General Blog Posts

#BookReview Our Little Secret by Roz Nay @roznay1 @SimonSchusterCA

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview Our Little Secret by Roz Nay @roznay1 @SimonSchusterCA Title: Our Little Secret

Author: Roz Nay

Published by: Simon & Schuster on Jun. 6, 2017

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 256

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

For fans of In a Dark, Dark Wood and All the Missing Girls comes Our Little Secret, a compulsive and thrilling debut about a missing woman, a tangled love triangle, the secrets we keep and the secrets we share.

The detective wants to know what happened to Saskia, as if I could just skip to the ending and all would be well. But stories begin at the beginning and some secrets have to be earned.

Angela is being held in a police interrogation room. Her ex’s wife has gone missing and Detective Novak is sure Angela knows something, despite her claim that she’s not involved.

At Novak’s prodding, Angela tells a story going back ten years, explaining how she met and fell in love with her high school friend HP. But as her past unfolds, she reveals a disconcerting love triangle and a dark, tangled web of betrayals. Is Angela a scorned ex-lover with criminal intent? Or a pawn in someone else’s revenge scheme? Who is she protecting? And why?

Twisty and suspenseful, Our Little Secret is an intense cat-and-mouse game and a riveting thriller about the lies we tell others—and ourselves.

Review:

Mesmerizing, dark, and brilliantly clever!

This is a character-driven psychological thriller that illustrates just how fine the line between love and obsession can truly be and reminds us that every choice, good or bad, has a consequence.

The writing is crisp, polished and fluid. The characterization is spot on with a multitude of characters that are multi-faceted, insecure and vulnerable. And the plot is an intricately interwoven tale that unravels piece-by-piece creating tension, unease, and suspicion as it subtly reveals all the personalities, relationships, motivations and actions within it.

This is, ultimately, a story about deception, danger, competition, desperation, dependence, loneliness, manipulation and the fragility of young love and it’s hard to believe this is Nay’s debut novel. It’s sophisticated, highly entertaining, and a must-read that I guarantee you won’t be able to put down.

This novel is available now.

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

                                          

 

 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Roz Nay

Roz Nay grew up in England and studied at Oxford University. She has been published in The Antigonish Review and the anthology Refuge. Roz has worked as an underwater fish counter in Africa, a snowboard videographer in Vermont, and a high school teacher in both the UK and Australia. She now lives in British Columbia, Canada, with her husband and two children. Our Little Secret is her first novel.

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#BookReview The Gypsy Moth Summer by Julia Fierro @JuliaFierro @StMartinsPress

categories: 6.5/10, Book Review, General Fiction, Women's Fiction
#BookReview The Gypsy Moth Summer by Julia Fierro @JuliaFierro @StMartinsPress Title: The Gypsy Moth Summer

Author: Julia Fierro

Published by: St. Martin's Press on Jun. 6, 2017

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 400

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: St. Martin's Press, NetGalley

Book Rating: 6.5/10

It is the summer of 1992 and a gypsy moth invasion blankets Avalon Island, an islet off the coast of Long Island. Leslie Day Marshall—only daughter of Avalon’s most prominent family—returns to live in “The Castle,” the island’s grandest 

estate. Leslie’s husband Jules is African-American, and their children biracial, and islanders from both sides of the tracks form fast and dangerous opinions about the new arrivals. 

Maddie Pencott LaRosa straddles those tracks: a teen queen with roots in the tony precincts of East Avalon and the crowded working class corner of West Avalon, home to Grudder Aviation factory, the island’s bread-and-butter. Maddie falls in love with Brooks, Leslie’s and Jules’ son, and that love feels as urgent to Maddie as the questions about the new and deadly cancers showing up across the island. 

Her upbringing on economically segregated Long Island and her fascination-followed by-heavy research into gypsy moths inspired this novel, translating her acute observations into a literary meditation on race, politics, and community. In incorporating the political tensions of the 1992 presidential election, Fierro makes powerful parallels to the 2016 presidential Clinton campaign. 

Vivid with young lovers, gangs of anxious outsiders; a plotting aged matriarch, a demented military patriarch; and a troubled young boy, THE GYPSY MOTH SUMMER is about love, gaps in understanding, and the struggle to connect: within families; among friends; between neighbors and entire generations. 

