7/10

#BookReview The Silence in Her Eyes by Armando Lucas Correa @SimonSchusterCA #TheSilenceinHerEyes #ArmandoLucasCorrea #SimonSchusterCA

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview The Silence in Her Eyes by Armando Lucas Correa @SimonSchusterCA #TheSilenceinHerEyes #ArmandoLucasCorrea #SimonSchusterCA Title: The Silence in Her Eyes

Author: Armando Lucas Correa

Published by: Atria Books on Jan. 16, 2024

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 272

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 7/10

This fresh take on classic psychological suspense centers on a young woman with a rare neurological condition who is convinced her neighbor is going to be murdered.

Leah has been living with akinetopsia, or motion blindness, since she was a child. For the last twenty years, she hasn’t been able to see movement. As she walks around her upper Manhattan neighborhood with her white stick tapping in front, most people assume she’s blind. But the truth is Leah sees a good deal, and with her acute senses of smell and hearing, very little escapes her notice.

She has a quiet, orderly life, with little human contact beyond her longtime housekeeper, her doctor, and her elderly neighbor. That all changes when Alice moves into the apartment next door and Leah can immediately smell the anxiety wafting off her. Worse, Leah can’t help but hear Alice and a late-night visitor engage in a violent fight. Worried, she befriends her neighbor and discovers that Alice is in the middle of a messy divorce from an abusive husband.

Then one night, Leah wakes up to someone in her apartment. She blacks out and in the morning is left wondering if she dreamt the episode. And yet the scent of the intruder follows her everywhere. And when she hears Alice through the wall pleading for her help, Leah makes a decision that will test her courage, her strength, and ultimately her sanity.

Review:

Simmering, edgy, and intricate!

The Silence in Her Eyes is an intriguing, slow-burning psychological thriller that takes you on a journey into the life of Leah Anderson as she juggles the loss of her mother, adapting to living alone with akinetopsia, a night-time intruder who smells like bergamot and may wish to do her harm, and a new neighbour who seems like the perfect friend but who may actually be too good to be true.

The prose is crisp and tight. The characters are secretive, persuasive, and vulnerable. And the plot is a complex, menacing tale of family, friendship, deception, lies, drama, manipulation, secrets, revelations, suspicious personalities, violence, and murder.

Overall, The Silence in Her Eyes is a suspenseful, twisty, intense tale by Correa that I found a little hard to follow at times but which, ultimately, did a remarkable job of highlighting that people aren’t always who they seem to be and murderers come in many different faces.

 

This book 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 gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Armando Lucas Correa

Armando Lucas Correa is an award-winning journalist, editor, author, and the recipient of several awards from the National Association of Hispanic Publications and the Society of Professional Journalism. He is the author of the international bestseller The German Girl, which is now being published in thirteen languages. He lives in New York City with his partner and their three children.

Photograph by Héctor O. Torres.

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#BookReview Imperfect Angel by Christi Barth @entangledpub @angelamelamud #ImperfectAngel #ChristiBarth

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Paranormal Romance
#BookReview Imperfect Angel by Christi Barth @entangledpub @angelamelamud #ImperfectAngel #ChristiBarth Title: Imperfect Angel

Author: Christi Barth

Published by: Entangled Publishing on Oct. 27, 2022

Genres: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Angela Melamud, Entangled Publishing

Book Rating: 7/10

Three days ago, all Maisy Norgate had was a stack of bills, about a gazillion jobs, and her sunny-as-hell outlook. Now, thanks to an uncle she never knew about, she’s inherited an ornate skeleton key with absolutely no idea what it’s for—or why she has it. Which is exactly when a ridiculously handsome guy claiming to be an angel shows up at her door and all hell breaks loose…

Nephilim Rhys Boyce cannot believe that Maisy is the new Keeper of the Key. Why would anyone bequeath this warm, bubbly redhead the key to Hell? And to make matters worse, she’s given the key to the first person who asked for it. A demon. Yep, Maisy is determined to make his job—not to mention some seriously inconvenient temptation—as hard as possible.

First a half angel with a very human chip on his shoulder must find a way to convince Maisy that angels and demons do exist. Then Rhys will have to break the really bad news…that she might have accidentally ended the world.

Review:

Quirky, comical, and sweet!

Imperfect Angel is a cute, steamy, action-packed romance that takes you into the life of Maisy Norgate, a spirited young woman who finds herself inadvertently in need of help from the sexy Nephilim Rhys Boyce, a half angel half human being, when she becomes the new “Keeper of the Key” to the gates of one of Hell’s worst prisons, and all sorts of demons, angels, and magical creatures come calling.

The writing is light and playful. The characters are impulsive, feisty, and amusing. And the plot is an adventure-filled tale full of danger, temptation, mystique, chemistry, attraction, witty banter, humorous mishaps, and supernatural characters.

Overall, Imperfect Angel is a humorous, charming, unique tale by Barth that is the perfect choice for anyone who loves a little spice, a dab of romance, and a whole slew of paranormal, unconventional fun.

 

This novel is available now!

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

 

       

 

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Angela Melamud for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Christi Barth

Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series. Christi can always be found whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.

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#BookReview The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk @PPPress #TheDepartmentofRareBooksandSpecialCollections #EvaJurczyk #inkedinpoison

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk @PPPress #TheDepartmentofRareBooksandSpecialCollections #EvaJurczyk #inkedinpoison Title: The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections

Author: Eva Jurczyk

Published by: Poisoned Pen Press on Jan. 25, 2022

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Poisoned Pen Press

Book Rating: 7/10

What holds more secrets in the library: the ancient books shelved in the stacks or the people who preserve them?

Liesl Weiss has been (mostly) happy working in the rare books department of a large university, managing details and working behind the scenes to make the head of the department look good. But when her boss has a stroke and she’s left to run things, she discovers that the library’s most prized manuscript is missing.

Liesl tries to sound the alarm and inform the police about the missing priceless book but is told repeatedly to keep quiet to keep the doors open and the donors happy. But then a librarian goes missing as well. Liesl must investigate both disappearances, unspooling her colleagues’ pasts like the threads of a rare book binding as it becomes clear that someone in the department must be responsible for the theft. What Liesl discovers about the dusty manuscripts she has worked among for so long—and about the people who preserve and revere them—shakes the very foundation on which she has built her life.

Review:

Interesting, sobering, and mysterious!

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is an engaging mystery that transports you to the special library division of a university in Toronto and into the life of Liesl Weiss, a middle-aged woman who, after her boss and department manager suddenly has a stroke, must return from her sabbatical just in time to discover the lastest acquisition, The Plantin Polyglot Bible to be missing, and a fellow employee to be acting strangely and then suddenly disappear.

The writing is sombre and slow-burning. The characters are flawed, self-involved, and morally ambiguous. And the plot, although slow in parts, is a unique whodunit full of amateur sleuthing, suspects, lies, deception, mental illness, secrets, deduction, and the intricacies of obtaining and maintaining old manuscripts.

Overall, The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is an intriguing, gloomy, intricate tale by Jurczyk, that at its heart, is a true love letter to book lovers and librarians everywhere.

 

This book is available now.

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

           

 

 

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Eva Jurczyk

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections is Eva’s first book. She lives and works in Toronto, Canada.

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#BookReview The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale @RKapelkeDale @StMartinsPress #TheBallerinas #RachelKapelkeDale #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale @RKapelkeDale @StMartinsPress #TheBallerinas #RachelKapelkeDale #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers Title: The Ballerinas

Author: Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Published by: St. Martin's Press on Dec. 7, 2021

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 304

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 7/10

Dare Me meets Black Swan and Luckiest Girl Alive in a captivating, voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School.

Fourteen years ago, Delphine abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg––taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux. Now 36 years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career––and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changed while she’s been away…and some secrets can’t stay buried forever.

Moving between the trio’s adolescent years and the present day, The Ballerinas explores the complexities of female friendship, the dark drive towards physical perfection in the name of artistic expression, the double-edged sword of ambition and passion, and the sublimated rage that so many women hold inside––all culminating in a twist you won’t see coming, with magnetic characters you won’t soon forget.

Review:

Gloomy, consuming, and tragic!

The Ballerinas is an ominous, gritty, character-driven tale that takes you into the lives of three friends, Delphine, Lindsay, and Margaux, as they each struggle to find some semblance of control, power, and love in a life littered with competition, dysfunction, self-obsession, and insecurities.

