#BlogTour #BookReview The Stud Next Door by Kendall Ryan @KendallRyan1 #TheStudNextDoor #FriskyBusiness #KendallRyan

Published on by ZoeLeave a comment
#BlogTour #BookReview The Stud Next Door by Kendall Ryan @KendallRyan1 #TheStudNextDoor #FriskyBusiness #KendallRyan Title: The Stud Next Door

Author: Kendall Ryan

Series: Frisky Business #3

Published by: Kendall Ryan Books on Jan. 19, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 201

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Kendall Ryan

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Life threw me a curveball. An adorable eight-pound, four-ounce curveball with her mother’s eyes and my dark hair. I’d like to think my single-dad game is strong, but honestly? I’ve been struggling a little.

When a beautiful young woman moves in next door and offers to give me a hand, I jump at the chance to hire her as a nanny. Jessa is amazing with my daughter. She’s also patient, kind, and way too pretty.

The number one rule of hiring a nanny? Don’t bed the nanny.

It’s a rule I intend to keep.

But as the days pass, I begin to realize how much my life is missing. Companionship. Romance. Intimacy. When I discover my heart has space for one more female, it’s a lost cause, another curveball. The hot-as-hell nanny is leaving soon for a mission trip to Central America. No sense in letting myself fantasize about Jessa being a permanent part of my life.

The closer we get, the more difficult it becomes to keep my feelings in check, because my heart won’t listen. And neither will my libido.

Well, you know what they say. Rules are meant to be broken . . .

Review:

Seductive, satisfying, and delightfully dreamy!

The Stud Next Door is a steamy, adorable romance that takes you into the lives of two main characters, Connor, the exhausted single father of an infant who is desperately in need of some help, and Jessa, the new, temporary neighbour who’s more than willing to work as a nanny until she relocates to South America in a few months time.

The writing is light and sweet. The characters are kind, genuine, and considerate. And the plot is a witty, engaging mix of tender moments, self-discovery, temptation, friendship, family, happiness, chemistry, love, and sexy times.

The Stud Next Door is another quick, charming, smoking addition to the Frisky Business series by Ryan, and as always I’m really looking forward to reading whatever she publishes next.

 

This book is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Kendall Ryan for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kendall Ryan

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Pinterest | Newsletter

 

#BookReview Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler @SEmorgenthaler @SourcebooksCasa #EnjoytheView #MooseSprings #SourcebooksCasa

Published on by ZoeLeave a comment
#BookReview Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler @SEmorgenthaler @SourcebooksCasa #EnjoytheView #MooseSprings #SourcebooksCasa Title: Enjoy the View

Author: Sarah Morgenthaler

Series: Moose Springs Alaska #3

Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca on Jan. 19, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Book Rating: 9/10

A grouchy mountaineer, a Hollywood starlet
And miles of untamed wilderness…
What could possibly go wrong?

Former Hollywood darling River Lane’s acting career is tanking fast. Determined to start fresh behind the camera, she agrees to film a documentary about the picturesque small town of Moose Springs, Alaska. The assignment should have been easy, but the quirky locals want nothing to do with River. Well, too bad: River’s going to make this film and prove herself, no matter what it takes.

Or what (literal) mountain she has to climb.

Easton Lockett may be a gentle giant, but he knows a thing or two about survival. If he can keep everyone in line, he should be able to get River and her crew up and down Mount Veil in one piece. Turns out that’s a big if. The wildlife’s wilder than usual, the camera crew’s determined to wander off a cliff, and the gorgeous actress is fearless. Falling for River only makes Easton’s job tougher, but there’s only so long he can hold out against her brilliant smile. When bad weather strikes, putting everyone at risk, it’ll take all of Easton’s skill to get them back home safely…and convince River she should stay in his arms for good.

Review:

Charming, refreshing, and light!

