Category: 8/10

#BookReview Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley @doubledayca @PenguinCanada @PenguinRandomCA @doubledayca #ConsiderYourselfKissed #JessicaStanley #PenguinReads #PenguinCanada

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#BookReview Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley @doubledayca @PenguinCanada @PenguinRandomCA @doubledayca #ConsiderYourselfKissed #JessicaStanley #PenguinReads #PenguinCanada Title: Consider Yourself Kissed

Author: Jessica Stanley

Published by: Doubleday Canada on May 27, 2025

Genres: General Fiction

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

When she first meets Adam, Coralie is new to London and is feeling adrift. But Adam is clever, witty and (he insists) a half inch taller than the average male. His charming four-year-old daughter only adds to his appeal.

But ten years on, something important is missing from the life Coralie and Adam have built. Or maybe, having gained everything she dreamed of, Coralie has lost something else she once had: herself.

Set against an eventful British decade that included the soap opera of five prime ministers plus Brexit and Covid, Consider Yourself Kissed puts the subjects of love and family on a grand stage, showing how the intimate dramas in our homes inescapably compete for energy and attention with the shared public dramas of our times.

Told over ten years of one woman’s life, this is an unforgettable love story that effortlessly balances sweetness with bite, the public with the personal, and humour with heart.

Review:

Optimistic, relatable, and sincere!

Consider Yourself Kissed is a tender, insightful tale that takes you into the life of Coralie, a young woman who is struggling with her self-identity after spending ten years in a career she’s not sure she loves, being a busy mother to three children, two of her own and one stepchild, losing the mother who she never felt truly cared, and supporting a partner whose priorities are mixed up and who is more than a little self involved.

The writing is genuine and direct. The characters are lonely, quirky, and disillusioned. And the plot is a lighthearted, touching mix of life, love, introspection, friendship, awkward situations, sweet moments, misunderstandings, relationship dynamics, family drama, healing, and moving on, all set against the backdrop of British politics.

Overall, Consider Yourself Kissed is a layered, astute, intriguing tale by Stanley that is the first novel I’ve read by this author, but certainly won’t be my last.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

 

Thank you to Doubleday Canada for gifting me a copy.

 

About Jessica Stanley

Jessica Stanley grew up in Australia before moving to the United Kingdom in 2011. She worked in advertising before publishing fiction, and lives in London with her husband and their three children.

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#BookReview Eliza and the Duke by Harper St. George @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #ElizaAndTheDuke #TheDovesOfNewYork #HarperStGeorge #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Eliza and the Duke by Harper St. George @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #ElizaAndTheDuke #TheDovesOfNewYork #HarperStGeorge #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Eliza and the Duke

Author: Harper St. George

Series: The Doves of New York #2

Published by: Berkley on Jun. 24, 2025

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

American heiress Eliza Dove was resigned to a polite marriage of convenience…until she spent one wicked night with the Duke.

All hopeless romantic Eliza Dove asked for was one night of adventure. One glorious evening of freedom to explore the dark corners of London with a mysterious stranger before a lifetime trapped in a quiet, respectable marriage of convenience. Except now she wants more. Now she wants him.

Simon Cavell is no gentleman. Known only as ‘the Duke,’ Whitechapel’s prize boxer is one fight away from achieving his goal: to safeguard his late sister’s only treasure and leave the streets for good. He cannot allow some pretty young heiress to spill his secrets, no matter how tempting she might be. In return for her silence, Simon will give Eliza a taste of the darkness…and hope he doesn’t lose his heart in the process.

But one night together could never be enough. And now Eliza has a new plan—an even more scandalous bargain that will either land the heiress her duke or ruin them both.

Review:

Witty, scandalous, and enticing!

Eliza and the Duke is a playful, seductive tale set in London during 1878 that features the intelligent, inquisitive Eliza and the roguishly handsome prize boxer Simon as they navigate the underground world of Whitechapel, an upcoming marriage of convenience, and an abundance of undeniable attraction, respect and admiration.

The prose is amusing and light. The characters are focused, determined, and passionate. And the plot is a push-pull tale of life, love, trust, expectations, commitments, support, perseverance, familial drama, and class division.