Review:

Pensive, poignant and undeniably tragic!

In this latest novel by Fierro, she transports us to Avalon Island, an islet infested by not only the gypsy moth but small-town, small-minded politics, economics, and environmental consciousness.

The prose is vivid and exquisitely descriptive. The characters are destructive, materialistic and damaged. And the plot, which is ultimately about love, life, loss, cruelty, deception, familial dynamics, and vengeance has too many subplots and tackles too many issues, including industrial pollution, social and class division and strife, abuse, racism and emerging sexuality to not get a little bogged down and awkward.

I have to admit this was a really hard one for me. There is no doubt that Fierro can write and write well and some readers will love the dark, somber feel of this story, but for me, I couldn’t quite connect with the characters and the story had too much misery and not enough redemption.

 

This book is available now.

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

                                          

 

 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Julia Fierro

JULIA FIERRO is the author of the novels The Gypsy Moth Summer and Cutting Teeth. Her work has been published in Buzzfeed, Glamour, The Millions, Poets & Writers, Time Out New York, and other publications. A graduate of the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, Julia founded The Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop in 2002, a creative home to more than 3,500 writers in NYC, Los Angeles and Online.

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#BookReview On Point by Annabeth Albert @AnnabethAlbert @CarinaPress

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA
#BookReview On Point by Annabeth Albert @AnnabethAlbert @CarinaPress Title: On Point

Author: Annabeth Albert

Series: Out of Uniform #3

Published by: Carina Press on Jun. 5, 2017

Genres: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA

Pages: 320

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Carina Press, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

Never fall for your best friend…

Pushing thirty, with his reenlistment looming, decorated navy sniper Maddox Horvat is taking a long look at what he really wants in life. And what he wants is Ben Tovey. It isn’t smart, falling for his best friend and fellow SEAL, but ten years with Ben has forged a bond so intimate Maddox can’t ignore it. He needs Ben by his side forever—heart and soul.

Ben admits he likes what he’s seen—his friend’s full lower lip and the perfect muscles of his ass have proved distracting more than once. But Ben’s still reeling from a relationship gone to hell, and he’s not about to screw up his friendship with Maddox, too.

Until their next mission throws Ben and Maddox closer together than ever before, with only each other to depend on.

Now, in the lonely, desperate hours awaiting rescue, the real challenge—confronting themselves, their future and their desires—begins. Man to man, friend to friend, lover to lover.

Review:

Heartfelt, engrossing, and red-hot!

This is a friends-to-more romance that is told from two different points of view. Maddox, a sweet, handsome Seal who prefers the simple life outside the military, including spending quality time with friends and baking yummy treats. And Ben, a fun, flirty Seal who loves nothing more than the adrenaline and action of the Navy and hooking up as much as possible. But like most of Albert’s characters there’s a lot more to these men than meets the eye and something deliciously scorching is definitely smouldering below the surface.

The writing is impassioned and intense. The characters are multi-faceted, flawed and sexy. And the plot starts off with a bang and then continues steadily building, peeling back layer-by-layer all the history, feelings and emotions to create a steamy, passionate story about life, love, friendship, undeniable chemistry, and self-discovery.

I have to admit this is my favourite book in the “Out of Uniform” series so far. I couldn’t wait to read about these two characters and I wasn’t disappointed.

This is the third novel in the “Out of Uniform” series. Be sure to check out my review for Off Base (Out of Uniform #1) and At Attention (Out of Uniform #2).

         

This book is available now.

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

            

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Carina Press, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Annabeth Albert

Frequent tweeter, professional grammar nerd, and obsessive reader, Annabeth Albert is also a Pacific Northwest romance writer in a variety of subgenres.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.

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#BookReview Cold Summer by Gwen Cole @GwenCole_ @skyponypress

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Young Adult
#BookReview Cold Summer by Gwen Cole @GwenCole_ @skyponypress Title: Cold Summer

Author: Gwen Cole

Published by: Sky Pony Press on May 2, 2017

Genres: Young Adult

Pages: 322

Format: Hardcover

Source: Sky Pony Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Today, he’s a high school dropout with no future.
Tomorrow, he’s a soldier in World War II.

