt moments, humorous hijinks, self-discovery, happiness, romance, and love.

Overall, Summer on Blackberry Beach is another charming, touching, delightful tale by Calhoune that I thoroughly enjoyed and which, in my opinion, is the perfect choice for anyone who loves a good romcom that has a whole lot of hope, heart, and humour.

 

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 gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Belle Calhoune

Belle Calhoune grew up in a small town in Massachusetts as one of five children. Although both her parents worked in the medical field, Belle never considered science as the pathway to her future. Growing up across the street from a public library was a huge influence on her life. Married to her college sweetheart, she is raising two lovely daughters in Connecticut. A dog lover, she has one mini poodle named Copper and a black lab, Beau. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author as well as a member of RWA’s Honor Roll. In 2019 her book “An Alaskan Christmas” was made into a movie (Love, Alaska) by Brain Power Studios and aired on UPTV. She is the author of more than 40 novels and published by Harlequin Love Inspired and Grand Central Forever Publishing.

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#BookReview The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan @KarenSwan1 @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #TheChristmasPostcards #KarenSwan #PGCBooks

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#BookReview The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan @KarenSwan1 @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #TheChristmasPostcards #KarenSwan #PGCBooks Title: The Christmas Postcards

Author: Karen Swan

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Oct. 4, 2022

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 480

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

Set in a chocolate-box village, a woman makes a surprising connection with a pen-pal that will change her life – and warm your heart – in the new novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Karen Swan.

It had been a make-or-break holiday for their marriage, but Natasha and Rob’s rekindled romance is short-lived when their daughter’s beloved soft toy disappears on the journey home.

As Natasha comforts the distraught child, she turns to social media for help. Miraculously, the toy is found, but it has become the lucky mascot of a man named Duffy, who is thousands of miles away.

When Duffy promises to keep Natasha updated with pictures, the pair begin a correspondence that soon becomes more meaningful to both of them. Sometimes, Natasha feels this stranger understands her more than the man lying next to her.

But as the weeks pass and Duffy heads deeper into the mountains, Natasha begins to notice a change in him. Then one day, the messages stop. Too late, Natasha wonders why he had ever needed a lucky mascot at all.

From the picture-perfect Cotswolds to the majesty of the Himalayan foothills, The Christmas Postcards is a novel about how the closest connections can be the furthest apart.

Review:

Atmospheric, heartfelt, and enchanting!

The Christmas Postcards is an alluring, compelling tale that sweeps you away into the life of Natasha, a young mother who, after her daughter loses her toy elephant she can’t possibly live without, begins a correspondence with the man who found it, Duffy, who seems to be on a soul-searching mission of his own and who may have actually spent a moment of time with Natasha once years before.

The prose is effortless and immersive. The characters are multilayered, troubled, and genuine. And the plot is a heartwarming tale about life, loss, love, friendship, relationship dynamics, hope, happiness, tragedy, fate, self-discovery, and romance.

I’m not sure if it’s ever truly winter unless I have a Karen Swan book to cosy up with in front of the fire, and this twenty-fourth outing is everything I could have wanted and more. The Christmas Postcards is a charming, emotional, irresistible tale by Swan that’s the perfect escapist read with its layered characters, idyllic settings, and beautifully entertaining storyline.

This novel is available now.

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

            

 

 

 

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Karen Swan

Karen Swan began her career in fashion journalism before giving it all up to raise her three children and a puppy, and to pursue her ambition of becoming a writer. She lives in the forest outside Sussex, England, writing her books in a treehouse overlooking the Downs.

An internationally bestselling author, her numerous books include The Rome Affair, The Paris Secret, Christmas Under the Stars, and The Christmas Secret. 

Photograph by Alexander James

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