Enjoy the View is a tender, amusing tale that takes us back to Moose Springs, Alaska and into the lives of documentary filmmaker River Lane and broody mountaineer Easton Lockett as they navigate a treacherous mountain climb, a potentially tragic accident, a four-legged, furry friend with a serious crush, and an underlying simmering attraction that may be the only thing that keeps them warm on a few cold, blustery nights.

The writing is cute and funny. The characters are stubborn, impulsive, and dependable. And the plot is a heartwarming, humorous mix of life, love, family, friendship, small-town living, adventurous endeavours, dangerous mishaps, romance, and a lovelorn, adorable marmot.

Enjoy the View is the third title in a series that, for me, just keeps getting better and better. It’s a sweet, sincere, steamy tale by Morgenthaler that in my opinion shouldn’t be missed.

 

This book is available now.

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

     

 

 

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sarah Morgenthaler

They say if you love your job, you never have to work a day in your life. Well, I LOVE my job. Even when it’s hard work!

I write sweet contemporary romance and romantic comedy set in Alaska, with quirky, fun-loving characters who fall in love despite their best efforts not to! I’ve even been known to write a moose or two! I’m a 2017 and 2018 RWA® Golden Heart® finalist. When I’m not writing, I can be found playing with the sweetest little rescue pit bull, Sammy, hiking with my husband, or nose deep in a great book. I love God, my family, old pickup trucks, and red wine. All the best things in life!

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

#BookReview Girl From Nowhere by Tiffany Rosenhan @tiffanyrosenhan @uplitreads @bloomsburykids #GirlFromNowhere #TiffanyRosenhan #UplitReads

Published on by Zoe1 Comment
#BookReview Girl From Nowhere by Tiffany Rosenhan @tiffanyrosenhan @uplitreads @bloomsburykids #GirlFromNowhere #TiffanyRosenhan #UplitReads Title: Girl From Nowhere

Author: Tiffany Rosenhan

Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing on Jul. 21, 2020

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 416

Format: Hardcover

Source: Uplit Reads

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Red Sparrow meets One of Us Is Lying in this action-packed, romance-filled YA debut about a girl trying to outrun her past.

Ninety-four countries. Thirty-one schools. Two bullets.
Now it’s over…or so she thinks.

Sophia arrives in Montana with the promise of a normal high school experience. But after a turbulent few years abroad with her diplomat parents, forgetting the past is easier said than done. After all, “normal” high schoolers aren’t trained in several forms of combat.

Then Sophia meets Aksel and finds herself opening up in ways she never thought she could. Except Sophia’s past is about to catch up with her, and she must confront who she really is, why she was betrayed, and what she is capable of in the name of love and survival.

Full of heart-stopping action and breathtaking romance, this cinematic debut features a girl willing to risk everything to save the life she built for herself.

Review:

Fierce, thrilling, and action-packed!

Girl From Nowhere is a gripping, suspenseful tale that takes us into the life of Sophia Hepworth, a sixteen-year-old girl who after suffering a distressing event in an overseas safe house eighteen hours previously, arrives with her diplomat parents in Waterford, Montana to finally settle down. But running from the past is never that easy and even though she’s making new friends, enjoying high school, and experiencing an unexplainable attraction with the green-eyed, mysterious, Aksel Fredricksen trouble is, unfortunately, brewing just around the corner.

The prose is taut and intense. The characters are complex, intelligent, and resourceful. And the plot is a riveting tale of twists, turns, espionage, passion, angst, intrigue, loyalty, tension, terrorism, violence, corruption, and murder.

Overall, Girl From Nowhere is an epic debut by Rosenhan that features lots of exotic locales, sexual chemistry, battles, adventure, and action. It keeps you invested, engaged, and on the edge of your seat from the very first page, and if you can suspend disbelief for a little while, you will certainly be satisfied and highly entertained.

 

This book is available now.