Kale Jackson has spent years trying to control his time-traveling ability but hasn’t had much luck. One day he lives in 1945, fighting in the war as a sharpshooter and helplessly watching soldiers—friends—die. Then the next day, he’s back in the present, where WWII has bled into his modern life in the form of PTSD, straining his relationship with his father and the few friends he has left. Every day it becomes harder to hide his battle wounds, both physical and mental, from the past.

When the ex-girl-next-door, Harper, moves back to town, thoughts of what could be if only he had a normal life begin to haunt him. Harper reminds him of the person he was before the PTSD, which helps anchor him to the present. With practice, maybe Kale could remain in the present permanently and never step foot on a battlefield again. Maybe he can have the normal life he craves.

But then Harper finds Kale’s name in a historical article—and he’s listed as a casualty of the war. Kale knows now that he must learn to control his time-traveling ability to save himself and his chance at a life with Harper. Otherwise, he’ll be killed in a time where he doesn’t belong by a bullet that was never meant for him.

Review:

Harrowing, intense and poignantly emotional!

In this debut novel by Cole, she gives us a time-travel piece full of familial dynamics, friendship, teenage angst, fear, guilt, abandonment, trust, disappointment, unconditional support, and young love.

The writing is earnest and smooth. The characters are troubled, vulnerable and coming of age. And the plot, although a little inconsistent in pace at times, provides a captivating, heart-rending look at the psychological and physical effects of war, the struggles of finding one’s identity and place in the world, and the nervousness and excitement of falling in love for the first time.

Overall, I would have to say this is a quick, enjoyable, moving YA read with endearing characters you can’t help but root for and hope they find peace and happiness.

 

This novel is available now.

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

                                          

 

 

Thank you to Sky Pony Press and Gwen Cole for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Gwen Cole

Gwen Cole grew up in upstate New York and then moved to Virginia where she did not graduate college. Instead she played bass guitar in a hardcore band and later married the lead guitarist. She enjoys large jigsaw puzzles, playing Xbox and softball, and watching movies. Gwen now lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, daughter, and very large dog, where she longs to live in the country again.

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#BookReview Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski @ConcreteKraken @OrendaBooks

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski @ConcreteKraken @OrendaBooks Title: Six Stories

Author: Matt Wesolowski

Published by: Orenda Books on Jun. 1, 2017

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 225

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Orenda Books, NetGalley

Book Rating: 9/10

1997. Scarclaw Fell. The body of teenager Tom Jeffries is found at an Outward Bound center. Verdict? Misadventure. But not everyone is convinced. And the truth of what happened in the beautiful but eerie fell is locked in the memories of the tight-knit group of friends who embarked on that fateful trip, and the flimsy testimony of those living nearby. 2017. Enter elusive investigative journalist Scott King, whose podcast examinations of complicated cases have rivaled the success of Serial, with his concealed identity making him a cult internet figure. In a series of six interviews, King attempts to work out how the dynamics of a group of idle teenagers conspired with the sinister legends surrounding the fell to result in Jeffries’ mysterious death. As every interview unveils a new revelation, you’ll be forced to work out for yourself how Tom Jeffries died, and who is telling the truth.

Review:

Creative, unique and unforgettably absorbing!

This a brilliantly crafted, character-driven thriller that takes us on a journey to solve a 20-year-old murder and spotlights the physical and psychological effects and consequences of bullying.

The writing style is unconventional, with the narration being told completely through true-crime podcasts and internal musings. And the characterization is raw with a cast of teenage characters that are young, rebellious, impressionable, and impulsive. 

Overall, I have to say this is a short but incredibly gripping story with a whodunit plot that is modern, fresh, eerie, disturbing and wonderfully shocking.

This novel is available now.

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

                                            

 

 

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

 

About Matt Wesolowski

Matt Wesolowski is an author from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the UK. He is an English tutor and leads Cuckoo Young Writers creative writing workshops for young people in association with New Writing North.

Wesolowski started his writing career in horror and his short horror fiction has been published in numerous magazines and US anthologies.

Wesolowski was a winner of the Pitch Perfect competition at 'Bloody Scotland'; Crime Writing Festival 2015, his subsequent debut crime novel 'Six Stories' was published by Orenda Books in the spring of 2017

Twitter | Goodreads

#BookReview You Will Pay by Lisa Jackson @readlisajackson @KensingtonBooks

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview You Will Pay by Lisa Jackson @readlisajackson @KensingtonBooks Title: You Will Pay

Author: Lisa Jackson

on May 30, 2017

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 416

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Kensington Books, NetGalley

Book Rating: 7/10

In a fast-paced, brilliantly twisted novel of suspense from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson, the deadly secrets of a long-ago summer stir to life once more.

It starts as a prank a way to blow off steam after a long summer at Camp Horseshoe. Among the teen counselors, tensions and hormones are running high. No wonder the others agree when Jo-Beth Chancellor suggests they scare Monica O Neal a little or a lot. Monica has it coming, and no one will really get hurt. What could go wrong?

Everything.

Twenty years later, Lucas Dalton, a senior detective with the sheriff s department, is investigating the discovery of human remains in a cavern at what used to be Camp Horseshoe. Lucas knows the spot well. His father, a preacher, ran the camp, and Lucas worked there that infamous summer when two girls went missing. One is believed to have been killed by a convict on the loose. Monica O Neal is thought to have drowned and been washed out to sea.

Lucas knows he should step down from such a personal case. He s already jeopardized his career by removing evidence of his involvement. But maybe it s time to uncover the whole truth at last. That s why five former female counselors are coming back to the small Oregon town among them, Bernadette Warden, the woman Lucas has never forgotten. Each one knows something about that terrible night. Each promised not to tell. And as they reunite, a new horror unfolds. First come notes containing a personal memento and a simple, terrifying message: You will pay. Then, the murders begin.

It started years ago. But it will end here as a web of lust, greed, and betrayal is untangled to reveal a killer waiting to enact the perfect revenge.

Review:

Dark, complex, and extremely suspenseful!

This is an action-packed novel that delves into how manipulative, oppressive and malicious teens can truly be and the extent to which they will go to try to fit in.

It is, ultimately, a story about secrets, friendship, coming-of-age, obsession, jealousy, adultery and murder.

The writing is well done. The characters are cunning, selfish and deceptive. And the plot is written in an alluring past/present, back-and-forth style that unravels piece-by piece all the personalities, relationships, motivations and actions within it.

When it comes to writing thrilling mysteries Lisa Jackson is one of the best. However, I do have to admit that even though I enjoyed this story and the surprise ending, I did find the characters to be somewhat unsympathetic and the plot to have a little too many twists and turns for me to fully connect and completely love it.

 

This book is available now.

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

                                            

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Kensington Books, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Lisa Jackson

Lisa Jackson is the number-one New York Times bestselling author of more than 85 novels, including Afraid to Die, Tell Me, You Don’t Want to Know, Running Scared, Without Mercy, Malice, and Shiver. She is also the co-author of the Colony Series, co-written with her sister, Nancy Bush. There are over 20 million copies of Lisa Jackson’s books in print in twenty languages.

Before she became a nationally bestselling author, Lisa Jackson was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, the USA Today, and the Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.

With over thirty bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity – and back – in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional and downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims, and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.

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#BookReview No One But You by Brenda Novak @Brenda_Novak @HarlequinBooks

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
#BookReview No One But You by Brenda Novak @Brenda_Novak @HarlequinBooks Title: No One But You

Author: Brenda Novak

Series: Silver Springs #2

Published by: Mira Books on May 30, 2017

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense

Pages: 448

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Harlequin Books, Goodreads Giveaways

Book Rating: 8/10

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak welcomes you to Silver Springs, a picturesque small town in Southern California where even the hardest hearts can learn to love again

Struggling to make ends meet after a messy divorce, Sadie Harris is at the end of her tether. Her waitressing gig isn’t enough to pay the bills let alone secure primary custody of her son, Jayden, a battle she refuses to lose. Desperate, she accepts a position assisting Dawson Reed—the same Dawson Reed who recently stood trial for the murder of his adoptive parents. Joining him at his isolated farm seems risky, but Sadie is out of options.

Dawson has given small town Silver Springs plenty of reasons to be wary, but he’s innocent of the charges against him. He wants to leave his painful past behind and fix up the family farm so he can finally bring his dependent sister home where she belongs.

