What's Better Than Books? - Page 2 of 135 - Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Guest Posts, Ratings, and More!

14
Jan
2021

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

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Historical Romance

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.

13
Jan
2021

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

categories: 10/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA

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.

12
Jan
2021

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

categories: 10/10, Book Review, Historical Fiction, Noteworthy Book Releases

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 | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

11
Jan
2021

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

categories: 10/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, Noteworthy Book Releases, Women's Fiction

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 | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

10
Jan
2021

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

categories: 8.5/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller

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

09
Jan
2021

#BookReview Outlawed by Anna North @annanorthtweets @RaincoastBooks @BloomsburyPub #Outlawed #AnnaNorth

categories: 8.5/10, Book Review, Historical Fiction

Title: Outlawed

Author: Anna North

Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing on Jan. 5, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 272

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Raincoast Books

Book Rating: 8.5/10

The Crucible meets True Grit in this riveting adventure story of a fugitive girl, a mysterious gang of robbers, and their dangerous mission to transform the Wild West.

In the year of our Lord 1894, I became an outlaw.

The day of her wedding, 17 year old Ada’s life looks good; she loves her husband, and she loves working as an apprentice to her mother, a respected midwife. But after a year of marriage and no pregnancy, in a town where barren women are routinely hanged as witches, her survival depends on leaving behind everything she knows.

She joins up with the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang, a band of outlaws led by a preacher-turned-robber known to all as the Kid. Charismatic, grandiose, and mercurial, the Kid is determined to create a safe haven for outcast women. But to make this dream a reality, the Gang hatches a treacherous plan that may get them all killed. And Ada must decide whether she’s willing to risk her life for the possibility of a new kind of future for them all.

Featuring an irresistibly no-nonsense, courageous, and determined heroine, Outlawed dusts off the myth of the old West and reignites the glimmering promise of the frontier with an entirely new set of feminist stakes. Anna North has crafted a pulse-racing, page-turning saga about the search for hope in the wake of death, and for truth in a climate of small-mindedness and fear.

Review:

Unique, tender, and thrilling!

Outlawed is a compelling, adventurous tale featuring Ada, the young daughter of a midwife whom after being unable to bear her husband a child flees her hometown, to rumblings of witchcraft, to a convent run by nuns before finally settling and finding a home as the doctor for the notorious outlaws, non-binary, Hole in the Wall Gang.

The prose is rich and expressive. The characters are strong, determined, passionate, and loyal. And the plot set in the wild west during the mid-1890s is an intense, fast-paced tale of love, life, loss, bravery, strength, loyalty, danger, gender neutrality, nonconformity, gunslinging, violence, and survival.

I have to admit that I didn’t know what to expect when I started Outlawed, but North did such a wonderful job of blending a classic western story with such an original, alluring, feministic spin that I was not only left highly entertained but incredibly impressed.

This novel 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 Anna North

Anna North is a novelist and journalist. She is the author of the novels America Pacifica (2011), The Life and Death of Sophie Stark (2015), and Outlawed (forthcoming with Bloomsbury, January 2021). She has been a writer and editor at Jezebel, BuzzFeed, Salon, and the New York Times, and is now a senior reporter at Vox.

Photograph by Seth Pomerantz.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

08
Jan
2021

#BookReview Sisters by Michelle Frances @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #Sisters #MichelleFrances #PGCBooks

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller

Title: Sisters

Author: Michelle Frances

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Jan. 5, 2020

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 416

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

Is blood really thicker than water?

Abby and Ellie were never close as children. Now in their thirties, they each harbour deep-rooted resentment for the other – Abby for her sister’s looks and her status as their mother’s favourite. Ellie meanwhile is envious of Abby’s perfect husband and picturesque home, a villa on the sun-soaked Italian island of Elba.

When Abby invites Ellie to stay, both sisters see the break as a chance to relax and put aside their differences. But with their mother Susanna there too, all the simmering tensions of the past quickly rise to the surface. And Ellie suspects that Abby and their mother are keeping a dangerous secret . . .

But after a shocking act, the sisters have only each other to rely on. Vulnerable and scared, trusting each other will be the biggest risk of all . . .

Review:

Simmering, twisty, and intricate!

Sisters is a fast-paced, character-driven, domestic thriller that takes you into the lives of two sisters, Abbie, a hardworking, overachiever and Ellie a younger, prettier, free spirit as they each grapple with sibling rivalry, enduring jealousy, resentments, and long-buried secrets that will change their lives forever.