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

          

 

 

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

 

About Tiffany Rosenhan

TIFFANY ROSENHAN is the mother of four young daughters. She has a degree in political science and loves to travel the world with her family and husband, who is a critical care physician. She lives in Millcreek, Utah.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

Website | Goodreads | Instagram

#BookReview The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly @The_Julia_Kelly @GalleryBooks @SimonSchusterCA #TheLastGardeninEngland #JuliaKelly

Published on by ZoeLeave a comment
#BookReview The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly @The_Julia_Kelly @GalleryBooks @SimonSchusterCA #TheLastGardeninEngland #JuliaKelly Title: The Last Garden in England

Author: Julia Kelly

Published by: Gallery Books on Jan. 12, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Present day: Emma Lovett, who has dedicated her career to breathing new life into long-neglected gardens, has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime: to restore the gardens of the famed Highbury House estate, designed in 1907 by her hero Venetia Smith. But as Emma dives deeper into the gardens’ past, she begins to uncover secrets that have long lain hidden.

1907: A talented artist with a growing reputation for her ambitious work, Venetia Smith has carved out a niche for herself as a garden designer to industrialists, solicitors, and bankers looking to show off their wealth with sumptuous country houses. When she is hired to design the gardens of Highbury House, she is determined to make them a triumph, but the gardens—and the people she meets—promise to change her life forever.

1944: When land girl Beth Pedley arrives at a farm on the outskirts of the village of Highbury, all she wants is to find a place she can call home. Cook Stella Adderton, on the other hand, is desperate to leave Highbury House to pursue her own dreams. And widow Diana Symonds, the mistress of the grand house, is anxiously trying to cling to her pre-war life now that her home has been requisitioned and transformed into a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers. But when war threatens Highbury House’s treasured gardens, these three very different women are drawn together by a secret that will last for decades.

Review:

Absorbing, romantic, and beautifully written!

The Last Garden in London is an engaging, moving tale that sweeps you away to the Highbury House Estate in Warwickshire, England from the original commission of the estate’s gardens, through WWII and its requisition as a convalescent hospital, to the current day garden restoration efforts and the discovery of some long-buried secrets hidden beneath its soil.

The prose is rich and eloquent. The characters are resilient, brave, and authentic. And the plot is a delightful tale set in 1907 to the present day that moves seamlessly between multiple perspectives and the past and present as it unravels all the personalities, behaviours, motivations, secrets, and complex relationships within it.

Overall, The Last Garden in London is ultimately a tale about life, loss, tragedy, grief, hope, history, family, sisterhood, and friendship. It’s a captivating, heartwarming, uplifting novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and am certain will please all those who love to read historical fiction that has alluring characters, an evocative, timeslip storyline, and a sliver of romance.

 

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 Julia Kelly

Julia Kelly is the award-winning author of women's fiction and historical romance books about the extraordinary stories of the past. She also writes fast-paced contemporary sports romance as Julia Blake. In addition to writing, she’s been an Emmy-nominated producer, journalist, marketing professional, and (for one summer) a tea waitress. Julia called Los Angeles, Iowa, and New York City home before settling in London.

Photograph by Scott Bottles.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Newsletter

#BookReview Laying Bones by Reavis Z. Wortham @ReavisZWortham @PPPress #LayingBones #ReavisZWortham #TexasRedRiverMysteries #inkedinpoison

Published on by ZoeLeave a comment
#BookReview Laying Bones by Reavis Z. Wortham @ReavisZWortham @PPPress #LayingBones #ReavisZWortham #TexasRedRiverMysteries #inkedinpoison Title: Laying Bones

Author: Reavis Z. Wortham

Series: Texas Red River Mysteries #8

Published by: Poisoned Pen Press on Jan. 12, 2021

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Poisoned Pen Press

Book Rating: 8.5/10

The stakes don’t get much higher than murder…

It’s January 1969 in the small rural community of Center Springs, Texas. Constable Ned Parker is looking into the seemingly accidental death of his nephew, R. B., who was found in his overturned pickup near Sanders Creek Bridge.