As Sadie and Dawson’s professional relationship grows into something undeniably personal, Sadie realizes there’s more to Dawson than the bad boy everyone else see she has a good heart, one that might even be worth fighting for.

Review:

Menacing, romantic and engaging!

This is a suspenseful story that highlights the harassment and stigma that surrounds those accused of committing a crime and reminds us just how dangerous the abuse of power can truly be.

The writing is clear and precise. The characters are tenacious, resilient and strong. And the plot is a captivating mix of emotion, drama, violence, injustice, obsession, trust, manipulation, jealousy, corruption, and murder.

Overall this is a quick, easy, enjoyable read with a unique storyline, interesting characters, exceptional tension, and a nice wrapped-up ending.

 

This story is due to be published on May 30, 2017.

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

                                          

 

 

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

 

About Brenda Novak

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak's career as a bestselling author--she caught her day-care provider drugging her children with cough syrup to get them to sleep all day. That was when Brenda decided she needed to quit her job as a loan officer and help make a living from home.

"When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book," Brenda says. But she sold that book, and the rest is history. Her novels have made the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists and won many awards, including five Rita nominations, the Book Buyer's Best, the Book Seller's Best and the National Reader's Choice Award.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are proud parents of five children--three girls and two boys. When she's not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising funds for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). So far, Brenda has raised $2.6 million. Please visit http://www.brendanovakforthecure.org to see how you can help.

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#BookReview Follow You by Richard Parker @Bookwalter @bookouture

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview Follow You by Richard Parker @Bookwalter @bookouture Title: Follow You

Author: Richard Jay Parker

Published by: Bookouture on May 26, 2017

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 379

Format: ARC, eBook

Source: Bookouture, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8/10

You set the trap. Now you can’t escape.

When an online prank goes viral and triggers a spate of gruesome murders, documentary maker Hazel Salter watches in horror. But then Hazel’s childhood friend, Meredith Hickman, is the next victim and Hazel knows she has to find out what happened to her.

Is it one killer or more? Random acts of violence, or part of a bigger, twisted plan?

The police have no leads, but Hazel has a theory – one she’ll stop at nothing to prove – and she also has a film crew. She’ll make a documentary, catch the killer, and give Meredith justice.

Her stage is the abandoned amusement park where Meredith was found. 

Her cast are the family and friends the killer left behind. 

And her crew? They keep disappearing, one by one…

Review:

Creepy, disturbing and exceptionally gory!

This is a gritty thriller full of sex, manipulation, emotional entanglements, carnage, and violence in an extremely fast-paced, suspenseful plot that is chocked full of murder and mayhem.

The writing is well done. The main heroine, Hazel is relentless, determined, strong and desperate; and the supporting characters are varied, troubled and vulnerable.

This story is definitely not for the squeamish, in fact it reminds me of those classic slasher films from the 80s that we all watched from the edge of our seat yelling “don’t go off on your own” and even though there may not be lots of depth to the characters you are still thoroughly entertained, horrified and engrossed by the maniacal killer, the naive victims, and of course the unexpected ending.

 

This novel is due to be published on May 26, 2017.

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

                                          

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Bookouture, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Richard Parker

Author of STOP ME - shortlisted for a Specsavers New Blood Dagger Award - and SCARE ME.

SCARE ME has been snapped up by major Hollywood studio, Relativity Media. Wentworth (Prison Break/Stoker) Miller has just completed the screenplay.

His third stand alone thriller STALK ME is due to be published February 2014 (US/Canada) and March 2014(UK) by Angry Robot crime imprint Exhibit A.

He is currently writing a follow up to SCARE ME.

A professional TV writer for twenty-two years he started by submitting material to the BBC. After contributing to a wide variety of TV shows he became a head writer, script editor and producer.

He has now moved from London to Salisbury but in no way hates London.

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#BookReview Buns by Alice Clayton @alice_clayton @Pocket_Books

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Buns by Alice Clayton @alice_clayton @Pocket_Books Title: Buns

Author: Alice Clayton

Series: Hudson Valley #3

Published by: Gallery Books on May 23, 2017

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 336

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Pocket Books, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8/10

Clara Morgan is living the dream, if you can call rebranding hotels that are desperate for a new life and running any kind of marathon a dream. Which she does. But the career she loves and the endurance races that keep her adrenaline pumping have kept her too busy to put down any roots. Growing up in foster care, she’s never been able to establish traditions of her own, which may be why she’s fascinated by the rituals that generations-old family resorts are known for. She’s especially interested in the Bryant Mountain House, and not just for their secret recipe for the yummy, gooey, can’t-get-enough-of Hot Cross Buns….

Archie Bryant, the man with the Buns, is fifth generation and one-day-owner of the charming yet run-down Bryant Mountain House in Bailey Falls, New York. He’s determined to save his family’s legacy from the wrecking ball the old-fashioned way—by gritting his teeth and doing what needs to be done. There’s no way Archie will be influenced by the new hotel branding expert his father brought in to turn one hundred and fifty years of tradition on its head just to attract a faster, younger, slicker crowd. But when some of Clara’s ideas start bringing in new, paying customers, Archie can’t deny that she may have just given him a shot at keeping his resort open.

It’s sticky, it’s messy, it’s sweet, it’s Buns.

Review:

Flirty, sweet and laugh-out-loud funny!

This story is set in the majestic Bailey Falls and introduces two new characters to The Hudson Valley series, Clara a young workaholic who protects herself from possible abandonment by only relying on herself and never setting down roots; and Archie a young widow whose future is firmly entrenched in the family business and whose biggest fear is loving and losing again.

The writing is animated and lighthearted. The characters are intelligent, alluring and feisty. And the plot is a charming mix of spirited hijinks, blistering tension, playful banter, combustible chemistry, touching moments and swoon-worthy romance.

Overall this book is entertaining, sexy and amusing and I love that some of our favourite characters from the earlier books in the series make an appearance. If you haven’t read anything by Clayton before you really should, in fact Wallbanger, from her Cocktail series, is still today one of my all-time favourite rom coms.

 

This book is available now.

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

                                            

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Pocket Books, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Alice Clayton

ALICE CLAYTON worked in the cosmetics industry for over a decade before picking up a pen (read laptop).

She enjoys gardening but not weeding, baking but not cleaning up, and finally convinced her long-time boyfriend to marry her.

Now, about that Bernese Mountain dog.

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#BlogTour & #BookReview Summer at Conwenna Cove by Darcie Boleyn @DarcieBoleyn @canelo_co

categories: 8/10, Blog Tour, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
#BlogTour & #BookReview Summer at Conwenna Cove by Darcie Boleyn @DarcieBoleyn @canelo_co Title: Summer at Conwenna Cove

Author: Darcie Boleyn

Series: Conwenna Cove #1

Published by: Canelo on May 15, 2017

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 286

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Canelo, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8/10

Eve has a glittering career, a loving husband and a future. But a terrible twist of fate means she loses it all, and with nowhere left to turn she flees to her Aunt Mary’s home in Cornwall. The last thing on her mind is romance – until she meets Jack.

Jack has seen the worst things people can do to each other and realised he is better off alone. He settles in Conwenna Cove, and saves his affections for the rescue dogs he cares for. But when Eve arrives in the village he can’t deny his attraction to her.

Eve and Jack are both scared to trust, but when they come together it’s impossible for either to ignore their feelings. Can they put their fears aside and learn to love again?

Summer at Conwenna Cove is an emotional and heart-warming holiday read about being brave enough to take a chance on love

Review:

Humorous, engaging and picturesque!

This is a captivating, lighthearted story that reminds us that we should work to live and not live to work and sometimes we should stop and smell the roses.

The prose is refined and vividly descriptive. The setting is the idyllic Cornwall with its sandy beaches and rugged coast. And the main characters including the stressed, workaholic Eve; the reluctant, gentle Jack; and the adorable, sweet Gabe are wounded, vulnerable, lonely and in desperate need of some unconditional love.

This is, ultimately, a story about life, love, loss, family, heartbreak, healing, self discovery and happiness and overall it is a wonderful story with a delightful cast of characters, majestic scenery, a touch of greyhound rescue awareness and last but definitely not least scrumptious, comforting treats, including my favourite the mouth-watering lemon drizzle cake. This truly is a warm, charming read from start to finish and perfect for a summer day.

 

This book is available now.

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

        

 

 

Thank you to Canelo and Darcie Boleyn for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It was an honour and a pleasure.