The prose is tight and intense. The characters are disciplined, secretive, and damaged. And the plot is a slow-burning, immersive tale full of life, loss, deception, desperation, friendship, drama, manipulation, jealousy, obsession, dedication, betrayal, and ruthless ambition.

Overall, The Ballerinas is a dark, ominous, astute tale by Kapelke-Dale that I found a little slow to start but, ultimately, did a remarkable job of delving into the complex dynamics between friends and highlighting just how gruelling, parasitic and toxic the world of ballet can truly be.

 

This book is available on December 7, 2021.

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 Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Rachel Kapelke-Dale is the co-author of GRADUATES IN WONDERLAND (Penguin 2014), a memoir about the significance and nuances of female friendships. The author of Vanity Fair Hollywood's column "Advice from the Stars," Kapelke-Dale spent years in intensive ballet training before receiving a BA from Brown University, an MA from the Université de Paris VII, and a PhD from University College London. She currently lives in Paris.

Photo by author.

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#BookReview Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond @smpromance @StMartinsPress #NotYourAverageHotGuy #GwendaBond #smpromance #smpinfluencers

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance
#BookReview Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond @smpromance @StMartinsPress #NotYourAverageHotGuy #GwendaBond #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: Not Your Average Hot Guy

Author: Gwenda Bond

Series: Not Your Average Hot Guy #1

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Oct. 5, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance

Pages: 320

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 7/10

A paranormal romantic comedy at the (possible) end of the world.

All Callie wanted was a quiet weekend with her best friend. She promised her mom she could handle running her family’s escape room business while her mom is out of town. Instead a Satanic cult shows up, claiming that the prop spell book in one of the rooms is the real deal, and they need it to summon the right hand of the devil. Naturally they take Callie and her friend, Mag, along with them. But when the summoning reveals a handsome demon in a leather jacket named Luke who offers to help Callie stop the cult from destroying the world, her night goes from weird to completely strange.

As the group tries to stay one step ahead of the cult, Callie finds herself drawn to the annoying (and annoyingly handsome) Luke. But what Callie doesn’t know is that Luke is none other than Luke Morningstar, Prince of Hell and son of the Devil himself. Callie never had time for love, and with the apocalypse coming closer, is there room for romance when all hell’s about to break loose?

From New York Times bestselling author Gwenda Bond, Not Your Average Hot Guy is a hilarious romantic comedy about two people falling in love, while the fate of the world rests on their shoulders.

Review:

Unique, comical, and cute!

Not Your Average Hot Guy is a sweet, funny, action-packed romance that takes you into the life of Callie, a kindhearted bookworm who finds herself inadvertently attracted to and in need of help from the sexy Luke Morningstar, the prince of Hell himself, when a satanic cult, led by the devious Solomon Elerion, visits her family’s escape room business to steal a book of spells that can help them summon a powerful demon, potentially acquire the Holy Lance, and ultimately trigger the apocalypse they’ve always been hoping for.

The writing is playful and light. The characters are feisty, impulsive, and amusing. And the plot is an adventure-filled tale of temptation, mystique, chemistry, attraction, witty banter, humorous mishaps, supernatural characters, and of course, a little fire and brimstone.

Overall, Not Your Average Hot Guy is a charming, humorous, quirky tale by Bond, and even though I felt it might be a little more suitable for a YA or New Adult audience rather than the adult readers it’s geared towards, it is still nevertheless an easy, entertaining read.

 

This novel 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 Gwenda Bond

Gwenda Bond is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the Lois Lane and Cirque American trilogies. She wrote the first official Stranger Things novel, Suspicious Minds. She also created Dead Air, a serialized mystery and scripted podcast written with Carrie Ryan and Rachel Caine. Not Your Average Hot Guy is her first romantic comedy for adults.

Her nonfiction writing has appeared in Publishers Weekly, Locus Magazine, Salon, the Los Angeles Times, and many other publications. She has an MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in a hundred-year-old house in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband and their unruly pets. She believes she may have escaped from a 1940s screwball comedy. She writes a monthlyish letter you can sign up for at her website, and you can also follow her on Twitter.