Eventually, the investigation leads Parker back to the Starlite Club, a dangerous honky-tonk recently constructed in a no-man’s-land on the Lone Star side of the Red River. Although Ned’s investigation uncovers suspicious characters, drugs, and gambling, the series of murders that eliminated any potential witnesses to what happened to R. B. on that cold January night is the most troubling. As he works his way to the coroner’s office, Constable Parker finds himself involved in a high-stakes game of consequences with no good end in sight.

Review:

Suspenseful, pacey, and unpredictable!

Laying Bones is an engrossing, gritty novel that takes us to Center Springs, Texas in 1969, where Constable Ned Parker suddenly finds himself mixed up in a complex investigation involving drug smuggling, illegal gambling, corruption, and multiple murder when the suspicious death of his cousin leads back to the honky-tonk club recently built on the banks of the Red River.

The prose is authentic and rich. The characters are sensible, intelligent, and tenacious. And the plot unfolds and unravels quickly into a compelling tale full of family, community, intrigue, drama, greed, deception, power, manipulation, mayhem, violence, and murder.

Overall, Laying Bones is an ominous, pacey, immersive thriller by Wortham that may be the first time I’ve visited Lamar County 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 Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Reavis Z. Wortham

Spur Award winner Reavis Z. Wortham retired in 2011 and now works harder than before as the author of the critically acclaimed Red River historical mystery series. Kirkus Reviews listed his first novel, The Rock Hole, as one of their Top 12 Mysteries of 2011. True West Magazine included Dark Places as one of 2015’s Top 12 Modern Westerns. The Providence Journal writes, “This year’s Unraveled is a hidden gem of a book that reads like Craig Johnson’s Longmire on steroids.” Wortham’s new high octane contemporary western series from Kensington Publishing featuring Texas Ranger Sonny Hawke kicked off in 2017 with the publication of Hawke’s Prey. The fourth Sonny Hawke thriller, Hawke’s Fury, was published in June 2020. In 2019, the Western Writers Association presented Hawke’s War with the Spur Award in the WWA Best Mass Market Paperback category. The next Red River Mystery, Laying Bones, will be published in January 2021.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

Website | Instagram | YouTube

#BookReview Someday My Duke Will Come (Isle of Synne #2) by Christina Britton @cbrittonauthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever21 #ChristinaBritton #IsleofSynne

Published on by ZoeLeave a comment
#BookReview Someday My Duke Will Come (Isle of Synne #2) by Christina Britton @cbrittonauthor @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever21 #ChristinaBritton #IsleofSynne Title: Someday My Duke Will Come

Author: Christina Britton

Series: Isle of Synne #2

Published by: Forever on Jan. 12, 2021

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 333

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 9/10

A fake engagement becomes the real thing in the next book in the series New York Times bestselling author Grace Burrowes calls “first-rate Regency fun!”

Lady Clara Ashford’s world changed fifteen years ago at the hands of a rogue who took her innocence. Determined never to give into temptation again, she settles into a life as caregiver for her family. With her younger sister recently engaged and about to embark on a life of her own, Clara feels adrift and without purpose―until Quincy, the new Duke of Reigate, arrives on her doorstep in need of a fake fiancée.

When Quincy Nesbitt unexpectedly inherits a dukedom, he’s determined to do his best by the title. One thing he won’t do? Marry a woman he’s never met just because she was engaged to his older brother. So, he enlists Lady Clara’s help, since he can’t marry another when he’s engaged to her. But as they pretend for the ton, Quincy finds himself falling for real. Now, he just has to convince Lady Clara to take a chance on him.

Review:

Warm, scandalous, and seductive!

Someday My Duke Will Come is set in England during 1818 and features the laidback, newly-appointed Duke of Reigate, Quincy Nesbitt and the sweet, kind, Lady Clara Ashford as they navigate a fake engagement, a meddling mother, histories strife with heartache, a newly acquired dukedom impoverished due to mismanagement, and a sizzling attraction that’s hard to deny. 

The prose is light and amusing. The characters are tentative, passionate, and supportive. And the plot is an engaging mix of familial drama, redemption, desire, manipulation, shame, matchmaking, scheming behaviour, and steamy romance.

Overall, Someday My Duke Will Come is a fun, easy, swoon-worthy read by Britton that I can honestly say is quickly becoming one of my favourite historical romance series.

 

This novel is available now.

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

                 

 

 

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

 

About Christina Britton

Christina Britton developed a passion for writing romance novels shortly after buying her first at the tender age of thirteen. Though for several years she turned to art and put brush instead of pen to paper, she has returned to her first love and is now writing full time. She spends her days dreaming of corsets and cravats and noblemen with tortured souls.

She lives with her husband and two children in the San Francisco Bay Area. A member of Romance Writers of America, she also belongs to her local chapter, Silicon Valley RWA, and is a 2017 RWA® Golden Heart® Winner.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook Fan Group

#BookReview #Audiobook Roommate by Sarina Bowen @SarinaBowen #Roommate #SarinaBowen

Published on by ZoeLeave a comment
#BookReview #Audiobook Roommate by Sarina Bowen @SarinaBowen #Roommate #SarinaBowen Title: Roommate

Author: Sarina Bowen

Published by: Tuxbury Publishing LLC on Jan. 12, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA

Format: Audiobook

Source: Sarina Bowen

Book Rating: 10/10

Wanted: One roommate to share a 3-bedroom house, split the rent, and ideally not be the guy I can’t stop thinking about.  

I’m a man with too many secrets, so the last thing I need is a new roommate with a sexy smile and blue eyes that see right through me. Eight years ago, Roderick left town after high school. We’re not friends. I owe him nothing. But back then, I let one of my secrets slip, and he’s the only one who noticed. 

Part of me knows I should run far, far away. But the other part wants him to come upstairs and spend the night. But if I let him in, I could lose everything.

Seeking: a room to rent in town. I’m tidy, have no pets, and I will feed you homemade bread. 

I should probably add: Gay AF, and has no filter. It’s no wonder my new landlord is so wary of me. 

A smarter man would ignore those hot glances from Kieran Shipley. The broody lumberjack wants more from me than another fresh-baked pretzel. But if I push my luck, I’ll end up back on the street.

Too bad I’ve never been smart with my heart… 

Review:

Passionate, tender, and romantic!

Roommate is a spicy, lighthearted romance featuring the sweet, playful Roderick and the quiet, broody Kieran as they discover together a sense of purpose, passion, and fulfilment in both their careers and personal lives.

The prose is sincere and sultry. The characters are sweet, dependable, and endearing. And the plot is a heartfelt tale filled with life, love, family, intimacy, chemistry, heat, desire, romance, support, friendship, and sexy times.

Overall, Roommate is a heartwarming, emotive, magical tale by Bowen that’s a wonderful way to catch up with some of the most beloved characters from the True North series, and is another perfect example of why when it comes to writing contemporary romance of any kind Bowen is one of the best.

This novel is available now.

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

       

 

 

Thank you to Sarina Bowen for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sarina Bowen

Sarina Bowen is the RITA® Award winning author of over two dozen contemporary and LGTB romance novels. She most recently hit the USA Today bestseller's list in February, with Brooklynaire. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University.

Sarina Bowen is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. On a few wooded acres, she lives with her husband, two boys, and an ungodly amount of ski and hockey gear.

Sarina's books are published in a dozen languages on four continents. In 2016, The Romance Writers of America honored HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy with a RITA award for Best Contemporary Romance, Mid-Length.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest

 

#BookReview Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson @Sadeqasays @37INKBOOKS @SimonSchusterCA #YellowWife #SadeqaJohnson

Published on by ZoeLeave a comment
#BookReview Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson @Sadeqasays @37INKBOOKS @SimonSchusterCA #YellowWife #SadeqaJohnson Title: Yellow Wife

Author: Sadeqa Johnson

Published by: 37 INK on Jan. 12, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 288

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

In the tradition of Wrench and Twelve Years a Slave, this harrowing story follows an enslaved woman forced to barter love and freedom while living in the most infamous slave jail in Virginia.

Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Brown was promised her freedom on her eighteenth birthday. But when her birthday finally comes around, instead of the idyllic life she was hoping for with her true love, she finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil’s Half-Acre, a jail where slaves are broken, tortured, and sold every day. Forced to become the mistress of the brutal man who owns the jail, Pheby faces the ultimate sacrifice to protect her heart in this powerful, thrilling story of one slave’s fight for freedom.

Review:

Gritty, haunting, and extremely moving!

Yellow Wife is a poignant, impactful tale that sweeps you away to Virginia during the mid-1850s and into the life of Pheby Delores Brown, a young woman of mixed race who struggles to survive a life of brutality and protect those she loves while confined within the walls of the Devil’s Half Acre prison and as the mistress of the jailer, Rubin Lapier.

The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are vulnerable, strong, and scarred. And the plot is an exceptionally enthralling tale about life, love, strength, bravery, hope, survival, savagery, violence, and the unimaginable horrors and injustices of slavery.

Overall, Yellow Wife is a magical blend of historical facts, heart-wrenching emotion, and powerful fiction that does a wonderful job of reminding us that humanity can not only be cruel and barbaric, but also incredibly resilient and kind.

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 Sadeqa Johnson

Sadeqa Johnson is the award-winning author of four novels. Her accolades include being the recipient of the National Book Club Award, the Phillis Wheatley Award and the USA Best Book Award for best fiction. She is a Kimbilo Fellow, former board member of the James River Writers, and a Tall Poppy Writer. Originally from Philadelphia, she currently lives near Richmond, Virginia, with her husband and three children.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

#BookReview Happy Singles Day by Ann Marie Walker @AnnMarie_Walker @SourcebooksCasa #HappySinglesDay #AnnMarieWalker #SourcebooksCasa

Published on by ZoeLeave a comment
#BookReview Happy Singles Day by Ann Marie Walker @AnnMarie_Walker @SourcebooksCasa #HappySinglesDay #AnnMarieWalker #SourcebooksCasa Title: Happy Singles Day

Author: Ann Marie Walker

Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca on Jan. 19, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 288

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Book Rating: 10/10

Single and proud of it! Oh, oops…

As a Certified Professional Organizer, everything in Paige Parker’s world is as it should be. Perfect apartment, perfect office, perfect life. And now, the perfect vacation planned to honor Singles Day. After all, what’s better than celebrating her pride in being single? Because who needs a man anyway? They have zero taste in quality television, leave the toilet seat up, and sleep with your best friend. No thanks. Her life is fine just the way it is.

As the owner of a now-dormant bed & breakfast, Lucas Croft’s life is simple and quiet. It’s only him and his five-year-old daughter, which is just the way he likes it. Because who needs a woman anyway? They nag you to clean up your stuff, want the toilet seat put down, and expect the dishes to be done the same day the meal is cooked. No thanks. His life is fine just the way it is.

But when Paige books a room that Lucas’ well-intentioned sister listed without his knowledge, their two worlds collide. If they can survive the week together, they just might discover exactly what they’ve both been missing.

Review:

Heartwarming, amusing, and delectably charming!

Happy Singles Day is a lighthearted, absorbing tale set on the idyllic Aurelia Island that takes you into the lives of Paige Parker, a workaholic who after having her heart shattered by a cheating ex has spent far too many hours working and not enough hours enjoying life, and Lucas Croft, an innkeeper and widowed father of a five-year-old who is still struggling with the unexpected loss of his wife and his all-consuming grief that is preventing him from moving on.

The writing style is light and witty. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are quirky, fun-loving, and endearing. And the plot is a heartfelt, uplifting mix of friendship, family, introspection, parenthood, sorrow, support, love, loss, drama, community, tricky situations, humorous mishaps, and new beginnings.

Overall, Happy Singles Day is a sweet, touching, delightfully romantic tale by Walker that I didn’t just like, I loved.

This book is available January 19, 2021.

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

            

 

 

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Ann Marie Walker

Ann Marie Walker writes steamy books about sexy boys. She's a fan of fancy cocktails, anything chocolate, and 80s rom-coms. Her super power is connecting any situation to an episode of Friends and she thinks all coffee cups should be the size of a bowl. If it's December she can be found watching Love Actually but the rest of the year you can find her at AnnMarieWalker.com where she would be happy to talk to you about alpha males, lemon drop martinis or supermodel David Gandy. Ann Marie attended the University of Notre Dame and currently lives in Chicago.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

#BookReview The Butterfly House by Katrine Engberg @GalleryBooks @SimonSchusterCA #TheButterflyHouse #KornerandWerner #KatrineEngberg

Published on by ZoeLeave a comment
#BookReview The Butterfly House by Katrine Engberg @GalleryBooks @SimonSchusterCA #TheButterflyHouse #KornerandWerner #KatrineEngberg Title: The Butterfly House

Author: Katrine Engberg

Series: Korner and Werner #2

Published by: Gallery/Scout Press on Jan. 5, 2021

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Detectives Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner return in this thriller as they race to solve a series of sordid murders linked to some of the most vulnerable patients in a Danish hospital.

Hospitals are supposed to be places of healing. But in the coronary care unit at one of Copenhagen’s leading medical centers, a nurse fills a syringe with an overdose of heart medication and stealthily enters the room of an older male patient.

Six days earlier, a paperboy on his route in central Copenhagen stumbles upon a macabre find: the naked body of a dead woman, lying in a fountain with arms marked with small incisions. Cause of death? Exsanguination—the draining of all the blood in her body.

Clearly, this is no ordinary murder. Lead Investigator Jeppe Korner, recovering from a painful divorce and in the throes of a new relationship, takes on the investigation. His partner, Anette Werner, now on maternity leave after an unexpected pregnancy, is restless at home with a demanding newborn and an equally demanding husband. While Jeppe pounds the streets looking for answers, Anette decides to do a little freelance sleuthing. But operating on her own exposes her to dangers she can’t even begin to fathom.

As the investigation ventures into dark corners, it uncovers the ambition and greed that festers beneath the surface of caregiving institutions—all the more shocking for their depravity—and what Jeppe and Anette discover will turn their blood as cold as ice….

Review:

Chilling, sinister, and sharp!

In this engrossing second instalment in the Korner and Werner series, The Butterfly House, Engberg has written an unpredictable, ominous thriller that takes you on a hunt for a serial killer with a penchant for antique medical devices and a list of victims who all seem to have ties to a defunct psychiatric facility for teens.

The prose is tight and crisp. The characters are multilayered, flawed, and troubled. And the plot is an absorbing tale full of intrigue, surprises, red herrings, deception, revenge, suspicious motivations, abuse, mental illness, violence, and murder.

Overall, The Butterfly House is a sophisticated, fast-paced, tortuous tale by Engberg that keeps you guessing from the very first page and leaves you unsettled, entertained, and highly satisfied.

 

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

 

About Katrine Engberg

A former dancer and choreographer with a background in television and theater, Katrine Engberg has launched a groundbreaking career as a novelist with the publication of The Tenant. She is now one of the most widely read and beloved crime authors in Denmark. The Tenant is her debut novel and the start of a series hailed for its artful originality and beautiful prose.

Photograph by Les Kaner.

Goodreads