The prose is crisp and intense. The characters are envious, secretive, and troubled. And the plot told from differing perspectives unfolds rapidly into a gripping tale full of twists, turns, surprises, familial drama, lies, greed, deception, and tragedy.

Overall, Sisters is another exhilarating, pacey, suspenseful tale by Frances that does a wonderful job of delving into all the complex, dysfunctional relationships that exist between family members and reminds us just how toxic some of them can often be.

This novel is available now.

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

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

About Michelle Frances

Michelle Frances graduated from Bournemouth Film School and then from the Masters programme at the American Film Institute, Los Angeles. Returning to London, she has worked for several years in film and TV as a script editor and producer for both the independent sector and the BBC.

Her first novel, The Girlfriend, became an international best seller.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

07
Jan
2021

#BookReview Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala @Ryality @SourcebooksFire @RaincoastBooks #BeDazzled #RyanLaSala

categories: 8.5/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA, Young Adult

Title: Be Dazzled

Author: Ryan La Sala

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire on Jan. 5, 2020

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, LGBTQIA

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback, ARC

Source: Raincoast Books

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Who’s ready to sparkle??

Project Runway goes to Comic Con in an epic queer love story about creativity, passion, and finding the courage to be your most authentic self.

Raffy has a passion for bedazzling. Not just bedazzling, but sewing, stitching, draping, pattern making–for creation. He’s always chosen his art over everything–and everyone–else and is determined to make his mark at this year’s biggest cosplay competition. If he can wow there, it could lead to sponsorship, then art school, and finally earning real respect for his work. There’s only one small problem… Raffy’s ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition.

Raffy tried to make it work with Luca. They almost made the perfect team last year after serendipitously meeting in the rhinestone aisle at the local craft store–or at least Raffy thought they did. But Luca’s insecurities and Raffy’s insistence on crafting perfection caused their relationship to crash and burn. Now, Raffy is after the perfect comeback, one that Luca can’t ruin.

But when Raffy is forced to partner with Luca on his most ambitious build yet, he’ll have to juggle unresolved feelings for the boy who broke his heart, and his own intense self-doubt, to get everything he’s ever wanted: choosing his art, his way.

Review:

Fresh, uplifting, and cute!

Be Dazzled is a heartwarming, amusing tale featuring the hesitant, closeted Luca and the creative, confident, Raffy as they discover through crafting, cosplay, and the highly competitive Controverse that the heart wants who the heart wants and that some things are definitely worth fighting for.

The writing is creative and light. The characters are talented, loyal, and supportive. And the plot using a back-and-forth, past-present style is a passionate, fascinating tale full of familial drama, teenage angst, hard work, goals, dreams, friendship, and first love.

Overall, Be Dazzled is an enjoyable, entertaining, satisfying novel by La Sala with its endearing characters, heartfelt moments, unique storyline, and happy-ever-after ending.

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 Ryan La Sala

Ryan La Sala is the author of Reverie and Be Dazzled and is the co-host of Celebrity Book Club.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

Twitter | Goodreads

06
Jan
2021

#BookReview The Paper Bracelet by Rachael English @EnglishRachael @Mobius_Books @headlinepg #ThePaperBracelet #RachaelEnglish #MobiusBooksUS

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Historical Fiction

Title: The Paper Bracelet

Author: Rachael English

Published by: Headline Books on Jan. 5, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Mobius Books US

Book Rating: 9/10

Every baby’s bracelet held a mother’s secret…

Inspired by heartrending real events, the gripping new novel from No. 1 bestselling author Rachael English. Readers of Diane Chamberlain and Kathryn Hughes will love this book.

‘A true storyteller who keeps you turning the pages’ Cathy Kelly

For almost fifty years, Katie Carroll has kept a box tucked away inside her wardrobe. It dates from her time working as a nurse in a west of Ireland mother and baby home in the 1960s. The box contains a notebook holding the details of the babies and young women she met there. It also holds many of the babies’ identity bracelets.

Following the death of her husband, Katie makes a decision. The information she possesses could help reunite adopted people with their birth mothers, and she decides to post a message on an internet forum. Soon the replies are rolling in, and Katie finds herself returning many of the bracelets to their original owners. She encounters success and failure, heartbreak and joy. But is she prepared for old secrets to be uncovered in her own life?

Review:

Absorbing, poignant, and heartrending!