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#BookReview Sleepless by Romy Hausmann @Flatironbooks #Sleepless #RomyHausmann

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview Sleepless by Romy Hausmann @Flatironbooks #Sleepless #RomyHausmann Title: Sleepless

Author: Romy Hausmann

Published by: Flatiron Books on Oct. 19, 2021

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 336

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Flatiron Books

Book Rating: 7/10

It’s been years since Nadja Kulka was convicted of a cruel crime. After being released from prison, she’s wanted nothing more than to live a normal life: nice flat, steady job, even a few friends. But when one of those friends, Laura von Hoven–free-spirited beauty and wife of Nadja’s boss–kills her lover and begs Nadja for her help, Nadja can’t seem to refuse.

The two women make for a remote house in the woods, the perfect place to bury a body. But their plan quickly falls apart and Nadja finds herself outplayed, a pawn in a bizarre game in which she is both the perfect victim and the perfect murderer…

Review:

Atmospheric, menacing, and crafty!

Sleepless is an ominous, character-driven thriller that delves into the complex dynamics between friends and family members and highlights just how parasitic some of those relationships can truly be.

The prose is gritty and taut. The characters are plagued, deceptive, and self-involved. And the plot using a back-and-forth, past/present style builds tension as it unfolds a tortuous tale of friendship, lies, secrets, retribution, manipulation, guilt, violence, and murder.

There is no doubt that Hausmann can weave a suspicious tale that’s dark, gloomy, and tragic and that highlights the scheming, selfish, dark side of human nature. And even though I thought the storyline itself was very intricate and clever, although a little disjointed at times, unfortunately for me the lack of characters with any sort of moral or ethical conscience in Sleepless made it a little hard for me to like, connect, or even root for any of them the way I would have liked to.

 

This novel is available on October 19, 2021!

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

           

 

 

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

 

About Romy Hausmann

Romy Hausmann lives with her family at a remote house in the woods in Stuttgart, Germany. Dear Child is her English-language debut.

Photograph by Astrid Eckert.

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#BlogTour #BookReview Song of the Nile by Hannah Fielding @fieldinghannah @midaspr #SongoftheNile #HannahFielding

categories: 7/10, Blog Tour, Book Review, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
#BlogTour #BookReview Song of the Nile by Hannah Fielding @fieldinghannah @midaspr #SongoftheNile #HannahFielding Title: Song of the Nile

Author: Hannah Fielding

Published by: London Wall Publishing on May 27, 2021

Genres: Women's Fiction, Historical Fiction

Pages: 616

Format: Paperback

Source: Midas PR

Book Rating: 7/10

Luxor, 1946. When young nurse Aida El Masri returns from war-torn London to her family’s estate in Egypt, she steels herself to face the challenges ahead.

Eight years have passed since her father, Ayoub, was framed for a crime he did not commit and died as a tragic result. Yet Aida has not forgotten, and now she wants revenge against the man she believes betrayed her father – his best friend, Kamel Pharaony.

Then Aida is reunited with Kamel’s son, the captivating surgeon Phares, who offers her marriage. In spite of herself, the secret passion Aida harboured for him as a young girl reignites. Still, how can she marry the son of the man who destroyed her father and brought shame on her family? Will coming home bring her love, or only danger and heartache?

Review:

Sensuous, informative, and atmospheric!

Song of the Nile is a historical love letter to Egypt, complete with authentic and fascinating facts of life in the country following WWII and a breathtaking tour of the landscape, monuments, and landmarks that still grace this beautiful countryside today.

The writing is vivid and rich. The characters are warm, bold, and determined. And the plot is a richly described, captivating tale full of life, love, loss, family, drama, desire, intrigue, romance, customs, and societal expectations.

Overall, Song of the Nile is a steamy, mysterious, alluring tale by Fielding that highlights the unique political landscape of Egypt over the years and reminds us of the importance of trusting, forgiving, and ultimately the 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 Midas PR for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Hannah Fielding

Having already had huge success as one of the UK’s leading romance authors with total sales of over 130k, Concerto follows the award-winning success of Hannah Fielding’s previous novels Aphrodite’s Tears, Burning Embers, Echoes of Love, Masquerade, Legacy and Indiscretion. Echoes of Love won Romance Novel of the Year at the IPB Awards in 2012, Burning Embers was Amazon’s book of the month in 2011, and Hannah’s novels have been translated into 13 languages. With its spectacular setting and deep emotional drama, Concerto will appeal both to fans of her backlist, as well as lovers of atmospheric travel writing including Santa Montefiore, Penny Vincenzie, Victoria Hislop and Lucinda Riley.

Egyptian by birth Hannah is fluent in French, English and Arabic and has lived all over the world. She currently lives between her writing retreat in the South of France and her rambling family home in Ireland. Hannah’s grandmother, Esther Fanous, was the revolutionary feminist writer in Egypt during the early 1900s and helped found the Women's Wafd Central Committee in 1920.

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#BookReview The Murder Game by Carrie Doyle @SourcebooksFire @RaincoastBooks #TheMurderGame #CarrieDoyle

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult
#BookReview The Murder Game by Carrie Doyle @SourcebooksFire @RaincoastBooks #TheMurderGame #CarrieDoyle Title: The Murder Game

Author: Carrie Doyle

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire on Apr. 6, 2021

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Raincoast Books

Book Rating: 7/10

What if your best friend and roommate killed a teacher at your prep school? Or what if he didn’t do it, but he’s being framed, and you’re the only person who can save him?

Luke Chase didn’t mean to get caught up solving the mystery of Mrs. Heckler’s murder. He just wanted to spend alone time with the new British girl at their boarding school.

But little did he know someone would end up dead right next to their rendezvous spot in the woods, and his best friend and roommate Oscar Weymouth would be the one to take the blame. With suspects aplenty and a past that’s anything but innocent, Luke Chase reluctantly calls on his famous survival skills to solve the mystery and find the true killer.

Review:

Mysterious, twisty, and well-paced!

The Murder Game is an intriguing murder mystery that transports you to St. Benedict’s boarding school in eastern Connecticut and into the life of Luke Chase, a teenage student who, after a faculty member is found murdered and his roommate becomes the prime suspect, decides to conduct his own investigation to discover the real culprit and to prove his friend’s innocence once and for all.

The writing is light and smooth. The characters are intelligent, resourceful, and impulsive. And the plot is a creative whodunit full of amateur sleuthing, dangerous situations, suspects, deduction, friendship, secrets, and murder.

Overall, The Murder Game is a quick, engaging, sinister YA thriller by Doyle that is satisfying and entertaining as long as you’re able to suspend disbelief for a little while.

 

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

 

About Carrie Doyle

Carrie Doyle is the best selling author of multiple novels and screenplays that span many genres, ranging from cozy mysteries to chick lit to comedies to Young Adult.

A born and bred New Yorker, Carrie has spent most of her life in Manhattan, with the exception of a six-year stint in Europe (Russia; France; England) and five years in Los Angeles. A former Editor-in-Chief of the Russian edition of Marie Claire, Carrie has written dozens of articles for various magazines, including countless celebrity profiles. She is also a screenwriter, and her movie Intern (co-written with Jill Kargman) premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Carrie has three books that will be published in 2021: Death on Bull Path (the fourth book of the Hamptons Murder Mystery Series); The Murder Game; and It Takes Two to Mango (the first book of the Trouble in Paradise Series.)

Carrie currently splits her time between New York and Long Island, with her husband and two teenage sons.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview The Love Scam by MaryJanice Davidson @smpromance @StMartinsPress #TheLoveScam #smpromance

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview The Love Scam by MaryJanice Davidson @smpromance @StMartinsPress #TheLoveScam #smpromance Title: The Love Scam

Author: MaryJanice Davidson

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Aug. 4, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 7/10

A sweet and sassy contemporary romance from New York Timesbestselling author MaryJanice Davidson.

Rake Tarbell is in trouble. When the fabulously wealthy and carefree bachelor wakes up horribly hungover in Venice, it’s not something that would normally be a problem…except he has no idea how he got there from California. Or who stole his wallet. Or who emptied his bank account of millions. Or who in the world is Lillith, the charming little girl claiming to be his long lost daughter. For the first time in his life, Rake is on his own and throwing Benjamins around aren’t going to solve his problem. Now if only the gorgeous, fun, and free-spirited woman who brought Lillith into his life was willing to help the situation…

Claire Delaney finds Rake’s problems hilarious and is not in the least bit sorry of adding to them by bringing Lillith into the mix. A pretty Midwestern girl with a streak for mischief, Rake is not the kind of man Claire hangs around with. Even if he is drop-dead handsome and charming as all get-out. Even if he needs help and she has all the answers. But if this helps Lillith, she will go out of her way. And with a guy like Rake, she’s willing to bend her rules a bit for some fun. But when adventure-filled days turn to romantic nights as they search for answers, and someone starts following them through the streets of Venice, Claire realizes she’s playing more than just a game. And maybe, just maybe, she isn’t willing to let go of Rake or Lillith just yet.

Review:

Quirky, cute, and lighthearted!

The Love Scam is an intriguing, edgy story that transports you to Venice, Italy and into the life of the rich, handsome Rake Tarbell who wakes up with a wicked hangover, no phone, no memory of how he got there, and in the unexpected presence of a woman with a hidden agenda and a little girl who may or may not be his daughter.

The writing is creative and witty. The characters are unique, charming, and likeable. And the plot, along with all the subplots, intertwine and unravel quickly into a humourous tale filled with family, friendship, danger, mystique, oddball situations, hilarious mishaps, and outrageous adventures.

Overall, The Love Scam is an intricate, lively, funny tale by Davidson that is a little hard to follow at times with its complex plot and excessive use of internal monologues but is nevertheless extremely entertaining.

 

This book is available now.

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

               

 

 

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

 

About MaryJanice Davidson

MARYJANICE DAVIDSON is the international best-selling author of several books, including the Betsy the Vampire Queen series. Her books have been translated into several languages and are available in fifteen countries. She writes a bi-weekly column for USA Today and frequently speaks to book clubs, writer's groups, teaches writing workshops, and attends conferences all over the world. She has published books, novellas, articles, short stories, recipes, and movie reviews.

Photo by Mac McGoon Studio.

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#BookReview All Our Summers by Holly Chamberlin @HollyChamberlin @KensingtonBooks #AllOursummers

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Women's Fiction
#BookReview All Our Summers by Holly Chamberlin @HollyChamberlin @KensingtonBooks #AllOursummers Title: All Our Summers

Author: Holly Chamberlin

on Jun. 30, 2020

Genres: Women's Fiction

Pages: 352

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Kensington Books, NetGalley

Book Rating: 7/10

Against the picturesque coastal Maine setting that she evokes so well, bestselling author Holly Chamberlin creates a heartfelt story of family bonds and new beginnings . . .
 
It came as no surprise to anyone in Yorktide when glamorous Carol Ascher fled the little Maine town for New York City. While Carol found success as an interior designer, her younger sister, Bonnie, stayed behind, embracing marriage and motherhood. She even agreed to take in Carol’s teenage daughter during a tumultuous patch. Now both their girls are grown and Bonnie, recently widowed, is anticipating the day she’ll retire to Ferndean House, the nineteenth-century family home on the rocky Maine coast.
 
But forty-five years after leaving Yorktide, Carol suddenly announces that she’s moving back—into Ferndean. Bonnie is indignant. She’s the one who kept the homestead in order and tended to their dying mother. Now Carol expects to simply buy her out? As far as Bonnie is concerned, Ferndean is part of their heritage—not just another of Carol’s improvement projects, to be torn apart and remade according to her whim.
 
The entire Ascher family is in flux, uncovering secrets that upend their relationships. Carol’s longing to be welcomed home is fueled by a painful truth she’s carried for years. It will take an extraordinary
summer—in a remarkable place—to lead these women back to each other, buoyed by the tides of friendship and forgiveness.

Review:

Nostalgic, tender, and optimistic!

All Our Summers is a compelling, heartfelt tale that sweeps you away to Yorktide, Maine and immerses you into the lives of the Ascher family complete with all the heartbreak, secrets, smiles, tears, strength, loyalty, resentments, and compassion that surround them.

The writing is smooth and light. The characters are complex, hurt, and vulnerable. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel into an uplifting tale about life, love, loss, family, friendship, parenthood, infidelity, and the complex relationship that exists between sisters.

All Our Summers is a sentimental, warm, touching, family saga by Chamberlin that drags slightly in parts but overall does a lovely job of reminding us of what’s truly important in life.

 

This novel is available now.

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

 

About Holly Chamberlin

Holly Chamberlin was born and raised in New York City. After earning a Master’s degree in English Literature from New York University and working as an editor in the publishing industry for ten years, she moved to Boston, married and became a freelance editor and writer. She and her husband now live in downtown Portland, Maine, in a restored mid-nineteenth-century brick townhouse with Betty, the most athletic, beautiful and intelligent cat in the world.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

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