Overall, Eliza and the Duke is an engaging, entertaining, alluring read by St. George that is another adventurous, enjoyable addition to the The Doves of New York series.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Harper St. George

Harper St. George grew up in the rural backwoods of Alabama and the northwest Florida coast where her love of history began. She now makes her home in the Atlanta area writing historical fiction romance set in various time periods from the Viking Era to the Gilded Age. Her novels have been translated into ten languages.

Photo: © Harper St. George.

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#BookReview Beyond This Place of Wrath and Tears by Jack Ford @uplitreads #BeyondThisPlaceOfWrathAndTears #JackFord #gifted #uplitreads

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#BookReview Beyond This Place of Wrath and Tears by Jack Ford @uplitreads #BeyondThisPlaceOfWrathAndTears #JackFord #gifted #uplitreads Title: Beyond This Place of Wrath and Tears

Author: Jack Ford

Published by: Kensington on May 27, 2024

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 352

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Uplit Reads

Book Rating: 8/10

From award-winning journalist Jack Ford, a riveting and colorful dual timeline novel of Lee Carson, the heroic yet elusive female journalist who defied convention and danger to report from the front lines of WWII, combining breathtaking wartime narrative with a compelling Cold War espionage tale for fans of Christine Mangan, Pam Jenoff, Erika Robuck, and Kate Quinn.

Washington, DC, April 1954: Lee Carson, former war correspondent, is frustrated that her journalism career has been relegated to society events and fashion stories. But when she receives a tip about a Russian spy in a high-ranking government position at the height of the Cold War, she feels the thrill of a story that she hasn’t felt since she was on the front lines of the European theater . . .

London, December 1943: As war rages on across Europe, twenty-two-year-old Lee Carson is waging a private battle of her own. An American-born correspondent for the International News Service, Lee is determined to cover the war from the field. But no woman, certainly not an attractive young woman with no military experience, will be allowed near the front lines.

Lee is not easily dissuaded. And as the Allied forces prepare to take the fight to the enemy, her gift for boosting public morale is seen as a valuable weapon. Assigned to cover the build-up to the invasion of Nazi-held Europe, she constantly wrangles with authorities to get to the heart of the action. From talking herself onto a bomber and flying over the beaches of Normandy at the start of D-Day to other feats of daring, she witnesses and reports on the war’s most pivotal moments.

Told in dual timelines, Beyond this Place of Wrath and Tears is inspired by the story of an incredible woman who has largely been forgotten by history, and who, like many women in WWII, broke barriers in wartime only to find that upon the return home, she had to continue to fight for relevance in an entirely different way . . .

Review:

Rich, descriptive, and intriguing!

Beyond This Place of Wrath and Tears is an insightful, fascinating tale that takes us into Lee Carson’s personal and professional successes, frustrations, experiences, sacrifices, and accomplishments as a female reporter on the ground in Europe during WWII.

The writing is clear and precise. The characters are resilient, determined, and endearing. And the plot is a compelling, absorbing tale of one woman’s dedication and passion, under extremely dangerous circumstances, to help record and publish important stories that needed to be told and heard.

Overall, Beyond This Place of Wrath and Tears is a vivid, captivating, emotive story by Ford that highlights his considerable knowledge and impressive research into this renowned historical figure whose life and contribution during the war and after is often unknown or unfortunately long forgotten.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

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

 

About Jack Ford

Jack Ford is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist, author, college professor, award-winning documentary film producer, and former trial attorney. An original anchor at the launch of Court TV, he was the co-anchor of the Weekend Today Show, a substitute anchor for Nightly News and Meet the Press, and has worked as a correspondent for Good Morning America and ESPN. Currently he is a CBS News Correspondent for 60 Minutes Sports and the co-host of Metro Focus on PBS. He has received two Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, an American Radio and Television Award, a National Headliner Award, and the March of Dimes FDR Award. A graduate of Yale University and the Fordham University School of Law, he is a Visiting Lecturer at Yale, NYU, and the University of Virginia, teaching a seminar on famous trials.

Photo Credit: Stephen Lacko.

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#BookReview The Lure of Their Graves by Laura R. Samotin @randomhouseca #LauraRSamotin #TheLureOfTheirGraves #TheCursedCrownDuology #RandomHouseCanada #PenguinReads

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#BookReview The Lure of Their Graves by Laura R. Samotin @randomhouseca #LauraRSamotin #TheLureOfTheirGraves #TheCursedCrownDuology #RandomHouseCanada #PenguinReads Title: The Lure of Their Graves

Author: Laura R. Samotin

Series: The Cursed Crown #2

Published by: Random House Canada on Jun. 3, 2025

Genres: Fantasy, LGBTQIA, Paranormal Romance

Pages: 448

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Random House Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

In the heart-wrenching sequel to The Sins on Their Bones, The Lure of Their Graves forces Dimitri and Vasily to confront old ghosts and a new threat: political enemies-turned-suitors, all coveting Dimitri’s throne.

Dimitri Abramovich may have won back the throne of Novo-Svitsevo, but even after defeating his former husband, the usurper Alexey Balakin, he seems no closer to securing lasting peace for his people. Enemies are closing in on all sides, and pressure is mounting for Dimitri to play the one card he has left in a bid for stability—offering his hand in marriage for a second time.

But Dimitri is still healing from the tragedies of the war, his return to the throne, and Alexey’s years of torment. Vasily Sokolov is the only person with whom he feels safe, and giving up the comfort of their budding relationship feels unfathomable, even if it’s the only way to sever the alliances being formed among the countries surrounding Novo-Svitsevo. So as Dimitri and Vasily reckon with political treachery, the lasting consequences of Dimitri’s resurrection, and the sinister legacy of Alexey’s use of the Holy Science, they must also work to understand what it means to love each other even as they prepare to let each other go—which might prove the most difficult of all.

Review:

Intense, imaginative, and thrilling!

The Lure of Their Graves is an angsty, gripping tale that takes us back to Novo-Svitsevo and into the life of Dimitri Abramovich who, after believing his vicious ex-husband is finally dead, struggles to come to grips with the loss of a man he loved but also despised, the expectations of his country versus the desires of his heart, and the resurrection of a man driven by evil and consumed with power and control.

The prose is brisk and tight. The characters are multilayered, fearless, and dependable. And the plot is a sinister, passionate tale full of twists, turns, anxiety, loyalty, duty, heartbreak, grief, guilt, danger, family, trauma, demonic violence, and enduring love.

Overall, The Lure of Their Graves is a suspenseful, heart-wrenching, satisfying conclusion to The Cursed Crown duology by Samotin that gave the characters I couldn’t help but root for the heartwarming, happy-ever-after ending I really hoped they get. 

 

This novel is available now.

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

        

 

 

Thank you to Random House Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Laura R. Samotin

LAURA R. SAMOTIN and her spouse live with two enormously large felines. When she’s not pursuing her academic research on military tactics, power politics, and leadership, she relishes her role as a full-time cat servant.

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#BookReview Plays Well with Others by Lauren Myracle @BlackstoneAudio #LaurenMyracle #PlaysWellWithOthers #BlackstonePublishing #BlackstoneInsiders

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#BookReview Plays Well with Others by Lauren Myracle @BlackstoneAudio #LaurenMyracle #PlaysWellWithOthers #BlackstonePublishing #BlackstoneInsiders Title: Plays Well with Others

Author: Lauren Myracle

Published by: Blackstone Publishing on Jun. 10, 2025

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 288

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Blackstone Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

Perfect for fans of Laura Dave and Ashley Audrain, Plays Well with Others is a delicious domestic thriller that explores neighborhood secrets, dangerous friendships, and truths too dark to be acknowledged … even to ourselves.

One year after her ex–best friend posted their private correspondence on social media, good girl Jake Nolan is still reeling. Thanks to Shelby’s betrayal, Jake lost her job, her house, and her husband, not to mention a cherished friendship that turned out to be built on deceit. Circle Shelby; cross out Jake.

But enough is enough, and after moving into a bungalow on idyllic Sweetwater Lane, Jake decides to retaliate by doing some crossing out of her own. When her brand-new friend and neighbor Mabel admits to also having an enemy, they decide to join forces. Why not, since they’re both itching for revenge?

Only they’re not the only ones. It seems that everyone on Sweetwater Lane is nursing a grudge or two, and although most of the grievances are trivial, a few sprout fangs. While Jake and Mabel’s revenge game begins as a series of giddy pranks, the stakes become deadly when uninvited participants join the fun.

Review:

Suspenseful, disturbing, and tight!

Plays Well with Others is a tempestuous, edgy thriller that takes us to the coveted Sweetwater Lane, where abuse is hidden, drama is high, gossip is rampant, marriages have ended, lives are messily intertwined, and very soon some of the residents may be injured or even dead.

The prose is brisk and sharp. The characters are tormented, troubled, and conflicted. And the plot is an unsettling tale filled with family, friendship, lies, deception, scandal, tragedy, infidelity, suspicions, revelations, mayhem, neglect, inappropriate behaviours, jealousy, and violence.

Overall, Plays Well with Others is a dark, twisty, compelling adult fiction debut by Myracle that delves into the emotional, psychological, and physical effects long-term manipulation, control, and abuse can have on children.

 

This novel is available now.

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

        

 

 

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Lauren Myracle

Lauren Myracle was born in Brevard, North Carolina. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and earned a BA in English and Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She later earned an MA in English from Colorado State University, where she taught for two years, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. Since then, she has written many books for children and young adults, including the best-selling Internet Girls books: ttyl, ttfn and l8r, g8r, and the Winnie Years series.

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#BookReview The Passengers on the Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa (translated by Allison Markin Powell) @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #ThePassengersOnTheHankyuLine #HiroArikawa #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview The Passengers on the Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa (translated by Allison Markin Powell) @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #ThePassengersOnTheHankyuLine #HiroArikawa #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: The Passengers on the Hankyu Line

Author: Hiro Arikawa

Published by: Berkley on Jun. 3, 2025

Genres: General Fiction

Pages: 256

Format: Hardcover

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

Welcome aboard the Hankyu Line train!

Come along on a heartwarming, funny, and perfectly cozy voyage with the charming and relatable passengers—including one dashing dachshund—whose lives intersect and affect each other on one of Japan’s most romantic railway lines from international bestselling author Hiro Arikawa.

Between the two beautiful towns of Takarazuka and Nishinomiya, in a stunning mountainous area of Japan, rattles the Hankyu Line train. Passengers step on and off, lost in thought, contemplating the tiny knots of their existence. On the outward journey, we are introduced to the emotional dilemmas of five characters, and on the return journey six months later, we watch them find resolutions.

A young man meets the young woman who always happens to borrow a library book just before he can check it out himself, a woman in a white bridal dress boards looking inexplicably sad, a university student heads home after class, a girl prepares to leave her abusive boyfriend, and an old lady discusses adopting a dog with her granddaughter.

With stories that crisscross like the railway lines, the Hankyu train trundles on, propelling the lives and loves of its passengers ever forward.

Review:

Sincere, poignant, and compelling!

The Passengers on the Hankyu Line is a pensive, heart-tugging novel that takes you into the lives of a handful of people, each with their own struggles, troubles, and heartbreaks as their worlds become momentarily intertwined while travelling on a train heading from Takarazuka to Nishinomiya.

The prose is eloquent and insightful. The characters are unique, sympathetic, and endearing. And the plot is an absorbing tale of life, love, friendship, support, generosity, honesty, guidance, acceptance, forgiveness, romance, humour, introspection, and loss.

Overall, The Passengers on the Hankyu Line is a reflective, touching, heartwarming tale by Arikawa that reminds us of what’s truly important in life and highlights the sheer power of kindness and compassion.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Hiro Arikawa

Hiro Arikawa is a renowned author from Tokyo. Her novel The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a bestseller in Japan and has been published around the world.

#BookReview Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari @StMartinsPress #ThingsLeftUnsaid #SaraJafari #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers

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#BookReview Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari @StMartinsPress #ThingsLeftUnsaid #SaraJafari #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers Title: Things Left Unsaid

Author: Sara Jafari

Published by: St. Martin's Press on Apr. 15, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Hardcover

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

When twenty-six year old Shirin Bayat bumps into Kian at a house party in London, she is taken aback by the immediate feelings that resurface. It’s been a decade since they were close friends at school, before painful events pulled them apart, suddenly and seemingly forever. Ever since, Shirin has lived with the aching weight of things left unsaid between them.

Now they’re back in each other’s lives, at a time when Shirin needs someone she can trust the most. Feeling stuck in a sea of slippery friendships and deeply burned out by her publishing job, Kian is a bright light amongst a sea of gray. There’s nothing worse than losing the person you trust most with your deepest secrets and desires, and Shirin and Kian are determined to hold tightly to each other.

But of course, life often has other plans. Will it be different this time around, or are Shirin and Kian destined to fall apart once more?

Review:

Evocative, angsty, and heartfelt!

Things Left Unsaid is a heartwarming, touching story that immerses you in a tale about confronting the past, taking risks, being true to one’s self, following your heart, and the importance of never losing sight of your own wants, needs, and dreams.

The writing is raw and impassioned. The characters are flawed, troubled, and endearing, And the plot is an engaging tale about life, heartbreak, forgiveness, friendship, family, courage, past hurts, secrets, happiness, and unconditional love.

Overall, Things Left Unsaid is an uplifting, emotive, alluring story by Jafari that reminds us that everyone who enters our lives, no matter the length of time, shapes and defines us.

 

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

 

About Sara Jafari

Sara Jafari is a London-based British Iranian author of the novels The Mismatch and Things Left Unsaid. She is a contributor to I Will Not Be Erased and the romance anthology Who’s Loving You. Jafari also works as an editor and runs TOKEN magazine, which showcases writing and artwork by underrepresented writers and artists.

Photo Credit: Melissa Legarda

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#BookReview Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson @sariahwilson @FireflyDist @AmazonPub #FallingOverboard #SariahWilson #Montlake #FireflyDist

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#BookReview Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson @sariahwilson @FireflyDist @AmazonPub #FallingOverboard #SariahWilson #Montlake #FireflyDist Title: Falling Overboard

Author: Sariah Wilson

Published by: Montlake Romance on Mar. 18, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 383

Format: Paperback

Source: Firefly Distributed Lines

Book Rating: 8/10

Lucky Salerno’s dream is to own a bakery. To earn enough money to achieve it, she has secured a lucrative job as chief stewardess on a superyacht cruising the Mediterranean. Aboard the ship, there’s one unbreakable no hookups among the crew. No problem. The last thing Lucky has time for is a man. Then she meets Hunter Smith, the gorgeous new deckhand sharing her cabin. Is the universe trying to test her willpower?

Who needs the drama that comes with a relationship? Not Hunter. Who can ignore a witty, beautiful bunkmate like Lucky? Also not Hunter. There’s something just as enticing for a tantalizing mystery behind Hunter’s piercing blue eyes she can’t wait to solve. But at what risk?

As they get to know each other, a secret romance buds at sea, and Lucky has to choose. Abide by the rules to make her career dreams come true, or pursue her love for Hunter—another dream that’s just as near to her heart.

Review:

Amusing, tender, and romantic!

Falling Overboard is a sweet, captivating tale featuring the hardworking, dependable Lucky and the handsome, enigmatic Hunter as they discover while working on the open sea that there may be a lot more to their relationship than instant attraction, forced proximity, and strict rules that might just have to be broken.

The writing is light and fun. The characters are endearing, guarded, and reliable. And the plot is a charming mix of life, love, friendship, family, light drama, self-discovery, and responsibilities.

Overall, Falling Overboard is another cute, cosy, entertaining tale by Wilson that was an absolute delight to read.

 

This novel is available now.

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

     

 

 

Thank you to Firefly Distributed Lines for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sariah Wilson

USA Today bestselling author Sariah Wilson has never jumped out of an airplane, never climbed Mt. Everest, and is not a former CIA operative. She has, however, been madly, passionately in love with her soulmate and is a fervent believer in happily ever afters—which is why she writes romance. She grew up in southern California, graduated from Brigham Young University (go Cougars!) with a semi-useless degree in history, and is the oldest of nine (yes, nine) children . She currently lives with the aforementioned soulmate and their four children in Utah, along with two cats named Pixel and Callie, who do not get along. (The cats, not the children. Although the children sometimes have their issues, too.)

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey @PenguinCanada @doubledayca #OurLastWildDays #AnnaBailey #PenguinReads #PenguinCanada

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#BookReview Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey @PenguinCanada @doubledayca #OurLastWildDays #AnnaBailey #PenguinReads #PenguinCanada Title: Our Last Wild Days

Author: Anna Bailey

Published by: Doubleday Canada on May 27, 2025

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 320

Format: Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

The Labasques aren’t like other families.

Living in a shack out in the swamps, they made do by hunting down alligators and other animals. To the good people of Jacknife, Louisiana, they are troublemakers and outcasts, the kind of people you wouldn’t want in your community.

So, when Cutter Labasque is found face down in the muddy swamp, no one seems to care, not even her two brothers. The only person who questions the official verdict of suicide is Cutter’s childhood friend, Loyal May, who has just returned home to care for her mother. When she left town at eighteen years old, she betrayed Cutter. Now with a ragtag group from the local paper where she works, Loyal goes in search of answers, uncovering a web of deceit and corruption that implicates those in town. It may be too late to apologize to Cutter, but Loyal has restitution in mind.

Weaving through the swamps and bayous of rural Louisiana, Our Last Wild Days is an atmospheric, smoldering suspense about our darker impulses—and how to set things right.

Review:

Intense, thought-provoking, and atmospheric!

Our Last Wild Days is a dark, twisty novel that takes you into the lives of a handful of people, including reporter Loyal May, who, after returning home to care for her mother, finds herself obsessed with discovering what truly happened to her childhood friend Cutter, when her body is found floating in the river.

The prose is fluid and tight. The characters are conflicted, scarred, and relentless. And the plot is a compelling, sobering tale of life, loss, family, friendship, grief, guilt, denial, secrets, abuse, neglect, poverty, desperation, self-preservation, violence, redemption, and small-town dynamics.

Overall, Our Last Wild Days is a gritty, intricate, engrossing tale by Bailey that captivates from the very first page and ultimately leaves you pensive, unsettled and thoroughly entertained.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

 

Thank you to Penguin Canada for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Anna Bailey

ANNA BAILEY is a Sunday Times bestselling author from Gloucestershire. Their debut novel, Tall Bones (published in Canada as Where the Truth Lies), was inspired by their experiences living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and was nominated for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year among other awards. They live in Bordeaux with their wife.

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#BlogTour #BookReview The Baker of Lost Memories by Shirley Russak Wachtel @OverTheRiverPR @AmazonPub #TheBakerOfLostMemories #ShirleyRussakWachtel #lakeunion #OTRPR

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#BlogTour #BookReview The Baker of Lost Memories by Shirley Russak Wachtel @OverTheRiverPR @AmazonPub #TheBakerOfLostMemories #ShirleyRussakWachtel #lakeunion #OTRPR Title: The Baker of Lost Memories

Author: Shirley Russak Wachtel

Published by: Lake Union Publishing on June 1, 2025

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 315

Format: Hardcover

Source: Amazon Publishing, OTRPR

Book Rating: 8/10

Growing up in 1960s Brooklyn, Lena wants to be a baker just like her mother was back in Poland prior to World War II. But questions about those days, and about a sister Lena never even knew, are ignored with solemn silence. It’s as if everything her parents left behind was a subject never to be broached.

The one person in whom Lena can confide is her best friend, Pearl. When she suddenly disappears from Lena’s life, Lena forges college, love and marriage with a wonderful man, the dream of owning a bakery becoming a reality, and the hope that someday Pearl will return to share in Lena’s happiness—and to be there for her during the unexpected losses to come.

Only when Lena discovers the depth of her parents’ anguish, and a startling truth about her own past, can they rebuild a family and overcome the heart-wrenching memories that have torn them apart.

Review:

Rich, poignant, and haunting!

The Baker of Lost Memories is a rich, heart-tugging tale that transports you to Brooklyn during the 1960s and into the life of one Jewish family, especially the youngest daughter Lena, who even though was born after the war, struggles to understand and overcome the family’s extreme loss and silent pain caused by the Nazis.

The prose is tight and intense. The characters are multilayered, vulnerable, and scarred. And the plot is a tender tale of life, loss, trauma, tragedy, grief, guilt, loneliness, desperation, familial drama, secrets, survival, redemption, and new beginnings.

Overall, The Baker of Lost Memories is a compelling, evocative, immersive story by Wachtel that I thoroughly enjoyed and which had just the right amount of intrigue, harrowing history, and palpable emotion to be a captivating tale for lovers like myself of the historical fiction genre.

 

This novel is available now.

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

     

 

 

Thank you to OTRPR and Amazon Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Shirley Russak Wachtel

Shirley Russak Wachtel is the author of A Castle in Brooklyn. She is the daughter of Holocaust survivors and was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Shirley holds a doctor of letters degree from Drew University and for the past thirty-five years has taught English literature at Middlesex College in Edison, New Jersey. Her podcast, EXTRAordinary People, features inspiring individuals who have overcome obstacles to make a difference. The mother of three grown sons and grandmother to three precocious granddaughters, she currently resides in East Brunswick, New Jersey, with her husband, Arthur.

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