The Paper Bracelet is a harrowing, moving novel set in Ireland during the 1970s, as well as present-day, that takes you into the halls of Carrigbrack, a mother-and-baby home run by nuns where unwed pregnant girls are unwillingly banished to repent, deliver, and subsequently relinquish their parental rights under conditions of emotional and physical abuse, meagre basic necessities, excessive workloads, and often vicious, sadistic punishments and the complex, emotional journey to reacquaint mothers with their long-lost children years later.

The prose is sentimental and rich. The characters are vulnerable, strong, and brave. And the plot told from multiple perspectives is a compelling blend of life, loss, secrets, surprises, heartbreak, abuse, survival, motherhood, and friendship.

Overall, The Paper Bracelet is a compassionate, enlightening, hopeful tale inspired by true-life events that is a haunting reminder of all those women who lived, suffered, and endured in these horrific institutions and continued to do so late into the 20th century. It’s a book that, ultimately, needs to be read to appreciate just how well researched, beautifully written, and extremely memorable it truly is.

This novel is available now.

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

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

About Rachael English

Rachael English is the author of five novels: GOING BACK, which was shortlisted for the most-promising newcomer award at the Irish Book Awards, EACH AND EVERY ONE, THE AMERICAN GIRL, which reached number one on the Irish paperback best sellers list, THE NIGHT OF THE PARTY and THE PAPER BRACELET.
Like many many writers, she also has a day job. She's a presenter on the radio programme, Morning Ireland.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

Twitter | Facebook

05
Jan
2021

#BookReview Love Songs for Skeptics @ChristinaPi @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #LoveSongsforSkeptics #ChristinaPishiris

categories: 8.5/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance

Title: Love Songs for Skeptics

Author: Christina Pishiris

Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark on Jan. 5, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 416

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Landmark

Book Rating: 8.5/10

For fans of Josie Silver and Emily Henry comes a debut rom-com about the life-changing magic of second chances.

Zoë Frixos gets the whole love song thing. Truly, she does. As an editor at a major music magazine in London, it’s part of her job description. But love? Let’s just say Zoë’s been a bit off-beat in that department. After falling hard for her best friend, Simon, at thirteen and missing every chance to tell him how she felt before he left town, Zoë came to one grand conclusion: Love stinks.

Twenty years later, Simon is returning to London, newly single and as charming as ever, and Zoë vows to take her second chance. But Zoë’s got other problems now: In order to save her magazine from closure, she has to land the biggest interview of her career with a notoriously elusive rock idol. There’s just one problem: Nick, the arrogant publicist who seems determined to stop the story and ruin Zoë’s life.

With her brother’s big(ish) fat(ish) Greek wedding on the horizon, Zoë begins to wonder if her first love is the right love. In the wake of a life-changing choice, Zoë must decide if she’s right to be skeptical about love, or if it’s time to change her tune…

This charming and quirky debut has it all: childhood friends, love triangles, enemies-to-lovers, and a My Big Fat Greek Wedding subplot.

Review:

Charming, comical, and delightfully uplifting!

Love Songs for Skeptics is a sweet, heartwarming tale that takes us into the life of the hardworking Zoë Frixos as she juggles her feelings for her newly returned, single best friend who she’s crushed on since she was thirteen, a cocky boy-bander with an overinflated ego, a potential interview with a famous, reclusive musician who could save her career, and a push-and-pull relationship with the arrogant, yet handsome publicist, Nick Jones.

The prose is sharp and fluid. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are multilayered, amusing and endearing. And the plot is a smart, engaging tale full of life, loss, love, tricky moments, awkward situations, quirky mishaps, delicious chemistry, romantic drama, tension, self-reflection, and a soundtrack of some of the most unforgettable, retro, love songs of all time. (Playlist can be found here: HERE )

Overall, Love Songs for Skeptics is a light, refreshing, entertaining debut by Pishiris that I thoroughly enjoyed and is the perfect choice for fans of contemporary romance novels that have a lot of humour, heart, and hope.

This book is available now.

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

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

About Christina Pishiris

Christina Pishiris was born in London to Greek Cypriot parents. She studied English at the University of Sussex and went on to become a journalist. When not writing her hobbies include compiling cheesy eighties playlists, coveting the neighbour’s cat, and writing protest letters to Guerlain after they discontinued her favourite perfume. LOVE SONGS FOR SCEPTICS is her first book.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram